The hotel room is dark and quiet except for the steady rain against the windows. I stir awake suddenly, heart racing at the sound of labored breathing beside me. Not quite human breathing - there's a wet, clicking quality to it that sends a chill down my spine.

"Yoongi-hyung?" I whisper, fumbling for the lamp. The bulb clicks on, casting golden light across the bed - and what lies there.

Not human legs. A tail, shimmering with brownish-red scales that catch the light. Scales dust his cheeks too, and his gills flutter visibly beneath his sleep shirt as he struggles for air. His eyes are nearly black, pupils dilated with distress.

"Shit," I exclaim, scrambling out of bed. The bathtub - we always book rooms with bathtubs for this very reason. I rush to turn on the water, testing the temperature with my wrist before plugging the drain.

When I return, Yoongi's eyes have slipped closed, face contorted in pain. The oxygen is burning his gills, I know. He described it once as suffocating while drowning and breathing at the same time.

"I've got you," I murmur, carefully scooping him into my arms. He's lighter than he looks, even with the tail. His arms wrap around my neck, gills brushing my shoulder as he buries his face against my skin.

The water's deep enough now. I lower him gently into the tub, and he sighs in relief as his gills submerge. His tail flicks weakly, splashing water across the marble floor.

"Sorry," he whispers, eyes returning to their normal dark brown as he relaxes into the warm water. "I didn't mean to..." His voice trails off, embarrassment coloring his cheeks pink.

I sit beside the tub, reaching for his hand. The scales feel strange against my palm - cool and slightly textured, but not unpleasant.

"It's okay," I say, brushing a strand of red hair off his forehead. "We'll figure this out. Always do."