"I have no idea how it broke down, really I don't. It just did."

Aera overheard Yukwon's excited voice chirping from the kitchen. She and Yoongi made their way back there, both of them wearing the exact same gloomy faces.

She peeked in to see Yukwon leaned on his chest on the kitchen counter and resting on his elbows, his hands interlocked in front of him. Also there, behind the stove was kneeling Taehyung, clad in a black loose v-neck and gray sweatpants.

"All done." He murmured, hoisting himself up and patting his clothes.

"Really? So fast?" Yukwon's eyes lit up, eating Taehyung's muscular body up. "You have magic hands, mmm... what was the issue?"

Taehyung's dark gaze cast over the blue-eyed man.

"It just needed to be plugged in."

"Oh," Yukwon exclaimed. "Silly old me. I'm usually so good at plugging things in... places." He grinned slyly.

Taehyung murmured something incoherent under his breath. Then his unwelcoming gaze found Aera and Yoongi standing by the door. His brows furrowed.

"Where were you two?"

"I was showing the other bedroom to Aera," Yoongi quickly replied. "She wanted to know where I and Yukwon slept last night. Said she felt guilty for taking the king-size bed."

Taehyung gave an unpleasant pout and hummed. "Sounds like her."

"Oh yeah, we crashed on the bunk beds," Yukwon explained with a broad grin on his face. "We played rock, paper, scissors and Yoongi took the top one, while I took the bottom," he paused, licking his lips as his sultry gaze brushed over Taehyung as he slid even closer on the counter, and gave him a look of intrigue. "And you, Tae... are you a top or a bottom?"

Taehyung growled disapprovingly, ignoring his question.

"I'm going back to bed."

Not sparing anyone another glance, he shuffled for the door grumpily, his raven black hair a fluffy nest.

"What's up his ass?" Yoongi asked, plopping down on the couch.

"Sadly nothing." Yukwon sighed, gazing at the door long after Taehyung was gone.

Aera smacked her lips together, eyes darting nervously to the bedroom she and Taehyung shared last night. Now was as good time as any for her to face him and confront him about her intense sexual dream and just how involved he was in it as they could have some privacy. As embarrassing as it was, she had to man up and have this conversation with him.

Mentally putting her big girl pants on, Aera scurried down the hall and landed a small knock on the door.

"Go away." Came Taehyung's deep gravely voice.

"It's me," she said, already feeling mortified. "Aera."

"... Okay you can come in."

She eased the door open cautiously as if she was afraid to make a sound. She closed it quietly and turned around, but the sight she was met with had her blushing shades of crimson.

Taehyung arched a brow at her defiantly, rubbing his neck. He was standing on the soft carpet barefoot and naked from the waist up, offering her a view of his chest tattoos.

This definitely isn't helping.

Aera tried to stutter her way into a sentence but suddenly her mouth couldn't form words. She looked away in utter abashment.

"Can you put on a shirt?"

He grinned wickedly.

"Why, is something bothering you?"

She swallowed thickly, not giving him an answer. Wordlessly, Taehyung reached over for his shirt and quickly slid it over his body, prompting a sigh of relief from Aera.

"It's just the human body, Aera." He shrugged.

She sauntered further inside the room, slipping her hands in the back pockets of her jeans.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like hell."

She offered him an anxious look.

"Taehyung."

"Oh, let's see," he rubbed his chin, feigning deep thought. "I fought overpowered guerillas that wanted to kill me, accidentally fell through a portal to another dimension, I'm stuck in this house not knowing when I'm gonna get out, I haven't seen my dog in days, and I'm being eye-fucked by wolf boy over there every second he looks at me. Gee, I'm doing just marvelous!" he said mockingly.

Aera's face screwed in sympathy. She walked over to him and took a seat next to him on the bed.

He eyed her with disinterest.

"Careful, I don't want you to start screaming if I get too close." He said bitterly.

Her jaw clenched and she averted her gaze to the side, nervously tucking a hair strand behind her ear.

"I'm so sorry about last night. I was having a dream that..."

"What? That I was chasing you with an axe?" he scoffed sarcastically.

"No," he got her flustered which seemed to be his specialty. Stop stalling. Just wing it!

"Taehyung I had a sex dream about you."

There it is! It's finally out in the open! You go girl!

"I know." he replied, cutting her off in the middle of her sigh. "Figured that much."

Was this all he was going to say? Great, now it got even more awkward than Aera imagined it. She said it and now he left her hanging.

"What I couldn't understand though was your reaction after you woke up," he stated. "You were horrified, Aera. Screaming."

"Yes, that is because-"

"Is the idea of me touching you so repulsive to you?" he cut her off.

His large liquid chocolate orbs landed on her while he held the same blank stare.

"Was I..." his voice dropped lower. "Was I hurting you, or-"

"No!" she cut him off, now feeling awful for making him feel that. "No, you weren't. You were... gentle." She tried to fight back the urge to cringe.

"Damn, I was?" his brows pulled together. "Usually I'm not."

"Oh gosh."

"Was it nice?"

"Huh?"

"I mean... was it nice for you? Was the feeling mutual?" he kept interrogating, surprising her with how invested he was. "What, I just want to know how I did."

"Yes..." Aera trailed off, catching herself on time before saying something she'd beat herself up forever for. "I mean I don't quite remember. It's blurry and it was really brief."

"I usually last pretty long, just so you know," he winked at her.

"Taehyung," she ran a hand over her face, trying to conceal her embarrassment. "This isn't what I'm here for."

"I don't blame you," he went on, ignoring her. "I'm very habit-forming. Like walking heroin. Once you start there's no stopping." He flashed her an evil grin.

"Stop," Aera raised a hand close to her face. "I wanted to talk about something with you. I have some suspicions about last night I wanted to discuss."

"Yes?" he seemed intrigued.

"I was thinking about what Yukwon said, remember? That this place has the effect of a magnifying glass on your Powers... what if your Power is expanding? Like... the spectrum of your abilities is becoming wider?"

"How?"

"You can send people in a sexual frenzy simply by touching them. What if now you can do it even without physical contact?"

A soft hum rolled off his mouth as he licked his lips.

"That's... a bummer."

Aera gave a confused frown.

"How is that a bummer? Your abilities are increasing-"

"Well I don't want them to!" he snapped angrily, his eyes swimming in hurt. It threw her off guard as she gaped at him, not expecting this type of reaction from him. "I want to be able to touch other people. To hug them. I... I want to be touched, too." His voice broke.

Aera's lower lip tucked between her lips as she searched her mind for something comforting to say. All she could do was raise a hand awkwardly and rub his back through the fabric of his shirt.

"Not like that." Taehyung scuffed, his back muscles tensing up. "Do you have any idea what it's like to be constantly careful not to touch anyone inappropriately? Do you know how awful it is when that blaze of sexual hunger ignites in people's eyes, how they throw themselves at me and start saying things that make my skin crawl? Yeah... it's nice to be desired, but not by every single fucking person on the planet."

"I'm sorry." Aera whispered. She had no idea he felt like this but when she thought about it, she should have known.

It was just that Taehyung never communicated this with anyone. She realized out of all of them he had it the worst. She never even thought about it but underneath the tough façade Taehyung was just a human being craving connection. His Power literally took away his chance to be caressed and cherished. Genuinely.

"Tell you what," she started as an idea materialized in her mind. "I just thought of something."

He sniffed dejectedly, now turning to face her.

"I'm listening."

"Remember how Yukwon also said that now he can turn in his wolf form whenever he likes and control how long he stays in it?" she asked. "Well that made me think... what if we can do something similar with your Power? What if by increasing your abilities, you also increase your mastery over them?"

"What exactly does this mean?" Taehyung scrunched his nose. "I'm not good with riddles, just say it."

"I'm asking you what if you could control when your Power lashes out and when it doesn't? Like, turning it on and off."

He was bemused. "And how would I do that?"

"With your mind. I know it sounds really difficult when you haven't tried it, but I really think it could work. The mind is the most powerful weapon there is."

Taehyung let out a small hmmpf.

"I'm not sure about it. How would I even know if it's working?"

Aera stretched one arm out and placed it on his thigh, palm facing the ceiling.

"You're going to practice. On me."

"You?" his eyebrows shot sky high and she could almost see images from last night when she woke up screaming flash through his eyes. "I- Aera that's not a good idea."

"Would you rather practice on Yoongi? Or even worse, Yukwon?" she asked. "He already has it bad for you, I can't begin to imagine what's going to happen if you really touch him."

Taehyung looked over at her dubiously. Aera already harbored enough guilt for making him feel like he was repulsing to her, and now that she knew how tormented he truly was by his Power, she desperately wanted to help him.

Out of all the people she was stuck in this small house with, he was the closest she had to a friend. Yoongi... her relationship with him was a natural disaster. And no matter how welcoming he had been, she didn't feel like she knew Yukwon that well yet. Taehyung was feeling isolated too, so maybe they could be there for each other in these confusing times.

"Please, Taehyung. Let me help you."

"It's not that I don't want you to," he said. "I'm just scared."

"It's alright, I trust you. I'll be able to fight it back. I've been feeling a lot more mentally resilient than before. I'm positive I'll be able to do it."

"It's not that-"

"And if things start to get really heated, you'll just retract your arm and the effect will dissipate-"

"Aera!" Taehyung said sternly, finally regaining her attention. "It's not you I'm worried about. It's me."

The words caused her head to reel back a bit.

"You?"

"Yes," he confirmed. "You think you're gonna be able to resist it, but you don't know what will happen when I press my hand to yours. You're gonna start saying things to me... you're gonna want to touch me everywhere. And I'm not sure if I'll be able to push you away."

Aera's whole body froze in a block of ice. Seeing her astonished expression, Taehyung drew a sharp intake of breath.

"It's been a long time since I've been with someone. And you... you being here doesn't make it any easier."

"Then we don't have to do it if you think it will make you feel uncomfortable." She suggested earnestly.

He groaned. "But I really want to rid myself of this stupid restriction, not being able to touch anyone... it's driving me crazy."

Aera shifted her gaze to the floor, her stomach tied in a knot.

"It's your decision. I just want to help you but if you think things are going to be weird after that maybe it's not such a good idea."

"No," he clicked his tongue, finally settling on a decision. "No, I want this. Let's try this. Obviously we don't have anything else to do in this godforsaken place. Might as well make it fun." There it was again, the little flame of mischief in his deep onyx orbs.

"Okay." Aera reached out his arm to him.

"Not like this," he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "What are you, an animal?"

She was dumbfounded. "Wha-"

"I need to have some deep conversation before that, you know, to get myself in the mood."

She scoffed a chuckle. "You mean to tell me you have deep conversations before touching every girl?"

"Not at all," he retorted. "But in this case I'm going to need it to remind myself that you're a person who is precious to me and not just another nameless bimbo."

"Gee, I didn't know you needed to be reminded of that." Aera scuffed, her heart fluttered at the word precious.

"Now stop being a smartass and tell me. What is your deepest, darkest fear?"

"Oh," Aera frowned as she sank into thought. She didn't expect it to get that deep so quickly, especially when it was Taehyung she was speaking to. "I guess... someone hurting the people I love? Yes, definitely that."

"Wow," Taehyung shifted on the bed to face her properly. "Now my thing is gonna sound stupid and irrelevant compared to yours."

"What is it?"

"Loneliness." He uttered.

Aera was bemused. "That doesn't sound stupid at all, Taehyung. I never knew you felt that way because..."

"Because I'm always alone?" he asked. "Well, I guess my fear is that I'll live like this until my last day. And this shitty Power isn't helping at all, if anything it's isolating me from other people even more." He became somber, a glimpse of anger flashing through his dark onyx orbs. "It's so freaking useless!"

"Hey, shhh," Aera cooed, glancing down to see his hands clenched into fists. "It's not useless, alright? Once you start to control it you're gonna learn to use it in your favor. And Taehyung, I promise you... you'll never be alone again."

His gaze returned to her, a glint of hopefulness flashing in it.

"Shall we get to it?" he mumbled.

"Yes, let's do this." Aera said, sounding a little bit too enthusiastic about the whole endeavor. For all she knew it could bring even more problems her way, but she really wanted to help Taehyung. His Power definitely was expanding as it wasn't just her who had figured it out – Yoongi had been clever enough to think of it too. This was all the confirmation she needed to know that she wasn't mistaken.

"How- how are we going to do it?" Taehyung frowned.

"I guess..." she bit on the inside of her cheek. "Let's start slow and ease into it. You're gonna touch my hand but like really lightly. Just a brush of your fingers. And while you do it, I want you to concentrate really hard on gaining control of your Power and keeping it at bay. I don't really know how to explain this. Do you understand me?"

"I suppose." He murmured. "Try and stop it from manifesting, got it."

"I on the other hand am gonna try to resist it." She announced.

"Okay."

The air was thick with tension even before actually proceeding to the real thing. Aera licked her lips repeatedly, suddenly feeling them more dry than ever.

"Here." She extended one hand, putting it on his thigh.

Taehyung sucked in on his teeth, glancing down at her palm as if it were poisonous. He raised his hand and let it hover on top of hers.

"I'm going to touch you now." He announced, glancing over at her to receive once again her unspoken consent. She gave a curt nod.

Slowly, Taehyung's hand gravitated towards Aera's. His fingers curled and he pressed his forefinger and middle finger on her palm.

An immense heat wave crashed through her body. A sweltering heat covered her cheeks as her heart raced vigorously in her chest. Her mind was chaotic, narrowing down to tunnel vision as all she saw was him. She gulped, her muscles tightening as she tried to fight the lustful feeling emerging from deep within. It was seemingly the most difficult thing she had ever had to do until this moment as thoughts consumed her mind, thoughts of her trembling underneath Taehyung as he caressed every inch of her body just like in her dream, his warms lips trailing down her neck and her chest...

Then it stopped.

"Are you alright?" Taehyung asked and Aera realized he had retracted his hand and was now staring at her with concern.

"Mhm." She pressed her lips into a line and nodded.

"It felt like it didn't work." He grumbled disappointedly.

"No it's okay, it was naïve of us to think it was going to work the first time," she soothed. "But I think our efforts had an impact, at least I didn't throw myself at you, right?"

"Right." He muttered.

"That means we're on the right track. Let's try again."

"Again?" his eyebrows raised. "I don't want you to overexert your brain."

"I'm fine for now, I'll let you know if I get tired." She tilted her body as she leaned forward.

Taehyung eyed her doubtfully, a storm raging in his dark irises. He reached for her hand again and she braced herself for what was coming next.

This time he pressed his whole palm on hers without a warning.

She straightened up, an explosive feeling jolting through her body. A fierce heat emerged in her lower abdomen and she clenched her thighs, desperately trying to suffocate it.

Her body operating out of her control, she pulled Taehyung towards her and rested her back down on the bed, pulling him down with her. His hand still around her wrist, he pinned it over her head as he hovered on top of her body, chest rising and falling as his dark abysses studied the passion he inflicted in her. His other hand pressed on her waist as he glued her to the mattress, pushing her down and Aera moaned quietly, his touch making her go crazy with arousal.

"Enough." She heard him say when he let go of her wrist, drawing back and sitting on the bed next to her.

Perplexed, Aera sat on her elbows and looked at him quizzically. How did she end up lying on the bed, she clearly remembered she was sitting just some seconds ago?

"I don't think it's working." Taehyung whispered, turning his face away from her.

For some unknown reason he became dark.

"It's okay, things will improve with practice." She sat up again.

"Yeah I don't think so."

Aera was disheartened. She had encouraged him to try but now when he was disappointed by one failed attempt he got angry and she felt like it was her fault.

"Let's try again," she amended. "Third time's the charm."

Taehyung's large midnight eyes flickered back to her. He nodded in silent agreement.

Aera extended her hand once again and long fingers coiled around it. Involuntarily, she squeezed her eyes shut, readying herself for what was about to happen.

But it didn't.

"Taehyung!" her eyes flew wide open as she met his watchful stare. "It's- it's working!"

"It's working?" he echoed in astonishment.

"Look at me, I'm in all my senses!" Aera enthused, giddy with excitement at their success.

"You're in all your senses." He mumbled, a little bit dazed.

"You're doing it! You're really doing it, I'm so proud of you!!"

Gleefully, Aera bounced on the mattress like a happy toddler. Blinded by her joy she broke the contact between her hands and wrapped her arms around Taehyung's neck loosely, pulling him into a friendly hug.

And that was her mistake.

Taehyung lost his focus for a second. Next thing she was in his lap, her legs straddling his hips as his hands gripped on each of her elbows, hesitating as if he felt undeserving of her. His liquid chocolate orbs flashed up at her as she licked her lips, her long chestnut hair falling over her face. She moved her hips in a slow rolling motion in his lap and threw her head back, her wavy luminous hair slipping down her back in a silky waterfall as her hands caressed him expertly.

This was so much more different than how other women were impacted by his Power, they just turned in convulsing needy brats, throwing themselves at him and begging him to fuck them. Why the hell was that?

With Aera it was different, the way she moved and looked down at him, like some kind of devious enchantress, a goddess that was trying to tempt him.

It was almost as if Taehyung's surge of energy was empowering her instead turning her body into a trembling whiney weakling as he had never seen her behave like this and have this look in her eyes, this radiating glow to her soft skin.

Taehyung watched her completely entranced, the world around him spinning whilst the only thing he could focus on was her and the way her body fit in his hands. He removed her hait back, his hand slipping down her neck sensually. A surge of passion overwhelmed him as suddenly his jeans felt very tight.

He had always wanted to have her like this, to touch her like this ever since the first day he had laid eyes on her, but kept his desires at bay out of respect for her. She was the first woman Taehyung had ever respected and even cared for, the first woman he'd go out of his way for. Yes he wanted to fuck her at the beginning but by getting to know her he realized sex was the most unimportant thing Aera could do for him. There was so much more there.

In normal circumstances he'd never lay a finger on her knowing her heart belonged to someone else and he stood no chance against her undying love for Jimin, but right now in this frozen moment of time, Taehyung was overcome by this hopefulness that maybe, just maybe, given he was the one in her wet dreams as she was in his, maybe Aera was as drawn to him as he was to her...

He always felt so rejected, so alone against this cold unwelcoming world that surrounded him but somehow she made things better for she understood him, she was like a ray of sunshine among the clouds over his head.

When Jimin had ran into the security room that day of Aera's disappearance, the day they battled Hyukjae and his mother, Taehyung had felt such harrowing pain upon realizing she might be in danger. He never knew he was capable of these emotions, he never knew he had it in him to care about another human being. And Aera just made him want to make an effort, to be a better man.

Yes, Jimin was Aera's soulmate and the man she was loyal to and there was no argue there, he'd hurt and kill for her and she looked at him as if he hang the Moon. He was her Protector, her one and only and he'd unleash hell and stop at nothing to make her feel safe and happy, but Jimin was nowhere around anymore.

Aera needed someone to have her back now and despite their unresolved issues Taehyung would be more than happy to be trusted with that, in fact he wanted it desperately, to be there for her and keep her from the luring darkness.

She was by no means a traditional beauty, god knows Taehyung had been with women much more beautiful and sexy than her, but the spell she had cast over his heart held him prisoner. In his eyes she was a masterpiece. He had no idea what it was maybe it was chemistry. He wanted to take care of her and cherish her but he knew he wasn't the only one desiring her affections, there were at least two other men in the race for her heart. Taehyung didn't want to get in the middle of that, reassuring himself at first that it was just her body that he wanted to claim.

Yes that's right, Jimin was the one imprinted on Aera's heart, her destined one; Yoongi ruthlessly consumed and haunted her mind; and Taehyung was the one who was able to awaken the deepest carnal desires of her body.

Only with the three of them by her side would she be able to thrive and flourish, to reach her full potential and blossom in the powerful woman she was born to be...

Taehyung blinked, snapping himself out of it. This was wrong on so many levels, no matter how divine it felt to have Aera moving like that on top of him and no matter how much he wanted to take her... Get a grip! He wanted to protect her, not take advantage of her. She slipped one hand down his neck and underneath his shirt, feeling his firm torso.

He was so lost in the moment. Taehyung groaned, never before having to put an end to a woman's sexual advances. He gently gripped at her waist and removed her from his lap, shimmying out from underneath her but he was a little too late as the door was yanked open and someone shot forward so rapidly it was like they moved in a blur of blackness.

Taehyung grunted, dodging Yoongi's fist flying right towards his face at the last moment.

Author's note:
Things are really about to blow up soon jsyk 🥰
Thank you so much for reading, love you!! 🥺💕