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Jungkook had been a day old when he first learned to use his powers.
He hadn’t been born a babe, but on his first day he was as big as a child on their second year, still chubby-cheeked and eyes wider than the sun overhead. His mother had towered over him then, her beauty mystifying.
He remembered her kneeling on the forest floor, her soft voice crooning in his ears, telling him of his birthright, of his connection to the earth that no one could take away, of the wonders he could bring with just his fingertips.
“The earth will be a friend to you like no other, my little dove,” she’d whispered as she guided him to his knees, too, kissing his head with all the tenderness of a new mother. “No matter where you go, it will always be here, listening, waiting.”
His little hands had been taken in her larger ones, and she did what she had done a thousand times before, and what Jungkook would do a thousand times more; she grew a flower between their hands, the plant flourishing before his awed eyes.
With her quiet guidance, he grew his own spindly-stemmed flower, its head still a tightly-closed bud, but no less significant to a young god who felt the buzz of his magic at his fingertips for the first time.
For years after, Demeter would coach his every use of his power in the day, telling him to grow this and bloom that, her eyes both prideful but stern as she taught him just as she had once taught herself.
And some nights, he would slip away from her and into Olympus’ gardens, where he pressed his hands into the dirt and just felt, his ear pressed to the ground as he listening to the earth’s call and reveled in the way his powers hummed along.
When Jungkook told people that the earth was his first friend, they often looked at him strangely. But the other nature gods, the nymphs, they knew.
The earth was a friend like no other. And she always welcomed you back as if you’d never left.
That remained true. When Jungkook returned for eiar, the Overworld had welcomed him like he had never truly left. To him, he hadn’t. He’d simply been below, within the earth’s womb where death not only resided, but where it was repurposed, renewed.
Jungkook wondered if it understood that. If anyone would appreciate balance between death and life, it would be the earth. Taehyung, too.
Taehyung would like the earth, probably, if he could understand it like Jungkook could.
Jungkook never had to miss the earth, because it was always with him. Taehyung, though…
When Jungkook was still just a yearling, his mother took him to Eleusis. He’d been awed by the sights and sounds, the talking and music and the beautiful buildings, so unused to mortals and their fast-paced lives that led to so many things happening in such a short span of time.
A passing conversation that day had leant Jungkook’s young mind a new phrase: distance makes the heart fonder.
Jungkook had chalked it up to human stupidity.
It seemed dumb to him. If you loved something, being away from it wouldn’t make you fonder. It’d leaving you longing. And returning would only bring you joy until you settled back into contentment. What was so special about separation.
He’d brought it up to friends, but they’d only shrugged and told him he thought too much.
Over two hundred years later, and Jungkook still thought it was an idiotic phrase.
It’d only been nine days since he returned to the above. Yearning had sunk its teeth into him once the initial euphoria of rejoining the trees and grass had slipped away, and while it was slowly ebbing to something less painful, it still clung to him like his own shadow.
It felt a little odd, readjusting to being without his husband, but it was manageable. He tried to not think of it as a bad thing. Just like kheimon would ultimately benefit the earth, this would benefit him, too. He’d hopefully become more independent and sure of himself, a great quality in a king, in his humble opinion. And his separation from Taehyung would likely give strength to their relationship — if half a year away from one another didn’t strengthen their trust and patience, he’d be concerned.
It wouldn’t make him fonder, though.
Nothing could make him fonder than Taehyung himself.
He stood at the edge of a familiar field, waiting for the sun to awaken from its rest and crawl over the horizon, bringing with it golden light.
It wouldn’t be the same dawn as the one he had given his heart away under, but change was something Jungkook thought he might, one day, find comfort in.
❀
Eiar moved slowly around him.
The forest was greening over time due to Jungkook and Demeter’s nurturing, the two of them carefully encouraging the forests and fields back to states of thriving life.
Demeter seemed pleasantly surprised by how strongly the flora returned. Jungkook just smiled at the confirmation that his husband had, indeed, been correct.
It was wonderful, seeing the green flourish again before their eyes and under their guidance. Jungkook would never get over the gentle warmth that came with using his powers, his hands pressed into the dirt and fingers brushing across leaves and bark, watching what was once sickly and crumbled turn vivid and beautiful.
Of course, the beauty and life of the Overworld didn’t overshadow what had been left behind.
He kicked his feet slowly through the water of Seokjin’s pond and smiled privately at a memory of the year before, when he’d seen Hades for only the second time. He remembered his demeanor; the way Taehyung had greeted him kindly, still somewhat hesitant in his approach but warm nonetheless.
Jungkook had been motivated mostly by curiosity and intrigue then, but the more romantic side of him, the one that had fluttered awake when Taehyung gently touched his chin, could still picture the god clearly: handsome in a raw but sweet way, kind eyes and hair ruffled from the horse ride, his black chiton shadowed by an equally dark steed.
Beautiful.
“Ugh. Stop it.”
“Stop what?” Jungkook mumbled, sparing a glance at his friend.
Jimin rolled his eyes, splashing a bit of pond water at him. “You have that stupid mooning look on your face.”
Jungkook snorted. “I’m not allowed to moon over my own husband? I didn’t take you for the bitter type, Min.”
Jimin rolled his eyes. He glanced across the water, startling and quickly slapping Jungkook’s thigh. “Look out!”
Jungkook instinctively turned his body away, hissing at the water that splashed harshly against his shoulder
“Go away, you pest!” Seokjin’s voice shrieked.
Jungkook turned back, staring at the duck that drifted calmly on the pond surface, pointedly ignoring the noisy nymph hitting water toward it.
“Just leave him alone,” Jimin called out. “He’s determined to make the pond home.”
Seokjin huffed from across the pond. If looks could kill, the duck would be burnt to a crisp. Jungkook absentminded wondered what duck tasted like. “This is my home, thank you. And he’s tormenting Thalia!”
Thalia stared at them from the bushes, entirely uninterested.
Jimin stared back at her before turning his unimpressed gaze back on his fellow nymph. “The swan could literally care less about the duck.”
“You don’t understand her like I do, Jimin.”
“She’s a swan.”
“She’s my child! And what if it starts eating my Mother Flower, huh? Am I supposed to let myself die for a duck?!”
“Jin, I don’t think ducks eat flowers.”
“I think they eat some plants,” Jungkook interrupted tentatively.
Seokjin’s eyes widened, and in seconds the Anthousa was shoving his chiton off and dropping into the pond, waving his hands and yelling as he waded further in. The duck startled in response, turning tail and loudly quacking his complaints.
Jimin started giggling. Jungkook just shook his head. “I should have talked Hoseok out of giving him that swan egg.”
“Nah, it’s good for entertainment. Besides, he hated the swan at first, too. Give him another season, he’ll be pampering the duck just as much as he does Thalia.”
“He’ll give them a wedding.”
“And cry when they have swuck babies.”
“Swuck?”
“You know — swan and duck.”
“…Clever.”
They both jerked at the sound of Seokjin’s angry scream, whipping around to watch the nymph’s head get beat back under water by the wildly flapping wings of the duck, which borderline cackled at his despair.
Jimin roughly shook Jungkook. “Go save him!”
“You do it!”
“I can’t swim as well as you!”
“It’s not even that deep! Even with your dumb short legs you can stand!”
“I’ll tell Demeter you let Seokjin get mauled by a duck!”
Jungkook groaned, carefully unpinning his fibulas despite Jimin’s griping (as if he would chance breaking them) and letting the chiton drop, sliding into the pond and shooing the duck away to the bank, all while a thoroughly waterlogged Seokjin hurled curses after the bird.
Jungkook couldn’t keep up the annoyed facade. He laughed.
He’d missed this.
❀
Jungkook once heard someone say that distance made the heart fonder. He’d thought it was dumb at the time. If you loved something, why would you make yourself sick with your longing for it?
Even with his time away from his husband, he couldn’t say he completely agreed with it. Not exactly. He didn’t feel fonder, he missed Taehyung.
He wasn’t going to go running the moment he wanted to hold his hand, though. He had more control than that.
Taehyung, on the other hand…
If anyone asked him later, Jungkook would tease that he wasn’t the first to give in to temptation.
On the edge of the forest, with the grass growing a deeper green around them and the sweet air slowly turning richer, he and Jimin played after Seokjin kicked them out of his pond. Jimin sat perched on a branch above his head, batting down at him with a leafy twig. “I’m just saying, I like the challenge.”
“And I’m saying that your interest in goddesses is going to get you turned into an apple,” Jungkook complained, grabbing at the twig. Jimin quickly pulled it away. “Why can’t you go after the other nymphs? What’s wrong with them?”
Jimin scoffed. “Not as interesting, my dear child. And what, because they’re gods, they’re out of my league? Am I below you now, too?”
The twig came down, this time bigger. Jungkook squawked as it hit him squarely in the forehead. “That’s not what I said!”
His friend smirked down at him. “It’s okay,” he cooed, overly sweet. “I wouldn’t expect your innocent mind to understand. Not everyone likes the chase, after all.”
Jungkook shook the leaves out of his bangs. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re—“ Jimin lifted his gaze from him and groaned. “Not you. It’s my turn with him!”
Jungkook blinked up at him. “Huh?”
Hands suddenly layered over his eyes, skin brushing over his cheeks and ears while a deep voice asked, “Guess who?”
Jungkook grinned instantly. He ducked from the hands and wheeled around, throwing himself into expectant arms. “Tae!”
His husband laughed, easily steadying him. Kisses fell across Jungkook’s cheeks repeatedly as he giggled, nuzzling into Taehyung’s warmth and trying to press kisses of his own into tan skin.
Taehyung’s hand cupped his cheek, holding him still as he pressed one slow, tender kiss to his temple. “Hello, my love, my king,” Taehyung murmured fondly.
“King?” Jungkook huffed a small laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t think the title suits me right now, darling.”
Taehyung hummed, noncommittal. “It doesn’t matter where you are. You rule my heart where you can’t rule the land,” he murmured, his words brazenly playful despite the soft voice they were spoken in.
The sound of someone gagging above them kept Jungkook from dragging him into a kiss. “Are you two done being sappy? Because this is disgusting.”
Taehyung turned his head up, raising a strong brow in a look that would have been intimidating if it weren’t for the teasing smile on his lips.
“You’re a nymph, Jimin. A Dryad, at that. Surely you’re quite used to sap.”
Jimin wrinkled his nose, jumping down from the tree branch. “Ha. If I had an obol for every time you were funny, Charon would leave my ass at the river bank.”
“Good. You wouldn’t be able to ruin anymore romantic moments I have with my husband.”
“That was romantic?”
“Yes, actually, I would say so. I wouldn’t expect you to know, though.”
“Excuse you, I’m well experienced. Artemis even smiled at me.”
“Now that is funny. Are you sure you are not reaching? Considering her harem of very female nymphs… good luck getting into her kline breathing, Tiny.”
Jungkook had never seen Jimin go so red in the cheeks.
“At least I have bedded others!” he snapped and stormed part them. His tone was high, typical of when Jimin was embarrassed but didn’t want to admit it, but that’s not what caught Jungkook’s attention.
“You have flings? Wait, come back! I need to know!”
He wasn’t spared a glance. “You don’t!”
“I’m your best friend, yes I do!”
“No, stay with me,” Taehyung whined, holding him back by his waist , though his grip was loose, willing to let Jungkook go if he really wanted.
He made a show of huffing and puffing after Jimin, but he turned back to his husband without complaint, sinking into his embrace. “Don’t tease too much,” he whined. “He pouts for hours.”
“Noted,” Taehyung mumbled. He nuzzled against Jungkook’s neck. “Missed you.”
He soaked in the feeling. “I missed you, too. How’s the Underworld been without me?”
“Lonely,” Taehyung replied, blunt with his honesty. “I like it better when you’re around. But I suppose it’s not any different than it was before we married. I’ve had a flair for dramatics since meeting you, my honeybee.”
Jungkook smiled sadly. There wasn’t much comfort he could provide in that realm. But he pressed up onto his toes to even put their minimal difference in height, cupping his cheeks and pressing their foreheads together.
“My moth, so drawn to me,” he cooed.
Taehyung blinked. “Your moth?”
“That once by the river, you implied that you were sooooo infatuated with me,” Jungkook explained, drawing out the words in a teasing tone, “that you got distracted from your duties, and—“
“And you called me a moth to a flame.” Taehyung finished. He sighed dramatically. “We’re nearing a year of marriage, and the only pet name you’ve given me is ‘Moth’.”
Jungkook pulled away, staring at him. Thought about it.
Taehyung. Taehyungie. Darling. Dear. Love. What else?
Did he use anything original?
“Do... Do you want more pet names?” Taehyung’s lips twitched. “I can come up with more. I can totally come up with more. Maybe.”
His husband let out a soft laugh, leaning his head back before he reached out and tugged Jungkook closer by his chiton. His hands cupped his face — the perfect size to do so comfortably, in Jungkook’s humble opinion.
“I’m perfectly happy with everything you’ve ever called me, and chances are I will be with anything else you call me in the future. There’s no rush, my sweet,” he reassured.
Jungkook pouted. He grabbed Taehyung’s arm and pulled him down with him, dropping down onto the dirt. Taehyung grunted but didn’t complain at all, intertwining their hands and watching intently.
Jungkook stared at him, trying to make his brain think up something. Frowned, frustrated. Taehyung raised a brow. Jungkook leaned closer and narrowed his eyes. Taehyung narrowed his back.
Jungkook huffed and crossed his arms, turning his face away. “I can’t think of anything.”
Taehyung chuckled.
Jungkook expected his husband to pinch or kiss his cheek, maybe tickle him under his chin or tug at his chiton.
What he wasn’t expecting was Taehyung crawling into his lap like a small child, snickering at Jungkook’s squawk of surprise. He really barely fit, what with Jungkook’s more narrow frame, but that didn’t stop him at all. Legs and arms wrapped snuggly around him as their faces smooshed together.
“Stop fretting,” Taehyung rumbled at him, his tone as light as the kisses he brushed across his cheekbone. “I love hearing you say my name, anyways. Why replace it?”
Jungkook nearly choked on his laughter. “You’re so silly.”
“And why is that?”
“Love, the King of the Underworld is sitting in the lap of his husband, who is arguably smaller than him.” He shook his head, stroking his hand along his husband’s back. “You must be cuddle deprived. Is that it? You usually aren’t this affectionate.”
Taehyung pull away and pouted. It was cute. “You make it sound like I’m hardly ever affectionate.”
“I claimed no such thing. I remember your snake grips very well — you don’t easily forget almost dying to snuggles.”
“Oh, hush. You love them.”
“I do,” Jungkook agreed, completely unashamed. Taehyung was the best cuddler. He wouldn’t tell Jimin that, though. “…I wouldn’t mind snuggles tonight, actually.”
Taehyung stared at the tree behind them. Jungkook liked to think of it as his ‘hammer’ look, the blank look of focus like a blacksmith hammering away at his work.
He was about to make a joking “cling!” noise when Taehyung finally nodded. “Okay. We’ll need to feed Nycteis, though.”
Jungkook perked up, turning to look where Taehyung might have came from. “You brought Nycteis? Where’s my beauty?”
“Further in the trees. I wanted to be sneaky and she would out me for a single strawberry,” Taehyung murmured, dipping his head to brush his lips against his neck. Jungkook squirmed at the ticklish sensation and he tightened his hold. “We can do it later. I just wanna be with you right now.”
Jungkook sighed, giving in, and leaned into him. “M’kay. Only if there’s more kisses.”
He could feel his husband’s smile against his skin. “I can definitely supply.”
They did end up kissing for a long while, a span Jungkook would almost be shy to admit, before he managed to drag Taehyung down into the trees to see his favorite mare. She didn’t greet him with much enthusiasm, laying down with her legs tucked neatly, but Jungkook didn’t mind at all, launching into smothering the beauty with scratches and playing with her long hair.
“How did you get your scar?”
Jungkook looked up at his question, hands pausing where they were slowly braiding bright daisies and creeping buttercups into a resting Nycteis’ dark, wavy mane. “Huh?”
“Your scar,” Taehyung repeated, reaching out. He poked at Jungkook’s cheekbone. “I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Jungkook made a soft ah sound. He forgot the little dent was there sometimes. “Have I not told that story?” He resumed his braiding with careful fingers. “When Apollo and I were clumsy yearlings and he was still mastering the use of his bow, he tried to shoot down a bird. Luckily for the bird, he missed. Unfortunately for me, the arrow caught me across the cheek.”
“Did it hurt?”
“It stung a little?” He could feel a dull ache there if he really thought about it. “It wasn’t that bad, really. I was shocked it even scarred. I couldn’t even be mad at him, I was focused on something else.”
Taehyung’s gentle fingers pressed the stem of another flower into his hands. “Oh?”
Jungkook grinned. “I bled just enough that my ichor fell from my face before I could wipe it away. And when it met the field floor, it bloomed these beautiful asters.” He ran this hands through the mare’s mane, earning a little nicker in response. “It was the first time my powers had ever responded without me consciously having to coax them to.”
“Is that why asters are your favorite flowers?” his husband asked curiously.
Jungkook smiled. “Exactly why. My second favorites are narcissus, though.” He winked. “For obvious reasons.”
“I’m sure,” Taehyung drawled teasingly.
Jungkook patted at Nycteis’ neck, scooting to lean into Taehyung’s side. His hands immediately started to play with his fingers. “Why are roses your favorite flowers?”
“They seemed like a decent choice.”
Jungkook stared at him blankly.
“What?”
“You don’t do anything just because. You always have a reason.”
Taehyung raised a brow. “I’m not allowed to just like roses?”
Jungkook climbed into his lap, his husband laughing as Jungkook attacked him with teasing fingers prodding into his sides. “No! Tell me the truth!”
“It is the truth!”
“Is not!”
“H-How would you— stop— know?”
“Because!”
“Darling,” Taehyung giggled, trying in vain to get away. His fingers found Jungkook’s instead, and then Jungkook was being pulled chest to chest with him. Lips ended up on his own, and, well.
Jungkook would have to go mad before he would ever turn away kisses from his husband.
They separated, both puffing out little breathless laughs. Taehyung squeezed their hands. “Contrary to the idea you’ve got in your head, Fawn, I don’t always have a reason for everything,” he whispered. “For gifts, sure — those are meant to be thoughtful. I want them to mean something. But I don’t go around reasoning why I think roses are so pleasant, or why I think you’re beautiful. I just do.”
Jungkook nearly melted into the ground under the honey in Taehyung’s gaze. He swallowed thickly, trying to avoid letting the squeal in his throat pour out. He stole a quick peck before whining, “You can’t keeping being cute like this. I married the big scary king of the Underworld and here you are, being adorable and flirty and making me want to kiss you. How is my heart supposed to handle it? You’ll make me miss you even more when you leave.”
“I cant help it. I’m getting to hold my love again,” Taehyung mumbled, nudging their noses together. “It’ll hurt a bit, but we’ve got this, hm? We’ve made it this far.”
Jungkook shook his head. “It’s only been two moons, Taehyung.”
“And you’ll see me in another two moons when I come celebrate the anniversary of our marriage, and two more after that when I come to take you home,” he answered simply, like this was already something he’d promised.
“It sounds easy when you put it like that,” he answered tentatively.
“It is. It’ll be hard sometimes, I can’t ignore that. But that’s just what I have planned for sure. Who’s to say I won’t sneak up here for a few hours every once and awhile? Surely no one could blame a man for wanting to see the holder of his heart.”
“If they do, they can come complain to me,” Jungkook snipped. “I think I could win an argument by pure stubbornness. What do you think?”
“I think you could do anything in the world if you tried,” Taehyung murmured. He pressed yet another kiss to Jungkook’s temple (not that he was complaining) and moved his hands to his waist, urging him to stand. “Come on, it’s starting to get dark. Let’s feed Nyct and get on our way before your mother falls into old habits and comes looking for you.”
Nycteis’ raised her head, making a curious noise. Jungkook giggled. “I think she likes that idea.”
It took speeding up the growth of a slew of wild strawberry bushes to please the mare, but she eventually became sated with her snack of berries. Hand in hand and Nycteis on their heels, Jungkook led them through the trees to the spot he and Demeter had planned to rest for the night. The sun had long dipped under the tree line by the time they reached it, Demeter ahead of them growing fresh, plush grass for them to sleep on. She straightened up, dusting dirt from her hands at the sound of their arrival, but paused when she turned and caught sight of them. “…Hades.”
“Demeter,” Taehyung responded politely, sticking to the edge of the clearing even as Jungkook walked forward. “I hope I’m not intruding.”
“Of course not, considering I invited you,” Jungkook replied sweetly. He sent his mother a pleading look, as if to ask ‘please be kind.’
Her lips stretched into a thin line. “An invitation is an invitation,” she answered, her tone somewhat wary but not unkind. It reminded Jungkook of when he was young and she’d reluctantly allow him to play with Apollo. “I expect decency, however.”
Taehyung smiled, not at all phased by the implication. “Of course.”
Demeter nodded slowly. “And the horse?”
“She won’t cause any trouble. Will you now, Nycteis?”
The mare stared Taehyung in the eye and then, perfectly graceful and very intentional in her movements, turned around and placed her butt in his face.
Jungkook choked on his laughter. Taehyung just shook his head. “I promise she behaves. Mostly.”
Demeter turned away with a snort. “Very well.”
Jungkook waited for Taehyung to tie Nycteis’ up by her reins, then took him by the hand and pulled him to his own designated spot. “I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the ground.”
“I’ve napped with you in the grass more than once,” Taehyung reassured him. His eyes lingered on Jungkook’s hands where he was shifting into the grass, his powers buzzing under his skin as he pushed them into the ground, urging the grass to grow thicker, cushier, and make room for Taehyung, too.
Ignoring his mother’s poorly hidden watching, he took Taehyung by the wrist and led him to press it flat to the dirt and, tenderly, covered it with his own. His powers surged again, newly sprouted blades of grass tickling at their palms. Jungkook could see the little smile that crossed Taehyung’s lips, the hair falling in his face doing nothing to hide the calm awe in his eyes.
“It’s warm,” Taehyung whispered.
Jungkook slid their fingers together. “That’s my favorite part,” Jungkook whispered back, meaning more than just the gentle heat his powers, and by the slow, adoring smile that grew on Taehyung’s face, he figured he got the message.
He lifted his hands from one love to the face of another. “Hold me until morning?”
Fingers wrapped lightly around his wrists and brought them to lips. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, my fawn.”
❀
He was alone when he woke.
The grass was still warm beside him. He ran his knuckles over the empty space and breathed out a sigh. The leaves overhead sighed in response, but it wasn’t the answer he wanted.
He pushed himself up, and met eyes with a fox.
Its paws marred the the hoof prints in the dirt and its inky wings were held closed and still. A red rose was held neatly between its teeth. It blinked at him slow, almost apologetically.
“He had to go, did he?” he asked quietly.
The fox made a keening noise. It wiggled close on its stomach.
“It’s alright, little one. Responsibility calls,” he told it kindly. He scratched between its ears, along its cheek, and then took the rose’s stem between his fingers. “Tell him good morning for me, hm?”
The fox snuffled at his hands and squealed, its wings suddenly fluttering in a flurry of movement as it turned and ran for the trees.
Jungkook watched it go, listening to the bushes rustle as it went. Branches swished overhead, and he could hear the river not far away. Jimin and Seokjin’s voices arguing under its dull roar, coming his way.
He held the flower to his nose and smiled.
The renewed absence of his husband ached, but it was a mere echo of what it had been two moons before. One day, it likely wouldn’t hurt at all. Maybe by then, he’d be content, knowing he could come and go from his husband’s side, and he’d always be met with the same unconditional love.
Taehyung and the earth were quite alike, in that regard.
Change was something difficult to face, but also so normal.
He couldn’t stay by the side of his husband at every waking moment. It wasn’t realistic, nor was it healthy. He had to learn to exchange one thing he loved for another, to find that balance, but that didn’t mean he had to forget.
With the rose in hand, Jungkook climbed to his feet and headed into a day that was familiar and brand new.