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The storm outside raged against Yoongi’s delicate glass windows that were somehow holding strong against the growling winds tormenting them. The power in his lonely, dilapidated one bedroom beach house had long since extinguished, unable to survive with extreme winds plowing at the house. He sat at his piano, lit only by a single candle — a gift given to him by his mother a few birthdays ago. His slender fingers lingered on the keys, but he didn’t press down on any of them. His eyes were focused on the persisting lighting flashes outside his window.
His job was simple: to care for the remote and secluded beach he lived on. Turtles and wildlife made their nests in the area and the government wanted them as safe from tourists and liter as they could be. It was easy enough and he rarely got visitors — a tidbit about the job that only Yoongi would find a perk. But on nights like this where storms beat against his humble, peaceful beach he was in for a busy next couple of days cleaning the fallen branches and making minor repairs on his house.
He shifted his eyes back down to his piano, simultaneously worrying about the turtles and dreading the amount of work he’d have to put in in the morning. Pressing a key he cringed at the out of tune note. He didn’t feel like playing and sleep tugged at his eyes. Sleep was such an infrequent visitor in his life that he felt compelled to indulge. Rising to his heavy feet he blew the candle out, letting the light from the lighting guide his way to his unmade bed.
Yoongi never needed an alarm in the mornings, the harsh light of the summer sun filling his bedroom woke him each morning. He stayed there, letting his eyes adjust. He could hear the seagulls above his house, alerting him that life has resumed on the beach despite the aggression mother nature threw at them the night before. He rose, fixing himself a simple breakfast before pulling on his thick rubber boots to protect his feet from any dangers the beach might have summoned during the storm.
Yoongi’s beach wasn’t very large. It was contained perfectly by two rock formations on either side of the long beach. In the night, thick branches and green leaves found new homes all across his sandy beach. Rocks and shells had rolled in from the water, nestling themselves high up on the beach’s sand. Yoongi sighed, knowing the cleaning from this storm would take at least two days. He shuffled his way to the shed behind his house, gathering a bucket and a small axe to collect wood in.
The sun made its way higher into the morning sky as Yoongi worked. He started on the left side of the beach and made his way down the small coast. At some point his eyes caught a glimpse of a misshaped pile of branches. He could tell something was off from a distance, but as he drew himself closer he could make out body parts. Fear suddenly rushing through him he ran forward.
“Hey!” He called out as he neared, praying for a response, “Hey, are you okay?” He pushed branches away as quickly as he could, revealing the still body of a man with honey brown hair. “Hey, hey,” Yoongi kept repeating as his hand darted to check for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the faint beating of this stranger’s heart. “Hey — Hey, wake up,” Yoongi gently patted the skin of this stranger’s cheek, wanting to summon his consciousness forward again, “Please, wake up!” In the midst of his panic, slapped the soft skin of the man’s cheek perhaps a little too hard, the sound of it echoed across the empty beach. The man’s eyes fluttered open with a start as he sat up with a sharp gasp. He looked all around him, taking in as much as he could as quickly as he could.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t —“ Yoongi’s words died in his mouth looking at the man now awake. With the earlier anxiety of this man being dead erased, Yoongi was suddenly painstakingly aware of the fact that this stranger on his beach was sitting in front of him with no clothes on. Yoongi kept his eyes locked on the sharp angles of his face and his deep brown eyes opened wide in fear. “Are you —“ Yoongi hesitated as the man’s eyes shifted to look at him, “Are you okay?” The man nodded, slow and deliberate — like it required a tremendous amount of thought. “What’s your name?”
“. . .Jimin,” his voice was frail and uneven, like he hadn’t used it in a long time. Yoongi nodded.
“How did you end up here, Jimin?”
Jimin’s eyebrows webbed themselves together in sudden panic above his worried eyes. He looked from Yoongi, to the water in front of him, to the soft sand surrounding him. He stretched his legs and wiggled his toes slightly before returning his thinly panicked gaze back to Yoongi. “. . .Don’t know. . . I don’t. . . Remember. . .” Jimin was looking all about him, even up at the clear blue sky above them.
“Were you out in the storm?”
“Storm. . .?” Jimin looked back at out at the ocean, eyebrows still furrowed in concentration. Yoongi examined Jimin’s face for a moment. He didn’t seem to have any injuries that Yoongi could see. His plump lips were chapped and peeling from overexposure to the sun. His silky pale skin was shifting into fierce shade of red. Sand clung to the dried sweat and rain covering his chest and face — he looked like he had been outside for a long time.
“Did you hit your head?” Yoongi thought about reaching a hand out to touch Jimin, but resisted. Something was unsettling about this man.
“I don’t —“ Jimin looked back at Yoongi, the emotion in his eyes turning from confusion to fear. Tears welled up in his wide, childlike eyes. “I don’t know.”
“Hey, hey,” Yoongi spoke in a soft voice, but wasn’t really sure what to do or say, “Hey, don’t cry.” Tears did spill over onto Jimins cheeks, cleaning a trail of dirt and sand as they fell. Yoongi sat back on his heels, letting Jimin cry for a moment. He didn’t have anyone he could call and ask for advice on what to do for this poor man, and the closest town was miles away. He sighed. “Let’s get you cleaned up and out of the sun. That might make you feel better.” Jimin looked at him, his eyes red from the tears, and nodded.
Yoongi did something just short of carrying Jimin back to his small house. Yoongi helped him to his feet, but Jimin walked with little precision and his feet stumbled and caught in the sand. Yoongi chalked it up to him being exhausted and wrapped a gentle arm around Jimin to help usher him indoors. He sat Jimin at a chair in his dining room before running a bath for him. He rummaged through his clothes, looking for anything that might fit Jimin. He found a shirt a size or two too big for him, and the largest pair of sweatpants he owned. He returned to Jimin, who had risen to his feet and was awkwardly shuffling about, looking at various objects in the kitchen.
“Here,” Yoongi said, catching Jimin’s attention again. He offered him the bundle of clothes. “I think these might fit you.” Jimin took the clothes, a small smile on his lips. “I ran the water in the bathtub for you. There’s soap and shampoo in there, you’ll see it. Towels are in the cabinet.” Jimin nodded, and made his way to the bathroom. As he walked, he never quite fully picked up his feet, leaving a trail of dirty sand marks along Yoongi’s floor. Yoongi scrunched his nose at it, but didn’t say anything out loud.
Jimin spent a long time in the bath — almost too long. The morning was starting to shift into the afternoon. Yoongi was frustrated he had lost a morning of work, but would be seeking shelter from the hot afternoon hours even if Jimin hadn’t come along. He wasn’t feeling particularly hungry himself, but figured Jimin might want something to eat. He rustled through his cabinets looking for something to make, suddenly embarrassed by how little food he actually owned. He sighed, plucking a can of tomato soup and heating it up on the stove.
It was weird for Yoongi to have another person in his house. Jimin sat across from him at the dining table dressed in his own clothes, his sweat pants pulled a little too tight across the thick muscles of his thighs. He slurped at the tomato soup Yoongi presented him with, opting not for a spoon but for drinking the hot liquid directly from the bowl. The sun burnt red tones of Jimin’s skin had calmed down, being replaced by a lovely summer tan. He glowed where the sun hit him through the open windows.
“Are you feeling better?” Yoongi asked. He wasn’t fond of how quiet Jimin was. He hated starting conversations. Jimin nodded. “Is anything coming back to you?” Jimin shook his head. “Town isn’t too long of a drive away. I could drive you in tomorrow if you want to see if anything there jogs your memory?” Jimin looked alarm at the idea.
“I don’t want to leave the water.” Jimin’s voice was stronger than it had been before. It’s like his brain was finally making the connections it needed to work properly.
“What do you mean?” Yoongi was confused at Jimin’s words.
“I don’t know. . . I just feel like I can’t go very far from it.” Yoongi stayed quiet, thinking. “Would it be okay if I stayed here? Just for a few days to see if I remember anything?” Jimin’s voice was sweet and shy.
Yoongi thought for a moment with his lips pursed, staring into Jimin’s warm brown eyes. “I suppose that’s okay with me. It’d be nice to have some company for awhile.” Jimin’s face erupted into a smile, showing off a few crooked front teeth. Yoongi looked down at his hands, ignoring the delicate blush on his cheeks Jimin’s smile summoned.
Jimin stayed for a few days, and then some. At first it was a challenge for Yoongi to have someone around after spending so much time alone, but he got used to all the small things Jimin did. The next time Yoongi went into town to get supplies, he picked up some clothes in Jimin’s size. He slept on the small couch in Yoongi’s living room, but never complained about the cramped quarters. In fact Jimin never complained at all, he always had a sweet smile painted across his lips — a sight Yoongi hated how much he liked to see.
Jimin loved Yoongi’s beach and spent more time outdoors on it than inside. He’d sit on the rocks and dip his toes in or wade into knee deep water, waving at Yoongi on the shore if he happened to look up. Yoongi more than once caught Jimin crouched above the shoreline, picking out small, delicate shells that the water carried ashore. It was simple and sweet — cute even.
One night Yoongi sat as his piano, as he often did, touching the keys of it but not quite pressing down. Jimin watched cross legged on the couch with curious, attentive eyes. “Do you play?” Jimin asked. Yoongi looked up, his eyes meeting Jimin’s.
“I guess.”
“Is that your piano?”
“It was my mother’s.”
“Did she —?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
A pause. “Will you play for me?” Jimin asked, his voice as sweet as honey.
Yoongi turned away from Jimin and faced the keys. He took a deep breath, feeling the smooth, cold keys under his fingers. He pressed down, playing a familiar song he can’t remember when he learned. As he played, part of him was aware of Jimin standing up and coming closer, sitting down next to him on the piano bench. After a moment, Jimin began to sing in a smooth high pitch. The lyrics were unintelligible, but limitlessly beautiful. Yoongi started having trouble thinking of the piano, focusing instead on the draw of Jimin’s voice. His fingers slowed before stopping their song. Yoongi watched with intoxicated fascination as Jimin’s lips moved as he sang. He felt himself being pulled forward closer to him. His trance didn’t end until Jimin’s song came to a close and he smiled at Yoongi, revealing his crooked white teeth. Yoongi blinked at him, unsure of what had just come over him.
“I have to go,” Yoongi said abruptly, jolting to his feet and making his way to his bedroom without looking back at Jimin again. That night he laid in his bed, thinking of the man sleeping in the room next to his.
More days passed by. Yoongi and Jimin were settling into a routine with one another. Yoongi got used to Jimin’s curious eyes following him as he worked around the beach. Yoongi once waved him over to look at one of the turtle nests, showing how he could tell it was there. Jimin crouched next to him, eyes wide in wonder.
Jimin didn’t eat much. He only seemed to eat fish, which was fortunate for Yoongi considering their location. He disregarded utensils and shoveled food quickly into his mouth with his hands. That took the longest for Yoongi to get used to, but he has since accepted it as part of who Jimin is.
“Yoongi,” Jimin said, they were sitting outside on the beach as the sun made its way below the horizon, painting the sky with bold shades of crimson and orange.
“Hm?” Yoongi asked, not looking up from his reading.
“Yoongi,” Jimin repeated, forcing Yoongi to look up at him, a mischievous smile danced across his lips, “Swim with me, Yoongi.”
“What?” Yoongi looked at Jimin to the water and back to Jimin. Jimin’s smile stayed strong.
“Come swim with me, hyung.” Jimin’s wide brown eyes were childlike, cute. Yoongi looked away, fearing blush might betray him.
“We don’t have swimsuits.”
Jimin shrugged and laughed — the sound high and sweet in the warm salty air. “We don’t need them, hyung.”
“What do you mean —“ Yoongi stopped his sentence short. Jimin had risen to his feet, and began stripping off his shirt. “Jimin, what are you —“ Yoongi raised his voice in alarm as Jimin began to unbutton his shorts, laughing at the fierce red color cropping up on Yoongi’s face.
“Swim with me,” He repeated with the same smile. He pulled his shorts pas his knees and kicked them off, leaving him only in the simple black boxers Yoongi had bought him in town a few weeks ago. Yoongi couldn’t help but let his shy eyes trace up Jimin’s beautiful tan skin, taking in the muscles that laced their way down his torso. “Come on, hyung!” Jimin teased, before running his way through the soft sand on the beach towards the water.
Yoongi inched his way closer to the shoreline, watching as Jimin plunged himself under the water. He reappeared, laughing and floating in the waves with ease. He was always in or near the water, but this is the first time Yoongi had ever seen him swim. He looked natural in the water, almost breathtaking. Yoongi felt intoxicated by the sight of him.
“Yoongi!” Jimin called again, drifting further away from where Yoongi was on the shore. Yoongi couldn’t fight Jimin’s pull anymore. He huffed, before pulling his shirt up and over his shoulders, kicking his pants off and leaving them behind in the sand.
Yoongi couldn’t remember the last time he swam. Despite the heat of the summer, the water was still shockingly cold. He shivered slightly, but the water felt so good washing the dried sweat from his thin body.
“You’re so pale, Yoongi,” Jimin said, paddling his way closer to Yoongi. Yoongi looked down at his bare chest, which was almost three shades lighter than his lightly tanned arms. Yoongi looked back up at Jimin, who was watching as his light skin moved through the water.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Yoongi said, pushing his body below the dark tint of the water.
“Like what?” Jimin asked, now close enough to Yoongi that he could see water drops in his dark eyelashes. He raised a playful eyebrow.
“Like — Like how you were just —“ Yoongi stuttered on his words, suddenly shy being so close to Jimin, his eyes catching the orange rays of sunlight. Yoongi couldn’t stop his eyes from tracing down the gentle curve of Jimin’s neck and along the smooth lines of his shoulder muscles before returning to Jimin’s plump lips pulled into a mischievous smile.
“I —“ Yoongi started, but shuddered at Jimin’s touch. Jimin’s hand slid it’s way up Yoongi’s neck and webbed his wet hand into Yoongi’s dry hair. Yoongi’s breath caught in his throat as Jimin inched himself even closer.
“Is this okay?” He asked, close enough where Yoongi could feel his breath on his lips.
“Yeah.” Yoongi sighed, finally releasing his held breath as Jimin’s soft lips came crashing down on his, allowing his own hands to seek out the small of Jimin’s back, pulling him so their hips aligned under the water.
Yoongi and Jimin never spoke about what happened between them that hot night in the water. They slept with limbs laced together on Yoongi’s bed that night, but Yoongi woke up the next day sweating and in a panic. He wiggled his way out of Jimin’s tight grip and fumbled around his room finding whatever clothes he could find first. He hurried outside, trying to brush the crusted saltwater out of his messy hair. He busied himself with his work, ignoring when Jimin finally woke up and came outside to check on him.
He didn’t return indoors that day until the sun had set past the horizon. Jimin was curled on the couch with a blanket pulled over him despite the heat in the poorly ventilated house. Yoongi noticed a bowl of soup sitting out for him on the kitchen counter. The sight of it made guilt eat at his stomach.
“Hyung?” Jimin asked, his voice small and gentle. Yoongi didn’t respond, but turned slightly in Jimin’s direction. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” Yoongi said after a small pause.
“Do you want me to leave?” He asked after a moment. Yoongi hated the quiet resignation in his voice, like he was afraid of angering him.
“No.” Yoongi responded after an agonizing pause, “I want you to stay.” Yoongi could feel Jimin’s relief, and he seemed to sit up a bit on the couch. Yoongi didn’t feel like carrying a conversation, so he grabbed the bowl of soup and headed towards his room, gently closing the door behind him.
More days went by and things seemed to go back to normal between Jimin and Yoongi. Yoongi stopped avoiding Jimin’s eyes, and they went back to spending their evenings on the beach with one another. The prime days of the summer had passed, and Yoongi could tell the worst of the heat were behind them.
“Do you ever wonder who you are?” Yoongi asked one night as they watched the sun set from their usual vantage point. Yoongi turned to look at Jimin’s profile, his eyes shaded by the light and lips pressed into a thin line.
“Not anymore,” He admitted, “It was frustrating at first when I thought you might kick me out.” Yoongi laughed. “But now. . . Now I’m happy where I am.” Jimin turned and looked at Yoongi with his sweet eyes and sweet smile. Yoongi felt an unfamiliar flutter in his stomach and shifted his eyes back at the horizon.
“I’m happy where you are too.” Yoongi could feel his cheeks ignite into a burning blush at his words. “Who do you think you were?”
Jimin shrugged. “Maybe a sailor?”
“That’d explain why you love the water so much.” Jimin stayed quiet. “I wonder what happened that night.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jimin said, “All that matters is that it got me here.”
The shift in air temperature ushered in the first storm since Yoongi found Jimin on his beach. It came deep in the night — a particularly loud crack of thunder jolted Yoongi awake. Rain pounded at his windows. These summer storms were rare and brutal. Sleep was hard for Yoongi to find, and he hated being roused from the sleep he did catch. He huffed and rolled onto his side, catching another bright flash of lighting outside the window. Yoongi heard a knock at his door, so soft and gentle he almost missed it. A clap of thunder came and Yoongi heard Jimin’s voice yelp in fear on the other side.
“Jimin?” Yoongi called, “Are you okay?”
“Can I come in?” Jimin’s voice quivered as he spoke.
“Yeah.” Yoongi called, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Jimin slowly creaked the door open slowly, stepping awkwardly into his room. He rubbed his hands anxiously, squeaking when another strike of lightning flashed outside the window. “Are you okay, Jimin?”
Jimin shook his head, “I’m really scared, hyung.” Yoongi couldn’t see Jimin’s face very well, but he could tell he was crying.
“Are you afraid of storms?”
Jimin nodded, shivering at the sound of the thunder overhead. Yoongi stared at him, uncertain on what to do. “Can I. . .” Jimin held back, his voice uncertain, “Can I sleep with you hyung?”
Yoongi froze, looking at Jimin with wide eyes. Another strike of lightning flashed into the room, and Jimin covered his head with his hands, defending himself against a threat that wasn’t there. Yoongi didn't particularly like the idea of sharing his bed, but Jimin looked so pitiful quaking in fear. He sighed and scooted further to the side of his bed, patting the empty side as an invitation to Jimin. Jimin graciously accepted, scampering into Yoongi’s bed, immediately curling himself into a tight ball. Yoongi could feel how much Jimin was shaking. He reached out a hand and gently ran his hand along Jimin’s arm.
“It’s okay to be afraid,” Yoongi soothed, ignoring the fact that Jimin jumped at his touch. Jimin moved his face on the pillow so that Yoongi could get a better look at him, tears staining his cheeks. Yoongi reached a long finger and wiped away the freshest tear trailing down his face. “I found you on the beach the last time it stormed like this.” Jimin stared at him with wide brown eyes. “I wonder if that storm has something to do with who you are.”
Jimin opened his mouth to say something back, but was cut short by a roll of thunder. He let out a pathetic whimper and inched himself closer to Yoongi, burying his face deep into the mattress.
“Hey,” Yoongi spoke softly, his heart aching at the sight of Jimin burrowing into his bed in fear. He put his hand on Jimin’s upper back, pushing him closer to him, running an affectionate thumb along his spine. “I’m here, Jimin, don’t be scared.” Yoongi had hoped that his words would stop Jimin’s shaking, but it seemed to have no effect.
“I’m sorry,” Jimin mumbled, moving his head so his face was hidden against Yoongi’s chest. Yoongi ran a hand through Jimin’s sea salt coated hair.
“What are you sorry for?”
“You probably hate this.”
Jimin wasn’t exactly wrong. Yoongi hated comforting other people — he never knew what to say or what to do when someone was upset. But something about Jimin made it different. He wanted Jimin to feel safe, to see him smile and not shaking in fear. “I don’t hate doing this for you,” Yoongi said, still playing with Jimin’s hair, “I don’t hate doing anything for you.”
They were quiet together for a long time. Yoongi was getting hot holding Jimin so close, but didn’t dare let go of him. Yoongi was surprised with how much he enjoyed having Jimin this close to him. The sounds of the thunder and the rain had slowed and seemingly passed. Jimin let out a small whine with each clap, which stirred something deep and protective in Yoongi. He shifted Jimin a bit and leaned a small kiss down onto the top of his head — Jimin’s breath caught in his throat.
“Was that okay?” Yoongi asked, worrying for a moment he might have crossed an unspoken line.
“No, that’s okay.” Jimin said softly, pausing a moment before lifting his head to face Yoongi — his trembling seeming to have stopped. Fear faded from Jimin’s face, replaced instead with something new. He bit at his bottom lip, eyeing Yoongi’s. Yoongi felt a blush crop up on his cheeks as Jimin pressed his soft lips against his own. “Is this okay?” Jimin asked, his breath on Yoongi’s lips.
“Yes,” Yoongi sighed, pressing their lips back together.
Jimin slept in Yoongi’s bed every night after the night of the storm. It took Yoongi a few nights to get used to Jimin’s presence in his bed. At first he didn’t like the heat of having another body in his already stuffy room, but soon it became natural. Yoongi often went to bed an hour or two before Jimin, who would stay out on the beach, walking or drawing in the sand. When Jimin did join Yoongi in bed, he would quietly slip under the blanket and wrap a gentle arm around Yoongi. At first, Yoongi wanted to resist it, to move Jimin’s arm off of him and roll the other way, but he found himself pulling Jimin closer to him after a few nights.
Yoongi liked waking up with Jimin. He looked beautiful asleep with his bangs scattered across his forehead and his lips softly parted against the pillow. Yoongi would take in the sight for a moment before rolling himself out of bed to seek out his morning coffee.
As the thick of the summer passed, Yoongi knew some of the turtle nests would be ready to hatch and make their way back to the water on the beach. He checked on the nests each morning to see if any of them had changed during the night. No eggs had hatched yet, but walking the beach one morning, Yoongi noticed the familiar rustling of the sand covering one of the nests, indicating that his particular group of babies were ready. Yoongi’s heart raced.
“Jimin!” Yoongi shouted from where he was on the beach, knowing full well he was still fast asleep this early in the morning. Yoongi quickly ran to the house, bursting into their bedroom. “Jimin!” Yoongi shouted again, stirring Jimin from his sleep. He sat up and rubbed at his tired eyes, half opening them to look at Yoongi.
“What?” His voice rasped as he spoke, thick with grogginess.
“Jimin, a nest is hatching!” Yoongi’s excitement overflowed from him, he spoke quickly and much louder than normal, “You have to come see!”
Jimin took a moment to register what Yoongi said before jumping to his feet. He pulled an abandoned shirt from the floor over his head and followed close behind Yoongi’s hurried steps. Yoongi reached back and grabbed at Jimin’s hand, pulling him along faster. They made it back to the nest just as the turtles were digging their way to the surface.
“Oh wow,” Jimin gasped, stopping next to Yoongi. The small turtles were poking up through the sand one after another, with the first ones beginning their voyage across the beach and back into the water. They moved as quickly as their small bodies could travel with more and more turtles pouring out of the next in the ground.
“They’re making their way back to their families. They instinctually know where to go.” Yoongi told Jimin, who was crouched on the ground, as close to the little turtles as he could be without intervening with their travels.
“They just know where their families are in the sea?” Jimin asked, Yoongi nodded, “Wow,” Jimin said, breathless. He ran down to the water to watch the fastest turtles swim away into the tides. Yoongi watched as he smiled wide and pointed at the disappearing turtles. Something odd and unfamiliar stirred in the pit of Yoongi’s stomach as watched Jimin, still with bedhead dancing around the baby turtles. Albeit unfamiliar, Yoongi liked the feeling, and smiled with fondness at Jimin, watching him for a moment before returning his attention to one of his favorite events of the summer.
“Hyung, look,” Jimin said, pointing down at the abandoned turtle nest after all the turtles had left the beach, “One got left behind.” Yoongi watched as Jimin bent onto his knees to look at the lonely, struggling turtle. “Can I touch him?” He asked, looking up at Yoongi.
“Yeah,” Yoongi smiled, “You can touch him.”
“He just needs a little help,” Jimin said, his voice small and sweet, speaking more to the turtle than to Yoongi. With two gentle hands, Jimin scooped the small turtle up. He held it like it was made of glass before turning and walking towards the water. Yoongi followed close behind, watching Jimin’s display of kindness carefully. “Here, little guy,” Jimin said quietly as he knelt down into the ankle deep water of the beach and put his hands down so the turtle could speed away into the water. “Go find your family,” Jimin said, watching the turtle go.
Something about the way Jimin spoke filled Yoongi with a certain sadness for Jimin — that he himself seemed to be so far away from his family and where he belonged. He stepped next to Jimin in the water and carefully slid his hand into Jimin’s. Jimin gripped at his hand, seeming to experience the same sadness that Yoongi felt for him. After a moment, Yoongi moved his hand from Jimin’s hand to wrap it around his waist, pulling him closer against his chest and resting his chin on Jimin’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, watching after the turtles, both hoping they’d find their way home.
The nights on the beach got chillier just as Jimin began to get sick. At first he’d lay in bed for long periods of time, assuring Yoongi he’d feel better soon. His sunkissed skin looked pale and his bright eyes dark. Yoongi was worried, but felt listened to Jimin’s assurances.
“Maybe we should go to the doctor?” Yoongi suggested after a few days of letting Jimin lay in bed.
“No.” Jimin was always very firm on his answers when Yoongi suggested heading into town with him. Yoongi knew not to press it, he simply nodded and left a bottle of painkillers and a glass of water on the bedside table for Jimin.
Yoongi knew Jimin was waking up in pain in the night, he could hear it. Jimin would wake up Yoongi tossing and turning, but Yoongi would stay still and listen. Sometimes he’d hear Jimin crying — whether in pain or frustration, Yoongi couldn’t tell. Jimin would stretch his legs and sometimes he’d get up and pace the room. Eventually, it grew hard for Yoongi to sleep himself. He started sitting up and checking on Jimin.
“I’m fine, Yoongi, go back to sleep,” Jimin said, curled tight with his arms around his stomach.
“Not until you do,” Yoongi replied, wrapping his arms around Jimin, feeling the glistening sweat on Jimin’s skin against his own. The contact helped, and Jimin was able to wink in a few hours of sleep that night. Yoongi did his best to help where he could, but there was only so much he was able to do.
He woke up one night to Jimin leaning far of the bed, coughing. The coughs were loud and gasps were mixed in. Yoongi could tell from the way Jimin recoiled that each violent rattle of his chest caused him pain, but he seemed unable to stop.
“Jimin?” Yoongi shot up in bed, crawling his way next to him and placing a soft hand on his back. “Are you okay?”
Jimin shook his head, “W-Water,” He rasped between coughs. Yoongi sprung from the bed, running to the kitchen and returning with a glass of water for Jimin. He offered to him, but Jimin shook his head. He was shaking and it was starting to seem like he was struggling to get any breaths in. “M-more,” He rasped, pointing in the vague direction of the bathroom. Yoongi looked back and forth between Jimin and the direction he was pointing until something finally clicked.
“The bathtub?” Yoongi asked and Jimin nodded frantically. Yoongi ran to the bathroom, starting the facet and letting it run before coming back to Jimin. His face was bright red as he gasped. Yoongi blinked back panicked tears at the sight of him. “Here, let me carry you,” Yoongi said, as he slid his small arms under Jimin’s knees and around his waist.
The moment Yoongi set Jimin into the water of the bathtub his gasping calmed. His coughing slowed until he was able to breathe normally again. Yoongi watched as the color slowly returned to Jimin’s skin and peace settled over his face again. Leaning over Jimin in the tub, he let a selfish tear run down his cheek, thankful for whatever the water did to Jimin.
“Don’t cry, hyung. I’m sorry for worrying you,” Jimin said, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes were hardly open, sleep finally tugging at his eyelids.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Yoongi said, dropping to his knees and running a hand through Jimin’s hair and along his chin, “Get some sleep.” Jimin nodded, closing his gracious eyes.
Yoongi took Jimin’s hand as Jimin drifted to sleep, unable to ease his earlier panic. He watched Jimin sleep for a long time, until sleep tugged at his own eyes. Bunching up a towel on the floor as a makeshift pillow, he kept his eyes locked on Jimin until he drifted off to sleep himself.
Yoongi woke up with Jimin sitting up in the water looking at him. Yoongi’s body was sore and cried out at him from his sleep on the floor as he lifted himself to sit upright against the wall across from Jimin. “How are you feeling?” He asked, not really sure what else to say.
“Better.” Jimin said, and he looked it. Jimin hadn’t had this much color in his face in a few days.
“What exactly happened last night?” Yoongi asked, knitting his eyebrows together. Jimin shifted his eyes away from Yoongi. “Why did the water make you feel so much better?”
Jimin looked back at Yoongi. They exchanged eye contact for a long time — Yoongi was completely unable to read the expression on Jimin’s face. “We should talk,” Jimin sighed, “Will you help me up?”
Yoongi helped dry Jimin and retrieved him a set of clothes from their bedroom. Jimin guided them out onto the beach and sat them on his favorite rock formation by the water. They dangled their bare feet into the cold saltwater in silence.
“I remembered who I was a few weeks ago,” Jimin finally said, breaking the weight of the silence. Yoongi looked at him in surprise, but Jimin kept his eyes on the water.
“And you didn’t tell me?” Yoongi asked, trying his best to hide the hurt in his voice.
“I wasn’t exactly sure how to.”
“What do you mean?”
Jimin finally shifted his eyes to look at Yoongi, there were tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. “Because it means I have to leave you.”
“What?” Yoongi’s body lurched forward involuntarily. Jimin looked away again, which only frustrated Yoongi. He wanted to see Jimin’s eyes. “What do you mean, Jimin?”
Tears began falling down Jimin’s cheeks. “I don’t think you’ll understand.”
“Try me,” Yoongi said desperation flaring in his voice.
Jimin sighed and pulled his knees into his chest. “I’m not supposed to be here. . . On land, I mean.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I was born in the sea,” Jimin’s voice cracked as he spoke, no longer able to hold back the flood of tears coming from his eyes.
Yoongi tried to grapple with what Jimin said on his own, but couldn’t understand. “What do you mean you were born in the sea?”
Jimin sobbed once, soft and gentle. “I mean I’m a merman. I’m not supposed to be on land for as long as I already have been. It gets harder and harder to breathe the longer I’m on land.”
Yoongi was aware his mouth was hanging open, but couldn’t manage to close it. “So that means. . .”
“If I stay on land any longer, Yoongi, I could die.”
Yoongi could feel his heart breaking. His body went cold and pale. “So you have to. . . Go back?” Saying the words didn’t make it easier to process. He looked at Jimin, desperate for him to say no, but Jimin nodded and Yoongi’s heart plunged. “What happened the day I found you?”
“I was swimming too close to the surface the night of the storm. I got caught in strong wave and hit my head on a rock and the next thing I knew I was on your beach.” Jimin’s voice cracked at the end again, ushering in a new wave of sobs, “Your perfect little beach, hyung.”
Yoongi wasn’t sure what to say next. He never had a way with words and he didn’t feel much like touching Jimin. He looked down at his feet in the water. “Do you have to go right now?” Yoongi asked, keeping his eyes firmly down, not wanting to reveal to Jimin how much emotion was hiding behind his eyes.
“One more night?” Jimin asked, his voice as sweet as honey itself. Yoongi nodded, and Jimin slid his hand into Yoongi’s.
They didn’t sleep that night at all. Jimin clung to Yoongi, and Yoongi clung back. A part of Yoongi hoped that if he held on long enough, Jimin might not have to leave him. The thought of his bed being empty, of not seeing Jimin’s drawings in the sand in the mornings crushed him. He played with Jimin’s hair, not sure how to express how much he’d miss Jimin.
“Hyung. . .?” Jimin spoke in a barely audible whisper.
“Hmm?” Yoongi asked, still running his hand through Jimin’s hair.
“Thank you for such a wonderful summer.”
“I should be saying that to you.”
Jimin smiled and tangled his fingers into Yoongi’s shirt, idly pulling at the fabric. “I think I love you, hyung.”
Yoongi smiled himself, blushing, “I’m glad you said that, because I think I love you too.”
Jimin smiled and hid his face in Yoongi’s chest — a trait that Yoongi would miss about Jimin, how shy he got when he was embarrassed.
They watched the sun rise from their window tangled together, both feeling a sinking feeling at what the morning brought. They both knew it would only be worse to prolong it. Jimin tapped at Yoongi’s firm arms, indicated to him it was time to let go.
Yoongi could feel his feet getting heavier with each step they took towards the water. He wanted to scream — to stop time and live in a bubble with Jimin forever. Jimin took his hand as they walked, helping to guide Yoongi to the water.
“It’s just like the turtles, hyung.” Jimin’s voice was shaking, but no tears were in his eyes.
“Just like the turtles.” Yoongi echoed, trying to approach the situation with the sense of awe and spectacle as the hatching of one of his nests.
They hugged at the edge of the beach for a long time, knowing that when they let go that would be final. Yoongi leaned his head into Jimin’s ever so slightly, and snuck a gentle kiss before letting go.
“Will I ever see you again?” Yoongi asked, trying to hold back the tears threatening in his eyes.
Jimin looked at the water and back to Yoongi. “The tide is only right to come back here in the summer.”
“So. . .?” Yoongi asked, hopeful.
“If you wait for me, Min Yoongi, I’ll be back.”
“I’d wait forever for you, Park Jimin.”
They kissed once more, before Jimin broke away. Yoongi brushed a tear from Jimin’s cheek before nodding to him, giving him permission to leave. Jimin turned away, pulling his clothes off his body and wading into the water. He turned back to look at Yoongi one last time.
“Just like the turtles.” Yoongi assured, waving. Jimin nodded and continued into the water, until it was deep of him to plunge his entire body into the cold water. He disappeared under the water for a long time, then resurfaced, showing off his long, beautiful, deep blue tail — splashing it once then disappearing again.
“Just like the turtles.” Yoongi repeated quietly to himself.
***
The winter months passed slowly on the beach. There isn’t much to do before the turtles make their way onshore in the warmer months to lay their eggs. Yoongi’s house is cold, warmed only by the fireplace in his living room. Where he once enjoyed the solitude, he can now only think of the distinct lack of Jimin.
The new year passed, and soon the weather was climbing back into the summer warmth. As the sun started staying in the sky longer, Yoongi kept his eyes glued on the water. The turtles came and went, leaving their eggs in Yoongi’s care for another year, but Yoongi kept searching. He sat so that he was facing the water at all times.
As the summer months set it and Yoongi began to sweat from the heat of the sun, he spotted him. His beautiful, shimmering tail splashing in the distance — Yoongi would know it anywhere. He spotted him from the window in his living room and ran barefoot out to the shore, wading slightly into the water.
Jimin’s face appeared above the surface, just a little further out, smiling his beautiful smile with his crooked teeth. Yoongi couldn’t hold himself back, and he ran out into the water — not caring he was still fully clothed. He swam out to meet Jimin, who took him in his arms, laughing his singsong laugh that Yoongi missed so much. Yoongi cupped Jimin’s cheeks in his hands, pulling his lips onto his in a deep kiss.
“I missed you, Jimin.” Yoongi said as they pulled away.
“I missed you too, Yoongi.”