Lost and Found, Chapter Thirteen
BTS Members x Reader
Genre: Fantasy AU, Fluff, Minor Angst
Warning: Blood, injury
Word Count: 5.8k
Author’s Notes: I was gonna try to wrap this arc up in this chapter but I really liked the way this one ended, so hopefully after next chapter we’ll be moving on!
AO3
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Prologue || Most Recent
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She was surrounded by darkness. Cold, ominous darkness that seemed to press into her with a weight of its own.
Although she could not see, she knew she was not alone. Without warning, the sounds of snarling wolves began surrounding her on all sides. No matter which way she ran they were always right next to her. She felt sharp teeth dig into her calf and she careened face first into the dirt as one of the wolves violently yanked her leg out from beneath her. As she tried to get back to her feet, the wolves nipping and shoving at her body making it much more difficult, a bright white light appeared about ten feet in front of her. Relief washed over her, and she rushed as fast as she could over to it. As she got closer, she saw that it was a shimmering orb, about one foot in diameter. Eagerly she reached out towards it, watching as it’s bright light began to travel up her arm. She watched it with fascination for a few moments, when suddenly a burning sensation began to grow where the light was touching her. Immediately she pulled back, but it was too late. She was burning now, her face burning, her body burning, inside and out until it felt like the whole world was on fire.
And just like that Y/n was awake, though the burning sensation did not leave her. She felt a presence laying beside her, but her eyes would not allow themselves to open. And so she was forced to remain in the dark, her body still steadily burning.
At least the wolves were gone.
She wasn't sure how long she lay there before she heard footsteps approaching.
"Any changes?" The voice that had just arrived asked. She could've sworn she knew them, but the fire crawling throughout her skin made it difficult to focus.
"I think she was having another nightmare, she was whimpering a lot." The presence beside her responded. Was she in a bed with them? Or maybe on a couch?
Suddenly something cold was laid across her forehead, and the relief it brought was instantaneous. The untouched parts of her face still stung but the burning in the rest of her body allowed itself to lessen.
"You put it too low, the water's gonna drip into her eyes again." The person beside her shifted around and she felt the cold on her forehead being moved.
"Jungkook for the last time it helps soothe the burns on her eyelids when the water drips, quit moving it around," The outside voice chastised. The coolness of what she assumed was a wet washcloth made it easier for her to think. Was that Hobi's voice?
"How come you can't heal her more anyways?" Jungkook asked, repositioning the washcloth yet again.
"Well my magic mostly works by helping her body heal itself," Hobi explained, "but she's so weak right now I have to focus on keeping her stable."
"Why don't we take her to a real doctor then? Couldn’t they fix her?"
"They wouldn't be doing much different than what I am right now, and I think she would prefer to stay home."
Jungkook paused for a moment, his fingers ever so gently touching the side of her face. "Do you think she's in pain?"
The silence that filled the room seemed to answer his question, and he continued. "If they had just-"
"Enough, Jungkook. Arguing about it isn't going to change what happened, okay? He's gonna tell her when she's better, but just leave it alone for now." Hobi sounded tired, and Y/n felt worry filling her chest. What had she missed while she was out?
Jungkook's only response was to move closer to her, wrapping an arm protectively around her waist. Hobi sighed, and she heard his footsteps fade into the distance once more. Y/n felt the washcloth being adjusted again, and then she slipped back into unconsciousness.
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The next time she woke, the fire in her body had subsided. She still felt unseasonably warm and utterly exhausted, but it was not nearly as bad as it was last time. Someone was in the bed with her again, talking to another person in the room.
"You know she's not in a coma right? You don't have to read to her." It sounded like Jungkook was still next to her, and she wondered how much time had passed since she was last conscious.
"And you don't have to stay in the same bed as her the whole time, but here we are,” replied the other voice. Was it Jimin this time? Even without the incessant burning, the exhaustion made thinking difficult.
"I'm watching over her," Jungkook stated matter-of-factly.
"Yeah, you've made that pretty clear." Jimin said, sounding a little annoyed. "Speaking of, when are you gonna let them visit her?"
"Is never an option?"
Jimin sighed. "You know how bad they feel about what happened Kookie, you can't keep blaming them."
"Well when she's no longer in pain because of what Namjoon did and what Tae didn't do, then I'll let her decide if she wants to be around them."
"Jungkook-"
"If Tae had done a better job protecting her she wouldn't be in such a bad state!" Jungkook had sat up now, clearly agitated. "If he can't be trusted to keep her safe then I'll have to do it myself."
Jimin fell silent. A few moments passed, and she felt his hand brush a strand of hair out of her face, coming to a rest on her forehead. His touch stung, but she didn’t have the energy to flinch away.
“I think her fever broke, she doesn’t feel nearly as hot as she did yesterday,” he said, quieter now.
“...yeah. I’ve been keeping an eye on it,” Jungkook responded. “Do you think she might wake up soon?”
“Let’s hope so,” Jimin replied. He picked up his book and began reading as Jungkook settled back down beside her, and Y/n found herself drifting back into sleep as she tried to piece together what everyone was so upset about.
———————————————————————————
When she woke up again, the space beside her was empty. She listened for a moment to see if anyone was in the room with her, but detected no voices or movement. Forcing her eyes open, she looked around the room. It was dark, but she could make out potted plants neatly lined on a windowsill that still had the curtains drawn-back, and she figured she must be in Jin’s bed.
The other times she had woken up, there had always been at least one person in the room with her, so the sudden silence sat uneasily in her stomach. Gathering all her energy, she pushed herself into a sitting position. The dizziness that washed over her was almost enough to send her back into unconsciousness, but she pushed through it. She paused for a moment to let her head settle before looking around the room again.
From her new vantage point she could see a dark shape of Hobi lying in his bed, sound asleep. His wings were sprawled out behind him, glimmering in the moonlight like a fresh blanket of snow. Seeing him there eased some of her worries, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to rest easily until she knew everyone was okay.
Giving herself till the count of three, she swung her legs off the bed as her muscles screamed in protest. Her body wanted nothing more than for her to lay back down and sleep for another month, but she stubbornly ignored it. Slowly, but surely, she stood up. The whole world seemed to shift and sway around her as she began to take unsteady steps towards the hallway.
She leaned heavily against the doorframe as soon as she arrived at that milestone. Her hair, unwashed and tangled, had fallen in front of her eyes during her expedition, and she pushed it out of her face with annoyance. As her fingers skimmed her cheek however, pain shot through her skin. She flinched back reflexively, wondering what had happened to cause such injuries. Delicately she explored her skin with her fingertips, and found it unusually rough and generating an abnormal amount of heat. Were those burn marks all over her face?
Uneasily she pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, and began to move down the hallway. She had to know that they were safe, especially since there was clearly a lot of tension between everybody right now. She found herself wondering if she was to blame for the state of things as she made her way towards a light in the living room. It was slow going, and she had to lean the majority of her body weight against the wall, but she was making progress.
As she passed the bathrooms, she noticed that one of the doors was cracked open. Pausing for a moment, she listened intently to see if anyone was inside, and was surprised to hear the sound of soft snores coming from inside. The thought of someone asleep on the toilet made her smile, and decided to let them be as she continued her trek towards the living room.
Eventually she arrived at the edge of the hallway. She could see Jin and Namjoon talking in hushed tones, and felt relief wash over her. Being unsure if her loved ones were okay hurt more than any of the physical pain she had endured, and she was glad to see that at least the majority of her family had been accounted for since she first woke up. She took another step forward, leaving the support of the wall on unsteady feet as she tried to speak. At first nothing came out, but when she tried again she managed to croak out a few words.
“You’re both okay…” she said, her voice rough from disuse.
Instantly the two boys looked up at her, eyes wide. Before she knew it Jin was in front of her, checking her over for any new injuries. Namjoon however remained still as stone on the couch, looking as if he was staring at a ghost.
“Y/n what are you doing out of bed!” Jin exclaimed. “Jungkook was supposed to be watching you.”
“I needed-” she stopped to clear her throat, “I needed to make sure everyone was okay…”
Jin’s expression softened, and he placed a hand gingerly on her head. “We’re all okay Y/n, we’ve all just been worried about you.”
“Tae is okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, Tae's fine. We found him not long after you collapsed and got you both home straight away.” He answered.
"I'm really glad…" she said, smiling softly. Her mission finally completed, she felt her legs buckle underneath her, and she collapsed into Jin’s arms.
"Easy now,” Jin cooed as he caught her. “Let’s get you back into bed, Y/n.”
Effortlessly he scooped her up bridal style, and began carrying her down the hallway. As they passed the bathroom, Y/n piped up. “I think Jungkook’s asleep in the bathroom, I heard snoring coming from inside as I walked by.”
Jin laughed softly, making Y/n smile. “Of course he is. In his defense, he hasn’t been sleeping well. He’s too insistent that he has to keep an eye on you at all times.”
“Don’t tell him I got out of bed… I don’t want him to think he has to push himself even more to make sure I’m always being watched,” Y/n worried.
“Alright, I won’t tell him anything, as long as you tell him to get more rest the next time you talk to him,” Jin reassured.
“Deal.”
They arrived back in Jin’s room, and he gingerly set her down back onto the bed.
“Hey Jin?”
“Yeah?” he replied, covering her with a blanket.
"Everytime I wake up everyone seems to be arguing… is that because of me?"
Jin looked at her sympathetically. "It’s not your fault, Y/n. Tensions have been a little high but that’s just because we want you to get better, and we were scared that you got so hurt. This will all blow over in no time, you just need to focus on recovering, okay?"
She was silent for a few more moments. "I’ve never transformed like that before… I was just so scared Tae was gonna get hurt…"
"I know, sweetheart," Jin reassured, taking her hand within his own. "You did what you could to protect someone you love. We all understand that."
"I was so scared…" she murmured. As she drifted back into sleep, she thought about how nice it felt to hold his hand.
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Sunlight filtered into the room the next morning, and Y/n woke up to the sound of someone singing. The voice was quiet yet effortlessly beautiful, and as she opened her eyes she saw Jungkook next to her once more. He hadn't noticed her wake yet, still absently tracing shapes onto the back of her hand as he sang.
She stayed still for a few minutes, basking in the sound of his voice. She had heard him sing before, but this one felt different. It was soft, and intimate, much like the feeling of someone caressing your cheek. She couldn't make out the lyrics, but it sounded like some sort of lullaby. Or maybe a love song?
Eventually she decided she should let him know that she was awake now, and she turned her hand over to intertwine their fingers. Immediately he looked up at her in surprise, and as he saw her open eyes staring back at him he broke out into a huge grin.
"Y/n!" He exclaimed, practically jumping on top of her so he could wrap his arms around her. "You're finally awake I've been so worried I missed you so much!!!!!"
She giggled as the dragon boy nuzzled into her neck, a deep rumble emanating from his chest. She never knew that dragons could purr. "I'd say I missed you too Kookie but you were always right next to me whenever I woke up!"
"Well I had to watch over you and make sure you were okay," he explained, his breath warm against her skin.
"I know," she smiled. "It was nice always knowing you were right there if I needed anything. How long was I out anyways?"
"Two full days, today would've been the third morning that you didn't wake up."
She was silent for a few moments, "I'm sorry if I scared you guys…"
Jungkook lifted his head to stare at her seriously. "You should be!" He scolded. "You're not allowed to ever get hurt or sick again, okay? You have to stay safe for all our sakes or I'll have to handcuff us together so I can always be there to protect you."
Y/n giggled at the thought. "Okay, I'll be more careful from now on," she promised.
Jungkook settled his face back into the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. They sat in silence, enjoying the feeling of being wrapped in each other’s arms, Y/n running her hand along his back. After all the pain and uncertainty in the last few days, it was nice to be held and to know she was safe now.
"Does it hurt?" He asked, breaking the stillness in the room.
Y/n hesitated, wondering how much to tell him. The fever was finally gone, but her body felt like it was filled with rocks. Not to mention the stinging in her face whenever she so much as raised her eyebrows.
“Well, it’s way better than when I first was conscious, so that’s good! I’m mostly just really tired,” she admitted with a sigh.
“Then go back to bed! You still need more rest so you can recover” Jungkook chastised.
“Nooooo,” she whined, pulling him even closer to her. “I’ve already slept for two whole days, I want to spend some time with my Kookie before I sleep more!"
Even without seeing his face, she could feel him grin against her skin as his purring got louder. "I guess that's an acceptable excuse," he said, trying to hide his delight.
"Did I miss anything while I was asleep?" She asked.
"...No, we were just waiting for you to wake up," he answered, unconvincingly.
"Jungkook…"
Before she could press him further, she heard footsteps approaching down the hall. As she turned to look, Jimin appeared in the doorway, holding a tray with two plates of chocolate chip pancakes and two glasses of juice.
"Y/n!!!!" He exclaimed, quickly setting down the tray and rushing over to her side. "How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Are you in pain? Should I go get Hobi?"
She paused for a moment, trying to comprehend his barrage of questions. "Uhhh I'm okay, yeah I could use some food, the pain is manageable, and you don't need to bug him."
Before she even finished what she was saying Jimin was busy collecting all the pillows from Hobi's bed. "Are you able to sit up?"
"Yeah, I got it," Y/n assured. "Kookie, you're gonna have to move though."
The dragon boy sat up with a slight pout, giving Jimin a dirty look for interrupting their cuddling session. They watched with concern as she slowly but surely pushed herself into a sitting position. As much as she tried to hide it, the pain it caused was clear on her face. When she was finally up, Jimin placed the extra pillows behind her so she could lean back and still eat.
"Here, we still had some pancakes from the other day," Jimin said, placing the tray on her lap. "I brought some for me and Jungkook but since you're up you can have my share!"
"Nonsense!" She asserted. "There are six pancakes so we can all have two!"
Jimin began to protest but she was already distributing the pancakes, leaving the two for her on the tray and handing Jimin and Jungkook their plates. "Now we can all enjoy the pancakes together!"
"What about utensi-" Jungkook started, but stopped with a giggle as he saw Y/n already scarfing down the pancake with her hands. It had been a while since she had properly eaten, so he didn't blame her. When they were done, Jimin brought the dishes out to the kitchen and then clambered into the bed with Y/n, much to Jungkook's annoyance.
"There's not enough room Jimin," the dragon complained.
"Well maybe if you moved over more there would be," Y/n pointed out with a giggle. With an overly dramatic sigh Jungkook scooched over and soon Y/n was surrounded by snuggles on all sides, much to her delight.
"Where's everyone else?" She asked, as Jungkook buried his face in the crook of her neck once more.
"Hobi is sunning himself on the roof, and everyone else is working," Jimin answered, intertwining his fingers with hers.
She hummed in acknowledgement, and a comfortable silence fell on the three of them. Unfortunately, as much as Y/n wanted to stay awake to spend time with her family, the warm embrace of sleep called to her, and soon she found herself slipping away once again.
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When she finally woke, it was beginning to get dark. She mentally cursed herself for falling asleep again, and sighed as she stared up at the ceiling. Jungkook was gone again, but she could hear the sounds of conversation coming from down the hall. It seemed like she had woken up while they were eating dinner.
Before she could force herself up out of bed, the door to the room creaked open and someone slipped inside. She had closed her eyes to shield them from the sudden bright light from the hallway, but she recognized Yoongi's voice as he approached the side of the bed.
"I know you're asleep," he whispered, "but I saw this on my way home from work and… well I thought you might like it."
She felt him place something on the bed next to her. It seemed like some sort of plushie, but she couldn't tell what it was for sure without opening her eyes. Either way, he seemed to think she was still asleep, and she was curious to see if he too would say more than when she was awake.
Sure enough, she sensed him hesitate for a moment, as if he was contemplating what to do next. Just as she was considering saying something, she felt him lean forwards, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.
"Get better soon," he whispered, adjusting the blanket on top of her.
"Thank you, Yoongi," she whispered back, smiling up at him as his eyes finally adjusted to the light in the room.
"I didn't- I wasn't- I was just checking your fever," he stuttered. Even in the dim light, she could see how flustered he was.
"Mmm of course you were, because you're supposed to feel the top of my head instead of my forehead," she teased.
"Well you- I didn't want to hurt your burns," he defended. "It doesn't matter anyways it was stupid enjoy your Stitch plushie."
"Wait Yoongi!" She called out, and he stopped with his hand on the door. "It was sweet, thank you, really. For the plushie and the get better kiss"
Although still clearly embarrassed, she saw his body relax. "It's no problem," he mumbled.
There was a brief pause, and then it was her turn to be embarrassed. "Um, since you're here though, do you think you could help me to the bathroom?"
He laughed, and returned to the bed so he could scoop her up in his arms.
"I can walk you know," she pouted. "I just need a little help."
"Well you can walk yourself out of the bathroom then," he told her, amused. As they arrived at the bathroom, Yoongi gingerly placed her so she was standing, making sure she was steady before removing his hands.
"I'll uh, wait outside. Yell if you need anything." And just like that he was gone, the door shut between them.
When she was done, she shuffled her way back to the hallway. As she opened the door, Yoongi held out his arm for her to steady herself on, and she gave him a grateful smile as she grabbed on.
"Do you want to go say hi to everyone or go back to bed?” He asked.
“I wanna go say hi!” she said cheerfully.
Slowly they made their way back down the hallway, Yoongi matching the pace Y/n set. As they drew closer, she could smell the tantalizing scent of Jin’s homemade hamburgers wafting down the hallway. Her stomach growled in response, much to her embarrassment, and she heard Yoongi chuckle beside her.
“I guess we should get some more food in you since you’re up,” he suggested, eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Don’t tease me! I’ve been asleep for so long it’s a miracle I haven’t wasted away,” she pouted.
“I wasn’t trying to-”
Before he could finish what he was saying, Taehyung appeared around the corner. Even though she had been reassured that he was okay, she was almost overwhelmed with relief to actually see it in person. And it was clear to see that he felt the same way. As soon as he caught sight of her, she saw tears fill his eyes as he rushed to envelop her in his arms.
“Y/n I’m so sorry I should’ve stayed awake I shouldn’t have left you alone I didn’t even think that something like that was going to happen I’m so sorry it’s all my fault.” His voice cracked as he babbled, and she could feel his tears drip onto her shoulder.
“No Tae please don’t blame yourself,” she begged, feeling her own eyes fill with tears in response, “it’s my fault I got hurt, I just got so scared and lost control, there’s nothing you could’ve done differently.”
“But if I had only-”
“I think Tae has a point,” Jungkook interrupted, appearing behind Taehyung and circling around Y/n so he could wrap his arms around her waist protectively.
“Jungkook, we’ve been over this,” Yoongi warned, giving the dragon an annoyed look. “It was an accident, and blaming each other is only going to cause more in-fighting. Let it go.”
Y/n turned to look up at Jungkook in shock. “You’ve been fighting with Tae? Because of me?”
“Only because he didn’t do a good job protecting you,” he defended, but as Y/n stared up at him with tears still in her eyes, he felt his conviction wavering.
“I don’t ever want you guys to fight, especially not because of me,” Y/n pleaded. “You guys were such good friends, and I want you to all be happy. Please don’t be mad at him anymore Kookie, he did everything he could.”
Jungkook sighed, trying to look anywhere but her pleading eyes. “I guess I could try to forgive him, for your sake,” he grumbled, punctuating his words with a kiss to her cheek. Even though his kiss stung a bit, Y/n still felt her cheeks heat up in response. As she looked away bashfully, she didn’t see the smug smirk the dragon boy shot at Tae.
“Come on Y/n, let’s go get you some food,” Yoongi intervened, prying the girl from between the other two.
———————————————————————————
Her recovery was slow, but steady. During her first night properly awake she ate four hamburgers and then fell asleep on top of her fifth, much to the amusement of the rest of the family. Jungkook stayed home with her every day, barely leaving her side, and for the first couple of days she had healing sessions with Hobi every night. However she quickly realized how much of a toll the constant healing was taking on the angel, and refused to let him treat her anymore, stating that the burns would heal fine on their own. The boys tried to argue with her on this, but at this point it was doing more harm to Hobi than it was good to her, and she refused to budge on the matter.
At some point she was moved to Jungkook's bed so Jin’s back could have a break from the uneven surface of the couch, and the dragon moved to sleeping in the living room instead. She had tried to protest, arguing that they could at least share the bed, but the other boys seemed pretty against that particular idea.
During this time, Namjoon barely spoke to her. He didn't outright ignore her, but he kept all his answers short and never initiated the conversation. This change in attitude left her feeling hurt and confused. Was he really that scared of her now? Whenever she pressed the others on the issue, they gave her dismissive answers and changed the subject, which frustrated her even further. She would rather be upfront about the problem than continue pretending there wasn't one.
It weighed heavily on her mind day in and day out, and she found herself on the back porch one night, contemplating what to do when she heard the door open behind her.
"Y/n… what are you doing out here?" It was Namjoon, looking just as wary as he did everytime he looked at her lately.
"Oh, you're finally talking to me again?" She snapped, and she winced at how aggressively it had come out. "...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say it like that."
"No, I'm the one who should be apologizing," he said, coming over to stand next to her by the railing. "I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, I just… well I was scared of having this conversation…"
The sounds of the forest filled the silence between them as both considered their next words carefully.
"I've spent a lot of my life being scared," Y/n admitted, staring intently into the dark treeline. "So I never really learned what to do if I end up becoming something to be afraid of." She sighed, letting her head drop so she was looking at the ground. "I don't ever want to leave you guys, but, if this is a problem we can't overcome, I'll bow out. You shouldn't have to live in fear, and you were here first, so if I need to I'll… I'll…"
Namjoon looked up at her in surprise. Tears were beginning to spill down her face, and she covered her mouth in an attempt to contain the sobs bubbling up from her chest. Had she really gotten the situation so backwards? For a moment he hesitated, unsure if his touch would be a welcome one, but the sight of her crying was too much not to wrap his arms around her.
"Oh Y/n, that's not it at all," he whispered, stroking her hair as he held her.
"What is it then, Namjoon?" She asked, untangling herself from his arms and taking a step back. "For weeks now you've barely spoken to me, barely even looked at me. Do you know how much that hurts? I just want to know what's wrong so we can fix this and be friends again. I miss you. I miss your hugs, and the way your ears twitch when you're dreaming, and the face you make when you break something. But even when you're standing right next to me, it feels like you're a million miles away. So just tell me how to fix this so things can go back to normal. Please Namjoon..."
Namjoon opened his mouth, and then let it fall shut. The cicadas cried out as the night breeze swirled around them, and Y/n waited for his answer. Without a word, he reached into his back pocket, and handed her a small gift box. It was white with a navy ribbon around it, and she looked at him in confusion as she opened it.
"A knife?" She asked. "I don't understand…" The present glinted in the moonlight as she examined it, the soft glow highlighting it's lethal edge.
"A silver knife."
Immediately she slammed the box shut, staring at him in horror. "Namjoon where did you get this?! This is so dangerous to even have around you, why would you give this to me?!"
"I wanted to make sure you felt safe," he explained, unable to meet her eyes.
"Namjoon, I still don't understand..."
"It was me in the woods when you were protecting Tae, and it was me when you were attacked three months ago. I’m the wolf who almost killed you."
His words hung in the air between them, heavy and irreversible, like the result of a mirror's first introduction to a hammer. She stared at him wordlessly as memories swarmed her mind. The shock of vicious teeth burying themselves into her flesh, blood soaking into the dirt, a struggle ensues. As she runs her leg dangles uselessly, and as she stops fear consumes her endlessly. The pain is near unbearable, but the fear is worse. Every breath and every broken twig and every stray scent are predators one step behind her, eager to finish her off for good. She can't slow down or relax, too aware that each breath may very well be her last.
But even when she is safe, when the pain has been eased, the fear remains, and the second she lets her guard down she is reminded why. The danger is always breathing down her neck, running only delays the inevitable and taking a stand leaves her burned and broken.
Just for a heartbeat, she considers opening the box.
But as the wave of memories subsides, she sees Namjoon in front of her. He still can't meet her eyes, his ears flat against his head. Those ears…
No, she had to keep those two beings separated in her head. If Namjoon had wanted to kill her, he had plenty of opportunities. This was one of her dearest friends, someone with whom she had swapped secrets and comforts back and forth like pokemon cards. This was the man who lost his wallet four times in the same store, someone who constantly asked for help finding something that was in his hands, the only being capable of breaking a Nokia. But he always held her with a gentle reverence, as if she were a glass sculpture, beautiful and fragile, and he was always there for her when she needed him.
"How… did it happen? I thought you usually didn't hunt. " She was clearly hesitant, but she hadn't run just yet. It was a start.
"Time got away from us, and the full moon arrived before I could prepare," he admitted. "I can remember a strong hunger, and then I remember blood, and then pain, and the last thing I remember was watching a deer run away…”
She was silent, and he continued. “Y/n… you have to know how sorry I am for what happened. I was going to tell you but… I didn’t want to scare you off. We all love you so much, I couldn’t bear to put your position here in jeopardy. But then I got so excited when I found you in the woods I didn’t even think to turn back… and you got hurt again because of that. If I could go back I would undo all of the pain I caused you, but I know that isn't possible. You don't have to forgive me, but please… don't leave. Don't punish the rest of them for something I did."
She was silent for a long time, so long that by the end of it she was wondering if she even knew how to speak anymore, or if she were permanently rendered mute by the sharp edges of this exposed truth.
"I'm scared Namjoon…" her voice was only a whisper, almost lost among the sounds of the night. "I don't want to be, because I know it's you and I love you, but… those deep-rooted instincts to keep myself safe and run and hide till the danger passes are running wild within me. I don't want to go, but for so long the only answer I've known is running. I don't know how else to handle this."
"Well… for someone who's spent her whole life running, you've got a lot of fight in you. Twice now you've kicked my ass, but maybe you can use that spirit to fight for the future you've earned, here, safe with us. Even if it just means fighting your own instincts, don't let me or you or anyone else take this place from you. It is yours, and you belong here."
Namjoon stepped away from her, moving towards the stairs to the driveway. "I'm gonna go spend the night in a hotel or something, you stay here and sleep on it. We can talk again tomorrow."
Y/n watched wordlessly as he got into the car and drove off. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, watching the spot where she had last seen his headlights, before finally going back inside.
