RUN FROM ME ┃ taekook

18 - balance between light and shadows

"resistance to logic," he snorted, his voice a harsh whisper. "great. now they're calling me stupid."

but the more he read, the less he could laugh.

"their abilities often manifest during moments of emotional extremes or proximity to prey. such encounters can lead to energy surges, heightened emotions, and a sense of connection that defies explanation."

he froze, the words sinking in deeper than he wanted to admit.

taehyung's face flashed in his mind. the nightmares. the way his body felt when he woke up tangled with the smaller boy, like he couldn't tell where he ended and taehyung began. the lilac in his eyes.

ugh, this was so fucking wrong.

he clenched his fists, the nails digging into his palms. "this is just... coincidence," he muttered, but his voice was quieter now, less certain.

he flipped to another section, scanning for anything that might disprove it. but the more he read, the more the pieces started to fit.

"to test one's shadowborn lineage, one can attempt a summoning ritual or observe specific reactions to emotional or physical stimuli. shadowborns often feel a pull toward certain objects, places, or individuals they are meant to eliminate from the realms."

"a summoning ritual?" he whispered, his eyebrows furrowing.

he sat back, closing the book and letting his head fall into his hands. his thoughts raced, each one louder than the last.

"taehyung's just messing with me. he's obsessed with this witch stuff, and now it's in my head. that's all it is."

but deep down, there was something else. he knew from the moment he had seen the reflection of his eyes glowing purple last night.

his mind drifted to the way taehyung had described the nightmare: how it mirrored his own. the detail, the vividness. it was too precise, too specific.

he had no clue how that was possible.

jungkook's fingers drummed against the table, his gaze unfocused as his thoughts spiraled. he hated this. he hated feeling like he was losing control, like there was something just out of reach, pulling at him.

he sat there for a long time, staring at the book. finally, he grabbed it, tucking it under his arm and heading to the checkout desk.

just in case.

⋆˖⁺‧₊ ☽ ◯ ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

the kitchen in jimin's dorm was cramped but homey. the counters were cluttered with mismatched utensils and half-empty spice jars, and a tiny portable speaker sat on the windowsill, blasting some nineties r&b.

taehyung leaned against the counter, rolling a tomato back and forth under his palm as jimin rooted through the mini-fridge.

"why is everything i own expired?" jimin groaned, pulling out a jar of mayo that looked suspiciously beige.

"because you eat out every other day," taehyung shot back, tossing the tomato into the air and catching it.

jimin straightened, holding up two sad-looking burger patties wrapped in cling film. "first of all, fuck off. second of all, these are fine. third of all - you wanted to update me on something?"

taehyung sighed, throwing the sliced tomato into a bowl. then he ripped the bandaid off. "yoongi and i broke up."

the onion knife stopped mid-slice.