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Jungkook glares at the man in front of him. The sun is hot on his shoulders, the air salty. Before him stands a smelly dirty pirate he can’t bother learning the name of. Jungkook doesn’t look away and the pirate scoffs.
“Are you threatening me, kid?” he laughs and Jungkook grips the handle of his sword tighter, the weight of it a comforting reminder that he isn’t defenceless.
“I said to hand over the fairy,” Jungkook repeats calmly, motioning with his head to the glass jar the pirate holds in his left hand.
“This thing?” he says mockingly, shaking the jar and causing the poor little fairy to bump harshly against the glass. Jungkook’s frown deepens and he raises his sword a tad more. “Is it really worth losing your life to?” the pirate laughs.
“I won’t be the one losing,” Jungkook says, eyes focused on the fairy who’s got big sparkly tears cascading down his cheeks and who holds his head in his hands.
“Ha! You’re really overestimating yourself, kid,” the pirate laughs harshly, a nasty sound that makes Jungkook cringe.
They stand right on the edge of the forest at the shore. Right where the ground starts becoming more dirt than sand and the palm trees turn to heavy foliaged trees.
Jungkook had planted a fake treasure, a small chest filled with fruits, shells, and shiny rocks for fairies to find. The small curious creatures are great seekers, which is why it isn’t uncommon for pirates to be accompanied by them. Fairies are loyal and trusting, and maybe a little dumb. It pains Jungkook to see such pure creatures be abused and mistreated by people like the brute in front of him, who think they have the right to own them simply because they’re small.
“Jungkook,” Yoongi warns quietly from where he is leisurely sitting off to the side. He can see the way the younger’s face reddens with frustration and if he lets his temper get the best of him things could get unnecessarily messy. Jungkook glances at his second in command and then at Namjoon, who stands next to him with his hand on the handle of his knife at his hip. He takes a short breath and attempts to calm his pounding heart before he speaks again.
“Let him go,” he says with finality in his tone. The other pirate smirks before shaking the jar once more, pained little cries reaching Jungkook’s ears immediately.
Jungkook doesn’t hesitate anymore. With a swift merciless motion, he swipes his sword and cuts at the pirate’s wrist. With a loud scream, the jar falls from his grip and Jungkook is fast to catch it before the glass hits the ground and shatters. He holds the jar close to his chest and lifts his sword with his other hand once more.
“Go away! There's nothing for you here,” he tells the pirate, who holds his bleeding wrist with nothing but hatred in his eyes.
“You brat!” He yells, ready to attack Jungkook before a member of his crew stops him with a hand on his shoulder.
“It’s not worth it, captain,” he says fearfully and the captain goes to reprimand him when Yoongi finally gets on his feet to stand alongside Jungkook.
The rival pirate’s crew is small and weak. They’ve already taken a step back, surely able to feel and see the contained darkness around Yoongi, sensing what it could do if it were to be set free and knowing they wouldn’t stand a chance against it.
“Fine!” The pirate spits, retreating with his crowd. “You freaks can keep the fairy, it’s useless anyway,” he laughs, an ugly unnerving sound before turning away and running back to their ship. Jungkook, Namjoon, and Yoongi watch them carefully until they’re far enough away that they wouldn’t be able to try anything stupid and then turn away in the direction of the forest.
“I could handle him. I was being super intimidating,” Jungkook pouts, putting away his sword at his hip and playfully glaring at Yoongi.
“You sure were, kiddo,” Yoongi smiles, ruffling Jungkook’s hair affectionately. “He was already terrified of you. All I did was give your spook factor the last push.”
Jungkook rolls his eyes and laughs, shoving Yoongi away lightly. Jungkook is taller than his hyung, as well as physically stronger, but he’s nowhere near as frightening as Yoongi naturally is. He was born cursed, by a dark magic that seeps from his every pore and swims behind his eyes. Yoongi was an outcast from birth, abandoned to survive on his own and unable to control his power. Until one day Jungkook ran straight into him. The younger one was also an orphan, with a wooden sword, a mischievous little smile, and more than a hint of determination. He had in his arms a bag of apples and an angry vendor yelled after him, “pirate!”
Jungkook looked so proud and Yoongi felt so comforted when the strange kid grabbed his hand and pulled him along to run away and out of the town. Jungkook had shared his treasure and invited Yoongi to join his crew. Yoongi had nothing, no family, no friends, no food. Jungkook didn’t have much, but he was more than willing to share. Of course, Yoongi stayed because besides the friendly smile there was also a complete lack of fear in Jungkook’s eyes, a fact that remained no matter how many times Yoongi accidentally hurt him when they practised for him to use his powers at will. Jungkook was never scared and Yoongi felt right at home.
Namjoon came along later. By then Yoongi had learnt to control his darkness and Jungkook had somehow found them a tiny little boat to sail the seas in. Namjoon wasn’t an outcast, nor was he an orphan. He came from a good family who simply thought he was a little confused. Because Namjoon had always dreamt of the sea, of adventures and the moon, and never of things like money or status. He met Jungkook at a bar when the young captain was more than a little drunk and had been talking Namjoon’s ear off about poison apples for the last hour.
“You should come with us,” Jungkook had said, completely out of the blue when Yoongi tried to pull him away for the millionth time. “Adventure awaits,” he’d smiled before falling limp in Yoongi’s arms, effectively forcing his grumbling hyung to carry him.
“We’ll leave tomorrow morning at sunrise-” Yoongi glances at Jungkook and shakes his head. “Actually, just at some point before sundown. You can come to find us at the pier,” he’d said simply. No smile or question, just an open invitation that left Namjoon breathless and ready to leave that second. He talked to his parents that night, an argument like many others they’d had in the past but this time he wasn’t willing to back down. He left everything, the wealth, the power, the status, to his younger sister and packed his bags. Namjoon found them in the morning and, as the businessman he was at heart, he got them a much better, bigger, newer boat before sailing. Namjoon wasn’t an outcast when they met him, but by the time he left the whole town assumed he’d gone mad.
Then there was Hoseok, who worked as a dancer in a filthy little club but who was also an experienced pickpocketer. Namjoon, who’d had valuables taken from his pockets one too many times, met Hoseok with a firm hand on his wrist while the other’s dainty fingers wore Jungkook’s rings.
“I don’t believe those belong to you,” Namjoon had said and Hoseok swore he’d be dead before his next breath because trying to steal from pirates had been a terrible idea and he knew it. But when Jungkook had skipped over happily and with a “oh your ring is so pretty, I have one just like that!” Hoseok knew he’d be fine. And he was because as much as Namjoon wanted Jungkook to be even just a little upset about being robbed the younger really didn’t mind.
“It’s what he needs to do,” Jungkook shrugged and then Yoongi came along, a little red-faced and giddy from the alcohol.
“You should come with us, an angel shouldn’t be trapped in such an awful place,” he’d slurred. And Hoseok, who was warm, bubbly, lured people in with his beauty and smile, and certainly did look like an angel, was immediately convinced by the one member of Jungkook’s crew that was closest to being a spawn of the devil.
Taehyung is the final member of Jungkook’s crew to date. He wasn’t an orphan per se, he was raised by wolves and acted more like an animal than a boy. Taehyung has pointy ears at the top of his head and a fluffy brown tail at the base of his back. His story is a mystery and his existence a little bizarre. But Jungkook recognized his thirst for more despite his lack of words. And Taehyung took a liking to him and his crew immediately. He parted from his pack and followed Jungkook back to the ship on all fours. Taehyung howls at the moon, the growls more than speaks when he’s angry, he wags his tail when Yoongi scratches behind his ears, and he can smell food a mile away without much effort.
With nowhere else to go, not like any of them would rather be anywhere else, they became like family. But even between the laughs and long conversations, they can all tell something is still missing.
Now they get back to the cave, where Taehyung waits for them sat like a dog and wagging his tail.
“Any fairies?” He asks cheerfully, sniffing the air for hints.
“No. Just some asshole pirates,” Jungkook frowns.
“Maybe we’re too close to the beach. This island is too small. We should sail west, we might find fairies if we move closer to the mermaids’ lagoon,” Hoseok suggests. The messiness of his hair suggests Taehyung had been trying to lick him clean once again.
“Maybe,” Namjoon muses with a smile, he retrieves a brush from his bag and hands it to Hoseok, who takes it with relief. Taehyung frowns, so with a sigh Yoongi walks over and lets the wolf groom his hair and cheeks instead.
“Let’s do that then. But let me help this poor little thing out first,” Jungkook says, clutching the jar with the fairy inside and turning to walk out of the cave.
He sits on the side of the cave entrance on a soft patch of grass and twists the lid of the jar open with some effort. Jungkook tilts the jar slowly until the fairy slides out gently onto the grass.
“Are you alright?” He asks with concern and a tilt of his head. The fairy fixes his hair and clothes and then rubs at his eyes. Jungkook watches him carefully. He’s so pretty, so small, sparkly, and delicate. A precious boy he’d without a doubt try to kiss if they’d met under different circumstances. He knows all fairies are pretty but this one is stunning. Jungkook would even bet his left arm that this one is the most beautiful one there is.
“Thank you,” the fairy nods, looking up at Jungkook with his cheeks pink. “I was- it was very scary being with that man.”
“I’m sure it was,” Jungkook nods, frowning when the fairy tries to get up and stumbles back on his butt. “Hold on, you must be hungry,” he urges the fairy to stay seated with a slight nudge with his finger and then whistles. “Tae, bring me some fruits!”
A moment later Taehyung scrambles out of the cave with a handful of fruits from their chest and hands them over, staring at the fairy with fascination. He falls to his knees and leans on his hands to get a closer look. The fairy eyes him strangely and moves away a tiny bit.
“Careful, he’s weak,” Jungkook warns, holding Taehyung back by the collar of his shirt.
“Pretty,” Taehyung mutters before there’s another whistle coming from inside the cave and he hurries back in to his hyungs.
Jungkook hands the fairy some fruits and watches with satisfaction how he quickly finishes the piece and with a stretch of his arms asks for another one. Jungkook hands him a grape this time and eats one himself with a smile.
“Better?” He asks and the fairy nods enthusiastically. He gets back on his feet without any trouble and stretches his arms above his head with a pleased groan. “I’m Jungkook,” he says and the fairy returns his smile with a wide friendly one.
“I’m Jimin!”
“That’s a pretty name,” Jungkook says without thinking and Jimin blushes all the way to the tips of his fingers.
“Thank you,” he says with a giggle and flutters his wings. The smile falls from Jungkook’s lips and he now understands why Jimin hadn’t run away before. Fairies are fast, if they’d had the chance any other fairy could’ve easily escaped from the nasty pirate. Jimin couldn’t, because his wings are broken. The right one is completely missing the top half, and his left one is bent at the tip and missing little bits all around the edges. Jimin can’t fly. “Hmm?” Jimin frowns at Jungkook’s change of expression. He flutters his wings again and glances behind him. “Oh,” he says, folding his wings to tuck at his back again. “Right… I'm useless.”
“What?” Jungkook frowns surprised and then shakes his head. “No, you’re not,” he offers his hand and Jimin moves to sit on his open palm.
“I can’t fly. He made me useless,” Jimin insists with a pout and lots of tears falling down his cheeks.
“He didn’t make you anything,” Jungkook says, holding Jimin up to his face. “You’re not useless. You’re just different and you’ve been hurt. But it’s alright, we’re all different. As long as you’re with me, I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he promises. Jimin nods, drying his tears with his hands and then crawling closer to Jungkook’s face. The fairy presses a soft kiss to the tip of Jungkook’s nose and leans against his face.
“You promise?” Jimin asks, careful because he’s been promised the world before only for it all to be lies. But Jungkook seems sincere and no one’s ever been willing to fight for him like this pirate has already done.
“I promise,” Jungkook smiles and moves Jimin to sit on his shoulder. “Let’s go find some fairies, maybe they’ll know how to help you with your wings.”
Jungkook returns to the cave and his friends smile at the fairy sitting on his shoulder. They don’t ask why Jimin isn’t flying and don’t question Jungkook when he tells them they should head to the mermaid’s lagoon.
Any and all questions wait until dinner time back on the ship. They’re all sad to see Jimin’s broken wings but happy to have him on board and hopeful other fairies might know how to help him. Jimin sits closest to Jungkook at the table as they eat, as far away from Yoongi and Taehyung as possible.
“Stop staring, you’re scaring him,” Namjoon scolds, lightly hitting Taehyung on the top of his head with a rolled-up map.
“He’s pretty,” Taehyung mumbles, averting his gaze from the fairy.
“I know he is but we’ve talked about this Tae,” Namjoon shakes his head.
“They’re not going to hurt you,” Jungkook whispers to Jimin. “We’ve just been looking for a fairy to join our crew for a while now and Taehyung’s never seen one up close.”
Jimin nods warily and Hoseok decides to change the topic to the mermaids instead. It’ll be a three-day journey to the island where their lagoon is. A long and tiring journey under the hot sun. But mermaids are always fun to be around. Sure, they like to flirt and they can be clingy but they don’t judge anyone and can switch their personalities to your liking which makes them great conversationalists.
“Are you excited to see your boyfriend?” Hoseok asks Namjoon with a wiggle of his eyebrows and a nudge to the other pirate with his elbow.
“Oh, Hobi stop. He’s not my boyfriend I just like talking to him,” Namjoon says with a blush on his cheeks, one hand petting a still pouting Taehyung.
“Sure,” Yoongi chuckles, “and Jungkook is only keeping Jimin close because he’s a good man.”
“Hey! I am a good man!”
“Come on, you all like the mermaids! Why am I always the only one getting teased?”
“Boohoo, like you didn’t tease me and Hobi non-stop when we first met him,” Yoongi rolls his eyes and they all laugh when Namjoon says nothing.
Jimin sleeps with Jungkook that night, snuggled up on the edge of the pillow, well-fed and happy. Calmer than he’s been in months, finally feeling safe. Jungkook gently nudges him awake in the morning and Jimin follows his every move as he gets ready.
“Are you ready for your first day as a pirate?” Jungkook asks and Jimin nods enthusiastically with a wide smile.
“Ready!”
from then on Jimin is almost always with Jungkook. Sitting on his shoulder, on top of his head, or in his pocket. But he quickly grows fond of the rest of the crew. Surprisingly most of Taehyung. He likes riding on his head when the wolf has too much energy and just needs to run a few laps around the ship, much to Yoongi’s annoyance coincidentally while he’s in the middle of mopping.
—
“Where did you catch that pet of yours?” The man sitting across from Jungkook, with whom he’s trying to strike a deal to let them sail away from the island, says pointing straight at Jimin. Jungkook frowns, signing the contract and sliding it the man’s way.
“He came to me,” he lies. The man scoffs.
“Bullshit. Fairies don’t willingly go to pirates anymore.”
“Maybe they would. If you weren’t such an ugly, filthy fuck,” Jungkook smiles, getting on his feet.
“You cocky brat,” the man growls, slamming his jug of beer on the table, causing everything else on the surface to rattle. The glass doesn’t break, but beer gets everywhere, including the contract.
“Jungkook,” Hoseok says from behind him, not as a suggestion or a warning, serious like an order. Jungkook might be the captain, and no one in his crew has ever questioned his leadership, whatever he says goes, but they’re all his hyungs and he respects them. They’ve all gone through different experiences, they’ve lived more things than he has and he trusts their judgement. So Jungkook listens, and with a curt nod, he turns away to follow Hoseok out the door.
“Fucking, fairy whore,” the man mumbles behind him and Jungkook snaps. In an instant, he’s turned around again and thrown his dagger at him. The blade would have hit him right in the neck. If it had reached him the man would be dead already but instead, it floats in place barely grazing his adam’s apple. The whole room is silent as they stare at the scene. Jungkook clears his throat and walks confidently like this is something he’s done a million times. He grabs the blade and as soon as his hand is around it the weight of it falls on his palm, no longer floating. Jungkook pushes the tip of the blade just slightly into the man’s neck, not cutting, just adding more pressure.
“Do not ever talk about him like that again, understood?” Jungkook asks darkly. The man is sweating buckets as he nods, and makes no attempt to chase after Jungkook and Hoseok once they finally leave the building.
“You dummy, if that hadn’t been so impressive you would’ve gotten us in so much trouble!” Hoseok laughs, taking Jungkook’s hand and pulling him towards their ship where the rest of the boys are waiting. “You should really be careful around people like him. Didn’t you see how much negotiating I had to do to convince him to let us through? We’ll have to be careful if we come around these waters again, in case he still wants a fight,” Jungkook nods but he’s not really listening, still amazed by what happened. Jimin sits on his shoulder, lightly pulling on the hair at the base of his neck so as to not fall off.
“Great job, Jimin. Jungkook woke up with a death wish apparently, thank you for stopping him,” Hoseok says and Jimin blushes, pressing further against Jungkook to hide his face.
“Is it done? They moved their ships. Why did you take so long? Are you hurt?” Yoongi bombards them with questions once they board the ship, looking over each of them carefully.
“We’re fine, Yoongi. He was just really stubborn and Jungkookie wasn’t helping,” Hoseok tells him, which earns him a glare from Yoongi.
“How many times do we have to tell you to listen to your hyungs?” Namjoon says while Taehyung comes to sniff all over Jungkook while wagging his tail.
“I’m sorry! He was insulting Jimin. But it was fine, okay? We’re fine, we can go,” Jungkook whines, not wanting his hyung to scold him.
“He tried to kill the guy. But Jimin stopped him,” Hoseok lets them know because apparently, he likes to make Jungkook suffer. So while Namjoon navigates the ship Jungkook tells him what happened and then spends the rest of the evening trapped in a lecture about self-control. Jimin listens attentively from his shoulder until he gets bored and, lucky him, gets to wander off to look for Taehyung.
The fairy is still afraid of Yoongi, but his aversion is mostly just a natural reaction to the man’s dark aura. Jimin likes him fine enough but he prefers to avoid him, or at least he used to until this very night. Jungkook is tossing in his sleep and mumbling more than usual, they’ll be arriving at the mermaids’ island by tomorrow morning so the crew was more excited than usual when they went to bed. Jimin pouted and crossed his arms over his chest, jealous. Why is Jungkook so excited to see the mermaids when he’s right here? He’s a cool magic being, and a good listener too!
Jimin carefully climbs down the bed and wiggles his way out the room through the gap at the bottom of the door. Jungkook is none the wiser as the fairy explores the quiet ship in the company of the moon.
“Oh, shoot! I almost didn’t see you there,” Yoongi exclaims, stepping right next to Jimin. The fairy jumps, turning around quickly, surprised he hadn’t felt the man get so close.
“It’s okay,” Jimin says but a shiver runs down his spine and he takes another step back to put the smallest amount of distance between them.
“It’s my turn on the wheel, if you’re having trouble sleeping you can come to hang out with me,” Yoongi offers, already walking away. Jimin stays where he stands for a moment weighing his options before deciding to follow after Yoongi. There is nothing else for him to do anyway.
Jimin climbs up the stairs with some struggle, he can jump high enough to reach the next step but then has to pull himself up and by the time he gets to the top he’s exhausted. Yoongi holds the wheel and looks up at the stars, he looks tired but calm and the darkness in him is being held at bay so Jimin steps closer.
“Hey,” Yoongi smiles when he looks down to find the fairy at his feet. “Here,” he bends down to offer his hand and it takes Jimin a second to convince himself to climb on it and let Yoongi bring him up. They’re both careful with their movements, watchful of each other’s reactions. Yoongi sets the fairy down at the top of the wheel, he won’t need to turn it for now so Jimin shouldn’t be at risk of getting knocked over.
They stay in silence for a bit, just looking at the stars and enjoying the soft sound of the waves crashing against the ship. The night is warm and the moon is high up in the sky.
“Are you planning to join us? Forever, I mean,” Yoongi says and Jimin turns to look at him. “I’m not saying I don’t want you to or anything like that. I would honestly like you to… But, I’m just wondering because- well, because Jungkook clearly wants you to stay. And-and it’s fine if you don’t! I don’t know, I’m just worried about him,” the longer Yoongi speaks the more he stumbles over his words and the messier the darkness flowing from him gets. He stops, realising he’s getting worked up. He takes a deep breath and then starts counting down from 10. “Sorry,” he says, calmer now.
“I want to stay,” Jimin says confidently. “With Jungkook, with you and everyone else. I know my wings can’t be fixed, and I don’t think I’ll fit in with the other fairies anymore because of it. So-, so I’d rather stay! Because you’re all really nice and fun and don’t mind me being useless.”
“Alright. This crew always has space for one more friend,” Yoongi smiles sincerely, “and you’re not useless, Jimin. You’re just different. We all are. I’m sorry for the whole cursed aura thing, by the way, I know it’s uncomfortable to get used to. I’m still learning to live with it too.” Yoongi apologizes, scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. Jimin decides he likes him a little bit more now.
“Why are you worried about Jungkook?” Jimin asks, shifting to sit cross-legged. Yoongi sighs.
“He’s just had a bit of a hard life. He copes with it by pretending everything is cool and fantastic but he’s a sensitive boy. And I think you fairies like that, but he can also come off as a bit intense sometimes. He just feels a lot,” Yoongi explains and Jimin nods.
“I won’t hurt him. I really love him!” Jimin says and Yoongi chuckles, a little bit of disbelief in his expression but he nods and they let that conversation end there.
—
Jimin is tired the next day. He sleeps in the pocket of Jungkook’s shirt while they lower the anchor, as they make their way to the shore and then into the forest to the lagoon. Jimin only wakes up when the front of Jungkook’s shirt gets splashed and drenched in water.
The fairy gasps, startled rudely out of a very pleasant dream. He takes a moment to fully wake up and then stands up to peek outside the pocket and glare up at Jungkook. The human doesn’t notice, too concerned with splashing back the giggling mermaid that leans on a rock nearby.
“It’s cold,” Jimin complains but Jungkook is laughing loudly so he doesn’t hear him. The fairy huffs in frustration and climbs out of Jungkook’s pocket and to the ground. He stomps away around the edge of the lagoon until he reaches Namjoon, who sits on a rock with his feet in the water, a male mermaid in the water listens attentively to him talk about the art pieces he bought a month ago at a port. Unlike Jungkook, Namjoon does notice the fairy. With his eyebrows scrunched in concern, he leans over to offer Jimin his hand and bring him to sit next to him on the rock.
“What’s wrong?” Namjoon asks him, noticing his soaked state.
“Jungkook’s ignoring me,” Jimin grumbles and the concern in Namjoon’s face softens.
“Oh,” he says, trying hard not to laugh. “Well, you can hang out with us instead. Jimin, this is Jin. Jin, this is Jimin, our newest crew member.”
“Ah! Your boyfriend?” Jimin asks innocently and Namjoon whines.
“No, Jimin not you too!” Seokjin laughs from the water and Jimin smiles at the mermaid. Jin seems nicer than the one Jungkook was messing around with, but Jimin accepts he might be biased by his jealousy. Still, he’s certain Seokjin is prettier.
“Your boyfriend isn’t paying attention to you?” Jin asks, climbing a little on the rock to be closer to the fairy.
“No,” Jimin sighs sadly and dramatically and this time Namjoon does chuckle.
“But you’re so pretty,” Seokjin says and Jimin nods enthusiastically.
“Yeah! Prettier than the silly mermaids. Oh! Except for you, you're pretty too,” Jimin blushes and Seokjin’s smile widens. “But it’s probably because I’m so small! He can’t see me!” He whines, kicking his feet a bit. Seokjin and Namjoon chuckle but give him sincere smiles.
“I know a place you can make a wish,” Jin says a bit later, once Jimin’s wings have dried and he is having too much fun with his hyungs to think about Jungkook.
“A wish?” Jimin asks.
“Yes. But just one, and it always comes with a twist.”
“What kind of twist?”
“It depends on what you wish for.”
Jimin kicks his feet and thinks for a moment about what he’d wish for. Jungkook comes back to his mind and he hums under his breath, his little heart pounding in his chest at the thought of kissing him.
“You could wish to have your wings fixed,” Namjoon says, gently nudging the fairy with one of his fingers. Jimin’s eyes widen. He flutters his wings, the obvious feeling of aching incompleteness making his eyes water. He frowns, twisting his fingers on his lap as he contemplates his options.
“I can take you,” Seokjin smiles, reaching his hand out for Jimin to climb onto. “It’s a lot faster to get there swimming.”
Jimin ends up sitting on Jin’s head, holding onto some soft strands of his hair while he swims.
“Have you wished for anything?” Jimin asks as they make their way through a long river bordered by large trees, still unsure of what he should wish for.
“Yeah. And it didn’t go as I expected it to,” Seokjin sighs with a slight shake of his head. Jimin stays quiet, waiting to see if the mermaid will want to elaborate. Seokjin does, because Jimin is willing to listen and he knows the fairy wouldn’t make fun of him for his mistake. “It was a long time ago. I asked to have legs. So that I could follow someone I thought loved me. Turns out I was wrong, she really only liked me because I was a mermaid and wasn’t interested in… well in me. But it happens every night now, and I still don’t know how to swim with human legs so I’m constantly at risk of drowning,” he laughs by the end and Jimin smiles. The fairy leans forward and shifts until he comes to lay on top of Seokjin’s head.
“You should come with us,” he says with a little nod.
“With you?”
“Yeah! I know Namjoon would like it if you did, he never shuts up about you. The rest of the guys adore you too and honestly, I get it now! I think you’d fit right in, we’re all a little broken,” he kicks his feet in the air and Seokjin hums in response, appreciative of the heartfelt offer.
They reach a clear pool. It’s naturally separated from the path of the river, it looks deep, the bottom impossible to see with the darkness that seems to stretch infinitely below. The water is completely still, undisturbed even by the breeze. Jimin steps to the edge of the water, staring down at his reflection in the large mirror of fresh water. He contemplates his options once again, the ability to fly again, to be welcomed by his fellow fairies, or the chance to be with Jungkook, to touch him and hold him and show him what love means to him.
He takes a long moment, lost in the consequences each decision would bring. Until finally, he takes a deep breath and walks inside the pool, certain he’s made the right choice.
—
“What? What do you mean he left ?” Jungkook asks loudly, heavy worry settling on the pit of his stomach.
“Relax. He’s with Jin,” Namjoon says dismissively, not moving from where he is laying on the soft grass with his arm over his eyes.
“Where? Where did they go? Why?” Jungkook is pacing and Namjoon lifts his arm just a bit to look at the concerned captain.
“Fairies need lots of attention, Jungkookie. You weren’t giving Jimin any so he came looking for us.” Jungkook bites his lip and stomps his feet a little more as he keeps going back and forth all around Namjoon. “They should be back soon, please stop going in circles you’re going to make me dizzy,” the elder complains but Jungkook ignores him. Namjoon sighs, deciding it’s not worth arguing when the younger one is so anxious. They wait for a while, until the sun has set and Jungkook is just about ready to sprint into the forest to somehow find Jimin himself. But then there’s rusting from among the tall grass and he stops dead in his tracks when two figures step out from among the bushes.
“Jimin?” he asks quietly, doubtful, breathless.
“Yeah, he’s a fairy, you need to tell him he is cute every couple of minutes or he’ll get sick,” Namjoon answers, thinking they’re going back to that conversation.
“Jimin?” Jungkook says again, a bit louder this time before he is sprinting in the direction of the treeline and Namjoon quickly sits up, startled.
Jimin walks out of the forest, with Seokjin’s arm around his neck as he helps him keep stable. Jungkook promptly ignores the mermaid who now has legs in favour of pulling a full-sized Jimin in for the tightest hug of their lives.
“What happened? Where were you? What-? What is going on?” Jungkook can hardly think, overwhelmed with happiness and confusion and just so much tender love. Jimin giggles, returning the hug just as tightly. He can feel his eyes watering as he buries his face in the crook of Jungkook’s neck and takes in the wonderful feeling of his arms around his waist.
“What?” Jungkook asks again because he can’t think of a more coherent or elaborated question. He pulls away to hold Jimin’s face in his hands and takes a closer look at him. Jungkook is smiling, big, bright, and uncontrollably. Jimin giggles again, flushing under the intense attention, the careful scrutiny with which Jungkook takes in the sight of him.
Unable to hold back his affection any longer Jungkook leans in to press kisses all over Jimin’s red cheeks. “You’re so pretty,” he says, “so beautiful up close.”
Jimin is a mess of breathy laughs and glassy eyes. He lets Jungkook kiss and squeeze until the pirate is satisfied and certain this is real.
“How did this happen?” Jungkook asks in a hushed whisper, almost afraid that if he keeps questioning it he will cause the magic to break.
“I made a wish! Like Jin-hyung, I traded a part of me to change for a little bit,” Jimin bounces on his heels with a small smile.
“A part of you?” Jungkook asks, a little frightened.
“Mhm, just my wings. It feels weird not to feel them on my back,” he murmurs and Jungkook kisses his cheek once more. “But it’ll only last until sunrise,” Jimin pouts dramatically and Jungkook shakes his head with a little scrunch of his nose.
“I’ll treasure every second,” Jungkook’s arms wrap around Jimin’s waist instead and he lifts the fairy off the ground.
Namjoon carries Seokjin back to the ship, the mermaid doesn’t know how to use his human legs properly and the pirate crew finds that immensely endearing. Jungkook holds Jimin’s hand, having completely forgotten about the other mermaids and anything that isn’t the wonderful fairy skipping next to him.
“So you could’ve wished for anything you wanted?” Jungkook asks. They’re laying on his bed then, pressed close, limbs tangled, the door to his chamber closed and the rocking of the sea almost lulling him to sleep.
Jimin hums, moving even closer to press a kiss on Jungkook’s jaw.
“What about your wings?”
“The only thing I wanted was to be with you,” Jimin answers with a smile. “I love you,” he murmurs and it’s Jungkook’s turn to blush bright red and stutter.
“I love you too,” he replied earnestly, shifting on the bed to lean over Jimin and look down at him. He takes another long look at the fairy, certain he’ll never have enough of him. “I’m going to kiss you,” he whispers.
“Please,” Jimin says, just as quietly.
Their lips meet in a soft and tender kiss. Jimin tastes of something sweet, something fresh. And the rum they’d used to toast in celebration of a new crew member still sits heavy on Jungkook’s tongue.
They kiss, gently and lovingly until Jungkook hits the back of his head and pulls away with a confused sound. “What?” He exclaims, letting go of Jimin and causing him to fall back on the bed with a squeal. “Oh lord,” Jungkook is pressed to the ceiling, floating in the air like he’s flying.
Jimin covers his mouth in surprise, then lets out a laugh when Jungkook looks down at him in shock.
“Don’t laugh!” he says while chuckling. “Why am I flying?”
“Because I love you!”
“Um, I mean I love you too but, what does that have to do with this?” Jimin smiles, offering Jungkook his hand and pulling him down.
“Relax,” he says and Jungkook does, finally coming back down to the bed.
“Fairies need two things in order to fly: wings and magic. I lent you my magic so it seems like humans only need one of those things.”
When Jimin is back to his small size in the morning neither is disappointed. Jungkook thinks he is precious as a little fairy. He likes keeping him close and with Jimin tiny enough to fit in his pockets what more could he as for? Besides, the magic works every night, and they can share kisses and cuddles and soft caresses until the sun rises again.
While Jungkook gets better at flying Seokjin gets better at walking, slowly but surely he gets more confident until he can run well enough to chase Taehyung around the ship. During the day he swims alongside the ship or further ahead, and is able to warn them of any trouble that might be waiting for them.
They feel complete, falling into habits and routines that just seem to fall into place and flow like the waves of the sea.
“I’m so happy you’re in my life,” Jungkook says, looking over the horizon at the approaching sunset.
“I think we were always meant to find each other,” Jimin smiles, right as the sun disappears and presses a loving kiss to Jungkook’s cheek. “You’ve always been destined for greatness, captain.”