Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Whoever came up with the notion that supernatural creatures like vampires must have fascinating lives would be devastated to know the truth.

If one needed to be more descriptive of the situation; Taehyung stared at the ceiling and periodically scrolled through Twitter in hopes of beating the absolute boredom he was in. Next to him, Jimin was doing the exact same thing. Neither of them had spoken a word in hours. They just kind of hoped something interesting would materialize from thin air.

They didn’t get to play with Hoseok since he was watching over Jungkook. It wasn’t like Taehyung was upset, this was literally Hoseok’s job, but Hoseok didn’t want them too close to Jungkook in case he had a nightmare and hurt them.

Jungkook had a lot of nightmares, some of them violent, but Taehyung didn’t think Jungkook would hurt them.

Hoseok was usually never this strict, so they dutifully stayed away from Jungkook.

So, here they were, bored.

It didn’t help that even Jimin wasn’t doing anything interesting. He wasn’t even kissing Taehyung!

Noooo, Jimin was lying right next to him staring at the same ceiling and not entertaining Taehyung. Honestly, it was very rude. That was like Jimin’s number one most important duty in his life.

Taehyung plopped his phone carelessly next to him. He stretched his arms above his head, a small grunt squeaked out of him as his back arched off of the bed before dropping himself back down. He turned on his side to stare unblinkingly at Jimin who was staring unblinkingly at the ceiling.

It was unfair how beautiful Jimin was. The easy curve of his nose, the plump lips. The line between his brows was messing it up. Taehyung didn’t like that small line. It only appeared when Jimin was thinking too hard on something.

“Jimin-ah… what’cha thinking about?”

Jimin’s lips parted silently for a moment before he answered.

“Han-chool.”

Ah… ah.

“Ah.”

“Sorry.”

Taehyung frowned, “No, don’t be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about.”

Jimin turned on his side to lay facing towards Taehyung, mirroring him, and the two of them completed each other.

To say that the topic of their sire was a sore spot would be a severe understatement. It was a complicated burden they had to carry and neither knew how to really handle such a weight. Either they spoke about him in hushed fleeting moments or they spent hours going on about it.

It wasn’t easy to talk about. Neither of them ever knew how to start, where to start…

Their sire was killed and they were dating the man who killed him.

How do you talk about that?

They didn’t, most of the time.

In moments like these they didn’t get much of a choice of ignoring their past.

Taehyung remembered cuddling with Han-chool when he was first turned, scared and confused and latching onto his sire with all his strength. He remembered how Han-chool would play with his hair every time Taehyung fled to him scared, how he pressed kisses to his forehead and said everything would be fine.

Han-chool had been the only person Taehyung had seen during his first week as a little fledgling. Day in and day out, Han-chool had been with him to help him through the process. Taehyung had been very sick during his last days as a human and it made him a weakly vampling that Han-chool doted on relentlessly.

Taehyung remembered being lonely.

Han-chool had been with him whenever he could but he’d been a busy man and work didn’t stop for fresh fledglings and their sires. Han-chool had done what he could to ignore his responsibilities and the time spent with him was the best but it had always ended. More often than not Taehyung had wandered the long, empty hallways of Han-chool’s mansion in hopes of finding someone other than the staff who always ushered him back to his nest. It had seemed to Taehyung that no one wanted him to be seen if Han-chool wasn’t personally chaperoning him around his house.

So Taehyung had stayed in his room, in his nest, and counted minutes until his sire came back to him. Hours were too long and Han-chool wasn’t with him enough.

Taehyung remembered meeting Jimin.

Beautiful, beautiful Jimin illuminated by the pale moonlight lying in their sire’s bed. His hair had been a halo around his face, his pouty lips parted in his state of half-asleep. If Taehyung closed his eyes now he could take himself back to that singular moment where the universe had paused long enough for Taehyung to witness Park Jimin for the first time.

That giant mansion wasn’t so lonely suddenly. Just a single Park Jimin was enough to fill it with life.

A single Park Jimin was enough to breathe life back into Kim Taehyung.

Sure, Jimin had tried to kill Taehyung but honestly that was on Taehyung for scaring him. Jimin hadn’t even known Taehyung was living in the mansion – that’s how separated and lonely it had been. The two of them had lived in the same house for weeks without knowing of each other’s existence.

Two hours after Taehyung saw Jimin and Jimin tried to kill Taehyung, they had been sneaking around in the hallways carrying pieces of Taehyung’s nest to Jimin’s room. They hadn’t been very sneaky, all jittery new-born energy and no grace, and they’d been caught by the very disgruntled staff.

Han-chool never gave them a straight answer on why he never told either of them about the existence of the other beside some off-handed comment about how he considered they could have been a potential danger to each other but he was more than happy to oblige to their demands to be allowed together.

From that point on Taehyung and Jimin had been attached at the hips. Rarely had been there a moment where they weren’t together. Han-chool even fed the two of them at the same time despite how it would tire him.

All in all… Jimin and Taehyung had had their own little world inside the walls of Han-chool’s mansion.

No one ever prepared you for the pure, horrifying loneliness that came with being a vampire. No one could prepare you for losing everything you ever knew in one swift bite of fangs. One moment Taehyung had had a family, a home, a life; the next he had nothing.

All Taehyung had had, after, was Han-chool and Jimin.

Then, all he had as Jimin.

They didn’t talk about Han-chool in this coven unless Jimin or Taehyung initiated the conversation. It was better this way, Jimin and Taehyung preferred it this way. Sometimes Taehyung clung to Seokjin weeping with an unbearable sadness that he couldn’t understand. Sometimes Jimin hid under the beds in a fearful trance, waiting for the wrong sire to bring him a sense of safety.

Sometimes… sometimes they did talk about it.

Seokjin didn’t kill Han-chool out of a personal vendetta. It was an execution, not a murder. And they had known even back then that their loving sire wasn’t all that good of a person.

They never knew of his plans. Han-chool kept that part of his life – honestly, ninety-five percent of his life – hidden from them. If Taehyung was being honest, he wasn’t sure if he would have done anything if he had known of his plans. Could he have?

What could he have done? Would he have stood by Han-chool’s side while he committed war crimes in his quest for power or would he have opposed his sire?

Taehyung didn’t know. Taehyung wouldn’t know, anyway. That’s not what happened and it would never happen.

Han-chool left for work one regular day and didn’t come back for a week.

At the end of the week, Taehyung and Jimin woke up to the sounds of staff running amok in the mansion, ransacking and fleeing with whatever they could carry.

At the end of the week, Kim Seokjin was at their door.

It was only then did Taehyung and Jimin understood what the sudden, bottomless empty feeling in their core meant.

The connection between a sire and a fledgling was more physical than one would imagine and its lack of presence wasn’t something you could ignore. Once, Taehyung could walk completely blind in any direction and know that he would find his sire. Now…

The tether was cut. It led to nowhere. The emptiness it created couldn’t be filled with anything.

The Kim Coven was made of incredible people that Taehyung loved more than anything but it didn’t change the fact that, at the end of the day, none of them were their sires. There was nothing to be done about it. They couldn’t take away the lingering cold of losing a sire. It was physical, it was always there. It wasn’t something Taehyung could ignore or forget.

“It sucks.” Jimin said finally when the silence filled too much.

“It sucks a lot.” Taehyung agreed.

They couldn’t say anything more than that because they didn’t know how to. They didn’t know what to say. Nothing helped with the pain of losing a sire.

Taehyung wished Jungkook never learned that pain.

He gingerly lifted a hand to trace his fingertips across the soft fat of Jimin’s cheeks. Jimin’s eyes fluttered shut with a gentle sort of hum and relaxed into the mattress.

“Jungkookie will be fine.” Taehyung said. He didn’t know how he was so sure but he was. Jungkook would be okay, eventually.

When Jimin opened his eyes there was something pained in them, in how he furrowed his brows together.

“Do you – do you think –“ Jimin cut himself off. Taehyung kept tracing his fingers over his cheek. When Jimin opened his mouth again, he was speaking in a hushed tone. “Do you think this is because of us?”

“No.” Taehyung was quick to shut that thought down, his voice coming out firmer than he expected it to be. “No, it’s not.” He said and this time he pulled Jimin into his arms. “We didn’t even know Sangwook. We never met. We never knew Jungkookie either. And how could he have known that Jungkook would survive what he did and end up with us? No. No it wasn’t our fault.”

It couldn’t be. Taehyung hadn’t even known about the existence of Han-chool’s older fledglings until weeks later and even then he’d only met one. Hell, if it came out of that the older fledglings in question never even existed then Taehyung wouldn’t be shocked.

Taehyung never met Sangwook. He knew Jimin didn’t either. They had no connections to Jungkook prior to all this.

Jimin relaxed a little in Taehyung’s arms and gave a small nod in agreement.

“I just don’t want Jungkook-ah to hurt anymore.” Jimin mumbled.

Taehyung made a face, “Yeah… yeah, neither do I.”

It was hell whenever Jungkook woke up screaming and thrashing. Taehyung understood why they weren’t allowed to be with him but he hated it. He hated waiting out the bedroom listening Jungkook banshee scream in absolute terror, he hated being unable to help.

Those moments when it was deemed safe enough for Jimin and Taehyung to be with Jungkook were a relief to Taehyung’s damned soul. They never lasted long enough but Taehyung soaked up what limited time they had with a peaceful Jungkook.

It’s why Taehyung was annoyed that he was here with Jimin instead of being cuddling with Jungkook. Jungkook had been asleep for a good while now but Hoseok hadn’t called for them, meaning they couldn’t go in there. It was bullshit. How badly could Jungkook hurt them? He was injured in practically all parts of his body and could barely sit up straight.

They should be with Jungkook. Like when they were bats. It had calmed Jungkook down, it was helping, and Taehyung knew it.

“No one’s called for him.”

Taehyung kissed the top of Jimin’s head. It smelled of strawberries.

“His neighbor knows he’s fine.” Taehyung tried.

“Not what I mean.”

Taehyung sighed. “No… I know.”

No one had called for Jungkook. No one had searched for him. Jungkook had no one looking for him. No friends, no co-workers, no family. No one had tried calling Jungkook’s phone. No one had gone to the police.

Jeon Jungkook disappeared off the face of earth and no one cared.

Jeon Jungkook died and had no family to mourn him.

During his last year as a human, Taehyung had been alive enough to be slowly dying by a disease that no doctor could cure. Taehyung remembered travelling from hospital to hospital, weak and hurting but surrounded by his family through every step. He remembered the washed out brown headscarf his mother wore, he remembered the once-blue button up shirt his father had, and he remembered how they held his hands every time the doctors came with needles, injections, or bad news.

They stood by him as his health deteriorated rapidly, clutching to his too-cold and too-bony hands in desperation. Jokes had dwindled, the spark in his parents’ eyes had disappeared, and Taehyung had been so tired.

For all that they were with him, they missed Taehyung’s death.

Han-chool hadn’t.

Taehyung didn’t know what Han-chool had done that he’d taken Taehyung out of that hospital. He didn’t know if he did anything at all, if the hospital just let him take Taehyung away. He didn’t know what they told his parents.

But he’d watched from a distance as his parents sobbed over an empty casket, with his mother clutching a letter that had miraculously appeared in her handbag.

Taehyung had worked hard on that letter. A final goodbye to a family he could never go back to.

Han-chool had had people keep tabs on his family for Taehyung and every now and then he would get an update from his family. Seokjin did the same, too. Last Seokjin had checked, they were alive.

They were alive and so very old and still mourning their son after fifty years.

Jimin… well… well.

Jimin was, at best, secretive about his life before being turned. At worst he was a complete guard dog lashing out at the first sign of someone else sniffing in too close for comfort. Taehyung was lucky in the sense that, since they were soul mates and all, he could poke the bear a little more than the rest and be allowed to keep his hand.

Still, Taehyung barely knew any more than what their coven knew.

The story of Park Jimin went a little something like this;

Park Jimin was one child out of a dozen. Park Jimin was the runt of the litter. Park Jimin’s family didn’t have much – if they had anything at all. Park Jimin lost most of his siblings at some point in his life. Park Jimin’s mother was consistently pregnant and Park Jimin’s father was consistently drunk.

However there were details that even Taehyung wasn’t sure about.

Park Jimin was one child out of an unspecified number. Park Jimin wasn’t the youngest. Park Jimin lost his siblings because they died or they went missing. Park Jimin’s mother was a drunk and Park Jimin’s father was a gambler.

Park Jimin was either kicked out of his family home or Park Jimin ran away from his family home.

The inconsistencies in the story stopped only at one point; No one called for Park Jimin when he went missing.

Not his unspecified amount siblings. Not his drunk and pregnant mother, not his drunk and gambling father. No one called, ever, and no one read the letter Park Jimin left for them after he was reported dead.

Park Jimin didn’t get a funeral.

Park Jimin had been abandoned.

No one had searched for Park Jimin.

No one was searching for Jeon Jungkook.

Taehyung pulled Jimin closer.

Jimin didn’t talk about what had happened to him in between the time he’d been kicked out/ran away from home. He didn’t talk about how he survived, if he’d had a place to live in, if he’d had friends, if he’d been safe. He didn’t talk about how Han-chool found him.

“It’s only been a little over a week.” Taehyung tried this time. He snuck one hand under Jimin’s shirt and ran his palm over Jimin’s spine in what he hoped was a soothing motion. “A week isn’t that long for someone to think something bad might have happened. They might call later.”

“Maybe.” Jimin relented.

Taehyung would take it. For now, he had to make do with this.

He rubbed his nose over Jimin’s crown and huffed a little. Jimin wiggled half-heartedly in his arms but did nothing to break free. He tapped his fingers over Jimin’s spine, not tickling but definitely achieving the intended purpose when Jimin giggled and pop went all the tension.

Taehyung’s fingers got greedy and Jimin’s giggles turned into proper laughter while his weak attempts at shoving Taehyung away turned into actual pushes to break away from Taehyung and his ticklish hands. Taehyung had the advantage though and Jimin suffered a truly terrible tickling.

“St – ah, ahaha! Stop! Tae-yah!” Jimin kicked him in the shin, twisting at the waist to turn away. Taehyung used the opportunity to get a bite at his neck. A nibble, really, but Jimin kept giggling and giggling. “Tae! “

Taehyung meant to say what?

It came out as a muffled waff?

It was so hard to talk with your mouth full. Hoseok always chided them for it but in Taehyung’s defense he wasn’t biting hard enough to draw blood, his teeth were barely in, and it was Jimin’s neck.

“Stop it!” Jimin trashed against the bed. Taehyung had an iron grip on him. The demand could have been fiercer if Jimin wasn’t laughing up a storm. Probably. “I’m – ahaha! – se-serious!”

Taehyung stopped biting him and blew a raspberry on the spot he left fang marks. He did not stop tickling Jimin.

“W-wa-wait – “Jimin shimmied a little in a new attempt to break free. “Do yuh – he- hear that?”

Oh but it was a cruel trick to use Taehyung’s innate curiosity against him. Taehyung had to focus to hear better and he had to stop tickling to focus. Mean. Taehyung did stop but he didn’t let go.

The sound of Jimin’s heart going off was deafening at first but Taehyung had good teachers. The loud engines of cars below them came to him first and he ignored it. Through the walls he could make out the gentle hush of Hoseok’s voice as he spoke to Jungkook but not the words he was saying.

And slowly, so slowly, he began to pick of on two rhythmic noises – pat pat pat pat – coming from out of the house. Footsteps!

“Jin hyung.” Taehyung opened his eyes and sat up straight, unceremoniously pushing Jimin to the side. His soul mate went flying with an undignified yelp but didn’t fall of the bed. Instead he shot Taehyung a nasty glare.

“Yoongi hyung too, I think?” Jimin tilted his head as he tried to hear better. “And Joonie hyung, the heavier steps, right?”

Taehyung squeezed his eyes tight. He could hear the rough stomping of Namjoon but Yoongi’s feet were completely missing for him.

Jimin and Taehyung were skipping down the hall before the front door opened.

The older vampires were taking their shoes and jackets off in silence. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Seokjin was in a bad mood. It was in the tight hold of his shoulders, the rigid movements as he hung his long coat. The most obvious one being that he didn’t immediately look up at his two fledglings rushing down the hall to greet him. That one was a crime in Taehyung’s opinion but he was forgiving.

Luckily, Taehyung and Jimin were the perfect solution to Jin’s bad moods. They had this perfected down to an art form. Because, honestly, in Taehyung’s very humble opinion, how they moved in tandem was nothing short of art. The type Namjoon would wax poetic about for hours.

Taehyung went to Seokjin with a happy little chirrup, and nuzzled under his throat. Being the same height sometimes made it a tad awkward but Taehyung had learned to make himself small to fit into Seokjin. It was no problem for him to duck his head low and lazily wrap his arms around Seokjin’s torso.

It wasn’t even a second before he felt Seokjin’s entire body relax under his touch.

Big scary vampire lord, yeah right. Kim Seokjin was a teddy bear.

Seokjin shifted his weight, testing Taehyung’s strength – he was strong, thankyouverymuch – before leaning on him entirely and going boneless. Taehyung held him up easily, rubbing his head cheekily against the side of Seokjin’s head.

“Seems like you guys had a long day.” Jimin commented from his side. He was happily sandwiched between Namjoon and Yoongi, chirping when Namjoon nipped at his shoulder.

Yoongi let out long sigh, “Yeah, yeah, you could say that.”

“Gonna share with us?” Jimin asked.

“In a minute.” Seokjin answered. His voice was muffled against Taehyung’s shoulder.

Taehyung was so good at his job.          

Namjoon smiled at them and ruffled Taehyung’s hair as he walked past them further into the house. Taehyung kept an eye on him, took in how he was walking, how he was holding himself. He looked fine enough. Taehyung would have to drape himself over Namjoon as well, later, just to make sure.

Jimin and Yoongi were already starting to bicker in between kisses so that was all sorted out.

Taehyung refocused on the over-grown octopus of a man Seokjin had become over the last minute. He ran his palms up Seokjin’s back until his fingers were tangled in his hair, nails lightly scratching his scalp. If possible, Seokjin relaxed even more into Taehyung.

The fancy cologne Seokjin put on was starting to wear off and the suit he wore wasn’t nearly comfortable enough to be doing this but Taehyung ignored it. Instead he kept playing with Seokjin’s hair, rubbing his cheek over the side of Seokjin’s face, letting out little chirrups.

For such a complicated person, Kim Seokjin was a simple man.

Yoongi kissed Taehyung’s bicep as he was dragged away by Jimin without missing a single snappy reply to the fledgling holding his hand. Taehyung grinned at him and made a kissy face after him.

Taehyung turned his attention back to Seokjin.

“That bad, huh.” he murmured. Not a question but Seokjin hummed back in response anyway. Taehyung kissed the side of Seokjin’s head again. “Jungkook’s been asleep for a good while.” He offered.

There was a pause and then slowly Seokjin found his footing and pulled away from Taehyung, actually carrying himself. He cupped Taehyung’s face with both hands, eyes so tired, and smiled at him.

If there had been any air in Taehyung’s long-dead lungs, it’d be punched out of him at the sight of Seokjin’s smile.

“You’re too good, you know that?” Seokjin asked, one thumb rubbing under Taehyung’s eye.

I’m the best, was what Taehyung wanted to say, cocky and flirty all at the same time.

What came out instead was a pitchy chirp because Seokjin looked at him like that and honestly Taehyung wasn’t strong enough to deal with it so he just stared at Seokjin like an idiot in love because he was in idiot in love.

Seokjin chuckled and gave him a proper kiss, one that was almost human-warm.

“Come on.” Taehyung smiled against Seokjin’s lips. “Let’s go see the baby.”

The baby in question was being fussed over by Yoongi and Hoseok when the duo walked into the bedroom. Neither of them looked particularly worried about the fledgling so Taehyung relaxed as he pushed Seokjin toward the bed.

“He’s been asleep for a good bit now though.” Hoseok finished explaining as Yoongi started to carefully examine Jungkook’s bandages.

“Not great.” Jimin commented from where he was perched on Namjoon’s lap like an overgrown cat, “But it’s not worse either.” He waited a minute and then his confidence wavered. He looked between everyone, “Right?”

“I’d say so.” Hoseok answered. His hair was disheveled and Taehyung reached out to fix it, finding a small speck of comfort when Hoseok leaned closer to let him help.

“These look good.” Yoongi finished checking the bandages. “No infections.” He looked at Jimin and nodded, “Not great but not worse. I suppose that’s going to be repeating far more often than we think.”

Seokjin carefully sat down on the bed, slowly inching closer to Jungkook. He hand his hand through Jungkook’s face, his lips quirking into a faint smile when their fledgling instinctively followed his touch. Jungkook was still asleep but Taehyung dared to say he looked happier now that Seokjin was with him.

“So.” Taehyung said. “Jimin and I had a super boring day so we don’t have any fun stories to tell.” He shrugged. “How did it go with the witch?”

“I never want to meet a witch ever again.” Yoongi answered, his lips pressed tightly as he fussed over Jungkook some more.

Taehyung watched him for a moment longer to really take in how stiff and jerky his movements were, how he was going over bandages he’d already declared as ‘good’. Taehyung frowned. This witch must have rattled Yoongi and not many things ever did.

“I’m pretty sure we’re not supposed to like witches anyway.” Jimin replied, tone harder than usual. He was lazily playing with Namjoon’s hair and Taehyung knew him enough to know he wasn’t even aware of it. Namjoon looked perfectly happy by it.

“We got some answers today.” Seokjin started and Taehyung already hated the faint tint of politician in Seokjin’s voice. “Sangwook had a potion and he was trying to replicate it: that’s why we have faulty fledglings. Sungho made Jungkook drink the real potion instead of the fake ones. The witch confirmed this.”

“Sangwook spoke?” Namjoon asked with a raised brow.

“Our Yoongichi is a man of many talents.” Seokjin said with a bright smile.

Yoongi snorted and sat down on Jungkook’s other side, he looked at Namjoon and said; “I fixed him up a little bit. It’d be nice if your people didn’t completely butcher my handiwork but I understand if it can’t be helped.”

“I like keeping your artwork around.” Namjoon smiled with a shrug. “I’m glad you got something useful out of him, dude’s a stubborn fuck. What else?”

“The witch says the fledglings will die.” Seokjin said suddenly.

“I say bullshit.” Yoongi fired off.

There was nothing Taehyung could do hold back the bark of laughter that exploded from him. He slapped a hand on his mouth when Jungkook stirred at the loud noise. Luckily, their fledgling eased back into sleep when Seokjin shushed him.

“Did the witch say that all the fledglings will die?” Hoseok asked slowly, every word coming out forced and afraid. His eyes fell on Jungkook before moving back to Seokjin.

“She said Jungkook should be fine since he was given the actual potion.” Seokjin ran his knobby fingers through Jungkook’s hair. “She said that they were made quick, so they would die quick.”

“They won’t.” Yoongi grumbled. “I’ll figure something out.”

Taehyung smiled at him. It was just like him to attempt to cure what a witch said was incurable. He didn’t doubt that Yoongi would find a way.

“So – so Jungkook is fine then?” Jimin asked with barely hidden desperation. Namjoon ran a hand down his back to calm him.

Yoongi and Seokjin glanced at each other before Seokjin answered.

“We used our one freebie to confirm what was in Jungkook’s blood.” He said. “From here out her help comes with a price.”

“She did give us a parting gift though.” Yoongi got up and got his bag, carefully pulling out a vial with lilac liquid in it. “She said it would help Jungkook sleep.”

Hoseok raised an unimpressed brow, “And you couldn’t bring it home earlier?”

Seokjin and Yoongi glanced at each other once more. This time, a lot more guilty looking.

“Well – y’know.” Said Yoongi.

“U-huh.” Said Hoseok.

Seokjin, being a very smart man, said nothing.

Hoseok took the vial from Yoongi with a pointed look at their resident doctor before squinting at the liquid like it might blow up.

“We trust this?” he looked between Yoongi and Seokjin. “It won’t turn out to be poison?”

“I trust her.” Seokjin answered. “She has no reason to lie.”

Hoseok nodded and handed it back Yoongi, who knew how to best keep the vial safe, “Okay, then. If we get just the one then I’d rather keep it for a bad day.” He said. He aimlessly fixed the covers over Jungkook.

“So – “Taehyung started, watching Yoongi carefully put the vial back in his bag, “Did she actually say anything about Jungkook other than he should be fine?” he asked. “Because ‘should’ isn’t filling me with a lot of confidence here.”

Jungkook should be many things. He should be healing. He should be sleeping. He should have little baby fangs. He should be dead.

(Jungkook should be alive.)

Jungkook wasn’t any of these. Jungkook wasn’t healing and Jungkook wasn’t sleeping, Jungkook was missing fangs and chunks of flesh. He was, against all odds, somehow, refusing to die.

Seokjin’s face was marble-blank as his knobby fingers treaded through Jungkook’s hair. Taehyung watched the repeated movement with a slow blink, his stomach turning as each second stretched further and further before Seokjin finally opened his mouth.

“I asked her if she could heal Jungkook.” He finally replied. “She said she’d have to see him to answer that. I asked if Jungkook will have the same fate as the other fledglings, to that she said that he shouldn’t.”

Taehyung chewed on his bottom lip. Fairy tales and folklore were full of warnings.

If Seokjin’s trustworthy witch was being vague, then they were in deeper shit than they thought.

“Do we risk it?” Namjoon asked.

Jimin blinked, “Risk what?”

“Have the witch take a look at Jungkook.” Namjoon said. He immediately put a hand on Jimin’s shoulder when Jimin hissed in protest. “Hey.”

“We can’t have a witch in here!” Jimin pulled from Namjoon’s touch, his shoulders pulling up. “It’s a witch! Who knows what tricks it might pull! It might try to hurt Jungkook!”

“Look,” Namjoon pulled his hands up in surrender to try and placate Jimin’s outburst. “If we have a relatively friendly witch who can give us some answers and help Jungkook, then it sounds like a risk we take.”

“A friendly witch is still a witch!” Jimin hissed. “We don’t even know if it can help or not!”

Taehyung slipped off from the bed towards Jimin who was starting to shake in his spot. It wasn’t anger, Taehyung knew instinctively, decidedly. He pulled him into a hug even as Jimin continued yelling at Namjoon, making quick eye-contact with the older vampires before biting Jimin’s ear.

“It’s a suggestion.” Taehyung said, holding Jimin tight. “Let’s just listen.”

“It’s stupid.” Jimin hissed again but grabbed to Taehyung like a drowning man might hold a life-line. “It’s reckless at best and – and suicidal at worst.”

Namjoon took a step closer, ducking his head make himself smaller, less threatening. Taehyung could sense Yoongi and Hoseok also moving around where he couldn’t see them.

“You’re right.” Namjoon said. “Everything you’re saying is right. Witches are dangerous creatures and in any other case I would be the first to refuse such a thing.” He started and then softened his voice as he explained himself. “But if Seokjin hyung trusts this witch to even go to her lair in the first place, then I have to risk it. If there’s the smallest chance that she can help Jungkook-ah, then I’ll make a deal with her.”

Jimin was still trembling as Namjoon gently cupped his face in his hands and kissed his forehead. Taehyung let out a small chirp in hopes of calming him down, though he didn’t think it would work.

“It’s stupid.” Jimin said again with much less force. He just sounded scared this time.

“It might help.” Taehyung mumbled. He rubbed his hands over Jimin’s arms in an attempt to both warm him up and to ease his shaking. “I mean, they met with her today and nothing happened, right? She even gave them a gift.”

“Witches don’t give gifts.” Jimin whined and it would be almost cute in any other situation if he wasn’t shaking so hard. He was almost pleading when he turned to Seokjin and added, “It has to be some sort of trick or trap hyung. Witches don’t just give out of the goodness of their hearts.”

“Jimin-ah.” Seokjin said gently, standing next to them in the blink of an eye. “Listen, I didn’t make any negotiations with her because I wanted to discuss it with everyone first.”

Jimin immediately started shaking his head in protest, pulling out from Namjoon’s hold but not Taehyung’s

“No –“

“Listen.” Seokjin said, a little more forcefully but not mean, never mean. “I know how dangerous witches are first-hand. I know exactly what they can do, I’ve witnessed it with my own two eyes. You don’t have to convince me how evil they can be, I already know.”

Carefully, trying his very best to be not noticed by Jimin, Taehyung maneuvered them both so Jimin ended closer to Seokjin, rested his arms a little looser despite how much he wanted to hold his Jimin close to his heart. If Seokjin wanted he could pull Jimin to his own arms.

“I know, my sweetheart.” Seokjin said, carefully. “I know what they are.” He caressed Jimin’s cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I also know that Namjoon is right. If anyone can help us, it would be her, but I’m not making this decision myself. We’ll decide together, alright?”

Jimin swallowed thickly and shook his head, “We shouldn’t.”

“I’m afraid we’re past the point for what we should or shouldn’t do, sweet thing.” Seokjin smiled ruefully. “But, that’s a vote for no from Jimin. Anyone else?”

“Would this witch betray us?” Hoseok asked. “Jimin’s right about the gift."

“She knows better than to betray me.” Seokjin answered. “It’s not poison.”

“We’re going to bet on your reputation?” Jimin asked, wary but not rude. Tired, if anything. Taehyung nuzzled in because he didn’t know what else to do.

“My reputation got us this far, didn’t it?” Seokjin tried to joke but then sighed and then nodded, “She was there when I got my reputation. She won’t cross me.”

Yoongi made a noise from his spot and Taehyung had to awkwardly twist himself to spot the displeased frown on his face as he watched Jungkook.

“You don’t think that’s enough?” Taehyung asked.

Yoongi sighed and waved a hand dismissively, “No, no, I think hyung’s right about that.” He said and shared a quick look with Seokjin. His gaze was as unhappy as his frown and when Taehyung looked between the two of them he knew they were having a continued conversation none of them were privy to.

“I was in that room with the two of you.” Yoongi said. He looked at Jimin for a moment before continuing, “I wanted to run away the entire time.”

A cold shiver ran down Taehyung’s spine and he found himself standing straighter at the implications.

Yoongi licked his lips and sat down next to Jungkook and Taehyung found himself watching their baby vampire with the same intensity.

“Jungkook was given an enhancement potion. I can’t do anything for that, I’m a doctor. I can’t fight spells or curses.” He spoke lowly. Then he looked back at them. “She was terrifying.” He said. “So was Seokjin hyung.”

Namjoon snorted, “Is that a compliment?”

“It is what it is.” Yoongi said and then he tilted his head, his voice dropping into a soothing timbre as his eyes found Jimin’s. “I was there, Jimin-ah. I was stuck in that room. They’re equally powerful, she has no reason to attack us, the same way we have no reason to attack her.”

“Mutually assured destruction… isn’t as comforting as you think, hyung.” Taehyung said with a wince. He could see the reasoning behind it though. Taehyung forgot sometimes that Seokjin wasn’t just any old vampire.

Lord of Seoul versus The Witch.

Neither had a reason to attack the other and neither would give the other a reason.

“It might be our best chance, Jimin-ah.” Taehyung murmured.

Jimin made a frustrated sound and ripped away from Taehyung’s arms, walking away from them to stand against the other wall with his arms crossed, lips threatening to pull into a snarl. He looked too much like a kicked stray dog forced into a corner to be scary.

Taehyung forced down the urge to go to his Jimin. He knew that he wouldn’t take it well right it that moment, so he went to Namjoon instead.

“We can’t take Jungkook anywhere.” Jimin said anxiously, eyes wide. “So we- what, invite a witch in here?”

“If we decide to go with this plan, then yes, we would invite her here.” Seokjin said. “I know she won’t attempt anything.”

“You trust that witch too much.” Jimin grumbled.

“Maybe.” Seokjin conceded. “Which is why this is a coven decision, love.”

“What would she want as payment?” Hoseok asked and casually made his way to Jimin, holding out a hand for him. Taehyung’s shoulders relaxed when Jimin took it. “I doubt she’d want money.”

“She’ll want a favor.” Seokjin answered easily. “She’s a witch.” He nodded in Jimin’s direction.

“I’m sensing that this is how you ended up with a favor yourself in the first place.” Namjoon said, squinting his eyes suspiciously even as his lips quirked into a smile.

Seokjin waved a hand, “It was years ago, let’s not get into that.”

“Well now I want to know.” Taehyung pouted. Knowing Seokjin, years meant literal centuries.

“Maybe I’ll tell it some other time.” Seokjin poked at his lower lip.

“So –“ Hoseok shifted in his place, his brows pinched together thoughtfully. “We ask for her help, we get Jungkook healed, she gets a favor from us.”

“She gets a favor from me.” Seokjin corrected. “She won’t care about any of you.”

“Harsh.” Taehyung said.

“It’s better that way.” Seokjin said. “I don’t want her to be interested in you guys anyway.”

“She was interested in Jungkook.” Yoongi pointed out.

“See!” Jimin latched onto it. His fingers dug into Hoseok’s skin even as the older vampire tried to calm him. “Hyung it’s a trick –“

“It’s not.” Seokjin said, walking up to Jimin but making sure he wasn’t crowding him.

“What if it steals Jungkook?” Jimin said in a rush. “What if – what if it’s working with Sangwook?”

“She isn’t.” Yoongi answered this time. “We talked about it all there.”

“And you believe it?” Jimin asked, incredulous. “It can lie, you know!”

“She wasn’t lying about it, Jimin-ah.” Seokjin tried again. “She’s interested in Jungkook because he’s an anomaly. If anything, that works in our favor, she’ll want to figure out everything about him.”

Jimin hissed, lips pulled back to reveal his – frankly impressive – baby fangs, pulling away from both Hoseok and Seokjin and pressing further into the corner he was in. Taehyung swallowed thickly. Everything in his body was shouting at him to go comfort him, help him, but he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t get decked if he tried touching Jimin right then.

Jimin was terrified and Taehyung didn’t understand it.

Okay no, sure, he understood it. Witches were witches. Taehyung was scared by the idea himself, he knew the rest were too. Yoongi had just admitted to it.

Jimin’s outburst was different.

Taehyung swallowed again, trying to hear what Seokjin and Hoseok were murmuring to Jimin in hushed tones but his heart had decided to pump loudly in the last minute. All he could hear was his own pulse in his ears.

Taehyung was scared of witches because of what he’d read. He was afraid of witches because of the warnings.

Jimin was panicking like a man who’d suffered one before.

That – that couldn’t be. Jimin would have told Taehyung, wouldn’t he? They spent almost every day together after being turned, Jimin couldn’t have met a witch under Han-chool’s care. Their sire would have never allowed a witch anywhere near them. They hadn’t even known Seokjin knew a witch until yesterday.

But – but before that. Before Seokjin and Han-chool and Taehyung. Before everything.

Park Jimin and his ever-changing family.

Taehyung finally moved forward. Each of his steps were purposeful and strong despite how shaken he felt. He snaked between Hoseok and Seokjin’s bodies easily and without giving Jimin a moment to lash out, pulled the smaller vampire into a tight hug.

Jimin trashed in his arms, cursing and hissing and kicking without any real power behind his actions. He could feel Jimin’s heart beating in triplets through his ribcage, his muscles shaking from how tense he was holding himself.

“It’s okay.” Taehyung said softly. “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

“No.” Jimin grunted, half feral and half terrified.

“We’re just seeing our options.” Hoseok tried this time. Taehyung could feel him stand a little closer, trying to calm Jimin and make sure Taehyung wasn’t hurt.

“No – no you all made up your minds already.” Jimin snarled and Taehyung could almost believe he was angry instead of terrified. Almost – if he didn’t know Jimin better.

It had to be obvious to all of them at this point. Jimin wasn’t arguing for the sake of arguing, he wasn’t being difficult. Jimin was simply scared out of his minds at the suggestion of working with a witch.

“You were okay with hyungs going to her.” Taehyung tried this time.

“I wasn’t – That’s different.”

“I don’t like witches.”

“You never met one.”

“I read a lot about them. They’re creepy.”

“Hyung said we wouldn’t be in any trouble because she owed him.” Jimin finally manage to grit out. He stopped fighting and sagged against Taehyung, letting his soul-mate carry his weight in full. He nuzzled into Taehyung’s neck. “That was different.”

Seokjin moved around until he could kiss the top of Jimin’s head and rub his nose against his scalp, a gentle chirp following the action. He ran his fingers through Jimin’s now vaguely sweaty hair.

“Can you look at me, sweetheart?” Seokjin asked kindly.

It took a beat, then two, where Jimin shifted his weight uncomfortably, before moving his head just enough to peak over Taehyung’s shoulders with a sniffle. Taehyung cooed and chirruped, hugging him tighter to himself.

“There’s my baby.” Seokjin said. “Nothing’s decided, do you understand love? We’re just seeing our options. If we’re not all in agreement then we don’t do it, it’s that simple.”

Jimin sniffled some more, his fingers clutching onto Taehyung now instead of trying to push him away.

“It will trick us.” Jimin’s voice was muffled against Taehyung’s shirt. “We can’t trust witches, we can’t trust it.”

“We can’t trust witches.” Seokjin nodded. “But I do trust this one. I’ve known her for a very long time Jimin. At the very least, I know that she won’t hurt us for no reason at all.”

“What if it already has a reason we don’t know about?” Jimin challenged. “What if this whole thing was a – what if it was tricking you from the very start.”

“Then I’d say she’s very dedicated.” Seokjin said. “But I don’t think she has any hidden agenda, sweetheart. She wouldn’t have let us in her house and give us a parting gift.”

“It could be a trick.” Jimin tried again in a frustrated whine.

“Today,” Seokjin started. “Sangwook called us to make a deal.”

Impossibly, the tension grew thicker with the sudden change in topic, despite how soft spoken Seokjin was. He was looking into Jimin’s eyes almost pleadingly.

“A deal?” Jimin bit out, shakily. “What kind of deal?”

Seokjin opened his mouth, Taehyung heard his inhale as he readied to answer, but the sound came from across the room. A pitched, pained moan from the bed where their fledgling was sleeping.

They all surrounded bed in a moment, before Jungkook could cry out a second time. His brows were pinched together in distress, his face contorting in pain. His breathing was coming in shallow and he had sweat forming on his temples.

“He’s having a nightmare.” Yoongi said as he checked for physical symptoms. He carefully nudged Jungkook, too gentle to actually wake him up, while Seokjin was already sliding into the bed.

“Is it better if we wake him up?” Namjoon asked.

“He’ll wake himself up anyway.” Hoseok said ruefully. “We should wake him before he hurts himself.”

Seokjin seated himself by Jungkook, doing his very best to rose the fledgling from his troubled sleep without scaring him. Jimin was glued to Taehyung’s arm.

“Little one?” Seokjin called out gently in between Jungkook’s fitful sleep. He put his palm on Jungkook’s forehead, pushed back his hair. “Jungkook-ah, darling, it’s okay.” Another grunt. “Wake up, little one, come on, I know you can hear me.”

With a gasp and a shockingly well aimed punch, Jungkook woke up, missing Seokjin’s face only because the older vampire was faster.

“Hey hey hey,” Seokjin caught Jungkook’s limp, bandaged wrist with a gentleness that seemed second nature to him. “It’s just us, you’re safe, you’re safe sweetheart.”

Jungkook didn’t seem to understand anything, he was breathing heavy with unseeing eyes, keening in a pitch that had become far too familiar to Taehyung over the last few days. It ate him up inside to be so useless in moments like these. He pulled Jimin closer to himself, held him tighter like it would help their fledgling.

After a few minutes of reassuring Jungkook that he wasn’t in grave danger, somehow, he actually calmed down. His big brown eyes were staring at the ceiling, ignoring both Seokjin’s and Yoongi’s calls now.

“Would it scare him if we get in the bed, too?” Taehyung asked lowly. “I mean if we like, snuggle with him? It kind of worked the last time right?”

Hoseok hummed in thought, his eyes flicking between all of them and calculating possibilities. Taehyung hated the crinkle of his brows.

“He’s so out of it that I can’t tell if he’d see our presence as a threat or find peace in it.” He finally said. “Seokjin hyung, do you think you can feed him? Maybe the smell of blood will bring him back to reality a bit.”

“We could use the potion to let him sleep.” Yoongi pointed out even as he helped Seokjin slip a hand under Jungkook’s neck to get him into position. “If we’re lucky enough something that strong will actually keep him in deep sleep.”

Two things happened simultaneously:

Jungkook’s big, tired brown eyes turned an angry, rusted red.

Namjoon yanked Taehyung and Jimin away with a force that sent them flying into the wall.

Jungkook snarled viciously, his jaws nearly snapping around Yoongi’s wrist. He kicked and thrashed against Hoseok. A deep, unending growl was building up from his chest and reverberating in the room, the base of it Taehyung felt in his core.

“Jungkook-ah!”

Seokjin managed to push Jungkook flat on his back but struggled to hold him there – Seokjin struggled to hold him – until Yoongi threw a leg over and, as careful as he could be, straddled Jungkook.

“Hey! Careful!” Hoseok bit out, evading a kick in the face. Namjoon managed to pin down Jungkook’s other leg.

“Jungkook-ah!” Yoongi shouted over the snarling and snapping of teeth. “It’s us! It’s just us, little one, Jungkook-ah, come on, look at me.”

Taehyung bit down on his lip and rushed to the bed side, catching Jungkook’s left claw right before he could hurt Yoongi. Jimin was beside him a moment later and it was their combined effort that pushed Jungkook’s arm back on the bed. It was a struggle to keep it there.

“You two should back off.” Seokjin grunted from his side.

“You should shut up.” Taehyung said.

“Fuck off.” Jimin said.

Jungkook trashed under their combined weight, still fighting the six of them. His lips were pulled back, the barely healed cuts starting to bleed once more, blood starting to seep from the bandage on his neck, red eyes locked on Yoongi with a hatred Taehyung couldn’t have ever imagined seeing on Jungkook’s face.

“He’s hurting himself!” Taehyung grit out.

Ignoring Jungkook’s teeth, Yoongi cupped his face in an attempt to stop him from moving head so much, looking him dead in eyes.

“Jungkook-ah.” He pleaded once more, “Little one it’s us, it’s us sweetheart.”

Jungkook snarled and Jungkook kicked and Jungkook hissed and spat clawed at the sheets.

Just as suddenly as he’d attacked, Jungkook went limp. Like a marionette with its strings cut off. He was panting heavily and as far as Taehyung could tell, looking at Yoongi but not seeing him. His eyes lost their coloring, the red slowly bleeding back into the dark brown, losing his sharp gaze with the angry focus.

The rage had gone, leaving in its place a broken body.

Taehyung tentatively loosened his grip on Jungkook’s wrists, glancing between his coven members who had matching expressions of apprehension. None of them were holding Jungkook down anymore but none of them could risk completely letting go of him either. Yoongi had pushed himself up to his knees now to not put any weight on Jungkook’s skinny, weak frame.

A weak keen filled the room. It’s pitch impossible to ignore. Not a sound of pain or fear.

Taehyung found himself staring at Jungkook with dread in his bones.

Jungkook’s mouth was slack and the sound was coming out of him involuntarily, subconsciously.

The unmistakable sound of a fledgling begging for help.

And suddenly Taehyung found himself staring at the picture of them. He looked between all of them and took in their positions; all of them holding down Jungkook’s limbs (so he wouldn’t hurt himself), Yoongi straddling him (so he wouldn’t hurt others), Jungkook pinned down by bigger, stronger vampires.

This was Jungkook’s death.

Jungkook keened again, weaker but still calling for help.

Still calling because he didn’t recognize them. He didn’t know that it was his coven holding him down. The help was keeping him pinned.

“We’re scaring him.” Taehyung let go of Jungkook’s arm as if burned. He stepped away until his back hit the wall. “He died like this. We’re scaring him.”

If Taehyung could look away from Jungkook then maybe he could have spotted the slow spreading horror in his lovers’ faces. But he couldn’t. His eyes were fixed on the blood that was trickling down from Jungkook’s lips, the ever-growing spread of blood on the bandages, the complete surrender of his body.

He missed the low spoken orders given by Yoongi as he got off of Jungkook, he missed them letting go of Jungkook. He didn’t miss that Jungkook never stopped calling for help.

“Taehyung-ah?”

Taehyung blinked and Namjoon was next to him. He had a bruised left eye that was already healing – Jungkook must have gotten in a good kick.

“Are you hurt?” Namjoon asked. His eyes were already moving over Taehyung’s body.

“No, no, I’m.” Taehyung paused. “I’m not injured.”

Namjoon nodded with a tight smile before giving him a hug, “That’s good.”

“Jungkook’s not okay.” Taehyung mumbled. He felt dazed, like he wasn’t exactly in his body.

“No, he’s not.” Namjoon nodded and kissed crown of his head. “But we’ll have him fixed up. We’ll help him.”

“We scared him.”

“We did.” Namjoon answered with a sigh.

“We scared him, hyung.” Taehyung’s voice wobbled. He wanted to cry and he wanted to shout but he didn’t actually want to do any of that. He wanted Jungkook to be okay.

“I hate it too. But he would have hurt himself. He would have hurt us and himself.”

Taehyung had so many things he wanted to say but it was all cut short when he heard a famiiar chirrup come from Seokjin. His head snapped up in instinct, his body relaxing at the sound of promised comfort. It took his brain a moment to realize the call wasn’t for him – or Jimin – but for their fledgling who’d been calling for his sire.

Jungkook stopped, too. He blinked lazily, once, twice. Tentatively, he called out again and Seokjin answered, the sound of his chirps assuring and safe in a way only a fledgling would recognize. Jungkook’s brows pinched together and blinked again.

Taehyung swore he saw the exact moment Jungkook became aware of his surroundings. Between one worried, pained chirp and the other, between one lazy blink of beautiful brown eyes and the next, between fluttering heart beats.

“I’m right here, little one.” Seokjin kissed Jungkook’s forehead. “I’m right here. We’re here. You’re safe.”

Jungkook looked at Seokjin with wide eyes, disbelief written all over him, shocked that someone had ‘come’ for him.

(They were the reason for his desperate calls for help, Taehyung swallowed the thought, they were the help.)

“Hyung?” he whispered.

“Yes, little one.” Seokjin said softly. If Taehyung didn’t know him better he’d think Seokjin was completely unaffected by what had happened. Taehyung knew better. He knew how perfectly Seokjin could switch between masks if it was for his coven. “We’re all here with you, you’re safe.”

“Safe?” Jungkook blinked and tried to look around only to hiss out in pain.

“No, no, sweetheart.” Seokjin fumbled only for one second before gingerly placing his fingers on Jungkook’s chin to keep him from moving. “You’re still hurt, remember?” he said. “Don’t move so much.”

Jungkook hummed in apparent understanding, “Yuh- Y-Yoongi…?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” Seokjin answered, elated to have proper recognition from their little fledgling. “Yoongi will help you get better, you’re right. See, he’s right here.”

Yoongi sat down next to Jungkook on the bed and looked down with a soft smile and softer eyes. Taehyung watched his eyes flutter all over Jungkook cataloging his injuries.

“Hello, little one.” Yoongi said gently like he hadn’t almost lost fingers to Jungkook’s jaws just minutes ago. Jungkook made a pitiful little sound, pained and tired, and Yoongi shushed him in sympathy. “I know, it all must hurt so much right now. I’ll take it away, alright little one?”

Jungkook chirped weakly in response.

“I have to touch you a bit.” Yoongi explained and held up his palms. “Just with my hands, nothing else, is that okay?”

Jungkook chirped again, although the sound had to be forced out of him.

“Alright, and look, Jimin and Taehyung are here too.” Yoongi said suddenly. It was only the did Taehyung remember that he was, in fact, a person in the room. “Do you want to see them, little one?”

Namjoon nudged Taehyung forward and Hoseok had to help Jimin into the bed but suddenly, they were sitting on Jungkook’s either side exactly where he could see them without straining himself. Taehyung glanced at Jimin because he had no idea what to do – he’d wanted to be with Jungkook the whole time but now that he was actually with him he didn’t know what to say.

“H-hey, Jungkook-ah.” Jimin sounded startled to find himself speaking. “Bad dreams?”

Jungkook chirped weakly in agreement.

Taehyung hummed, his eyes watching Yoongi’s fingers trace through where Jungkook would be hurting, watched him discreetly wipe away some blood from his chin.

“Yoongi hyung will make you feel better.” He said, finally finding his voice. “He’ll make it stop hurting.”

Jungkook blinked tiredly. His shoulders were relaxing against the mattress as Yoongi’s magic numbed away the pain. He looked pacified just seeing them with him.

“Do you think he can drink this?” Hoseok asked in a hushed tone from the side while Jimin babbled on. He was holding the sleep potion.

“Aren’t we saving it for a bad day?” Taehyung asked in a murmur.

Hoseok looked at Jungkook and all his bloody bandages, “This is a bad day.”

“He fed before.” Yoongi said and nodded between all of them. “I’m sure if we help him he can do it. A straw would better though.”

“I’ll go get it.” Namjoon said and stood from where he was seated at the foot of the bed. How long had he been there? Taehyung had missed it.

“Jungkook-ah.” Seokjin said sweetly. “We need to sit you up so you can drink some medicine, alright love? It’ll help you sleep. Can you do that?”

Jungkook looked dazzled whenever Seokjin spoke to him. Taehyung swore he could spot sparks in his eyes. Jungkook chirruped in an affirmative.

It took all of them to get Jungkook into a semi-sitting position leaning against Seokjin. The hardest part was keeping his head still as to not rip the stitches on the gaping hole on his neck that was barely holding together. So now Jungkook’s head was leaned back against the bedhead while also being balanced on the sides by Hoseok and Seokjin.

“Alright.” Yoongi held up the vial with a ridiculously large straw in it. “Drink slowly, alright?”

Jungkook tried to nod, failed with the hands holding him still, pouted from his still bloody lips, and chirped in answer.

Taehyung watched each sip anxiously, waiting for something to go wrong. Jungkook could choke on it, he could get spooked, he might be reminded of bad memories; a hundred thing could happen.

Instead Jungkook dutifully sipped down the lilac liquid with drowsy eyes.

Before they knew it the vial was empty and Jungkook was dead asleep. He was even snoring a little.

“It worked.” Jimin said, shocked. He was still watching Jungkook, still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but as minutes went on Jungkook only slept.

For the first time since he’d been killed, Jungkook was having a peaceful sleep.

“Now let’s hope he doesn’t wake up when I’m stitching him back together.” Yoongi said. He reached to Namjoon so they could exchange Yoongi’s tools and the empty vial. “Keep holding him –“

Yoongi cut himself off.

They watched as the vial started fill itself back again with the lilac potion. In a matter of seconds it was full as if Jungkook had never finished it.

“Oh.”

Yoongi looked at Seokjin, who looked just as surprised, “I guess that’s what she meant by gift.”

“I suppose so.” Seokjin mumbled.

“Be careful with it, Namjoon-ah.” Yoongi warned. “Just put it in my bag, I have a little pocket for safekeeping. I’ll take it somewhere safer when I’m done.”

It took the better part of an hour for Yoongi to patch Jungkook back together. He’d thoroughly destroyed all of his stitches while wrestling with them. The worst had been his mangled neck – Taehyung swore he felt his own neck throb in pain when Yoongi had peeled the bandage off to reveal the damage he’d suffered.

His wrists were just as fucked from transforming into claws and then back into humans hands. Yoongi had muttered under his breath about ligaments and nerve endings and Taehyung had watched the never-ending tremor of Jungkook’s fingers.

Luckily, somehow, the whole in his abdomen had suffer the least damage. The stitches had been pulled but Yoongi dealt with it quickly.

Through it all, Jungkook didn’t once stir.

Sleep potion was working.

“There we go.” Yoongi said, already standing and cleaning up the remains of the bloody bandages and his suture kit. He looked at Hoseok and Seokjin, “You can lay him back down now.”

“I’d like to have him in my arms.” Seokjin said. “If it won’t bother his injuries.”

Yoongi gave a soft look, “Of course, hyung. It’s better for him to be near you, anyway.”

Taehyung helped with moving Jungkook until he was cradled safely in Seokjin’s arms, tugging the covers over him as much as he could without smothering him. He looked peaceful. For once, Jungkook was peaceful.

“I should get test results from the lab soon.” Yoongi started. “I’m hoping it will give me something to work with. I’m not giving up on the fledglings. As for Jungkook –“

“Call the witch.” Jimin was watching Jungkook sleep. He was tired when he said, again, “Just call the witch, hyung.”

A pause,

“Are you sure?” Seokjin asked. “We don’t –“

“Call the witch.” He repeated with more force. “Let’s just get over it.”

Seokjin nodded slowly and looked around the room, “Is anyone against it?” he asked. No one replied. “Alright, then. Can someone get me my phone.”

“Isn’t it weird to have a witch on speed-dial?” Namjoon asked in an attempt to ease the tension in the room.

“It’s a bit silly.” Taehyung agreed.

In between blinks, Jimin poofed into his bat form. Taehyung smiled fondly at the angrily squeaking form as he freed him from his fabric prison. He chirped in answer and held Jimin against his chest, taking a minute to work his heart up so Jimin would have something to ground him.

“That’s adorable.” Seokjin smiled, his phone held between his ear and shoulder. The smile lessened a moment later, Taehyung decided to not listen to the other side, “Hello, sorry for disturbing you again so soon. I require your help. Yes. Yes. You know where – of course, silly me, it’s been stressful, you understand… Yes… Yes.” Seokjin looked down at Jungkook. “Yes, as soon as you can, please. Thank you.”

Seokjin closed his eyes with a deep sigh when the conversation ended, carelessly throwing his phone to the side.

There was a knock on the door before the phone landed on the bed.