The Devil Inside - BTSxOC - ***COMPLETED***

Finally

Marina didn't even wait for her dizziness to subside, "Taehyung stop!" she yelled out, running from the foyer up to his room, "Taehyung!"

She fell flat, her equilibrium not evened out yet. Still, she yelled Taehyung's name relentlessly, crawling up the stairs until she had her bearings again. As soon as her feet were under her, she sprinted into the bedroom, stopping short at the sight before her. 

He was red faced, panting, clutching at the blankets as he lay prone on the bed. His eyes were glazed over, letting her know he was already in Nyx, even though she had never seen their physical disposition like that before. His teeth ground and he grunted in frustration, slipping between consciousnesses as he heard her voice.

"Leave," he ground out, "Don't see me like this."

"Don't finish it!" she yelled back, "Don't finish the pact! If you stop now, we can be in our contract again."

Taehyung sat up, eyes clear, "What?"

"Rin interfered," Jimin said calmly, his voice distant, "If you fulfill your next pact, our contract with Mari is done forever. If you don't, it will be back on this time tomorrow."

"I-it will?"

"Yes," Marina confirmed, "Don't finish it. I'm not ready to be done with you."

"You should be!" Taehyung suddenly seethed, making Marina step back in shock, "I...I've done nothing to deserve you. I can't..." he looked at the ground, breathing heavily, "I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"You think I won't be hurt if you do this?"

"I think the hurt won't last as long," he answered, "Besides...wouldn't we be able to know what I feel is real? Real, right now?" he looked into her eyes, showing the pain and confusion he felt, "If we aren't in a contract, will my feelings change, or will they be the same?"

"You're such a fucking idiot," Jimin growled out, making both Marina and Taehyung look at him in confusion, "You're not in a contract right now, Dipshit." He held his hands out as though the answer should be obvious, "If you love her, right now, then you love her. You don't need to fulfill the contract, because as soon as ours is back on, it'll be fulfilled. Even if you don't love her, I do. The pact is finished tomorrow. Properly."

They both looked at him like had grown a second head for a few moments, realization dawning on them slowly. He rolled his eyes, motioning for them to speak with his hands in irritation. Marina turned back to Taehyung, a small smile creeping over her face.

"D-do you? Love me?"

"I don't know. I think so."

"Isn't that enough?" Jimin asked quietly, "Seems like it should be, even if you're both dense as all hells."

Marina looked at Taehyung with the question in her eyes. Was it enough? Would it be enough for him? For her? As his head began to nod, she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, her knees nearly buckling with the relief of the pressure that had been built up in the room. She turned around to thank Jimin, but found he had already left. 

"He needs time," Taehyung spoke softly behind her, "It's...a lot. Tending to these feelings, after accepting that we would live our lives without ever knowing them...it's a lot."

"I should talk to him, though." Marina keep her eyes on the empty doorway, "His confession...it means..."

"Tomorrow," Taehyung answered, "Give him some time." He opened his arms, silently asking her to join him, "Let's just rest...we need some time as well."

With a sad sigh for Jimin, Marina relented and climbed onto the bed, letting Taehyung pull her into his arms. They laid down, arms around one another, while she laid her head on his chest and he buried his nose into the top of her hair. The past day and a half without her had been murder for his soul, taking every bit of pride he had to stay away while they were fighting, to not give in and hold her close. He was an idiot, just like Jimin said. He could have had her in his arms, he could have relished the feeling and smell of her for minutes and hours more, if he had just put his ego aside and admitted how much he cared for her.