Chapter Text
“Well?” Jimin tapped his foot impatiently, staring down at Taehyung. Taehyung shrunk back in fear, shielding the animal behind him. The fluffy haired wolf growled at Jimin with such hostility that he reigned in the urge to cower.
If this were any other time, Jimin would have been the first one to coo over the animal, preferably five feet away behind an unbreakable safety glass separating them. Unfortunately, the wolf was neither behind a safety glass and nor was Jimin ready to die this early in his life.
Only Taehyung would be the kind of person in the entire campus to somehow stumble upon a wild wolf huge enough to snap him into two between its canines and have it follow him around like a common dog, begging for treats. Jimin was way too sober to be dealing with Taehyung's shit at this point.
Jesus Christ, the mutt looks ready to eat me up, Jimin gulped.
“Jiminie…I swear I didn’t mean to take him here. He just followed me from the ice cream place. I even tried to shoo him away but he just turned those sad eyes on me and I couldn’t say no I’m so sorry Jiminie I’m weak I can’t turn him away.”
Jimin was not even remotely prepared for Taehyung throwing himself at Jimin, rambling in middle of his teary wails. Jimin felt a slight pang of guilt for making Taehyung sad, almost making him cave in. But he was too used to this kind of scenario happening around Taehyung. Experience told him to nip it in the bud as soon as he could.
The wolf only growled louder at Taehyung’s wails, looking menacing enough that Jimin felt slightly more terrified for his life, despite reminding himself that he knew seventeen different spells to restrain feral animals. Yeah, this mongrel was probably going rabid. There was no way he was going to let Taehyung keep it. God forbid, he’d probably wake up the next morning to find one his limbs missing and wouldn’t even mind when the wolf looked at him with puppy eyes.
“Tae, you can barely take care of yourself half of the time. How do you expect to hide a wolf in your room?”
A psychopathic mutt that looks like it can chew up ten humans and not be satisfied, was what he didn’t say.
The wolf immediately stopped growling when Taehyung sniffed and turned to look back at it. Jimin couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the mutt physically droop, tucking its tail between its hind legs. If he hadn’t known better, he’d be fooled into believing that the mutt was as docile as a pet dog.
The mutt drooped further and started whining, looking so sadly into Taehyung’s eyes that Jimin, despite himself softened. When the silence dragged on for a minute, Taehyung staring unblinkingly back at it, Jimin started panicking.
Fuck, they’re having eye contact. Abort abort jump ship what is happening Jimin stop them!
Taehyung straightened his shoulders and turned to him with a resolute look.
Oh no. Oh nononono.
Jimin felt like crying. Taehyung, his absolute idiot of a best friend who obviously had zero sense of self-preservation was going to die. Why else would he have not driven away the monstrous wolf at the first sight?
“Taehyung, no. Don’t do this,” Jimin nearly begged. Taehyung stared back at him firmly, shaking his head. Jimin almost snatched up the pot plant his mother had gotten him to clobber Taehyung over the head to knock some sense. Even plants would have more self-preservation instincts than his dumb friend. Maybe Taehyung could absorb something from them.
“I’ll be careful, Jimin, don’t worry. No one’s going to see him.”
No one’s going to see you! He screamed internally.
He started regretting choosing Hongdae University as an ideal college. He definitely wouldn’t have signed up for it if he knew that it would come with a friend who was too dumb to stay alive and depended on Jimin to save him from himself. It was practically a phenomenon in itself that Taehyung managed to survive this long without his help.
“Taehyung, think about this. He’s big enough to eat you! What if you get hurt?”
Taehyung turned to look at mutt, placing a hand on his head. The wolf closed its eyes and leaned into Taehyung’s palm eagerly. Taehyung grinned when the wolf darted out a tongue to lick at his hand and Jimin almost lost his shit.
Did wolves taste their food before they started eating them?
“See? He’s perfectly safe. Aren’t you, boy?” The mutt barked happily at Taehyung and Jimin smacked his forehead. God save him from stupid best friends.
The mutt gave him the evil eye when Taehyung wasn’t looking. Jimin nearly drew his staff to defend himself on instinct. His best friend, oblivious to the tension, patted his shoulder.
“I’ll see you tomorrow Jimin. Don’t worry about me.”
Fuck, Jimin thought woefully as Taehyung turned away and started walking towards his room, the huge wolf loping around his heels excitedly. How the hell did no one even see a wolf inside the campus? Why was Taehyung so dumb?
He was dearly loved by his friends and family, Jimin mentally began constructing his obituary in preparation. It was time to get the funeral clothes ready.
*******
On the contrary to Jimin’s expectations, Taehyung was alive the next day.
Taehyung woke up baffled, with wet sheets. A warm puff of air kept hitting his neck rhythmically and he turned to see the wolf dozing away peacefully next to him. Taehyung stared at it for a confused second, still processing the dream he’d been having.
A flush crept up his neck and he almost screamed when it came back to him.
A black haired boy with red, puffy lips was sitting naked at the edge of his bed, gaze fixed predatorily on Taehyung. Taehyung tried to scoot back, half confused and half turned on when the boy’s lips lifted in a feral snarl, sharp canines poking out.
He crept up on his haunches, suddenly looming over Taehyung and he froze. The boy was so mesmerizingly pretty that it made Taehyung afraid to look in his direction or even let his eyes wander.
The barest hint of muscles bunching under his skin as he moved with a feline grace almost made Taehyung moan and he shrunk back. The boy smiled wickedly when he came close enough to touch Taehyung, caging him with his arms beside Taehyung’s head and his breath hitched in his chest, lost somewhere in the depth of his dark, dark eyes.
“Who…Who are you?” Taehyung whispered, heart beat loud enough that he felt that the boy could hear it. The boy cocked his head to the side, studying him with the same seductive smile and eyes at half mast, leaning closer. Taehyung leaned back, stretching his neck to keep the boy at a distance. A pleased rumble from the boy’s chest startled him and he froze.
The boy was nearly straddling him, crouched over his form. He was so near that Taehyung could almost count his eyelashes, could see little scars littered on his cheeks—how could those make someone look even more perfect? The boy ran his fingers over Taehyung's cheek, startling him. He cupped his chin roughly, brushing his thumb over Taehyung's spit slick lips. His jaw felt like it was burning under the boy's touch.
"Why..." Taehyung barely started when the boy darted a tongue out to lick his lips, looking as if he was ready to fuck him into his bed if Taehyung continued any further. Taehyung trembled, strength sapping out of his limbs at his touch. Instead of answering him, the boy turned and buried his face in Taehyung’s exposed neck. Taehyung’s pulse jumped and stuttered in its tracks. His cock instantly grew painfully hard in his boxers when he felt something warm lapping at his neck, over his pulse point.
“Nngh…” A moan slipped out, unfiltered. Taehyung froze, eyes wide in shock. The boy stopped in his motions as well, barely breathing.
Taehyung gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing. A sharp animalistic growl ripped out of the boy hovering over him and Taehyung felt something sharp sink into the skin between his shoulder and his neck. He instinctively arched his back, rubbing himself against the boy’s torso and screamed, coming all over himself.
The wolf stirred beside him and Taehyung stared at it blankly. It turned to look at him silently with deep chocolate brown eyes. Taehyung raised a hand to brush down the sleep-ruffled fur, without any thought. The wolf stayed still as his hand made a run down over his head. When Taehyung reached the fluffier part of the wolf’s body, he clenched his fingers into the fur and buried his face into the warmth.
He panted, heart still racing as the memory of the unusually vivid dream hovered near his consciousness. The smell of his orgasm was so pungent in the air that he could almost choke on it. He had probably come in his boxers while he’d been dreaming.
It failed to explain why he felt so unsatisfied, so empty. Like something was missing.
Taehyung screamed silently, mouthing at the wolf’s fur. The wolf rumbled beneath him and somehow, Taehyung knew that the wolf wouldn’t harm him. It was more of a feeling, that the wolf trusted him and would keep him safe. It was inexplicable somehow that an animal could give him the feeling he craved for whenever he felt lonely. The warmth and the security emanating from the wolf—it felt nice.
The wolf moved his snout a little, tongue lapping at whatever part of Taehyung’s face remained uncovered. His wet tongue moved over to Taehyung’s neck, lapping over the same spot the boy had bitten and Taehyung instantly felt pleasure zinging down his spine. He flinched away, eyes going wide at his own reaction. He reached up trembling fingers to push the wolf away but the wolf followed doggedly, nose digging into his sensitive, hot neck. Taehyung whimpered as the heat suddenly felt like a furnace against his body, his wolf refusing to stop licking at the same spot.
“No…nngh, don’t do that,” Taehyung kept trying to push away, weak from the assault. The wolf growled, nipping the skin between his teeth, and Taehyung froze immediately.
A distressed series of knocks at his door startled Taehyung out of his haze. Jimin’s voice worked as effectively as a bucket of cold water.
“Taehyung, are you alive? Open up!”
Taehyung literally ripped himself away from the wolf, scrambling to put on shorts and hide the evidence of his night.
The wolf snarled at the door, baring his fangs. Taehyung chanced a look at the wolf, too panicked to take much note.
He could have sworn the wolf almost looked disappointed.
*
"What the hell, Taehyung? You let the mutt sleep on your bed next to you?" The wolf snarled at Jimin's words, looking enraged and Taehyung sprang to cover his cute, pointy ears. He glared at Jimin.
"Hey, don't call my friend a mutt."
Jimin looked warily at the wolf snapping his teeth at him. Taehyung tapped its snout slightly, holding it gently.
"And you. Stop scaring Jimin," He scolded. Jimin looked offended.
"I'm not scared!" Jimin's high pitched voice wavered. Taehyung smirked down at his wolf, patting his head. Good boy, he mouthed where Jimin couldn't see him. The wolf looked back at him with something like amusement, Taehyung could tell.
"So did you sacrifice someone to feed him? You know what, let me show you my enemies. I think your wolf would really like the taste of douchebags."
Your wolf. Something in those words pinged in his mind and he felt a grin tug at his mouth.
"My wolf..." He scratched the underside of the wolf's snout. His wolf's ears drooped as he closed his eyes in pleasure, looking so happy at Taehyung's touch that Taehyung barely had the heart to stop. The sense of rightness filled him again when he ran his tongue over the words. His wolf. His to protect.
"Taehyung. Tae!"
Taehyung broke from his daze, yanking his hands away from where they'd been brushing his wolf's smooth fur. Jimin looked half scared and half done with Taehyung's weirdness. When he saw that he had Taehyung's attention, Jimin hurriedly grabbed the stack of cards lying on the desk--ignoring the pulse of heat expelled in his hand--and picked up the bag lying on the chair. He threw Taehyung's phone at him and he scrambled to catch it.
"Here, I'll be waiting outside while you and your new friend finish saying goodbye. If you end up dead, knock twice on the door." Jimin hurried out, sending a freaked out look behind him before slamming the door. Taehyung laughed sheepishly and looked back at his wolf.
"Time to go to school, boy."
The wolf looked bored now that the fun time was over. He put his head back on his paws and closed his eyes. Taehyung scratched his head as he thought of what he should put for his wolf to eat while he was away. He shed his shirt hurriedly, wondering if the bacon strips were still lying in the fridge. He pulled out the container, figuring his wolf would eat it if he felt hungry.
Grabbing a half crumpled shirt and jeans, Taehyung dashed into the shower, unaware of the dark eyes following after him.
*******
"Tae, we're juniors now! How do you feel?" Jimin laughed, exhilarated. Taehyung, still a little out of it because of the morning, almost walked into the fountain in a daze. Jimin pulled him back in time.
"Woah, woah woah--it's just the first day. Stop spacing out, Taetae."
"Hmm...? Oh, yeah."
"So what do you think? Should I say yes to Taeyang's proposal? We're thinking a spring wedding would be beautiful."
Taehyung nodded blankly. When Jimin's words finally penetrated his haze he stumbled in his path.
"What?"
"Just seeing if you were paying attention," Jimin shrugged, pulling out his phone to check his schedule. Taehyung rolled his eyes.
Jimin looked up with a gleam in his eye.
"Hey, I've got a Modern Metaphysics Theology class at ten. Whatcha got?"
Taehyung cast his mind back, trying to remember his vaguely thrown schedule. Scrying? Chemical Alchemy? Wasn't there a Modern Politics class thrown somewhere?
"...Runeology."
Jimin gave him a sympathetic look and patted his back.
"Why the hell did you make alchemy your major anyway?"
Taehyung didn't want to tell him that it was because of watching anime. He'd get a long, judging look from Jimin for that one. He hated judging Jimin.
"Uh...it seemed interesting."
"Better you than me. I've heard alchemy students don't get to see the light of the sun for years."
Taehyung knew for a fact that it wasn't true. Their president for one, had graduated with honours in the subject. Still, it made him slightly wary of having already made a Huge Adult Decision he could regret later.
As they were walking, a boy coming from opposite side of the cul-de-sac collided with Jimin. Taehyung dropped his bag in shock as he watched them both go down in a mess of notes and papers.
Jimin groaned from beneath the boy, freeing his right hand to cradle the back of his head. The boy, upperclassman--Taehyung noticed--groaned in succession, cupping his nose. Taehyung sprung into action, pulling out his cards to clean up the mess. The Jack of Diamonds laughed, setting off a tingling in his fingers as he whizzed around to bustle the papers and pens together. The Jack of Hearts fumed in Taehyung's hand and Taehyung flicked him in the forehead.
"Uh, kid. You alive?"
The boy who'd fallen on Jimin finally got up, using his chest as a support. Jimin groaned in reply, barely able to open his eyes. Taehyung snickered at Jimin helpfully.
The pink haired boy looked annoyed at the lack of response and slightly remorseful. He held out a hand to help Jimin up. When Jimin touched the boy's hand and looked up, Taehyung nearly dissolved laughing at the dumbstruck look on his face. It was the face that spelt the beginnings of a horrible crush for Park Jimin.
It had been a long time since Park Jimin had fallen in love at first sight.
Taehyung almost took out his Ace of Hearts to conjure a mariachi band and serenade Jimin and his new crush with cheesy love songs on this historic moment.
"Kid, it's either your choice to keep sitting in dirt or get up. I'm kind of in a hurry here," The boy scowled. Taehyung looked back to see Jimin's mouth had fallen open, eyes as shiny as if he was seeing a woodland Disney creature come to life.
Yep. Jimin had it bad.
"Ah-s-sorry, I didn't-" Jimin stuttered, a blush blooming on his cheeks as he got up. He didn't let go of the boy's hand immediately. The boy looked down with a frown, raising an eyebrow and Jimin let go. Reluctantly so, Taehyung could tell. Taehyung caught the Jack of Diamonds without looking as it boomeranged around his head and put it back, shuffling the cards. Most of them protested in his head, waking up from their sleep in their positions.
"Anyway, sorry for knocking you down. If we meet again I'll make it up to you."
Jimin seemed at a loss for words, nodding dumbly, his gaze fixed somewhere down by the upperclassman's mouth. Taehyung nudged him not so subtly.
"Uh-what's your name, sunbae-nim?" Jimin finally asked shyly. The boy impatiently licked his lips and collected the floating notes out of the air with a grimace.
"Call me Yoongi. I've gotta run, kid."
"Jimin. My name is Park Jimin," Jimin burst out, startling Taehyung. Yoongi looked at him curiously and Jimin went alarmingly red.
"Okay. See you later, Park Jimin."
Yoongi didn't wait further, running past Jimin towards the M buildings. Taehyung waited for Jimin to turn to him so he could tease him.
"Hey Park Jimin, how does it feel? Senpai noticed you!"
Jimin made a face at him, cheeks still rosily flushed. Taehyung squished his squishy cheeks together making him break out in laughter.
"I just met him, Taetae."
"And you're already halfway in love with him. Wait, what if he's a psychopath? He looked grumpy enough to be one."
"Tae," Jimin complained. "Did you look at him? Have you seen anything cuter? Oh god. I need to see him again."
"Well, Romeo I hate to tell you this but it seems like your cute little Juliet hates you."
Taehyung would not kid Jimin about this. The Queen of Hearts was snickering in the back of his head all the while Jimin had been making love struck eyes at Yoongi. Taehyung knew nothing delighted her more than seeing a drama unfold in front of her.
Jimin's face crumpled.
"What? Why do you say that?"
"Her," Taehyung immediately shuffled her out without looking down, too used to the way the cards tried to fool him each time. Jimin looked even more confused but he went horrified when he saw the Queen pulling out a Joker card with her.
"Dude, no. What the hell, why does he hate me? At the first sight, too? What did I even do?"
Taehyung felt slightly guilty for laughing at his friend's plight. He shuffled the cards again, thinking hard.
When he looked down at the card he'd drawn his smile widened. He handed Jimin the Ace of Clubs, knowing that getting the Luck card would make him happier.
"Well, will you look at that? It's not a hopeless crush after all."
"Just an uphill battle," Jimin perked up, beaming at Taehyung. His phone beeped at him and Jimin yelped.
"Alright, I gotta go. Class starts in a few minutes. I'll see you at lunch, Taetae!"
Taehyung waved putting the cards back. Jimin had run off with the Ace of Clubs and it felt a little empty to have such a major power card away from himself.
But whatever. He was willing to lend Jimin some luck anytime he wanted.
What were best friends for?
*
Runeology wasn't as engaging as Taehyung had thought it would be. He spent the entire time making doodles, his mind still fixed on the boy from his dream.
He didn't remember seeing the boy before in his life. If he had, Taehyung was positive that he would have remembered him. But the way he seemed so familiar, like something that just slipped out of his grasp...
The dark hunger in his eyes when he had cradled Taehyung's face made his face flush. Sure, Taehyung was no stranger to desire. He was just less experienced in recognising it when it was aimed at him. It unsettled him, set his skin itching under the dark haired boy's gaze.
He felt naked even with the clothes on.
He remembered the way he'd come with the boy barely touching him and he flushed to his ears. Taking a heavy breath, he raised his hand to press his fingers around the spot in his neck, where he still felt the imprint of a phantom mouth biting down on it.
A cry almost spilled out of his mouth at the instant pulse of pleasure washing down his body.
A familiar low growl resounded in his ears and he froze with his fingers pressed to his neck. He whipped around his head to see where it had been coming from. A girl sitting two seats away from him started at his sudden motion but he paid her no attention.
There were too many students for him to recognise anyone. He met the eyes of a few djinn kids who were looking at him weirdly. He smiled shakily before turning back.
Nope. It was surely his imagination.
He hastily removed his fingers from his neck.
The Queen of Hearts snickered ominously in the back of his head. He ignored her, pressing a hand on his chest and feeling the racing heartbeat with a dry mouth.