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Jungkook rushes over the soft underbrush of his home. The air is cooling, slowly lulling the forest into autumn. Foliage explodes into a bright array of reds and oranges and golds. It’s the perfect setting scene for a party.
“Jungkook-ah?”
Jungkook freezes just past the clearing. He hoped he could be quick enough to go unnoticed, but Namjoon is the dryad of the forest. His oak tree’s roots are dug deep into the ground, the foundation of their home. There isn't much that gets past Namjoon. Which is one of the things Jungkook loves and admires about Namjoon... normally.
“Namjoon!” Jungkook skips back a few steps, tail wagging. “Hi!”
“Hey, pup. Where are you going?” Namjoon grins, all dimpled and vibrant green. The soft ivory of his hair glistens in the mid-morning light, and the leaves on the twin branches that stretch over his head mirror the colorscape around them.
“I’m...” Jungkook tries to remember the lines he’s been given. Be vague, Jungkook, Jimin had said. Don’t give him too many details. “I’m going to the glen in the east to count the blooms with Hobi.”
“Are you?” Namjoon raises a kind eyebrow.
Jungkook hates lying to Namjoon, but this time he has a good reason. “I am.”
“You’ve never liked counting blooms before,” Namjoon says. Jungkook’s tail sags and his ears lie flat against his head. Traitors. Namjoon’s smile softens and he opens his arms for Jungkook, who dives into their strong warmth. He slides his hands under Namjoon’s cotton cardigan and wraps his arms around Namjoon tight.
“I’m glad to hear you’ve had a change of heart to help our elf, pup,” Namjoon whispers into Jungkook’s hair. “Make sure to be careful with the blooms, hm?”
“I will!” Jungkook kisses Namjoon and bounces away. “Bye!”
Namjoon watches the wolf run off with the smallest twinge of sadness. It’s a good day in the forest. A beautiful day. And there’s lots of work to be done. Just like the elves counting the blooms, Namjoon has to ensure all the oaks in the forest are properly preparing for autumn. Even if that’s over a week away. Even if today is...
Namjoon chuckles at himself. There’s work to do. He closes his eyes and feels for his other loves in the forest. He can sense their energy thrumming through the earth like music vibrations. A cluster of them breach out of the forest toward the sea.
Yoongi trudges behind Jimin and Taehyung with carefully aimed kicks at every pile of leaves he can reach, grinning at the satisfying crunch. Jimin glances back to frown at him again just as they break through the tree cover and reach Seokjin’s cove. They crunch over the chilled sand, so hard it doesn’t sink between their toes the way Yoongi likes.
“It’s—”
“I know it’s cold, you big baby.” Jimin interrupts. Yoongi pouts. “I’d charm your coat, but you kept kicking those leaf piles. You know how hard the fairies work to make those sit just right. ”
“Tae wanted to kick them, too!”
“I did not!” Taehyung yelps, his thin tail snapping indignantly. “Jimin-ah, I didn’t. I swear.”
“Of course, you didn’t. My perfect Tae-Tae.” Jimin coos, tickling under Taehyung’s chin and kissing each cheek. Taehyung giggles. He pulls Jimin in for a hug and sticks his tongue out at Yoongi from over Jimin’s shoulder.
Yoongi gasps, flapping his wings in warning.
“Yoongi, behave. We’ve gotta focus today!” Jimin snaps.
Yoongi bunches his shoulders up, his jaw tight and his tail thumping against the ground.
Jimin chuckles and digs into his pocket for a tangerine. “Here, have this. And don’t worry, we’ll build a bonfire for our little lizard later.”
“I’m a dragon.” Yoongi mumbles.
“Yes, you are.” Jimin smiles and kisses his cheeks too. “Let’s go, you two. No more trouble today, okay? We have to get ready for the party.”
He hurries down the rest of the beach. The sun peeks over the reach of the trees and kisses at the bare skin of Jimin’s arms and shoulders, illuminating his light, dainty freckles. Yoongi smiles at the iridescent sheen of Jimin’s thin wings. Everything about him is delicate, except his temper, which is worn tight today like a trap waiting to spring. He’s always like this when he has plans to fulfill.
With Jimin’s back turned, Yoongi pockets the tangerine and nudges Taehyung. He holds his hand out to the imp, opening and closing his fingers expectantly, his tail gives an impatient flick behind him. “Truce for today?”
Taehyung’s grin is a slow thing, growing at the corners of his lips and breaking his expression open with foreboding joy. It’s the same manic look Taehyung had when he stole a good chunk of Yoongi’s horde of tangerines— their first meeting. He still thinks of Taehyung as his mortal enemy, even with all the extra strings of love now looped and tied around him and the others.
“ You say that every day. When are you going to let it go?” Taehyung chuckles.
“Not today. Do you agree?”
“What do I get in return?” Taehyung asks, blinking as innocently as his blacked-out scleras allow.
“Jimin gets to throw this party without getting mad.”
Taehyung hums, holding his chin like he actually needs to consider it. Yoongi flexes his hand in the air. Taehyung laughs.
“Okay, but I want a kiss, too!” He pokes his cheek, leaning forward.
Yoongi feels a blush crawl up his orange scales and slaps his hands around Taehyung’s head to tug him close. He kisses one cheek and then the other, because he knows Taehyung won’t let it go until he does. Taehyung’s giggling when Yoongi’s done, his mind still in a flustered flurry. He breaks away from Yoongi and runs his hand through Yoongi’s pale, white hair.
“Such a cute hyung.”
Yoongi’s about to growl back when Jimin’s whistle beckons them to the edge of the water, where Seokjin has pulled himself up with an array of seashells and seaweed. Jimin’s stuck between sending an adoring gaze at Yoongi and Taehyung and frowning at what Seokjin considers decorations.
“The shells are pretty,” Jimin says hopefully.
Seokjin nods and slaps the wet pile of seaweed. “And these are plants like Namjoonie likes.”
“Yes, they are but...”
“I grew them special for today.”
“...Did you?” Jimin grimaces. He knows Seokjin doesn’t always grasp surface concepts and he’s over eager to participate when he can. Jimin just knows the seaweed will start to dry soon, and start to smell. And that’s not part of his perfect vision for Namjoon’s birthday party.
“It’s a present for Joonie,” Seokjin says, his deep purple tail wagging under the water’s surface.
Jimin sighs, defeated by Seokjin’s plush pretty smile. “You’re right. I’ll hang them up for him.”
And he means to, until Seokjin and Taehyung snort. Jimin freezes. Seokjin’s tail claps against the water gleefully.
“It’s a joke! Did I do it right?” Seokjin asks Taehyung.
“You did great!” Taehyung pushes past a stunned Jimin to kiss Seokjin softly, laughing against the merman’s lips.
“You’re a menace,” Yoongi says, crossing his arms.
“It was to help Jimin-ah relax!”
Jimin points down at the seaweed. “So I don’t have to hang these up?”
Seokjin shakes his head. “They’ll stink, Jimin-ah. But we can use them to lure more friends for the party. That’s Joonie’s real present. Gimmie.” He waits for Jimin to kick the seaweed pile closer to the water, giggling as he throws it under the surface. “You’ll see. Joonie’s going to love it.”
“You,” Jimin slaps Taehyung’s arm without much weight, “Just for that trick, you’re going to help me weave the chairs and carry the logs for the fire. Even after Jungkook gets here.”
Taehyung laughs, nodding. “Of course, Jimin-ssi.”
Jimin rolls his eyes and sets him to work, while Yoongi takes advantage of Jimin’s drifted attention to sit by Seokjin and share his tangerine.
🌱🌳🌱
In the eastern glen, Hoseok braids flower chains to Jungkook’s tunes. The wolf is sprawled out on the grass, grinning and humming up at the brightening sky. It’s afternoon now, and the day has warmed up just a little. Hoseok and Jungkook were assigned— at a Jimin strategy meeting over a month ago in the middle of the night when they knew Namjoon would be chatting with the trees— to lead Namjoon to the beach when the time was right. They’re just waiting for Yoongi.
“Do you think he’ll like the surprise?” Jungkook asks.
Hoseok grins. “Of course he will! It’ll be his best birthday ever!”
“I hope so.” Jungkook pauses long enough for Hoseok to glance up from his braiding. Jungkook bites his lip, his wolf ears twitching guiltily. “What if he’s lonely? What if he thinks we forgot about his birthday?”
“Oh, Jungkook-ah.” Hoseok chuckles and leans over to drop a kiss on Jungkook’s forehead. “I think Namjoon would be happy to know you’re worrying about him this much. And I’m sure he doesn’t think we’ve forgotten. We’ve all been busy welcoming autumn to the forest. Namjoon has enough work to distract him until we’re ready.”
“Maybe I should’ve stayed with him,” Jungkook says, glancing at the treeline with longing.
“No, no. You’re not a good liar and neither am I. That’s why we were sent all the way out here.”
Jungkook pouts.
“Don’t worry, little wolf. Come braid with me to take your mind off it. Yoongi will come soon, you’ll see.”
They spot Yoongi’s wings a few hours later, after the sun begins to drop from its peak. Hoseok loves the way Yoongi’s scales match the orange leaves of the forest. The dragon lands deftly, his wings shivering behind him.
Hoseok tuts. “Are you cold? Taehyung-ah should’ve come instead.”
“Don’t worry,” Yoongi grins, “Taehyung’s building the bonfire.”
“That was my job,” Jungkook says.
“It’s a bit of a punishment. He goaded Jimin on purpose, the brat.” Yoongi’s smile is fond despite his words. While they all love each other, Hoseok finds Yoongi’s “rivalry” with Taehyung a comedic backdrop to their relationship. Yoongi can resist and call Taehyung his enemy all he wants, but Hoseok has seen Yoongi bend to Taehyung’s whims just as easily as the rest of them. The imp knows his strengths and he isn’t afraid to use them.
“They’re ready for Namjoon?” Hoseok asks.
Yoongi nods. “Let’s go get our dryad.”
Namjoon can sense their approach as they leave the glen. He’s made light checks on the others for most of the day. Jimin and Taehyung with Seokjin at the beach, Yoongi joining Hoseok and Jungkook in the glen a few minutes ago. Besides the few other creatures in the forest, Namjoon hasn’t seen any of his loves since Jungkook left him that morning. There are always busy days leading up to a change of season. Namjoon can’t expect to be the center of attention. Just like the forest, his relationship with his loves is made up of many that unite into a magnificent collective. Namjoon understands this; it’s what he loves the most about being together. It’s what he loved about tending to the forest before the others drew Namjoon in.
So, Namjoon tries not to let the small loneliness he feels take root as the others find him in his tree’s clearing.
“Namjoon!” Jungkook beelines for him and circles his arms around Namjoon’s chest. He buries his nose into Namjoon’s neck, sniffing and scenting madly. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too. Did you roll around in flowers all day?”
“No,” Hoseok laughs, “He laid down and hummed at the sky.”
Namjoon chuckles and pivots himself to drop a kiss on Jungkook’s nose. “Sounds like a good day.”
“Not yet!” Jungkook chirps.
Hoseok grins over Jungkook’s shoulder and it’s then that Namjoon notices Yoongi isn’t with them anymore. He almost closes his eyes to feel for him, but Hoseok moves forward with a gasp. “Wait, Joonie! Don’t look yet.”
“Why not?” Namjoon frowns.
“It’s a surprise!” Jungkook lets him go, wiggling his eyebrows.
“For me?”
“Of course it’s for you!” Hoseok laughs, taking one of Namjoon’s hands and leading him out of the clearing. Hoseok is much smaller than Namjoon, leaner, and yet he’s holding Namjoon’s hand with devout delicacy. Hoseok must notice Namjoon’s sharp breath, because his blush burns all the way to the sharp points of his ears. He looks up at Namjoon from behind his lashes, demure. “Follow me, okay?”
“Always.” Namjoon breathes.
Jungkook’s waiting for them outside of the clearing, flowers in his hair. Namjoon recognizes them from the glen. More of the same flowers are wrapped around trees leading away from the clearing, like a thick chain of reds and purples and yellows and pinks and blues and whites. When he turns, Hoseok is quickly tucking a few of the flowers under his acorn cap.
“They’re not the same as your branches...” Hoseok trails off, blushing brighter. Namjoon runs a knuckle over the soft green apple of Hoseok’s cheek.
“You look beautiful.” Namjoon turns to Jungkook. “You both do.”
“Come on.” Jungkook grabs Namjoon’s free hand and leads him along the flower path. “Yoongi-hyung did good with these, right?”
“Yoongi did?” Namjoon marvels at Yoongi’s speed in wrapping the trees.
“There’s more.” Jungkook bounces on his toes as they walk, giddy and overeager. Namjoon loves him.
“Wait, Jungkook-ah.” Hoseok chides. “It’s a short walk.”
And it is. Namjoon’s eyes jump between the beautiful flower chains and Hoseok’s beautiful blush and Jungkook’s beautiful humming. He feels the leaves on his branches shiver with delight.
They reach the beach in what feels to Namjoon like seconds. There are lanterns scattered over the sands and wicker chairs around a large bonfire. Namjoon’s loves are all there with more flowers in their hair. Seokjin is perched up on his favorite rock, singing a mersong that is more beautiful than anything Namjoon has ever heard. Jimin and Taehyung are piled together, teetering over with the weight of their excitement. And Yoongi is by the fire, gathering warmth after a day against the chill. A day they’ve all spent preparing this for Namjoon.
“This is... so lovely.” Namjoon’s heart swells in his chest.
“Surprise!” Jimin yells, his wings fluttering him high up in the air. Taehyung watches him raise with the same dopey smile that probably decorates Namjoon’s lips, too.
“Happy birthday!” Jungkook’s giggle draws Namjoon back into motion. Jungkook and Hoseok let him go to join the party. Seokjin waves him over to the water’s edge, cutting off his song.
“Namjoon-ah! Come see your present.” He slips back into the water as Namjoon walks over. “They were really hard to convince, but I told them you were special. Just be gentle. They have a shell, but they’re still sensitive. Okay. Come out. Single file, like we rehearsed.”
Namjoon gasps over the foaming waves as a line of red crabs waddle out onto the sand. “Oh, look at you! How precious!”
He sits down and cradles a crab in his palms, cooing at the creature and letting it walk around. Seokjin rests his chin over his arms, watching Namjoon and the crabs as Jimin and Taehyung try to catch a glimpse from a distance. Namjoon notices— Namjoon always notices and Seokjin loves him for his kind consciousness— and holds the crab out for Jimin and Taehyung. Seokjin gazes across the bonfire where Yoongi looks on with warm contentment as Jungkook hums a private melody and dances with Hoseok. It’s a beautiful scene, full of a love Seokjin can’t properly put into human words.
So, Seokjin sings his song of love and celebration into the night.