The forest had grown quieter since sunset blanketed in fog and the thick hum of tension. Rain slicked the rocky slope as Jungkook tread carefully every sense alert.

He shouldn't have come.

"Damn Jimin."

"Damn all of them."

And most of all.....

"Damn him" he muttered under his breath.

Because Taehyung was standing twenty feet ahead rain dripping from his dark hair, sword in hand, face carved from irritation and shadows.

The sight of him so cold so composed sent something jagged down Jungkook's spine.🌚

"Nice night for a trap" Jungkook said flatly.

Taehyung's eyes flickered to him. "Didn't know you were invited."

"Oh, you think I planned this?" Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Please. This has that Shorty's glitter sticky fingers all over it."

Taehyung's jaw twitched like he hated that he agreed.

The silence between them stretched thick and wet.

Until.....A growl split the air.

Both froze.

The first rogue came from the left massive, half morphed eyes gleaming rabid red. Jungkook didn't hesitate. He shifted in a flash claws out, fangs bared.

The second lunged for Taehyung from the trees, forcing him to duck and spin blade singing through the air.

Then it was chaos.

Rogues poured from the shadows four, five maybe more. Sloppy but strong hungry for blood.

Jungkook tore through one felt another slam into his side. Taehyung fought like fire wild, elegant, precise but the numbers were wearing them both down.

"Back to back!" Taehyung barked.

"For once" Jungkook muttered panting "a smart idea."

They moved in sync. One fought with steel, the other with fang.

Despite the sharp tension crackling between them their bodies knew each other knew how to move together. It was muscle memory by now.🤧

When the last rogue collapsed in a pool of blood they were soaked, panting n bleeding.

Jungkook slumped against a tree. Taehyung bent over, hands on his knees.

"You okay?" Jungkook asked, voice gruff.

Taehyung looked up. "I'm fine."

His arm was definitely broken.

"You're not fine."

"And you're limping."

They stared at each other, like two storms colliding.

"I saw a cave back a ways" Jungkook finally muttered. "We need shelter."

Taehyung didn't argue. (For once☠️)

---

The cave was cold.

They lit a fire. Jungkook had stripped his shirt off to clean a gash across his ribs. Taehyung was shirtless too, jacket torn and arm in a makeshift sling.

And yet....Neither of them could look at the other for too long.

"You've got blood in your hair" Taehyung said suddenly staring into the flames.

Jungkook ran a hand through it. "So do you."

"...Guess we match" Taehyung murmured.

That shut Jungkook up. For a moment there was only firelight and breath and distant thunder.

"You're mad."

Jungkook let out a bitter laugh. "Mad? No, Taehyung... Mad was last week. Right now I'm just disgusted."

"With me?'

"With myself..... For letting you touch me."

Taehyung's jaw clenched. "You didn't seem to mind when you begged for it."

"You-!" Jungkook stood, chest heaving. "You marked me."

"I didn't plan to."

"But you did." His voice shook. "You did, and you ran."

Taehyung stood too, looming in the flickering light, something violent in his eyes. "What did you expect me to do? Stay? Tie us both down to something we hate?"

'I never said I hated it!" Jungkook shouted and regretted it the second it left his mouth.

Taehyung stared.

"I hate you" Jungkook hissed. "That's different."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Taehyung took a single step forward. Jungkook tensed.

"You hate me" he said lowly, "but you still dream of me."

"I dream of snapping your neck."

Taehyung smirked but it didn't reach his eyes.

"Im going to bed" Jungkook muttered, turning away. "Stay on your side of the cave, or I'll finish what those rogues started."

"Trust me" Taehyung said coldly, "you couldn't handle what I'd do if I crossed that line."

Jungkook didn't answer. But his heart beat so loud it hurt.
-----------

The rain didn't stop.

Jungkook lay with his back to the fire, facing the stone wall, every breath tight in his chest. He could feel Taehyung behind him, not asleep. Just breathing. Just there.

The mark on his neck pulsed an ache beneath the skin.

He hated that it warmed at the sound of Taehyung's heartbeat.

And worst of all... he hated how it made him feel less alone.

"Stop thinking so loud" Taehyung muttered from behind him.

Jungkook exhaled sharply. "Stop existing so loud."

A pause.

Then a soft, bitter chuckle. "Still got that sharp tongue, huh?"

"Still got that broken arm, huh?"

Silence again. Then movement Taehyung sitting up, the shift of gravel under his legs.

"I didn't mean to mark you."

"You keep saying that! Jungkook snapped, finally turning to face him. "Like saying it makes it better."

"I lost control."

"You lose control!?" Jungkook shot up, fury burning in his chest. "You kiss me, you touch me, you mark me and then you vanish?"

Taehyung looked ruined in the firelight soaked hair clinging to his face, sling pulled tight against his bruised shoulder. "I'm not good for you."

"You don't get to decide that" Jungkook said, voice low now. Dangerous. "You don't get to burn me down and then act like the hero."

Their eyes met two storms again....But this time, something was different.

Taehyung whispered, "I think about you every day."

Jungkook's breath caught.

"I think about youu. Your stupid face. The way you hum. How you blush."

Jungkook said nothing.

"I think about what it would've meant to stay. And how I knew I'd ruin it."

"You already did" Jungkook whispered.

Taehyung swallowed. "Then let me fix it."

"You can't."

"I want to try."

"You marked me, Taehyung." His voice trembled. "You took away my choice."

"I gave you mine" Taehyung said, stepping closer, "without knowing if you'd want it."

They were inches apart now. The fire cracked between them.

"And if I reject it?" Jungkook asked.

Taehyung didn't flinch. "Then I'll carry it alone. I'll carry you alone."

Jungkook stared.

He hated how much he wanted to believe it.

"Just say the word" Taehyung said, quieter now. "And I'll walk out of this cave. I'll never touch you again, Never look at you again."

The storm inside Jungkook roared. But what came out was a whisper.

"...Don't go."

Taehyung froze. Jungkook clenched his fists. "I'm still mad. I still hate you. But... don't go."

For once, Taehyung didn't have a clever reply.

He just stepped closer, sat beside him, careful not to touch. And for the rest of the night, they sat in silence.

Breathing the same air.
Feeling the same ache.
Bound by a mark neither of them fully understood.

But somehow...
Not quite alone anymore.

---
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