Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Will you just—” Jimin huffs, giggling as the little sprite continues to play with his hair. He swats away the little nature spirit, ignoring its small, tinkling laughs in the wind as he picks the herbs growing along the forest edge.

He came a little bit further out today, his research pointing him toward the best place to find dragon weed and wild onion for his tinctures. Along the way, a group of young sprites, probably born this past equinox, took a liking to his magic, shimmering around him in a haze of pinks and blues. He could feel them playing games in the air around him, trying to ruffle his feathers as he attempted to work.

One of them grabs a strand of his blond hair that escaped his small ponytail, their little fingers pulling at the strand teasingly. Jimin couldn’t help but burst into giggles at the feeling, his hand shooing her away. “If I give you a treat, will you leave me alone?” The small sprites come together to hover before him, their wings nearly translucent in the sunlight. They give him a curious look, their nervous mumbles barely heard over the swaying grass of the meadow. He sighs softly, shaking his head as he reaches into his basket beside him. He pulls back the cloth covering the bottom of it, digging around until he finds a suitable gift. He pulls out a small coin, the dull, bronze shine of it piquing the interest of the forest spirits. “You may have this coin if you leave me to my work in peace today. Do you accept?”

He knew from experience with various fae-folk that a proposition and a shiny object went a long way. One of the sprites reaches out, tentatively touching the edge of the coin, their aura burning brighter at the texture. She nods her head enthusiastically, her friends rushing forward to also touch the strange object. Jimin’s heart melts at the sight, their voices like tinkling bells in the breeze.

Suddenly, they stop talking, their bodies going rigid. Jimin frowns at the change in mood, tilting his head, “What? Do you not like it?” The sprites quickly dissipated into the air, their presence only being a distant memory before he even realized it. He frowns even more, his heart rate rising when he realizes.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

The forest was alive and well around him just moments prior, the birds singing their songs in the trees overhead, bees buzzing along as they traveled from flower to flower, the rustling of leaves in the trees and grass with every gentle wind. All of it was pleasant background noise as he worked, but now there was nothing.

A snap of a tree branch finally breaks the near-deafening silence. Jimin turns behind him, his heart in his throat. He sees movement along the tree line, a large dark silhouette moving amongst the shadows.

Jimin rolls his eyes.

“Shouldn’t you be pissing on tree stumps instead of stalking me?”

There was a moment of silence, Jimin’s heart still beating wildly against his chest. A deep, animalistic growl echoed from the thicket, the bass nearly rattling Jimin’s chest and his nerves. He stood up with a huff, ignoring the shake in his hands as he packed away the herbs he had plucked, stashing them away in his basket. He turns again when he hears another growl, this time closer. He narrows his eyes as, finally, the bushes move slowly apart, revealing a large wolf.

Its amber eyes were narrowed, intense as it stalked closer and closer. Its sleek black fur glistened in the afternoon sunlight, specks of white and grey giving it an almost otherworldly aura. The wolf growls again, its snout lifted in a snarl. It stops a few yards away from him, its head tilting in question.

“You don’t scare me, Yoongi-ssi,” Jimin calls, frowning as he crosses his arms over his chest. The wolf huffs, his eyes narrowing once more. Slowly, the wolf morphs, sleek fur receding into pale, flawless skin. Between one blink and the next, the wolf became a man.

A naked man.

Jimin groans under his breath, shielding his eyes and blushing cheeks as the shifter comes to his full height, his long, dark hair rustling in the wind. In human form, he had the same hard look in his cat-like eyes, his jaw set in annoyance.

“You shouldn’t be out this far, little witch.” Says Yoongi, his voice deep and growling, sending a shiver down Jimin’s spine. Jimin rolls his eyes again, chancing a glance at the shifter. He blushes once more at the reminder of others' nakedness, his annoyance waning.

“You have no right to say where I can and cannot go, dog.” Jimin huffs, placing his hands on his hips, “I can take care of myself.”

“You don’t know these woods like I do, witch,” Yoongi grumbles, stalking closer. Jimin takes an instinctual step back, his annoyance peaked again at the little smirk that formed on the shifter’s lips, “I’m not the only dangerous creature in this forest, Jimin-ssi.”

Jimin couldn’t help but laugh, his shoulders shaking with the force of it, “If you think you’re dangerous to me, Yoongi-ssi….” Jimin says, trailing off as he laughs again. He turns swiftly on his feet, walking into the thicket. He heard the man grumble in annoyance behind him, another giggle leaving his mouth in satisfaction.

Ever since Jimin settled in his cottage in the woods, determined to work in peace and solitude, he’s had a bit of a problem.

Min Yoongi.

The older man was settled in a clearing deep in the forest, far from any main road or town. At first, Jimin didn’t pay him any mind, simply setting up camp on the other side of their little cove of long grass and wildflowers. It wasn’t until he started adventuring into the forest around them, writing down unique details and landmarks as he went, that he started having problems. The old man (that’s what he calls him, he’s not sure how old the wolf is) gave him a warning, telling him to never go beyond the river to the east. Unfortunately for him, that was where all the most valuable herbs to Jimin grew best. He had tried to be firm but polite, telling the shifter he was tougher than he seemed. His annoyance only grew from there when the man only laughed in his face, his lips forming a small smirk at the declaration.

The wolf was annoying for many reasons. He was arrogant, overbearing, hard-headed, and overall, a nuisance to Jimin’s work. It wasn’t long before he realized the wolf followed him wherever he went; always lurking in the shadows. If he were outside of his house and not at the river, he could feel his amber eyes scanning his every move. Yoongi claimed it was so he could keep an eye on him, in case he got into any danger.

Jimin is brought out of his thoughts at the sound of footsteps, rolling his eyes as he turns to see Yoongi, back in wolf form, trekking along with him. The wolf huffs out a breath, his snout nudging Jimin’s side. “You don’t have to follow me home, you know,” Jimin said out loud, looking down at the wolf. The wolf remained silent, his steps falling in line with Jimin’s. The witch groans in annoyance, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Do you not have anything else better to do?” The wolf turns his amber gaze toward Jimin, growling softly.

Jimin huffs out another laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. He tucks his arms into the long, brown cloak over his shoulders, his basket bumping steadily into his left hip, “I’ll have to get better at covering my tracks. Next time, I want to pick my herbs in peace.” Yoongi nudges his hip with his snout, quickly running ahead of him. He circles Jimin as they walk, snarling his teeth. Jimin rolls his eyes. “You need to start minding your own business,” Yoongi growls at him, running around him once before taking off ahead of him. Jimin sighs again, his energy drained from the wolf’s shenanigans.

The sun overhead was just beginning to set on the horizon once he made it into the clearing, his cottage bathed in golden evening light as he waded through the tall grass, his hands petting the wildflowers at his fingertips. He turns to look to the right, the shifter’s cabin a bit further out toward the clearing’s edge. It didn’t seem like Yoongi was home, the windows dark and the chimney free of whisping smoke from a fire. Jimin grumbles, annoyed at himself that he even cares about the wolf’s whereabouts.

Just as he makes it to the stepping stone path of his front door, movement from the corner of his eye stops him in his tracks. Before he can even turn to look, he’s pulled backwards by his cloak.

“Ah! Wha-” Is all Jimin gets out before he’s pulled to the ground, the wolf growling as he tugs at the witch’s cloak. Jimin flails, his basket flying off his arm to the ground with him, his herbs scattering to the wind. “Stop! What are you doing, you mutt!”

The tugging on his cloak stops, the next thing Jimin sees is Yoongi’s dirt-covered face peering down at him, his long hair obscuring the stoic look in his eye.

“That was a test, Jimin-ssi.” He says, crouching down beside him, “And you failed. You should be more aware of your surroundings, especially out here.” Jimin’s eyes widen in disbelief, his heart still rabbiting wildly in his chest. He sits up with a huff, attempting to push over the other in his anger. When the wolf remains unmoved, he gives up, scrambling to his feet.

“What I need is for you to fuck off and leave me alone!” Jimin yells, bending down to pick up his basket and what remained of his herbs. He was relieved to see that most of it survived the fall, frowning to himself when he realized he’d have to go back to get more in a few days time. He turns to the shifter once again, his blood boiling. “I don’t need your lessons, or your help, or your insufferable presence in my life. I want to be alone. I came this deep in the forest to be alone. I’m assuming you want the same, so why are you always around?!”

Yoongi doesn’t respond, his jaw clenching as he narrows his eyes at the witch. Jimin scoffs, shaking his head as he turns, marching toward his home. He opens and slams the front door, startling his familiar, Juniper, who was napping by the front window.

“Sorry, Juni,” Jimin murmurs softly, crouching down as the cat saunters over to him, her calico fur soft under his fingertips. She butts her head into his hand, purring softly as she curls up against his leg. He scoops up the feline into his arms, nearly falling over as he toes off his boots. He kisses the top of Juniper’s head and, with the snap of his fingers, lights the candles around the small living and kitchen area, bathing the wooden floors and walls in amber light. The hearth flickers to life as he settles down in one of the rickety wooden chairs he has pushed up against the small dining table by the fire, most of its available surface covered in books, herbs and jars filled with his various tinctures. He turns to look behind him, the window of his cottage in direct eyeline with Yoongi’s cabin across the meadow. He finds himself watching the shifter’s shadow bounce against the walls of his cabin, pacing back and forth as he settles in for the evening. It was moments like these where he wondered why he was here, why he chose to isolate himself from the world.

When Jimin first arrived, the shifter’s lonely cabin was the first sign of life he’d seen in weeks. Jimin had his reasons for solitude, the back of his neck tingling unpleasantly as a reminder. But he couldn’t help but wonder why the wolf was here, too. He rolls his eyes at his own train of thought, his mood turning sour enough to alarm Juniper, her head peeking up from her resting place on Jimin’s chest. She mews in question, her head nudging Jimin’s chin tenderly. Jimin couldn’t help but giggle softly, his fingers brushing through her dense fur.

“We don’t need silly, old werewolves to help us survive out here, do we?” Jimin asks, laughing again when the familiar bares her teeth, hissing at the idea. “Exactly. You’ll protect me from all the big scary monsters out there, won’t you?” Juniper meows once, snuffling as she unravels herself from Jimin’s hold. She jumps down from his lap, sauntering back to the windowsill to stand guard. Jimin grins, shaking his head as he gets up with sigh.

“That’s my girl.”

Later, Jimin eats dinner; another night of rice porridge with the last of his remaining dried meat. He spends the evening reading over his field notes, comparing them to his reading from the previous night. Juniper snoozes on the floor next to Jimin’s feet, her tail swishing back and forth lazily in her sleep. He startles at the sound of howling, his quill pen nearly slipping from his fingers. He gingerly rises from his seat, careful to step over Juniper as he makes his way to the window. He looks outside and at first, all he sees is pitch black darkness, the crescent moon above giving the only light source. He looks across the clearing, Yoongi’s house is pitch black inside to match the woods surrounding them. Movement catches his eye, his gaze settling on a massive black figure running against the treeline. He sees it until it essentially becomes one with the darkness of the forest, the rustling of bushes being the only indicator that there was something there at all. Jimin sighs to himself, forcing himself to turn away from the window and get back to work.

Jimin wakes up with a startle, momentarily disoriented. At some point, he had made the slow trek up the ladder to his lofted bedroom, his mountain of pillows and blankets swallowing him the moment he laid down. Juniper is meowing excitedly, her tail swishing back and forth as her paws pressed against the windows of the second floor, her nose pressed against the glass.

“What is it, Honey?” Jimin asks drowsily, rubbing his eye as he turns to look out the window. It takes a moment for his eyes to adjust, his brow furrowing as he looks to the ground below.

Yoongi, in wolf form, was sitting at his front door, his amber eyes trained on the window above. Once he saw Jimin, he got up, barking once. Jimin sighs to himself, attempting to keep his annoyance at bay. He opened the window, leaning his head out. “It’s a little late to be a nuisance, don’t you think, Yoongi-ssi?”

The wolf doesn’t respond, his gaze lowering to the ground. Jimin tilts his head in confusion, his eyes looking down further. He sees a clump of herbs on his front doorstep, along with a dead rabbit.

Huh.

“Is that…for me?” Jimin asks cautiously, peering out further from his window. The wolf nods his head once, getting up to slowly walk in the direction of his cabin. Jimin watches in bewilderment as he strolls off into the night, leaving behind…a peace offering? An apology? Jimin wasn’t sure.

He waits until he sees the lights come on in Yoongi’s cabin to climb down to the ground floor. He opens the front door slowly, crouching down to pick up the herbs. Upon closer look, it was a bunch of dragon weed, the fragrance a dead giveaway. And upon further inspection, he discovers that the rabbit was hunted with a bow and arrow, no sign of teeth or claw marks on the creature. Jimin looks up again in the direction of the cabin, wishing he’d find answers instead of more questions. With a sigh, he takes the wolf’s offerings into the cottage, a smile pushing its way onto his lips.

🐺🌿🔮

A few days later, Jimin finds himself sitting at the edge of the river, his feet splashing in the cool, rolling water as he soaks in the late morning sun. He had gotten up earlier, the sun barely a whisper over the treeline as he trekked into the forest for some early morning foraging. He was excited to find a new species of mushroom and an abundance of leafy greens to harvest for his meals, noting them down in his field guide as he tripped and wandered in the near pitch black of the forest.

He found his way to the river as the first rays of sun broke through the clouds, the air sweet with the smell of wild lavender and fresh spring water. He couldn’t help but stop, taking in the peaceful sound of nature. Leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his thighs as he looked into the water, his reflection rippling on the surface. He drags his fingers into the water, humming at the cool, crisp currents running against his palm.

His brow furrows when he notices the slight pink tinge of the water, the color nearly crystal clear only seconds ago. The closer he looks, the more pink it becomes, the color deepening into red.

Blood.

Jimin snaps his head to the right, his eyes scanning the riverbank up ahead. He rose slowly, his feet sinking into the soft grass and dirt. He didn’t bother putting his boots back on, his feet taking him up the river. When he reaches the top of a small incline, he sees up ahead a pale figure, their skin covered in dirt and grass. His heart sinks the closer he gets, his pulse rising.

“Yoongi-ssi?” He calls, breaking into a light jog. He doesn’t get a response, the elder hunched over as he gingerly pours water onto his arm, his forearm and part of his shoulder slashed open. Jimin slows his pace once he is a few feet away, his steps cautious as he says, “Yoongi?”

Yoongi jumps at the sound of Jimin’s voice, his head whipping to the side suddenly, his eyes wild. He sighs tiredly once his eyes meet Jimin’s, his shoulders lowering as he turns back to cleaning his wound. He remains silent, almost like he forgot Jimin was even there at all. Jimin furrows his brow, continuing to step closer until he is right next to Yoongi, peering over his shoulder. He grimaced once he saw the wound up close, the bleeding steady with seemingly no end in sight. The wolf tries to hide it, but he winces when he pours another handful of water over the wound, his hands tremoring softly. Jimin crouches next to him, tentatively putting a hand on his bare shoulder. Yoongi jumps again at the contact, his gaze unreadable as he meets Jimin’s eyes again.

“Let me help you,” Jimin says softly, his other hand reaching for Yoongi’s arm. The wolf flinches away, his gaze turning toward the water. Jimin sighs again, frowning, “You’re not healing properly. Did something attack you?”

“It’s nothing,” Yoongi grumbles, his voice rough and low from disuse. Jimin’s frown deepens at the answer, glancing at the wound again.

“It doesn’t look like nothing, Yoongi-ssi.” Jimin says, huffing a laugh of disbelief, “Is that why you’ve been gone for so long?”

It had been several days since Jimin saw the wolf, the night he dropped off the gifts, and the morning after where he saw him dart into the woods in all his wolf glory was the last time he’d seen the other in three days. At first, he thought nothing of it, welcoming the idea of peace and quiet on the first day of his departure. After the second, a part of him did worry. He knew that the other liked to hunt or trek through the forest, checking the perimeter, every so often, but he was never gone for more than a day, two at most.

“I fell,” Is the only response he gets from the other, his eyes trained on the ground or out toward the river. Jimin can’t help but laugh at the flimsy explanation, heaving another sigh.

“Did you fall on a knife?” Jimin asks blandly, rolling his eyes as he gently grabs hold of the injured arm. Yoongi winces again, nearly pulling his arm away before Jimin gives him a stern look, raising his eyebrow. The elder grumbles something under his breath, turning more toward Jimin to give him a better look at his arm. The witch gently kneaded the skin around the wound, watching how the marred edges pulled apart. It didn’t seem like a terribly deep wound, no exposed bone or tendons to be seen. It was more concerning that the wound wasn’t healing. Wolf shifters typically had accelerated healing time, most wounds being able to heal in less than an hour. “I don’t think you’ll die from this, but you’re definitely losing too much blood,” Jimin murmurs, his thumb brushing over Yoongi’s palm. “I have a salve and a spell at home that can help the healing speed up.”

“You don’t have to help me, Jimin-ssi,” Yoongi mumbles softly, his pale skin having a tinge of grey to it now, “I’ll be fine.”

“Will you stop being stubborn and come with me?” Jimin huffs, clicking his tongue. He shakes his head as he grabs the hem of his shirt, giving it a tug until it rips. He wordlessly tears a long strip of fabric, hastily tying it around the wolf’s wound. Yoongi stares in puzzled silence, the pout of his lips almost making Jimin laugh. “There, that should hold until we get back home. Can you walk?” Jimin stands up from the ground, offering a hand to Yoongi. The old man opens his mouth, shutting it again with a frustrated groan as soon as he meets Jimin’s gaze. He shifts into his wolf form, gingerly standing on all four legs. He whines once he puts pressure on his front left leg, the makeshift bandage slowly dampening with blood. The wolf follows along, slowly, as they walk downhill toward their little clearing. Jimin quickly runs ahead to pick up his shoes and basket on the way back, keeping a worried eye on the wolf as they slowly trek through the woods.

The limp is worse once they make it to the front door of Jimin’s cottage, the wolf’s stance shaky as he walks a few paces behind the witch. When Jimin opens the door, he motions with his head for Yoongi to come in. The wolf huffs once, sitting on his hind legs. Jimin rolls his eyes, his hand settling on his hip, “Just come inside. I promise it’s not a trap.” Jimin steps inside first, turning to encourage Yoongi to do the same. The wolf narrows his eyes at the younger, growling warily as he stands on all fours again. He limps his way into the house, turning back to look at the witch once the door shuts.

“Sit at the table, please,” Jimin says, kicking off his boots half-hazardly. He abruptly stands, quickly grabbing a throw blanket from the tiny couch next to the front door, tossing it toward the ohter, “But please put this down first, I don’t want your bare ass on my kitchen chair.” Yoongi growls softly to himself, quickly standing to his full, human height once he reaches the chair. He gingerly bends to pick up the blanket, throwing it down on the seat as he finally sits down with a low groan. Jimin tosses a worried look, his gaze shifting away once the wolf tilts his head in his direction, wincing as he puts his injured arm on the table. Jimin sits down in the chair opposite him, carefully sliding over his mess of loose herbs and jars to the side. He puts his hands out, raising his eyebrow in question before gently wrapping his hand around Yoongi’s wrist. The shifter grunts softly, his throat bobbing as he settles deeper in the chair. He hunches forward as Jimin leans closer to have a look at the wound.

Once the makeshift bandage was removed, Jimin released a breath of relief, the edges of the wound looking more healed than they did at the river. Still, it was healing much slower than it should, fresh blood still slowly rolling down the sides of his forearm. “We can try the salve and my spell. If it’s not mostly healed by the morning, we may have to amputate your arm.” Jimin murmurs, giving Yoongi a stern look. He can only keep his face serious for a few seconds before bursting into laughter, ducking his head. Yoongi huffs in what resembles a laugh, the corner of his mouth lifting softly. His dark eyes crinkled at the corners, warmth spreading to his ashen face. Jimin feels his heart stutter in his chest, his cheeks warming as he looks away from the other. He clears his throat, rising from the table to fetch clean water.

He methodically cleans Yoongi’s wound, fussing at the older when he flinched or moved too suddenly. He couldn’t help but laugh at how petulant the other was, his pout audible in his voice whenever he quietly complained to himself. He gently rubbed the salve into the wound, the smell of mint and lavender pleasant in the air around them. He then lightly pressed his hand over the area, speaking under his breath as he recited a healing spell he hoped would work, his palm glowing with a subtle golden light. When the light dimmed, he wrapped the wound in fresh bandages, rubbing over it one last time for good luck.

“There, that should do it,” Jimin murmurs, looking up at the other. He swallows down the gasp that nearly escaped his lips, his eyes widening when he realizes how close the two of them are. At some point, Yoongi leaned forward, his forehead nearly touching Jimin’s as he peered down at the witch’s work, his lips still pouting softly. He raises his gaze, his eyes boring into Jimin’s. He tilts his head softly, the corner of his mouth quirking up teasingly.

“Do you want some tea?” Jimin blurts, leaning back. He gets up before he even hears the other’s answer, grabbing a kettle and a jar of tea leaves. His back is turned as he busies himself with pouring water into the kettle, his ears turning red at the tips when he hears Yoongi’s soft chuckle.

“I think I should go.” The other mumbles softly. Jimin stops fiddling with the kettle, turning his head. Yoongi doesn’t meet his eyes once he turns, clearing his throat as he attempts to stand. Before he’s fully on his feet, he stumbles, nearly falling over. Jimin is quick to hold him up, his hands settling on either side of his torso. He pushes the elder back down into the chair, blushing as he keeps his eyes focused on Yoongi’s upper half.

“I don’t think you’re in any shape to be walking right now,” Jimin says, rolling his eyes softly at the indignant groan from the other. “You should stay until we know the salve is working, at least. Rest, I’m making tea.” Jimin pets Yoongi’s head teasingly, giggling at the puzzled look he gets in return. He turns back to the kettle, putting the water over the fire in the hearth. He settles back down into his seat, resting his chin on his open palm as he stares at the other. The other looks flustered more than anything, his eyes scanning the room, shifting so he could put more of the throw blanket over his body, his lower half now covered. Jimin narrows his eyes and asks, “Are you going to tell me what you were actually doing in the woods?” Yoongi frowns at the question, his gaze finally meeting Jimin’s.

“It’s nothing you have to worry about.”

“You were gone for longer than usual this time, It seems like something to worry about.”

Yoongi raises one of his eyebrows, tilting his head as he says, “You notice when I’m gone, little witch?” Jimin’s eyes widen, his mouth opening and closing, unsure of how to respond. The wolf laughs softly, his shoulder shaking softly with the force of it. The witch crosses his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair.

“Of course I notice. It’s the only time I can ever get some peace and quiet,” Jimin huffs, a teasing smile forming on his lips. His smile slips off of his face at the pained expression in Yoongi’s eyes, his gaze dropping to his bandaged arm.

“You aren’t the first to say that,” Yoongi says softly, wincing as he moves his injured arm into his lap. There’s an awkward silence between them, guilt brewing in Jimin’s gut. The shifter looks up at Jimin, his eyes unreadable. He frowns softly, his brows pinched in the middle. “I wasn’t born a shifter.”

The two flinch at the sound of the kettle, its high whistle dispersing the tense air between them. Jimin clears his throat, getting up from his seat to take the kettle off the fire, placing it on a counter nearby. He pulls down two mugs from the shelves over the table, humming softly as he pours hot water over the tea bags in each cup. He carefully takes the two mugs over to the table, sliding one over to Yoongi wordlessly. The elder mumbles a quiet “thank you” as he takes the mug, his palm resting against the side of it.

“It’s oolong,” Jimin says softly, settling back into his seat. He curls up in the chair, his knees pressing against his chest as he wraps his arms around, resting his chin on top of his folded hands, “I didn’t know shifters could be made.”

“I didn’t either,” Yoongi says, huffing a humorless laugh. He leans back in his chair, his left leg crossing over his right. He glances at Jimin briefly, his eyes focusing on a crack in the front door, heaving a heavy sigh. “In the village I was born in, I met someone. A witch,” says the elder, his mind seemingly lost in thought, “We fell in love and quickly moved together into a cabin on the edge of town. It was wonderful, I was really happy. Until I got sick.”

Jimin felt his heart sink, his nerves making the hair on the back of his neck stand at attention as he took in every word, a frown forming on his lips. “I got sick, and no matter what we did, it didn’t seem to get any better. One night, I woke up in the middle of the woods with no memory of how I got there.” He pauses, his jaw tensing as he recalls the memory, his foot tapping the wooden floor anxiously. “I noticed there were claw marks in all the trees, and the ground looked like it had been ripped up. I didn’t know what could’ve done that until I came back to town. There…there was blood everywhere, bodies of people I had grown up with and loved dead on the streets.”

“Did the witch curse you?” Jimin asks, his voice small even as his anger grows. Yoongi gives him a sad smile, nodding his head softly. Jimin curses under his breath, taking a sip of his tea just to have something to do.

“He wanted to know if he could create a curse of lycanthropy.” Yoongi fills in, taking a sip of his tea, “He used me to experiment…the sickness I felt was all from the failed attempts before.”

“What he did is forbidden, how could he be so cruel?” Jimin huffs, running an agitated hand through his hair. “What happened to him?”

“I made sure he’d never hurt anyone else.”

The gravity of his words sinks in slowly, Jimin nodding his head softly in understanding. Yoongi continues, “I couldn’t live with the guilt of what I’d done, so I left. I traveled as far away from there as I could. I met a pack of shifters and lived with them for a while, but I couldn’t stay there. They taught me most of what I know, but their dynamics didn’t suit me. I found this little clearing in the forest and made myself at home here. It was peaceful until a little witch showed up one day, prancing around building himself a cottage.”

“I do not prance,” Jimin scoffs, fighting the smile forming on his lips. Yoongi laughs softly along with him, his grin all teeth. Jimin’s smile softens, his cheeks pinkening at the playful look in Yoongi’s eyes. The color has returned to his face, his skin glowing in the dim candlelight. His black hair frames his face in pretty waves, curling slightly at the ends that brush just above his neck. “I can feel that you have a good heart, Yoongi-ssi. What happened to you…what you’ve done, it was beyond your control. I can understand why you’d be wary of witches…especially ones who prance.”

Yoongi smiles softly, his gaze intense as he looks into Jimin’s eyes. He feels pinned to the spot, his heart beating against his chest. He feels…something in the air between them, a tingly feeling that only grows the longer they stare.

“It’s getting late,” Yoongi says, his voice soft as he continues to stare. The words bring Jimin out of the haze he was in, blinking his eyes quickly before looking over to the window. The sun had nearly set on the horizon, the sky a mix of dark blue, purple, and pink. Jimin nods once, heaving a sigh as he uncurls himself from the chair.

“Right, it’s getting late. I don’t want to keep you from resting,” Jimin says, standing up from his seat. The shifter does the same; his legs are shaky but stronger than before once he stands to his full height. Jimin’s eyes fall to Yoongi’s waist briefly, his blush scarlet red as he quickly diverts his gaze, turning his back to the shifter as he walks toward the door. He opens the door once Yoongi is next to him, the heat radiating off his body making Jimin gulp.

“Thank you for the salve. And the tea.” Yoongi says, nearly whispering in the space between them. Jimin finds himself leaning closer, wanting to hear more. He catches himself before he can come any closer, pressing his back against the door.

“It was no problem at all,” Jimin replies, his smile making the corners of his eyes crinkle. “Let me know if you have any complications in the morning.”

“I’ll let you know if amputation is necessary,” Yoongi jokes, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smirk. “Goodnight, Jimin.” Jimin shivers at the sound of Yoongi’s voice, his gaze dropping to the ground as he blushes. Yoongi walks out the door, turning to face Jimin one last time.

“Goodnight, Yoongi.”

“Hyung. You can call me Hyung, if you want,” Yoongi offered, scratching the back of his neck. “I told you my tragic backstory, so I feel like it’s appropriate.” Jimin snorts out a laugh, hiding his smile with the back of his hand. He leans his head against the door, his smile unrelenting.

“Goodnight, Hyung.”

🐺🌿🔮

In the morning, Jimin rises early, the sun barely over the treeline. He yawns, laughing softly when Juniper curls closer to his chest, her purrs vibrating through him pleasantly. He pets his fingers through the fur on her back, his head turning toward the window.

In the distance, he can see Yoongi’s cabin, dark on the inside as well as the outside. He thinks back to the previous night, how that was the first time he’d actually enjoyed a conversation with the wolf. Maybe enjoyed it too much. He blushes at the memory, the way Yoongi’s eyes looked in the low candlelight, his cheeks flush with the warmth of tea and laughter. He doesn’t know what’s come over him, his affection for the elder growing and growing fast. Maybe it was the isolation, the close proximity, and night of good conversation tricking his brain into believing the wolf was a decent man. Or maybe the wolf was a decent man. Either way, it was doing dangerous things to Jimin’s heart.

He gets up after another minute of snoozing, Juniper ultimately waking him up for the day once she taps his cheek with one of her paws, her tail swishing in anticipation of breakfast. While making breakfast for himself, he suddenly looks over to the window, staring at the cottage on the other side of the meadow.

An hour later, he finds himself at Yoongi’s front door, a basket full of freshly baked scones in his hands. He hesitates on knocking, realizing in the moment that this is his first time at the wolf’s door. He gives himself a brief pep talk, raising his fist. He knocks on the dark wooden door, rocking back and forth on his toes as he waits for a response.

There is no response.

Jimin waits a full two minutes before he knocks again, his foot anxiously tapping on the ground. “Hyung?” Jimin calls, knocking on the door again. When he gets no response, he pouts. He looks down at his basket of baked goods, feeling a little silly standing at the door of a man who probably doesn’t want to be bothered by him. Jimin marches his way back to his cottage, his mood souring.

“Stupid,” Jimin mumbles under his breath, pushing the door of his cottage open. He all but throws the scones onto the kitchen table, Juniper mewing in question from her seat on the windowsill. He pets Juniper for a moment, soothing the familiar before marching right back out the door. He walks, empty basket in hand, into the woods.

After five minutes, he takes note that this part of the forest seems unfamiliar to him, his suspicions confirmed once he looks at his field guide, this part of the woods unmapped territory. Jimin hums under his breath, a thrill going through him at the thought of a new adventure, a perfect distraction from the mess of emotions happening in his chest. He walks and walks some more, taking note that the further he goes, the darker it becomes. He looks overhead warily, the tree canopy so dense, the rays of the sun can hardly penetrate it. After another few minutes of walking, he stops, taking a look around him. He gulps when he realizes all he sees is darkness, every tree and bush looking virtually the same.

He takes his field guide out, trying to see where he could be. Even in the dim light above, he could tell that his guide would be of no use to him this far into the forest. He sighs to himself, looking ahead and then back the way he came. He tentatively moves forward, his eyes scanning over the dense amount of trees, his feet tripping over tangled roots and overgrown foliage. He sees a sliver of light up ahead, his feet carrying him faster with the anticipation of making his way out of the darkness.

He nearly falls flat on his face as he trips out of the dark, oppressive canopy in full sunlight again. He was in another clearing, the grass tall, nearly coming up to his hips. He turned in a full circle, taking in the lush foliage. He spots more dragon weed growing along the edge of the clearing, the warm cinnamon scent enticing Jimin over. He gives his surroundings one more look, determined not to panic as he settles down to pick the weeds.

It’s as he’s pushing the picked herbs into his basket that he hears a branch snap. He turns to his right, silent as he waits for more sounds. He doesn’t hear another branch, or anything for that matter.

It’s quiet.

Jimin gets up slowly, the eerie silence settling over him like a cold breeze, sending a shiver down his spine. He hears the rustling of leaves and turns to his left, his heart racing against his chest. “Yoongi?” He calls, his arms crossing over his chest. He hears a long, loud growl from the treeline, a smile frown pushing onto his face.

“Yah! I told you your growling doesn’t scare me, old man.” Jimin snorts, the hair on the back of his head standing on edge. He sees more rustling, his gut sinking when he hears another growl. “H-Hyung? Please come out, I don’t want to play these games anymore.”

The bushes a few yards in front of him rustle, moving apart as a large shadow moves through them. His eyes widen, a scream getting caught in his throat.

That’s not Yoongi.

A large, white wolf comes out from the brush, its red, glowing eyes narrowed as it studies Jimin, its claws digging into the earth. It was the largest wolf Jimin had ever seen, aside from Yoongi; its teeth were long and deadly. The wolf licks its lips, barking at Jimin once. The witch flinches back, his heart racing as his eyes dart from side to side, trying to figure out a way out of this. The wolf stalks toward him slowly, snarling as it goes. Jimin backs away slowly, shaking his head. “N-No, please. I don’t want any trouble, I-I can go back the way I came. Just please—”

The wolf lunges at him, running full speed toward him. Jimin screams, falling backward onto his back, scrambling to get away. Just as the wolf opens its jaws, a black shadow tackles the wolf. It happens so fast that Jimin doesn’t understand what is happening at first. He sits up abruptly, watching as the white wolf growls ferociously. Yoongi, in wolf form, holds the wolf down by the neck, his claws ripping into its sides. The white wolf howls in pain, tearing itself away from Yoongi’s mouth. He lunges at the black wolf, tackling him to the ground. The two wrestle, each of them biting and snarling at the other.

Jimin stands up when Yoongi yowls in pain, the white wolf biting down onto the black wolf’s leg, the leg Jimin helped to heal just the other night. “Yoongi!” Jimin yells, running toward the two beasts. Yoongi sees him and howls, flailing wildly in the white wolf’s hold. He breaks free, his teeth latching onto the other wolf’s ear. He bites it clean off, blood quickly pouring from the wound as the white wolf recoils in pain.

Without thinking, Jimin holds his hand out, reciting a spell underneath his breath. The white wolf freezes where he lies, his body flailing but unmoving. Yoongi looks at Jimin and back at the wolf, his breath ragged as he licked his lips free of blood. Jimin nods in Yoongi’s direction, quickly turning his focus on keeping the wolf contained. Yoongi springs into action, tackling the white wolf again. This time, when he bites into his neck, he bites hard, ripping into the white wolf’s neck.

The white wolf screams in pain, his body unable to move as Yoongi bites down, tearing part of his neck off of his body. Slowly, the white wolf stops fighting, the life being drained from it. Yoongi gets up, unsteady as he limps toward Jimin, the white wolf releasing one last breath before going limp. Jimin releases his spell, heaving a sigh as he doubled over, his limbs shaking as he caught his breath. He falls to his knees, nearly collapsing into the grass if not for Yoongi, his arms wrapping around his shoulders.

“Jimin? Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He asks, voice rough as he holds the witch, his hand petting through his hair. Jimin laughs incredulously, leaning up to stare at the other. His eyes widen as he takes the other in, his eyes wild, feral, still as his chest heaved from the exertion. Jimin quickly looks down at his arm, holding it in his hands as he sees the blood rushing out.

“Am I okay?!” Jimin yells, nearly hysterically, “Are you okay? You just fought a fucking wolf!” He holds his hand over the wound, conjuring whatever energy he has left to heal the wound as best he can. The elder winces, hissing as the magic slowly stitches his flesh back together. Jimin stops when he feels like he will faint, his power waning quickly. He looks over the wound as he rests his head on Yoongi’s shoulder, his fingers feeling over the ugly, marred skin.

“I stopped the bleeding. When we get home, the salve and another round of spells can help with the scarring.” Jimin mumbles, pushing his nose into Yoongi’s shoulder. The wolf huffs out a soft laugh. His arms wrapped firmly around the smaller man.

“I’ll live as long as you’re safe,” Yoongi mumbles softly, groaning when Jimin wraps his own arms around the wolf. They hug for a long moment, Jimin being comforted by the steady sound of Yoongi’s heart.

“I guess you were right. These woods are dangerous.” Jimin chuckles as Yoongi grumbles, his nose tickling the shell of his ear.

“Of course, I was right. You were just too stubborn to listen to me, little witch.” Jimin leans up from his hiding place, his smile small as he looks at the other. Yoongi’s eyes bore into his, a smile slowly forming on his lips. Jimin didn’t think twice as he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Yoongi’s lips. The shifter tightened his hold around the witch, leaning forward to press a kiss to Jimin’s forehead.

“I'll be sure to listen to you from now on.” Yoongi gives him a wary look, his eyes narrowing as he playfully nips at Jimin’s nose.

“Why do I feel like that’s a lie?” Yoongi mumbles, leaning down to peck Jimin on the lips again. Jimin giggles, wrapping his arms around Yoongi’s neck, his fingers tangling in his long, dark hair. He leans forward, their noses nearly touching.

“That’s because it is.”

🐺🌿🔮