Archive of Our Own ^beta

Moving from the sweltering heat of Arizona into the rainy chill of Washington was surprisingly easier than Yoongi expected. He’s always been more of a cool weather guy than anything. Don’t get him wrong, he appreciates a good sunny day, one where the sun kisses his skin and warms him up from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. But Yoongi’s always found happiness in pulling on fluffy socks and warm clothing when the weather outside is just a tad too cold, too unforgiving. He’d rather smother himself in layers than feel the need to pull them off. 

Which is why when his mother announced that her and his step father were moving back to South Korea, Yoongi asked to stay with his dad. It’s not that he didn’t love her, or hated his step father or anything like that. It’s actually the opposite. His mother had always been warm and funny, whereas his step father cracked too many jokes and was an honest man. So no, he didn’t hate them. But, he needed something new. And he knew his father would be glad to have him, and Washington was a good place to relocate. A good place for a fresh start. 

Leaving Arizona was bittersweet. 

His friends, very few, wished him goodbyes with unshed tears glimmering in their eyes, and Yoongi had to choke back his own emotions. When he got to the airport, the way his mother held him made it seem like she would never see him again. Yoongi had to promise her that he would visit as often as possible. And when his step father came forward with a sad face, he knew this was much harder on them than him. He loves them with his whole being, but sometimes… change is good. 

The flight to Washington was smooth, a morning flight that Yoongi slept through. It wasn’t long though, only a few hours. Still, Yoongi always feels a bit more tired nowadays. He thinks it’s because of the stress of the move, but who can know for sure. When he stepped off the plane and saw his father, he knew he made a good choice. 

“You’ve grown skinnier since the last time I've seen you.” His father says, voice soft and reserved. They haven’t seen each other in years. 

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I grew a couple more inches. So, I guess I just never made it up for it.” 

“Oh. You still look grown. You’re a man now.” If Yoongi hears the pang of guilt in his father’s voice, he ignores it. 

“Thank you.” 

The house, for the most part, is exactly how Yoongi remembers it. Tall white wood with two levels and multiple windows to let in neighborhood views. His heart wrenches slightly, but he’s happy. He’s just nostalgic. He tries to grab his bags, but his father beats him to it. He smiles lightly, grasping securely around the tiny cactus he brought from Arizona. A parting gift from his mother. As they make their way into the house, Yoongi speaks. 

“This place hasn’t changed much, huh?” He speaks clearly, wanting to encourage more conversation between them but it’s awkward. Just, plain awkward. He’s not entirely sure of how to go about this. He’s not much of a talker himself. 

“No, not really. I’m always busy with work and there isn’t anyone else around. So, it’s just… never been refurbished. Maybe since you’re here you can bring in some style.” This is nice. Jokes. He likes this. 

Yoongi smiles. “Yeah, that’d be cool.” 

They head further into the house, travelling up the stairs to Yoongi’s room. Like the rest of the house, Yoongi perfectly remembers every detail of the room. The queen sized bed, the wooden nightstand, and the purple sheets. But what really gets to Yoongi is the collection of old drawings he drew for his father on the wall. Hung up with other crafts items, it’s displayed neatly and almost in a childish manner. It’s heartwarming. 

“I put new sheets down on the bed for you, cleaned the whole room up so you wouldn’t have to fuss in here. Do you like purple? I got these from Mrs. Sanderson down the street, her daughter doesn’t need them anymore and they fit the bed so she gave ‘em to me. That’s cool, right?” His father’s face was pinched, and Yoongi could read all the harsh lines in his skin. 

“Yeah, dad. It’s cool. Purple’s a nice color.” His dad breathes out a sigh of relief. 

“Thank the lord. Was hoping you wouldn’t ask me to return them. I wouldn’t be able to face her if I had to return them. A sweet lady, she is. But she’s also got one hell of a tongue.” Yoongi barks out a laugh. 

“Wow, uh, yeah. Purple is cool, sheets look soft too.” Yoongi muses, setting his cactus down on the night table and running his fingers through the fabric. 

“Oh yeah, it is. She bought the sheets, but she ended up doing some knitwork with it. I didn’t ask too many questions. Kind of just grabbed them and left. Sweet lady, she is. Anyways, i’ll uh- let you get settled. I’ll order us some food.” 

When his father walks away, Yoongi releases a small huff. Yoongi wonders how many times his father must’ve come back in here and stared. Wondered when his little boy would return? Yoongi regrets not visiting more often. But he can make up for lost time now. The years may have left them, but the memories he’ll build here will ensure his mark left on the small town of Forks. It has to. 

Yoongi’s putting away the last of his clothes when he hears a truck rumble up in the driveway. He finishes his task, and moves towards the window. It’s a man, seemingly Korean, with tan skin and a nice face. Yoongi’s guessing he’s his father's friend, if the way his father runs out the house to greet him is any indicator. He pulls away from the window and goes down. 

“I can’t believe you brought this old thing all the way here and expected me to drive you home.” His father yells, though it’s obviously a joke. The man curses at him. 

“Ya’ mean to tell me that I brought this precious truck all the way from the reserves for your son and this is the thanks I get? I’m leaving. And i’m taking my fish fries with me!” 

His father's face drops. “Fuck, I’m joking. Bring that shit here! I’ll drive your ass all the way to Atlanta for those delicious fuckers.” 

“Uh, hi.” Yoongi coughs, not really sure where to start. It does the trick though. 

“Ah! You came down just in time son, meet Mr. Jeon.” Yoongi smiles at the man, and shakes the hand the older man stretches towards him. 

“Ah, shut up Min. You know Yoongi here remembers me. Don’t ya? Back when you were like what, four?” Mr. Jeon laughs. “Just kidding. If I can’t remember yesterday’s dinner, you surely can’t remember me.” 

“Ah, I don’t know, Jeon. Are you sure you can’t remember because of the alcohol you drank?” 

“Quiet, Min. Or I'll take this truck back and hit you with it.” Mr. Jeon threatens, before turning his gaze back to Yoongi. “Speaking of, you like your truck?” 

Yoongi stops shuffling his feet and furrows his brows. “My truck?” 

Mr. Jeon lets another rumble of a laugh, bringing his palm up and slapping the back of a bright orange pick up truck. Yoongi widens his eyes in shock. There's no way- 

“This? This is for me?” When Mr. Jeon smiles, Yoongi can’t help but choke out a laugh, mouth grinning beyond its normal use. “I don’t- thank you! So much! This is awesome.” 

“Anything for you, kiddo.” 

Forks High School is about as plain as Yoongi expected. He’s noticed that cooler weather schools seem to be less vibrant than those in warmer states. He doesn’t care, it’s just a building, but he notes that his old high school is infinitely prettier than this one. The parking lot is swamped with kids, the lot of them bustling around the lot as if it’s a playground. Yoongi huffs as he has to pay extra attention to the road to avoid hitting anyone. Well, he usually does. Except it’s early in the morning and there’s no reason as to why everyone is lingering in the parking lot. 

Luckily, he finds a spot close enough to the entrance of the school that makes the daunting “new kid” walk much shorter. He parks and hastily gets out of the car, trying to blend in as much as he can with the crowd. It doesn’t work. 

“Hey!” A kid calls to him, and Yoongi turns to the voice. 

“I like your truck.” Yoongi doesn’t look at the kid long enough to make out his face. 

“Thank you.” 

From the outside, the school does not look nearly as big as it actually is. He’s only a few steps in and he’s already lost beyond belief. He keeps fumbling around with his schedule, albeit secretly. If anyone notices how lost he is, he’ll surely combust in his boots. 

“Hey! New kid!” Fuck.

A new body falls in step beside him, and Yoongi has no choice but to have a conversation. He looks up and, okay. Could be worse. The boy is cute, with a bright smile and a nose that frames him in a good way. His hair is black and he’s asian. 

“Hi.” Yoongi greets. God, could he be any more awkward?

“Hey! You’re Yoongi, right? Yoongi Min?” Yoongi nods. “Fantastic! My name’s Hoseok Jung, I’m president of the school newspaper here, and the office told me you were coming today. I’m your official tour guide, friend!” Hoseok speaks fast, but he’s so friendly, Yoongi’s grateful he has someone to talk to for questions. 

“Oh, okay. Nice to meet you, then.” He responds, Hoseok quirks a brow. 

“Nice to meet me now? If I was a random person coming up to you, you wouldn’t think of it as nice to meet me?” Yoongi spluttered, trying to come up with a response but his pea brain is letting words explode. Hoseok smiles bright. “I’m kidding! C’mon, i’m not that lame. But hey, smile for the camera, baby! You’re gonna make the front page!” 

“What?” Yoongi hisses, but he catches himself quickly, “Actually, could you like not? I’m not really… I don’t like-” 

Hoseok’s smile somehow grows brighter. “Hey, hey! It’s okay. I won’t put you in. Newspaper boy’s honesty.” He crosses his fingers over his heart, and Yoongi can’t help but relax at the gesture. 

“Now come on! Let me show you around.” 

As stated previously, the school is humongous. Hoseok shows him around every corner, and doesn’t leave an inch unexplored. They also have some classes together, which he finds comfort in. Hoseok is nice, he’s funny, and he’s cute. He’s definitely someone Yoongi wants to be friends with. But now they’re in gym, and Yoongi’s starting to hate him. 

“Come on, Yoongi! Just serve!” Hoseok urges. 

“No, Hoseok. I’m so shit at this sport I-” 

“Hit the ball, Yoongi Min!” 

In a moment of frustration, Yoongi lets out a groan and serves the ball. He was hoping for one of those cliche movie moments where they suddenly figure out he’s got extreme talent, but when the ball curves to the fucking right like a boomerang and smacks into some kids head, Yoongi realizes he’s useless. 

“What the fuck?” The kid hisses, and Yoongi immediately rushes over. 

“I’m sorry! I told him not to let me play, I suck ass.” He apologizes, and the kid looks up from where he’s patting his head. 

And what the fuck? Is this whole school filled with good looking teenagers? Is Yoongi missing a gene or something? Is he the only scraggly one? The kid before him is like, an inch shorter than him, with the thickest lips Yoongi’s ever seen and seductive eyes. He looks like pure sex. Yoongi’s fucking terrified.  

“Jimin! I see you’ve met Yoongi!” Hoseok skips over, throwing his arm over Jimin’s shoulders. 

Jimin deflates, letting his hand fall to his side. He scoffs at Hoseok, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. “Yeah, under less than ideal terms.” 

Yoongi makes his way to speak but Jimin raises a hand to him. “Forget it, it’s fine. It didn’t hurt, I was more confused than anything.” 

And Yoongi… he wants to respond but he’s unsettled. Jimin is pale. Like, paler than Yoongi. He looks like he rolled around in flour and then froze himself in dry ice. He’s still hot, though. He’s just going to assume that Jimin’s allergic to sunlight. 

“Ah, glad to hear that.” 

Oh yeah, Yoongi. Spectacular. Hoseok (praise the heavens) breaks the awkward air. 

“Yoongi’s new around here! He came from…” 

“Arizona.” 

“Arizona! Yeah, he travelled all the way from that state to come meet us. Isn’t that so sweet, Jimin?” Hoseok pinches Jimin’s cheek, and Jimin lets out a playful growl before pushing Hoseok off him. 

“I don’t think he came here for us, Hobi. But go ahead and believe that.” Hoseok lets out an offended scoff. “Arizona huh? No offense, but you seem like you haven’t seen the sunlight since you were born.” 

Yoongi chuckles, rubbing the nape of his neck out of nervousness. “Ha ha, yeah. Uh, my family sometimes says I have to be a vampire. Funny right?” 

The dark look that falls over both of their faces causes Yoongi’s heart to beat erratically. He feels like he should apologize, but there’s nothing to apologize for. It’s not like they’re vampires or anything. Those don’t exist. 

“Yeah, funny.” 

Maybe he should just keep his mouth shut for the rest of his life. 

By the time lunch rolls around, the incident seems to be forgotten. When the three of them had clambered into the locker room together, Hoseok and Jimin were back to their playful banter that was seemingly lost earlier. Yoongi wants to ask about it, but if he does he might offend them again. He chooses to keep his mouth shut. 

 It’s pretty standard. A large room with multiple entrances, including the outside, and various sized tables. They have a salad bar, though. Yoongi didn’t have one in his last school. Him, Hoseok, and Jimin settled themselves in a table a bit close to the outside entrance, a circular table definitely meant for a big bunch but only had them. He’s nibbling on his food, the stress of the day taking away his appetite enough for him to not be in a rush. 

“Jimin, I just can’t believe that you chose that hideous color when you could match with me instead!” 

“Hobi, it’s black. It’s a black suit. It’s standard. It’s not ugly, you’re just sensitive because I won’t match with you!” 

At Hoseok’s indignant gasp, Yoongi decides to interrupt. “What’re you guys talking about?” 

“Hobi wants us to match at the prom-” 

“Isn’t that like, months away?” Yoongi asks as he bites into his vibrantly red apple. He ignores the way Jimin traces the movement. 

“Yes, now shush. Hobi wants to match, but I want to wear a black suit. And he’s going to be wearing- take a wild guess.” Yoongi ponders for a second. 

“Blue?” 

“Pink!” 

Yoongi chokes around his apple, coughing enough to warrant a few wandering eyes. He hears a brief ``oh mah gawd, he's gon’ die’ from Hoseok before a water bottle is being thrust in front of his face. He unscrews the cap and chugs it down, effectively clearing his throat. 

“ ‘m fine,” he mumbles, waving away the concerned stares, “he- you- pink?” 

“Yes! Listen, pink is nice and all, but I am not wearing a pink tuxedo to prom.” 

“You’re just mad that you didn’t think of it earlier. It’s clear that you’re jealous of my handsome brain.” 

“Hoseok, what?” 

Yoongi blocks them out now, knowing very well they’re going to bicker again. It’s kind of funny how easily Yoongi memorizes their patterns, but it’s okay. It makes it easier for a friendship to develop. He’s always been like this. Since he was a kid, he always enjoyed learning people’s mannerisms before being friends with them, that way he knows to make sure they’re comfortable. It’s a nice gesture that he enjoys doing. 

Lazily, he casts his eyes around the cafeteria, noting the people that are definitely popular and those that aren’t. The tables with the most people are a tell-tale sign of popularity, and the tables with no one, like his right now, lets him know who isn’t that well-known. Weird though, people like Jimin and Hoseok should definitely be highly regarded in school. Kids are weird. 

He’s about to join the conversation when a figure catches his eye. The person, boy, is about to walk into the cafeteria from the outside entrance, so Yoongi sees him in phases before he fully steps in. And, okay. There is definitely something in the water at this school. The kid is tall, taller than Yoongi by a good couple of inches, and is absolutely bulging with muscles. His skin is tan as well, and he looks like he just jumped out of a GQ magazine. 

But what really gets him, is the beauty of his face. Black doe eyes hooded to discourage conversation, plump lips set in a line, and a large nose structuring his face scarily well. And like a cherry on top, lengthened raven black hair. Yoongi’s almost offended that this kid looks like all his wet dreams combined into one figure, and before he thinks twice, he speaks. 

“Who’s that?” 

Jimin and Hoseok stop speaking, they look at him questioningly, before following his line of sight. He misses the way the two of them tense. 

“Wow, didn’t expect him to be back so soon.” Jimin mutters, eyes fluttering over Jungkook’s body before facing the table again. 

“Honestly. Thought they expelled him.” Hoseok turns back towards the table as well. 

“What?” Yoongi scrunches his face in confusion, “Who’s that?” 

Jimin purses his lips. “That’s Jungkook Jeon, a junior. Weird kid.” 

“Why is he weird? And what do you mean expelled?” Yoongi’s completely lost. An innocent face like that is… well, it’s weird to imagine trouble. But Yoongi’s probably just biased right now. 

“Well, it’s kind of a long story. I’ll shorten it though. About what?” Hoseok turns to Jimin, “two weeks ago?” Jimin nods, and he looks back at Yoongi. “Some asshole was teasing Jungkook. Like, full blown bullying. Which is seriously ballsy, because Jungkook takes absolutely no bullshit. But the shit the kid was saying seemed to stun him. Anyway, Jungkook got so mad that he punched through the window glass of his biology class.” 

“Oh shit.” Yoongi murmurs. 

“Yeah, apparently the kid shit talking him ran off like a fucking wimp. Couldn’t take the heat Jeon was gonna give him. It’s fucked though, cause Jungkook got suspended but the kid talking didn’t get punished at all.” Yoongi rolled his eyes at the last part. School systems are so shit. But a thought is still bugging him. 

“What was the kid saying?” Hoseok deflates at the question, but Jimin answers. 

“That’s the weird thing. Jungkook’s freshman and sophomore year, he was like an all star. Had all the friends, all the popularity.” 

“Even a star athlete.” Hoseok supplies as he shovels salad into his mouth. Jimin nods. 

“We’re talking about star athlete. Kid was definitely going to get scholarships. And I mean, he did every sport. He wasn’t too academically gifted, but his sports were enough to already bring in full-ride offers. But then, like, later on in his sophomore year he quit everything. And I mean everything. He did it all randomly, and all those friends he had, he never talked to them after that. He doesn’t do any extracurriculars either, he’s just… plain. It’s weird. Anyway, people say that like, maybe someone in his family died or something, but I don’t think that’s the case. But the kid said too much shit and pissed Jeon off.” 

Wait, Jeon? Mr. Jeon’s son? 

“That… that sucks.” 

“Yeah,” Hoseok hums, “I hope whatever he’s going through it fixes. He’s got so much talent, I hate to see it wasted.” 

“Yeah, me too.” Yoongi mumbles. 

He pushes his meal away completely. He forces himself to ignore the urge to look by shaking his leg and observing other people, but it’s nagging at him. He just… he needs to look. He can’t explain it. As discreetly as possible, Yoongi looks over his shoulder in the direction Jungkook went. He spots him, sitting by himself close to the windows. 

He’s already looking at Yoongi. But as soon as they make eye contact, Jungkook's eyes widen slightly, and before he knows it, he’s plugging in his music and looking elsewhere. 

Yoongi wants to continue to stare, but that’s creepy. He looks away. 

“I can’t believe we don’t have biology together. How’re you going to survive without me?” 

“I think I’ll be just fine, Hoseok. It’s only what, like an hour class? I’ll live.” Hoseok frowns at Yoongi, his face turned downward in a child-like manner. Yoongi cracks a tiny smirk, hesitantly patting Hoseok on the shoulder to soothe him. “We’ll see each other again, Hoseok. Don’t worry.”

The pair bid each other goodbye. Yoongi watches Hoseok’s retreating figure for a second before turning into the biology room. Almost instantly, he feels a pair of eyes boring into him. He doesn’t want to look, at least he doesn’t want to make it too obvious. So he figures out he’s seating arrangement with the teacher first. Starting with a quick, easy approach. 

“Hi, my name is Yoongi Min. I’m the new student?” He’s not sure why it comes off more as a question, he needs to work on asserting himself better. Alas, the teacher seems friendly enough. 

“Ah, Yoongi. They told me you’d be coming. I’m Mr. Baron, if you have any questions let me know. I’m seating you besides Jungkook, he’s at the second table next to the window.” 

Oh. Jungkook. 

Yoongi looks up, and yeah, it’s Jungkook’s eyes that are seering into his skin. He can’t help but bite his lower lip anxiously, a habit he’s had for far too long. He thanks the teacher and walks over to his seat, trying to settle himself in but Jungkook isn’t making him feel too welcomed. And that’s how class goes. 

Jungkook stares at him the entire time, he doesn’t even see the kid blink. Yoongi snuck his own glances when he could, but he’s sure he looked like some scared little prey sitting beside the big bad wolf. He wants to voice that, but so far it doesn’t seem like people take too kindly to supernatural jokes here. He keeps it to himself. And as the minutes pass, Yoongi is definitely starting to grow more insecure. It’s not- he doesn’t feel good. Like this. He feels exposed. No doubt the kid entices him, but that doesn’t mean he can ignore the fear that comes with it. 

When the bell rings, Yoongi flinches at the force of Jungkook pushing away from the table. He practically acted like the wood had just kicked him. He barely blinks before Jungkook disappears out of the classroom, and into the hallway to be swarmed by students. Yoongi takes a second to gather himself, slowly packing away his stuff. Was he really that awful to sit next to? Did he smell? He distinctly remembers showering this morning and putting on a lot of deodorant. He even brushed his teeth twice, and popped gum in after lunch so that couldn’t be it. 

Whatever. Maybe Jungkook was the problem. 

If Yoongi thought the parking lot in the morning was swamped, then the school hallways in the afternoon are flooded. He’s constantly being pushed around by the groups of bodies racing to get out of school. Normally, he’d be right alongside them, sprinting to his truck so he can get the hell out. But he wanted to turn in some final paperwork at the main office so he makes a quick detour away from the doors of freedom and steps into the office. Jungkook’s here. 

“There has to be something else open. A club or something, I don’t know, just get me the hell out of that class.” He practically sneered, and Yoongi felt his heart putter in his chest. 

“Just a moment, dear.” The lady addresses him, “I’m terribly sorry, Jungkook. Every class is full. And biology is needed to graduate, so you’re going to have to stick it out this year.” 

Yoongi watched Jungkook’s shoulder hunch forward before relaxing. He sees the way Jungkook’s grip on the counter makes his knuckles go white, but it’s quickly ripped away. 

“Fine, enjoy your weekend.” He stormed out, rushing past Yoongi and completely ignoring his presence. The lady sighed, shaking her head disapprovingly before turning to Yoongi.

“May I help you?” 

Yoongi snaps out of his daze, tightening his grip around his back. He gives her a small smile, hoping it lifts her spirits just a bit. “Yeah, I have the rest of my paperwork. Here.” He hands it to her. 

He leaves immediately after. 

That night Yoongi lay awake in his bed for hours, only closing his eyes when the sun crept up from behind the horizon. But how could he sleep when a kid he didn’t know so evidently hated him? Flashes of Jungkook’s skin and the anger of his voice raced through Yoongi’s mind. He kept analyzing, kept wondering… what’d he do wrong? He’s new. Didn’t say a word to him. Did he hear their lunch table conversation? If he had, that still isn’t an excuse. He wasn’t trying to be rude, just curious. He needed to confront him. 

The weekend passed by in a blink of an eye, Yoongi taking the days to help his father around the house. It was nice to see a decent shift in the atmosphere around them. They’re more comfortable, content. His friendship with Hoseok has bloomed also, having exchanged numbers they texted at all times. It wasn’t long before Hoseok made a groupchat with Jimin, and finally Yoongi had some real friends. He’s tempted to tell them about Jungkook, but he wants to figure it out himself first. 

Monday came, and Yoongi waited all day for his biology class. He was off enough to concern his friends, but he waved them away easily. Biology came, but Jungkook didn’t. On Tuesday, he didn’t come. Wednesday, Thursday, and soon enough Friday. Each day passed painstakingly slowly, the anger within Yoongi beginning to simmer down to just annoyance. Hoseok and Jimin made school bearable, but dammit, Yoongi was on a mission. 

Two weeks later, Jungkook was in class. At first, Yoongi thought he was just a figment of his imagination, but when he sat down in his seat and breathed in the spicy scent of Jungkook’s cologne, he knew it was real. Unlike the first time, Jungkook didn’t seem too tense around him. Maybe they’d actually make progress today, who knows. 

“Hey,” A voice rumbles from beside him, Yoongi melts a little, “I didn’t get to introduce myself to you yet. I’m Jungkook Jeon, you’re Yoongi?” 

Yoongi turns his head to see Jungkook’s usually heavy eyes much softer, a small smile playing on the kid’s lips. He returns it, trying to seem friendly even though his blood pressure is rising significantly. “Hi, uh yeah. ‘M Yoongi.” 

Jungkook smiles brighter. “Nice to meet you.” 

It’s weird. Just a few weeks ago Jungkook was fighting to get out of this class, but now here he is being nice? Yoongi can’t help but stay on edge, Jungkook might change his views again. 

“Nice to meet you too.” 

He expected that to be the end of the conversation, but once again, he’s shocked as Jungkook adjusts himself to lean closer to him. He feels trapped, closed in. But it isn’t… it’s not bad. It’s actually comforting, and he can’t explain how calm he feels in Jungkook’s presence, not that he’d ever admit that to anyone. For now, he’ll keep this tiny piece of information locked in his head for years to come. 

“So, you’re new. Where’d you move here from?” Ah, a friendly game of twenty one questions. He can handle this. Yeah, totally. 

“Phoenix… Arizona.” Why the fuck did he hesitate? Fucking dweeb. Get it together Yoongi!

“Oh, i’ve heard of Arizona. It’s hot over there, right?” Jungkook 's eyes shine with curiosity, his eyebrows raised in interest. 

“Very. It's mostly dry heat, but humidity does happen more in the summer. It’s nice but it can be overwhelming.” 

Jungkook nods his head in understanding. “And how do you like Washington?” 

Yoongi can’t help but snicker at this, and had to reel himself back in when Jungkook’s brows furrowed. “I’m sorry, not laughing at you but like… are you really asking me about the weather?” 

Jungkook focuses on the table with a scrutinizing gaze, and Yoongi just knows thoughts are racing through his head. He’s not sure why, but he gets the feeling that Jungkook is taking careful steps around him. 

“Yeah, I am. Is that too weird?” 

Yoongi bites his lower lip, “No. It’s not.” 

And that’s how it started. Now every day, every chance he gets, Jungkook is talking to him. Asking him questions, getting to know him so much that Yoongi’s positive this kid knows more about him than his mother does. And even though they talk so much, Yoongi doesn’t know much about Jungkook. He’s tried to get him to open up, to finally steer the conversation away from himself but Jungkook refuses to even acknowledge his own emotions. It’s like- everything revolves around him. 

“What do you like to do in your free time, Kook?”  He gave him this nickname over the phone, one that Jungkook admitted to being fond of. 

“Nothing interesting. What do you like to do, Yoongi?” 

“I don’t know, I guess sleep. Relax. Hang out. Typical, huh?” 

“Yoongi, there’s nothing ‘typical’ about you.” 

His friendship with Jimin and Hoseok grew as well. If he wasn’t with Jungkook, he was with them. And if he wasn’t with them, he was with Jungkook. He’s never felt this close to anyone before, except maybe his mom, and it’s nice to know he’s appreciated. He can’t lie though, what he has with Jungkook is… different. He likes him, maybe just not as friends. Maybe something more. It’s a shame his beliefs started to crumble beneath his feet. 

“ ‘Seok,” Yoongi whines, “Do we really have to do this?” 

It’s the weekend, the skies cloudy enough to cast a shadow across Forks, and the air chilly enough to force a bundle up. And in Hoseok’s opinion, the perfect weather to go hiking. Last night, Hoseok had begged him to just go hiking today so they could go to the viewpoint. This way Yoongi can get a “proper” look at the beauty of Forks. He didn’t need a “proper” view, he knows just how pretty it is. But Hoseok insisted, and now here they are, hours deep into their hike and Yoongi’s tired. 

“My dear Yoongi, maybe if you stopped refusing to use those legs of yours, you’d actually be having fun! It’s good to get some fresh air!” Hoseok exclaimed, stretching out his arms to embrace the cold. Yoongi scoffed. 

“There’s nothing “fresh” about the scent of my own sweat, Hoseok! I wanna go home!” 

“Stop being such a baby! I’m gonna make you do some leg stretches now, your joints are all locked up. When was the last time you actually excelerated your heart rate?” 

“Uh- last night actually. Took one look at my bed and thought I was going into cardiac arrest.” 

“Yoongi that’s not- Whatever. I’m going to lock your ass up in a retirement home. How do you even manage high school? No wonder why you hit Jimin in the head that day, your bones are so fucked up they thought you were diving into bed!” He snorts. Yoongi squints. 

“Was that supposed to be funny?” 

“I’m plenty funny!” 

The two of them continued to bicker, their voices rising in pitch, completely drowning out the sounds of danger. It’s only when a branch snapped right beside them did they hush. Yoongi flung his head around, trying to find the source of the noise, but he couldn’t see anything. 

“Hoseok did you hear-?” Yoongi began to ask, but Hoseok quickly grabbed his hand and told him to quiet down. Yoongi watched as Hoseok looked around, his grip on him tightening in circuits. 

“Yoongi we need to leave. Now.” Hoseok hissed, now running fast enough to force their feet to stumble over each other. He tries to get Hoseok to slow down, but to no avail. 

“Hoseok- hey! Calm down! We don’t- fuck!” 

A hand suddenly wrapped around his throat, but Yoongi was shocked at how cold it felt. It felt like an ice block molded around his neck, but when the grip tightened he knew it was a hand. A man, about the height of Hoseok, was standing before them. His eyes were blood red, hair blonde and mouth curved into a wicked smirk. Yoongi saw the tiniest glimmer of a fang, and he felt his blood rush around his body. He realizes that this isn’t a human. 

“Mm,” the thing growls, “And to what do I owe this pleasure? Two humans? In my presence? God must’ve blessed me today.” 

The sound of the thing’s voice sent shivers down his spine. The word ‘God’ sounds oddly like more of a mockery than a praise. Yoongi trembled in fear, his own hands grasping the one around his neck, trying to loosen the grip. It wasn’t working, and as the seconds passed Yoongi felt his lungs constrict in his chest. He needs to fucking breathe. Hoseok isn’t faring any better, he can feel the man’s kicks trying to release himself. 

“Can’t believe it… I was just going to walk past but then I smelt it. Tasty scent of blood in these woods and I just couldn’t pass up an opportunity to eat, could I?” 

“Ple-please! N-no!” Hoseok gasped. He’d never thought he’d hear someone pleading for their life before, and it makes his head spin. Or is it the lack of air?

Yoongi begins to kick as well, effectively getting the man in the gut. He was hoping it would knock the wind out of the man, just long enough so that they could run. But he barely moves, and instead he grows angrier. In a second, Yoongi went from hanging in the air to being slammed against a tree, his head absorbing most of the impact. He lets out a pained wheeze, the man beginning to snarl in satisfaction. The warmth growing behind him is enough to let Yoongi know he’s bleeding. 

His eyes begin to grow shaky, his vision blurring out until he can only make out shapes and vague features. His body goes limp in the man's hold, hands slipping back to his sides. Yoongi watches as the man runs his tongue over his pearly white teeth, forcing the sun to glitter lightly around them. He leans in, mouth widening enough to bite a good chunk out of Yoongi’s neck. He feels the graze of teeth on his skin, but suddenly he’s crashing towards the ground. He crumples into Hoseok, their bodies intertwining in a mess of limbs. 

His vision is flashing now, images of the world coming in and out as his eyelids grow heavy. But he sees it, he still does. The man who was about to bite him being torn about by another man like him. The man tries to put up a fight, tries to stand his ground but the person attacking him is clearly stronger. Overpowering him enough, he makes out what looks like hands wrapped around the person’s neck before a figure comes into his line of sight. It steps closer hurriedly, dropping onto its knees in front of him, coming just close enough for Yoongi to make it out. 

Jimin?

He blacks out. 

When he comes to, the first thing he notices is how warm he is. There’s a pile of blankets on him, covering him up enough to feel like he’s in Mexico. He doesn’t want to open his eyes up just yet, content to allow himself to gradually build up the strength to pull open his lids. He’s forced to, though, when he hears shuffling in the room. 

“Yoongi?” The voice is familiar. 

Yoongi cracks his eyes open slowly, the dim lighting in the room slowly filtering in. The first thing he notices is the scratchy feeling in his throat. He’s incredibly thirsty, his tongue laying heavy and dry in his mouth. The next thing is the pounding headache that’s cracking through his skull. He doesn’t remember why at first, but then when his neck begins to throb it all comes rushing back to him. 

Gasping, Yoongi swings himself upward. Immediately his head begins to spin, the room swirling around in his blurry vision. A cold pair of hands settle themselves on his shoulders, grounding him. It takes him a minute, but soon he’s able to calm himself down. His vision clears. Jimin is sitting across from him. 

“ -min?” He croaks, throat still dry. Jimin gives him a saddened smile, but it’s still so pretty. The weight on his left shoulder lifts, cold fingers now caressing his face. 

“Hi Yoongi, how do you feel?” Jimin’s voice is smooth and warm, battling away all the anxiety Yoongi’s feeling. But how does he feel? Despite the fact he physically feels like he’s about to die, he’s… numb. Well, he’s confused. What did he see? What happened? What was that… thing? It wasn’t human, but supernatural beings don’t exist. There’s no other explanation though. There isn’t. 

“I- What happened to me?” Jimin’s face falls at the question. 

“Let’s not think about that right now, how are you-” Yoongi rips away from Jimin’s grasp, adrenaline rushing through him enough to numb the pain he feels. 

“Jimin, what the fuck happened out there?” He spits, voice steadily beginning to rise. Jimin doesn’t flinch. 

“I don’t think I should tell you right no-” 

“Bullshit! Tell me right fucking now or I’m calling the goddamn cops!” He threatens. Realistically, he wouldn’t. He doesn’t know if he could handle the look of guilt on his father’s face. 

Yoongi watches as Jimin pinches the bridge of his nose in exasperation. Yoongi ignores the pain he’s feeling in order to keep up his front. He needs to know the truth. Now. 

“Fine,” Jimin outstretches his hand, “There’s someone you should meet. He can do a much better job than I can of explaining things.”

Yoongi sits silently and watches as Jimin pulls away from him. His mouth opens to question where Jimin plans on going, but he’s cut off from him calling out to someone. 

“Namjoon!” He calls, “Come here.” 

Another man, probably korean just like him, steps into the room. He’s tall, almost extraordinarily so with tan skin that somehow seems to be covered in a light dusting of ash. Yoongi’s never seen anything like it; a man who seems so menacing yet so friendly. Namjoon holds himself similarly to a man that has the wisdom of life but has not aged. Kind of dorky also. Jimin steps in front of him, blocking his view of Namjoon. Yoongi shuffles himself to face the door. 

When Jimin moves away, it’s to stand against the wall. Namjoon, who now holds a warm smile, is staring down at him from where he’s perched. The first thing he notices is how beautiful Namjoon’s eyes are, a golden brown that was crafted from the sun. Vibrant, warm, and a shade he’s never seen before. 

“Hello, my name is Namjoon. You’re Yoongi?” 

“Yes, hi.” He sounds more curt than he means, but what else is he to do? Yoongi doesn’t have a lick of an idea of what’s going on, and he needs answers now. 

“Jimin and Hoseok have told me so much about you, it’s a pleasure to finally put a face to the name.” 

Hoseok? 

“How is he?” 

“Hoseok? He’s fine. Just downstairs with Seokjin, our close friend. A few scratches but he’ll heal just fine.” 

“Okay… that’s good to hear.” 

Namjoon smiles. “Yes, well, if Jimin hadn’t come when he did, you two would both be in drastically different situations.” 

His body runs cold. Right. Jimin. The woods. 

“Can you please explain to me? What happened? I deserve to know the truth.” 

“That you do,” Namjoon muses. He moves closer and with each step Yoongi realizes something. He’s not breathing. At first, he thinks it’s just a trick of his eyes. Maybe it’s too small for him to notice. But when Namjoon is right in front of him, it’s blatant. He’s not breathing. “If I could explain it more concisely, I would. This is going to be difficult for you to understand, so feel free to ask any questions.” 

Alright man, what the fuck. Why is it taking so long for him to explain?

Almost mockingly, Namjoon takes a deep breath. It still didn’t feel right. Seemed fake. Yoongi’s curious, is this guy some type of pro-swimmer or something? He doesn’t get a chance to dwell on the thought further as Namjoon finally begins to speak. 

“We’re vampires.” 

Yoongi blinks. Is this a prank? Should he be laughing right now? 

“Oh.” he trails off, voice unsure. “Ha ha?” 

Namjoon doesn’t laugh, and when he casts a glance towards Jimin, he’s stunned to see a pitying look. Oh no. 

Oh wait. 

Fuck. 

“Wait- you’re?” He points to Namjoon, “you?” He turns to Jimin. “Vampires?” 

Namjoon gently nods. “Yes, we are. You don’t seem to be scared.” 

“I just- I don’t know. I don’t think you guys have given me any reason to be scared. If anything I think the dots are starting to connect.” 

Namjoon’s brow raises an interest. “Oh? What dots?” 

His mouth speaks before his brain catches up to him. “Why you guys are so pale.” 

Silence falls over the room. He’s probably overstepped his boundaries. No, no. He’s definitely overstepped his boundaries. God. He’s standing in a room full of vampires and he decides now is the time to crack jokes? He’s so fucking stupid. So fucking stupid-

A new voice begins to squeak from behind him. Startled, he flings around to see two figures standing in the doorway. One he immediately recognizes as Hoseok. The tension in his body immediately melts away. He seems fine, almost like he wasn’t scathed at all. Besides the tiny cut on the right side of his forehead, no one would be able to even tell something happened. The larger figure next to him though… he doesn’t recognize. 

Man, he’s gorgeous also. Yoongi’s peeved, this is ridiculous. Why is everyone so attractive? He’s tall, but not overwhelmingly so. His shoulders are much broader than Yoongi’s future, his lips are a direct competitor of Jimin’s, and his face is so… flattering it’s almost feminine. 

“I think that was the best joke i’ve heard yet!” The man laughs, and Yoongi hates himself for picturing a windshield wiper. “I’ve told them that we should try to get spray tans but they don’t listen to me!” 

Again, Yoongi blinks. He’s not sure where he really stands anymore, especially since the people in the room keep multiplying. But having Jimin and Hoseok around makes him feel just a tad more confident in himself. It’s not going to last long, but having it now is helping him keep his heart rate from skyrocketing out of his chest and touching venus. 

“Seokjin, I told you to wait downstairs.” Namjoon grumbles, though his tone does not match the tiny smile he has on his face. Ah, so that’s what his name is. 

Seokjin waves him off, his cherry lips stretching into a wide smile. He moves away from the doorway to stand beside Namjoon, immediately latching onto him and pecking his cheek. Oh. 

Oh.  

Okay, his kind of people. 

“Joonie, you know I was trying my best to listen but Hoseok kept nagging me to take him up here to make sure our guest was okay. He wouldn’t believe me no matter how many times I tried to convince him to shut up. He’s just a brat.” 

“Yah! Don’t talk about me like i’m not here. It’s not my fault you guys were taking forever to get to the point!” 

“Hobi, he woke up like five minutes ago.” Jimin interjects. “Cut us some slack, he needs the rest.” 

Hoseok’s eye twitches. “You should have told him immediately! Yoongi’s a strong guy, he can handle it!” 

“Is it now my turn to say hello? I’m okay?” Yoongi stands uselessly in the center of the room, unsure of what to do with himself. He’s trying to gage the atmosphere, but Hoseok seems to be exasperating everyone. 

“Yoongi!” Hoseok screeches loud enough to startle birds, throwing himself on top of the shorter male. Yoongi gasps, the force of Hoseok crashing into him knocking the air out of his lungs. 

“Yes, Hoseok. ‘M fine!” 

Hoseok pulls away, the smile on his face brighter than the sun itself. Yoongi stumbles backwards, gathering his composure once again. The room stills again, waiting to see what will happen next. Yoongi chews on his inner cheek, ignoring the twinges of pain. He knows they’re waiting for him to react, to say something. But he’s not quite sure what to say. 

He’s never been in a situation like this, has never had to deal with this. It’s clearly a big secret, possibly even a death sentence if he’s not careful. And Yoongi can’t help to realize how demonicized they are on television. This went nothing like how Yoongi would ever imagine, probably the exact opposite. Rather than feeling terrified for his life, he thinks instead it’s just gotten a lot more interesting. No doubt, this will one day come back to bite him in the ass. But for right now, he thinks he can live with it. 

It’s been several days since the big reveal, and Yoongi can’t seem to keep track of anything anymore. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, every day is a new adventure. He learns something new about them almost every moment. For one, Hoseok is not a vampire. He only knows about them after catching a frenzied, starving Jimin feeding off a deer. Needless to say, the poor boy passed out right in the middle of the woods, and Jimin was forced to reveal himself. Which is why it came as such a shock that Yoongi was indifferent. What can he say, he’s just built different.  

He’s also learned that apparently all vampires seem to have their own unique gift. Jimin’s, for example, is psychic electrokinesis. Basically just a fancy way to say he generates electricity. Namjoon can read minds, which means he definitely needs to get his thoughts in order. No one is safe from him. And then Seokjin possesses enhanced beauty. Namjoon described it almost like being put under a spell, one look his way and it’s like you can’t tear your eyes away from him. It apparently helps with him getting his way as well. 

So yeah, he’s spending the majority of his free time with them. You would think that this would put a strain on his relationship with everyone else, but it doesn’t. His father seems to be happy that he’s out there and socializing, his mother too. The only one he would ditch the group for is Jungkook. Still, the junior isn’t available often, apparently too busy with home life. But when he is available, Yoongi jumps on the opportunity to be with him. 

“Hey, Yoongi!” A familiar voice calls to him. 

Yoongi stops himself from packing his bag into his truck, turning his head to see Jungkook running up to him, a big grin on his face. As per usual, he’s wearing his normal attire of black sweats and a black hoodie. It’s kind of amusing how similar they are, and it makes Yoongi’s heart beat just a tad more erratic every time he thinks about it. 

“Hey, Kook. what’s up?” 

Jungkook stands closer to him, so close Yoongi can smell the traces of his cologne. Woodsy, definitely something similar to the fresh scent of dewy soil after a storm, and so incredibly boyish it’s comforting. He tries to pretend he’s about to sneeze, but he’s really just inhaling the other’s scent even more. He huddles closer also, but that’s just to keep himself warm. Yeah. 

“Nothing, really. I just wanted to know if you’d like to go eat with me?” 

It’s not a date Yoongi. It’s not a date. 

“Yeah, that sounds fun.” 

Yoongi doesn’t want to sound dramatic. No. He’s been on this earth long enough to know how to keep his theatrics under control, but this is. This is gorgeous. Apparently, Jungkook had already suspected that Yoongi would agree to lunch, and pre-packed chicken sandwiches with chips. Yoongi’s eaten plenty of meals in his life, but this right here might just be the best one yet. And it doesn’t help that Jungkook has even taken him out to an empty field that was covered in multicolored flowers. He can’t help but sniffle. 

Jungkook shoots him a concerned look, brows furrowed and lips pursed. “Yoongi?” 

Yoongi waves off his concern, instead letting out a brief cough as a cover up. It doesn’t work. Jungkook’s teasing smile is more than enough proof to prove so, but still. He just pushes past the junior and begins to help him set up. Jungkook lets out a faint chuckle from behind him. If Yoongi’s face wasn’t burning a fiery red right now, he’d probably turn around to give the kid a piece of his mind. But he knows, he knows it’d just be a losing game. 

The field they’re at is absolutely gorgeous. Aside from the various flowers, the bitter chill of Fall brings in the fresh scent of nature. It’s crisp, calming. Yoongi thinks he’d willingly live out here if he could. Arizona was beautiful and warm, but Washington seems to tick off all the requirements to feel at home. Yoongi stretches his arms above his head and falls backwards, gazing up at the cloudy sky. 

Jungkook gazes at him, his eyes holding an emotion Yoongi doesn’t have the courage to discover. Instead, he gazes back. His heart is pounding against his chest, but he also just feels calm. He watches as Jungkook leans back with him, their elbows brushing together. The warmth Jungkook radiates reminds him briefly of his hometown, and this paired with the new life he’s found in Washington is enough to make his soul cry from happiness. Why does this feel so right? 

“I love this field,” Jungkook speaks, “My father used to take me and my brother out here when we were younger. He would make us run or picnic out here.” 

Yoongi’s heart melts. Jungkook taking him to his favorite childhood field? Someone stop cutting the onions. 

“You have a brother?” 

Jungkook smiles at that. “Something like that. We’re not blood related but my dad says he found him on our doorstep when I was a baby and just took him in. Apparently we’ve been glued to each other ever since.” 

Jungkook’s voice is so soothing Yoongi feels his eyes lull. Unable to keep them open, he gently closes his eyes. Like this, it almost feels as if his other senses are heightened. Jungkook’s body heat warms him, the gentle cool breeze flowing past him, he can even hear the wildlife dancing past his ears. 

“What’s his name?” He questions, rolling on his side to face Jungkook. His eyes remain closed, and if he hears the younger’s breath hitch, he ignores it. A comforting grip lays itself atop his hip. 

“Taehyung.” 

He falls asleep after that. 

The next time he wakes up, he’s tucked away neatly in his bed. For a second, his brain is swimming with confusion. How did he go from being in a field to being in his bed? Then, brief visions of Jungkook packing everything away and carrying him to his truck to drive him home sparks his memory. So Jungkook brought him home? He vaguely remembers the younger passing him off to his father, but it’s still too blurry to bother remembering. 

Yoongi glances at the time and internally groans. The clock read 4:46 a.m., far too early to be awake but he knows if he were to go back to bed he’d wake up groggy. Grumbling, Yoongi tosses his blankets off him and heads downstairs to grab a glass of water. His tongue was almost as dry as the sahara desert. He smacks his lips together in distaste. 

As he walks down the stairs, he can’t help but feel anxious. It feels like someone, no. Some thing is watching him, but he knows that’s irrational. It’s probably just the atmosphere, with the moonlight flowing in through the windows casting all sorts of creepy shadows all over the place. Still, as Yoongi approaches his kitchen, he can’t help but look out the window curiously. At first glance, Yoongi doesn’t see anything out of the ordinary. It all looks exactly the same per usual, so he shrugs his shoulders and grabs a frosted glass off the counter. And then he feels it again, the nagging feeling that he was being watched. 

When he looks out the window, the one that faces dense forest besides his house, he sees it. He almost missed it, almost but his eyes are too sharp to let something so blatant slip past him. 

There, just a few feet away from him, stands the largest wolf Yoongi’s ever seen. The darkness of the night and thickness of the trees prevents him from seeing the beast in its full glory. But he’s not stupid, and judging by how high the honey brown eyes stand, the wolf is easily well over 7 feet tall. What truly makes his heart accelerate is the way the beast is staring right at him. He doesn’t know how, but it feels like it’s observing him, trying to understand him. Rationally, he knows animals are incapable of doing that, or if they are they’re certainly not in Forks, Washington. 

Still. It makes Yoongi feel weird. Not uncomfortable… just bare . Suddenly, he feels awkward standing fully clothed in his own damn kitchen. Abruptly, a bright light flickers above him and a hand touches his shoulder. 

“Son?” 

He screams, the glass in his hand slipping and shattering across the floor. He tumbles forward, actively trying to avoid the shattered glass amongst his feet. His father catches the force of his body, stumbling back to ensure they both don’t get hurt. Once safely away, Yoongi lets out the breath that got caught in his throat. Gathering himself, Yoongi can’t help but blush furiously in embarrassment. His father, quite possibly the best man ever, doesn’t laugh at him or smile. Instead he watches after his son attentively, face contorted with worry. 

“Yoongi? Are you okay? What’s wrong?” Now he feels guilty. He should’ve just stayed in bed, his poor father is now worried over his own cluelessness. 

“Nothing I-” He stutters. Irritated at the situation, he scratches his eyebrow aggressively. “I was just thirsty. I zoned out and just got startled.” 

His father looks at him apprehensively. 

“I swear, dad. I just got caught off guard.” 

He knows he sounds less than convincing, but he’s hoping his dad falls for the bait anyway. At first, his father just observes him. Probably using his detective skills to decide if Yoongi needs to be locked away in a mental hospital or not, and all Yoongi can do is rub the back of his neck sheepishly. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Yoongi waves off his father’s nerves. 

“Yeah, dad. I swear I’m fine. Just startled and definitely not awake enough to be down here I guess.” 

His father releases a heavy sigh. He gives him a curt nod and a brief hold on his shoulder before making his way back upstairs. A man of very few words, Yoongi’s grateful his father doesn’t hover. His shoulders droop as soon as his father is out of sight, and he releases a breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding. Yoongi directs his attention back outside, but the eyes are gone. God, he must be fucking insane to think he saw anything. It must’ve just been a trick of the light or something. Yeah. Ignoring the fact there is no light, Yoongi cleans up the mess and heads upstairs. 

He can’t fall asleep. 

Something’s wrong. Yoongi knows something is off. He can’t explain it, but he hasn’t been able to find Jungkook at all today. And usually he finds the junior at every corner. His leg shakes obnoxiously, the celery stick he’s chewing on snapping with each worry rub of his thumb. He knows he must look like a sight, but this is the first time Jungkook’s missed school since they met. And yes, he does know that sometimes people get sick, they come down with the flu and are out for a reasonable amount of time but, but. Everything Yoongi ever believed in went to shit as soon as Jimin flashed his pretty little fangs at him, so sue him if he’s a little more worried than he should be. 

“Not to be a dick,” Well here they go, “But if you don’t stop moving your leg I’m going to break it.” 

Yoongi stops twitching. Hoseok lets out a gasp loud enough to grasp the attention of passersby, but one glare from Jimin has them redirecting their attention.”Jimin, that’s so rude and for what!” 

“I did say not to be a dick!” 

Hoseok blinks. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? Geez, been in this world for a long time and still can’t compute basic human decency.” 

“Well? He wouldn’t stop twitching, it was making my ears hurt.” Jimin defends weakly. 

Hoseok just blinks at him a bit more. With a shake of his head, his shoulders hunch over and he swipes an overly ripe banana from Jimin’s tray. A sight that never fails to amuse Yoongi now that he knows the truth. Despite not eating human food, Jimin still needs to pretend he’s normal, and that includes indulging in all the shitty school lunches. 

“No but seriously, what’s wrong Yoongi?” 

Tensing at the sudden attention, Yoongi fumbles with the lukewarm celery stick. If he weren’t anxious, he would’ve abandoned the vegetable on his tray a long time ago. But it serves as a good fidget toy for the moment, so. It stays. 

“I just,” He puckers his lips together, “Jungkook isn’t in school today. I’m just worried for him.” 

This time, he doesn’t miss the way his friends stiffen. It brings him back to the day he joked about vampires, it was the same reaction. They’re hiding something. Yoongi flickers his eyes between the two boys, Hoseok being much easier to read than Jimin. He’s practically contorting himself into the word ‘worry’ whereas Jimin is much more stoic. Still, Yoongi can see the stiffened lines of his friend’s shoulder blades, and this is stressing him out more than it needs to. 

“What.” Is it even a question? Who knows. 

“Nothing!” Hoseok states. But it’s too urgent for Yoongi to ignore. Feels like they’re trying to brush off the subject, and now Yoongi refuses to let that happen. 

“Tell me.” They don’t move. “Tell me now or I swear on my life I will shove sunlight down your throats and shave Hoseok’s head.” 

Hoseok’s hands fly up to his head, combing through his locks before nudging Jimin into talking. Jimin shakes his head in annoyance before giving in. He looks at Yoongi, and Yoongi is suddenly reminded of how intense his unwavering gaze is. Still, he doesn’t back down. 

“We’ve all been thinking,” so this must include the coven, “that maybe you should stay away from Jungkook.” 

Yoongi shrinks backwards. Why? Why do they want him to ignore Jungkook? Once they started talking, Jungkook has been nothing but a gentleman towards him. Always respectful, funny, and so sweet it makes his teeth rot. Asking him to ignore Jungkook is like asking him to give up a piece of himself. And he doesn’t mean to sound dramatic, but he isn’t kidding when he says Jungkook and him are always together. 

It took a bit to get used to the constant activities, but once they developed a schedule together, Yoongi has yet to break it. If he’s not with the vampires he’s with Jungkook, sitting, talking. And even then, Jungkook is always texting him whenever he’s with the coven. Not to mention his father adores Jungkook. This isn’t making any sense. 

“What? Why?” He can’t stop the snip of his tongue, but he’s honestly aggravated. Noticing this, Hoseok offers him a small smile while Jimin tries to explain. Though neither of them seem very apologetic. 

“Jungkook isn’t good to be around, Yoongi. He’s not good company. We think it’d be best if you stopped being friends with him.” 

“Are you trying to control me now, or something?” 

“Yoongi, no-” 

Yoongi cuts him off, far too angry to even try and think with a level head. All he knows is that they’re trying to stop him from being with Jungkook, and he can’t have that happen. No. He won’t let it happen. 

“Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean you can control me, and i’ll put you six feet under if you ever try to do so. Jungkook is my friend just as much as you two are, and he’s fucking harmless. Take your ‘not-good-company’ ass of an excuse and fuck off.” 

He storms off before they can get another word in, bag clutched tightly in his fist. He doesn’t stop until he’s long gone from the school, tucked away safely in the comfort of his hideous truck. He’s definitely going to get detention for walking out in the middle of the day, but fuck it. His dad doesn’t really care too much about his attendance record, and even if he did he doesn’t care either. Shooting off a quick urgent message to Jungkook, he peels out of the parking lot and heads home to think. 

What makes them think Jungkook is dangerous?

It’s been weeks since he’s heard from Jungkook. Originally he crossed it off as Jungkook being too busy with his home life to answer, but as the days bled into weeks, it started to feel more and more like he was being ignored. His messages, all forty-seven of them, were left unread. His calls easily piled above the hundred mark, and his voicemails were similar to the missed calls. It should be embarrassing, but Yoongi has a hard time focusing on anything but the hurt he feels and the need for Jungkook’s attention. 

He must seem like such a pitiful sight to everyone, closed off on the couch watching his phone like his life depends on it. Maybe because it does… but that’s dramatic and Yoongi isn’t one for romantic cliches. His father has checked on him almost as much as Yoongi’s left messages, trying to lend a helpful hand but he hasn’t been able to get in contact with Mr. Jeon either, and that leaves Yoongi with a heavy weight on his chest. 

It’s even more embarrassing whenever he thinks about how pathetic he must look to his friends. He tells them to fuck off, that Jungkook would never hurt him, yet here he is. With cheeks permanently marked with red tear stains and premature wrinkles, he’s sure they’re all convinced he’s pathetic. 

His mind's racing faster than he can keep up with, forcing him to stay up for a ridiculous amount of hours at night until he passes out from exhaustion. Only to wake up two hours later and resume with his day-to-day life. 

He hates feeling like this. He hates how hurt he is and how irrational he’s beginning to get. But sometimes he gets the urge to drive to Jungkook’s house and give him a piece of his mind. He knows where he lives, and can easily get there by truck. He’s never been there personally, but Yoongi’s memorized his address for safety purposes and now? Well, now he’s going to take advantage. 

Arriving at Jungkook’s house was much easier than what he imagined. For one, his GPS had no problem navigating him against all the foreign terrain, and it also helped that there was a dirt path leading him directly there. It was strange though, to see the land so quiet. In the city, there’s never a quiet moment to take some time for yourself. 

But here amongst the wildlife and serene sounds of the forest was enough to convert him to nature’s ways. It’d be nicer if the sky wasn’t sobbing, and if he were here for different reasons. He’s speeding down the path, not completely sure of where he’s going but he feels that he’s being pulled in the right direction. 

And that’s when he sees it. 

At first, he just makes out the slight outlines of a red wooden bungalow, big enough for a couple but not for a family. And then he sees him. Yoongi slams the breaks in surprise, barely managing to put the truck in park before he’s clambering out. Jungkook is standing a little ways into the distance, but to Yoongi he’s impossible to miss. 

If anything, he seems like he’s grown taller in the month he was gone, and stronger too. His muscles are now straining against his skin, which lays tanner. Truly, Jungkook’s only gotten more attractive and it’s making it difficult to breathe. 

He catches the faintest outline of a tattoo before Jungkook notices his presence. 

“Hey!” Yoongi shouts, spitting out the rain water flooding into his mouth. He’s soaked to the core, body shivering from the cold. But he barely feels anything with Jungkook gazing at him. Rather, he feels hot.  

Jungkook’s right in front of him within a blink, and Yoongi almost reels himself back from shock. This close to him, Yoongi can see all the rigid lines of each and every muscle Jungkook has. The water rolling down him makes it even more difficult for Yoongi to hold back. His body is thrumming with adrenaline, but he’s still angry. Still hurt after being ignored for a month with no explanation as to why. 

“You shouldn’t be here.” 

Jungkook’s words work in sobering him up. They’re anything but gentle, almost angry . Like Yoongi personally insulted Jungkook by showing up on his doorstep. As if Yoongi’s the one to blame for his month long disappearance. 

“Are you kidding me? You’ve ignored me for a month and this is the first thing you say to me?” Jungkook tilts his head back with a roll of his eyes before fixing him with a glare. 

“You shouldn’t be here, Yoongi. I didn’t invite you.” 

“I know you didn’t invite me! I invited myself after you decided to up and run without any explanation as to why! I think at the very least I deserve some type of reason as to why you’ve been ignoring me!” 

In the corner of his eyes, Yoongi can make out steam wafting off of Jungkook. Sure, Jungkook’s always been ridiculously warm but he’s never thought of it to that extent. Regardless, he came here for answers. And he’s going to get them. 

Jungkook steps back. It’s the littlest motion but holds the largest meaning. Jungkook’s never stepped away from him before, at least not in a situation like this. And really, he shouldn’t be thinking as critically as he is, but this past month has left him in disarray and he can’t just ignore the bitter taste of abandonment on his tongue. What they had was good , even if it was nothing at all. Who knows, maybe Yoongi was the only one feeling any sort of romantic attraction. As awful as that sounds, Jungkook could’ve very well only been friends with him for whatever he thought Yoongi could offer. Still, Yoongi doesn’t want to lose him. Yet Jungkook keeps pulling away. 

“It’s not you, it’s-” Jungkook’s just trying to explain, but Yoongi’s stomach is twisting in nausea at where this was already heading. 

“It’s not you, it’s me, right? That’s what you’re going to say?” 

Jungkook averts his eyes. It’s enough. 

“If you didn’t wanna talk to me anymore you could have just told me. And-” He has to avert his attention now. Instead, he’s narrowing in on the tan figure approaching them. “And saved yourself all this regret.” 

Jungkook snaps his eyes to Yoongi’s, and the meeting of their eyes makes Yoongi’s skin thrum with excitement. He squashes it down as much as possible, but it’s hard in the presence of someone as magical as Jungkook. 

“You think I regret talking to you?” 

Silence. He’s not sure how he’s supposed to respond to that. Like, isn’t that the point of this whole problem? Jungkook wanting to get away from him? Choosing to ignore him rather than talk it out? All the signs are pointing in favor of regret. 

“I can see that you do. Pretty hard to miss when you think about it.” 

God, he regrets coming here now. His stomach is a second away from pushing out his frustrations, and his eyes won’t stop burning. But he’s trying, trying not to cry in front of his friend… his love. Easier said than done. 

“Is there a problem here?” The new voice is enough to startle him out of his pity party. The voice deep and surprisingly warm. Much warmer than Jungkook’s own, holding just a higher lilt than most. Yoongi glances at the figure, noting nothing except cold eyes and creepily symmetrical features. 

“No, Taehyung. I’ll be right there.” 

Ah, so this is Taehyung. With one more glance Yoongi can clearly make out the warmth of summer skin and thick black hair. His quick glances are plenty of time to gather that Taehyung is beautiful, probably more so than even the most highly regarded models. If he wanted to, Yoongi has no doubt Taehyung could model for Gucci or something like that. Maybe in different circumstances Yoongi would be happy to meet the brother Jungkook raves about. 

But right now it feels like a slap in the face, proof of the family Jungkook is pushing him away from. God, he hates his life right now. The downpour is beginning to lighten up, still leaving the bitter chill behind and Yoongi is feeling more exhausted than when he came. 

“Look,” Yoongi mumbles, “If you wanted to stop talking to me you could’ve just said so. No need to lead me on. I know when I’m not wanted.” 

Defeated, Yoongi slinks off before either of them can get another word in. And it’s only when he’s miles away from the reservation safely nestled in his truck does he let the tears roll.

That night, Yoongi didn’t sleep. And when morning comes, he’s more angry than ever. How dare Jungkook just push him away like that? With no remorse? He hates to say it, but if this is how he treats people then it’s no wonder why his only friends are on the reservation. Fucker is awful at talking to people, absolutely garbage communication skills. 

Irritated, Yoongi rises before his alarm goes off. He’s mindless now, gathering his shit quickly before snatching his phone and heading out. A man on a mission, Yoongi feels bad for anyone who gets in his way. Luckily, his father isn’t home yet. Yoongi wouldn’t have the heart to walk past him without explaining, and that would just lead to a lecture on thinking things through. 

Here’s the thing: 

Yoongi doesn’t want to think things through. He’s had a whole month to think things over, so he’s just fine with giving in to his angsty teenage emotions and raising hell on one Jungkook Jeon. Which is why before he can ever register what’s happening, he’s standing in the clearing Jungkook took him to. His childhood clearing. 

“Jungkook!” He screams, voice cracking from the ferocity. 

 He knows the junior has already expressed his dissatisfaction with their friendship. They’ve already had their talk in the cliche setting of pouring rain, but he can’t let go. Not now. Or at least, not so easily. 

“Jungkook I know you’re here!”

He’s sure he must look like quite a sight, standing in the middle of a clearing, yelling wildly. To some, this might seem useless. How could Jungkook ever be able to hear him all the way out here? It’s humanly impossible. But Yoongi knows better. He doesn’t know how or why, but Jungkook is always there. Always. He’s never alone, and when he needs help, the younger one is there for him. So he knows - no . He feels Jungkook’s presence lingering in the air, and knows the younger one is watching him. Even if Yoongi can’t physically see him, he senses him all the same. 

Suddenly, a cold gust of wind travels beside him. He knows who’s there. 

“What.” He hisses, brows pinched in irritation. 

“Yoongi, why are you out here by yourself?” 

Fists clenched, Yoongi whirls around to see the coven before him. He struggles to keep back his curses. Namjoon’s face shows no emotion, but he can see the guilt eating Seokjin. Jimin’s face resembles Namjoon’s a lot, but maybe with a bit more anger. Hoseok just seems saddened. Like he was a poor sight, a poor boy that needed saving. 

He does not need saving. He needs Jungkook. 

“I’m out here trying to somehow win back the friend you guys made me lose. What are you doing here?” Despite his best efforts, he can’t help the bitterness of his voice. Actually, he didn’t even do much to stop it. They deserve the full force of his anger. Mostly. 

“Yoongi, we told you that it was best to leave him be. You should not be involving yourself with him-” 

He cuts Jimin off immediately, the blood in his veins boiling. 

“Who I hang with is none of your business! I am not some bitch you can keep on a leash!” 

“No one is saying that!” Jimin steps forward, and Yoongi, ever the antagonist, does so too. “We’re just saying that maybe this is for the better! You should drop it!” 

“Jimin, calm down it’s okay-” 

“No!” Jimin hollers, body heaving. Yoongi stumbles backwards, not used to this type of anger coming from him. He doesn’t want to say he’s scared, but Yoongi’s never had Jimin’s wrath directed at him. It’s unsettling, makes him nervous. “It’s not okay! Yoongi you do not know what you’re dealing with! I’m taking you out of here now!” 

Jimin catches his wrist in a firm grip, tightening as the seconds pass. Pain sparks at the hold, and he lets out a pained whine. Jimin tugs him closer roughly, and before anyone else can react, they hear it. 

A loud growl reverberates in the air. The sound of it is dark, deep, and powerful. Yoongi’s never heard anything like it. He doesn’t scare easily but this sounds different, sounds demonic. It’s a threat. On cue, everyone stiffens. Jimin’s grip doesn’t slacken, but they’re all too shocked to realize. Yoongi turns back around and the sight before him drains the blood from his face. 

Just a few feet away stand the largest beasts he’s ever seen before. Yoongi immediately notices their wolf-like features, but they are far too large to resemble any type of normal wolf. Their presence is threatening, dominating, and suddenly Yoongi doesn’t feel as safe as he should with the coven. The beasts straighten up from their hunched postures, and somehow grow by a few more feet. They’re all different colors, some multi-colored, some a mixture of browns and reds. But the one that catches Yoongi’s eye the most, is the largest of them all.

It’s jet black, its coat resembling the darkness of the universe, or of the darkest midnight. Its eyes are in direct contrast to its coat, instead holding the warmest honey brown he’s ever seen. But what really draws him in is the aura. It’s almost too easy to sense who holds the utmost power in the pack, and Yoongi isn’t sure if he should approach it or run. He doesn’t need to make a decision though, because Namjoon’s begun to direct orders. 

“Jimin get your hands off Yoongi, now!” 

Like he was burned, Jimin wretches his hand off him. He flies backwards, rejoining where the others stood. Now, Yoongi stands in the direct center. The wolf’s growl ceases as soon as Jimin has let him go, and now he’s just more confused than before. What is going on? 

“We’re sorry, we didn’t know.” Namjoon apologizes, bowing his head forward. “Please forgive us.” 

Yoongi blinks. 

The wolf besides what Yoongi assumes is the alpha steps forward. Yoongi tenses as the wolf approaches him, taking its snout to sniff at him. It circles him, and Yoongi shoots a glance at Hoseok, who seems to be seconds away from passing out. If he wasn’t in this situation right now, he’d laugh. But he can only stand still as the wolf scents him. Once pleased, the wolf prowls backwards to stand beside the alpha. 

“Nam-joon?” Yoongi stutters. 

He really doesn’t know what to do right now. On one hand, he wants to run as fast as humanly possible to get away from the supernatural showdown about to take place. On the other hand, he has a gut feeling that this showdown is over him. Yoongi’s touched, but also please no. 

It’s strange to say it, but the alpha is almost human . It’s eyes keep flickering between them, consistently landing heavily on Jimin who is somehow paler than usual. Again, Yoongi’s definitely going to laugh about this in the future. He’s sure they’re all going to get a good chuckle out of the ridiculousness of the situation, even if they didn’t he was definitely going to. 

“We didn’t mean to overstep your boundaries, we were just trying to receive our friend.” The alpha snarls at Namjoon, tongue licking over its sharp canines. “Honestly, we assure you it was not our intention to overstep the treaty.” 

Treaty? Supernatural creatures have treaties now? What is this, eighteenth century Europe? 

Abruptly, the alpha begins to howl. Loud and threatening, there’s no way the whole forest didn’t shake in their boots. His heart begins to thump wildly against his chest. If he’s about to witness a showdown, he wants to be far enough away for safety. Right now, he’s in the middle of it. The alpha crouches down, head snapping viciously to the sides. The loud crack resounding through the air is more than enough proof that it's breaking its neck. And it’s only when the alpha begins to snap its bones and shrink does he piece things together. 

It’s shifting. 

And when the giant wolf transforms into a tall male, Yoongi can’t believe his eyes. 

“Taehyung?” 

In retrospect, Forks has been anything but normal. So really it should come as no surprise that werewolves are running amuck. That thought doesn’t comfort Yoongi in any manner, but he really shouldn’t be too surprised. 

“You’re trespassing on reservation property. Why?” 

Despite the underlying threatening tone Taehyung is holding, Namjoon doesn’t seem fazed. He’s poised, sure of himself, well mannered in confidence to take them out of this sticky situation. If it were Yoongi in his shoes, they’d all be slaughtered by now. He’s never been good at communicating, a trait he inherits from his father. 

“We were here for Yoongi, trying to retrieve him before he made any stupid decisions.” Yoongi bristles at his name. Screw you, Namjoon. And your flock of bastard pastes. 

Taehyung tilts his head towards him. “Yoongi, huh? And why were you trespassing on private property?” 

He blinks. Well, he didn’t expect the attention to fall on him. Guess now he has to find a way out of this shitshow before it gets worse. “I, uh-” 

“Well?” 

“I’m here for Jungkook.” 

Something wild glints in Taehyung’s eyes, an emotion that Yoongi doesn’t want to really dwell on. Not with the wolf man, at least. 

“And what do you need with Jungkook?” 

“It’s uh, it’s personal.” Of course he stutters. 

Taehyung doesn’t respond, just continues to stare at him in a way that makes his skin crawl. He needs a drink, no. He needs to be blackout drunk. Sure, he handled the vampires surprisingly well, but now werewolves? What’s next, witches? There’s only so much a guy can take, and Forks is just rolling through him faster than he can blink. 

“Jungkook.” 

At first, Yoongi thinks Taehyung’s just repeating what he’s said. But then the wolf standing diagonal from him begins to shift. This wolf… this wolf is different from the others. It doesn’t seem like the alpha, but it certainly has the mirroring size and build. But it’s not black like how you’d envision a crayon, more like a navy blue. It blends in with the night, but stepping into the sunlight is when you can make out the blue tones of its thick coat. Yoongi recognizes its eyes. 

Wait. It’s- 

The wolf- 

Jungkook?  

“Hi, Yoongi.” 

He doesn’t respond. He can’t, actually. Despite seeing Jungkook just a day ago, Yoongi’s never seen him before. Standing out here, like this, with the sun rays glimmering atop his slick skin is a sight he can’t look away from. Jungkook is, in all senses of the word, gorgeous. Yesterday Yoongi could very clearly make out the shape of his muscles, but today’s light makes them stand out all the much more. It had only been a month yet Jungkook had grown so much. What the fuck happened? 

“You two need to work things out. For now, i’ll ignore what happened today. We’ll see you back at the reservation, Jungkook.” 

A mere nod from the wolf at hand was enough to send them on their way. And when a cold, gentle hand pressed lightly on his shoulder before pulling off, Yoongi knew his friends were gone too. Now it’s just them, in the center of a field like a bad ending to a shitty romance movie. 

“So,” Yoongi starts, hands clasped together nervously in front of him, “You’re a wolf.” 

Jungkook squints, eyes peering into the distance. Yoongi notes the taut lines on his face, starting between his brows and tracing down to his smile line. There’s no smile, though. Yoongi can tell Jungkook’s uncomfortable, he just doesn’t understand why. Yoongi’s the human here, he’s got a lot more to lose than Jungkook. 

“Yeah. I am.” 

“That’s… That’s cool. Never met a wolf before.” 

“Well, now you know two personally.” 

Now isn’t this just awkward. He’s seriously considering booking a one way ticket back to Phoenix and rooming with an old friend or something, but Hoseok would probably skin him alive. 

“Right, well. I guess I should just go.” 

What’s there to do? Or really, what’s there to say? Yoongi came here with a plan but now that’s up in the air. Jungkook’s not going to talk to him openly, that ship sailed a while ago. He’s just going to have to deal with this loss. He turns around when a firm grip latches onto his wrist. He stills, standing with a bated breath as Jungkook chews on his lower lip. 

“I’m sorry. I just-” Jungkook curses under his breath, “I’ve treated you like shit this past month, and I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to approach… all this.” 

Yoongi faces Jungkook, paying no mind to the younger’s grip on him. If anything, it’s serving to ground him. “Why didn’t you tell me?” 

He’s not mad. At least, not anymore. God, he used to be so angry at Jungkook for ignoring him, for not answering him when he called. It used to eat at him every night he slept, or lack thereof. And now that they’re here, he’s not sure if he wants to hear anything. What if Jungkook just pushes him away for the last time? These are their goodbyes? 

“I tried to, I did. Or I wanted to, at least. It was just so hard for me to talk to you when I didn’t even know what was happening. God, I was so scared and all I wanted to do was talk to you but I couldn’t. Taehyung had presented long before I did, so when it happened to me he was the one to train me. But I didn’t know originally, didn’t know what we were. So I had to learn everything in the span of a month.” 

“Is this why you weren’t in school?” 

“Yes. My temper is hard to control now, being exposed to regular kids could lead to an accident or me killing someone. I couldn’t expose them or you to that, so I switched to the reservation. I’m sorry, Yoongi. I’m so sorry . Please forgive me.”

A lump forms in his throat as he pushes Jungkook’s hand off him. He watches as the younger’s face falls, eyes losing their usual glint. And he can’t have that. 

He lunges forward, smashing their lips together. Surprised, Jungkook hesitates to hold him until he begins to slip down. He wraps his arms around Yoongi’s waist and pulls him even closer. Jungkook kisses exactly how he talks, smooth and passionate. Thank god his arms are wrapped around him, otherwise he’d be a puddle of goo on the floor. 

They kiss for what feels like hours but is realistically only a minute, pulling back to gasp for air. 

“If I knew being a dumbass would lead to kissing you, I would’ve stopped talking to you a lot sooner.” 

Yoongi chuckles, face scrunching happily. “If you did this without any reason I would’ve skinned you.” 

Jungkook shrugs. “Fair enough.” 

Even though they definitely should discuss this more, that doesn’t stop them from holding each other close for just one more moment. A moment that bleeds into hours, and if his father sees the sappy grin on his face when he returns home late that night, well. He ignores it.