Chapter Text
The sound of the distant thunder rolls towards the dull town, its boom grows louder as it reaches the quiet of it. The crackles and then the flash of forked lightning puts the town at unease but inside one of the small homes, Taehyung just looks up from where his vision landed when he zoned out.
He sits near the windows and there he sees the gray clouds shed its tears. The hustle of the people scrambling to the warmth and dryness of the inside are seen before the distinct pitter pats of rain on the rooftops of establishments.
Taehyung sighs and turns his gaze to his mother at the kitchen, who already fixated her eyes on her son. He recognizes that look, the one where he needs to ready his ears as his mother starts to ramble, for the nth time, about the implications of these storms.
"Best you stay inside for the rest of the day (as if he planned to go outside) or else you might get into trouble." His mother starts her lecture that he already memorized like the back of his hand (but he listens anyway, knowing full well that what she says is true). "These rains could be another one of the Green God's pastime doings and we know how those go." She pointedly looks at Taehyung who nods.
The 19- year old doesn't know, actually, but he's heard of the rumors surrounding the Green God and the things that he does.
Taehyung wasn't there, having been 20-30 years before he was brought to earth, but his parents were and the stories they tell him are horrible but honest- nothing false, nothing made up and nothing short of the words dangerous, chaos and hell . This part he knows is real, because the town has the same stories, though different scars and emotions about them. The next town, too, miles away from here, has heard of the wrath of the Green God and his men against their enemies. He seals the information about the mentioned god as fact, after all, who would make up stories just to mess with a young Taehyung? Just to mess up a whole generation?
"-and don't forget about the wars, oh good heavens, don't get mixed up in that too!" His mother continues to say.
He's heard about them too, those that started from petty reasons to showcasing hatred towards a government. Taehyung shivers, remembering a story about the War God's destruction of his own nation. At that point, he best stop his mother, before the lecture goes on too long, longer than the rain who seemed to have just passed by and by the looks of the peeking sun and rainbow, now ultimately gone.
"Okay, mother, I get it. No need to say more." He walks over to the kitchen and rubs his mom's shoulders, who looks scandalized by his interruption but nonetheless accepts his son's actions.
"The rain already stopped a few minutes ago, no need to get worked up." He smiles his signature smile at his mother and her shoulders droop.
"Fine, but heed my words, darling, be careful when rains are nearby!" She calls at the retreating figure of her son, who left after giving her a peck on the cheek.
"Warnings are heeded!" He replies, before heading up to his room and closes the door behind him with a soft thud.
It’s the next day and it’s as if the rain never came yesterday. The sun is shining but not scorching; the flowers are in bloom like it’s spring and the chirps of the birds are music to everyone’s ears.
Even though it’s still fairly early in the morning, Taehyung is already up and about, having been woken up by his mother some 30 minutes after the first rays of sun hit their home to tell him that his friend, Jimin, came by, inviting the part-ram boy to a stroll in the forest later. Taehyung was hesitant at first, knowing that his mother won’t allow him. But before he could ask for permission, she smiled at him and hugged him.
“Of course you can go, you don’t have to ask me. You’re 19 and it’s expected for your age to go about and have fun.” Taehyung giggled. “All I ask is you to be careful and don’t stray away from the path.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Thank you so much, I love you!” Taehyung gave her a big smooch on her cheek and his mother playfully slapped his shoulder.
“Jimin told me he’ll come by to pick you up before noon so you should be ready by then.” This meant that Taehyung should be done with his chores around the house before Jimin comes again so Taehyung dashed and picked up the broom.
“On it!”
It's been an hour and a half since his mother told him about Jimin’s visit and Taehyung’s done with his chores and breakfast. He is now picking out his clothes and fixing his hair. He prides his little horns so, with the flowers he picked from the garden, he decorated them and made them look as pretty as they can be.
He studies his reflection in his bedroom’s window and sure enough, he looked attractive, if he does say so himself with his olive green dress shirt with embroidered daisies and small butterflies. He fixes the alliums wrapped around his horns some more before being startled by Jimin who knocked on said windows.
“Hi! You look pretty!” Jimin smiles at Taehyung through the glass.
“Jerk! You almost gave me a heart attack. But yeah, you look cute as well.” Taehyung mumbled the last part, still red in the cheeks from being scared.
Jimin chortles and gives Taehyung a swirl for the younger to fully see his outfit.
The human was wearing a lilac dress shirt with some ruffles and laces and not too puffed up sleeves decorated with birds and flowers. His black fitted pants balance the extravagance of his top and the flower crown of corn flowers and Quaker ladies.
Taehyung gives him a round of applause then gestures for the other to wait for him. He then starts to rush outside right after saying his goodbye to his mother.
“Hold on.” His mother has a firm grip on his wrist and it makes him halt.
“Wh-”
She, with both hands outstretched, holds out a dagger with a handle made out of oak and was wrapped around with cloth.
“This was from your father and I want you to keep it with you while you boys walk around.” She sported a serious look on her face and Taehyung opens and closes his mouth like a fish, wanting to protest but ultimately stunned to say anything.
“I don’t need it.” He croaked out at last. He gently pushes her hands towards her, to signify that he doesn’t want to touch it.
“Taehyung, my dear, please take it and be safe. I cannot sit here knowing you’re out there unarmed against possible enemies.” She moves her right hand so that the handle was closer to him.
He was wearing an expression of “seriously?” But was compelled to take it anyway as he heard Jimin call out for him.
He took the small weapon with caution and walked out the door.
The first few hours of the friends’ sauntering in the woods was mellow and just catching up between the two. Jimin, being nothing like the ram-hybrid Taehyung and his townsfolk who were also mostly either hybrids or anthropomorphics, was not from around here, thus he told the younger about his adventures with his fellow humans- what they were learning in school and how boring science is. Taehyung hums and occasionally giggles and ‘ oh ’s in response to Jimin’s stories but mostly he stays silent and takes it all in.
It’s mid afternoon when they sit down in a clearing and have a rest. They stare at the canopy of trees, basking in the cool breeze when Jimin speaks up again: “I’m moving, Taehyung. Or, I’ve been thinking about moving.”
Taehyung turns to his side to look at Jimin.
“Really? Where?” The tone of Taehyung’s voice wobbles; would Jimin be farther away from him now? He was already hours and miles away from him and only visits once a week. What will happen with them then- will Jimin visit once a month? Or never?
There are only so many people whom Taehyung could be friends with, as they don’t really resonate with him and his antics. Jimin, who first discovered this place when he tagged along with his merchant father, was mesmerized by the town and Taehyung in particular. Jimin wasn’t unfamiliar with hybrids and it wasn’t also uncommon for humans to frequent the town dominated by hybrids (also, Taehyung’s father was human, so really, there’s not much difference between them and him). They were shy around each other at first but ultimately became friends as the day went on.
Taehyung will miss Jimin when the latter goes away
“Why are you sad?” Jimin chuckles at the emotion plastered on Taehyung’s face.
“Because, you were kind of implying you were moving away.” Taehyung explains.
“No!” Jimin laughs and the tension in Taehyung’s shoulders ease away. “Taehyung-ie, I’m thinking of moving here.”
“REALLY?” The ram-hybrid stands up. “No way. Are you really?” The smile on his face doesn’t leave and his cheeks hurt from grinning.
“Yes! It’ll be sometime next month but I’m deeply thinking about moving here.” The two friends hug, happy about the fact that they won’t be far from each other anymore.
As soon as the sun turns to the sky into an ombré of tangerine and pink rose, Taehyung and Jimin make their way back to town. They talk about more stuff but when they hear a certain noise, they stop.
“What was that?” Jimin clings onto Taehyung like his life depended on it.
“Dunno, must be an animal.” Taehyung says it casually but in truth, he’s also scared.
“Should we check it out?” Taehyung looks at him incredulously. “What, what if it’s a lost cow or something? Shouldn’t we help? You also said you have a dagger, we can use it for defense.”
“Jimin!” Taehyung whisper-shouts, “If we’re certain it’s a lost cattle, we’ll call someone but we’re not, so we shouldn’t risk it.”
But Jimin is adventurous, and he tiptoes off the path and makes his way to where they heard the sound. Taehyung has no choice but to follow, afraid his friend will get himself hurt. The tips of his fingers become cold and they instinctively reach to his back pocket where stashed his dagger. He has no experience in defense, but he figures it’s better than not being armed.
Taehyung arrives where Jimin is peeking through thick vines. He nudges Jimin to the side and also sneaks a peek. A low rumble is heard and a hiss. But it’s not a snake, though.
“What is it?” Jimin tugs on the younger’s sleeve.
“Let’s leave.” Taehyung grasps Jimin’s upper arm instead and steers him away to the path.
They don’t talk for several moments and Taehyung only speaks up when the familiar bakery of the town is in view.
“It's an Enderman. Or maybe, a hybrid one.” Taehyung’s never seen one before, in real life, only in books or in his imagination but by the distinct features- tall, sometimes have the signature lilac tint on their skin, makes this certain inhumane noise a lot- he’s sure that this is it. They aren’t harmful unless provoked, but the stories that surround the species sends a chill down his spine.
“An Enderman-?” Jimin silently asks for more information about the said creature.
“They’re normally not violent, but we can’t be too sure.” That’s all he says, leaving Jimin hanging.
“But it looked quiet, why are we-” The human starts again.
“They’re probably in their Enderwalk state,” When he still looks lost, Taehyung continues, “It’s where they’re in a subconscious state, or, I don’t know..” He trails off, realizing he doesn’t know much.
“Well, alright. As long as they’re not doing anything wrong.”
Taehyung then says his goodbye to his friend as soon as they reach his house. Jimin’s father is waiting for him at the community house and they depart. It’ll be a few weeks to a month before he sees Jimin again (assuming he’ll go through with his want of moving here and he’d have to prepare his belongings) and Taehyung’s form slumps. Until then, he guesses, as he waves farewell to the retreating figure of the humans’ horses.
Taehyung is in his bed that night, tired but thoughts buzzing as a result of that day’s happenings. His mother was happy at his return and he tells her about his walk with Jimin. She is beyond ecstatic at first, upon knowing Jimin’s plans of moving here. But then her tone soured, and she rambled again about the dangers of being in this environment.
“I’m not saying that humans can’t be here, because we all know they can be and look at your father- he was loved by the folk- but oh poor Jiminie: he doesn’t know much about the history of this town. Oh! Taehyung-ah, what if he shows up and is clumsy in front of the Green God. You know what happened to the children of the god’s time.”
Taehyung stiffens at the memory and it prevents him from saying what he saw in the forest. The first boy Enderman was controlled by the Green God upon his orders and it was a tough time for all Enderman hybrids that came after him because they were avoided by the masses.
The 19-year old doesn’t say more about his adventures when his mother asks him for more events.
Taehyung tosses and turns and will himself to sleep.
But he isn’t tired so he sits up and thinks. Is the hybrid from before okay? Why was he in the middle of the forest, in between mud puddles and brooks when water was their enemy? Why is Taehyung so intrigued by this? Willing to rebel and risk his life in something he has little to no knowledge about.
Maybe it’s the fact that this is the first time he’s seen something beyond words and emotions his mother had said. Maybe it’s the child in him, wanting to play around, get himself in trouble because he finally has the permission to roam around past the town due to his age.
Taehyung leans back into his sheets. He shouldn’t abuse this power of being of age. But.. if the Enderman is really in his Enderwalk stage, it’s not like he’ll actually be in danger- Endermen tend to be in that subconscious state for hours at a time. It won’t be awake right now, right? It wouldn’t hurt to check .
Only this day , Taehyung thinks, and with that, he takes a light dark-colored coat and tentatively grabs the dagger, and leaves through his bedroom window. His little secret for now.
The journey to the woods was very uneventful, Taehyung thinks. Only a few people were awake at this time and they’re mostly at the community house, far away from the entrance of the forest. Perhaps it was luck but today, there are no guards to sneak past through. Was it really luck though? When he was willingly walking to his possible doom?
He trudged on the path and with every step he took, doubt and regret creeped up his chest. Why is he doing this, again? To add something to his list of ‘ Things I Did In My Adulthood ’? To try and have a taste of freedom? To feel alive? He could do all that with other things! He could fish, he could ask his mother to let him visit Jimin’s place, he could learn to fly those Elytras they have near the Armory. Taehyung stopped his walking and buried his face in his hands and squatted. ‘This is a bad idea. Terrible. Horrible. What am I-.’
Taehyung whipped his head around at the low sound of a rumble. Then he heard a hiss-like noise, like when water dripped on a very hot surface.
Like the sounds of an Enderman.
He could turn back, tell the people of the creature. He then could confess to his mother this secret. Or he could just go back to bed and count down the days until Jimin's next arrival.
But Taehyung follows the sound anyway.
He skirts to the side of the opening where the Enderman is located. When Jimin and him were stealing glances at the creature, they never realized how tall it was. But closer, it was more than a foot taller than the ram-boy. Even when it’s sitting down, Taehyung knows that it’s taller than him.
The Enderman emits a sound again and it makes Taehyung jump. The twigs beneath him make noise and oh no .
Taehyung quickly scrambles up a tree and squeezes himself in a cranny, away from where moonlight is.
The Enderman doesn’t flinch though, but it hisses. A small puff of smoke appears at the tops of its head and it catches Taehyung’s attention. He maneuvers himself around the trunk to where he’s nearer to the creature.
He focuses on the Enderman’s face and it is a hybrid!
Though not quite distinct, he can see a face- nose, mouth, eyes. In the shut eyelids, a radiant lavender glows emits. Underneath its eyelashes , there are scars. As if to explain to Taehyung how they were there, a tear escapes the closed eyes and it evaporates into another puff of smoke.
Okay, no more, he’s seen enough.