Golden Time

3. Calm Before the Storm

After being in town for a few hours, Yoona did not expect to have ended up sitting against her car in the heat with a hybrid in pain. She did not expect Jungkook to be wrapped in his own arms, saying sorry for what felt like the 15th time. She had tried counting, counting each sorry that left his trembling lips as she made sure his breathe had evened out.

The morning had started well, Jungkook had insisted on helping Yoona make a quick and easy breakfast for the both of them. He hadn't said much, a simple 'Good morning' and nothing much else except a few hums of agreements to things he liked and disliked when it came to the breakfast food they ate, even if the time was more fitting for lunch. But Yoona expected he liked the quiet, liked not having to talk, not expected to talk, like that he could comfortably sit at a table with another person who didn't want anything except for him to eat.

After both of them were satisfied with a full stomach and a fresh change of clothing for the day, they were finally ready to leave. Yoona asked Jungkook to help her bring the Tupperware back to Mrs. Astor when they finally reach the front door, Jungkook a little more active with a full belly of food. He happily agreed with a wider smile with the easy feeling around him grabbing them before Yoona could, Jungkook insisting on carrying everything, the few meters down the path to Mrs. Astor's small cottage.

Jungkook's eyes scanned around the property in the bright glow of the sunlight that helped him to see around, seeing that there were a fair few cottage's around the bigger house they had just walked out of. He was curious to ask about who they were for, but from what he could sense, from the overwhelming smells around him, a number of different hybrids lived here. He recognized the scent of the cottage he now stood in front of, easily picking up the scent that lingered around Yoona after the food was dropped off last night.

"This is Mr. and Mrs. Astor's cottage." Yoona spoke softly as she knocked on the door, both of them catching a lot of noise on the other side of the red door. "They watched me grow up, my own grandparents helped to get them out of a bad situation." Yoona wanted to add the words 'Like you.' But she thought better of it. "They're like my grandparents."

When the door opened, Jungkook was surprised that the woman that opened the door was a small bunny hybrid, even having heard Yoona mention that Mrs. Astor was a bunny like him last night, he hadn't exactly realized. She smiled widely as she noticed Yoona, Jungkook easily seeing the grandmotherly bond she had with Yoona from the single smile, then her eyes drifted to Jungkook. Her smile did not falter, even with something like recognition past through her eyes, if anything it grew.

"Good morning, Mrs. Astor, we bought your Tupperware back." Yoona gestured for Jungkook to hand her the bag, watching him hold it out to her. "Also, I'd like you to meet Jungkook."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Jungkook." Mrs. Astor addressed Jungkook as she took the bag from Jungkook with such a sweet and grandmotherly smile of her own for him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Mrs. Astor." Jungkook bowed to her, his large floppy ears falling forward, over his head and almost touching the ground in excitement. Jungkook was just happy that he was meeting someone who wanted to meet him, who wanted to greet him, who smiled at him without any malicious intent.

Yoona doesn't think she was supposed to see it, nor did she think he intended for her to see it, and she wouldn't doubt he hadn't forgotten about it. It wasn't something to forget or just show anyone you had just meet, especially from someone whose trust was so easily gained and yet knew how horrible humans could be.

There, on the back of Jungkook's ears, near the base of his left ear which was clear of any fur that might have been once on them, an angry red brand was imprinted into his skin.