Chapter Text
Jungkook had always considered himself as a realist. He didn’t waste time being hung up on dreams and hopes. He knew where he came from, he knew where he was headed, he knew that he would never amount to anything spectacular, so he always thought that wishing for something so unlikely wouldn’t make him optimistic, but daft. He didn’t want to trick himself into working for some unseen brilliant future only to have it fall apart before he even got himself out of Busan. He had never been the type to want a life full of excitement or mystery or fairy tale endings. He had always anticipated that he would end up just as he started; alone. For a long time, whenever Jungkook thought of how his future would pan out, it was blank. He had nothing to picture to keep him going or to retain his motivation. He wasn’t working towards anything. He was passive and complacent. He was sure that he would stay as he was forever, and that happiness would be a distant memory. His life was a blank slate, coloured in a boring hue of beige. All that changed when he left Busan.
Suddenly, his future was shining back at him brightly, promises of life and experiences beyond his wildest imagination waiting for him in the city. For the first time in his life, he was hopeful. He had never allowed himself to dream of all the possibilities the future held while he was still trapped in his Busan bubble, but now that he was out, his mind was filled to the brim with ideas and wishes of how he would spend the rest of his life. He was free to choose his career unbiased, picking something he was passionate about, something that made him happy. He was free to revaluate his image of himself now that he was out of his father’s grasp. He was free to meet people who made him feel good about himself and who lifted him up instead of weighed him down. And maybe, if he allowed himself, he would one day be free to love someone and have them love him in return. He had left behind his passivity and realism, and he had begun to seek out magic.
Little did he know that he would find it in ways he never expected. His hyungs supplied him with a lifetime worth of magic within days of knowing them. They allowed him to see beyond the brim of his imagination and opened him up to a brand-new world. His life was turned on its head from the moment he met them, and as much as it terrified him, it brought him the excitement that he had subconsciously been craving all his life. They showed him that life doesn’t need to be about survival, but it could instead be about living it to the absolute fullest. From the day he met them, he knew that his life would never be the same. He had a choice to make that day. He could leave and continue on his way, forgetting about the possibilities of excitement and magic, or he could stay, and have his eyes opened to a world that he had never even fathomed before. A world where the trees were greener, the skies were bluer, and love was in abundance. They gave him raw hope that he hadn’t experienced since the day he left Busan. They gave him faith that the future wasn’t something to be scared of, but instead to welcome with open arms.
There were many times where he thought that he made the wrong decision. Where he entertained the possibility that maybe love wasn’t worth all that came along with it. On the very first day, when they told him of the supernatural with wound still fresh on his skin. Whenever they would take dangerous interest in his life, almost breaching the surface of safety that Jungkook had worked so hard to build up. When they told him that he himself could be part of this strange new world they had just opened his eyes to. When he allowed himself to be vulnerable and subsequently got terrified at the thought of someone seeing past the façade he had created. No matter how terrifying these moments were, he would always remind himself that now that he had a taste of how life with love could be, he wouldn’t be able to give it up so easily. He couldn’t bring himself to live without family breakfasts or small gestures or chaste kisses.
Yugyeom had been a big part of this decision. He had seen Jungkook grow from the very beginning to where he was now, and he always told himself that he’d be damned if he allowed Jungkook to pass up an opportunity of happiness because of his inferiority complex. He had been there in his darkest moments, encouraging him and reassuring him that good things awaited, and now that they had arrived there was no way in hell that he would let the opportunity slip through Jungkook’s fingers. Yugyeom was the first person that Jungkook had grown to trust wholeheartedly. There were no filters needed, he knew him inside and out. He didn’t treat Jungkook like he was fragile or weak, and instead helped him realize that he was stronger than he made himself out to be. He showed him how to find a balance between realism and optimism. You need realism in moderation to keep your mind from wandering and to keep you in touch with your reality, but optimism was the driving force to get anything good in life. You needed hope or you would be stuck where you are without any way of getting out.
It’s been a year since that fateful stormy day, the day that changed his life in ways he would never have imagined. A whole year of discovering things about himself that had been buried beneath years of uncertainty and pain. He had spent the past year with people that he loved more than anything, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He had always heard people say that you can’t expect others to love you if you can’t love yourself, and while the sentiment is understandable, its not necessarily true. Jungkook had spent the majority of his life being told constantly that he would never amount to anything other than a waste of space. He was consistently made to believe that he didn’t deserve love from anyone, especially not himself. Since meeting the hyungs and being shown that he’s worthy of unconditional love, he’s found that somewhere down the path of figuring out he loved them, he learned to love himself too. He never imagined he would get to this point, and yet now he finally feels like he can wholeheartedly accept himself for who he is, past, present and future.
In the past year, he’s made developments he never thought he would. Him and James are still in contact, knowing that even if they don’t speak every day, the other will always be down to catch up. A year ago, he was certain that he would never see James ever again, sure that he was a part of his past and nothing more. Although finding a way to mesh together something so unequivocally part of his past with his present was terrifying, he’s come to realize that they don’t need to be so separated anymore. His past isn’t something to fear anymore. Jungkook allows himself to miss Busan. He allows his mind to reminisce on the things about his home that brought him joy during the darkest time of his life without feeling guilty. He doesn’t need to go to the bridge anymore to feel close to his home, yet he still goes on occasion when he needs to clear his head. He finds that instead of bringing him closer to Busan, it brings him closer to his mother. He still doesn’t know if he’s forgiven her wholeheartedly, after spending most of his life convincing himself to hate her, but he can say for certain that he misses her more than anything. Going to the bridge and speaking to her makes him feel as though she’s listening intently and answering through the rippling of the river beneath him.
He’s managed to make physical developments too. Wolff had given him all the resources they could find from scouring around their bookshelves, and he can control his powers better than ever. He’s managed to differentiate between the level of danger through the types of ‘alarm’ he feels. Short, continuous pangs mean low level threat but fast approaching, throbs and aches indicate that danger is actively seeking them out, while sharp, stabbing pain is the worst possible threat, though he hasn’t felt that since Donghyul. Of course, there’s always more to learn, especially with an affiliation as rare as his own, but he feels much more confident that before. He’s even learnt to focus on the voices in his head more and can now speak to Hana whenever he’s in danger or has any questions about Ethereals. With her help, he’s discovered that he can pick up on miniscule threats such as when someone’s lying to him. Not only that, but he’s managed to make brief contact with two previous lives before her, Bohoja and Geoul. It took a lot of energy out of him to communicate with them briefly, but it was fascinating to experience something so surreal, especially knowing that once he passes, he’ll be the one in somebody else’s head.
Over the past year, he’s gotten to know Yugyeom’s hyungs much better, and can confidently say that they’re absolutely perfect for him. He’s ecstatic that Yugyeom has found people who blend with his personality so perfectly, and they care more him almost as much as Jungkook does, which is an astronomical amount. Their individual groups have spent much more time together in recent months, finding great friends in one another. It isn’t uncommon that they all join together at one of their houses and make an event out of it, Jungkook and Yugyeom pleasantly surprised that their respective hyungs have become such good friends.
Another important development is Jungkook’s journey in therapy. They found a great psychologist who is well versed in the supernatural. She has been imperative through Jungkook’s healing process and has helped him find out things about himself that he had always pushed down. While he had come a long way by himself, its amazing to have a space where you can speak your mind and not worry about someone’s reaction. She’s helped him with his PTSD, as well as with his nightmares and panic attacks, both of which have been few and far between even since the funeral. He feels as though he’s finally gotten closure from his past, that he can close this chapter and move on to the next one where he no longer feels the need to repress his emotions or his past.
So much has changed, and yet the little things have remained consistent. Jimin still changes his hair colour every other month, Jin still teaches him how to bake, Namjoon still manages to drop everything, Hoseok is still in the dance studio more often that not, Yoongi still sleeps till noon, Tae still raves over Jungkook’s lavender tea and Jungkook still finds himself smiling widely whenever he thinks about how wonderful his hyungs are. He’s realized over the past year that his concept of beauty has changed. The most beautiful thing in the world isn’t sitting in the garden with a good book or the sun disappearing beyond the horizon. However beautiful those things may be, there was something more beautiful than anything he had every experienced. Love. Love was magnificently gorgeous in every sense of the word. It brought warmth to his once cold heart and a smile to his face. He was certain that the most beautiful sound was his hyungs’ laughter, the most beautiful colours to be found in his hyungs’ eyes, the most beautiful scent being that of their cologne.
Something that he found most magnificent about his hyungs was that their relationship was wholly and entirely equal. Their dynamic was in perfect equilibria. He originally feared that their relationship would be rocky and hard to manoeuvre, jealousy and envy being entirely possible when in a romantic relationship with 6 others, but his fears have been put to rest. He doesn’t feel as though he’s closer to one than the other, and everything feels perfectly balanced and harmonious, not an ounce of jealousy to be found. He’s able to share special moments with each of them in ways that are so beautifully unique. He can’t help but smile as he thinks of the incredible moments they’ve shared over the course of the past year.
Hoseok:
A habit they seemed to have formed ever since their trips to Busan is ensuring that they wake up early and have tea together in the garden. Jungkook realised quickly after their return from Busan that he had sorely neglected the beautiful patch of grass that extended to the brink of the woods. Hoseok was more than happy to show him around the area, having designed the overlay of it himself with his affinity for nature. Jungkook loves the look on his face when he’s around nature. He’s completely and utterly in his element, the sun hitting his face at just the right angle to remind Jungkook why they call him their sunshine. He’s completely at peace and looks calmer than ever before, so much so that Jungkook is endlessly grateful to be sharing in it every morning.
They sit together in the small armchair, admiring the beauty around them, both of the vines and trees that work their way around the garden and of each other. They sip on their tea quaintly, revelling in the utter domesticity of their setting. Their legs have somehow become entwined, and they can’t seem to get enough of each other’s touch, their free hands working their ways towards each other for more contact. Jungkook closes his eyes for a moment, feeling as though he’s photosynthesizing in the sun. He only opens his eyes once he feels a gaze trained in his direction. Hoseok is staring at him with an indistinguishable expression on his face.
“What?” Jungkook laughs out, quirking an eyebrow in Hoseok’s direction. Hoseok’s dreamy gaze doesn’t falter, a smile spreading widely on his lips.
“When I first left home, I had no idea what I was looking for.” He says quietly, Jungkook listening intently, hanging onto every word. “I just knew I wanted something more. Something special. I knew I’d know what it was once I found it. And now I have.” Hoseok said, eyes flitting between Jungkook and their beautiful surroundings.
“What is it?” Jungkook asks, curiosity taking over him. The more he gets to know Hoseok, the more he craves each and every detail he can get his hands on.
“Life.” Hoseok says happily, almost in a whisper. “I wanted to feel life all around me. People, nature, sunlight, I wanted it more than anything. I finally have it. I feel alive.” On his last words, he meets Jungkook’s eyes. “You make me feel alive.”
Jungkook lunged forward and pulled him into an embrace, glad their tea was long gone otherwise it would have spilled all over them. He feels endlessly grateful that he can help Hoseok find what he’s been looking for. He knows for certain that he’s found what he’s been looking for too.
Jimin:
Jungkook and Jimin ran through the choreography they’d been working on for a few weeks now. It was exhausting in the best possible way. It worked all their muscles and stretched their body just so much that it was challenging, the perfect balance between fast, methodical movements and slow, languid drawls. They were out of breath and dripping in sweat by the end of their fourth run through, their body aching amazingly and their chests heaving as they sprawled themselves out on the floor. Jungkook had never been so thankful for a cold floor before. They chugged water to rehydrate themselves, laughing between themselves as they struggled to move around, their muscles rapidly cooling.
“I can’t believe I ever gave this up.” Jimin said, brushing a hand through his, now blonde, hair. Jungkook furrows his brow and sits himself up to look at Jimin.
“When did you give up dance?” He said confusedly. In his mind, Jimin and dancing were one in the same, one simply couldn’t exist without the other. Jimin sat up to look at him as well, with only minimal struggle.
“My ex didn’t like that I danced. Told me it was for girls and that it would never go anywhere, it didn’t matter whether or not I enjoyed it. He threatened to leave me if I pursued it, and at the time he was more important than anything, so I gave it up.” Jimin said it with an air of nonchalance, but Jungkook could tell that the memories were painful. Jungkook can’t blame him. His ex was the most emotionally manipulative narcissist that Jungkook had ever heard of. It was impossible not to hate him.
“The more you tell me about him, the more I get the irresistible urge to punch something.” Jungkook says through gritted teeth. He thinks he may hate this man more than anything in the world, and he’s never even met him.
“You and me both. Sometimes I wish I could face him again just so he can see how far I’ve come without him.” Jimin said honestly, and Jungkook can wholeheartedly understand that. Seeing his father again, scary as it was, was one of the best things he’s ever done. It was the biggest relief he’s ever had, as though a massive weight had been taken off his shoulders.
“One day we could, if you like.” He says, ensuring that Jimin knows he’s being serious.
“You would do that? You would come with me?” Jimin says surprisedly. Jungkook nods and gives a small smile.
“You’ve done it for me. Besides, I want to see the look on his face when he sees how much better off you are without him—” Jungkook is cut off by Jimin lunging towards him. His lips catch his in a deep kiss, his body falling back with the force of it, pushing him back down onto the floor where he was a few minutes ago. His sore muscles are forgotten for the time being as he melts into Jimin.
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Jimin says with a smile while peering down at him.
“Maybe a few times, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it again.” Jungkook says as he wonders how he possibly got this lucky.
Yoongi:
One day, mid-August, Yoongi told Jungkook that he had somewhere he wanted to show him. He had seemed down and thoughtful all day, his mind lost elsewhere, and Jungkook can’t help but think that wherever he was taking him had something to do with it. He wasn’t worried, perse, Yoongi had a tendency of getting lost in his own head, but he was still watching Yoongi carefully as they walked. His face looked slightly paler than usual, his eyes downcast and missing that spark of electricity that Jungkook loved so much. Yoongi took a deep breath before coming to a stop, Jungkook wouldn’t have noticed had his eyes not been trained so intently on Yoongi.
Jungkook turns to Yoongi’s line of sight and sees that they’ve come to a stop outside of a cemetery. Yoongi takes the lead, walking forward and greeting the groundskeeper with what looks like familiarity, indicating to Jungkook that he’s been here before. The cemetery itself is beautiful, judas trees lining the edges and dropping their colourful purple flowers across the ground, making it lack the usual monotony and dullness that cemeteries held. They navigate their way through the maze of marble and stone before coming to a stop. Yoongi looks to Jungkook with a small smile before turning back to the gravestone.
“Kook, I’d like you to meet my parents.” He says solemnly, eyes filled with longing.
Jungkook’s eyes flit to the stone, smiling pictures beaming down at him with faces that look far too young to be in such a place. Jungkook’s heart fills with sorrow as he thinks of what Yoongi must have felt, losing both of them at such a young age. With a quick glance to the date on his mother’s side of the stone, Jungkook confirms that today is the anniversary of her death. No wonder he’s been so caught up today. Yoongi pulls a small flower out of the side of his jacket, pristine and white with lopped petals and streamlined leaves. He places it in the small vase in the middle of the grave, gently and carefully replacing the wilted flower that was once there.
“It’s a snowdrop. The flower of hope. It was her favourite.” Yoongi says with a forlorn look in his eyes. Jungkook’s hand finds his and squeezes it affirmingly. Yoongi’s free hand reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box of matches. He hands one to Jungkook and they both light a match, setting the wick of the adjacent candles aflame. The grave looks much more alive now, more of a celebration of life instead of a commemoration of death.
“Could you tell me about them?” Jungkook asks softly as they look over the grave silently, Yoongi smiling back at him with a nod. They sit beside the grave, judas flowers falling all around them with the slight breeze. Yoongi recounted stories from his childhood, a genuine smile crossing his face for the first time today. Jungkook listened intently, certain that he could listen to Yoongi talk and laugh forever.
Namjoon:
The fire was blazing, a blanket curled around their forms. They each had books in hand, but Jungkook had long forgone paying attention to the page he had been scanning in favour of looking at Namjoon. Watching him read was one of Jungkook’s favourite pass-times. The way his eyes would crinkle softly, and his lip would poke out the side of his mouth when he was concentrating. The way his nose scrunches and his eyebrows unintentionally raise when he gets to a good part. It seems that Namjoon himself has stopped paying attention to his book, as his eyes are now trained intently on Jungkook’s, a smile playing at his face at having caught Jungkook watching him. Jungkook hopes the firelight is enough to hide the blush spreading across his cheeks. Namjoon dog-ears the page, despite Jungkook telling him that it’s a mortal sin, and closes the book, placing it on the sofa beside them and pulling Jungkook in closer.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Namjoon says with a whisper, Jungkook nodding and leaning in intently, his interest piqued. Him and Namjoon mostly spend their time together in comfortable, clam silence, basking in each other’s presence, so it sparks Jungkook curiosity when Namjoon speaks up.
“I always knew that you were the one for us.” Namjoon says fondly, and Jungkook is equal parts intrigued and confused, with some flattery left over. “Before we met you, I would have visions of someone coming to us and changing our lives. They got stronger and stronger up until the day you were at our doorstep, and then I never had another one again. I knew as soon as I heard you knock on our door.”
Jungkook listened in awe at his words, the more he understands the more he firmly believes that their relationship was written in the stars.
“Now, when I have visions of our future, they feel complete. Whole. You were the missing piece.” Namjoon speaks softly, delicately, watching Jungkook’s reactions intently.
“Can I tell you a secret now?” Jungkook says with a smile, leaning in closer once he sees Namjoon’s quick nod. “I always knew you were the ones for me too.”
Jin:
Jungkook began preparing breakfast before Jin was ready with his shower, as he taken become accustomed to doing. He chopped vegetables and puts water on the boil, prepares all the logistics so once Jin is ready he can work his magic. He’s chopping up some red onion when he feels a presence beside him. He’s about to greet Jin ‘good morning’ when he sees the look in his eyes, wild and excited, far too much so for this early in the morning.
“Kook.” He says with a breath, his hair still wet and his clothes seeming as though they were thrown together haphazardly. Whatever it is, it must be important. “I was brushing my hair after my shower and… look.”
Jin hold out his hand, and for a moment Jungkook is confused. It seems as though there’s nothing there, but upon closer inspection, Jungkook’s eyes widen astronomically. It’s a grey hair. Jungkook is flabbergasted. How is this possible? He’s immortal, isn’t he? He isn’t supposed to age. Jungkook can’t help the fear that flows through him, but Jin seems far more excited than scared.
“What does this mean?” Jungkook asks quickly, more confused than anything. Was it a one off? Is he going to die? Jin smiles before responding.
“I wasn’t sure if it was true or not. I’d heard stories back home about things like this, but I never thought…” Jin speaks quickly and wildly, seeming to skip the part where he fills Jungkook in on what exactly ‘it’ is.
“Things like what? What’s happening?” Jungkook says in a rushed manner, if they need to perform some kind of emergency immortal surgery, they’d better know sooner rather than later.
“I’m aging.” He says shortly and seems much more excited than Jungkook feels. Jin picks up on his hesitance and continues to explain. “Guthans are immortal for the most part, but there are myths that under certain circumstances they can start to age. One of them being…” Jin pauses for a second, as if to take it in, “once they meet their soulmates.” Jungkook’s mouth dropped. So, this means that…Jin will age for the first time in centuries? At Jungkook’s quizzical intrigue, Jin continues.
“It’s so that we won’t need to watch the loves of our lives age and die before our eyes, but we can instead age with them.” Jin speaks with a wide smile. Jungkook can’t imagine what must be going through his head. This means that, if it wasn’t already solidified, they’re soulmates. All of them.
“How come you didn’t start aging when you first met Joon and Yoongi?” Jungkook asks, wondering why the aging doesn’t start when you meet your first soulmate.
“I think my body was waiting until I found all of them. For a while, I was disappointed, it was just us six and I hoped that they would be my soulmates, but I’d been wrong before and didn’t want to get my hopes up. It wasn’t until we met you that it all made sense. I didn’t start aging before because I was waiting for you.” Jin says, bringing a hand up to caress Jungkook’s cheek as he always does.
“But… doesn’t this mean that you’ll…” Jungkook says hesitantly, relieved when Jin finishes his sentence for him.
“Die? Yes, eventually. If I’m being honest, I’m excited to live a life knowing there’s an end to it. When you know you can’t die, life loses some of its substance and meaning.” He says, his smile never once faltering. He must have been waiting for this moment for centuries. Jungkook had never given much thought to what would happen once they all start aging and Jin remains the same, but even just the thought of it makes him sick to his stomach, so he’s thrilled that the crisis has been averted.
“So, what now? Ready to enjoy your life as a non-immortal person?” Jungkook asks, pulling Jin closer to him. Jim hums contentedly.
“I think so. It just means I’m going to have to make the most of my time with you.” He replies with a grin.
“And how do you plan on doing that?” Jungkook says teasingly, quirking an eyebrow in his direction. Jin’s smile turns into a smirk.
“I’m sure I’ll think of something.” He whispers. Needless to say, breakfast was served late that morning.
Taehyung:
Jungkook and Taehyung both felt a pull to the water. They often found themselves by rivers, streams or ponds whenever they went on walks. It was almost as if water sought them out, Jungkook because of his connection to water through his home and Taehyung because of his elemental powers and physical need to be near water. They were on one of their usual walks, taking their favourite route by the riverbank. They walked hand in hand, a comfortable silence washing over them during a lull in one of their enthralling conversations about anything and everything. Jungkook, of course, was paying absolutely no attention to where he was going and tripped over a rock, nearly bringing Taehyung down with him as he plummeted to the ground.
“Kook!” Taehyung exclaimed almost immediately, rushing to his side. “Are you ok?” He asks worriedly, scanning over Jungkook.
“I’m fine.” Jungkook tries insisting but cuts himself off when he bends his knee and winces. It’s scraped raw and bleeding steadily, not enough to hurt too badly, but more than enough to sting.
“Can you walk? Let’s get you closer to the water so I can heal you.” Taehyung says, not waiting for an answer before wrapping a strong arm around Jungkook and hoisting him up to walk the couple metres to the river. He sets Jungkook down again carefully and scoops up some water in his hands. He holds it there for a minute before bringing the water over to Jungkook’s knee. Jungkook was hesitant. He’d seem Taehyung heal other people before, but he’s never had it done to himself. As he felt the water wash over his knee, he sighs in relief. Tae’s hands clasp over it and the water sloshes back and forth over the wound, seeming to mend the broken skin right then and there. By the time he removes his hand, it feels and looks worlds better. It isn’t perfect, but the skin is securely put back together and the bleeding has subsided, so it should be more than enough.
“Is there anywhere else you hurt?” Taehyung asks, and Jungkook has rarely ever seen him this serious before. He was about to shake his head before the adrenaline seemed to wear off and he feels stinging on his hands. He holds them up, seeing how they’re grazed from being used to break his fall. He rolls his sleeves up in anticipation, not wanting to get them wet. Taehyung repeats the process on each hand, ensuring they’re healed up nicely. He brushes over them with his fingers to ensure that they’re good to go and seems to freeze momentarily looking at Jungkook’s arms. Before Jungkook can follow his gaze to see what he’s looking so intently at, Taehyung speaks.
“Kook, I’ve been thinking.” He starts, and Jungkook is only slightly worried at his serious tone. “With the right water and some proper charging, I think I could heal your scars.” He says quickly, watching intently for Jungkook’s reactions.
Jungkook’s face held little emotion, but his mind was racing. Remove his scars? He should be jumping at the chance, and yet he feels unsure. He’s wanted this since the first time he saw the silvering mark on his cheek after that fateful Christmas day. It’s all he’s thought about since then, the scars and marks that littered his body in random sequences. If you had asked him a year ago, he would have immediately stripped off his shirt and just asked the time and place. For so long, he was certain his scars were nothing more than links to his past, links to him, reminders of his failures and disobedience, so why was he so hesitant?
“I… I don’t know if I want to?” He says, surprising even himself with the words. “I spent so long looking at them as a burden, as a physical representation of everything bad that’s ever happened to me, a reminder that I was a victim, but I don’t feel like that anymore. They feel more like a representation of strength at all I’ve endured, as a reminder that I’m not a victim, but a survivor.” Jungkook says his piece all in one breath, feeling as though he’s just discovered something new about himself. Taehyung was looking at him in admiration and awe.
“You still somehow manage to surprise me with how incredible you are.” He says with a smile. They spend some more time by the river, relishing being by the water, and being with each other.
Jungkook’s smile only grows the longer he things of his hyungs. They really are perfect. He never thought he would find someone so insanely right for him, let alone six people. Together they make seven, the number of perfection, completion and wholeness. The representation of their relationship, the missing puzzle pieces coming together to form one beautiful picture, no matter how unlikely they seem. Their walks of life were all so different, they might as well have been fire and water, light and dark, day and night. They met each other in the middle so brilliantly, like how fire and water make steam, light and dark make shadows, day and night make brilliant dawns and dusks in shades of lavender, violet and peach.
Jungkook walks down the hall to the room across from his own, the room that held all of their paintings, and lets his eyes scan over them, relishing in how even though so much has changed, the base qualities of the paintings and of his hyungs remained. Jin’s was regal and refreshing. Yoongi’s was deep and mysterious. Namjoon’s was calculated and complex. Jimin’s was fiery and energetic. Taehyung’s was saturated and boisterous. Hoseok’s was warm and natural. Jungkook’s was pure and full of light and energy. In the centre of it all, was a painting that they all made together, over the course of a few months, and was the perfect blend of all of them together. It had dark mystery with shimmering highlights, pure energy and perfection, full of colours and hues of all kinds. It was haphazard, and yet it fit together so perfectly that it was as if it was all created by one person.
Somewhere during Jungkook’s observation, the hyungs trickled their way into the room, leading Jungkook to the cushioned conversation pit in the centre of the room that had always looked so inviting. They laughed as they made themselves comfortable, making sure they were all touching in one way or another, and fell asleep just like that, their surroundings piled high with pillows and blankets. Jungkook waited a while before he fell asleep, content to spend a few minutes watching the steady rise and fall of their chests, the way they smiled as they snuggled in closer, the way they sighed deeply in relaxation. Jungkook almost felt a tear escape his eye as he looked around. This was so perfect it hurt. This was a dream come true that Jungkook doesn’t ever want to wake up from.
His eyes shut after a while, his thoughts dying down a little, enough to allow him to melt into the memory foam beneath him, laying his head on someone’s chest and feeling the way they pull him closer immediately. He’s engulfed by darkness, and yet he isn’t scared as he usually is. Throughout his life that the longer he’d spent in the dark, the harder it would get to see, even in the light. The longer the spent doubting himself and being sure that nothing would ever come out of his life, the harder it became to remain optimistic and retain hope for a better future. The hyungs always made sure to tell him and he was their light, their own personal supply of such pure unbridled energy, but he knows for a fact that they’re his own light. When he finds he can’t see, his hyungs are always there to lead him through the darkness, to guide him through whatever he needs and be waiting on the other side with open arms. They were his hope.
Jungkook feels his body and mind drift away into sleep, relishing in the presence of his hyungs around him, finding himself remembering Wolff’s words about soulmates. They were his physical and spiritual safe haven. They were the people he was destined to spend the rest of his life with. They were his future. They were his family. They were his home.
If only he had realized before, that home doesn’t have to be a place, but it sure as hell is where his heart is.