Archive of Our Own ^beta

Jungkook isn’t 100% sure how he ended up in the middle of the Han River, just knows that he heard someone calling and now he’s here saving (or trying to) a guy from drowning. Jungkook shakes water out of his face, spluttering, hands sliding over wet skin. “Hang on hang on,” he says, blinking water out of his eyes. “Just calm down you’re all right you’re - “

The guy shudders out a nervous breath and does the weird thing he keeps doing with his legs that makes the muscles right up to his ribs roll and then - Jungkook jerks backwards, pulling away when he feels something slide between his legs that -

“Are you - there’s a fucking - tail,” Jungkook says, eyes wide. “You have a - “

“Tail,” the guy chokes out. He manages a grin. “Yeah, about - no no no please don’t please don’t - “ Panic lights up his face as Jungkook separates them some more. “Please - “

Jungkook lets him cling on again, too stunned by the revelation and the fuck is - he pulls back again, just enough to try peer under the churning water, and if he stares hard enough, he can see the sheen of colour about the guy’s belly button and the fuck is he doing in the Han River with  a guy wearing a mermaid’s tail and - “You have a tail and can’t swim?”

The guy is wincing as he kicks his tail once, twice, but he frowns at Jungkook. “What? I can swim just fine - no please stop pulling away please stop doing that please - “

Jungkook grimaces as nails scrape over the back of his neck. “What - why are you - “ He grunts as he tries to find better purchase on the guy’s wet skin. “Do you have gills?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” the guy breathes, nodding his head quickly. “But I don’t like their colour so I tried this thing but I fucked up and they’ve glued shut and - “

Jungkook shakes his head and this is too much for one day and why the fuck is he in the Han River saving a guy in a mermaid’s outfit what has his life fucking come to. “Lay on your back.”

“Wh-what?” Wide brown eyes stare at him.

“I’ll take you to shore,” Jungkook explains, pushing at the guy until he’s on his back. The guy’s tail flicks up out of the water but Jungkook ignores it. “And - “

“No don’t let go please don’t - “

“It’s ok,” Jungkook says, positioning himself by the guy’s head. He cups his chin in his left hand then uses his right hand to start swimming them back to shore. The guy starts to kick his - his tail and help out. “What’s - what’s your name?”

“Taehyung,” the guy says, voice tight. “You?”

Jungkook chuckles breathlessly. “Jungkook. You - you swim here often?”

“Um,” Taehyung says. “I caught a current up here last night but I haven’t - haven’t done that in a while.”

Jungkook shakes his head. They’re nearly at shore. The black steps Jungkook waded off of gleam at him in the afternoon sun and he can see where he dumped his jacket and bag. “And do you always swim with a tail?”

“That’s an odd question.”

Jungkook glances down to see Taehyung frowning. “Right,” he says. “Definitely.” He exhales. “That’s the odd part,” he mutters under his breath.

Soon they’re hitting the steps. Jungkook kneels on them and drags Taehyung into his side. They’re both shaking. Taehyung starts to smile at him and it’s boxy and a complex mess of emotions but Jungkook takes it as it is and huffs out an exhausted breath.

“Thank you,” Taehyung says quietly, fingers twisting together under the water. “This doesn’t usually happen. I - my fins aren’t very defined so I got this thing that’s supposed to make their v-line sharper but I think I put it on too tight and - ” He inhales quickly. “I promise this doesn’t usually happen…”

“I’m sure it doesn’t,” Jungkook says, trying to reassure him because he - he doesn’t judge other people’s - decisions and - preferences and - to each his own and - Jungkook shakes his head for the 100^th time. He grunts and gets to his feet. “You can stand here. Want - want help with your, um, y’know?”

Taehyung blinks up at him with starburst lashes and wet lips and dark strands of hair plastered to his forehead. His chest heaves slightly. “No,” he says simply. “It’s ok.” He flicks the end of his tail out of the water and gazes at it. “But my legs may be a bit wobbly.”

“I’ll wait,” Jungkook says. “Help get you to the subway or something.”

Taehyung smiles thinly at him, cheeks lacking colour. He swallows and turns onto his front and pulls himself up the stairs. Jungkook hurries to follow, wondering why the guy doesn’t just take the damn outfit off now in the water but hey maybe it’s a complicated process. He steps onto the top step, right out of the river, and then stands back to give Taehyung room.

Taehyung rests his weight on his wrists for a moment and Jungkook thinks he’s catching his breath but then - then his tail is melting away from him to form a puddle around him and then he’s - he’s -

Jungkook stumbles back a step, jaw gaping. Taehyung sits naked before him with a set of legs, mermaid tail costume nowhere in fucking sight. “Holy shit,” Jungkook says, and Taehyung tips his head up to look at him and when Jungkook really focuses he can see scales on Taehyung’s left cheek glimmering in the sunlight and - “holy shit.”

Taehyung tilts his head.

“You’re a fucking mermaid.”

Taehyung starts to frown. He twists so he’s on all fours, then carefully rests his weight on his haunches and starts to stand. “What did you think I was?”

“I - I thought you were - whoa shit hey you ok?” Jungkook reaches out and grabs Taehyung as his legs buckle. He loops Taehyung’s arm around his shoulders and holds tight to his waist as Taehyung’s feet slide over the wet tiles. “You weren’t kidding about the wobbly legs.”

Taehyung chuckles quietly but his fingers are clenching in the collar of Jungkook’s shirt. “I haven’t been on land in a while.”

“Fuck,” Jungkook says, staring down at Taehyung’s legs in awe. “You’re real.”

“You’re confusing me,” Taehyung tells him.

“I thought you were wearing a costume or something,” Jungkook says. “But - “

“Why would I be wearing a costume?”

Jungkook lets out a startled laugh because Taehyung says it so plainly, so innocently, like Jungkook is the odd one in this situation and not the tanned naked mermaid Jungkook just saved from drowning in the middle of the Han River. “Why indeed. Um. So. How do we - get you home?”

“I need to unpin my tail and clean my gills and then wait for the next current to take me home.”

“Uh, right.” Jungkook licks his lips and his head is starting to ache as it accepts his new reality. He looks over his shoulder, up towards the main road, and tries to figure something out. “Guess you’ll just have to come back to mine.”

Taehyung lifts his head and smiles nervously at Jungkook. “Is that - is that ok?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook tells him. He winces when Taehyung slips again. “Ok, you: keep focusing on your legs. I’ll get us home.”

Taehyung laughs and agrees.

“Oh, wait. Can you - can you stand for a moment?” Jungkook releases Taehyung slowly then holds out a forearm for Taehyung to use for balance as Jungkook picks up his belongings. He tells Taehyung to hold onto his shoulders and ties his jacket around Taehyung’s waist. “Can’t have you getting arrested for public indecency,” he jokes, tying the arms twice.

Taehyung cocks his head at him, frowning, before it dawns on him. “Oh! Of course.”

Jungkook gets Taehyung’s arm around his shoulders again. He starts to lead them toward the main road. “C’mon,” he says. “I’ll get us a cab.”

Jungkook stares at Taehyung the whole trip home, tries hard not to drill him with questions beyond what’s normal (and what the fuck is even normal for this situation Taehyung is convinced it’s normal it’s very much not normal Jungkook knows this is very much not normal), and watches Taehyung’s wet hair drip onto his bare shoulders. They establish full names, who’s the hyung, where they live in regards to each other (Taehyung lives all the way somewhere past Jeju or - or something ), discuss Jungkook’s major and - and - and all that normal boring irrelevant shit and nothing along the lines of ‘oh hey, hyung, you’re a mermaid can we just discuss the scientific significance of that please?’

“You’re staring at my legs again,” Taehyung tells him quietly, leaning in so that the driver doesn’t hear - and for the most part, the driver has handled the bizarreness of the situation better than Jungkook. But then he didn’t see an entire tail just melt away into a puddle of water like it was nothing. Taehyung frowns suddenly and shimmies across the seat so that he can put his legs right beside Jungkook’s. “Is there something wrong with them? No one’s ever said there’s anything wrong with them.”

“N-no, hyung,” Jungkook says, clearing his throat. He lifts his gaze away from Taehyung’s calves. “There’s nothing wrong with your legs. They’re - they’re perfectly normal human legs.”

And Taehyung beams at him.

Jungkook finds Taehyung a pair of sweats to wear and Taehyung insists they eat pizza for dinner. They sit on the couch a few hours later, empty pizza boxes and beer bottles on the coffee table in front of them, TV on mute. Jungkook sits sideways, knee pressed up against Taehyung’s hip as he tries to peel off the shit blocking Taehyung’s gills.

“Ow ow ow ow ow ow!” Taehyung whines and wriggles away.

“Hyung,” Jungkook says, exasperated. “Fucking sit. Stay.”

“I’m not a dog.”

“Sorry, fishy.”

Taehyung shoots him an unimpressed look. “You’re not even trying to be gentle.”

Jungkook tries to protest but when he takes a closer look at the column of Taehyung’s neck he can see where the skin is reddening and he winces. “I’m sorry, hyung, I’m trying.”

He sighs and thumbs over Taehyung’s gills. They took Jungkook a while to find - Taehyung explained they’re easier to see when wet but wet gills means a tail, apparently - and now he’s kinda fascinated about how easily they blend in with the smooth expanse of Taehyung’s skin.

“What colour did you try to change them to?”

“Green,” Taehyung says. “This really pretty green that shimmers.”

“What colour are they normally?”

Taehyung puffs out his cheeks. “A much less pretty darker green. With a bit of black.”

“Like your tail?”

Taehyung blinks over at him. “Y-yeah.”

“I liked your tail,” Jungkook tells him.

Taehyung frowns. “Really? The shape of my fins is awful and the colour - “

“Suits you, hyung,” Jungkook says with a laugh. He returns his attention to the shit on Taehyung’s gills, scrapes his nails over it gently until he can find the edge again, and starts to peel it back.

“Ow,” Taehyung moans, fist knocking on Jungkook’s knee in protest.

“Can’t we just - soak it off or something?”

“I’m just going to let you think about that question for a moment, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook purses his lips and nods. “Right. Gills. Tail. Swimming. It’s waterproof.” He sighs and leans back, hands falling into his lap. “We might have to scrub at it with something coarse.”

Taehyung cups a hand over his gills and nods. “Yeah. Ok.”

“We don’t have to, hyung, if it hurts too much.” Jungkook pulls Taehyung’s hand away so that he can check the skin again. It’s even more inflamed than it was. “What did the instructions say?”

Taehyung pulls a face. “I kinda maybe didn’t read them.”

Jungkook deadpans at him. “Guess that explains the drowning mermaid in the middle of the Han River situation.”

“Y’know, Jungkookie,” Taehyung says an hour later, seated on the kitchen bench whilst Jungkook searches for something to soothe Taehyung’s irritated skin.

“Yeah, hyung?” Jungkook says, pulling a couple of icepacks out from the freezer. He goes searching for some tea towels.

“I think you’re gonna be my favourite human ever.”

Jungkook blinks over at him, surprised. “Yeah, well, nothing brings two people together like trying to peel shimmery green shit off your new mate’s gills, hyung.”

Taehyung tips his head back and laughs.

Taehyung falls asleep on the couch. Jungkook sits on the floor, back pressed up against the couch. He can feel Taehyung’s knee at his shoulder blade. He should probably be going to sleep too, letting his body rest its tired weary self after helping Taehyung to shore today, but instead he sits in the light of the television and uses his phone to start researching mermaids.

“Dugongs? What’s a dugong…” Jungkook mutters. He looks them up and blinks at them. “They look like sea cows…” He looks over his shoulder at Taehyung, at the definition of his facial structure and the slimness of his build, all of which are the complete and utter opposite of dugongs and - Jungkook looks to his phone again quickly - manatees, and smirks. “Fishy just got a new nickname.”

Jungkook looks back to the picture and tilts his head. Taehyung would probably love them. He blinks at himself. Fuck. Apparently peeling pretty green shimmery shit off your new mate’s gills really does make you close.

Jungkook looks over his shoulder at Taehyung again and locks his phone. Taehyung sleeps quietly, no doubt as exhausted as Jungkook. When he checks, most of the redness on Taehyung’s neck is gone. There’s some scratches from Jungkook’s nails and he winces, then stands to fetch Taehyung a pillow and blanket.

He drapes the blanket over Taehyung and tries to get the pillow under his head without waking him, but Taehyung stirs and blinks at Jungkook with dark hazy eyes.

“Jungkook-ah…”

“Go back to sleep, sea cow,” Jungkook whispers, sliding his hand behind Taehyung to find the remote. He clicks off the TV and plunges them into darkness.

Taehyung lets out a quiet breath, eyes closing again. “I like dugongs…”

Jungkook grins.

Jungkook wakes early for class and moves through his morning routine as quietly as possible. Taehyung is still passed out on the couch when Jungkook locks the front door behind him and heads to campus.

He returns to Taehyung sitting crosslegged on the couch, bobbing his head to music and flicking through a promotional magazine from his university whilst he gnaws on -

“Is that - is that still frozen?” Jungkook asks, dumping his bag behind the couch and - raw frozen fish. Taehyung is eating raw frozen fish.

“Huh?” Taehyung tips his head to rest it on the back of the couch and looks up at Jungkook. He grins. “Yeah!” He holds it out, fingers wrapped tight around the tail. “Want some?”

Jungkook eyes up the large chunks missing from the animal’s side and tries hard not to gag. “Uh n-no. I’m just gonna - eat something else.” He swallows. “Or not at all.” He swallows again. Ok maybe he can forget gagging and go straight to puking. “I think Seokjin was gonna cook that for dinner tonight.”

“Hmm?” Taehyung tilts his head, brown eyes tracking over Jungkook’s face. “Who’s Seokjin?”

“Just a mate. He and a couple of others are coming round tonight. That ok?”

“It’s your place,” Taehyung reminds him simply. He rips off a chunk of fish and Jungkook questions how sharp Taehyung’s teeth are and - “Are you ok?” Taehyung asks suddenly. He rips off another chunk. “You look kinda pale.”

Jungkook rubs his throat and steps back. “Yeah I’m - “ He gags. His stomach churns. “I’m good.”

Taehyung is frowning at him but he eventually just shrugs and takes another bite. He drops his head and points over to Jungkook’s TV. “Wanna watch a movie?” Taehyung puts the fish in his mouth and sucks on it and god Jungkook is going to puke he can feel it he can -

“Sure,” he manages, voice tight. “What movie?”

“The Little Mermaid.”

“The - what?”

“Little Mermaid.” Taehyung frowns as condensation starts trickling down his wrist. He licks it up then bites right through the fish’s head and tears it clean off and -

“Oh god,” Jungkook groans, before turning and bolting for the bathroom.

“Jungkook?” Taehyung calls after him. “You ok? Hey, Kookie! Kook!”

The movie - proves to be interesting.

Taehyung scoffs and jerks his head back. “Did she just sell her voice - “ He looks at Jungkook, frowning. “How dumb is this bitch?” Jungkook doesn’t get a chance to answer before Taehyung is gesturing frustratedly at the screen. “Just - crawl up on shore and - and fucking walk.”

And it progresses much the same. Taehyung sits with his elbows on his knees, fingers pressed to his lips in thought, brow furrowed. Jungkook watches Taehyung more than he watches the movie, fighting a laugh every time Taehyung splutters in indignation.

“Why doesn’t - how did no one think to give her pen and paper, let her write this shit down. ‘I’m cursed I need you to kiss me.’” He makes a noise of disgust and drags Jungkook’s laptop closer, examining the screen. “What is this shit you’re making me watch, Kook?”

Jungkook laughs. “You chose it, hyung.”

“Yeah, well.”

“It’s just some old kids’ movie.”

“But it’s so fucking wrong.” Taehyung draws his knees to his chest and frowns at Jungkook. “Do you not know anything about us?”

Jungkook slides further down the couch and stretches his legs out in front of him. He laughs and runs a hand through his hair. “Hyung, until yesterday, I didn’t even know you existed.”

Taehyung stares at him for a moment. “Is that why you kept staring at my legs? And kept muttering about me being real?”

Jungkook nods. “Yeah, hyung.”

Taehyung’s frown deepens and he returns his attention to the movie - or his gaze, at least. When Jungkook inclines his head to better see Taehyung’s face, he can see Taehyung trying to make sense of things.

“Do all humans just think we don’t exist?”

“Uh…” Jungkook chews his lower lip. “Yeah, basically. I mean, there are some that like to believe you exist but…” Jungkook shrugs. “We think it’s all just myths and fairytales, hyung.” Jungkook clears his throat and sits up straighter. “You - you ok?”

“What?” Taehyung blinks over at him. “Oh, yeah. Just - fuck. This is - amazing.”

And Jungkook doesn’t know what to make of that. “Uh…”

“But this is shit,” Taehyung says, pointing to the television. He unfolds himself and stands. “Can I take a shower?”

“Y-yeah, of course. There’s towels in the cupboard in the hall.”

Jungkook watches Taehyung disappear into the bathroom before he sighs, drags himself from the couch, and starts to clean up. He stops and stares at the screen and starts to grin. He shakes his head and keeps moving - until there’s an almighty crash from the bathroom and Jungkook drops everything and runs.

“Taehyung?” he says, twisting the doorknob and stumbling into the room. The tiles are wet and he slips for a moment, clutching at the door for dear life. “Hyung?”

Taehyung is curled up in the shower, tail twisted round himself while he grimaces and pokes and prods at various bony areas. “Ow…” He cringes up at Jungkook and slides his hands over the shower glass and the tiles, trying to unravel himself. He tugs irritably at his tail. “I didn’t really think this through. Can you - can you help me into the bath?”

Jungkook blinks at him, at the length of his tail, at the way his fin is twitching against the tiled floor - and promptly bursts into loud uncontrollable laughter.

“Hey, Jungkookie,” Taehyung says quietly. Jungkook managed to haul Taehyung out of the shower and help him into the bath, and now they sit listening to the faucet run.

Jungkook looks up from his lap and leans more of his weight up against the side of the bath. “Yeah, hyung?”

Taehyung folds his arms on the edge of the bath and rests his chin on them, observing Jungkook with dark eyes. He doesn’t fit, tail being way too fucking long, and so he rests his fin up against the shower. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

“Couldn’t exactly let you run around the city naked, hyung,” Jungkook says, lips quirking. “Or leave you drowning in the middle of the river.”

Taehyung smiles at him.

“You said you have to wait for the next current?” Jungkook puts a hand into the bath, feeling for the water’s depth and its temperature. “To get home, I mean.”

“Yeah.”

“When’s that?”

Taehyung purses his lips and starts to wave his fin. “In two weeks, I think. It changes through the year.”

“In two weeks?”

“I can catch a bus down south and swim,” Taehyung says hurriedly. “Or you can take me back to the river and - “

“And swim from Seoul?” Jungkook asks incredulously. He leans over and turns off the faucet. “Hyung, it takes like three hours on the bus just to get to - to Daegu and you want to go past Jeju - which is like an hour’s flight from here. You can’t swim.” He takes in Taehyung’s anxiousness and shifts on the tiles. “You can stay here as long as you need, hyung.”

“Yeah?” Taehyung asks, tilting his head to rest his cheek atop of his hands.

“Yeah.” Jungkook moves his attention to Taehyung’s neck. “I can’t see your gills. I thought you said it was easier when they’re wet.”

Taehyung’s face lights up. “Watch!” he says then plunges himself under the water.

Jungkook gets to his knees and peers into the water. Taehyung grins up at him and blows bubbles until he’s out of breath - and then his gills flare at his neck, a deep green black colour as promised, and Jungkook lets out a startled laugh and leans closer.

“That’s fucking awesome!”

“You like them?” Taehyung asks from below the water.

“Fuck yeah I can’t believe you don’t, hyung.” Jungkook watches the gills with a wide grin. He scans the rest of Taehyung and admires the shine of his scales that appear in patches on his tanned skin. “Dude, look at your scales - can I touch them?”

Taehyung sits up abruptly and pushes his wet hair out of his face, then turns to show Jungkook his back. Across the back of his right shoulder blade is a scattering of green black scales, glimmering in the light.

“Holy shit,” Jungkook breathes, reaching out to touch them gently. “When I saw them yesterday I thought they were just make up.”

“You saw me covered in patches of scales and still thought I was just in costume?” Taehyung looks back at Jungkook over his shoulder. “You humans are weird.”

“Guess my mind was trying to justify the impossible,” Jungkook says, trailing his gaze down to where Taehyung’s tail starts.

“Instead of just accepting the reality.” Taehyung twists to sit properly and holds his tail up. “I need to get this thing off…”

Jungkook follows his gaze. “Hyung!” He says, sliding forward on his knees and reaching up. “The fuck is - “

“I told you I don’t - “

“It’s bleeding, hyung.”

“I also told you I put it on too tight,” Taehyung grumbles childishly. He rubs his cheeks and sighs. “It hurts.”

“I fucking bet it does,” Jungkook snaps. “Here, let me get it off. Fuck, no wonder you couldn’t swim yesterday. Fucking glued your gills shut and your tail is bleeding.” Jungkook lets out a grunt as he takes the weight of Taehyung’s tail. “How does this even come off?”

“Uh…”

Jungkook deadpans over at Taehyung. “You kinda maybe didn’t read the instructions?”

“Kinda maybe yeah…”

Jungkook heaves a sigh. “Taehyung.” He turns his attention back to Taehyung’s fin. It looks just like a clip of sorts. It takes Jungkook a couple of minutes but he eventually manages to get it off. He whistles through his teeth as he assesses the damage. “You’re definitely not swimming for a while, hyung.”

Taehyung drags himself high enough out of the bath that he can put the end of his tail in. Little swirls of blood dissipate into the water as Taehyung swishes his tail, cleaning the wound. “But look how - mmph!” Taehyung looks at Jungkook with wide eyes then tries to stare at the hand over his mouth.

“Your tail is fine,” Jungkook says bluntly. “So are your gills. Stop trying to drown yourself.” He pulls his hand back and gets comfortable on the tiles again.

Taehyung slides back into the bath and rests his tail up against the shower again, then once again turns to fold his arms on the edge of the bath. “I never - “

“Do you have webbed fingers?” Jungkook asks abruptly.

Taehyung blinks at him. “Sorry?”

“To help with swimming. I thought you might have a dorsal fin sort of thing going on but you don’t - but you have gills.”

“…Huh?” Taehyung blinks. “Jeon Jungkook have you been trying to work out my biology?”

“Shut up.” He holds up his hand. “Here, show me.”

Taehyung grins and presses his palm to Jungkook’s. “See,” he says, lifting himself further out of the water and draping his weight over the side of the bath. Water sloshes over the edge and further wets the floor. Jungkook turns their hands over, examining them. “Perfectly normal hands.”

“Yeah, minus the claws - “

“For getting into shit - “

“- And scales - “

“You should examine my teeth next, they’re great.”

“Your teeth?”

“Yeah, wanna - “

“Jeon Jungkook we’ve been calling for you - “

Jungkook turns so abruptly Taehyung overbalances and topples back into the water. “Jimin hyung!”

“Holy fucking shit is that a mermaid!”

The others call from down the hall and Jungkook can hear them approaching and oh shit oh shit oh shit he forgot they were coming for dinner oh shit oh shit. He gets to his feet and almost slips right back over on the tiles. “Hyung just - “

Jimin laughs. “Is this some sort of weird cosplay because that’s chill - “

“Yes - ”

“Yes it’s cosplay?”

“No - “

“Hey what’s all the screaming - why do you have a mermaid in your tub?” Yoongi deadpans as the others crowd into the small bathroom.

“He - “

“It’s cosplay,” Jimin says.

Seokjin frowns. “You cosplay?”

“No, I - “

“Holy shit, feel how real it is,” Hoseok says, prodding at Taehyung’s tail. He looks into the water and offers Taehyung a two-finger salute. “Hey, man, nice to meet you.”

Taehyung laughs at him from under the surface of the water.

“Who’s your new friend?” Hoseok asks. “Oi, Namjoon, come feel this.”

Jungkook rubs his hands over his face. “He’s - “

“Shit, this does feel real. Seokjin, babe, come check it out.”

“All right, everyone stop touching his tail. He’s injured and - “

“Injured?” Jimin echoes. “What, he hurt his feet putting it on?”

“Fuck,” Yoongi says. “He can hold his breath a long fucking time, hey.”

Taehyung laughs again and sits up out of the water. He drapes his arms over the edge of the bath and tilts his head at them and smiles. “Hi, I’m Taehyung.”

“Cool costume, dude,” Jimin tells him.

Taehyung really starts to laugh now and Jungkook cards his fingers through his hair because what even is this situation.

“For cosplay?”

Taehyung blinks up at Jungkook. “What’s cosplay?”

“What you’re doing,” Namjoon says slowly. “Right now.”

Taehyung frowns, confused.

“It’s not cosplay,” Jungkook blurts, silencing everyone and dragging all eyes his way. He swallows and smooths his shirt. “It’s - it’s not cosplay.”

“I don’t understand,” Seokjin says quietly, frowning. “What do you mean it’s not cosplay?”

“What else could it be?” Hoseok asks, lips quirking.

Jungkook takes a breath. “He’s a mermaid.”

There’s a lot of volume and swearing and circling conversation and tail touching and by the time it’s finished, Jungkook is back to sitting on the tiles, side pressed up against the bath, fingers held to his lips as he watches with wide eyes. Taehyung is as equally silent and equally as watchful beside him.

“So you saved him from - from drowning,” Seokjin says, massaging the bridge of his nose.

Jungkook nods. “Yeah,” he croaks. He clears his throat. “At Han River.”

“And his tail feels real because it is real?” Hoseok asks.

Taehyung nods and - Jungkook frowns. Taehyung slides the end of his tail into the water and curls it up to fit. Jungkook licks his lips, fights the very strange urge to reach up to squeeze Taehyung’s nape or fingers, whisper to him that it’s ok.

Yoongi whistles from where he’s seated on the toilet. Jimin leans up against him.

“He’s pretty,” Namjoon murmurs, and Jungkook turns to look at Taehyung - and for once, he really looks. “Really pretty.”

“I’m supposed to be,” Taehyung says simply.

“You’re a predator,” Seokjin says, nodding slowly.

“Do you have a pet dolphin?” Hoseok asks abruptly.

Taehyung looks at Hoseok weirdly, seeming genuinely confused. “Do you have a pet dolphin?”

And normally Jungkook would be fighting not to grin but Taehyung’s lips are red and wet, shining under the bathroom lights, and his eyelashes are like starbursts again and there’s such definition to his facial structure and his collarbones and his scales glimmer when he shifts and his hair is still dripping into his eyes and - Taehyung meets his stare and tilts his head to rest his cheek on his folded arms and  - Jungkook lets out a quiet breath.

“He really is pretty…”

Seokjin eventually herds them all out to the kitchen so that Jungkook can help Taehyung out the bath without dealing with their staring and questions.

“You don’t have to be scared of them,” he says quietly, handing Taehyung a towel.

Taehyung doesn’t meet his gaze. He presses the towel to his gills and lets his shoulders sag as he waits. “I’m…” He trails off and tilts his head to look up at Jungkook. “I’m coming to terms with my new reality - instead of - instead of trying to justify the impossible.” He swallows. “Humans really don’t know.”

Jungkook crouches. “You’re not scared of them?”

Taehyung worries at his lower lip. “I’m scared of all of you,” he whispers, and it takes Jungkook a moment to realise that Taehyung means the whole of the human population.

“They won’t say anything. They won’t tell anybody, I promise.”

Taehyung nods with pursed lips and pale cheeks. “I’m a scientific marvel…”

Jungkook’s lips quirk. “That you are.”

Taehyung nods again then looks down as his tail melts away. He pulls the towel from around his neck and drops it in his lap. “You think I’m pretty.”

“I’m supposed to, aren’t I?”

Taehyung lifts dark heavy eyes and says nothing.

Ten days pass but it only takes four days for Taehyung to start showing signs of boredom. Jungkook does his best to let him out of the apartment as much as possible but with two assignments due, it gets hard - so Jungkook ropes in the others. Taehyung seems wary until Jimin and Yoongi rock up with a copy of the Little Mermaid and demand to know all the inaccuracies.

“Ever thought he might need to do more than stretch his legs?” Seokjin asks over the phone one afternoon.

Jungkook frowns and highlights another line in his textbook. “What?”

“His tail, Kookie. He doesn’t even fit properly in your tub.”

“And he’s a mermaid,” Namjoon calls, loud enough that Jungkook can hear. “They like swimming and shit.”

“Huh.” Jungkook looks over his shoulder to where Taehyung is lying on the couch, all levels of restless as he flicks through channels and tries to see what he can balance on his knees. “Any clues where I can make this happen?”

“Might as well take him back to the river - but make sure it’s at night. And make sure you both bathe six times after.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “Yes, mother.”

They take the subway and share Jungkook’s headphones. Taehyung rocks side to side with the music and reads the ads and posters around them and smiles at small children and captures the attention of everyone, just as he always does when they venture outside the confines of Jungkook’s apartment. Jungkook watches as a group of university students giggle to each other and admire an oblivious Taehyung, who has taken to rapping out the beat on Jungkook’s knee with his knuckles.

“C’mon, hyung,” Jungkook mutters, dragging Taehyung to his feet. “This is us.”

The river is a good walk from the subway station. Taehyung easily falls into step with Jungkook and starts to drill him about uni as they trek beneath streetlamps.

“Enough, hyung,” Jungkook says, rubbing his forehead. “I don’t wanna think about my assignments or my upcoming exams or anything like that.”

“Sorry,” Taehyung tells him, before dragging Jungkook over to the street food carts when he spots them. “They have squid! And fish!”

“It’s cooked,” Jungkook warns him. “Is that ok?”

Taehyung shrugs. “Never tried.”

But Taehyung rips it to shreds nonetheless. Jungkook makes an alarmed horrified noise and tries to catch his hands and instruct him to eat like - like -

“Like a human being?” Taehyung prompts, brows raised. He chuckles lowly and holds out the rest for Jungkook to eat. “It’s fine, Kookie. You can say it.”

“Sorry.”

“Why?” Taehyung shoves his hands in his pockets as they walk along the river.

“Hey, hyung?”

“Yeah, Kook?”

“How often do you come here? To - to land.”

Taehyung tilts his head back to look at the sky. The stars are out and the moon is full and Taehyung smiles at it. “It’s been four months since I used my legs. And I haven’t been to Seoul in nearly two years. Why?”

“Do you like it?”

“Why else would I keep coming, Jungkookie?”

Jungkook nudges Taehyung’s shoulder with his own and guides him off the path and over to the black stairs that he dragged Taehyung onto. It’s near the public pool so at this time of night the area is abandoned. “Do you miss home?”

“Wouldn’t you?” Taehyung asks, head tilted as he watches the water lap at the topmost stair. He turns his head to smile at Jungkook - and Jungkook promptly plants two hands on Taehyung’s back and shoves him in.

There’s a huge splash and Jungkook retreats back, hoping to dodge the worst of it. Taehyung surfaces with a gasp, scales glistening over the right side of his jaw and cheek under the moonlight - and these ones fascinate Jungkook the most because they’re mostly transparent but in the right light they like to fucking change colour.

“What are you doing?” Taehyung yelps, shrugging out of Jungkook’s now wet jacket and shirt and throwing them to shore. “Jungkook what if -“

“No one will see, hyung.”

Taehyung looks up with wide eyes.

“I promise.” Jungkook points over to a manmade outstretch of land. There’s a collection of rocks at the base. “We’ll go there. No one will see you. You can hide in the rocks.”

“Jungkook - “

“Trust me, hyung.”

Taehyung purses his lips together and flicks his fin out of the water anxiously. He sinks lower, until the water comes up to his nose and Jungkook can see the river reflecting in Taehyung’s eyes. Finally, Taehyung nods and throws himself backwards, disappearing under the surface of the water.

Jungkook picks up the wet clothing and goes out to meet him, climbs his way down the rocks until he can sit with his feet in the water. Taehyung waits for him, arms draped over the rocks as he absorbs the day’s warmth from them. When he’s finally comfy, Jungkook lets out a sigh and rests his weight back on his wrists.

Taehyung beams at him and climbs higher up the rocks, pulling himself closer to Jungkook. “Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook leans forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. The green black beginning of Taehyung’s tail is just visible above the water. “Yeah, hyung?”

Taehyung pulls himself further out of the water, using both the rocks and his tail to do so, and grins even wider - and he looks so fucking happy that Jungkook hates himself for not thinking of this earlier.

“Yeah, hyung?” he repeats, laughing as Taehyung just shakes his head happily and dips his shoulders below the water again. “What?”

Wet hands settle on his knees and Taehyung pushes himself up once more, until he’s eye level with Jungkook and Jungkook can count every wet starburst lash and - and up this close, with Taehyung grinning so wide, he can see what he meant about his teeth and fuck they look sharp and -

“Thank you.”

“You should have just said something, hyung.”

Taehyung shrugs the one shoulder and his eyes flicker over Jungkook’s face. “It wasn’t so bad. You have a bath. That’s what matters.”

Jungkook snorts. “You barely fit in the bath.”

“But it does the job.” Taehyung grins wolfishly at him. He glances down at the water. “The current is odd…”

“What do you mean?”

Taehyung pushes off of Jungkook’s knees and swims a little further out, sinking into the depths of the river until the water laps at his chin. Moonlight glances off of him and Jungkook really wishes he could take Taehyung somewhere cleaner, more open.

“My current isn’t coming. Not when it should be.”

“When will it come?” Jungkook asks.

“I don’t know,” Taehyung admits. He drags his arms through the water then dunks his head under. He resurfaces and pushes his hair back from his face. “But I’ll feel it when it does.” He smirks and flicks his tail up, splashing Jungkook. “Reckon you’ll miss me, Kookie?”

“Yah, fuck off.” Jungkook climbs to a higher rock, hopefully out of Taehyung’s reach. “You already got the clothes you were wearing, which are mine, wet. Don’t need these ones wet too.”

“Whose fault is that?”

“I was doing you a favour.”

“Ah,” Taehyung says, nodding. He swims idly back to the rocks, only his eyes visible above the water. He pulls himself up the rocks and fixes a dark stare on Jungkook. “You never answered my question, Kook-ah.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung perched on the rocks and remembers the stories of sailors being lured to their deaths by beautiful sea creatures. Jungkook looks at Taehyung, dangerous and ethereal in the moonlight, and believes them all.

“Where are you going?”

Jungkook clutches at his chest and almost trips over in shock. “Jesus Christ,” he hisses. He turns to where Taehyung’s head is poking up over the back of the couch and runs a hand through his hair. “Hey. I thought you were asleep.”

Taehyung blinks bleary eyes at him but says nothing on the matter, instead dropping his gaze to the box in Jungkook’s other hand. “Are you going out? I’ll come.”

“No, hyung, I’m - “ Jungkook shakes his head as Taehyung scrambles off the couch and smooths his hair back into place. “I’m just going down to the bin room.”

Taehyung shakes the blanket off his shoulders and pads over to Jungkook. “I’ll come.”

“Hyung, it’s literally just - “

“I wanna come.”

Jungkook sighs and looks at Taehyung, at the creases in his cheek from the pillow case and the rumples in his shirt. “Fine,” he says at last. He holds the door open and motions for Taehyung to go ahead. “This way.”

Taehyung plods along to the elevator and rubs at his eyes as they wait for the elevator to arrive. “Do you have uni tomorrow?”

The elevator arrives and Jungkook steps in first. He waits for Taehyung to follow before pressing the button for the parking garage. “Yeah. Want me to see if one of the hyungs is free?”

Taehyung shrugs and runs his fingers over the buttons. “It’s all right. I’ll just wait for you to come home. We can hang out this weekend though, right?”

“Yeah, hyung,” Jungkook says, holding the elevator doors open with a smile. He leads Taehyung to the bin room and then shows him the key for it. “In case you ever need to chuck something out. It’s the one with my apartment number engraved on it.”

Taehyung nods seriously and watches as Jungkook starts to sort the recyclables into the appropriate bins. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” Jungkook asks with a laugh.

“But why?”

“I dunno. We just do. Guess it makes it easier at the recycling plant.” Jungkook tips the last of the items into the plastics bin and stands, knees cracking. “Hey, hyung, I was - shit Tae the door get the door!”

Taehyung startles and throws out a hand, catching the door before it can slam shut. “I’m sorry,” he says, blinking owlishly. He frowns. “Why am I sorry?”

Jungkook chuckles and pushes Taehyung back out into the corridor. He shuts the door behind him. “Because the door only opens with the key, from the inside and outside, and I have a habit of leaving my key on the outside,” he explains, pulling his key from the lock even as he says it. “So if you’re ever down here, be careful, ok? Or you’ll be locked in until the next person comes down.”

Taehyung nods at him slowly. “What were you going to say, before the whole ‘catch the door’ incident?”

“Oh. The hyungs asked if we wanna go to Sokcho with them this weekend. We’re thinking of going to Seoraksan.”

“Sokcho - that’s on the coast isn’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s got some real nice beaches. You keen?”

Taehyung beams at him. “Fuck yeah.”

They head over late Friday night and pass the fuck out in the motel after staying up watching movies and eating too much sugar. Jungkook stirs the next morning, slides a hand under his pillow to check his phone - and abruptly starts swearing.

“Hyung,” he calls, rolling out of bed and tripping over the sheet. “Tae, wake up.”

Taehyung groans from the bed across from him and tries to hide under the blankets. “Don’t wanna.”

“Taehyung. Fuck, hurry up, we’re late.”

“Late for what?” Taehyung groans, rubbing at his eyes.

Jungkook throws a pillow at him. “We’re meant to be meeting the others downstairs in five minutes so get your scaly ass out of bed and get dressed.”

Taehyung whines and pouts at him, feet kicking childishly. “Can I at least have a bath?”

That makes Jungkook stall, shirt halfway on. “What?”

Taehyung finally sits up. He rubs the back of his neck and squints at the morning light streaming into the room. “It’s just - I didn’t get to have one yesterday and today is supposed to be really hot and - “

Jungkook shakes his head and throws a shirt at Taehyung. “Here, wear this. And no time, sorry, hyung. Seokjin’s gonna lecture the shit out of us, I swear.”

“No,” Taehyung says quietly and Jungkook stalls again, brow furrowing as he watches Taehyung clench his fingers in the shirt. “It’s ok…”

Jungkook opens his mouth to ask - then shakes his head. “C’mon, hyung, get moving.”

They start the climb at nine, grateful to step under the shade of the canopies and out of the morning sun, which already burns too hot. They stay as a group for the most part, with Taehyung as focus as he’s drilled with questions.

“Where the fuck do you keep coming up with these?” Jungkook groans as Taehyung blinks owlishly at him for the 60^th time, confused as to what he’s being asked.

“We’re curious beings,” Jimin says defensively.

“And he’s a fucking mermaid,” Yoongi drawls. “As if you aren’t full of questions.”

“There’s this thing. It’s called the internet.”

“Right because the Little Mermaid was so accurate.”

Taehyung wrinkles his nose. “That thing.”

“That’s a shit example, hyung,” Jungkook tells Yoongi dryly. “And you know it. It’s a fucking kids’ story.”

“Yeah and until we met this brat, we thought all of it was.”

“Hey, Tae,” Hoseok says suddenly. “Anyone told you how the Little Mermaid really ends?”

Taehyung hesitates - and he’s blinking owlishly at Jungkook again. Jungkook shrugs and Taehyung looks to Hoseok again. “No…?”

“Hoseok, don’t,” Seokjin tells him.

But Hoseok ignores him. “Well apparently the whole tail becoming legs thing is agonising and every step feels like she’s walking on shards of glass.”

“Oi,” Namjoon says. “Does he really need to know that?”

“That’s not true,” Taehyung says. “It doesn’t hurt at all. Why would it?”

“See,” Hoseok says to Namjoon and Seokjin. “It’s fine.” He grins at Taehyung. “But then it gets heartbreaking because the prince doesn’t return her affections and she throws herself into the ocean to kill herself and becomes part of the sea froth or something. The end.”

Taehyung blinks at him, confused. “I don’t understand.”

“Yeah neither,” Hoseok admits with a laugh. “But that’s how it goes apparently.”

“Well,” Yoongi sighs, shoving Hoseok as he walks past him and ignores his protests. “That really killed the mood.”

Hoseok and Jimin eventually drag Taehyung back to walk with them, still full of more questions, and Jungkook lets them, getting lost in his own conversation with Namjoon about what he’s considering doing after uni. Taehyung starts to walk more and more tediously close to the edge when they start to pass the creeks and streams and waterfalls and small bodies of water but Yoongi grabs him by the arm and leads him back onto the path every time he gets too dangerously close.

They come out to a rocky outcrop lookout and the sun beats down on them heavily. Jungkook can feel the heat that’s already been absorbed by the rockface through the soles of his shoes.

“Do you know how to make sashimi?” Seokjin asks, shielding his eyes with his hand. “I can show you, if you want.”

“Thanks, hyung, but right now anything raw and frozen seems to keep him happy.” Jungkook rubs the back of his neck and grimaces. Fuck it’s hot. “Can we get ice cream after this?”

“Hear hear,” Namjoon mutters, fanning himself with his shirt.

Jimin calls his name, short and sharp, and Jungkook turns - his stomach tightens in alarm. Taehyung is down and dazed, supported by Hoseok and Jimin on either side of him. Yoongi is bent over in front of him, talking to him lowly and checking for symptoms.

“Tae?” Jimin moves out of the way so that Jungkook can crouch beside him. “Hey, what’s - “ Jungkook stops and stares at his fingers on Taehyung’s arm. “Your skin…” Jungkook turns Taehyung’s arm over in his hands and smooths his thumb over the inside of his forearm. His skin is dry and chalky. His scales are starting to show and they’re colourless and flaky.

“Just needs some water, Kookie,” Taehyung tells him quietly, happily.

“Oh,” Hoseok says, swinging his backpack down off his shoulder. “Here. Drink - “

“Not to drink, hyung,” Jungkook tells him.

Hoseok blinks at him and then it clicks. “Oh. Right.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung again, takes in the pale skin and chapped lips and heavy eyes and - suddenly Taehyung’s eyes are going wide and he’s trying to jerk his arm out of Jungkook’s hold.

“No no wait don’t - “

Yoongi throws a bottleful of water in Taehyung’s face.

Taehyung closes his eyes against it and splutters.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” Jimin yells, punching Yoongi in the arm.

Seokjin groans into his hand.

“What?” Yoongi says defensively. “He said he needed water!”

“Not like that,” Jungkook snaps up at him. “Fucking hell, hyung, he - “

“Shit,” Namjoon says, just as Taehyung wrenches his arm out of Jungkook’s hold. “Grab his head. Hoseok, get his head.”

“He’s seizing.” Seokjin pushes past Jimin and Yoongi and starts shrugging out of his shirt. He folds it and with Hoseok’s help, gets it under Taehyung’s head. “No - no, Hoseok, don’t try keep him still. Just watch his head.”

Jungkook rocks backwards until he falls on his ass and stares with wide eyes. “Hy-hyung…”

Taehyung’s spine is drawn tight like a bowstring, eyes rolled into his skull, jaw locked as he chokes around air. His whole body judders. Jungkook’s hands shake as he reaches out and tries to stop Taehyung’s nails from scraping at the rocks. Taehyung’s fingers are locked rigid like claws, the knuckles pressing up against the skin - his teeth snap shut suddenly.

Seokjin winces when it happens again. “Someone find a stick or something. Or a belt. Or - “

“Here,” Yoongi says, handing a stick over.

Seokjin gets it between Taehyung’s teeth. He notices Jungkook’s horrified stare and tries to smile. “Just making sure he doesn’t lose the tip of his tongue, Jungkookie. He’s ok.”

Shortly after Seokjin says it, the seizure stops. Taehyung lays panting for a moment then rolls onto his side away from Seokjin’s calming touch, stick falling from his lips as he inhales deeply - he immediately coughs it back out. He pushes himself up on shaky arms and runs equally shaky fingers through his hair and looks about him and - Jungkook starts forward.

“Hyung,” he says, the word falling out of him as he gets his hands on Taehyung’s shoulders. Fuck his hands are trembling almost as badly as Taehyung’s. “Hyung just - just wait just - just - “

Taehyung laughs with wet eyes and damp lashes but struggles to get his shaking pupils to focus on Jungkook. “I’m fine, Jungkookie.”

“Are you sure?” Jimin asks nervously, crouching down beside Jungkook. “You just had a seizure.”

Taehyung frowns, confused. “No, my - my gills got wet and my body got confused and tried to - tried to change.”

Jungkook sags, hands sliding from Taehyung’s shoulders to hold his upper arms. “Wh-what?”

Taehyung starts laughing again. “Honestly. I’m good.” His voice trembles and he swallows, avoiding everyone’s gaze. “Still would really like some water but.” He gets to his feet and stumbles a step, knees damn near buckling right away. His fingers brush over the rocks and then he’s upright again, heading back down the path. If Jungkook didn’t know better he’d think Taehyung was smashed off his face with the way he’s staggering about.

Jungkook scrambles to his feet and chases. “Hyung, wait! Just wait a second, all right. You just had a fucking seizure maybe you should - “ Jungkook comes up beside Taehyung and pulls at him to slow him down. Taehyung’s fingers slide around his wrist and wide brown eyes look over at him and Jungkook softens, noticing the way Taehyung’s lower lip is trembling with fear. “You’re not ok,” Jungkook tells him quietly.

Taehyung swallows and rolls his lower lip between his teeth.

“Jungkook,” Hoseok says, coming up beside them. “The water we passed earlier - we can take him there.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung. “Sound good?”

Taehyung is still gnawing on his bottom lip. He nods once.

Jungkook grins and he and Hoseok get Taehyung’s arms around their shoulders. The others hurry to follow and before they know it, they’re all stumbling back down the path, laughing loudly as they race down to the water.

“This is so fucking embarrassing,” Taehyung groans - he yelps as he lifts both legs over a tree root and hangs suspended between Jungkook and Hoseok for a moment. “Jungkook,” he whines.

Jungkook laughs.

“Here,” Jimin calls from up ahead. He and Yoongi have come to a halt at an edge. “We’re almost there! It’s just below.”

They all come to a stop and peer down at the water. Taehyung swears with relief under his breath and Jungkook gives his waist a quick reassuring squeeze.

“All right,” Hoseok says. He ducks out from under Taehyung and stretches quickly. “Give me a sec and then we can head down and get our favourite fishboy rehydrated. Sound good?”

But Taehyung - Taehyung doesn’t give anyone a chance to agree because he’s tightening his hold around Jungkook’s shoulders and throwing them both sideways and right off the fucking cliff. Jungkook cries out, hears the others’ horrified shouts from behind him and - they hit the water. It surges up around them as they sink, filling Jungkook’s nose and mouth until he’s choking and coughing around it. Instinct forces him to inhale so he can spit it back out but he only chokes more and oh god oh god he’s going to drown he’s going to - Jungkook’s eyes shoot open. He can feel Taehyung’s tail against his legs. Jungkook coughs again, bubbles erupting from his mouth and disappearing over Taehyung’s shoulder - they break the surface.

Jungkook coughs and splutters then drags oxygen in so quickly, so roughly, it burns his throat. Taehyung turns them in gentle circles, hands firm on Jungkook’s back - Jungkook shoves away from him.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he snaps. He closes his eyes for a moment and focuses on getting the water out of his lungs. He can hear the others shouting up above them.

“Sorry,” Taehyung says simply.

“You’re fucking crazy,” Jungkook rasps, throat raw.

“Sorry,” Taehyung says again. He takes Jungkook’s wrist and pulls him in, then puts a firm hand on Jungkook’s forehead and forces Jungkook to look at him. His eyes scope Jungkook’s face and then he breaks out into a wide smile. “You’re ok.”

“Yeah cheers,” Jungkook says, chest still heaving. He jerks his head free. “Fuck, hyung. Give us a warning first.”

“I thought I’d pass out if I had to wait any longer,” Taehyung says. “The seizure thing - “

“Scared you,” Jungkook says and Taehyung’s teeth click shut. “It’s all right, hyung. Fucking Yoongi has - “

“Yah! Fishboy!” Jungkook looks over his shoulder to see the others have made it all the way down. Yoongi is wading - or, well, storming - out to them. Taehyung pulls Jungkook closer and keeps them turning gently. “What the fuck were you thinking you’ve taken 50 fucking years off my life expectancy you selfish fucker I swear to fucking god when I get my hands around you Kim Taehyung you’re - and you too Jeon Jungkook stop fucking laughing all of you stop laughing I’m fucking serious I’ll kill you all in your sleep I swear to fucking god!”

They hang around for about an hour. An occasional grumpy hiker comes past, yelling and blasting whistles at them and demanding they get out of the water. Each time, Taehyung ducks under and the rest of the group makes a grand show of packing up - only to laugh and get comfortable minutes after.

Jungkook sits on a damp rock with Yoongi. Jimin is half in and out of the water, kicking his legs idly as he folds his arms on the rock and rests his chin.

“You’ll have to take him swimming more often,” Jimin says. “The bath ain’t gonna cut it forever, Kook.”

Jungkook looks past Jimin to where Taehyung is listening to the hyungs with rapt attention, only his eyes visible above the surface of the water. Hoseok says something and Taehyung emerges, laughing. The scales on his cheek are translucent but for when they catch the sun.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says at last.

Yoongi snorts. “You make him sound like some household pet that needs to be taken out for his daily walk.”

Taehyung breaches the water next to Jimin and pushes his hair from his face. “Who needs daily walks?”

Yoongi swears loudly and Jimin clutches at his heart, eyes wide.

Taehyung frowns. “What’s up?”

“You can’t just fucking sneak up on people like that,” Yoongi snaps. “You aged me enough today, you little shit.”

Taehyung grins. “Sorry.” He turns his attention to Jungkook. “Swim with me.”

Jungkook raises a brow. “Didn’t we do enough of that with your little stint? Besides, I just got dry.”

“And?”

Jungkook deadpans at him and Taehyung laughs, disappearing under. The water is shallow and stupidly clear and Jungkook watches as Taehyung lays himself at the bottom and gazes up at him. Broken fractals of light dance over Taehyung’s chest and make his scales gleam. Jungkook swallows, watches Taehyung’s hair float over his eyes - Taehyung grins wolfishly, showing off sharp teeth, before he disappears into the darker depths with a powerful beat of his tail.

Jungkook stalls for a moment - then dives in after him.

Jungkook finds Taehyung passed out in the bath later that evening.

“Hey, hyung,” he calls, shouldering open the bathroom door. “Seokjin wants to know - “ He stops short.

Taehyung sleeps on his side, both arms dangling over the edge of the tub as he rests his head on them. His tail is flopped over the edge at the other end.

“Idiot,” Jungkook mutters, leaning up against the doorframe. He folds his arms over his chest then steps into the room and sits down beside the tub. Taehyung shifts a little, hand coming to rest on Jungkook’s propped knee, and Jungkook grins, taking the hand in his own to examine it. He turns it over and tilts it towards the light, admiring the glimmer of scales. Taehyung’s fingers twitch.

Jungkook runs a gentle hand up the inside of Taehyung’s arm, turning the limb this way and that so that the light plays over tanned skin - and Jungkook is really fucking relieved that Taehyung’s skin is nice and golden again, scales not flaking.

“Why didn’t you say something?” Jungkook says, touching the scales with a careful fingertip. Jungkook sighs and lets Taehyung’s hand rest on his knee again, then wriggles around to get more comfortable. His phone goes off and he winces, hurrying to silence the call.

Taehyung jerks awake. Water sloshes over the edge of the bath to wet Jungkook’s jeans. “Jungkookie,” Taehyung says, rubbing at his eyes. He relaxes back into the tub and resumes his position.

“Hey, hyung,” Jungkook says, reaching for a towel. He starts to pat his jeans down. “Sorry.”

“You’re all right,” Taehyung murmurs, the words coming out on a quiet exhale.

“Seokjin wants to know if dinner around six is cool?”

Taehyung hums and blinks his eyes back open. “Is that who called?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure.”

Jungkook types a quick text to Seokjin to let him know. “How you feeling?”

Taehyung eyes flutter shut and Jungkook watches him slide further into the water - then Taehyung’s snapping to attention again. “Hmm?” He looks at the phone in Jungkook’s hands. “Jungkookie.”

“Yeah, hyung?”

“Climb in with me?”

Jungkook laughs. “What?”

“Get in the bath with me. It’s nice and warm.”

Jungkook stares at Taehyung - then sighs. “Fuck it.” He stands and puts his phone on the toilet, then kicks off his shoes and strips down to his underwear. Taehyung slides over and lifts his tail further out of the bath so that Jungkook can sit opposite him. “Jesus, hyung, why the fuck is your tail so fucking big?”

Taehyung smiles sleepily at him and lets the full weight of his tail rest against Jungkook once he’s seated.

Jungkook watches as Taehyung’s head lolls backwards, revealing the column of his throat, before Taehyung forcibly brings himself to attention again - only for his whole upper body to start sliding left.

“Go back to sleep, hyung,” Jungkook tells him quietly.

“Hmm? No,” Taehyung whines. He wriggles about, water sloshing up around his shoulders. “I’m talking with you.”

Jungkook snorts. “I don’t think we’ve actually had what can be classified as a conversation.”

Taehyung blinks at him then peers over the edge of the bath. “I splashed a lot, hey.”

Jungkook laughs, thrown by the comment, and nudges Taehyung’s hip with his foot. “Sleep, hyung.”

Taehyung shakes his head. “Nuh-uh.”

But minutes later, he’s nodding off again. Jungkook watches it happen. It gets hard to swallow and his stomach tightens because -

“You’re really exhausted, hyung.”

Taehyung breathes out quietly and looks at Jungkook through his lashes. “Am I?”

Jungkook works his jaw and nods. “Today - “

“Was fun,” Taehyung says suddenly. He laughs. “I liked it.”

“That’s not what I was gonna say.”

“Then what were you gonna say, Kook?”

Jungkook leans over and dries his hands on the towel then checks the time on his phone. They’ve got about half an hour until they have to meet the others for dinner. “Today, with the - the seizure and everything. You - I mean - you were - “

“Really close to dying?” Taehyung’s eyes are wide open now and he gazes at Jungkook calmly. “I’m fine, Jungkookie.”

“I’m serious, hyung.”

Taehyung smiles and tilts his head. “So am I. Just dried out a bit. I should have made sure to have a bath last night. I didn’t think today was gonna be so hot.” He shrugs then grins. “Sorry for throwing you off a cliff, by the way.”

Jungkook sighs and rubs at his forehead. “Hyung. Seriously.”

“It was…” Taehyung trails off and regards Jungkook for a moment. “Much closer than I would have liked.” He slides further into the bath, like he’s trying to hide under the water. He smiles at Jungkook, all sleepy and soft again. “But it’s ok.”

“Hyung it’s not ok you - “

“I had you there to save me again.”

Jungkook stares.

Taehyung laughs quietly and tips his head back.

They cut through town to the beachside main road and choose to eat at one of the many seafood restaurants available.

“Why are there so many tanks?” Taehyung asks as he sits where he’s told but keeps twisting to try stare at the tanks lined up outside the restaurant. “Kook?”

“Ensures the food is super fresh,” Yoongi tells him. He jerks his chin in the direction of the approaching waiter. “There you go, fishboy. Go with him.”

“What? Why?”

Seokjin nudges Jungkook’s side. “Go take him. Let him choose.”

“Choose what?” Taehyung asks - and then he gets it. “Wait the fish? I get to choose the fish?”

And Jungkook has barely gotten comfortable when Taehyung’s hand is around his upper arm and he’s being dragged to his feet and off they go with the waiter to choose what they’re gonna eat.

“Hyung,” Jungkook says, grimacing as Taehyung’s fingers hold too tight. “Do you know what you’re doing?” They come outside and the waiter waits patiently for them to make their choice.

Taehyung scoffs at him and grins. “Please, Kookie. We’re in my element now.” And - and Taehyung just plunges his hand right in there and catches the biggest one.

Jungkook chokes. Through the window he can see the others’ equally astounded reactions.

Taehyung grins and holds the fish up out of the water. “This one!” He thrusts it in the direction of one very startled waiter.

“U-um, sir - “

“And…” Taehyung dives right back in there.

“T-Taehyung - “

“This one.” Taehyung holds the creature by the tail - then frowns. “No, not him.” He puts it back in then grabs a different one. “This one.”

“Taehyung.”

“We should get a crab too!”

“No don’t - “

Taehyung goes in with two hands this time.

Jungkook puts his face into his hands and groans.

“They cooked it.”

Jungkook looks at Taehyung beside him to see him staring forlornly at the dishes being placed on the table. “Yeah, hyung.”

“If I’d known that I would’ve chosen the shit ones.” Taehyung picks up a chopstick and prods at the fish, nose scrunched. “They didn’t even save the head and tail.”

Namjoon hears this and calls the waiter back over. “Can we - can we get the cut offs?”

The waiter blinks at him. “Uh…”

“Not - “ Namjoon quickly checks and Jungkook nods. “Not cooked is fine.”

“Uh, sure.”

Taehyung beams.

“I thought you liked the cooked stuff,” Jungkook says once everyone’s started eating.

“I do,” Taehyung says. His eyes widen in wonder as the cuts offs are put in front of him. Jungkook grimaces and leans away from the gigantic eye goggling up at him. “This is just better,” and with that, Taehyung rips a chunk out of one of the heads.

Across from them, Namjoon gags.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Yoongi mutters, eyes wide.

“Yeah,” Jungkook says slowly. He reaches out to collect everyone’s beer glasses. “You’re gonna wanna drink your way through this.”

“Want some?” Taehyung asks innocently, holding half a head out to the group.

Namjoon gags again and Jungkook pours faster.

They eat and drink their way short of oblivion and stumble out of the restaurant a good few hours later, laughing. Yoongi and Jimin argue over whether they should go to a bar or noraebang next and Taehyung watches on with parted lips and flushed cheeks and wide eyes - and eventually claps his hands together and starts to laugh loudly.

“You two coming to the next round?” Hoseok asks, draping an arm over Jungkook’s shoulders. “Looks like Tae wants to.”

Jungkook shakes his head. “Nah, cheers, hyung. Think we’re gonna head back. He kept falling asleep in the bath earlier.”

Seokjin hums from beside them. He’s got one of Namjoon’s hands clutched between both of his own. “He needs to rest.”

“Just make sure fishboy doesn’t go drying out again,” Namjoon teases.

Jungkook rolls his eyes and calls Taehyung, tells him they’re heading back to the motel.

“But I wanna stay,” Taehyung whines, and Jungkook sighs because how did he not know this was coming. “Jimin promised noraebang, and Yoongi promised alcohol, and both sound fucking amazing.”

“Hyung,” Jungkook says, lips quirking. “C’mon. You’re exhausted. Someone will start singing some old ballad and you’ll pass out on the couch.”

“Not true.”

Jungkook raises a brow.

“Ok maybe a little true.”

“C’mon,” Jungkook says, tugging Taehyung away from the group. He waves to them quickly and pulls Taehyung along faster when he can see Jimin is about to convince them to stay. “We can walk along the beachside if you want.”

And at that, Taehyung relents. He twists his wrist in Jungkook’s hold and Jungkook lets go - only to have Taehyung slide their palms together and slot his fingers with Jungkook’s. Jungkook stares at their linked hands drunkenly. This - this is nice. This is very much ok.

“Tonight was fun,” Taehyung says, trying to skip ahead.

Jungkook lets Taehyung pull him along. “Yeah - I’m amazed no one puked tonight. And I don’t think the waiter will ever be the same. But sure, it was fun.”

“Hey,” Taehyung says sharply, sending Jungkook a warning look over his shoulder. “I chose the best fucking fish there was for you lot and you fucking cooked it. Be grateful.”

Jungkook laughs. “Sure, hyung. Whatever you say.”

“It’s true!” Taehyung jerks on Jungkook’s hand. “Admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“You fucking know what.”

“That you gave the waiter a heart attack? I said that already.”

“Jungkook,” Taehyung whines.

“All right, all right,” Jungkook concedes laughing. “The fish was… pretty good.”

Taehyung deadpans at him then tries to wriggle his fingers free of Jungkook’s, but Jungkook holds on tight. “I hate you. Lemme go. You fish under-appreciator.”

Jungkook laughs harder and holds onto Taehyung’s hand with both of his, watches as Taehyung kicks up a fuss and tries in earnest to free his trapped hand.

“Jeon Jungkook!”

“What?” he asks innocently. “Not my fault I’m stronger.”

Taehyung splutters. “Whoever said you were stronger you’re using two hands that’s not fair at - “ Taehyung cuts off abruptly and it doesn’t take long to see what’s captured his attention. Suddenly Taehyung’s hand slips free of Jungkook’s hands easily, only to reappear around his wrist. Jungkook watches Taehyung and the waves crashing to shore in equal parts - and then Taehyung is tugging on his arm violently, getting him to move.

Jungkook lets Taehyung lead them down off the main road and onto the beach. Taehyung’s fingers disappear from around his wrist almost as soon as they hit the sand and Jungkook watches as he runs ahead, fingers coming to his collar to pull his shirt over his head.

Taehyung turns, still moving for the water, and waves the shirt at Jungkook. “Look! Look at it, Jungkookie!”

Jungkook nods and runs to catch up. “I know, hyung.”

“I’m going in,” Taehyung says, hopping about as he tries to get his shoes off. He laughs and tumbles against Jungkook. “I’m going in I’m going in I’m going in.”

“Ok, ok,” Jungkook says, laughing as he helps Taehyung balance - but Taehyung’s fingers find the hem of his shirt and tug insistently. “Wh-what are you doing?”

Taehyung clicks his tongue and finally gets Jungkook’s shirt off over his head. “You’re coming in with me.”

“What?”

Taehyung’s fingers are at his jeans next and Jungkook tries to squirm away, heart pounding, head swimming, and - “Yah, Kookie, stay still. Please. I wanna show you something.”

“Hyung - “

Taehyung looks up at him and Jungkook’s breath stalls because moonlight shimmers over dark eyes and translucent scales and behind Taehyung it cuts across the dark ocean in a silver beam.

“Come in with me,” Taehyung says.

Jungkook releases his breath - and nods. Taehyung grins and resumes undressing them both until they’re standing on the sand in just their underwear and fuck they’re both so drunk. Taehyung’s fingers wrap around his wrist again and then Taehyung’s running them into the waves and the moment they’re at waist-depth, Taehyung releases Jungkook and dives under.

Jungkook catches his breath and scans the waters for Taehyung, catches flickers of him when his tail reflects the moon, but he’s fast and the water is dark. He wades out further, feels Taehyung make circles around his legs before he appears, just a pair of dark eyes above the surface of the water a few metres ahead.

“Hyung,” Jungkook rasps.

Taehyung tilts his head and swims closer. “Will you let me show you something, Jungkookie?” he asks from beneath the surface.

Jungkook licks his lips and nods.

Taehyung fingers slide around his waist and then crawl up the inside of his forearms to hold around his elbows. “Have you ever heard of a mermaid’s kiss?”

Something tries to crush his lungs and it takes Jungkook a moment to realise that it’s fear, apprehension - panic even. He clears his throat. “A mermaid’s kiss?”

“Yes,” Taehyung says, tail wrapping around Jungkook’s thighs to tug him closer. Taehyung chuckles quietly. “Don’t be scared, Jungkookie. I’d never hurt you.”

“I’m not scared,” Jungkook murmurs, blinking down at Taehyung and forcing his muscles to relax.

Taehyung smiles slowly. “Right.” He blows bubbles. “Do you trust me, Jungkookie?”

Jungkook swallows. “Yeah, hyung.”

“Good,” and Taehyung wraps himself Jungkook and drags him under.

Jungkook manages to slam his jaw shut just in time and with one powerful beat of his tail Taehyung has them out in deeper water, arms tight around Jungkook, and Jungkook’s heart pounds with panic as he looks into darkness with wide eyes and -

“Shh, Kookie.”

Jungkook slams his palms into Taehyung’s waist and pushes, tries to separate from him, but Taehyung uses one hand to hold his head still and kisses him, pries his lips and teeth open with his tongue, and breathes into his mouth. Jungkook chokes on it, tears his mouth away and coughs and -

“Breathe, Jungkookie,” Taehyung tells him, finally releasing Jungkook but for the fingers he keeps around Jungkook’s wrist. They soothe over his pulse. “Breathe.”

Jungkook shakes his head and tries to kick for the surface - Taehyung tugs him back into place, forces Jungkook to look at him.

“Listen to me, Jeon Jungkook,” he says sternly. “Trust me. Your lungs are burning.”

Jungkook can feel tears forming and he releases the little breath he has left. “Hyung.” The word disappears around them in a flurry of bubbles.

Taehyung slides a hand into his hair and holds his head steady. “Breathe, Jungkook.”

And Jungkook does. He inhales and a mouthful of water follows and he coughs it back out, nails tearing at Taehyung’s skin, but Taehyung instructs him to do it again and by now Jungkook’s not even in control of his lungs because his body is fucking screaming at him so he inhales again and -

Breathes. He breathes.

Jungkook coughs out a sob and breathes again and again and again.

Taehyung smiles at him and pushes Jungkook’s hair back. “There we go.”

“I hate you,” Jungkook tells him. “Fuck I hate you. Stop - stop trying to drown me, will you?”

Taehyung laughs. “I told you to trust me, Jungkookie.”

“I know.”

“I was never going to hurt you.”

“…I know.” Jungkook wraps shaking fingers around Taehyung’s forearm, scared they’re going to drift apart in the current. “So that’s a - a mermaid’s kiss, huh?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung smiles and swims them around in circles. “How do you like it?”

“It’s…” Jungkook looks around him, at the dark depthless ocean around them. When he looks up, he can see the moon playing on the surface of the water in broken shards. “It’s - terrifying. But amazing. This is - “ He laughs and shakes his head. “This is fucking insane.”

“Good,” Taehyung tells him, smile softening with fondness. “I’m glad.”

They lose track of time and Jungkook isn’t even sure how far out they go but eventually Taehyung swims them back in. Jungkook surfaces with a gasp and pushes his hair from his face, then stumbles to his feet and wades to shore. Taehyung follows him, blowing bubbles in the water.

Jungkook stops suddenly and looks down at him. “Hyung.”

Taehyung sits up and smiles at him. In the shallows, Jungkook can see moonlight glancing off his tail. “Hmm, Kookie?”

Jungkook leans down and kisses him.

Taehyung makes a noise of surprise and blinks at Jungkook when he pulls away. He frowns. “I don’t understand. You should be able to breathe just fine, you don’t need to kiss me again.”

Jungkook cups Taehyung’s face, his focus on Taehyung’s mouth, alcohol hot in his veins, breath curling in his lungs. “I know,” he murmurs. “I can.”

Taehyung’s breath shivers out of him, eyes widening, before long wet fingers are sliding into Jungkook’s hair and Taehyung’s pulling him down for another kiss. Jungkook stumbles to his knees, water splashing up around them and curling around his ribs, but his hands find Taehyung’s waist and he drags him closer, opens his mouth and lets Taehyung in. Taehyung kisses him deeply, lips cold but tongue hot. Jungkook slides his hands over Taehyung’s skin, makes sure to stay gentle when he hits patches of scales, and pulls him even closer, until Taehyung’s weight rests against his folded knees and Taehyung’s tail wraps around him to keep them steady.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung breathes between kisses. “Jungkook, Jungkook, Jungkook.”

Jungkook kisses over Taehyung’s jaw and down his neck, presses one just below his gills, then finds his collarbones and kisses right along them until Taehyung is tugging his head back up and licking into his mouth again. Waves lap at them and sand shifts beneath them with the tide but Jungkook’s focus stays completely and utterly on Taehyung, on the weight of him in his lap, the coolness of his skin beneath his touch, and the stroke of his tongue across the roof of his mouth.

Jungkook morphs into Seokjin over the next two weeks - and Taehyung is less than pleased.

“Bath. Now.”

Taehyung groans and throws himself onto the couch. “Jungkook - “

“Now, hyung.”

“I can - “

“I’m not having you passing out and then fucking seizing on me again. Go have a bath.”

“The seizure wasn’t even my fault.”

Jungkook levels Taehyung with a look. “You failed to mention that you need routinely water sessions to prevent near-death experiences in the middle of mountain hikes.”

“Daily is best,” Taehyung admits, nodding to himself.

“Good, now - “

Taehyung scrunches his face up. “I sort of did insist that morning that I needed a quick bath but you told me we were late.”

Jungkook splutters. “That’s not fair, hyung.”

“I’m just saying.”

“Just - go have a bath, hyung.”

“Kook - “

Jungkook folds his arms over his chest and glares.

Taehyung sighs. “Fine,” he says, getting to his feet. He storms into the bathroom. “But I’m splashing as much as I like,” and with that he slams the door.

Jungkook rolls his eyes.

“Well,” Yoongi says.

Jungkook looks over to where the rest of the group are sitting around the table.

Yoongi raises a brow. “That was well-handled.”

Jungkook scowls. “Fuck off.”

“When’s he headed home?” Seokjin asks.

Jungkook shrugs and picks up an empty box of frozen fish fingers from the coffee table. They’re Taehyung’s new all-time favourite thing in the whole wide fucking world - apparently. “His current is late.”

“Will you miss him?” Jimin asks.

Jungkook looks up from reading the back of the box. “What?”

“Will you miss him?”

“I - “ Jungkook looks in the direction of the bathroom and realises that he’s - he’s forgotten Taehyung isn’t here to stay, that this new roommate arrangement isn’t permanent, that keeping his freezer stocked with frozen fish won’t be necessary soon, that - that -

“Fuck,” Jimin mutters sadly. “I’m sorry, Kook.”

Taehyung wakes Jungkook in the middle of the night three days later.

“Jungkook, Jungkook!”

Jungkook groans and rolls away from the noise. “The fuck do you want, hyung?”

Taehyung clambers onto the bed and scrambles across it until his knees hit Jungkook’s back so hard it knocks the air out of him. “Jung-“

“Hyung,” Jungkook moans, reaching back to rub his back. He looks at Taehyung over his shoulder - and notes that he’s dressed to go out. “Why are you dressed?”

“It’s here,” Taehyung tells him breathlessly, eyes and grin as equally wide and bright. “My current’s here.”

Jungkook’s lungs do this funny thing around his heart and suddenly his ribcage feels awkwardly small. “Oh,” he manages. He sits up and rubs at his eyes, prompts himself to act. “That’s great, hyung.”

“Let’s go.”

“What, now?” Jungkook finds his phone under the pillows and checks the time. “Fuck, hyung, it’s barely four in the morning.”

“Yes now,” Taehyung tells him, leaning over to check the time for himself. He grins up at Jungkook, face looking ghastly in the phone’s illumination. “You’re coming into typhoon season and out of monsoon season, it’s why it took so long, Jungkookie. The swell’s changed. And I don’t wanna miss this tide, either. It’s a good tide.”

“Is it?” Jungkook murmurs, fiddling with his phone.

“Yeah, really good.”

“Even from the river?”

Taehyung frowns and leans back again, resting his weight on his haunches. “Well, no, I have to get out of the river first but - Jungkook, don’t - “ Taehyung’s fingers slide over the sheets anxiously and his voice falls quietly. “You can go back to sleep.”

Jungkook looks over at him. “What?”

“You don’t have to come with me,” Taehyung tells him. “I’ll say goodbye here and - can you - can you call me a cab? I don’t know how to get there.”

“Hyung,” Jungkook says, reaching out to shove Taehyung’s shoulder. “Don’t be such a fucking idiot.”

“Rude,” Taehyung whines, rubbing his shoulder.

“I’ll come with you. Just let me get dressed.”

Taehyung lights up and tries to follow Jungkook off the bed so quickly that he gets tangled in the sheets. “Really?”

“Yes, really.” Jungkook rolls his eyes and helps Taehyung untangle his left ankle. “You’re an idiot.”

“Y’know, you keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true.”

Taehyung sighs dramatically and sits back, letting Jungkook free him from the sheets. “So rude, Jungkook-ah.”

Taehyung is stumbling out of the cab before Jungkook’s even finished paying the driver, and he has to run to catch up. The sky is growing light and the city lights are going down, leaving it a silhouette against the dawn. Taehyung races down the hill to the footpath and Jungkook shouts after him.

“Hyung, wait up!”

Taehyung turns, almost trips backwards down the hill, and laughs up at him. “Hurry up, Jungkookie!” And fuck, he’s so excited Jungkook can see it fucking leaking out of him to stain the air around him - and usually Jungkook can’t get enough of the sight but right now all he wants to do is suck it all up and shove it deep down inside the cavity of Taehyung’s chest.

“C’mon,” Jungkook says once he’s caught up. He crosses the footpath and keeps walking for the water.

“Jungkook, wait.”

Jungkook turns and looks back at Taehyung, who’s got his sights set on further up the river. “What?”

“I wanna go to the steps.” He looks back at Jungkook and shrugs. “I dunno. Seems poetic.”

Jungkook swallows. “Poetic?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung says, laughing as he gestures for Jungkook to come back and meet him on the footpath. “Where it all began, you know?”

Jungkook nods slowly and grits his teeth and looks down the river, trying to spot the black steps from where they are and - “I have a whole freezer full of raw fish because of you.”

Taehyung laughs, startled by the outburst. “Seokjin’ll cook it for you, won’t he?”

“Or maybe you’ll just have to come back and eat it yourself,” Jungkook says, turning his attention back to Taehyung. He manages a smile and starts walking back to Taehyung.

Taehyung chuckles quietly and waits until Jungkook is at his side again before he responds. “Maybe I will.”

The waterpark is expectedly quiet and still when they reach it, and they waste no time in climbing down to the black steps. Jungkook stays quiet as Taehyung strips down to his underwear and instead gazes out over the city. He lowers his eyes and scuffs at the steps with his shoes and stuffs his hands in his pockets. Taehyung folds the clothes neatly and holds them out to Jungkook - then pauses.

“Jungkook-ah…”

Jungkook looks up. “Yeah, hyung?”

Taehyung stares at the clothes in his hands then at Jungkook’s shirt. “I…” He frowns then starts to grin, rectangular as always. “Come with me.”

“Wh-what?”

Taehyung licks his lips and starts to laugh. “Come with me - to my place. It’ll be fun! I can show you everything and - and - “ He pulls a face. “Fuck I’m going to have to figure out how to feed you… you eat sashimi right?”

“Hyung - “

“Fire and electricity don’t really agree with large amounts of water, y’know?” Taehyung scrunches his nose. “I’ll figure something out. Won’t let you starve - I promise.” He tucks Jungkook’s clothes under his arm. “So how about it?”

Jungkook gnaws at his lower lip. “How long until I can come home?”

“Oh. Um. Good question.” Taehyung looks over his shoulder at the river and starts muttering to himself, working out the maths. “A month…? At most.”

“A month? Hyung - “

Taehyung steps down a few more steps until the water bites at his toes. “It’s typhoon season soon so the currents and swells are all sorts of unpredictable - Japan protects Korea from the worst of it but it still makes it hard.” He squints up at Jungkook. “We could catch an earlier current but if it’s unsettled - I’m not swimming you into a typhoon, Kookie,” he says with a laugh. “It’s not as fun as it sounds. Trust me.”

And Jungkook wants to - God, he wants to if it means not losing Taehyung just yet - but there’s uni and - and he has a life here that he can’t just up and abandon for a month without a moment’s notice and - “I can’t, hyung,” Jungkook says, voice hoarse. “I’ve got - uni and shit.”

Taehyung averts his gaze and nods slowly. “Oh.” He manages a tightlipped smile. “You’re right, sorry, of course. Um.” He holds Jungkook’s clothes in his hands for a moment then holds them out. “Thanks for everything, Jungkook-ah,” he says quietly, not meeting Jungkook’s gaze.

Jungkook reaches out and takes the clothes, stares at them, then lifts his gaze to stare at Taehyung instead. “You’ll come back, yeah? After typhoon season?”

Taehyung’s smile eases a bit. “Of course, Jungkookie. Maybe not quite that soon, but I’ll let you know when I’m in the city.”

“No drowning in the river this time?”

Taehyung laughs and rakes his fingers through his hair. “Can’t make any promises.”

“Hyung - “

“My gills don’t glimmer,” Taehyung whines “And -“

“Your v-line isn’t sharp enough, I know,” Jungkook says. His fingers tighten around the bundle of clothes. “Swim safely, hyung.”

“What’s the fun in that?” Taehyung teases, stepping down another step. “I’ll catch you later, Jungkookie. Thank you for everything. Let me know how the fish tastes, yeah?”

“Yeah…” Jungkook murmurs, watching as Taehyung goes down another step, and another, and another, and now the water is coming up over Taehyung’s ankles and the sun is breaching the horizon and glancing off of Taehyung’s shoulders and Jungkook doesn’t want to have to eat a freezer full of fish all himself and he doesn’t want to have to wait at least a month before he gets to collapse on the couch next to Taehyung after a long day of uni and he doesn’t want to have to make the sad trip to an empty home with a bundle of clothes that smell of raw fish and the sea and Jungkook doesn’t want to have to say goodbye because what he really wants - what he really wants -

“Stay,” Jungkook blurts.

Taehyung startles, almost slipping over on the tiles, and looks at Jungkook with wide eyes. “What?”

“Stay.” Jungkook swallows, tightens his fingers on the clothes. “Stay here. Please. Just - just until your current comes through again.”

Taehyung rolls his lower lip between his teeth, brow furrowed. He looks between the water at his feet and Jungkook, then turns his head to see the sun climbing over the horizon.

“Please, hyung…” Jungkook says quietly.

“Ok…” Taehyung nods slowly. He reaches out and holds onto Jungkook’s forearms for balance as he steps back onto dry land and Jungkook shudders out a breath because that shouldn’t have been so easy, he shouldn’t feel so relieved, but it was, he does. Taehyung smiles softly at him and takes the clothes back. “Ok.”

They go home together in silence. At some point, Jungkook gets the courage to reach out and take Taehyung’s hand - and when he glances to check it’s ok, Taehyung’s head is bowed and he’s smiling at the pavement. Jungkook tightens his hold and doesn’t let go, even as he slides his key into the front door and -

He stops and turns to face Taehyung. “Thank you,” he says, clearing his throat. “For - for staying.”

Taehyung raises his brows and tilts his head. “Hmm? Oh.” He grins and shakes his fingers free of Jungkook’s so that he can move to open the door. “I was kinda hoping you would ask anyway, Jungkookie. I like - “

Jungkook doesn’t wait to hear the rest because he hasn’t gotten to kiss Taehyung since that drunken night in Sokcho and god does he want to because Taehyung wanted to stay as much as Jungkook wanted him to stay and the idiot was too much of an idiot to simply ask. So he takes Taehyung’s face in his hands and does just that.

Taehyung’s hand falls from the doorknob and Jungkook’s takes its place, opening the door and stumbling them inside. He kicks the door shut behind him and lets his hands find Taehyung’s waist, walks him backwards until the small of Taehyung’s back is hitting the kitchen bench and -

“Jungkook,” Taehyung breathes his name into his mouth and Jungkook swallows it down, strokes his tongue over the roof of Taehyung’s mouth and smoothes his thumb over his ribs. “Jungkook.”

“What?” Jungkook says between kisses. He presses one to Taehyung’s nose and then a quick one to his lips and - “If you wanted to stay you could have just asked.”

Taehyung laughs and moves forward for another kiss. His hands clench in the fabric of Jungkook’s shirt and pull him closer. “You make it sound so easy.”

“It is,” Jungkook murmurs. He takes Taehyung’s lower lip between his teeth and bites down gently. “So easy, hyung.”

Taehyung shudders out a breath, knees bumping against Jungkook’s until Jungkook works a knee between Taehyung’s thighs. Taehyung’s nails scratch over his nape and then his fingers are curled in Jungkook’s hair, pulling gently. Jungkook moves his mouth over Taehyung’s slowly, grazes his palms up under his shirt and over his sides and Taehyung sighs into his mouth, resting more of his weight against the kitchen counter.

Jungkook lifts him onto it and Taehyung grins, leaning down to kiss Jungkook again and again and again.

“It feels like drowning all over again,” Taehyung eventually says between gasps for air. They’re both panting, both shirtless, and Jungkook’s lungs are screaming as he dives in to kiss Taehyung again. Taehyung groans into his mouth, hands seeking out Jungkook’s before guiding them to his zipper and Jungkook’s heart leaps into his throat and Taehyung pushes forward, encouraging him. “But so much better, Jungkookie. So much better.”

“Fuck, Tae,” Jungkook mutters, making quick work on Taehyung’s pants. He presses one palm into the small of Taehyung’s back and cups the back of Taehyung’s head with the other, pulls him down into a kiss and eventually off of the counter. “The couch?” he asks between kisses.

Taehyung laughs breathily and nods. “Wherever, Jungkookie. I couldn’t care less.”

So Jungkook kisses him again, lays him down on the couch, and strips him down, then lets Taehyung do the same to him.

“So glad,” Jungkook pants, rolling his hips down against Taehyung’s and revelling in the way Taehyung’s breath cuts off in his throat. “So glad you stayed.” He drops his lips to Taehyung’s collarbones, mouths over them as his fingers explore Taehyung.

Taehyung breathes his name quietly, eyes fluttering closed - only to snap open when Jungkook swallows him down. “Fuck.”

Jungkook chuckles, loves the feel of Taehyung’s fingers wrapped tightly in his hair. “Careful, hyung,” he says, pulling back to press a kiss to Taehyung’s hip. “Don’t wanna be going bald.”

“No,” Taehyung agrees breathlessly, hips rolling slowly as Jungkook takes him in again. “Y-yes fuck Kook fuck.” Taehyung makes a strange noise from the back of his throat, back arching up from the couch, and Jungkook kisses his way back up Taehyung’s body.

He smirks at Taehyung, presses a kiss to his nose. “We’re only just beginning, hyung.”

Taehyung doesn’t say anything, just takes Jungkook’s hand and swallows his fingers. Jungkook falters, mouth dropping open as Taehyung licks each finger in turn, thoroughly coating them in saliva.

“I - I have lube,” Jungkook chokes out.

Taehyung grins at him, bites gently on Jungkook’s fingers, then releases them. “Who has time for that?”

Jungkook shakes his head, laughing, and leans down to kiss Taehyung. He slides the first finger home, catches Taehyung’s stuttered breath in his mouth and passes it back. He makes slow work on stretching Taehyung open, grins into the crook of his neck as Taehyung claws at his back, swearing at him to hurry up. Taehyung’s hips roll, back arching, mouth dropping open - he curls himself tightly around Jungkook, groans into his neck and buries his fingers in Jungkook’s hair again.

“Please,” Taehyung says at last, the word shaking out of him as it’s spoken into the junction of Jungkook’s neck. “Please Kook please I - “

Jungkook presses a kiss to the column of Taehyung’s throat, pulls his fingers out, then slides himself in slowly. Taehyung shakes against him, legs wrapping so tightly around Jungkook’s hips that it hurts. “Fuck, hyung,” Jungkook says, laughing breathily. He nudges at Taehyung, tries to get him to lift his head, but Taehyung shakes his head at him and holds on tighter.

“Move,” he tells Jungkook, pads of his fingers pressing into Jungkook’s shoulders. “Move, Kook.”

And so Jungkook does, slowly at first, until Taehyung is trembling against him, nails scratching over his back again, hips rolling to try seek more. Jungkook tangles his fingers in Taehyung’s hair and pulls his head back so that he can kiss him as he starts to snap his hips in earnest.

“Too long,” Taehyung tells him. “I waited too long for this.”

The admission makes arousal burn even hotter in Jungkook’s veins and he kisses Taehyung deeper, licking over his teeth and into the back of his mouth. The kiss turns messy quickly, a clash of tongues and teeth, and Taehyung isn’t all there, isn’t all with it, gasping out Jungkook’s name between breaths and -

Taehyung makes a strange noise, teeth clenching together and blocking out Jungkook’s tongue.

“Hyung?” Jungkook asks, shaking his hair out of his face. Taehyung is so tight around him - everywhere, absolutely fucking everywhere.

“Don’t stop,” Taehyung tells him, lips dropping to move over Jungkook’s shoulder. “Don’t stop don’t stop fuck don’t - “ Taehyung chokes out a breath and shudders against Jungkook, hips bucking. “Kook - “

Jungkook kisses him, sneaks a hand between them to take Taehyung in his hold and stroke him to completion. Taehyung sucks in a surprised breath, hips snapping into Jungkook’s hand.

“Fuck fuck fuck,” he breathes, tipping his head back against the couch. Jungkook snaps his hips faster and kisses over Taehyung’s chest. Taehyung shudders beneath him with each thrust, breath cutting off in his throat - and then he’s clenching around Jungkook and Jungkook sinks his teeth in at Taehyung’s shoulder, completely shocked and overcome by his orgasm.

He rides it out, hand stuttering over Taehyung’s length - until Taehyung sobs at him, and Jungkook pulls away, pulls out, and swallows Taehyung down.

Taehyung thrusts up into his mouth instinctively and Jungkook presses his hips down and Taehyung curses at him, body coiled tight, heels dragging over the couch desperately - then he’s tugging at Jungkook’s hair and pulling him up for a kiss and Jungkook takes over with his hand again and when Taehyung digs his nails in at Jungkook’s shoulders and tenses, Jungkook breathes into his mouth and guides him back from his high.

“Shit,” Taehyung says into his mouth, hands shaking as they smooth over Jungkook’s biceps. Taehyung swallows and uncoils from around Jungkook, trembling.

Jungkook laughs quietly and presses his lips to Taehyung’s forehead. “You ok?”

“Y-yeah,” Taehyung whispers, hands sliding over Jungkook’s rib cage.

“You’re shaking.”

Taehyung manages a laugh. “You fucking wound me up that much for that long you ass.”

Jungkook hides a grin in Taehyung’s hair. “Bath time?”

Taehyung is going lax beneath him. “Yeah,” he murmurs, exhaustion thickening his voice. “A bath sounds good…”

Taehyung starts to nod off in the bath. They’re curled up against one another’s side, heads knocked together. Jungkook plays with Taehyung’s fingers under the water, admires his tail, and listens to Taehyung’s quiet breathing.

“You know,” Jungkook says, tone teasing. “We can never have shower sex.”

Taehyung blinks awake. He examines Jungkook then rolls so he’s resting more on his back. He hums thoughtfully and his hands come up to wrap around his throat experimentally. “We could always wrap like a plastic bag or something around my throat. Stop my gills from getting wet.”

Jungkook snorts then tips his head back against the bath’s edge and laughs.

The next three weeks tick away between time spent kissing Taehyung whenever given the chance and time spent sneaking down to the river for nightly swims and time spent between the sheets, Taehyung sighing into his mouth so nicely, hips rolling to meet Jungkook’s thrusts, lips working around Jungkook’s name in between quiet breaths.

“You’re addictive,” Jungkook tells him one night, kissing over Taehyung’s bare sweaty chest.

Taehyung chuckles beneath him and cracks a tired eye open. “I think we’re just making up for lost time.”

Jungkook hides a smirk against Taehyung’s rib cage. He kisses the lowest rung. “That too.”

Taehyung tilts his head and gazes at Jungkook. “I like kissing you, Jungkook-ah…”

“Yeah?” Jungkook rests his chin on Taehyung’s chest and blinks up at him. “That’s good.”

“C’mere,” Taehyung murmurs, hands sliding over the mattress before they’re smoothing over Jungkook’s shoulders and guiding him up. Taehyung slides their mouths together slowly, licks over Jungkook’s mouth lazily. Jungkook lets him control the kiss, feel his insides twist as Taehyung moves his mouth over his. Fingers slide into his hair and scratch over his scalp and Jungkook opens his mouth wider, lets Taehyung kiss him deeper, despite the burn in his lungs and the ache in his arms from holding his weight up.

“Those mermaid kisses don’t work up here, do they?” Jungkook asks between kisses.

“What do you mean?” Taehyung asks, palms ghosting over Jungkook’s spine.

“Well kissing you would be a lot more fun if there wasn’t that whole ‘breathing’ thing to worry about.” Jungkook grins down at Taehyung and when Taehyung starts to laugh, Jungkook leans down and swallows the sound and lets it warm his chest from the inside out.

Jungkook gets off the subway and heads for the river to meet Taehyung as planned. The afternoon sun is bright and fierce and Jungkook uses his hand to shield his eyes. He dodges a bunch of high school girls and looks at a food vendor, considering surprising Taehyung with squid - but then decides he isn’t in the mood to deal with Taehyung bitching about all the missing ‘good bits’.

Shaking his head, Jungkook finally makes it to the footpath and he heads for the steps. Taehyung likes the water park, likes sliding over the black tiles, ever careful not to tumble in. Jungkook’s reflexes have sharpened considering how many damn times he’s had to reach out and latch onto Taehyung’s collar and reign him back in before he hits the water with a splash.

Music sounds from the river and Jungkook turns his head towards it, waiting to see a passing boat. The song curls inside his mind, thickening his thoughts until Jungkook comes to a stop, lips parted, muscles lax. He stares at the water. The music - it’s nice. He - he wants to hear more.

He makes his way off the path, stumbles more than once. There’s laughter in his ears and a silhouette in the afternoon sun, standing on an outstretch not too far away. The person waves Jungkook over and Jungkook follows, follows the song, the laughter. When he’s close enough he can see there’s two girls, one standing behind the other. They smile at him and link hands, then gesture for him to follow.

He lets out a shaky breath and does so.

“Jungkookie! Hey, I thought we were meeting at the steps. What are you doing here?”

Jungkook’s head twitches, instincts telling him to turn to the voice - but there’s that music again and more giggling and - and - and - Jungkook sighs.

The voice calls his name again, sharper. “Jungkook. Jungkook what are you doing? Stop - stop listening to them.”

Jungkook thinks he maybe knows that voice but - he looks down. Delicate fingers curl around his wrist and when he looks up again, there’s one of the girls smiling shyly at him with big doe eyes.

“Hi…”

She giggles and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Hi,” she sings.

“Jungkook get away from her.”

“What’s your name?” Her hands slide over his shoulders and she guides him over to the water.

“Get the fuck away from him Jungkook don’t -“

“I - “ Jungkook licks his lips and stares at her mouth. “I -“

“Don’t remember?” she coos. “That’s ok. I can help you figure it out.”

Her voice slithers into his brain like wisps of smoke until it’s all Jungkook can hear, all he can think about, all - the girl is ripped away from him by some guy who - who - Jungkook frowns. He knows that guy. Why does - they’re fighting, raking at each other with claws. The guy tosses her over his shoulder and slams her to the ground and looks to Jungkook.

“Kookie you need to - “ He breaks off, hissing when -

“Hey.” Jungkook turns to the new voice. The other girl is smiling at him. There’s a splash and Jungkook tries to turn to look but she catches his cheek and keeps his gaze on her. And he doesn’t mind. She’s pretty to look at. “Don’t pay them any attention,” she murmurs. She reaches up and pushes his hair out of his face. “Just listen to me.”

“The music…”

“It’s pretty, isn’t it?”

Jungkook nods dumbly and follows the girl. She climbs over the railing, sits atop it for a moment to smile back at him, then climbs down on to the rocks below.

“Are you coming?”

Jungkook nods, hands sliding over the railing. He wraps his fingers around it, grabs purchase. She hops down to the water’s edge and then turns to gaze up at him, smiling.

“Come on then.”

Jungkook looks at the railing beneath his hands. He wants to follow her and her pretty music. He should. He should follow her and her pretty music.

“Jungkook get away from the - “

There’s hands on his shoulders and a railing pressed up against his hips and rocks down below - familiar rocks with a pretty creature laughing and calling to him and Jungkook -

“Fuck fuck - fuck it.”

And Jungkook’s going over the railing.

He hits the water hard and it’s enough to shock him into - into common sense and awareness and his eyes widen and he kicks for the surface and breaks it with a gasp for air. Taehyung isn’t far from him, scales glimmering over his cheek.

“Jungkook - “

Hands come up around Taehyung’s shoulders and something very human-like but very much not human appears out of the water behind Taehyung, gnashing its teeth and hissing.

“Taehyung!”

Jungkook tries to swim to him - but there’s a hand on his wrist demanding attention and Jungkook turns and - there’s a pretty creature smiling up at him from under the water and Jungkook relaxes, muscles going slack. The creature giggles and surfaces enough so that large brown eyes can blink at him.

Jungkook exhales quietly.

The creature wraps gentle fingers around Jungkook’s wrist and cocks its head, telling him to follow. He can hear noise behind him, shouting and screeching and an abhorrent amount of splashing, but the creature coos to him and swims him away from it all and he - he would follow it anywhere, will follow it anywhere.

“You’re pretty…” he murmurs.

A coy smile is sent his way and he can hear that music again, coiling inside his mind and brushing gently over the walls of his skull and -

“Jungkook!”

Jungkook frowns, tries to turn towards the voice because he thinks he maybe knows that voice, but the creature demands his attention once more and the sound of the city, of the scuffle behind him, fades away - until the creature bares its teeth and hisses and Jungkook is ripped away from it and - Taehyung flashes past him and Jungkook shakes his head and - when the fuck did he end up so far out in the river?

Panic starts to build in his chest. Taehyung gets his hands around the creature’s throat and they both disappear under. Jungkook kicks away from them, arms dragging at the water desperately. He looks in the direction of the shore then flips around to face it - a hand wraps around his ankle and he’s pulled under. His breath leaves him in a surge of bubbles and he finds himself staring into narrowed eyes and a wide mouth full of sharp teeth and the thing fucking screeches at him.

Jungkook slams his foot into the creature’s face, forces it to let go at the same time Taehyung wrenches the thing back and away. He kicks his legs quickly and heads for the surface. He comes up with a loud gasp for air and puts space between him and -

“Jungkook!”

Jungkook looks back to see Taehyung fighting off long claws targeted at his eyes. There’s blood on his collarbones and a nasty set of scratches on his cheek.

“Jungkook, get to shore! Get out of the water!”

“Taehyung -”

“I’m fine just go get to the rocks get - “ Taehyung is dragged under.

“Taehyung!” Jungkook starts to swim for him but Taehyung reappears and shouts for him to hurry up and get out of the river. Jungkook hesitates then heads for shore.

He checks back over his shoulder routinely, watches Taehyung fight off the two creatures. Their skin is blue-grey, their eyes black, their teeth and nails sharp. They look like the type of mermaids that belong in horror films and nightmares. Taehyung gets his hands around one - and the other latches onto Taehyung from behind and sinks its teeth into his shoulder.

Taehyung cries out and Jungkook’s heart leaps into his throat and what is he doing he should be helping and -

“No Kook keep going keep going,” Taehyung says before he’s disappearing beneath the water again.

Jungkook swears to himself and swims faster and soon he’s at the rocks and he’s climbing up them with shaky legs and hauling himself back over the railing and trying to piece it all together and - that song, that music. He searches quickly for Taehyung, sees him holding himself up out of the water, baring his teeth with eyes narrowed and fists clenched as the creatures swim off, giving up the fight.

Jungkook breathes and crouches, hugging himself to try stop from shivering and what the fuck were those? “Fuck,” he breathes, burying his face in his knees. He stands again and shakes his head and pushes his hair from his face with trembling hands. That sound - their singing - what? What? “Fuck.”

By now Taehyung is nearly at the rocks and he calls out. “It’s ok, Jungkookie,” he says, voice hoarse. “They’re gone.”

And Jungkook stares at him and - and starts piecing it together and - he back away from the railing, away from Taehyung.

Taehyung reaches the rocks and anchors onto them with shaking arms. His chest heaves and he looks up at Jungkook, face twisted with concern. “Jungkookie? You ok?”

“They - they’re - the music -”

“Sirens,” Taehyung tells him, wincing as he examines his tail. “It’s what they do. They sing to humans, put them under their - their love spell, I guess, and then… well, you know,” Taehyung finishes quietly.

“Their love spell…?” Jungkook murmurs, feeling dizzy and dazed and -

“Yeah.”

“Can you do that?” Jungkook demands suddenly, and Taehyung blinks up at him, surprised. “Can you sing like that, spell someone like that?”

Taehyung frowns. “They’re - they’re sirens, Kook. I’m merpeople.”

“Can you do that?”

Taehyung shies away a bit but nods. “Yes,” he says quietly. “Not - not like they can. It’s not as strong but - but I can.”

Jungkook releases a terrified breath and twists his fingers into his hair. Oh God. “And have you?”

“What? Jungkook - “

“Have you done it?” Jungkook yells. He rubs a hand over his mouth and falls back a step, almost trips over the shirt Taehyung had been wearing.

Taehyung is tightlipped, eyes wide, jaw tense. He nods. “Yeah.”

“To me?”

“Jungkook I know what you’re thinking and - “

“Just answer the question,” Jungkook says weakly. “Just answer it, hyung.”

Taehyung curls a protective hand over the bite on his shoulder. “…Yes,” he says at last.

“Oh God.” Jungkook presses his hands to his eyes, remembers telling Taehyung he’s addictive. “Fuck.”

“But it’s not like you think!” Taehyung says quickly, and when Jungkook looks, Taehyung is trying to pull himself up the rocks with tired shaking arms and smarting injuries and - “I never - never sung to you and -“

“I don’t care,” Jungkook tells him, retreating a few more steps. “I don’t fucking care.”

“No Kookie please - “

“How do I know anything is real anymore, hyung?”

“It is it is,” Taehyung tells him, wincing as he slices his palm open on a sharp rock. “The river - when I was in trouble - I called out to - to anyone and you - you happened to hear and so - “

“You spelled me,” Jungkook says, nodding as it all starts to click. “You spelled me.”

“No I swear I didn’t Jungkook please please where are - where are you going?”

Jungkook can’t look at him, can’t look at anything, can’t focus, can’t - “I need - I need - “ He does look at Taehyung, looks at the desperation twisting his face, at the blood running down his bare chest, at the teeth marks in his shoulder, and - “I can’t.”

“No, Jungkook, please.”

He shakes his head and turns his back to Taehyung.

“Jungkook! Jungkook, wait!”

Jungkook walks away.

As soon as he gets home, Jungkook changes into something dry, books a bus ticket to Busan, sends a text to his parents to say he’ll be coming to visit for a few days, and starts to cram a bunch of clothes into a bag. He’s just fetching his wallet and keys from the kitchen bench when Taehyung makes it home.

“Jungkookie,” Taehyung says, relief leaking into his voice.

Jungkook - Jungkook’s pretty sure Taehyung must be hurting real bad and - and his heart hurts because of it but - he looks away, away from the bloody scratches on Taehyung’s cheek and the blood soaking into the t-shirt he’s wearing and the tremble in his fingers and the exhaustion painting shadows on his skin and the hopeful smile on his face, and instead does one final check that he has everything.

“I’m heading home for a few days.”

“Home?”

“To my parents’.” Jungkook looks at Taehyung and watches his smile melt away into confusion and defeat.

“Oh. Do they - do they live in the city?”

“Busan.”

Taehyung purses his lips and nods his head.

Jungkook tightens his fingers around his bag then swings it onto his shoulder. “I need to figure things out,” he says bluntly. He loops his keys over his thumb. “You’re fine to stay here. There’s money on the counter and the hyungs’ numbers are written down next to the landline”

Taehyung averts his gaze, one arm coming up to wrap around himself, and nods again.

Jungkook moves past him and opens the door. “Bye, hyung.” He steals once last look at Taehyung, soaking wet and shivering in the middle of the entranceway, and closes the door.

Taehyung towels off and changes into warm dry clothes, puts on a load of washing, then moves back into the main room and - stands there, fingers twisted in the hem of his shirt, lip caught between his teeth, heart lodged in his throat. He swallows and scans the apartment.

Ok.

Ok.

He’ll - he’ll hang the washing when it’s dry and - and the recycling probably needs to be sorted and - and the dishes need to be washed and -

Taehyung nods to himself and swallows around the lump in his throat (he’s still positive it’s his heart because it hurts) and gets to work.

Taehyung keeps the box full of recyclables tucked under his arm and sets down the bag of trash so that he can reach into his back pocket and pull out the key for the bin room. He slides it into the lock, opens the door, and kicks the bag of the trash against the door to keep it in place.

The room is dark and dusty and Taehyung feels over the wall for the light switch - and it’s blown. Of course it is.

Taehyung sighs and moves over to the recycling bins, starts sorting through the trash like he saw Jungkook do and - he stops and turns the empty box of frozen fish fingers over in his hands. He swallows and flattens it, then chucks it in the appropriate bin and moves to the next -

The trash bag falls over and the door slams shut. The room plunges into darkness and Taehyung blinks, wide eyed.

“Shit.” He stands quickly to check his pockets. There’s no key, no key, no key. “Shit shit shit.” He crams his fingers right into his pockets, praying that - there’s nothing. It’s in the door god it’s in the door the one goddamn thing Jungkook warned him about and Taehyung - Taehyung fucked up. He’s fucked up again.

Taehyung bites his lip and looks in the direction of the closed door. Panic twists around his throat and lungs and he cards his fingers into his hair. “Shit.”

Jungkook locks himself in his old bedroom for three days and drowns himself in his studies. He dodges any and all questions his parents have, ignores the calls from his brother, and blocks any and all thoughts of Taehyung. And it works - for the most part. But Jungkook finds himself zoned out and staring at the wall, thinking about mermaids and sirens and a rectangular grin full of sharp teeth, far too many times.

“Fuck,” Jungkook mutters, dropping his head into his hands. He stares at the textbook page in front of him, tries to read over the paragraphs and make sense of them but - “fuck.” Jungkook closes his eyes and gives up.

His phone vibrates on the desk and he cracks an eye open, checking the ID. Jimin.

He hesitates - then reaches out, answers, and switches it to speakerphone. “Hey, hyung.”

“Kookie, hey.” Jimin is outside, no doubt on campus. “You weren’t in class today.”

“Yeah.”

“You haven’t been at all this week. Everything ok?”

Jungkook massages at his temples and flips a page. “Yeah. I’m at home.”

“Want me to come round?”

“What? Oh, no.” Jungkook digs his knuckles into his eyes. “I mean home as in my parents’ place.”

Jimin laughs, startled. “You booked it down to Busan and didn’t invite me? Rude. Taehyung with you? Bet he loves the beaches.”

“Uh - uh no, hyung. Tae’s - Tae’s still in Seoul.”

There’s silence on the other end of the line for a moment. “I’m confused. You’re in Busan and he’s in your apartment. Here?”

“Yeah.”

“The fuck? Why didn’t you take him with you?”

Jungkook sighs. “I needed to clear my head, hyung. He - there were these sirens and - “ And Jungkook tells Jimin everything and Jimin listens dutifully, silent for the most part except for the occasional hum and ‘yeah’ encouraging him to go on - and by the time he’s finished, Jungkook feels oddly breathless and - light. He feels light. And -

“Jungkook,” Jimin says slowly.

Jungkook winces because he thinks he knows what’s coming next. “Yeah, hyung?”

“You’re an idiot, you know that?”

And stupid. Jungkook is beginning to feel stupid. He sighs and drops his head to the desk. “Yeah I - I think I’m coming to that realisation.” Because now that he’s talked about it, gotten it all off his chest, he’s starting to - process it properly and - and rationalise and -

And Jimin helps by starting to list it all off. “All right, the sirens sing and Taehyung said he’s never sung to you, so, y’know, there’s that.”

“He said he’d spelled me. He said -” Jungkook cuts off because - because Taehyung didn’t really say much of anything because Jungkook retreated (see: ran away) before he gave him the proper chance.

Jimin laughs. “Jungkookie, I don’t think anyone drowning in the middle of the Han River, mermaid or siren or human, would have time to - well to sing, for one. And then spell you, or whatever. He already told you he was panicked and calling out for anyone -”

“I know,” Jungkook murmurs. “I just happened to hear him…”

“And to add to all of that,” Jimin says. “The moment you hit the water, the sirens spell broke, yeah?”

“Yeah it - it broke a few times. Or weakened? I dunno.”

“Dude, Taehyung said merpeople aren’t as good at it as sirens, and if a siren’s spell broke that easily then - “

Jungkook sighs and closes his eyes. Then there’s no way Taehyung’s spell lasted this long unless he spelled him multiple times and that would require singing and Taehyung’s never sung to him. Fuck. He turns his head away from his phone and cushions his cheek on his textbook. “Hyung…”

“Yeah, Kook?”

“I’m an idiot.”

Jimin laughs.

“Stop,” Jungkook whines. “It’s not funny. What do I do?”

“It’s easy, Kookie,” Jimin says through more laughter. “You fucking go home and you fucking talk to him.”

Jungkook catches a bus from Busan to Seoul that evening. He sleeps for most it, better than he’s slept the whole time he was at his parents. Even on the subway to his apartment, he finds himself trying to nod off and almost misses his transfer.

There’s mail waiting for him when he gets back. He rubs at his eye as he unlocks the box and pulls everything out. A small ziplock bag with a key grabs his attention. He turns the key over - it’s definitely his. His apartment number is engraved into it and the only key with the engraving is - Jungkook’s eyes widen and he slings his bag to the ground, then pulls out the neatly folded note from his landlord and scans it quickly.

And then he’s shoving everything back into the mailbox but for the key and he’s kicking his bag aside - later later later he can come back for it later - and he’s forgoing the elevator and pushing open the door to the emergency stairs and sprinting down to the parking garage and then he’s bolting across its polished cement floor and using shaking fingers to unlock the bin room and -

There’s no one in there. Jungkook pockets the key and steps inside, chest heaving. His manager said someone found it in the door but maybe - maybe Taehyung didn’t lock himself in. Maybe he just forgot to take the key back upstairs with him. Maybe he’s fine. And maybe Jungkook is overreacting.

Jungkook sighs and runs a hand through his hair, making to leave - when he spots drag marks on the ground from where someone has moved the skip and - and there’s an air vent back there, Jungkook thinks numbly, with a fan to stop the room from smelling. He rushes over to it, ramming his hip on one of the recycling bins as he does and -

“Taehyung.”

Taehyung is crumpled behind it, face turned towards the air vent. Jungkook drops down beside him, hand immediately coming up to hover in front of Taehyung’s mouth - and he lets out a shaky relieved breath when he feels weak puffs of air against his fingers. Taehyung’s chest struggles up and down and there’s no colour to be found in him and when Jungkook feels his skin it’s dry and papery and his scales, as colourless as the rest of him, are present and they’re flaking and -

“God, hyung,” Jungkook says, pushing Taehyung’s hair back from his face over and over as he takes in the sunken cheeks and shadowed eyes and - “Why’d you - why’d you come back here no one - no one could see you I don’t - how long have you - “ Jungkook breaks off. “Doesn’t matter,” he tells himself, voice thick as he starts to manoeuvre Taehyung so that he can get him up onto his back. Taehyung is deadweight, limbs hanging limply once Jungkook finally gets him onto his back. He stands with a grunt, hand coming out to balance himself against the wall. He can hear each shallow breath wheezing in and out of Taehyung’s lungs and he cringes, feels guilt crawl up the back of his throat - he shakes his head and swallows it back down. “Doesn’t matter now. Let’s get you upstairs, hyung.”

Jungkook sits Taehyung down against the edge of the tub then starts to fill it. He strips Taehyung down to his underwear, hands shaking as he runs his touch over chalky, pale skin. Taehyung’s chest is still marred with scratches and the ring of teethmarks on his shoulder is painful to look at. He puts his palm over Taehyung’s heart, feels the mad desperate fluttering as his chest struggles up and down.

“Fuck, Tae,” Jungkook whispers, throat tight. He swallows and bites at his lower lip, smoothing his hand up over collarbones and around a shoulder until he can cup Taehyung’s nape. “I’m so sorry. So, so sorry.” He glances at the tub. The water is high enough. “But it’s ok. You’re gonna be ok now.” He stands, gets his arms under Taehyung’s again, and gets him to his feet. “Let’s get you in.”

It takes some careful manoeuvring but Jungkook gets Taehyung into the water. It’s anything but a perfect fit and Jungkook has to pull carefully on Taehyung’s legs until his head is slipping under - and then Jungkook waits, breath held in the cavity of his chest and the hollow of his cheeks.

Finally, it happens. A flurry of bubbles starts at Taehyung’s hips and surges to where Taehyung’s legs break the surface of the water. His tail appears first, then the shimmer of scales and the sheen of his gills and Taehyung inhales deeply, back arching away from the bottom of the tub and head tipping back.

Jungkook releases his breath shakily.

Panic hits Taehyung violently. His tail thrashes up out of the water, spraying the shit everywhere and thoroughly soaking Jungkook, before it slams back down and Taehyung lurches his upper half out of the water with a terrified intake of air. He chokes on it, hair hanging in his eyes, water running down the planes of his face and his chest. His tail keeps thrashing and his fingers slide noisily over the ceramic tub and Jungkook calls his name, tries to reach out and calm him, but panic and terror gives Taehyung strength and he latches onto Jungkook and then Jungkook is tumbling into the bath with him.

Jungkook groans, everything aching as bone hits tub. He manages to free a hand from Taehyung’s grip and rearranges himself, pulling his legs into the tub so that he’s lying alongside Taehyung. “Taehyung,” he says, shaking water out of his face. “Taehyung, Taehyung, it’s ok. You’re ok.”

Taehyung plunges his head back under and keeps it there, eyes shut tight. Jungkook can feel his chest shaking as he cries.

“Shh,” he says, readjusting so he can sit up some more. He slips his free hand into the water and threads his fingers into Taehyung’s hair. The strands are thick and twist around his fingers. “You’re ok,” he murmurs, scratching his nails gently over Taehyung’s scalp. “You’re ok…”

Taehyung clenches his hands in Jungkook’s shirt and pulls him down under the water with him. He kisses him, pries Jungkook’s lips and teeth open with his tongue, and sobs a breath into Jungkook’s mouth. Jungkook swallows it down, exhales a mouthful of bubbles, and inhales.

“You’re ok,” he whispers into the water, brushing his nose past Taehyung’s. “I’m here, Tae. You’re ok.”

Taehyung nods jerkily, eyes still shut tight, chest still heaving with sobs. He wriggles to the side, makes room for Jungkook to lay more comfortably beside him. Jungkook drapes an arm over Taehyung’s chest, presses his lips to Taehyung’s temple, and waits for the tears stop.

Jungkook sits Taehyung down on the edge of the bath and wraps a towel around his shoulders and dumps another on his head. Taehyung’s head droops forward and Jungkook is careful to keep a firm hand on Taehyung’s nape lest he try tumbling back into the bath.

“Hey, hyung, just a little longer,” Jungkook says, rubbing the towel over Taehyung’s hair.

“‘M so tired, Kookie…”

Jungkook swallows and nods. “I know, hyung,” he whispers. He clears his throat, moves his hand from Taehyung’s nape to his chest, and focuses on drying Taehyung off. Every time he blinks he can see Taehyung lying on that damned floor, can see him crying under the surface of the water, can picture the absolute terror on his face when Jungkook tried to get him out of the tub moments before.

Taehyung’s breath hiccups in his chest and he rubs the back of his wrist over his eyes. “You came back.”

“Yeah, hyung.”

“Did you -“ Taehyung’s eyes have closed and he frowns to himself, rocking forward into the support of Jungkook’s hand. “Did you figure things - things out?”

Jungkook listens to Taehyung’s words slur together as he fights off his exhaustion. “Yeah, hyung.” Jungkook pulls the towel from Taehyung’s head and uses his fingers to comb his damp hair. He swallows as he smooths the strands into place. “I’m sorry, hyung,” he whispers.

Taehyung blinks his eyes open and stares at his lap. “Hmm?”

“I was so stupid, hyung. So fucking stupid.”

Taehyung lifts his head. “Jungkook-ah…”

Jungkook cups Taehyung’s face and kisses him, works his lips and teeth open with a gentle tongue and makes slow work on the inside of Taehyung’s mouth. He lets him taste the sourness of his guilt and the bitterness of his anxiety, and then apologises for it with strokes of his tongue. Taehyung hums quietly and Jungkook kisses him slowly, deeply, moves his mouth over Taehyung’s lazily. Taehyung shudders out a breath and pulls their mouths apart to tap their foreheads together.

“Bed?” Jungkook murmurs.

Taehyung hums, rocking forward so that his head rests in the crook of Jungkook’s neck.

Jungkook wraps an arm around Taehyung’s shoulders and gets him to his feet, takes as much of his weight as he can, and leads him to bed. He sets Taehyung down on the mattress and Taehyung rolls across the bed to make room for Jungkook. Jungkook gets out of his wet clothes, quickly towels himself off, and climbs in next to Taehyung.

“You good, hyung?” he asks, finding Taehyung’s hand under the covers. He slides a leg between Taehyung’s and presses their foreheads together.

“‘M so tired, Kookie…” Taehyung murmurs, eyes closed.

Jungkook blinks at the repetition and pushes his free hand through Taehyung’s hair. “I know, hyung,” he whispers. “I know.”

Jungkook wakes to a dead arm. He grimaces and pulls his arm free of Taehyung, then shakes it, trying to get blood flow back. Taehyung sleeps on, deep inside a recuperative slumber. Jungkook traces over his cheek and jaw with his thumb, then holds the back of his fingers to Taehyung’s mouth and feels each deep breath that passes his lips.

It takes some effort, but eventually he convinces himself to get out of bed. He runs downstairs to fetch his bag and gets himself ready for uni. He checks in on Taehyung one last time, grins at the sight of him tangled in bedsheets, face tilted away from the morning light, and finally leaves for class.

He expects Taehyung to still be passed out when he returns three hours later, but instead Taehyung is - Taehyung is…

Jungkook frowns and dumps his shit next to the kitchen bench. “What are you doing?”

Taehyung holds his breath in his cheeks and cocks his head. “Cooking.” He stabs at the fish with a spatula. “I think.”

Jungkook laughs and joins Taehyung by the stove. “Really?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung offers him a confused look. “This is what Seokjin does, right? But I don’t think anything’s happening,” and at that, Taehyung gives the fish a good few irritated slaps with the spatula.

“Hyung,” Jungkook whispers, leaning in to knock his head against Taehyung’s.

Taehyung pouts and jerks his head away. “What?”

Jungkook grins, reaches down, and turns the stove on. Blue flames lick at the underside of the frying pan and Taehyung’s eyes go wide. “Cooking needs heat.”

“The fuck? I thought it was on!” Taehyung starts to prod at the fish experimentally. Soon there’s a sizzling sound and Taehyung grins. “How was class?”

“Good,” Jungkook murmurs, gaze steadfast on Taehyung. He watches the scratches on his cheek stretch and flex as he moves his mouth and Jungkook licks his lips, guilt sour in his gut. “Hey, hyung - “

“Fuck, it’s stuck.” Taehyung says suddenly.

“What?”

“The fish is stuck,” Taehyung whines. “This is hard.”

Jungkook stares at him, at his pout, at his furrowed brow, at the fear still painted into the edges of his features, at the sleep still clinging to him, ready to drag him back down into its depths. He wraps his fingers around Taehyung’s elbow and calls for his attention.

“What?”

“C’mere,” Jungkook murmurs, pulling Taehyung away from the stove. He can feel exhaustion on every inch of Taehyung, can see it leaking from him, and Jungkook wonders why Taehyung isn’t passed out in bed still, why he’s bothering to try cook the fish for Jungkook (because Taehyung would much rather eat it raw as has been learnt time and time again), why he’s not angry - because surely he must be angry. He - he has to be. He - Jungkook swallows, takes Taehyung’s face into his hands. He rubs his thumbs over the hollows of Taehyung’s cheeks, tries to bring colour to them, then pays attention to the shadows under Taehyung’s eyes.

“Jungkookie,” Taehyung says, trying to pull free. “The fish - lemme - “

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook whispers, tapping his forehead to Taehyung’s and closing his eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

Taehyung’s fingers squeeze his and he’s still for a moment. He pulls away and Jungkook lets him, watches as he tries to busy himself with unsticking the fish from the pan and  - “You came back,” Taehyung tells him, voice hoarse. “That’s what matters.”

“Hyung….” Jungkook exhales quietly and tilts his head, fingers smoothing over the inside of Taehyung’s wrist as he continues to watch. This is a conversation that clearly needs to be had but not now, when Taehyung is still so weary and rattled. Instead, for now, Jungkook starts to grin. “Guess what?”

Taehyung side-eyes him suspiciously, still poking and prodding at the fish. “What?”

Jungkook’s grin widens. “There’s a Little Mermaid Two.”

Taehyung is silent, brow furrowed as he regards Jungkook, spatula still against the fish. “Get fucked,” he says at last.

“Nuh. They’ve got a daughter now, apparently.”

“I swear to fucking God Jeon Jungkook if she’s as fucking dumb as her parents I’ll - “

Laughter bubbling up out of him, Jungkook takes Taehyung’s face in his hands and kisses him. Taehyung grumbles into his mouth but eventually abandons the spatula and fish altogether. Jungkook weaves his fingers into Taehyung’s hair and bands a tight arm around his waist and holds him close.

Taehyung tastes of sea spray and forgiveness.