#like we see him hunting and trying to capture random wild creatures doing nothing wrong

[shoechoe]

Every so often I encounter an Invader Zim post like "you guys... have you ever thought that Dib is in fact a bit of an asshole sometimes" and no offense but I kind of thought that was obvious by episode 1

#rambles #not jojo related #invader zim #episode 1 you can tell he doesn't care that zim is evil so much as he just wants to prove aliens are real #i think in the show he'd hunt him down and try to dissect him regardless of if he had any real evidence that he was evil or not #like we see him hunting and trying to capture random wild creatures doing nothing wrong #also the way he taunts zim and laughs when he gets hurt is just dickish #i kind of hate how they retcon this implication in florpus #with the ''i used to think aliens were cool until zim came and he was evil'' thing in the beginning #i dislike a lot of things florpus does with characterization #this might be a hot take but i really do not like the arc with dib and professor membrane i think that's my least favorite thing about it #but i digress

[crystaljins]

A long journey home | 02 FINAL

Characters: Taehyung x Reader

Word count: 12.2K

Synopsis:  All you wanted was to confront your flaky coworker, Taehyung, not get dragged across a magical fantasy realm trying to deliver a baby dragon safely back to its home kingdom.

Fantasy!au

Notes: Actually I don’t have much to say. But hey, we all love a finished fic, don’t we?

1 | 2

It is easy enough to pick up horses and proper clothes and supplies at the next town. It takes a bit of convincing to get Taehyung to buy you your own bed roll.

“Why can’t we share?” He had whined. “Weren’t you comfortable? Plus we’ve done it before.”

“Don’t press her too hard lad, it’s better to give the missus a bit o’ space when she’s upset with you.” The shop clerk had warned him. Being mistaken for your husband had put him in a good enough mood that you were able to coax him into purchasing the second bedroll.

“It’s better to have two just in case! Besides, we can still share if it gets too cold.” You had reluctantly pointed out as he made the purchase. That left him beaming, at least.

Once you set out, Taehyung moves quickly because there is no doubt in his mind that the lizard men are still after the three of you. Probably more- apparently the whole race is on a wild hunt, attempting to capture the prince for their queen. You have five days left and the horses will greatly reduce the travel time. You have ridden horses before- your uncle owned a ranch and you had spent every summer there since you were very small. But you have never ridden for such long periods over long distances and it is a painful and hard slog. But you make good time and Taehyung informs you that you will probably make it to the draconian kingdom with a few days to spare. He cheerfully informs you of all the places he plans to take you sight-seeing. Most of the places sound strange and exotic and you find yourself sharing in his cautious optimism. He’s been in such a good mood ever since that night by the fire and it’s contagious- you find yourself smiling despite the discomfort of the past few days of travel.

Tata chirps where he is seated on Taehyung’s saddle with him, surprised by Taehyung suddenly sliding off his horse and dismounting. You have your horse halt as well, confused.

“What’s wrong?” You question. Taehyung squints at the long road ahead. There is a cliff side and it seems the dirt path curves and runs parallel to the cliff’s edge. It’s beautiful, like scenery straight from a movie- distantly you can here the crash of waves as they collide with the cliff face far below. Ahead of you the sea extends in a deep blue blanket until the distant horizon.

“This road is known as the Road of the Oceans Song. This is where sirens gather at the cliff face below and lure unprepared travellers to their death with their song. Unfortunately, we are those unprepared travellers and I only have one pair of enchanted earplugs to fend against their song. You can’t get these anywhere and we don’t have time to get another pair. And we’re going on foot from here because it’s harder to do anything if you’re on a horse. So you will be walking with your hand tied to mine the whole way and any frivolous behaviour will earn you a spanking.” He informs you, reaching into his satchel and pulling out a pair of said enchanted earplugs.

At your dubious and unimpressed look he laughs. 

“I’m joking. It just means I’m going to make sure you can’t get away from me for the next couple of hours, beautiful. It seems you won the lottery today.” He tells you with a wink before sliding the ear plugs into place. “Let’s test it out. I should be able to hear fine but be immune to their song- say something charming.” He requests.

“Kim Taehyung is a menace to society and smells like feet.” You announce. He grins at you. 

“Oh darling, you’re too sweet. Nothing like praise from my beloved to give me the strength to carry on this long, difficult journey.” He hums cheerfully, before extending his hand. “Come on, then.”

“Why can’t I wear the ear plugs?” You ask. He grimaces.

“Well, I’d love to save you from the agony of their song and honestly the thought of you desiring someone other than me even if it’s only for a couple of hours sound positively horrifying.” He tells you. You grimace at his words. He continues on, unbothered like he is for most things. “But yes. I can most definitely overpower you and would probably drag us both and the horses to our deaths if I were bewitched. Tata would survive though.” Tata cheers his agreement. You nod and sigh.

“Ok, fine. Do your worst.” You say, brandishing both hands at him as if you expect him to suddenly handcuff you. He chuckles before reaching into his bag and pulling out a ribbon. You stare at incredulously. “You mean you had time and money to buy that but not a second pair of earplugs?”

He shrugs.

“I didn’t want any rough rope scraping your wrists! You humans are so fragile and chafe so easily. And the enchanted earplugs can only be produced by a mage who lives three months journey from here across the sea. So yes, I had time to buy the ribbon and not the earplugs.” He tells you, winding it around your wrist and then his. “Also, it’s a gift.” He says it quickly and if you didn’t know better you would say he was blushing as he says it. But he also made a joke about spanking you with a completely straight face earlier and so you don’t think he is capable of blushing. “For you to tie your hair back once we get past here. You were complaining about it getting in the way when we went into town and I’d hate for you to cut it off.”

“Oh.” You say. “Thank you.”

He offers you a smile. Then his expression turns serious.

“Their song will be agonising. You will do anything and everything to get to them, and so I apologise for whatever I do to you over the next couple of hours. Know that it’s to protect you and my decisions were made under duress, ok?” He warns you. You shake your head to comfort him.

“I trust you.” You say dismissively, because you do. He may be cheeky and overly flirty, but he’s proven himself as someone you can trust. Though you whinge and complain constantly, deep down you know you’d jump off that cliff if Taehyung told you it was safe to do so. Because he wouldn’t allow any harm to come to you. He had promised.

Taehyung’s expression scrunches.

“Hold on tight.” He says. “Tata if you see any funny business from her, let me know, ok?” He tells the little dragon. He nods his head sternly and you are reminded of a little toddler. He clambers onto your shoulder and with the thicker clothes you are wearing his claws aren’t as uncomfortable. He offers you a low growl to let you know he’s keeping a close watch. You laugh.

“Alright, alright. Keep me in line, ok little guy?” You say. He chirps.

Taehyung walks slowly and cautiously at first. The first 15 minutes or so you hear nothing but the steady stream of conversation he keeps up. Tata keeps glancing around nervously, his gaze catching on random things like he’s seeing something you can’t. It’s a little unnerving. It wouldn’t bother you if it weren’t for the way Taehyung grips your hand so tightly it is almost painful despite you being tied together. The horses follow obediently, almost sleepy in the warm sun. You wish you could enjoy the scenery, but as time goes on, Taehyung grows more and more tense.

You don’t even notice the shift when it happens at first. Their song is almost as innocuous as the wind whistling through the air and the crash of waves far beneath you. You find yourself humming along before you even realise that you can hear it.

“Darling,” Taehyung calls warningly. “Watch yourself. It will only get worse from here.” Tata tightens his claws from where they cling to your shoulders and wraps his long scarlet tail around you. You nod absently, still straining your ears to discern the faint melody.

“Ok.” You say and your voice sounds strange and foreign to your own ears. A bit airy and distracted. He offers you a tense smile and continues to tug you along in a rapid stride. The gravel crunches beneath your feet and even that is louder than the song you can barely hear.

Then it grows louder. You can’t discern any words- it is not in a language you speak, but it’s oddly haunting. Like a sea shanty with a sad ending. The melody curls and sings through the air, winding and not quite eerie. Just beautiful… enchanting. You feel an odd tug in the centre of your chest and you don’t realise you had been drifting away from Taehyung side until a firm tug from him pulls you back in close. Tata offers a warning nip and the horses are beginning to get antsy. Taehyung has gone pale and sweat begins to bead at his temple. His eyebrows knit together as he watches you. He seems rather afraid.

“We just have to keep going- can you do that for me sweetheart?” He questions. You nod with a dreamy smile. You feel a little bit like you’re tipsy- wobbly and a bit euphoric. Your cheeks are warm- the sea below would offer a pleasant coolness to the warmth rolling off you. “What did I say earlier about the song?” He interrogates.

“That it would be agonising?” You recall, nose scrunching with the effort. It seems like a distant dream now. “It doesn’t seem so bad though- I’d rather like to meet a siren, I think? Are they beautiful?”

“They can’t compare to you.” Taehyung answers, though it is terse. His grip tightens and you cry out.

“Ow! You’re hurting me!” You complain although admittedly you are playing it up a little because you are hoping he’ll let you go long enough for you to have a little peek over the edge. Just a peek.

“Sorry.” Taehyung answers and his grip lightens just the slightest bit but he does not let you go.

The song grows in intensity, and like the sultry throbbing of a club beat you can feel it thrum in your chest- in the very centre of your being. You are certain you have heard nothing more beautiful in your life- you just want to see the creatures that could produce such a sound. Thick and syrupy and sweet to your ears. It’s like the most pleasant dream. Would they welcome you into their depths, were you to peer over and shout your greeting? The drop does not seem that far.

“I really want to meet them, Tae,” You beg. He grimaces. “What would it take for you to allow me just a little peek?”

“Nothing.” He tells you. “I don’t like to share, sorry sweetheart. No sirens get you today.”

That irritates you, for some reason. Not because of the implication that you are his to share (though perhaps when more coherent that would bother you), but because of his constant refusals to allow you to see them. You can think of nothing you want more in life, but he’s refusing you. The thought is agonising- how could he deprive you of such a vital need? It feels like he is denying you the oxygen to your lungs. It hurts you to be apart from them- tears begin to fill your eyes.

“Please!” You gasp. He risks a glance at you and your tear-stricken expression and his expression goes hard.

“No.” He says firmly, though he avoids your gaze. Perhaps if you can get him to look at you he will take pity and allow you to see them? You sniffle and wipe hastily at your eyes with your free arm. He watches you cautiously, as though afraid of what you will try next. You step in close until you could probably count each individual lash that frames his dark eyes. Would the sirens have dark, hypnotic eyes like he does? His expression is guarded, though his grip on you goes loose at your proximity. Even if you were to dart away you are still tied firmly to him, after all.

“Hello,” He says softly, though uneasily. His gaze darts away.

“Tae,” You plead, because you know he likes it when you use his nickname. “I just want one little favour,” You point out. “Is that really so hard?”

“It’s very difficult.” He answers through gritted teeth. “Keep walking.” He demands and adjusts your pace until the two of you are near sprinting. You almost swear in anguish- how will you get to him and join the sirens beneath when he is setting such a fast pace? At this rate you will pass them all by! You dig your heels into the ground but Tae is far stronger than you and so all you achieve is him yanking you forward so forcefully you begin to stumble. His eyes go wide and he releases the horses just in time to catch you. You both stagger and he falls so that he lands on his back with you on top of him. Taehyung grunts in pain but you are too distracted to notice- is this your opening to convince him? The siren’s song is still just as hauntingly beautiful but the longer you deny its call the more it morphs into anguished demands that Taehyung is refusing to allow you to meet. He struggles to sit up but you shift so that he is pinned beneath you. No doubt with his superior strength he could lift you, but for a moment he just stares up at you, immobilised. Tata clambers down off your shoulder and hisses something at the horses- they stop their antsy tossing and go still.

“Tae,” You say. “I’ve never wanted anything more. Please let me see them.” Tears begin to pool and drip down your cheeks- they land on him and he flinches as each drop lands on him. “It’s so painful, Tae,” You begin to sob, because honestly the siren’s song has escalated to agonised screeching and you feel you could end the pain if you just peered over and looked at them. “I just really, really, want to see them.” Taehyung’s expression goes soft and he lifts the arm that isn’t bound to you to gently wipe away your tears. It is unfair of you to use your proximity as you do, to try and sway him, and he did not know how weak he was to the warmth of your body against his until that moment. Still, to allow you to get what you wanted would be to allow you die, and he cannot do that.

“In like, ten minutes, you’re going to thank me.” He tells you. “But for now, we’re going to do things the hard way.”

And then he forces you off him and hoists you up onto his shoulder. You screech in agony and struggle, but he has a firm grip, crying out obscenities.

The scream dies in your throat once you are out of earshot of the sirens. Instead it is replaced with crippling embarrassment.

++

“It’s not that bad!” Taehyung calls out to you. You do not acknowledge him, continuing to urge your horse to maintain a good few metres ahead of him. You hear him urge his horse to move faster and with a clatter of hooves he pulls up next to you. Tata naps in the saddle bag, bored with the constant scenery. “It’s sweet- you’re sweet.” He reassures you kindly. You still cannot look him in the eyes.

“Thanks, but that doesn’t make me feel any better.” You retort drily, your gaze still fixed determinedly ahead. Taehyung deflates.

“Hey, if your life weren’t at stake, you really would have convinced me to go see the sirens!” He points out. “I almost caved a few times there- be proud of your incredible abilities of persuasion- they almost rival the sirens.”

You flush and are about to urge your horse to canter further ahead, but Taehyung reaches out and catches your reigns.

“Hey,” He calls warmly. “I know you’re embarrassed and I’m sorry you had to go through that. This is the quickest way to the kingdom. And honestly, you didn’t do anything that embarrassing!” He reassures you. You grimace.

“Can we just, move on from this? I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” You sniff. He grins widely.

“I’m fine with that. You won’t hear a word of it from me.” He says, holding his hand against his chest. “We can talk about something else instead- the next little leg of the journey is really enjoyable I prom-“

He cuts his words short and his eyes go very wide.

“W-what’s wrong?” You demand, panicked by the sudden distress in his expression.  

“Dismount.” He orders, clambering off the horse. You follow suit. He murmurs something under his breath to the horse, scooping Tata’s sleeping form into his arms. He murmurs to your horse as well before clapping them both on their rumps. They set off at a canter, with all your supplies in tow. You gape for a moment.

“Tae,” You cry. “What- Why did you do that?” You demand.

“They’ll meet us at the next town- I cast a homing spell on both of them. Horses are too inconspicuous and we need to shake our followers.” He admits. “We’re being tracked.” He tells you in a low voice. Your heart leaps into your throat.

“H-how do you know?” You stutter, unconsciously drifting closer to him. He gives you a look and you grimace- right. His enhanced abilities or whatever.

“Just stay close, ok? I’ll keep you both safe.” He promises you, his arms curling protectively around Tata’s sleeping form. At his urging, you both scurry off the road, moving rapidly towards a clutter of trees in the distance. “I had hoped to avoid getting separated.” He confesses to you as you realise the clutter of trees is actually a forest. “But we have no other way to lose them or throw them off our trail.” He admits. “Sweetheart, this next leg of the journey is very dangerous.” He confesses. You are gasping for breath at the near sprinting rate he has set, but nod to show you’ve heard him. “If… if anything happens to me, I need you to take Tata, ok? Hide in that forest for a few days and don’t stop moving and then go back to the town that road was leading us to. Tata will know the way home once you get to the next town. And the dragon king will help you get home.” He tells you, and something in his voice has you on edge.

“Why would anything happen to you?” You question urgently.

He doesn’t answer. More accurately, he isn’t given the chance to answer, for he throws himself to the side just in time for an arrow, a real, actual arrow, to whiz past and embed itself in the ground where he had been about to step. You stumble back in shock and lose your balance. Taehyung is more coordinated than you- he rolls as he falls, and springs back so that he’s on all fours.

A horn sounds behind you and you turn your head- at the crest of the hill you have just run across, three lizard men mounted on strange feathered beasts watch you. The one in the centre is blowing into a strange instrument- something rather like a dear antler, with two feathered wings on either side. These lizards are different to the ones who had kept you captive for two days. Those men had shimmered green when they revealed their faces but these three are a brilliant blue. Their attire seems more formal as well- the closest you have to compare it to is perhaps a military uniform.

Beside you, Taehyung says a word that isn’t in your language but you suspect may be some sort of swear. You both get to your feet. Taehyung hands you Tata, who is now awake and frightened, and holds an arm protectively out in front of you.

“You did well to follow me this far,” Taehyung observes, as the feathered beasts carry their mounts closer. They are sort of similar to horses, but rather than hooves they have thick, well-muscled talons that cut into the earth and stir the soil as they come closer and the way they move is almost cat like. Their heads are round with thick horns curling around their temples and long, golden beaks protrude from their muzzles.

“We are the finest hunters the Queen has to offer. Finding you was child’s play.” The lizardman who had used the strange instruments points out. Instinctively, you hug Tata’s small, prone form into you and he whimpers in fear.

“Over my dead body will she have him.” Taehyung answers, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

“That is exactly our intention.” The lizardman answers.

“Run.” Taehyung hisses to you. Your eyes go wide.

“What?” You ask. He turns to you and his eyes are anguished and distressed.

“Go. I’ll find you.” He says.

And then the beasts launch their attack.

They go for Taehyung, all three of them, and he vanishes beneath a whirl of feathers and bulky muscles. You cry out, but Tata growls, reminding you that you are useless in this situation. The lizardmen haven’t even deemed you worthy of attention at this stage- once Taehyung is disabled, catching you will be easier than ‘child’s play’. The only thing you can do is trust him. Nodding shakily at Tata and feeling tears pool in your eyes, you set him down on the ground and the two of you sprint desperately for the tree line, leaving Taehyung behind. The sounds of chaos and fighting fade behind you.

As soon as you cross the tree-line, the forest seems to fold around you like a protective blanket, but you and Tata do not stop sprinting. The air is clean and earthy, and the only sound is your harsh, desperate pants. You do not know where you are going or how you will get out. Those men are hunters and could probably track you down but you do not even know how to cover your tracks. You are Taehyung’s last resort. Perhaps if he’d been travelling alone with Tata, he could have moved faster, and travelled for longer. You wouldn’t have been slowed down by the journey through the Road of the Ocean’s Song. He wouldn’t have lost time rescuing you in that cave. He’d probably be at the Draconian Kingdom by now, enjoying the sites and planning his next journey to this realm.

Instead he may not even be alive and you, a mere office worker, are trapped alone in a forest with a dragon and no idea of where to go or how to get out. Tears dribble down your face. How could things have come to this?

Beside you, Tata stops running and trills loudly to get your attention. You skid to a stop and turn to look at him. He gazes up at you with determination in his earthy green irises, and he gestures his head to your left. He then sets the path, leading you away. Great. You’re so incompetent the baby dragon had to take the lead.

You are much quieter now and slow to a walk as you and Tata wonder through the forest. The air is dusky and thick and the ground beneath you spongy. Dark emerald leaves hang into the path Tata leads you through. You wipe stubbornly at your tears as you go, though your heart still cries out in anguish. Is he safe? Did those monsters defeat him? He had promised he would keep you safe but you didn’t know that involved sacrificing himself. You recall Tata’s prior guardians. They had died on his behalf. Was that what the weight of a promise meant amongst Taehyung’s people? Nausea rolls in your stomach and you swallow to quell the burning sensation of bile rising up in your throat. Your lungs still burn from your desperate sprint and sweat soaks into your clothes.

“What now, Tata?” You ask despondently, though the little dragon cannot respond in a language you understand. He does, however, pause. He turns and in the emerald light of the forest, his scales turn him into a brilliant mobile flame, one that clamber up your leg and grips onto you so that he can stare into your eyes. Tata has always preferred to communicate through his little chirps and coos but as he stares deeply into your eyes, you feel a sense of calm wash over you that you don’t think comes from yourself. Stay calm, he seems to be saying. He hadn’t been able to do that at the start of your journey, that much is certain. Your features soften. He’s right though- you must stay calm. There’s no use wondering around this forest in tears. Taehyung wouldn’t have sent you off on your own if he didn’t trust you. You’re an adult, and you can problem solve.

“I got you, buddy.” You say softly, and the gentle smile you offer the dragon prince has him almost purring in delight. He leaps off your shoulder and extends his wings in a stretch. Taehyung had told you that one day, when Tata is fully grown, his wings would be able to carry him over mountains with just one swipe, but for the moment they are delicate little membranes that do little more then help him keep balance. He’s so fragile and small, even though his legacy is such a fearsome, magnificent creature. You wouldn’t leave a baby to fend for itself if you knew bad people were after it, and the same courtesy extends to Tata.

The first thing you do is search for somewhere to shelter. Somewhere you and Tata can huddle for the night. Taehyung had said he would find you, and if he is still alive, he will. Moving around too much will make it difficult for him to find you, but it will also make it difficult for your pursuers to find you. The compromise is to travel as far into the forest as you dare to go in the daylight, and then settle for the night. You pause every so often to check for signs of anyone following you, but Taehyung either kept them sufficiently distracted or they cannot find you.

Eventually you find a place to settle for the night. You do not have your bedroll since it was tied to your horse, and you don’t have anything to light a fire with for Tata- not that you would be game enough to give away your position like that. Instead the two of you find a small alcove, where an overhanging rock provides a meagre amount of shelter and the shrubbery that surrounds it conceals you from the view of anyone who may walk by. Tata curls into your lap and you huddle together in the confined space. It isn’t the most comfortable, but at least you feel secure.

Sleep does not come to you that night. Every rustle could be one of the lizardmen or it could be Taehyung, and just as you think you may fall asleep, you snap awake at the slightest crack of a twig. At one point a spider crawls on your arm and you do not know how you stop yourself from screaming. Tata eats it, and you spend the rest of the night in tears, flinching at the crawling feeling against your skin even though Tata keeps watch for any further bugs that may scare you.

The thought occurs to you in your exhausted, fearful delirium- you could just go home. Leave Tata to fend for himself and ask someone how to get to the human realm. It had been Taehyung to promise that he would deliver Tata safely home, not you, and you are not part of a mythical race that must keep its promises. You’re just a cowardly human who got in over her head. If anyone were to believe the absurd tale you told them, you’re sure they wouldn’t blame you for taking the easy road out. Tata is a capable little guy and it’s hard to find a tiny little dragon. He’d probably be able to make the last little leg of the journey safely. You don’t even know if Taehyung is alive. And sure, he had saved your life a few times, but you were only in danger because of him in the first place. And when considering all the times you’d covered for him at work, you were well within your rights to just bail. Forget about him and Tata and this entire realm and go back to your easy, day-to-day office life. It would be easier. Less scary. Less dangerous. 

You don’t want to though. The thought of betraying his trust like that feels like you are considering prying your own heart out of your chest with your bare fingers. Not just because you’re betraying Taehyung, but because you are betraying Tata too. It has only been a few days, less than a week. So it is foolish to be so strongly attached to them. Are you really willing to risk your life for a dragon you met a few days ago and your flaky coworker?

You are. You’re prepared to do whatever it takes to see this through and while that scares you, it also calms you. It doesn’t matter how foolish, how scary, how naive it is to put everything on the line for those two- it feels right. You’ve always tried to live your life with as few regrets as possible and you know you will have zero regrets as long as you do everything you can to get Tata home.  You tug his scaly little body in closer and curl around him. 

“We will give Taehyung until tomorrow.” You whisper. “If not, then we set off for your kingdom tomorrow, ok, Tata?”

Tata lets out a soft little growl, a sad noise of acknowledgement and agreement. It is sad, for such a young creature, to have a noise of such resignation and sadness, but that is what the situation has driven him to.

You aren’t like Taehyung. You don’t have enhanced abilities and promises only hold as much value as you decide. You don’t have an obligation to help every creature that asks it of you. Still, you see the value of a promise.

“Tata, I’ll get you home safe, little guy.” You promise. He looks up at you with those soothing, earthy green irises. “I promise.”

He makes a contented noise, similar to a purr, and falls asleep shortly after that.

++

Though you wait until the sun is high in the sky and the air thick with the warmth of early afternoon, Taehyung does not show up. You are worried sick- is he safe? Is he alive? But you are not allowed the luxury of answering those questions, and to wait any longer would be to endanger both you and Tata. And to have waited as long as you do is already dangerous enough. You set off quickly, in the same urgent but cautious way in which you travelled before. Tata seems to know which way to go, slithering through the underbrush like a snake. A few times you see hints of the lizardmen scouring the forest for you, which makes your heart sink because it means Taehyung probably did not defeat your attackers. But you never come across them and you safely clear the forest before the day is up.

You do not return to the main path- it is dangerous and open and obvious for you to go that way, and no doubt the lizards and their strange feathered mounts are scouring the main road and the towns for you. They’ve probably taken your horses too (though Taehyung had said that there is a treaty that prevents their entry into human towns so your horses may still be safe.). Rather than travel along the road, you travel as far west of it as you can manage while still keeping its course in the periphery of your vision.

Tata is helpful- without Taehyung’s enhanced senses, you are a sitting duck, but Tata has learnt to listen for travellers passing by and has gotten good at communicating to you when you need to hide. He spends the whole time invisible and the only reason you know he is still with you is when you feel his claws digging into your boots when he wants you to hide.

Travelling is slow and it takes you a full day to reach the town that Taehyung told you about. You sneak in under the cover of night, wondering how you might go about searching for your horses. You are safe within city limits as long as Tata remains invisible and out of sight, but you are still on edge. You will trade Taehyung’s horse for supplies and money, you think. Maybe a weapon- not that you’d know how to use it, but you’d feel better knowing you aren’t entirely helpless should the lizardmen find you again.

You are lucky- at the inn, you find your horses tied up and waiting for you. The innkeeper tells you that travellers do it all the time, sending their horses ahead, but he didn’t think it would take you so long to arrive. Tentatively, you ask him how you might go about selling one of your horses. The innkeeper promises to help you in the morning and shoos you away into the room you managed to book with the coins from the saddle bag of Taehyung’s horse. You had secretly been hoping only your horse would be there, because it at least would mean Taehyung had retrieved his mount and is alive, but it seems that is not the case. You really are on your own for this leg of the journey.

You end up sleeping until late in the day. Perhaps Tata senses your exhaustion for he does not rouse you like he normally would if he think you’ve been sleeping too long. Instead, you awaken to find it is late afternoon and you have a mere two days to get Tata home before his coronation. That realisation leaves you antsy and afraid. The innkeeper senses it.

“Are you going to see the Falls, traveller? It’s rare to see a human, nowadays, especially on their own.” He questions, as he examines the soundness of Taehyung’s horse. He’s happy to buy it off you in exchange for travel supplies and a knife his daughter used to use when she lived in the village.

“The Falls?” You question. He nods.

“It’s really all anyone passes through this town is here to see. They say it’s the entrance to the Draconian kingdom, if you believe in that sort of stuff, but none of us lesser beings has been able to access it.” He says. You nod, fidgeting with the torn and tattered ribbon in your hair.

“How long will it take to get there?” You ask. He shrugs.

“With your horse, if you’re comfortable riding, about a half a day east? It may take longer if the road is flooded, which happens on occasion.” He tells you. You thank him for his help and hospitability and waste no time in setting off. You have every intention of riding for as long as you can and if the lizardmen capture you, you will send Tata on his own. You’ll distract them long enough for him to get away and by then he should be close enough to his kingdom that he can make it.

Perhaps the worst part of the journey as you desperately traverse the countryside is Taehyung’s absence. You had not realised the extent to which you depended on him not just for safety, but for companionship and hope. You would get home, you had thought, as long as Taehyung was beside you. He would make sure of it. He had promised it, and he had proved it when he saved you from that frost demon. When he had tied you to his hand so that you would not fall victim to the Siren’s song. This journey had not been without its hiccups but that was because this place, this realm is a dangerous place for a feeble human from an average no-name city. He had taken every step not just to keep you safe, but to keep you sane and you miss it. You miss him, and the deep ache in your heart is probably because you don’t know where he is, if he’s safe, if he’s hurt, and how you’d even find him or help him if he wasn’t. All you can do is keep desperately riding towards the falls and hope no one catches you or Tata in the meantime.

The Falls are imposing limestone cliffs that glow bone white on the horizon, like the skeleton of a long dead beast. You ride parallel to a large frothy river. In slower patches, birds bathe and dragonflies dance along the surface, pausing only for a drink. In other parts though, the river is wide and dangerous- debris crashes against the stone bank and remind you that it would not be a nice place for a swim. You race the current towards the limestone cliff-face. Beyond that, you see nothing, but you picture forestry and greenery extending until the horizon beyond the sheer drop.

As you draw nearer to the Falls, you dismount and lead your horse, for the ground is too rocky and unstable for it to handle a rider. You see no sign of a kingdom, or any kind of civilisation, and remember the innkeeper telling you that no lesser creature has ever been able to access it. That includes you.

“Where to from here, Tata?” You ask uneasily, coming up towards the edge of the cliffside. There is no hidden kingdom beyond. Just a large, imposing waterfall. The drop isn’t even as big as you’d originally thought. You can think of a few places back home where people would make the drop for the thrill and land safely in the pool below with little more than some bruising if it’s as deep as it looks. You can’t hear his answer above the roar of the Falls beside you. Apparently they were the entrance to the kingdom, so you walk towards the mouth of the river. “Is there some kind of doorbell? Or like a summoning spell?” He climbs up your leg and perches on your shoulder to peer over the waterfalls at the forestry beyond. If nothing else, at least the scenery is beautiful.

“They have it protected. They do not want any unwanted visitors stumbling upon their beloved kingdom, after all.” A hissing, raspy voice sounds behind you. You stiff and turn so that the cliff face is at your back. Taehyung snarls at the lizardmen that have surrounded you. You are essentially pinned to the cliffside.

“Don’t you guys have anything better to do than follow a baby dragon?” You complain, though really your heart is in your throat and you feign nonchalance. “Like seriously… just order Mcdonalds or go to a fancy restaurant or something- why do you need to eat a dragon? Isn’t that like cannibalism since you’re both reptiles?”

Tata’s claws dig into your shoulders as he tenses uneasily, his ears flattened against his head and his wings spread in what would have been an imposing pose if he weren’t the size of a small angry beagle at best.

“Hand over the dragonling, human, and your death will be swift.” One of the lizardman demands. You wince- what are your options? You cannot allow Tata to be captured but you are literally at the edge of the cliff. The only way to go is down, and you have no intention of breaking your neck or drowning yourself.

“Any ideas, Tata?” You say under your breath. He just growls in response as the lizardmen close in in a horse-shoe formation around you. Hesitantly, you back towards the cliffside, feeling the open air at your back. This exact moment is a bad time to realise you are afraid of heights, but the dizzying sensation of fear and the cold sweat you break out in allow you to learn something new about yourself.

You continue to back up until you are right on the edge of the cliff side. You have nowhere else to go- this is literally the end of the line. No Taehyung to save you. You have the knife at your side but you don’t know how to use it and bought it to make yourself feel better, more than anything.

“Tata, you need to go. You know the way, right? You can make it to the kingdom.” You tell him in a hushed voice, still watching the lizardmen advance slowly, like they’ve got all the time in the world because the do. It’s not like you can escape anywhere. Tata shakes his head. “You do, little guy. You can do it. Don’t worry about me. I’ve lived a good life. And this is a pretty cool way to go- my tombstone will read “death by lizardmen”- how many people can say that about themselves?” You urge him. “Climb down the rockface or something and I’ll distract them.”

You feel Tata tremble beside you. He releases a little whimper and digs his claws painfully into your shoulders- he’s afraid. He feels the resignation just as much as you do. You can’t leave him alone, but the only way out of this mess is… down. You swallow the bile that threatens to rise in your throat. You remember going to a similar jump with your high school friends a few years ago. You had ended up flopping and having awful bruises all over your thighs and butt and your friends had mocked you. This is the same (except you don’t know the depth of the water.)

“Alright. Alright.” You say, your heart screams in protest, thumping determinedly against your throat. “Together, or not at all.” You promise Tata, tugging him off your shoulders and hugging him tight against you. “Sorry, suckers, but not today.” You screech at the lizardmen. And with a few sprints to the side, you launch yourself off the cliff face, plummeting down into the water below like another droplet in the thundering water fall. You hear the leader’s enraged cry and then the sensation of falling engages your ever sense.

You can’t hear your screeching above the roar of wind in your ears. You’re sure gravity has pulled your stomach up into your skull and Tata roars his terror along side you. His claws grip your forearms so tightly they draw blood.

All that vanishes as you hit the water below. With the intensity of a thunderclap, the outside world vanishes. The cold water smacks into you, slamming the air from your lungs and the warmth from your body. For a moment, you keep going, crashing into that dark, cool water, but then the shock of the impact wears off and you kick desperately for the surface- Tata remains anchored to you by gripping so tightly to your body his claws cut into your skin through the thick cotton you wear.

Your head breaks the surface- you did it. You got away. The roar of the nearby waterfall serves as the triumphant applause to your victory. You’ve made it- now all that remains is for the dragons to open whatever concealed entrance to their kingdom there is and you can go home. For about a half a moment, it is peaceful, with just you and Tata in the fresh, cold water.

And then the first arrow slices through your bicep. You scream out in pain, suddenly flailing desperately. It doesn’t embed itself in the soft tissue- it only cuts across your arm, slicing your arm open and then vanishing into the depths of the pool you float in. The deep cut leaves ribbons of crimson red spreading outwards into the water from you. And then suddenly the air around you is filled with whistling as the lizardmen continue to fire arrows at you from their vantage point at the top of the cliff. It’s like you’ve been transported to a war movie. There is nowhere safe for you to go- you splash desperately but each movement has your arm stinging in agony.

Stupidly, your instinct is to curl around Tata. He is defenceless- a baby, forced to endure this pain and fear for the sake of a selfish, faceless queen. You squeeze your eyes shut, embracing yourself for the arrow that will inevitably pierce your vulnerable, prone body, and can only hope that the dragons rescue Tata and are able to pry your cold, dead corpse away from him.

A loud, crashing splash occurs and suddenly the arrows stop. You don’t know why- suddenly the air is clear. You unwind your body from around Tata and the two of you exchange confused glances.

A warm arm hooks around your waist. You scream- so it wasn’t over! The lizardmen simply changed tact. Rather than kill you, they want to drag you out and capture Tata that way. You struggle and scream desperately, but the arm anchoring you against the solid body is far stronger than you and the next thing you know you are being yanked onto the river bank, Tata clutched tightly in your arms. Oddly he does not struggle or growl. He just lies there, curled up in your arms.

“And here I thought you’d be happy to see me again, sweetheart.” A familiar voice laughs, out of breath and winded.

Your heart catches in your throat and your jaw drops as you release Tata and pull free of your captor and whirl to face him because you know that voice. Its absence since your separation had plunged you into a dark, fearful despair throughout your journey. A voice you feared you may never have the pleasure of hearing again.

Taehyung stands before you, dripping wet, covered head to toe in bruises and cuts that weren’t there prior, but absolutely warm and alive. Alive.

Before you know what to even do with yourself, you are kissing him. You did not know you were capable of such desperate, reckless passion. Nonetheless, you crash your mouth against his with an intense fervour that has him staggering backwards. For a moment he can only catch your form as you cling to him. His breath catches in his throat, and his arms come up to cup your shoulders, more out of a need to steady himself. But then the initial surprise wears off and he kisses you back with an intensity that would frighten you if it didn’t match your own. You pull back to gasp for air, with the intent to kiss him once more once your oxygen is replenished, but he chases your mouth with a desperate sort of noise under his breath. It seems he’s unwilling to part with you for even a moment. He catches your lips between his teeth and then reverently traces the shape of your mouth with his tongue. His hands grab desperately at you, first at your shoulders, then your waist and then he slides them up to cup your face to hold you against him.

Eventually, the need for oxygen means you must part, and the two of you do so breathless and a little stunned at what transpired between you. It seems there is a lot that needs talking about.

“What happened to the lizardmen?” You ask, your cheeks flush red as you abruptly decide to skirt around the part where you had been kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

“I dealt with them.” Taehyung answers, but his gaze does not lift from where it is anchored at your mouth. He opens his mouth to say something, perhaps to comment on the kiss, or even request a reoccurrence but he is unfortunately never given the chance. A loud cacophony of roars cuts off his next words and you look behind you to witness the marvel of the waterfalls parting.

Behind them lies an ornate and elaborate archway- the entrance to the Draconian kingdom. Tata crows in delight.

You made it- you delivered him home safely.

++

The Draconian Kingdom is, admittedly, less of a kingdom and more of a wondrous natural valley. You suppose it is foolish to have pictured a towering palace, or fancy buildings or anything. Taehyung informs you that long ago all dragons went into hiding following relentless hunting of their kind, and this secretive but wondrous place is where they retreated to. Only those they deemed worthy could enter, and apparently that now included you. A random office worker whose biggest achievement was working out how to create a pivot table in a spreadsheet.

Dragons cannot cry but the emotion in their eyes as the King and Queen are reunited with a son that they thought was dead, one who has been missing for nearly 60 years thanks to the way time flows differently in your home realm conveys to you what they are feeling far better than any tear could. A hard lump settles in your chest at the anguish and heartache they must have felt when their baby was snatched away from them.  As you and Taehyung stand before the throne of the King and Queen, an impressive rock structure carved into the mountainside itself, the Queen descends rapidly, landing in front of you with a powerful flap of lethal, emerald wings. For a second, your heart catches in your throat, for she is large enough that she could swallow you in one gulp. Her claws could slice your entire body in half like you were no more than a wet tissue paper, and her teeth are foreboding and sharp, designed for tearing flesh from bone. Yet she makes no intent to harm you- instead, she closes her eyes and extends her mighty neck, lowering her head until it hovers above the ground directly in front of you. Oddly, you recognise the gesture. It was the same thing Tata had done when he first met you, what feels like a lifetime ago. Hesitantly, you extend your open palm towards her, just like you did with Tata, although the size difference is almost laughable.

Slowly, she presses the tip of her snout against your hand. You do not speak her language, and she does not speak yours but you know the meaning behind her gesture as clearly as if she had spoken it to you aloud.

Thank you.

You feel a tug on your trousers and look down to find Tata has caught them between his teeth and is trying to tug you down to his level. Bewildered, you sink down onto your knees and he clambers towards you. To think a mere week ago you hadn’t known his kind existed but now you feel inexplicably linked with him. Tata’s form before you blurs as your eyes fill with tears.

“I’m going to miss you, little one.” You whisper softly, closing your eyes to press your forehead against his. You feel the rumble of his soft, contented growl and inhale shakily. “We did it.” You remind him. “You’re home safe, and you’re going to be a wonderful king.”

You feel oddly choked as you take a step back to allow Taehyung to step forward and say his good-byes. He crouches before Tata and scoops his small form into his arms.

“I promised I’d get you home, didn’t I, little guy?” He chuckles as Tata scrabbles at him, licking his face like an overexcited puppy. The sight of it has you feeling oddly warm and sentimental. Taehyung gives Tata one big, long squeeze, before setting him down and getting to his feet. He bows deeply to the King and Queen before turning to you.

“They requested we stay for the coronation and have offered us a way to get home safely afterwards.” He tells you, but oddly the words are stilted and awkward. Formal, like the two of you were strangers. It… stings. His distant tone. Perhaps you made it awkward by kissing him, and he feels uncomfortable with you now?

Regardless, this is not the time for such thoughts and so you shelve them away into the ‘deal with later’ section of your brain, like you’ve done with the numerous odd feelings this adventure has dredged up towards Taehyung. For the moment, it is time for Tata’s coronation, the whole purpose of this entire journey.

Taithrwyn means ‘king of the stars’ in an ancient language lost even to the most ancient of civilisations in this realm. He was named so because the night he hatched, a brilliant meteorshower lit the sky, unlike anything anyone had seen for a millenia. Even the dragons, hidden away in their secretive but mighty kingdom, had witnessed it and been awestruck. And so the Draconian King and Queen had named their son because of that brilliant blaze, hoping it was an omen for how he would one day reign.

It is only fitting, Taehyung had informed you amidst the joyous celebrations that signalled the Prince’s safe return home, that his coronation be held beneath the stars. The smooth river that cuts through the centre of the valley that comprises the Draconian Kingdom catches the light of the stars above it like a perfect mirror. You are sure that were you to dip your fingers into the cold, smooth water, what you would catch between your fingers would not be water but pure, liquid starlight. You sit beside Taehyung from your vantage point in the cliffside and watch as the dragons glide over the water. Their wings catch the silver light, and while beneath bright sunlight each dragon is the colour of a gemstone, beneath the stars they become the subdued but gorgeous colours of an aurora. They weave through the air like one, in a complex dance that you do not understand the significance of but can appreciate the beauty of.

“It’ll be weird to go home, after all this.” You confess to Taehyung below your breath. He has been quiet since your reunion. Perhaps he is just as exhausted as you.

“You think so?” He questions, and his voice is soft and oddly choked. You frown and nod.

“It’s not my home, but it’s… It’s oddly beautiful here. I could have done without the whole nearly-dying-every-second-day thing, but I think this is the most fun I’ve had in my entire life.” You tell him, and when you turn to him you are surprised to find his eyes oddly misty. “Are you ok?” You question. He smiles forlornly and nods.

“Just… sad to be parting from the little guy, I guess.” He tells you, and you nod solemnly for you feel the bittersweet ache of goodbye in your chest as well. He gets to his feet and brushes away the soil that clings to the back of his trousers before helping you to your feet. “Come on, (Y/N),” He says, and the way he says your name feels different than every other time, and to his odd, frequent pet names. You cannot put a name to the tone to his voice and you do not try to. Instead you accept his hand and allow him to pull you to your feet. “It’s time to go home.”

The smile you offer him as he leads you away is both sad and relieved.

++

Your alarm awakens you early the next morning and you snap awake with a horrified start. It takes you a moment to gather your bearings and to orientate yourself. Though a week had passed in the other realm, it had been a mere few hours in your home realm, and Taehyung had delivered you safely to your doorstep, just as he promised he would when this whole ordeal had started. He had lingered at your doorway like there were words he wanted to say. You had a lot you wanted to say too- that you wanted him to stay. That you wanted more adventures with him. That you could still picture the taste of his lips on yours when you shut your eyes. But the words had stayed caught in your throat until he was long out of sight and you were alone in your apartment.

You allow yourself the luxury of lying in a stupor in your bed for a few more moments. You hadn’t realised how accustomed you had grown to the warmth of Tata curled up at your side and the gentle sound of Taehyung’s breathing close by. Now your bed seems empty. Maybe you should get a pet- a cat, or maybe a snake. Then again, maybe not.

With a sigh, you roll out of bed. Perhaps you’ll get your chance to speak with Taehyung if you see him at work. It feels strange, the mundane-ness of going through your morning routine like the past week didn’t happen. Perhaps it didn’t. You have no proof other than your memories and the bandage around your arm where the first arrow had pierced your flesh and a few bruises. You smooth your arm over the rough cotton bandage before slipping on your uniform. The long sleeves conceal it and suddenly to the outside world there is no proof at all. You look and feel different as you gaze into the mirror though. Perhaps it is the way the sun has darkened your skin, or the way your eyes shine with an edge that wasn’t there before. You feel like a different person yet to every person in that office save for Taehyung you are the same person. Your mundane office life was just yesterday in this realm yet it feels a lifetime ago for you.

“You look different.” Jimin comments as you arrive at work, squinting at you suspiciously. “Did you go out in the sun yesterday? Also is that a bruise?” He squints at you with concern. “Did you and Taehyung get into a knife fight last night?” He demands, rising to his feet to examine you from head to toe. You shake your head and lightly push him away.

“No, no, nothing like that.” You say quickly. “I banged my head on the cupboard when I got home is all.” You lie to him. Jimin regards you with suspicion but does not press.

“I see…” He says slowly. “How did the confrontation go? You haven’t been answering your phone.”

“I lost it.” You explain about the missed phone calls because that is the easier question to answer. As for the confrontation… How do you even begin to answer that question? Just a week ago, you had been prepared to give Taehyung an earful but suddenly the thought of forcing him to lose his job when you know why he’s so flaky makes your heart ache. It must be difficult, both desiring and being obligated to help while also wanting to live his own life. You remember the day you first met, when he confessed that he was on the verge of losing his job. That sensation, that Taehyung shouldn’t lose his job for wanting to help, wells up in you until you feel you may cry. Jimin nods.

“So did you see him or not? How did it go?” He demands.

You are saved answering when you catch a glimpse of the man currently occupying your thoughts. He is just arriving at the office- the strap of his bag is gripped tightly in his fist. He regards you with an odd, slack-jawed sort of expression. For a moment the two of you gaze at each other across the cubicles, wide-eyed. Slowly, hesitantly, you offer Taehyung a smile for you do not know how else to react to him. He glances away though, tearing his gaze from yours and the gesture has you feeling oddly hurt.

“Not well, I take it.” Jimin comments as he watches the exchange with mild interest. You glance down, unable to process the onslaught of emotions you feel. On one hand you want to abandon your work and race to Taehyung’s side. You want to share with him all the thoughts from yesterday. You want to ask about his adventures. You want to beg him to take you along the next one. But his oddly distant and cool reaction to you holds you back. Is he mad because you kissed him? Is he trying to distance himself from you now that the journey is over? Perhaps he only stuck around out of obligation because you were in trouble because of him and now he wants to steer clear? Doubt swirls uncomfortably in your stomach.

“I…” You say, your voice raspy with an emotion you can’t identify. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

You quickly slide into your chair and distract yourself with starting up your computer so you don’t have to acknowledge the way Jimin’s gaze has sharpened with worry and curiosity.

The rest of the day passes like this. You think you catch him staring a few times but his gaze always flicks away before you can actually catch him in the act. Why is he acting like this? Like an awkward co-worker who hardly knows you? What triggered this behaviour? Was everything the two of you went through together… did it mean nothing to him? Or worse… was it really all some strange dream? Did you imagine the whole thing?

Finally, the end of your work day arrives. The day felt like it crept by, second by agonising second. All you want to do is curl up at home, maybe have a long bath and try and distract yourself from overthinking Taehyung’s behaviour. You’re about to rise from your desk and leave for the day, when Jimin skids into view, fresh from gossiping in the tearoom.

“What the heck did you say to Taehyung yesterday?” He demands breathlessly, an unusual mixture of eager for juicy gossip and horrified at whatever it is may have happened. “He just quit.”

Your bag, which you had been in the process of slinging over your shoulder, slips suddenly from your grip.

“What?” You ask, your heart dropping into your stomach. Jimin shakes his head.

“I know! So out of the blue- but Martha says he just handed in his resignation letter and I-“ You cut off his explanation.

“What’s his address?” You demand. You had noticed Taehyung hadn’t returned after your lunch break but you thought maybe he had just been avoiding being seen by you. Jimin looks surprised and a little irritated to have been cut off.

“Why do you want to know? Anyway, what I want to know is what did you-“

“His address, Jimin!” You plead urgently, and something in your voice and expression must give him pause. He stares at you for a long moment before reaching over your desk. He pulls out his phone, scrolling through until he finds what he’s looking for and then scribbles an address on a sticky note. He hands it to you.

“That’s his apartment. But why do you want to know? What happened, (Y/N)?” He asks. You grip the sticky note tightly in your fist like it is your lifeline and stare at Jimin with a wildness you don’t really understand.

“I’ll explain everything later, ok?” You promise. Jimin looks like he wants to protest, but it is too late- you are already fleeing, sprinting through the office like a madwoman.

++

You thought you had a lot to say to Taehyung. A lot that you wanted him to say. But as he gapes at you from his doorway, his still-ruined apartment in view through the opening, you only manage one coherent statement. 

“What the hell, Taehyung?” You demand, a little breathlessly and a little hurt. Taehyung merely stares at you like you are a mystical creature who just appeared spontaneously on his doorstep. He opens his mouth like he intends to speak, but then simple continues gazing at you with that same, bewildered light. “You resigned?” You ask, and your voice trembles with your confusion and distress. His expression softens at the hurt in your expression and he takes a step backwards to allow you to step inside.

“Why don’t you come in, sweetheart?” He offers weakly and you oblige.

He’s made some effort at cleaning up his ruined apartment. One of the shattered windows has material taped over it to seal the hole and the glass is nowhere to be seen. All the ruined furniture is thrown carelessly in a far corner and he’s laid various objects out as if he were in the middle of sorting them when you showed up. “Do you want some tea? My kettle is one of the few things that still work.”

“Taehyung,” you say. “Your apartment...” He stiffens at the horrified sympathy in your voice. 

“Don’t worry about it. I knew the risks when I decided to help Tata. It wasn’t a request I took on lightly.” He tells you sternly. “And besides, material things can be replaced.” He reminds you. 

“Not if you quit your job and are currently unemployed.” You point out hotly, irritated at his casual attitude. He grins lazily.

“Who said I was unemployed?” He tells you. Your eyes go wide. 

“What?” You ask. He shrugs his shoulders and smiles. 

“I actually planned to quit right before Tata showed up.” He admits. “I got a better job offer with better pay and more flexible hours. Figured I couldn’t keep taking advantage of my sweet, naive coworker who kept covering for me forever.”

Suddenly you feel foolish. Had you been so arrogant as to think his sudden resignation had to do with you and your little adventure? You flush hotly and try to backtrack.

“Oh,” you say, ducking your head in an attempt to conceal your mortification. “I guess this was a misunderstanding then- I’ll just be going then-“

“Wait!” Taehyung cries, grabbing your hand. With a rapid manoeuvre, he spins you around so that you stumble into his awaiting arms. He gives you an odd half-smile. “D-don’t go yet.” He says softly and are you imagining the redness in his face? “You only just got here.”

You realise that when you lost your balance, you had grabbed onto him for stability and that you are now clinging to him like a swooning maiden. Embarrassed, you straighten and clear your throat.

“I guess... I guess I can spare the time.” You sniff, in an effort to sound uninterested. He chuckles. 

“You’re cute.” He mutters under his breath. “I was just about to sit down and have a nutritious dinner of instant noodles because the only thing cooking equipment that wasn’t smashed to pieces by those lizardmen was my kettle. Why don’t you join me, darling?”

You pretend to consider even though your heart is already leaping with joy at the opportunity to spend more time with him. 

“Ok.” You agree, hoping you don’t sound too much like an eager teenager who just got asked out by her crush. It only sounds slightly breathy and enthusiastic, to your relief. Taehyung smiles fondly. 

“Then have a seat and prepare yourself for my impressive culinary skills.” He says, gesturing towards one of the few unbroken chairs in his apartment. He drags a chair that has had the back broken off but still functions as an odd half stool across the room and sets it opposite you. His dining table has been discarded in the ruined furniture pile. 

“Don’t talk yourself up too much or I won’t accept anything less that Michelin-Star cuisine.” You admonish him, but you are only joking and settle obediently into the chair. 

Dinner is a quiet affair. The two of you sit in silence until you can bear it no longer. 

“Why didn’t you say anything at work today?” You ask. “You ignored me.” 

He looks unsurprised at your question. If anything, he looks like he expected it. He digs his teeth into his lips and runs his fingers almost reverently across them. The tips of his ears grow bright red. 

“I... I was shy.” He confesses at last, ducking his head. “I didn’t know how to approach you after... after...” he trails away. 

“After we kissed?” You question tentatively. He shakes his head and risks a look at you from beneath his lashes. 

“After everything.” He admits, and his voice is a shaky whisper. You can’t really name the look in his eyes but it has your heart tremoring within the confines of your rib cage. He clears his throat and straightens, smoothing his hands hugging his bowl closer to him where it sits in his lap. “I’ve dated before, you know.” He announces, and the statement is so baffling and out of context that you merely stare. He coughs awkwardly. “As in... I’ve gone on dates. And I’ve flirted with a lot of people- I flirt with a lot of people. But it never goes beyond a first or second date because someone asks for help and I end up cancelling.” He explains. “So I’ve never had a relationship. But with you...” he trails away, clenching his fists tightly as he steels himself for what he’s going to say next. “When you kissed me I got scared. Because... because I wanted more than a second date. I know what it feels like to fall asleep with you in my arms... I know what it feels like to have you look at me with those big eyes of yours and tell me you trust me. I can’t just do the casual first date thing after all of that only for you to tell me I’m not really boyfriend material. You can’t just kiss me like you did if you’re going to get sick of me. It doesn’t work that way, sweetheart. So I was scared because I don’t know what it looks like going beyond some flirty lines and a second date and I’m scared that’s what’s going to happen. So I chickened out, I guess.” He confesses in an emotional rush that leave you speechless for a few moments. He shoots a furtive glance at your utterly gobsmacked expression before shaking his head and chuckling. “Ridiculous, isn’t it?” He says and his tone is warm but his words are self-deprecating. It makes your heart ache. “Those feelings are stupid and I-“

“I can’t do it either.” You confess in a rush, squeezing your eyes shut as if it will help you spit out the words. “After everything that happened... I don’t think I can go back to being just coworkers or having a casual fling. I... I like you Taehyung. I like how you kept your promises and I like how you want to help others so much and I like that your first instinct in danger was to protect Tata and me. I like that you risked your job and your life to get a baby dragon home and... I like that you... I like that you’re the kind of person who gave up his umbrella to a random lady on the street just because you could.” 

Taehyung’s whole expression scrunches up like he’s in physical pain. 

“Oh thank the stars.” He cries, and then he leans across the small gap between you and presses his mouth enthusiastically to yours with an ease and accuracy that tells you it’s probably what he’s been thinking about since sitting down. “I like you too.” He says, pulling away only to give you another peck. “So much.” He gasps between eager little kisses. “I like you!” He exclaims and then kisses you again. The last kiss is long and slow and lingering and it takes you a long moment to finally open your eyes. When you do, Taehyung is beaming at you. 

Something feels right, about the way he stares at you and you know in that moment that everything is going to be alright.

“(Y/N)... I want you to be there on adventures with me... I want to show you all the amazing places the realm I grew up in has to offer... and I want to take you to dinner and hopefully get another one of those kisses.” He tells you with a blush. “Because dang I haven’t  been able to stop thinking about it.” His voice is breathless as he admits it and his gaze is anchored on your mouth. You don’t say anything and merely stare at him, bewildered at how much you like the man sitting before you.

“What do you say, sweetness?” Taehyung asks you softly. “How about dinner?”

You smile and your answer comes in the form of leaning towards him and stealing another kiss. 

And that’s how you start your next big adventure with Kim Taehyung. 

#taehyung #taehyung fic #taehyung fluff #taehyung x reader #kim taehyung #writing #bts fluff

[kieranjamesreviews-blog]

Red Dead Redemption 2 Review

FYI: I have played nearly 2 full days worth of the game, completed the mains story and 85% complete. I am not a professional review or writer, I am your average gamer, reviewing for the first time.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is Rockstars prequel to the their first highly successful game Red Dead Redemption. This game immerses you into the late 1890s of the wild wild west. However, it is not that wild anymore and people are moving past their more vicious ways and becoming more sophisticated and acceptable but, not for one group of people. The Dutch Van Der Linde gang, a bunch of misfits and outlaws still clinging to the oldways with Dutch their leader preaching and leading them. This game is an extremely enjoyable game, the best I have played in years with great, amazing story and fantastic mechanics that makes you feel like a cowboy. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a masterpiece of a game and in this review I will talk about it, trying to not spoil much as this game is an experience that I recommend you play on your own first.

Story (Plot) Spoiler free

First of I have to talk about the story as this is the main aspect that people are paying for and I have to say it didn't disappoint. The game has 109 missions, 6 chapters and 2 epilogues and with this tells an enjoyable story from the viewpoint of Arthur Morgan a high ranking member in the Dutch Van Der Linde gang, you are a yes man doing dirty work without questions, but that soon changes. You start the game in a bad way, fleeing the law (the Pinkertons) who want you to hang after a heist gone wrong in Blackwater. You and the gang have nothing and are trailing your way through the snowy mountains to find shelter and warmth. Thus starts the main plot of the game, you are all wanted men, who now have no money and need to get away fast, before the law catches up with you. This is really what you are doing for the main story missions, doing certain morally unacceptable activities to get money to “help the camp” so they can flee. However, in doing so you cause unwanted trouble, deaths and general ruckus. Which lead to members of the gang being killed and captured. Losing control of the situation Dutch (the leader of the gang) starts to become reckless and to be honest pretty insane, coming up with plans that will get them in an even worse state then they already are. Your character Arthur Morgan, realises that they don't belong in this world anymore and that Dutch, this once loved father figure is unravelling and that you need to help the remaining gang members to get out. Before Dutch gets everyone killed. This sums up the plot in a quick way, I don't really want to spoil anything to important as this game is an experience. Obviously there is more to it than what I have described.

Characters

Rockstar really had to work hard to create a character that would be loved as much as John Marston which if you didn't know is the protagonist in the first Red Dead Redemption title. The main character would have to live up to the huge shadow of the previous protagonist and oh boy did he. Arthur Morgan is your typical/ stereotypical western cowboy. He has a gruff voice which never got boring, had great jokes, one liners and can hold his own in a battle. But even better than that he develops as a character and person. This game takes him on a journey from a morally iffy yes man, to a man who sees his existence and the gangs existence as unwanted in this new age. A quote he says sums it up perfectly “we’re thieves in a world that don't want us no more” He knows he is a bad person, but decides to change later in the game the best he can and keep the people who deserve a better life safe to live a better life. He is in a constant battle with morality and is full of regret, but by the end of the game is more enlightened and sees the world a lot clearer.

During this game you meet a lot of other great characters from your gang and on the road, which I can't go through all of them. Old faces appear such as John Marston, his family and even uncle. But the character that had the most impact other than Arthur was Dutch Van der Linde. Dutch the leader of these misfits and outlaws starts off as a decent man who seems to just want to help all the people in the gang get to safety. He seems caring, kind and in control. He is a fearless leader who is good with words, which in some way gets the gang to follow him, he seems to know what he is doing. However, he is such a good character because just like Arthur he changes, when things start going south he slowly loses control, his actions and ideas are being questioned. This kind man is now ruthless and reckless, giving no concern for the safety of his fellow gang members. Loyalties are questioned, ties broken between members and Dutch. If you ever think about leaving...well that won't go down too well with big ole Dutch.

Mechanics

Before the game came out Rockstar were really pushing all these mechanics that are in the game, which all added up to create a realistic world. Which I believe they have done pretty well. Lets start of by talking about character mechanics, the big one is of course beard growth, yes your beard does grow and to a pretty considerable length. Think of Gandalfs beard but a little shorter. You have to feed your character otherwise you will start becoming underweight or on the other hand if you eat too much you get fatter, these mechanics do happen, but seem to not change the game massively if you are on either side of the chart. However, food is a necessary thing to help your health gauge fill up. Other than that we have a stamina bar, health bar and dead eye bar which all increases over time by running, fighting and being shot at. A bit like GTA V.

Now we come to world mechanics, so a big thing Rockstar touched on before the games release was that you can go up to anyone and you can greet them, antagonise them etc which could lead to them getting angry and attacking you etc, depending on how far you take it. Yes this does happen, you don't have to use it, it's just there for if you want to, It's a great mechanic honestly as it makes the world feel alive, like these are real people. Another thing that links to npc mechanics is the random events that happen while riding your horse, you could be going down a road and then someone is being robbed. You can help them or leave them. This mechanic ties into the honour system as well, if you left them your honour will go down if it goes all the way down, people will hate you and if your honour is high people will like you more and less bad things will happen. These two mechanic together makes the game seem like 1. the world is thriving with people and 2. that your actions have consequences, be that good or bad. Another great mechanic is that people remember the actions that you do, an example of this is with a mission at the start of the game, where you get into a bar fight and get thrown out of the window. Next time you go to that bar, the barman will say something along the lines of, I hope you don't start any trouble. Just that little thing again makes it seem like a lived in, real world.

Now for some small mechanics, which there are many that go unnoticed such as, bodies decaying. If you kill someone and leave their body it will decay over time, vultures and other animals will come and eat them etc. Which is just a cool little thing. Another little mechanic is your saddle bag and the way you actually take the guns of the side of your horse, like you would in real life. It's the little things that matter. I have missed out other mechanics but If I wrote about them all I would be here for ages. Some of them are, actually being able to pick items you want buy up in a shop, like seriously you see them in your hand or wearing less or more layers of clothes depending on weather conditions.

Horse Mechanics

Horses, horses, horses. What can I say about the horses. The horses in this game move like an actual horse in real life, yes the males have testicles and yes they grow or shrink depending on weather conditions. It's the little things that count. The horse in this game is your pride and joy, you tame the horse, bond with the horse which unlocks new mechanic for the horse, such as drifting. It's stamina goes up over time and so does its health. You have to feed the horse and brush it to increase bonding and the general health of the animal. However, with any animal and living creature in the world, they can die and in this game it's no different. It can die by being shot, tripping over a rock or tree, or just about anything to be honest. Which is sad but creates some funny clips. You can customise your horse, changing saddles, tail shape, size, if it's braided or not. Same with the mane. Also just to make it even sadder when your horse dies you can name it. RIP Mrsflumpylocks. That was my horse BTW it died by hitting a tree. You change all these aspects of the horse by going into a stable, which reminds me exactly of GTA Vs Auto shop. It even does the same cinematic to get into the stable and or shop. Overall the mechanics for the horse are good and is a great improvement from the first game.

Hunting

Hunting is a mechanic you are introduced to pretty much in the first hour of the game. Rockstar said it will be a big part of the game. Which it is to a certain degree. At the beginning of the game you have to hunt for deers to feed the camp. You use your tracking skills to follow the animal, then once you see it use a bow to kill it. You then skin it and then put the meat on the back of your horse to give to the gangs cook Pearson. With the pelt you have you can go and sell it, if it's a high quality pelt i.e you killed it by a head shot or heart shot, the pelt would sell for more. There are also certain animals called Legendary animals which drop legendary pelts which can be used to craft sweet looking outfits for your character, which gives you another goal in the game. Now hunting is all well and good, but I feel it becomes unnecessary to hunt animals for the camp if you have most of the upgrades and keep the camp stocked, as you don't need to kill anything, the camp will survive without you doing any animal killing. So really at end game the only thing hunting is good for is getting cool outfits. Nevertheless, hunting is still pretty fun.

Graphics/Environment

From random encounter with people on the road to animals frolicking around the plains. Red Dead Redemptions environment is a beautiful but ruthless one. It feels lived in with the encounters that happen good or bad and gives a lot to take in and marvel at. Thats probably why you have a camera in your satchel. The graphics are beautiful, with an amazing and careful eye of detail, from your footsteps actually appearing in the snow or mud to your face actually getting dirty over time. On the performance side of things I was playing on a standard Xbox One and it looked great, I had no frame rate drops of any kind and I can only imagine what the game would look like on a an Xbox One X and a 4k TV.

The Bad

Honestly I have to really nitpick to find anything that I would call “bad”. So here they are. I feel like the law is wanted system is really unfair and biased against me. I could go to a town and someone starts a fight with me, but I get a wanted bounty? It doesn't make sense, also the whole witness system and how every time I kill someone there is always a witness that I can't see. It gets very frustrating. My next gripe is that the picking up of items in shops physically is pretty cool, but I feel is useless as it takes so long to buy anything. I hardly ever use the mechanic, unless i’m trying to get cigarette cards for hours on end. The last “con” is that I feel weapon customisation could be better, when I heard about the customisation of weapons I thought it would be better and I know they are old guns which wouldn't have acog scopes and stuff. But I just felt like I wanted more. Again these are tiny things that don't affect my enjoyment of the game massively

End game content

Once you have finished Red Dead Redemption 2, you have a long list of things to do. Which are as followed. Do the collectable missions, there are many collectable missions in Red Dead from dinosaur bones to cigarette cards, which you will need if you want to get 100% on the game. Hunt all the legendary animals, get some outfits. Go fishing, play poker or even go treasure hunting. There is also many a side quest to do, some very weird and some hilarious, I’m talking about that circus quest there. Lastly explore the world, Red Dead Redemption 2 has the biggest and most beautiful map out of all the Rockstar games, full of easter eggs and hidden items. The end game offers a lot to the players to keep their interest and the best thing aswell is that an online will be coming in November.

Rockstar has crafted a wonderful game, which feels realistic, lively and thriving with activity. Which immerses you so much that you do not want put down the controller and you would rather play than take on real world responsibilities. Other than that the game offers an amazing story that of a film and provides you with memorable characters and will make you question your moral compass. I would recommend anyone this game and I rate this title 9/10. Thank you for reading and I hope this helped you.

#xbox one #xboxlive #xbox #microsoft #red dead redemption 2 #reddead2 #arthur morgan #gtav #gta5 #rockstar #wild west #america #ps4 #sony #cowboy #review #film #gamereview #games #pc #game of the year #blog #reviewer #thoughts #typing #essay