You guys!! I literally couldn't log into wattpad for three whole DAYS and I was starting to freak out. But thankfully, it's now working again, so I can UPDATEE! Yay!

BTW, for all of you who want V back... well, stay tuned ;) Not promising anything tho... :)

1 week later

LVIII: Taehyung

Muted sunlight streams in from the nearby windows, making the obsidian table sparkle with the light of a thousand gems. The reading room in Aventure, my childhood home, is not as decorated as the one in Armad, but possesses a strong feeling of home. The compact bookshelves lining the wall and the quilted rug underneath the table all only add to the feeling. This house possesses no crystal chandeliers or spiraling staircases, but is still something straight out of a fairytale. Sometimes, I prefer the quiet beauty of this place, with its wooden beams and rolling green meadows, rather than the intimidating obsidian structure of Armad.

Though, I concede, if you were as tall as Namjoon was, it may be some hassle. The low ceiling has long exposed beams that had never agreed with Namjoon's height. And Namjoon himself had never been the most graceful person when it came to handling things with care. Even now, he sat in front of me, consulting a map as he rubbed his head where a beam had hit him earlier today. I stifle a laugh as I remember the memory.

"And here," Namjoon continues, pointing to the east section of the map with his compass. "Is where most of the damage is. The northern quarter of Shadow Valley is relatively untouched by the flames, but the eastern is completely burned. I think that's where we should start rebuilding first."

I shoot down the feeling of guilt that was starting to bubble up inside of me. Lately, I've been doing that alot. "That makes sense. Since a river runs straight through the middle of the clan, we can use water from there to wash away any debris. Yoongi can you―" My words shudder to a stop, as I remember with a jolt that he isn't here anymore. I stare at the empty space beside me where he should have been, feeling an ache in my chest that wasn't there before. Yoongi and Jimin were dead... because of me. My deputy and best friend.

"Would you like me to do it?" Namjoon's voice, though not spoken accusingly, pierces through my mind like a scythe. He looks compassionate, and that makes it far worse. I don't deserve his compassion.

"Yes." I give a little shake of my head, trying to dispel the thoughts. "Yes, of course. Send the message along as quickly as you can. I want to start rebuilding in two days' time at the latest."

"Sure," Namjoon nods, writing something down on his notebook. "It's going to be nice to see Hoseok again."

"Send him my regards," I say, collecting the maps off the table. "I hope he's happy in Shadow Valley."

"He probably is," Namjoon agrees. "Xian and Hoseok looked like one of the happiest couples the last time I saw them. Also," He checks a piece of parchment in his hands. "the builders tell me that Armad Castle should be rebuilt in about three months' time. If everything goes to plan, we'll be able to move back by the second new moon."

I stare up in surprise. "The second new moon? That's very fast."

Namjoon nods, showing me the parchment. "Yes, but they say they'll be able to do it. Of course, they've never failed us before. I wouldn't be surprised if they really could."

I nod absently, consulting the parchment. Namjoon watches me, looking almost weary as he opens his mouth to speak again.

"We should also hold a funeral for Jimin and Yoongi," Namjoon pauses, glancing at me. My face betrays no reaction. "They died valiantly in war, and should get a proper funeral. Losing a deputy is hard for any clan, and Yoongi was so much more than just a normal deputy. And Jimin too... skies." He shakes his head. "The whole clan will observe the mourning periods rigidly."

Vivid memories flash in my mind at his words, and I push them to the side as best as I can. I do not want to remember. I shouldn't remember. Yoongi's mouth open in a scream... or was it a yell? And Jimin's vacant eyes... I shake my head, scattering the memories before they can regroup again.

"Taehyung, stop doing that." Namjoon's disapproving voice cuts through my thoughts. I stare up at him in surprise. "Stop doing what?"

"Trying to ignore their existence," Namjoon says firmly. "It will just make the pain worse when you remember. Don't try to forget them, Taehyung. Yoongi and Jimin deserve better than that. I know the memories hurt, but the pain is how you know that you loved them."

"I know," I murmur, running a hand down my face. "I'm trying."

"You blame yourself," The words aren't a question, and Namjoon's voice becomes more gentle. "And I won't tell you to stop, because I know that you will still hold yourself responsible no matter what I say. But don't beat yourself up about it. I'm sure that that's one of the last things that Yoongi and Jimin would have wanted. You knew them just as well as me, Taehyung. You know it's true."

"Yes." Even to myself, my voice is heavy with deep pain. "I'll try. And Namjoon?" I wait until he looks up. "You're now the new deputy of the Sirius clan. I had it cleared with the council this morning."

Surprise flickers in Namjoon's eyes. "There are many people more qualified than me, you know."

"I know. But you've been my advisor for 200 years. I trust you the most."

Namjoon slowly nods. "Oh. In that case, it would be an honor to accept. I may not make as great of a deputy as Yoongi did, but I'll certainly try my best. Do you... uh, want me to go through all the vows right now or should we do it at a later time?"

"Later," I say. "I want to do it publicly, in the same way that Yoongi became deputy. You deserve nothing less. Right now, go and get some sleep, Namjoon. You look dead on your feet." I eye his rumpled figure, and he gives a rueful smile. "You should get some sleep too."

"I will," I promise. "There's just a few more papers I want to finish up." Namjoon nods, ducking under the low ceiling of the doorway. I hear a muffled "ow!" and fight to suppress a smile. Picking up a pencil, I try to concentrate on my work, but different thoughts keep plaguing my mind.

Finally giving up, I stare through the large see-through doors that led out onto the small wooden balcony, seeing that the sun is just starting to set beyond the horizon. Rain starts to fall in a drizzle, as dark clouds cover the sky. I'm glad. The darker it is, the stronger I become. As I stand, watching the rain, my mind wanders unwillingly to V. Where was he now? I quickly dismiss the thought. I had no desire to know, neither did I want him to come back. Selfish as it may be, I didn't like V being close to Jungkook. The two of them together made me nervous, perhaps even a bit jealous. Try as I might, I couldn't ignore the possibility that when given the choice, Jungkook could choose V...

"Tae?" The one voice which I need to hear most in the world sounds from my side, and I don't even have to glance down before I curl my arms around his waist and bring him in for a kiss. Jungkook's kisses are soft and sweet, and this one is no exception. Our lips mold perfectly together in an almost harmonious manner, and my hands instinctively tighten their hold as we finally break the kiss. Jungkook's raven hair is mussed into an adorable bedhead, and he blinks the last remnants of sleep from his eyes as he looks up at me. Not being able to resist the temptation, I brush my lips across his forehead, getting rewarded with a content sigh.

"Why are you up, love?" I ask. "I thought you were sleeping."

"The rain woke me up. I felt guilty; sleeping when I know that you're up working." Jungkook confesses. "You need rest more than anyone."

"I am sleeping," I claim, letting a note of indignance enter my voice. "And there's no need to feel guilty. I go to bed every night with you―"

"And then leave in the middle of the same night to go do some unfinished work," Jungkook finishes. His ruby eyes look into mine. "Did you really think that I wouldn't notice?"

"Honestly, no," I say. "I just wish you wouldn't worry about me so much. I don't need it."

"You're supposed to be resting," Jungkook reminds me gently. "Not dealing with paperwork." His hands trace the dark circles under my eyes, and I suddenly realize how tired I must look.

"There's so much to be done," I sigh. "I can't afford to take any rest. Even with you managing some of my workload, there's still Shadow Valley to think about. It's my fault this all happened after all. I should be the one to fix it."

Jungkook purses his lips, and I can tell he doesn't agree. But he only says, "That's not an excuse for you to be overworking yourself. I didn't spend a week trying to bring you back for you to fall from exhaustion. I saw Namjoon leave the room, so I know you're done for today. No excuses; you're going to bed." I sigh again in defeat. He knew exactly how to make me bend to his will.

Jungkook's gaze softens as he glances at my arm.

"How does your arm feel?"

"Perfectly fine," I tell him. In reality it was starting to ache pretty badly underneath the bandage. Jungkook's eyes narrow. By now, he knew me well enough to know when I was lying.

"You should go to the healing center before you sleep," He declares. "Jin said you need a change of poultice, anyway."

I frown. "Really Jungkook, I'm fine―" Jungkook silences me with a kiss, and despite myself, I lean in. His lips feel warm and right against mine, and my train of thought is hopelessly lost in the depths of my mind. Just as passionate as the last, his hands find their way around my neck, and mine wrap around his waist, fighting against the urge to deepen the kiss. After a minute, Jungkook slowly pulls away. His red eyes are dazed. "No arguing, okay?" He whispers.

"Okay." I mumble meekly.

It is amazing what the effects of a simple kiss can do. Though of course, with Jungkook, nothing is simple. I follow him up the stairs to the room which Jin had converted into a healing center, not a sound of protest leaving my mouth.

"Jin?" Jungkook calls as we enter. The healing center is unusually silent, with all the lights turned off. Two beds are set up against the wall, and the other part of the room is filled with vials and bottles on shelves. But there's no sign of Jin anywhere. The only thing out of place is a white slip of paper on the desk in the middle of the room.

"There's a note..." Jungkook murmurs, picking up the scrap of paper and scanning it. His face falls. "Jin isn't here. He went to Shadow Valley to help the wounded, along with the soldiers you sent this morning. I can't believe I didn't remember."

"It's fine. I know how to treat myself." I say, walking over to the medicine cabinet. There were hundreds of bottles, but I finally found the one which Jin used every day for me. Or at least, what I think he used. I hold out the bottle for Jungkook to inspect. "Is this the one?"

He takes the blue bottle in his hands, turning it around, before nodding. "Yeah, I think so."

"Good," I seat myself on the edge of the bed, holding my hand out for the ointment. But instead of giving it to me, Jungkook starts to twist the bottle open himself.

"I think I should treat your wing first," Jungkook says, as the top of the bottle pops off. "Since that's the part that can get most easily infected. And then we'll move on to your arm."

"Go right ahead." I let my wing spread out behind me, pleasantly surprised that Jungkook had offered to do it. He sits down beside me on the bed, the bottle of ointment beside him. His gentle hands smooth out the ruffles in my wing, unwrapping the bandage. I feel something cool touch my wing, and it takes me a moment to realize that it is the poultice. Immediate relief courses through my veins as the throbbing ebbs, and I let out a sigh. Jungkook pulls his hand away, mistaking my sigh for pain.

"Does it hurt?" Jungkook asks, looking concerned. I shake my head, motioning for him to continue. Even after one week, my wing is still sore, but Jungkook's light hands make quick work of the poultice. His touch feels even better than Jin's, though at this point, I shouldn't be surprised. I watch him work, his face screwed in concentration as his dark hair falls into his eyes. The way his crimson eyes sparkle in the light from a nearby window. Radiant, is the right word for Jungkook. Radiant, and beautiful, and completely mine. Perhaps living forever isn't so bad after all.

Jungkook raises an eyebrow when he catches me looking, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Do you always stare at people so intensely when they treat you?"

"No. Just you." The shy smile on his face makes butterflies explode in my stomach. I would never get used to the way he looked at me. I didn't want to get used to it. Not for the first time, I thanked whatever strange, beautiful fate had sent me Jungkook. If a devil like me could get a soulmate who is an angel, who is to say that the impossible couldn't happen?

"You were perfect," I say, as Jungkook starts wrapping up my wing again. "You could be a healer."

Jungkook gives an involuntary shudder. "No thanks. There's too much blood involved most of the time. I don't know how Jin bears it without going crazy from bloodlust."

"But remember, he's had centuries more practice than you," I tell him. "It gets easier with time."

Jungkook makes a face. "Maybe." He gets up from the bed to return the blue bottle and instead takes a green vial from the shelves. He squints at it, before nodding. "This is what Jin uses to treat your shoulder. You should probably, uh... take your shirt off for this too." Jungkook blushes as he says the words, and I smirk.

As I start to undo the buttons one by one on my tunic, Jungkook looks down at the floor, apparently fascinated by the floorboards. Shrugging the shirt off my shoulders, I lean on one of the posts of the bed, letting my cool facade continue. "I'm ready." Jungkook looks up, then keeps looking. I try to hide my smirk rather unsuccessfully.

"Why so flustered? You've seen me naked before."

"Yes, but..." Jungkook's red cheeks become more prominent. "That doesn't mean I'm used to it. It's impossible to be used to it."

He sits back down on the bed beside me, extending his arm a bit hesitantly. His touch on my bare skin sends delightful shivers up my spine, and the bandage holding my arm falls away, eliminating the barrier between my skin and the cool air. I turn my head back around, waiting for the cool relief on my shoulder again. The sooner the better.

Only it doesn't come. I frown, waiting another ten seconds, but my shoulder remains no less painful than before.

"Jungkook?" I turn around, concerned. He was usually quick in his work. But as I face him, I finally see what's delaying him. He's staring at my back, a horrified expression on his face. My heart sinks down to my toes as I realize what he's seeing. It had all been so long ago, that I had forgotten the scars were even there. And now I was paying for it. Because Jin always treated me, I had gotten used to not hiding those whip marks. But Jungkook had never seen them before.

"I never noticed," Jungkook murmurs. "All those nights we spent together, and not once did I realize... " He bites his lips, the bottle of ointment falling out of his hands and landing on the bed with a silent thump.

He looks so helpless. His doe eyes are wide and... scared. It makes my blood chill. To say that I don't like seeing him like this would be an understatement. I hated it.

"Hey," I reach out to grasp his chin, making him look away from the scars to face me. His eyes are troubled, and I'm shocked to see tears forming at the corners. This was a bad idea. A very bad one. "Don't worry about it. It happened more than two hundred years ago. I'd forgotten they were even there, really..." Somehow, my words seem to make things worse and I mentally hit myself. "I can put my shirt back on if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No," Jungkook stops me from picking up my shirt. "You don't have to hide it from me. I'm just... surprised, that's all." As he speaks, his voice starts to tremble and a single tear slips down his face.

"No, no baby," I start to panic, taking his face in my hands. "Don't cry. Why are you crying?"

Jungkook tries to wipe the tears off his cheeks, but new streams replace the old ones. "I'm sorry. I―just... I knew Bloodcrest was bad, but this..." He gestures to my back. "This is horrible. Inhumane. I can't believe a school would do this."

"We're vampires Jungkook," I say grimly. "Humane rules don't apply to us. But then again, we heal much faster than humans. It didn't hurt at all. Really," I add, when Jungkook looks dubious. "It was already healed by the next day."

"I would be more willing to believe that," Jungkook notes, "If you didn't have a habit of masking your hurt to make other people feel better."

My smile looks more like a grimace even to me. "The point still stands, that I'm not in the least bit hurt now. You don't have to worry. Why do you look so sad?" I touch his face, and he leans into the touch, letting out a sigh.

Jungkook gives a small shrug. "I don't know... I guess I just wish that I had been there. Tried to stop it, I mean."

"You were human Kookie," I say, caressing his cheek. "How could you have known? This all happened long before you were even born."

"Yes, but still..." He hesitates, and I almost want to laugh at how morbid he looks. How could he possibly think that this was in any way his fault?

"I love you." I murmur, pressing a kiss onto his cheek.

Jungkook smiles. A sweet smile, just for me. "I know."

"But do you?" I question. "If you know I love you, then you would also know that I would never ever blame you for things like this. It amazes me, how you find a way to try and blame yourself when you did nothing wrong. You know I don't like it, Jungkook."

"I know," He says again, in the same tone I had used with Namjoon. He's biting his lip so hard that I'm afraid it's going to draw blood. I bring him into my arms, and he lies there, as limp as a doll, his face buried in my chest. My hand weaves through his hair as I start to speak.

"Do you know what I think?" I say slowly. "I think that you still haven't grasped the concept of how much you mean to me." His wide, confused eyes stare into mine, and I allow myself a small smile. "Would you like to know?"

He doesn't hesitate as he nods. "Yes."

And that is all I need.

A small gasp leaves his mouth as I bend over him, making him fall onto his back with easy grace. His head hits the pillows underneath, and he gazes up at me, crimson eyes mirroring my own. Surprise glints in their red depths, but there's no disgust, which I'm glad for. My arm slides beneath his shoulders as I lean over him.

"No―wait! Your shoulder..." Jungkook tries to reach for the bottle of medicine, but I catch his hand before he can reach it, pressing his palm against my lips. "The shoulder can wait. I thought I'm about to show you how much I love you."

"Yes, but not now―" He can barely get the words out before I mold my lips onto his, clutching his hand tightly in my own. He kisses back almost immediately, though I can tell he's still worried. That makes me frown. I don't want any unwelcome, irrelevant feelings in this kiss. I break the kiss just for a moment to tell him, "Forget everything, Kookie. Right now, it's just you and me. Think of nothing else but me. You are the center of my world, and I am the center of yours. Focus on that."

"But your shoulder..." Jungkook protests weakly. I can see that he wants this as much as I do, but my injury holds him back. I don't want anything to hold us back. I trail kisses on the side of his face, listening to his ragged breathing. "I don't need any medications. Your kisses will heal me faster than any medicine."

Jungkook finally laughs, some of the tension leaving his body. "I'm pretty sure that's not good medical advice."

"But it's the truth." I let my lips hover downwards, tracing a line down his neck to his exposed collarbones. I hear a sharp intake of breath, and the arms around my neck tighten. I find his sweet spot on the base of his throat, and attach my lips there, feeling Jungkook's body arch underneath me. He was just too sensitive for his own good.

"Jin's going to have a heart attack if we mess up another bed," Jungkook murmurs, and I laugh, tracing his jawline with my thumb. "If we're careful, he won't catch us."

"Oh he will," Jungkook promises. "He'll be back in an hour, tops."

"Then all the more reason to start early." His tunic is in the way, and I grab the collar of it in my hands, trying to fight the urge to rip it off his body. Too late, I realize that I had never heard him say that he wanted this. What if the want in his eyes was only a mirror of my own desire? Perhaps this craving is one-sided. I look at his face, concerned about what I will see. His eyes are dazed, and cheeks tinted pink. His breathing is ragged, and his black hair is spread on the pillow like a pool of ink.

"We can stop if you want to," I say. Jungkook doesn't say anything, but his hands move towards his own chest, undoing the buttons of his tunic with shaking hands. I watch him, and as the last button falls, he looks up at me. His eyes, so dazed before, now stare at me with sharp desire. "No. I don't want you to stop." And this time, it's him who leans in.

I don't need any urging as I help him take off the shirt completely, throwing it on the floor. His head comes to rest in the crook of my neck as his body arches in anticipation. Everything about him is beautiful, and I can't help myself as I run my hand along his flank.

"I love you." Jungkook's voice, barely detectable in reality, resonates clear and passionate in my ear. Those three words that have a magical effect on my body and soul. That makes me glad to be alive. My hand tenderly caresses his cheek, and I bring my lips down to his for the sweetest kiss yet. "You know my answer."

Jungkook's breath stutters as my tongue finds its way into his open mouth, and my hands rid him of the rest of his clothes. His hands, just as eager, lock onto my shoulders while we curve and fit together; chest against chest, hips against hips. We were skin to skin, and I can feel the hot breath from Jungkook's open mouth tickle my neck. Sneaking kisses in between, my hands explore his body, and later, my lips. Everywhere we kiss and everywhere we touch feels like the euphoria we had put off for too long. We progress together, starting slow and controlled, and then moving to sharp urgency. The alchemic feeling returns, as strong as ever, and I find myself wondering what in the world could feel better than this.

When movement finally stilled, and sharp gasps turned into muted whimpers, we lie holding each other in the light of the brilliant setting sun. Jungkook curls in against my side, his head on my bare chest. I caress his soft hair, looking out the window to the dew-filled grass still sparkling like crystal gems.

When I had first found Jungkook, people told me that I would never be satisfied with him. That a human couldn't possibly feel enough love for a vampire; that their hearts weren't strong enough for it. Clearly, they had never met Jungkook, and their lives must have been dull because of it. Three hundred years of waiting, and I had finally found him. The small boy, now sleeping beside me with an impossibly sweet expression on his angelic face. And he was everything that I had ever wished for. More, in fact.

My Jungkook.

My beautiful, beautiful soulmate.

Forever.