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“Hyuuuuuuuung,” Jungkook whined from the couch, stomping his feet as he flopped onto the side of the couch, pouting as he looked at Namjoon who was still fiddling with the beats on his computer.
“Hmm?” Namjoon hummed, not exactly paying attention to Jungkook, too focused on the way the beats melded, not quite right, frustrating him more and more, the seconds ticked on.
Jungkook huffed. He crossed his arms on the couch and dug himself further into the soft leather, pout growing by the second as he watched his boyfriend pay more attention to the computer than to him.
He considered himself a pretty understanding boyfriend, especially because of the life that they live - with the cameras constantly in their faces, seeing more flashes than actually getting to see the sun, constantly having their personal lives dug into. So, Jungkoook completely understood wanting to have some time for yourself, he understood the need to recharge and shut yourself off from the world. Of course he did, he was an introvert too! Being an introverted celebrity who was also a bunny hybrid definitely wasn’t easy.
There were times in fansigns where other members had to stop people from asking fans to stop trying to make Jungkook shift into his bunny form. Jungkook was too polite to ever say anything himself, always just faking a laugh and trying to stop himself from turning red in embarrassment, having to try and come to terms with the fact that disappointing his fans for one denying their seemingly simple request was going to have to be the norm. But he couldn’t help it, he just didn’t feel comfortable showing his bunny form to anyone that wasn’t close to him. It was too easy to just pick him up and walk away, and that wasn’t something that Jungkook could afford.
Being Namjoon’s boyfriend, he also understood that there was more than just one person he was dating. He wasn’t just dating Kim Namjoon, the boy he had a crush on since the day he walked into the practice room and saw his big, meaty thighs on display in denim shorts. He was dating RM, the rapper and lyricist for both himself and Bangtan. He was dating Namjoon, the leader who took care of them professionally, acting as the bridge between them and their company, looking out for their interest and making sure that both sides were getting heard equally while also trying to bridge any gaps that were lacking.
He understood all of that and considered himself a really understanding, supportive boyfriend, But as understanding as he is, he draws the line at his boyfriend locking himself up in the studio for three days straight! Jungkook had to eat dinner alone (well not really alone, the rest of the band was also there, but his boyfriend wasn’t. So basically he was alone). He had to sleep alone wrapped up in Namjoon’s hoodie, and covered in his blanket but no Namjoon behind him; no boyfriend there to hold him close and kiss him goodnight, to tell him that he was safe in his arms. He had to wake up alone with no arms around him, no kisses to his neck and whispers of good morning into his skin. No one to pull him closer and mumble that the schedule could wait because Namjoon wanted five more minutes of alone time with Jungkook.
Understandably, Jungkook was pouting, and whining, and trying to gain Namjoon’s attention as much as possible. But nothing was working. He could feel his nose scrunch in frustration as he wiggled on the couch, feeling his human ears changing into bunny ears on top of his head.
“Uh oh.” He whispered to himself, not prepared to switch at all.
It wasn’t that he hated switching, in fact he loved being in his bunny form! Being able to get away from the rat race that was the world, from the constant cameras being shoved in your face, from the same questions in interviews, from the lack of privacy and the intrusions of the outside world. Honestly, Jungkook considered being a bunny hybrid a blessing.
There was just one problem - his trigger for turning into a bunny. As much as Jungkook thought that he had it under control, it never started out that way. He always knew he was a hybrid since he was a child, but he only ever changed a handful of times. It wasn’t until he was 15 and thrust into the lifestyle of being a trainee did he actually realise what his trigger for turning into his bunny form was - a heightened sense of emotions.
Anything ranging from stress, to a sudden rush of sadness, to anger and homesickness.
He was terrified the first time he turned without his parents around:
He was 15, a few weeks into being a trainee. It was just after orientation period when they told the trainees what they expected out of them, after coordinating how they would go to classes, how training sessions would be conducted, how the scoring system worked and what the rules were in the dorms after the separated the groups.
Jungkook was exhausted after a long day that started at 5.30am when he stayed late at practice and missed the bus to school, right up till 9pm when the dance teacher gave up on him and told him to stay back to practice the move that he kept messing up. He was homesick, he was questioning whether or not this life was truly for him, he was thinking back to his mother who believed in him and told him that if anyone could make it, it would be Jungkook.
Tears cascaded down his cheeks as he leaned up against the wall. He could feel his head itching, but paid no attention to it, thinking it was nothing more than sweat settling down on his scalp. His chest burned with the fear of failure, with the pain of knowing that he really was his biggest fear - he really wasn’t good enough, just like he thought he wouldn’t be.
“Hello?” A deep voice echoed into the musky, empty practice room, filled with the stench of sweat and dreams breaking down day by day.
Jungkook sniffled, wanting to be quiet, to be alone, to stew in a mixture of teenage angst and a dream that he could possibly never achieve.
“Hey,” The deep voice was closer now, gentler now, almost as if it was right at the door.
Jungkook kept his head buried in his knees that were brought up to his chest, whimpering as he felt the itch on his scalp grow stronger and stronger.
“Are you okay?”
Jungkook shook his head, ears wiggling involuntarily, nose scrunching as he sniffled more and more trying to keep his tears at bay.
“Umm, I know I’m not supposed to mention this because it’s really rude, but I know you’re in the middle of a switch and I just wanted-”
“What?!” Jungkook gasped, head snapping up as he sniffled more.
“I just thought that-” The boy started to say quickly, words tumbling out of his mouth, covering up the awkwardness of this conversation.
“No,no,” Jungkook said quickly, swallowing a sob that was rising from his chest, battling with the anxiety and the panic that was already taking over, “Y-You said turn-turning. How-how did you know I was-was a hybrid? I-I-I didn’t tell anyo-anyone.”
The boy simply looked at Jungkook with soft eyes, reaching out slowly, not wanting to startle him, giving him the opportunity to back away if he didn’t want to be touched. Jungkook’s eyes followed the boy’s every movement, swallowing harshly against the lump in his throat. The boy gently took Jungkook’s left arm that was wrapped around his knee and brought it up so that Jungkook could see it.
“You have fur on your arm,” He explained gently, and smiled as he said, “You also have bunny ears on your head but I didn’t think you would believe me if I told you.”
Jungkook felt the panic grow in his chest, bigger, bigger, bigger, until it was enveloping him whole, “I-I-I ca-can’t-”
He felt the fur spread on his arms, felt his legs become shorter until they morphed. All throughout the quick process, he was whining, eyes tearing up as his sobs turned from human to a small grunting noise with large tears wetting his fur.
Jungkook started hopping around wildly, unable to control the speed and the movements, too panicked and scared to actually be able to think straight.
The boy simply looked on, not knowing exactly what to do.
“Hey, hey,” He said softly, walking around, trying to catch Jungkook.
He spent a few minutes chasing after him until Jungkook accidentally stumbled on his foot and flopped over, shaking and whimpering like a leaf.
The boy sat down next to the small light brown bunny.
“I know you’re scared and I wish I could tell you that I understood the fear, but I don’t think I ever will. What I can tell you is that I’m not leaving here tonight, not until you turn back into human form. We can stay here all night if that’s what it takes.” He told the bunny, putting out his hand as an offer, “The practice room is going to be empty until tomorrow evening anyway, so we have plenty of time. But just in case...I’m going to lock the door so no one can come in, okay?”
The whimpers from the small, brown bunny slowed down. Jungkook looked up at the boy with wide, doe brown eyes and a slightly wet face, scrunching his nose as he slowly hopped over to the boys hand, stopping just short of it, looking up at him.
The boy nodded slowly, assuring him with a wide dimpled smile that it was okay.
To this day Jungkook still didn’t know what it was that made him trust the boy so easily. Was it the way that he smiled at him? Was it the way his dimples grew into his skin getting deeper the more he smiled? Was it his gentle voice? His soothing presence? The way he stayed with Jungkook for hours on end, without a single complaint, without so much as bringing it up again, without asking for something in return? Or was it the way that Jungkook’s heart just knew, just recognised his heart beating at the same wavelength and told Jungkook that it was okay to trust the boy in front of him?
Jungkook hopped onto the boys hand and curled himself up, nuzzling into his soft skin.
“I’m Namjoon by the way,” He introduced himself as he carried Jungkook carefully onto his lap, stroking his soft fur with his hand, gently, making small and careful movements just in case Jungkook didn’t like it.
Jungkook purred into Namjoon’s lap, head resting on his thigh as he settled down slowly, distracting himself with how warm Namjoon’s hand was and how soft he stroked his fur.
“Don’t worry little bun,” Namjoon whispered into the night, “I’ll take care of you.”
Ever since then, Jungkook had learnt a lot about himself, both as a person, and as Koo, his bunny form.
For starters, the name came from Namjoon one day as he softly stroked Jungkook’s brown fur and said, “You’re the prettiest little bun, Koo.” And ever since then, the name stuck, and Jungkook loved it. (He also loved Namjoon, but that was obvious).
Jungkook had learnt that being a bunny comes with its pros and its cons.
Pro: He had mastered the art of shifting, and loved doing it! He always got the best cuddles when he was a bunny. He loved being Koo. Loved the attention that he got; loved when his hyungs gently stroked his back and gave him belly rubs and all the kisses that he could want.
Con: He still couldn’t control the shift whenever he’s overwhelmed. His emotions always get the best of him, and when he shifts in this mindset, his thoughts are as rampant and loose and as fast as he is in this state. The shift could happen at home, in his room, or at a concert venue, or backstage...and every time it happened when he was feeling too much, it was almost impossible to calm him.
The only person who could get through to him was Namjoon. He would sit down in the middle of the room after asking everyone to clear out and would extend his hand, the same way he did the day that Jungkook first shifted in front of him. He would speak gently into the room and coax Jungkook out from wherever he was hiding until Jungkook was safe in his lap. And then Namjoon would just talk. He would talk about what he thought Jungkook was feeling, and would wait for Jungkook to confirm with either a wiggle of his hips if he was right, or a soft, harmless nibble onto the pad of his finger if he was wrong.
Which brings him to right now, on Namjoon’s black, soft, leather couch with a pile of clothes that fell off of Jungkook’s body, pooling at the edge of the couch, his shirt falling right off onto the floor until all that was left was a brown bunny attempting to crawl out of brand new Adidas sweatpants.
Jungkook had just about figured out after years of shifting back and forth from human to bunny, that clothes and hybrids don’t really mix well together. The clothes will fall right off which then traps the hybrid underneath it until they can figure out how to wriggle out of them, which was why it was always recommended that someone be with the hybrid.
It was one of the reasons that Jungkook tried never to shift alone as much as he could help it. The few seconds in which he shifts is spent in complete darkness until he wriggles his way out of his human clothes.
This was one of those times where it took more than just a few seconds. Jungkook whimpered and grunted until he finally broke free from his sweatpants, hopping from the leather of the couch onto the floor, on top of his shirt. He hopped all the way to Namjoon’s computer and up the little stairs that Namjoon bought especially for him since Jungkook loved shifting in Namjooh’s studio, preferring the small, enclosed safe space that his boyfriend had so carefully and caringly curated, with not only himself in mind, but Jungkook and Koo too.
Jungkook grunted as he hopped up the stairs. He reached the top and hopped right over to Namjoon’s keyboard, growling and stomping on the wooden table.
Namjoon had his headphones in and was immersed in the beats on the glaring blue light on the screen, tapping his index finger on the wood.
Koo growled and reached down and nibbled at the pad of his finger.
“Ouch!” Namjoon hissed, pulling away from the table.
He looked down to find Koo glaring at him with his doe brown eyes narrowed, ears flattened all the way down to his body, his little nose scrunching as he thumped his leg on the wood over and over and over again as if screaming at Namjoon in his bunny form.
“Koo?” Namjoon said, surprised, taking off his headphones and setting it on the desk beside his mouse, “Did you shift all by yourself?”
Namjoon turned his head to look back at the couch where Jungkook’s clothes were strewn all over the floor and the couch.
Koo wiggled his butt to say yes, still glaring at Namjoon, his floppy brown ears flat against his body, eyes narrowed, mouth turned into a frown as he sat on Namjoon’s desk, right beside his keyboard.
“Did you get out of your clothes okay?” Namjoon asked, a little too late, still looking at Jungkook’s clothes.
Koo practically hissed as he thumped his leg in frustration on Namjoon’s customised wooden table.
“Woah, woah-” Namjoon said quickly to calm Koo down, head snapping back to his table where bunny Koo was letting out his anger, “What’s wrong baby?”
What’s wrong?! Jungkook thought as he hissed and grunted on the table, practically shaking with a mixture of frustration and anger, unable to actually voice his thoughts in this current state, but too overwhelmed with emotion to actually shift back into human form.
“Is it something I did?” Namjoon asked gently, hands folded in his lap, wanting to reach out and comfort Koo, but knowing better than to do it in the state that Koo was in, deciding to wait until Koo made the first move.
Koo wiggled his butt - yes.
Namjoon tried to think back to the things that he had done but couldn’t come up with anything, too tired for his brain to function, deep dark circles under his eyes as he blinked and ran his hand down his face, sighing.
Koo saw the exhaustion lacing Namjoon’s every move and softened immediately. He wasn’t angry with him so much as he just missed his boyfriend, and wanted him to take better care of himself. Holing himself up in the studio endlessly, no break in between, no sunlight entering the small space, no fresh air...none of this could be healthy.
So Koo hopped over to Namjoon’s keyboard and kicked it with his front leg. It was meant to be the answer to his question….but if also served as revenge for taking his boyfriend away from him then that’s just a bonus for him.
“Keyboard?” Namjoon asked.
Koo wiggled.
“Keyboard…” Namjoon said to himself, trying to piece the puzzle together in his stressed, tired mind.
Jungkook hopped over to the other side of the desk, hopping on the keys itself, making noises as he passed through, still trying to get his big aggression out on the keyboard with his tiny body. He thumped the mouse with his front leg as he landed, thumping it again for good measure.
“Mouse?” Namjoon asked, hand coming out to reach for the mouse, clicking aimlessly on the desktop. “Keyboard...mouse…”
Koo wiggled his butt in confirmation.
“Oh baby…” Namjoon sighed as he finally realised, “Am I spending too much time in the studio again?”
Jungkook wiggled his butt over and over again, whimpering, big eyes filling with tears from the latent frustration and finally getting his boyfriend back.
Namjoon reached his hands out and waited for Koo to jump on them, which he happily did, nuzzling into Namjoon’s soft skin as his soft, fluffy brown ears perked up again, body relaxing into his warm hold.
Namjoon stood up from the swivelly office chair, walking to the black leather couch as he sat on the other end of where Jungkook’s clothes were strewn on the floor.
Namjoon settled into the couch as he rested Koo on his chest, softly stroking him as he sighed, the pent up exhaustion catching up to him.
“I know I haven’t been the best boyfriend lately,” Namjoon spoke softly, voice deep and low as his chest rumbled with every word.
Jungkook whimpered, softly nibbling into Namjoon’s chest, nuzzling up into the hand that was stroking him, trying to tell him that it wasn’t true, that he’s an amazing boyfriend.
“You’re always so sweet, aren’t you?” Namjoon said, eyes fluttering open as he stared down at Koo, thumb gently stroking his forehead, leaning down to place a kiss on his fluffy fur.
Jungkook keened at the praise, purring at the kiss, leaning up to Namjoon’s nose and softly rubbing his nose against it - Koo’s version of a kiss.
Namjoon giggled and pressed them closer together, “My cute little Koo.”
They stayed like that for a while, Namjoon nuzzling himself into Koo’s soft, fluffy fur, while Jungkook curled up into Namjoon’s chest, letting his heartbeat soothe him, his earlier frustrations practically non existent now that he was in Namjoon’s arms.
“It must be hard, right, Koo?” Namjoon mumbled into his fur, “Dating me is hard, isn’t it? We’re always working, we don’t get much time together, we barely see each other if it’s not work related….”
Jungkook pulled away from Namjoon’s chest, wriggling out of his grip as he climbed up further from his chest to his neck, softly nibbling at the skin - trying to say no, trying to convey whatever feelings he could as a bunny. Trying to comfort Namjoon the same way Namjoon always tried to comfort him.
“I’m sorry I’ve been working so much lately,” Namjoon said softly, the words barely leaving the bubble that they had curated.
Koo nibbled on his neck again, nuzzling into his warm skin, settling back into the place that he called home - Namjoon.
All Namjoon could do was let out a shaky breath, putting a hand on Jungkook’s brown fur as he leaned back on the couch, “I didn’t realise I hadn’t come home in a while. I’ve just felt so bad because I feel like I’ve been neglecting my own mixtape, I started with a few songs but now that I hear them back again I just don’t know…”
He didn’t finish the thought, knowing that Jungkook understood immediately, Whether he was Jungkook, or Koo, he’d just always understood Namjoon on a level that was more than just heart. It always felt like Jungkook and him shared a soulbond. One where, the minute they met, that very first day, their souls recognised each other. Their souls reached out to their hearts and whispered that the search was over, that the search for their soulmate could stop. Because the person right in front of them, was it.
Koo hopped down onto Namjoon’s chest and wiggled, nibbling on the fabric of his shirt as he tried to convey a message to Namjoon, to comfort him in a way that only Koo could - with kisses, cuddles and nuzzles.
“I know I should take my own time and that these things can’t be rushed,” Namjoon sighed, stroking Koo’s fur as he spoke, “But it’s been years since I released a mixtape. I just feel bad. Lately, all I’ve been doing is trying to get back into being Namjoon, you know? I love RM, I love him with all my heart, but all I’ve been these days is just RM. In interviews, in writing lyrics for other people and producing their music for them. I just wanted a day to myself.”
Jungkook whimpered into Namjoon’s chest, nosing at his shirt as he spoke, eyes wide as he took in the words that Namjoon was saying, letting Namjoon stroke his fur, letting him thumb at Koo’s forehead, letting him use Koo for comfort however he wanted.
“It can’t be rushed,” Namjoon sighed, leaning back against the couch.
Koo jumped up further onto Namjoon’s chest, placing kisses on his nose, his cheeks, the place where his dimples would be if he were smiling.
Namjoon kissed the top of Koo’s forehead.
“I know, baby,” Namjoon mumbled into his skin, “Rushing it is why I’m not liking anything I’m making right now, isn’t it?”
Koo beamed, wiggling on Namjoon’s chest.
Namjoon giggled, the dimples on his cheeks growing.
Koo jumped up and nuzzled his fluffy head into the dimples, nosing and kissing at it the more it grew, thumping his hind legs in happiness on Namjoon’s chest softly.
“Was that what you were trying to tell me all along? That I should get some rest and try again later?” Namjoon asked.
Koo wiggled his whole body this time, purring, eyes shining like a sky full of stars.
“You take such good care of me,” Namjoon said as he kissed Jungkook’s fur, “I love you.”
Jungkook nuzzled against Namjoon’s nose - I love you too Joonie hyung.
“Let’s go home, baby.” Namjoon said, placing one last kiss on Koo’s fur, “I’ll even take the day off tomorrow so we can spend it together, okay?”
Koo purred, his body warm, soft, eyes fluttering shut as he nuzzled against Namjoon’s chest, bunny body relaxing, knowing that he was safe with his Namjoon hyung.
Whether it was in bunny form, or in his human form, he would always be safe, warm, and happy if he was with Namjoon.
It was their kind of love - pure, respectful, caring. It was them. Soulmates.
“Koo?” Namjoon said as he walked out of the studio with Koo in his arms.
Koo purred in acknowledgement, eyes fluttered shut as he settled against Namjoon’s muscled chest.
“Don’t think I didn’t notice what you did with my keyboard just now,” Namjoon told him, “If it doesn’t work tomorrow I’m coming into your studio and taking your one.”
Koo’s eyes snapped open as he thumped against Namjoon’s chest, but not hard enough to hurt him, just enough to protest.
“I know I said I would take the day off! The tomorrow part was just a figure of spee-don’t bite my new shirt!”