Archive of Our Own ^beta

Part one: How it all began

Jungkook didn’t scream anymore. 

The ropes digging into his wrists, they have long gone numb. The fire crackling nearby cast long eerie shadows over the faces of the two strangers — no, monsters — who stared at him with unblinking eyes.

Things weren't meant to turn out like this. He Wasn’t planned on ending up in the woods. It just—happened. 

It was objectively a miserable day. But misery was a routine, so he barely noticed. Jungkook was told to gather a specific herb from the outskirts of the forest. Nothing out of the ordinary. His caregiver tends to make him do tedious tasks. He would never send one of his own to the ‘cursed forest’. 

He remembers crouching near the herbs, slowly plucking them off the roots, slow and steady, stalling as much as he can. He stared as the ants marched in a straight line, he watched as the wind blew softly on the petals. 

He never understood why the forest was cursed. There weren’t any unsettling stories that went with the claim. It was cursed and that was it.

As he finished collecting his herbs, he stared longingly into the forest. Why was it cursed? Why couldn’t he just walk in? Whatever was here was more dangerous than whatever was inside. He had bruises than proved otherwise. 

So he did just that, walked towards the forest. Not looking back even once. What’s there to miss? The constant abuse? The pain? The suffering? If he dies in the woods, he dies. Maybe he’ll finally be free. 

Jungkook was never brave enough to kill himself. A shame, really. 

He walked for an estimated two hours, give or take a few. Nothing. There was nothing but green, green, green. No animals, no birds, no nothing. 

Another hour drags by, and Jungkook is tired. His legs ache, his throat is parched, and every step feels heavier than the last. He leans against a tree and slowly slides to the ground, chest rising and falling with labored breaths, eyes squeezed shut.

When his eyes open, there’s a cabin. A cabin. 

A cabin that wasn’t there a second ago when he sat down. Was he hallucinating? Or was he too tired that he hadn't noticed it initially. 

He counted his options. He could go and knock or he could simply walk past it. 

The Cabin was beautiful. It looked like a place the forest loved. As if the trees had grown to protect it. A place where time slowed down. Where tea was always warm. 

What was his plan? Why had he walked into the woods without a second thought. What was his plan for a meal? For survival? Or did he walk in with the intention of death? 

Making up his mind, Jungkook slowly pulled himself together. Walking towards the cozy cabin. There were lanterns, a hanging wood sign with a weird simple.

Knock knock knock 

His arms shivered, anticipating nothing and everything. The door opened and stood a man who looked nothing less of an angel.

That’s all he remembers, the next time he’s conscious he’s tied to a chair, rope digging into his skull, the angel in disguise repeatedly burning his skin with a sizzling rod. There was another one, standing in the corner staring with unblinking eyes, looking at him with satisfaction. 

He screamed the first few times after he became conscious. Now, his body has gotten used to it like it always does. He walked away from pain for another one. Maybe he’ll finally die. 

Please god, let me die. 

Taehyung hasn’t encountered a human in so long. They are delicate, so easy, so fun to kill. 

Jimin stood closest, moonlight washing over his pale skin. His eyes flashing violet — beautiful, if you ignored the horror behind them. “He hasn’t begged once,” he murmured.

Taehyung leaned against the table,“They all stop begging eventually.”

“He’s different,” Jimin said, turning his gaze toward their guest — their prisoner.

“You said you didn’t want to bother with the soul anymore,” Taehyung reminded him softly. “Said you’d seen enough filth.”

Jimin’s jaw tensed. “I know. But…”

His fingers twitched, and before Taehyung could object, Jimin stepped forward and pressed two fingers to Jungkook’s temple.

Jungkook’s soul was warm. Soft. Gentle. Golden threads of childhood memories curled like vines around his heart: feeding stray cats, reading by candlelight when the power went out, a quiet ache when he watched the stars alone.

His pain was deep. Loneliness wrapped all around him, permanent. But it hadn’t broken him. He had chosen kindness again and again,even when he had all the reasons not to. He had all the reasons to be a villain—even kill but kindness—again and again. 

Jimin gasped.

And pulled back.

“I—” he stumbled a step, as if winded. “He’s-he’s pure.”

Taehyung’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Not just decent. He’s good, He’s… kind.”

They stared at the boy, Jungkook — whose eyes, though tired and red, held no hatred. Only confusion. Only pain.

“Untie him,” Jimin said hoarsely.

Taehyung didn’t move. 

“You’re sure?”

Jimin didn’t answer. He dropped to his knees and began loosening the knots himself.

Jungkook winced when his arms fell limp, but didn’t pull away.

“…Why didn’t you fight us?” Jimin whispered.

Jungkook blinked slowly. “I thought maybe finally I could die,” 

That was the moment Taehyung cracked.

Later, much later, the three of them sat under the spell-protected roof. Jungkook’s wounds have been healed, all of them, even the ones not inflected by them. He had been given a blanket, and a warm cup of something herbal and sweet.

Jimin sat next to him, a respectful distance away, eyes still wide with something like awe. Taehyung stood near the window, staring out into the night, quiet.

“Are you a witch?” he asks, “No one’s looked at my soul before,” Jungkook murmured.

“It’s not a thing we do lightly, we aren’t witches, we don’t really have a term, we aren’t humans and that’s it”  Jimin replied.

“Did you like what you saw?”

Jimin glanced over, startled. Taehyung turned too.

There was a pause.

“I regret what we almost did,” Jimin said, barely louder than a whisper. “And I think… I’d like to know you. If you’ll let us.”

Jungkook looked between them — between the two ancient, powerful beings, he wanted to know more. And it’s not like he has anywhere else to go. 

“I’d like that too.”

Part 2 : The Tea was Sweet. 

The Cabin has grown to be more alive, Jungkook has started settling in, adding his own little touches to the cabin. Paintings on the wall, more plants, more organised. 

One look at Taehyung's chaotic ingredients cabinet and he had organised them alphabetically, in small containers with labels on them. He learned their favourites—now Jungkook would randomly give them their preferred tea at times of need, tell them to rest, and take little breaks. Everything just feels—good with him around. Just right. 

Jungkook was in the garden.

They could see him through the arched window, crouched down among the herbs, hands in the soil, dirt on his cheeks like splashes of paint always present when he works on a new piece. He was humming something tuneless, soft, like he didn’t even realize he was doing it.

Taehyung stood near the window, arms crossed, watching. Jimin entered silently behind him and followed his gaze.

“He sings when he thinks no one’s listening,” Jimin murmured, eyes not leaving the little human. 

“He’s always humming,” Taehyung said, voice unreadable.

They watched in silence. Jungkook picked up a fallen petal, then tucked it behind his ear. It didn’t stay. He laughed to himself and tried again.

Jimin smiled.

“He makes the garden grow faster,” he said absently. “Did you notice?”

Taehyung nodded. “Maybe it’s the way he talks to it.”

Jimin turned toward him. “Or maybe the garden just… likes him.”

They watched as Jungkook attempted to make a flower crown, lips pressed tightly in concentration, he was good at all things crafty. 

When he turned and caught them watching, he lit up, showing his bunny-like teeth.

He waved.

And something in both of their chests ached.

⸻

Later that night, when Jungkook handed them both tea, it was personalized for both of them. Jimin smiled before even tasting it.

It wasn’t anything dramatic. No kiss. No dramatic confession.

But when Jungkook leaned back against the worn cushions, blinking sleepily and yawning like he belonged here, like he’d always belonged, that was the moment they knew. They loved him.

They Loved him. 

Part 3: the tea is brewing 

It was midnight. They could hear Jungkook’s soft little snores as he slept. They were mesmerised. They’ve been doing this a lot lately—silently watching. 

They have tried not to stare, to ignore the feeling that runs deep, but it always comes back in full force. They just couldn’t look away. So they stopped trying to force it out and just embraced the fact that they loved him. They loved him and it was forever. 

“We said never again,” Taehyung murmured quietly, no kind of earth shattering noise could wake him up—but, 

Jimin didn’t respond, he silently took a sip of his tea staring attentively, “and yet here we are,” he said softly. 

Taehyung broke his gaze from the sleeping beauty, “he speaks—I drop everything to listen, he smiles and I forget all about how much I loathe his kind,” 

“He’s different, he’s ours” Jimin softly claims.

“Does he know that?” Taehyung questions. 

Jimin stays silent. 

“Does he know that he’s ours?” Taehyung asks again. 

Silence. 

—-

They continued to pretend that he was theirs. They continued to believe internally. They don’t confess, they just slowly integrated him into their relationship. So slow maybe Jungkook himself didn’t realise it. 

Until one day—

“I was thinking of going to the village today,” Jungkook said. 

Jimin paused in the middle of slicing fruit. The knife hovered just above the cutting board. Taehyung didn’t look up, he focused on his book intensively pretending he didn’t hear. 

“It’s the season where they have the carnival, I thought I could go and just walk around. Maybe buy a few books and, you know,” his voice faded away a little unsure, just waiting for approval?

Still, Taehyung didn’t speak. He stared at the same page for far too long.

Jungkook hesitated. “I’ll be back before sundown.”

Jimin gave a small nod, barely there. “It’s not about that.”

Jungkook tilted his head. “Then what is it?”

This time, Taehyung closed the book. Slowly. Carefully. He set it on the arm of the chair, then looked at Jungkook with eyes that said far more than his mouth ever did.

“You said you liked it here,” Taehyung said finally, “That you felt safe.” It sounding like an accusation. 

“I do,” Jungkook responded firmly. 

“Then why do you want to leave?” Jimin questions. 

“Not forever, just for an evening. I’ll be back” 

Jimin dropped the knife and walked towards him, stood directly in front of him.

“What if you leave and realise you don’t like isolation? You leave and realise all the things that you don’t have here,” 

“I hardly doubt that, I love it here with you guys. I’ll always come back,” Jungkook promised. 

“Okay,” Taehyung said. “Come back before the sun goes down,” he says. 

Jungkook smiles, “I’ll see you guys later, I will be back” he promised again and he’s out the door. 

“I believe him,” Jimin murmurs. 

—-

Jimin was doing physical labour. Physical chores. 

He hasn’t folded his own laundry, ever. There were enchantments for that. 

Taehyung has been staring at the same pages since Jungkook left. He tapped his foot against the floor repeatedly in a rhythm that didn’t match at all. Just waiting. Pretending. 

Neither of them looked at the door. They were physically forcing themselves to look anywhere but. Anxiousness filled the air and suddenly the cabin felt too claustrophobic. 

“He said he’ll be back before sundown” Jimin reminded. 

“It’s still light out,” Taehyung commented. 

“I didn’t say he was late, just that he’ll be back before sundown” he stated irritatedly. 

“Then don’t say anything,” Taehyung clapped back.

Jimin abandoned his laundry and made his way towards the window, “what if he got lost?” 

“I gave him a charm, he’ll call us if he’s in trouble,” 

“Does he know how to use it?” 

“I taught him,” 

“Did you teach him well?” 

“Of course I did!” Taehyung scoffed, little offended at the accusation. 

“I should have gone with him,” Jimin murmured to himself. 

“We said we wouldn’t hover,” 

“We always hover,”

“I know,” 

Suddenly, they heard the small gate open, Taehyung’s head snapped up. Jimin stepped back from the window so fast he bumped the table.They didn’t move toward the door. Didn’t rush to greet him.

Jungkook walked in carrying a sack full of books before saying “I’m back” simply. 

“We weren’t waiting,” Taehyung said, a little too quickly. 

Jungkook smiled, 

“I didn’t say you were,”

“Well we weren't,” Jimin said, fake casual. 

Jungkook chuckled and leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, eyes soft. “You both look like you didn’t breathe the whole time I was gone.”

Jimin sniffed. “You’re imagining things.”

“Sure,” Jungkook said, still smiling.

—-

That night, when Jungkook was all curled up in sheets, just in between awareness and dream land, he heard—

“I was scared, what if he hadn’t come back?” Taehyung says, “I almost told him don’t go “

“I know, but we don’t want him to feel like he’s trapped in a cage,” 

“He came back,” 

“He always will,” 

A moment of silence, Jungkook feels his heart warm—Just as he’s about to fall into a dream, 

“I love him,” Taehyung says.

Jungkook’s breath caught. Just a little. Just enough to freeze in his throat.

Jimin didn’t respond immediately. When he did, his voice was so quiet it almost disappeared into the dark.

“Me too.”

Outside, wind brushed gently against the windows.

“I’m scared,” Jimin said.

“Me too.”

Jungkook didn’t move. Didn’t open his eyes. But he smiled. Just a little.

Part 4: Bitter Tea 

Taehyung was surrounded by humans. Filthy, dirty humans. 

Surprisingly, his human was very convincing, and no matter what he claims he didn’t want Jungkook to leave the protective layer of his home alone. So yes, he had let his baby drag him to the village market filled with humans. 

Jungkook had claimed that all humans weren’t bad, that most of these creatures carried love and kindness just like him. Taehyung would like to disagree with that. Hard. 

But nevertheless, he always wanted his lover to be happy and being surrounded by loud chatters, noise, weird contraptions, unpleasant scents and ugly humans made him happy, then so be it. 

Jungkook was a gentle soul, bless him, with his soft smile and how he remembered little things about people made him so easy to love. 

Taehyung watched as he pretended to browse through a card of flowers, the stranger—a charming looking man with a smooth voice, laughing a little too hard, leaning into Jungkook more and more in the pretence of laughing. 

Taehyung wanted nothing more than to march towards them, pull his little baby back and kiss him right in front of the filthy human. 

But Taehyung can’t do that. They haven’t confessed yet. 

—-

Jealousy was a bitter, bitter feeling.

Ugly. All-consuming. Like a disease that gnawed at your insides.

Jimin didn’t have many regrets—he could count them on one hand. But tonight? Tonight might just be another one.

It had started innocently enough. He’d once offhandedly mentioned his childhood friend, Yoongi.

“You have friends?” Jungkook had blurted it out, eyes wide with disbelief.

Jimin had been very offended. But, to be fair, he understood the reaction. Since Jungkook had arrived, they hadn’t had any visitors. Ever.

So, in a very mature and totally not petty act of spite, Jimin had sent an enchanted bird to invite Yoongi for dinner. He could’ve just used a spell to teleport a message. Something faster, less dramatic. But no—he wanted to see the way Jungkook’s eyes widened as the glittering bird soared into the sky.

And that’s exactly what he got.

When Yoongi finally arrived, he made himself at home instantly, slinging an arm around Jungkook’s shoulder like they were old friends.

“So this is the human you’ve been hoarding.”

Jimin’s eye twitched. But he smiled. Barely.

Dinner was fine, at first. The four of them—Jimin, Jungkook, Yoongi, and Taehyung—sat around the table, laughter and warmth floating through the air as they devoured Jimin’s famously elaborate feast.

It was fine. Until Jungkook found out about Yoongi’s specialty.

Music.

In their quiet forest world, music was rare. The small nearby villages barely had the means to create it, let alone appreciate it. And among creatures like Jimin and Taehyung, it was seen as unnecessary—something unimportant next to spells and swords and raw power.

But Jungkook? Jungkook lit up like a lantern.

He leaned forward with stars in his eyes as Yoongi plucked soft notes from thin air, weaving them with a flick of his fingers and a hum in his throat.

Jimin watched him laugh. That laugh.

And something twisted deep in Jimin’s chest.

Ugly. Bitter. Heavy.

Jealousy.

Jungkook had praised him endlessly — his magic, his music, his “cool artistic soul.” And Yoongi had soaked it all in with a faint blush and a pleased little shrug, like he hadn’t just stolen the entire spotlight without even trying.

When Yoongi finally left, Jimin and Taehyung should have been relieved.

But Jungkook wouldn’t stop talking about him.

Yoongi this.

Yoongi that.

Yoongi plays the piano.

By the third day, Jimin was ready to hex the name Yoongi out of Jungkook’s vocabulary entirely.

“This is all your fault,” Taehyung accused, “if he utters the name Yoongi, one more time I swear to god I’m turning myself to a plant and living in a pot,” 

Jimin didn’t respond, he was pouting while glaring at nothing. 

“You know Yoongi hyung said he could play music with water, water,” Jungkook said in awe that evening. 

That was the last straw. 

“I’m way cooler than him, I can do shit too” Jimin yelled—Jungkook blinked surprised. 

Jimin stormed into the kitchen and grabbed a bucket of water to bring it to where Jungkook was, he slammed the bucket and made a literal storm. Storm. 

“I can do pretty things,” he snapped, he morphed the water into various shapes before it turned into a bouquet of flowers. “I can do more, I have won competitions! I’m one of the strongest creatures ever!” 

“Are you…jealous?” Jungkook asked, stunned. 

There was a long pause. 

“I am not jealous,” he said too quickly. “I’m simply demonstrating my equally valid and more superior skill set.”

Jungkook smiled. Slowly. Softly.

“Okay, Jiminie,” he said, setting the flowers down. “I think you’re the coolest.”

Jimin turned away so Jungkook wouldn’t see the sudden heat in his cheeks.

“Good,” he mumbled. “Because I’m never inviting Yoongi over again.”

Part 5 : hot sweet tea confession 

The forest was quiet, a warm silence floating in the air, you could hear the faint noise of crickets, fire crackling. Jungkook sat by the fire pit, he could hear both the witches pacing behind him. 

“Just say it,” one of them whispered like Jungkook couldn’t hear them. 

“I will,” Jimin hissed, “give me a second,” 

“You said that ten minutes ago,” 

“I can hear you, you know?” Jungkook said not looking back, a faint smile painted his face. 

Jimin finally sat next to him, taking a deep breath he stared right into his eyes. Taehyung joined them sitting next to him. 

“Jungkook,” Jimin started, “you’ve been living with us for a while now,” 

“Yes,” Jungkook said slowly. 

“Not a day will pass where I don’t regret what I have done, I’ll always wish that we have never hurt you the way that we did, I can’t take back what I did but I promise I’ll never inflict any pain or let anyone else inflict any pain to you” 

“I know,” he responded softly.

“I love you, I love you and I promise you that I will cherish you forever if you give me a chance,” 

Taehyung sighed and leaned his head on Jungkook’s shoulder.

“I love you too,” he said, so matter-of-factly it made Jimin groan. “You are supposed to build up to it” he hissed. 

Taehyung bought Jungkook’s face between his hands, squishing his cheeks, forcing him to look him in the eye. 

“Jeon Jungkook, I never thought I’d fall in love with a human. But with you, you make it so easy. Loving you feels natural, effortless. Every time you speak, every time you laugh, I find myself falling for you all over again. I love you. Please accept us.”

“You guys are insane,” he mumbled.

Jimin’s heart sank a little. “I get that this might be too much—”

“Insane,” Jungkook said again, grinning now, “because you’re both ridiculously late. I’ve been in love with you for weeks.”

We’ve been in love with you for months. 

Part 6: Burning Tea 

Jungkook had fallen asleep on the rug, spell books scattered around him. He had taken a keen interest in potions, Jimin was all too happy to guide him. 

As he slept Taehyung stared at him unblinking, wide eyed—like he was afraid to turn his gaze away from the sleeping boy. 

“You are going to burn holes into him,” Jimin said as he came into the living room. He sat cross legged next to the sleeping boy. Tucked his hair away from his closed eyes. 

“He’s beautiful,” Jimin commented. 

“He’s temporary,” Taehyung snapped. “I can’t stop thinking about it, every time he laughs, every time he breathes all I can think about is how I’m going to lose him. I’ve watched empires fall, I’ve lived for centuries but I don’t think I can live enough to watch him die, fade away,”

“You’re not going to lose him,” Jimin said gently, though his throat tightened as he said it.

“You don’t know that,” Taehyung said. “He’s human. We’re not,”

“We have time, we are strong, we’ll find a way to make him immortal. Don’t worry” 

They could only hope. 

—-

The spell was old. Older than them. It requires a bond. They needed true love. As cliche as it sounds. The smaller doubt meant it won’t work. 

So they studied. They searched through forbidden texts, summoned star-bound familiars, even traded a favor with the Moon herself.

Jungkook tilted his head, curious.

“It’s old magic,” Taehyung said. “ Permanent.”

Jungkook blinked. “What kind of magic?”

Jimin took a breath. “The kind that lets you stay.”

The words hung in the air, soft and sacred.

Jungkook looked between them. “You mean…?”

“You won’t age,” Taehyung said. “You’ll still be you. But you won’t fade. You’ll stay with us. For as long as you choose.”

Jungkook was silent.

“Only if you want, if you want forever. If you want just this life it’s okay, we will love you as long as you’ll have us Jungkook,” 

“I want forever,” Jungkook said without hesitation. 

They bonded. 

And when it was done, Jungkook opened his eyes —and nothing felt different.

Maybe everything.

Jimin and Taehyung were both crying. Jungkook laughed softly and pulled them close, water and tears and warmth melting into one.

“I feel the same,” he whispered.

Jimin pressed his forehead to his. “That’s how you know it worked.”

The end. For now.