Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Seoul Psych Ward, May 20, XXXX

"How is he doing?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, Sir."

"Still silent?"

"Won't utter a single word, Sir."

"Health?"

"Eats everything provided, wounds have healed, takes meds without fail when needed, no further breakdowns or attempts at suicide or murder, psychologically and physically stable as of now, Sir."

"Keep your eyes on him no matter what and don't let your guards down. He's not human anymore. Despite his age, he's still dangerous. I want the best team to monitor him. Contact me immediately if something seems off."

"Understood, Kalon-ssi."

"Good. Get back to work."

Three weeks prior in Daegu

"Squad one I need you to give me a read, what the hell is going on!?"

"This is squad one, Sir, there seems to be something unheard of in the middle of all this... He looks like a kid, there's nothing and no one else present!"

"A kid? Have you lost your mind? You're telling me that a child is the one causing all this destruction? We came here searching for a supernatural not a child!"

"Affirmative Sir, there's no doubt that *crackle*--w-wait, stay back-- please don--*line cut*"

"Squad one!? Hey, answer me! Ah, Shit."

The harsh sounds of reality flooded their ears. The S.D.F was suddenly deployed to Daegu due to unforeseen occurrences that have wiped out the whole place. They were given minimal information on the case, but the alarms had blared and those that were able to take cover underground were safe while those that didn't... Well, their chances of survival weren't high. They had arrived believing they were looking for one or more of the recorded supernatural species in their books, but their surroundings were deadly silent upon entering.

At first, everything was going smoothly. No casualties. No deaths. No movement. Buildings were already engulfed in flames when they had arrived, the most damaged place having been burnt to a crisp and splattered with crimson blood. An obvious cavity was formed around the perimeter, but no other clues were left. For a place that was burning to the ground, it was relatively calm. That is, until someone had the brilliant idea to go after a moving entity on their own without reporting it.

The number of people they had brought along was slowly diminishing all because they were being reckless in their moves. No one has had a clear look at whoever or whatever was the cause of this and as far as they knew, the only things capable of such destruction were high level demons or the mythical spirits written about in old scriptures.

"This is Min Yoongi, part of Officer Park Jimin's squad, I've caught sight of the culprit. Our group got separated, I don't know where the leader is, permission to proceed while armed?"

The crackle in his ear made him wince. His eyes were trained on the body leaning against a tree, watching it flee again as his ears picked up the whistle of arrows.

"Permission granted. Be careful, we've already lost too many."

"Sure, no problem, Sir."

Yoongi grabbed a hold of the familiar bow, placing a hand on the quiver on his side as he ran after the person he had seen seconds ago.

Where are you, ya brat? I just wanna go home.

As if his pleads were heard, the person he was looking for appeared. He smiled and readied his bow. Practiced moves lead to a steady aim and the unmoving target made it easier. At the distance he was in, there's no way he'd miss.

"You're mine."

His fingers were letting go of the deadly arrow when Yoongi's ears were filled with desperate cries of help. His usually fluid movements were halted and his fingers gripped at the arrow's fletching, almost nearing the green nock.

Are they crying? Why?

"H-Help me please!"

Yoongi shook his head, retaking his position.

"Someone... He-Help me, please..."

His hand faltered yet again, but he closed his eyes and steadied himself, willing his ears to filter out the pleas.

"I-I don't wan-wanna die... I didn't mean to- to kill anyone, pl-please! I- I don't want to hur-hurt anyone.."

Yoongi groaned, putting his hands down and throwing his head back.

I can't believe I'm hesitating!

"'m scared.. some-someone please, h-help me!"

Would it be odd to say that the usually thorough and determined Min Yoongi was having second thoughts on exterminating the target? This had to be a demon. Maybe a mimicker or a ghoul, he doesn't know what other being can communicate like this.

"Save me, please!"

Taking a few breaths, Yoongi once again steadied his arm and aimed. "Game over kid."

The arrow was fired and the person hit the ground with a cut off sob. Yoongi heaved a breath, placing his bow back in its case, feeling his tension ebb away. Walking into the mess of broken trees, Yoongi messed with his walkie. "This is Min Yoongi; the target's been shot down. Not killed, but knocked out. I think we should take him to Jin-ssi."

"Roger that. Well done, meet the rest of us at the safe point, and bring the culprit with you. We have a lot of cleaning to do."

"Understood," he sighed, trotting towards the fallen person only to receive the shock of finding a small boy with brilliant blond locks bleeding out on the coal covered ground. He's a lot smaller up close than he was from their previous positions. Yoongi thought it would have been at least a teenager or someone in their early twenties, not a literal child!

"Have you found out anything about the kid?"

Yoongi and Jimin were currently visiting Seok-Jin at his workplace, curious about the one behind the calamity back in Daegu.

"He's been labeled a half-demon. I don't know how that's possible, but something big must've happened to trigger the demon side because he clearly has no control over it whatsoever. His family is an all-human bloodline with no history of interaction with demons or any similar entities on record. He has no horns, no fangs, no claws, nothing aside from his abnormal powers and he's only eight." He pulled up the information on the big screen, not wasting a second as he continued displaying his findings, "More studies will have to be conducted, but he has to wake up first. The impact from the arrow you shot was pretty big for the small boy. We'll keep him in isolation for now."

Yoongi nodded, "Thank you, Jin-Hyung."

Jin sighed, "I don't know why you brought him to me, but I'll make sure he heals properly."

No other words were exchanged as Yoongi followed Jimin down the halls.

"I thought you were going to kill him. I heard you over the channel. Why'd you decide to let him live? It's not like you," Jimin murmured as they passed by the reception desk.

"He was scared. He was lost," muttered Yoongi, gaze trained on the doors. "He didn't understand what was going on and he asked- No, he begged for help. I couldn't bring myself to kill him, not when he reminded me so much of my big brother."

Jimin slowly came to a halt at Yoongi's words. He contemplated them. Thought carefully of what he was supposed to say next. He had worked with Yoongi's brother before, it wasn't a long time but they were acquainted and on the day of his funeral, he met Yoongi for the first time. Min Jun-Ki, his brother, was a well-known Officer of the S.D.F and one of the first to properly utilize a demon weapon. Working alongside him taught Jimin a lot, he still greatly respects the man and he respects Yoongi too.

"I think you made the right choice. Your brother would have been proud... I just hope he isn't beyond saving."

Those were his last words as they left the ward. On the ride back to their apartment, the car was filled with silence. Jimin stole small glances at Yoongi who was looking out the window with a melancholic gaze, his mind drifting to memories of the past.

------

"Hyung! Hyung! Can I visit your work and see you train? Please~!"

An adorable little boy ran up to his big brother, immediately jumping and running around.

"Easy there kiddo, we don't want you hurting yourself, now do we? If you behave, maybe I'll take you with me, alright?" The elder ruffled the small boy's hair as he gave a bright, gummy smile and nodded his head enthusiastically.

-------

"Jun-Ki, focus! You'll get nowhere if you keep hesitating. You have to control it not let it control you."

"Come on, Hyung! You can do it!"

Jun-Ki gave his younger brother a thumbs up and focused on the task at hand: Controlling his demon weapon.

-------

"Hello? Is this Min Yoongi, Min Jun-Ki's brother?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"We are calling from the S.D.F and we are sorry to inform you about this but, Sir... Min Jun-Ki has been involved in an incident that requires your presence at the office as soon as possible."

"W-What? What incident? Is he hurt?"

"Sir, telling you over the phone is a bit..."

"Tell me! He's the only person I have left, what happened?"

"Well... Unfortunately, the incident claimed his life. I apologize for having to tell you this over the phone but, Officer Min Jun-Ki is dead."

His choked breath was swallowed as he willed himself to speak, "H-How? You're kidding, right? You have to be-"

"I apologize Sir, but we are not lying. I warned you beforehand. His cause of death was a khan worm overtake. The S.D.F had to take him down. Due to the danger of this line of work, every employee writes a will and, in his letter, his wish was for you to join the force by his side, but we understand if you refuse."

"Overtaken by a khan worm? But he managed to control a demon weapon, how did he lose to something like that? The S.D.F said he'd be fine once he had undergone the training! He was one of the top-ranked Officers in squad one, what about his partner? Where was he!?"

The other line didn't answer and minutes of silence passed as the sixteen-year-old boy processed what was going on. His brother died. He died and they won't tell him the details. Of course, they weren't going to tell him what had happened in detail, the only way to find out what really happened is to become part of the organization.

"Hah... Fine, I'll join, but I won't be an Officer, make me a partner and I want to be in the squad my brother was in."

------

A squeeze to his thigh brought Yoongi back to his senses, his head turning to the person beside him. Jimin gave him a reassuring smile, "I'm here if you need me Yoongs, don't deal with things on your own."

The latter nodded, watching his partner get out of the car.

I wasn't there for you then, but this time... I won't let it happen again.

Chapter Text

A small groan echoed from inside the isolated cell, the body lying on the white cell bed twitched here and there.

Where am I?

The cube-shaped room seemed to have no door. All the walls were white except for one transparent opening. They attempted to sit, but held their side in pain, peering down and noticing the blood-stained bandages. A small trickle of fear fell into their stomach as they stared at the tainted cloth. Slowly sitting up and sliding off the bed, they walked towards the open way but soon realized it was solid as they, not so carefully, crashed into it.

"Oh my, are you alright? I see you're awake, how are you feeling?"

A sudden voice came from behind the fake opening and the young boy quickly looked up, rubbing his hurt nose and blinking away the wetness in his eyes. He was met with a tall, handsome man in a lab coat. The boy was transfixed for a second before he stumbled back, not knowing what to do in front of this stranger. His eyes frantically looked around, hoping to find something, anything, he could use for defense but all he had was a bed.

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Actually, I healed your wound, and I'd like to ask you a few things if that's alright with you."

The boy stayed quiet, not moving from his current spot on the ground, wary eyes trained on the stranger.

"You can just nod or shake your head, okay? I won't go past the plexiglass."

The boy nodded, not wanting to cause any trouble by saying no. The other smiled, taking out a pen and putting it to paper.

"Do you know your name?"

A nod.

"Do you know your age?"

A nod.

"Where you come from?"

A semi-nod. Is that a thing?

"Your birthday?"

A nod.

"Do you know how or why you ended up here?"

A shake. The boy tried thinking of what could've happened and remembered nothing but a large blinding light and a searing pain in his tummy.

"An only child?"

A hurried shake.

"Human?"

A hard nod.

"Supernatural? More specifically, a demon?"

A frantic shake.

So, he doesn't know it himself? This kid only gets stranger by the second.

"Have you heard of the S.D.F?"

An excited nod. It seems the boy's a fan of the organization.

"I see, so you remember nothing of what happened before you woke up? No recollection at all?"

Another confirming nod.

"Okay then," sighed the man before giving a small smile. "My name is Kim Seok-Jin. You're currently under the custody of the S.D.F Psych Ward and I am appointed to care for you as the head of both the ward and hospital. If you can't recall what happened, I'll have to try and make you remember. We have video footage and evidence, but I'd rather not put you through that strain so early into your stay. If you remember anything, please let me know as soon as possible, there's a button next to your headboard, press it if anything comes back or if you need something. Things will be explained to you once you're fully recuperated, okay?"

The patient nodded as he now slowly stood up from his position on the ground, flinching at the tug on his abdomen. He walked towards the glass, placing a small hand against it. He bowed his head, "Th-Thank you... Sorry."

Seok-Jin was taken aback. The boy's voice was barely above a whisper and clearly unused. Come to think of it, Seok-Jin should have brought him some water even if he wasn't sure whether or not he'd be awake. That aside, he didn't know why the small boy was apologizing, he had done nothing wrong. Actually, he takes that back, he hasn't done anything wrong during the time he's been awake, but either way, Jin smiled and told him it was alright before leaving him alone again.

Once in his office, he made a phone call to an impatient visitor.

"Hello?"

"Hey Yoongi-ah, the boy woke up toda-"

"Is he alright? Has he said anything? Can I see him?"

Yoongi bombarded Jin with millions of questions, causing the elder to stifle a laugh, "Yes, Yoongi, he's fine but he has no recollection of what happened a few weeks ago. He only knows his basic information and what's strange is that he isn't aware of being half-demon, so you can visit him just... Watch what you say."

"Alright Hyung, I'll ask Jiminie to take me there right now, thank you for letting me know."

"Sure thing Yoongs. Oh, and by the way, you and Jimin should just hook up already, it's obvious how much you love each other and it's painful to see you both act like you know nothing. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to be the one person aware of both of your feelings?"

"HYUNG!! What is wrong with you? We don-"

Jin didn't let him finish, cutting in with a quick, "Bye Yoongi, say hi to Jimin for me okay!"

And with that being said, the elder quickly hung up and went back to his files on the boy named Kim Taehyung. The nature of Taehyung's case caused many problems for the doctor and the boy himself. Everyone was saying he had demon blood, but whenever they ran tests, his blood never matched with a demon. Jin tried to find a match, comparing it to other species, but none fit, so they could only guess and label Taehyung as a half-demon because no other species made sense. All of his information had nothing about his family being involved with the stereotypically vile creatures, so they eventually decided to stop looking into it and after some time, Taehyung no longer brought up the topic, preferring to leave it untouched. The boy was struggling to understand this part of his situation and could only shake his head at the repeated questions thrown his way.

A week after their first meeting, Seok-Jin had understood why Taehyung had apologized the day he had questioned him. The young boy admitted that he had a stutter and he didn't like it. It's been present since his first year in primary school and the only thing he could do was try and speak slowly in hopes of eventually having the stutter disappear or die down. The doctor helped him understand that it was okay for him to be different, even more often when his therapy sessions began. He was reminded that his stutter only added to his character. Jin and his team members were one of the only people who treated him like a normal person in that facility, so hearing words like that had made the boy tear up and cry. It was around that time when Jin began feeling attached.

Two weeks later and there was no real progress regarding the boy's memory no matter how often they had sessions together. To Taehyung, the memories of his own family were foggy. They were blurred and the audio was broken, but he knew he had a family of his own. He just wondered where they were and why they haven't come to find him. To his dismay, Jin kept his words and showed the boy the footage of that day. His eyes had clouded over and he wished for nothing more than to stop the video and pictures, but it had to be done. Taehyung can't live in the darkness forever. That being said, Taehyung couldn't believe the fact that he destroyed up to half of his own home town. That he killed his family. His brother. His sister. His parents. On the day of his little sister's birthday no less. The fact that a kid his age, an eight-year-old, could understand the gravity of his actions, was surprising in general.

Taehyung didn't and couldn't believe the fact that, somehow, he was a half-breed. A half-demon despite having never been in contact with the species. He nearly fell into shock after that stunt and if it weren't for Jin, Taehyung would have been long gone that day. It had been too much. Since then, Taehyung became even more reserved and for a period of time, he refused to eat or drink, and he wasn't able to sleep. His head was filled with pieces of a puzzle that just couldn't combine to make a whole and something in the back of his head made him want to yell and tear down the walls. Along with that feeling, the young eight-year-old boy had begun to forget again. His memories faded again but returned unexpectedly at random times. It was hell for him. It was painful for Jin to watch.

A year into his stay and Taehyung had a clean recovery, physically speaking. Psychologically, Jin and his team had some work to do as long as the nine-year old would comply. In addition to his recovery, Taehyung managed to get comfortable with Yoongi and Jimin. The first time they had met, Taehyung had hidden behind Jin for the majority of the visit, but after a year of them dropping by, he grew to see them as older brothers. Jin had wondered if maybe that was his way of filling in the void left behind now that his real siblings were gone but didn't bring it up with Taehyung. If this helps him, he'll let it be and simply monitor everything. When Taehyung found out that they were part of the S.D.F, his shyness had shifted into excitement. His leisurely days with the three men were becoming scarce though. Seok-Jin was becoming occupied with newcomers and flooded with paperwork, Yoongi and Jimin were busy with their exorcising jobs with the S.D.F and the recruitment period; Taehyung was starting to be left alone.

As a result of the sudden scarcity of the ever-present trio of men, the curious idiots known as researchers in the ward would put Taehyung through their reckless antics in an attempt to bring out his other side. The turmoil of emotions and the unbearable physical pain became too overwhelming for the poor boy and his stability wavered greatly. He was young, not even in his pre-teens, and he had no one other than Jin, Yoongi, and Jimin. Taehyung had refused to speak of what had happened even once his nights became sleepless and he couldn't stomach food for weeks and his body began to be painted in dried scabs. His lips remained sealed no matter how often Jin asked, but the cameras in the facility spoke enough about what had happened and Jin had kept the boy under tight lock-and-key security while he was unable to attend to him.

That didn't keep them from bothering the boy.

It didn't help that the head of the S.D.F did nothing to protect Taehyung from tampering scientists; he was all for the experimentation on a half-breed. Jimin and Yoongi tried getting the head to do something, but the man was stubborn and threatened to cut them off the work force even if they were the top rankers. They were useless. When the torture and experiments kept increasing and becoming more extreme, Seok-Jin argued with the workers and begged them to leave the boy alone, attempting to reason with the head of the organization but he was shunned and turned down too. They said he was getting too attached to the demon boy, but he argued that Taehyung was in his care so they had no right to experiment on him and toy with such a fragile being. That should be a violation of their rules and regulations, but no one cares about someone with dirty blood in their veins and human blood on their hands. Their prodding, poking, mocking, and meddling never resulted in the appearance of the dangerous demon Taehyung hid inside. It only resulted in permanent marks all across his tanned skin, a disappearing voice, and more trauma.

Despite their many fails, the people did eventually succeed in bringing out his other half. All it took was a jab at someone close to Taehyung. Jin had walked into his cell just in time. A group of researchers were dragging him out of his bed, already preparing a syringe with some of that sleeping tonic he was tired of getting injected with. The button on his headboard was just inches away, but his hands had instantly been pulled back. The doctor had rushed up to them, slapping away the needle and pushing them off of Taehyung. The blond had instantly latched on to Jin's back, breathing coming out in uneven puffs as his body trembled uncontrollably.

Turning to the boy and keeping an eye on the intruders, Jin rubbed at the boy's arms, saying, "Taehyung, are you okay? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. It's alright, I'm here now, deep, steady breaths, it's okay."

One of the researchers got angry, grabbing a hold of Jin and trying to get rid of him.

"Why do you get in our way? Shouldn't you be agreeing with us? This is in the name of research!"

"I won't let you harm a child that has caused no problems since his arrival!" Jin argued, blocking their path to Taehyung. "This isn't research, this is torture and abuse!"

"You!" A hand was coming down on his cheek. Jin was ready to take it if it meant protecting his little boy. His little boy didn't find that agreeable though.

"No... No!" Taehyung had snapped at them all, hand reaching out for Jin, yelling "GET AWAY!"

He blew them away with a single command. Jin was the only one left standing and unharmed with a seething Taehyung guarding him. It would have been adorable and comical, what with the boy being several heads shorter and smaller than the full-grown adult he's protecting, if it weren't for the agitated groans coming from Taehyung. The researchers were effectively shocked and drenched in fear as they froze and tried to scramble away. It was clear to Jin that he still had close to no control over that side. Any longer and it'd be the same as the Daegu incident. Regaining his senses Jin picked up the syringe the idiots had prepared, and skillfully injected Taehyung before he caused any more damage. From then on, Jin had counted on Yoongi and Jimin to try and help the boy control himself whenever he felt like he was on the verge of losing it. During those times, they were able to find that Taehyung and his other half were like two completely different beings; there were no similarities whatsoever. The only good that did was that it helped them tell them apart.

As the years went by, Taehyung was finally left alone and began to flourish behind the confines of his cell. Even with his steady growth, there were some deteriorations within the young adult. At the age of fifteen, Taehyung's slowly starting to forget the way everything looked and the memories of his past have grown foggy once again. He's lucky enough to remember his family's names, but their faces are blurred and their voices are muddled. The memories he had made with them were shattered and incomplete. The events of that day are reduced to nothing but a black screen and smoke. All he knows now is the common, plain whiteness of his cell. Sometimes, he asks Jin, Yoongi and Jimin to describe how certain things look. He asks about colors, smells, the weather, places he only knows by name; everything and anything anyone can think of. He'd ask a million questions a day and his Huyngs gladly answered him. Taehyung hasn't seen the outside world ever since the incident in Daegu, so of course they'd indulge him.

When ten years had gone by, the country had decided on a final verdict for Taehyung. The once eight-year-old boy was now eighteen. He was deemed too dangerous to the people of South Korea due to losing control, going on a rampage, committing a massacre and being a half-breed, something rare and different. He was sentenced to life in solitary confinement within the walls of the ward with a very small chance of regaining freedom, much to the trio's regret. They had a strong argument that was presented by Jin, the head of the ward and hospital, regarding the final sentence. Compared to back then, the eighteen-year-old is now able to control his demon half a lot better and has spent his time as his human self for more than three years. Taehyung hasn't attempted to take anyone life; not his own, not Jin's, not Yoongi's, not Jimin's, absolutely no ones. His psychological state, for the most part, allows him the chance and ability to reintegrate into society and he can still continue his therapy sessions and treatment if needed; what else can they point out!?

"Your Honor, this boy is clearly one of the best behaved and rational supernaturals we've apprehended. He was and still is human, first and foremost, and he deserves a chance to go back outside and form a part of society," urged the doctor, running out of ways to try and convince the judge and jury of Taehyung's need for a new chance. "He practically has two personalities, Taehyung wasn't the one who committed the crime, it was his dormant and under control persona. You can't charge him for something he was unaware of doing. His sentence can, and should be, lightened."

The courtroom broke out into murmurs, the judge and jury turned their mirth on Jin, disregarding the sound argument he put together. They were unwilling to do such a thing.

"Kim Seok-Jin. You're the head of the S.D.F's ward and hospital, correct? You were also once part of the police force as an Officer?"

Jin nodded, not sure what that has to do with anything.

"Then you of all people should be in agreement with us. We have waited for this abomination to come of age in order to charge him as an adult for the undeniable crime he had committed. Evidence says you've previously been a target of this thing's wrath."

"No! Your Honor, Taehyung has never been violent with me. Not him and not his other half. I don't know who reported such a thing, but it isn't true. Min Yoongi and Park Jimin can-"

"There are witnesses that say you have gotten overly attached," the judge cut in. "With this in mind, I see the need to deem your argument as nothing more than a complain. You should know better than to form a relationship with something that vile. Kim Taehyung's sentence shall remain as is. No further objections. This court has come to an end."

Jin stood at the podium long after the court ended. Yoongi and Jimin standing behind him, preferring to stay silent so as to give him space. Taehyung was also long gone. He had been unwillingly dragged away the second the court ended. He didn't verbally protest, but his eyes were pleading for them to let him stay with the three men. It was all in vain.

Despite his age, Taehyung can still be quite a childish boy, but it makes sense considering the fact that he didn't really have a childhood. They were hoping for a ruling where he'd be able to go out, but those hopes were very arrogantly crushed. Since Taehyung spends his time confined in his cell, social interactions are almost non-existent and as a result, Taehyung refuses to talk to anyone unless he absolutely has to. Time finds him working out due to boredom even though he can never completely get rid of his tummy or chubby cheeks. He hums random tunes when no one's around, the only sound he can make without sounding like a broken record on repeat. He walks in circles or just lays in bed and breathes.

There isn't much for him to do, so Taehyung lay in his bed, close to falling asleep once again, not noticing the person standing right outside the transparent wall of his permanent home.

Chapter Text

Drastic times call for drastic measures. At this time, hunger was clawing at his stomach, very close to ripping him open, so in order to get rid of it, he decided to stake out the world's best bakery. He doesn't know if that's true, but it's what the sign says, so he can only assume it should hold some truth considering the number of people that come and go. His best bet would be to rush in at lunch hour, blend in, snatch some pieces of bread, and book it out of there.

In the alley across from the warm bakery, a pair of blue eyes kept watch on the people flowing in and out, trying to find the right timing. Messy strands of midnight silk framed the tainted porcelain skin, slim with hunger. It was when the familiar tune of the noon radio talk show from the electronics shop to the right reached the waiting ears that a lithe body darted into the crowded street. Reaching the sidewalk, they blended in with the sea of chattering people heading near the bakery, slipping past the open door and heading towards the open displays of delicacies. It was almost too easy. Thin arms reached out for the small pieces of sweet bread, placing them in the makeshift bag courtesy of the worn out and tattered shirt drowning the gaunt body. Six pieces seemed alright, so they started heading out the shop, ready to merge into the three people heading out as well when there was a yank to the blanket of messed up hair.

"Hold it right there you little gremlin."

The body froze momentarily before a power packed leg was kicked into the space between the baker's legs. An 'oof' escaped the large man's mouth as the little thief sprinted out the doors, the man right on his heels despite the stinging pain between his legs.

"Stop the kid! He's a thief!"

Some listened, others didn't. Hands reached down to grab at the running thief that ducked, swerved, and amazingly dodged anything and everything. He was nearing an alley, ready to jump over a wooden crate, when all of a sudden, his legs were left hanging in the air.

"Hey! Put me down, let go!"

"I don't think so kid, maybe you should've thought of that before you decided to steal."

The mop of dark hair shifted as the boy, still clutching the sweat bread to his chest, turned to the perpetrator. It was an Officer. Not that he cared, but it was one of those special ones, the ones that fought all those weird things he'd catch glimpses of at night or on TV screens. He wriggled and writhed, ineffectively trying to escape as he was carried back to the bakery.

"Calm down, if you think I'm gonna put you down just because you're wiggling like a worm then you're wrong."

The kid grunted, "Stupid Officer, the only reason you can say all of that is because of your position! Do you know why I was stealing? Cuz it's either that or I starve. Put me down!"

He wasn't put down, but the Officer did stop moving. They locked eyes again and it seemed that the man just noticed how dirty and poorly dressed the boy was. Horribly thin, hollow cheeks, visible ribs. He looked awful. Minutes later, he was set down again, but not let go. The boy rolled his eyes, glaring at the Officer, "What? Have something to say? You gonna take me to jail or something?"

The man shook his head, kneeling down, "Sorry. I should've realized earlier. But that doesn't mean you should steal. Why don't you try shelters or an orphanage? Being on the streets right now isn't a good idea."

"Why? Cuz those monsters will try to kill me? Humph! Not if I kill them first, I don't need your advice. Let me go, I gotta run!"

The Officer looked stunned at the kid's words but gave up on giving lectures and released the boy, but not before giving him one last piece of advice.

"If you can take down those supernaturals and move around that easily, then maybe try aiming for the S.D.F! You won't be going hungry if you get in and they'll give you a place to live too!"

That wouldn't be the last time the boy would hear those words. Maybe that's why he ended up actually listening to the advice. Then again, it could just be his personal vendetta, but either way, that's how Jeon Jungkook, used-to-be-thief, is now a new recruit of the S.D.F. He was appointed Officer and was almost instantly offered the opportunity to choose a specialized weapon. His aptitude test labeled him as a suitable host for one of them and he gladly agreed to be paired up with one, but that wasn't the only thing he wanted.

"What!? You're telling me he won't join the force unless he gets that thing as a partner?"

"Yes, Sir. He's adamant on that. I believe he would definitely go through with his words."

"But he knows it's off limits, right?"

"Yes, Kalon-ssi, he knows. He just doesn't care."

The man at the desk gripped on to a ballpoint pen, veins threating to pop as he sighed heavily, "Fine. He's one of the best people we've found, letting him go would be stupid. Bring the paperwork to the ward."

His request was granted. It felt good. Knowing he was getting what he wanted. Jungkook just needed to wait for the contracts to be signed and he'd be unstoppable. People stared as he walked down the streets, a light bounce to his step, and an icy glare to his blue eyes. The doors to the building opened, allowing the male to enter as he made his way over to the reception desk, shoes clicking against the tiled floor. He cleared his throat, not bothering to look at the person in front of him as he politely asked for directions.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for cell ninety-five? I'm Jeon Jungkook, part of the S.D.F."

The receptionist looked up, reading the badge that was held out for her. She wasn't sure about telling him about that place's location, too many problems are caused when people go and check it out. Those problems usually included people running out of the room pale and shaking, especially if they walk in when one or more of the designated caretakers are present.

"Well? Are you going to tell me or not?"

The woman's gaze rose and she gulped. This guy was intimidating despite being so good looking. Not only that, but he was part of the organization so denying him entry is almost impossible. She bowed her head, resigned to whatever might happen next.

"Cell ninety-five is on the lower third floor, solitary confinement, first room to the left."

More like the only room, really.

"Please refrain from any agitating or violent actions. Loud noises and pointed objects aren't fully welcome. If you plan to interact, please keep a safe distance from the glass."

Jungkook smiled slightly and thanked her before walking away to find what he was looking for. He boarded the elevator and hit the button that would take him to the lower third floor, surprised that there was such a thing. He thought it only had the upper twelve, but turns out it has three lower levels.

Damn, these guys are loaded. Lucky them.

The doors dinged open, silently closing as he got off. The halls were empty and blindingly white. The room wasn't hard to find either, seeing as how the words 'Solitary Confinement' were written in bold red letters. He pushed the door open and did as he was told finding the first room on the left, just like the receptionist had said. On the transparent wall were the words and numbers spelling 'Cell 95' in black, completely contrasting the pure white room. He moved closer to the clear opening, the glass, and there it was.

His soon-to-be extra weapon: Kim Taehyung.

A smirk appeared on Jungkook's face at the thought of being able to use this person. No, this thing in battle. He destroyed most of Daegu, imagine how strong and powerful he must be. He was excited, to say the least. Very excited. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of weird to just show up and stare at something. The fact that no one else was present was also strange.

Wouldn't something deemed dangerous be kept under tight security with people watching over it? Why is it alone? I mean, there are cameras but aren't they easy to tamper with? Then again, it only seems to be sleeping, is he not the type to try and escape? How boring.

When he felt satisfied enough, Jungkook took his leave just as one of the workers was making their way towards the cell. He bowed slightly, and it was returned by the worker who quickly went back to his business.

"Hmm-Hm~... Kim Taehyung. How nice. I can't wait for you to be mine," he murmured with a pleasant hum as the doors closed behind him.

Jin quickly made his way down the corridors, his final destination being his beloved Taehyung's room. As he was approaching, he saw a young man walking back from the direction he was heading in, a familiar uniform adorning his well-fit body. The man bowed and Jin did the same, too in a hurry to properly look at the stranger as he, once again, continued to make his way down the corridor. When he reached the room, he quickly unlocked the plexiglass wall, making it disappear as he stumbled in, grabbing the attention of the semi-sleeping boy.

"H-Hyung? What's wrong?"

Jin raised his hand up, telling him to wait as he regained the oxygen he lost on his way there. Once he could breathe properly, he looked over at the person he would like to call his son. If only they'd let him adopt him, that would really make things more concrete. Focusing on the task at hand, Jin wavered, not knowing how to begin. He didn't want to ask what he was about to ask, but he had to. Those were the orders given to him after all.

"If... If there was a way for you to go outside again, would you take the opportunity?"

Taehyung nearly fell out of his bed. "W-What? There's a.. There's a wa-way for me to go- to go outside?"

Jin nodded at the question and bit his lip, waiting for an answer.

"... How?"

The elder moved closer to the blond and looked him in the eyes, slowly bringing his hand up to Taehyung's soft cheeks, "You have to become part of the S.D.F. You have to work for an Officer, as a partner. Live with him, follow his orders, and if push comes to shove you... You have to kill. If you do anything remotely threatening or anything as simple as disobeying orders and doing as you see fit, they'll kill you."

The warmth that once was in the palm of his hand jerked back.

"W-What? Work with an- an Officer? Like Yo-Yoongi-Hyung a-an-and Jiminie-Hyung, right? That's... That's the on-only way?"

Jin nodded after letting out a soft sigh, "The only difference is that you'll be collared. If you don't comply with the organization, you'll be killed, Taehyung-ah. They won't care about your well-being; they don't see you as a person."

Saying those words hurt. They stung. Jin hated it, but he has to let him know about the risks. He knows the boy doesn't like the idea of killing, but he also knows how much he yearned to be outside again. In the end, it was up to him.

"I-I'll do it."

Jin's head snapped up and he was met with a determined look, but he also saw fear and worry. This wasn't any easier for Taehyung.

"I pr-promise... I'll be f-fi-fine, I'm sure of- of this. I-I really wan-want to go outside again and.. and if this is the only way, then- then I'll d-do it."

"Are you one hundred percent sure? Once I give them your answer, you won't be able to change your mind. The contract will bind you for at least a few years."

He received a reassuring smile and nod, making him understand that there was no going back now. Seok-Jin smiled in return, holding on to the boy's hands, "I'll let them know then. I don't know when you'll be leaving, but I'll come to see you off, alright?"

He hugged the blond who returned the action and thanked him before he left. Cell ninety-five would soon be vacant again after ten years. Two days later found Jin, Yoongi, and Jimin spending time with the boy who would leave in a matter of minutes. Jin was a crying mess while Yoongi and Jimin were teasing him since now, they'd be able to see the boy more often. If they were lucky, Taehyung would be placed in their squad and that would quell many of their worries.

"Hyung~ St-Stop crying! I promise I-I'll be fine and.. and Jimin-Hyung an-and Yoongi-Hyung will be there with.. with me t-too!"

"Let me cry if I want to cry, you hear me? My son is leaving, so I have every right to cry. I've grown used to having him here and Becky also said she'd miss him. Don't make me even more emotional than I already am!"

"Tae'll be fine Jin-Hyung, he's got us with him," reassured Jimin, staring fondly at the quarrelling duo. Yoongi had Taehyung in a loose chokehold, messing up his untamed locks while Taehyung bit into his fore arm without mercy. He's glad Yoongi was able to feel like he had done something for the boy and he even took up the role of a doting older brother, something Taehyung needed. Watching them interact, Jin began to calm down, sniffling and fanning his face. He smiled, nodding at Jimin, "I know, I know he'll be fine with you two there, but that's not all I'm worried about."

Jimin prodded at him, asking him to elaborate. What else would he be worried about? As long as Taehyung was with them, they'd do anything to keep him away from harm.

"He's been kept away from society for a while, Jimin-ah. The few interactions he's had with others have been horrible, you know that already. The only other person aside us that has gotten close to him has been Becky and even that took a while. I can't believe I let something like that happen under my watch," he scoffed with self-hatred.

"It wasn't your fault, sometimes we can't keep all bad things away."

"I know. I know but I still can't help but think that way!" Jin heaved a breath, apologizing to the stunned man who pated his knee. He frowned, running a hand through his hair as he stared at Jimin with worry.

"The things he remembers are too vague. He won't know how to navigate himself out there, socializing will be difficult, the change in environment and atmosphere will take a toll on him physically and psychologically; he'll be vulnerable out there. And people will take advantage of that and he won't let anyone know whether or not he's having a hard time."

"I know," whispered Jimin, gazing at the blond boy playing with Yoongi's fingers. "That's why we'll do what we can to keep him safe. If anything happens, you'll be the first person we tell. I know there will be things we can't prevent, but he's strong. We'll help him power through it all."

Jin smiled, "Thank you, Jimin-ah."

Their time together was interrupted by a knock on the transparent wall and an excited squeal from the now running blond.

"B-Becky!! Becky ca-came," he sang, launching himself onto the chuckling woman standing inside the white-walled cube. Taehyung was only slightly taller than the young woman, but clearly very child-like compared to his height.

"Hello there mi rayito de sol, I came to see you off," she elaborated, following after the boy who tugged her towards the sitting men.

"Becky-ssi, it's nice to see you again," greeted Jimin.

"I'm glad you could make it, I don't know how you put up with him, he has too much energy sometimes," complained Yoongi, rolling his shoulders and laughing when Taehyung stuck his tongue out at him.

"Becky, I'm guessing you were able to finish up all the paperwork for the new patients, otherwise you wouldn't be here." Jin had a sort of teasing undertone to his words, not completely serious but not completely joking either. Becky nodded, taking a seat on the edge of Taehyung's bed, "All finished Sir Jin, I was lucky enough to finish before he had to go."

"Speaking of which, they'll be coming to pick him up soon."

"Mn, at least we'll be accompanying him, but once we get there, Kalon might try pulling something again," Yoongi clicked his tongue, fixing his uniform's collar.

Jimin shook his head, "That man only does things that will benefit him, doing something to Tae won't be in his favor. Whoever requested him did it because they knew Kalon wouldn't like losing them, so he'd have no choice but to grant their requests."

They watched the white clothed boy chatter away with Becky, his legs swinging back and forth on the bed. However, his cheeriness dissolved and when the others noticed, the reason why was made obvious fairly quickly. Their moods plummeted when they saw the two men standing outside the cell, caps covering their heads and one carrying some large cuffs, the other a collar. Jin stood up, opening the plexiglass wall and letting them in.

"Cell ninety-five, we're here to take you to headquarters, please follow us."

"We'll need to put these on you too, just some safety measures."

Taehyung stared at the metal cuffs, shivering at the thought of having to wear them again. They're the same ones he wore at his trial. Becky squeezed his shoulder, urging him forward with a small smile and sorry eyes. He moved forward, slowly and reluctantly. When he was within arm's reach, his hands were yanked forward, making him stumble and suppress a yelp, body going rigid. The coldness of the cuffs sent goosebumps over Taehyung's body and his bare feet twitched when the metal touched his skin. His body slumped at the weight, and he was close to falling over, even more so when he was pushed back by one of the men after the collar had been snapped around his neck.

Jin glared at them, not bothering to keep his anger hidden, "Hey, watch how you treat him!"

"Do anything like that again and I'll put a bullet through your skulls."

"As far as you're concerned, this boy is our little brother, we won't tolerate that type of behavior."

"I'd listen to them if I were you, that boy is quite special to us."

The men gulped, bowing as they apologized to the displeased Officers while Becky helped Taehyung regain his balance. The boy gave her a grateful bow of his head and leaned his head on Jin's shoulder one last time before following his elder brother's out of his cell.

Out of his home.

Chapter Text

Taehyung remained quiet as he followed his Hyungs, his gaze on the floor. He felt that if he were to raise his gaze, he'd freeze in his tracks at the number of people present. He could feel the stares and he knows that Yoongi is walking slower than usual so he could see the heels of his feet and follow after them properly. When they had walked out into the light, Taehyung was blinded momentarily, feet startled at the surprisingly warm floor. Jimin and Yoongi had to guide him into the van's open trunk after realizing that the escorts weren't going to help in anyway.

"Are you okay? Do your eyes hurt?"

Taehyung shook his head, blinking away the spots that had appeared in his field of vision.

"We'll be there soon, hang in there, alright?"

"Mn."

Yoongi and Jimin paid close attention to the young adult, not wanting him to feel even more uncomfortable than he already does. If he panics, it'd be bad, so it's in their best interest to avoid surprises.

"We've arrived."

The van came to a stop and one of the men opened the doors while the other pulled Taehyung out of the trunk with more gentleness than before. With Jimin and Yoongi trailing behind them, the men lead him into a big building, giving him no time to marvel over the tall structure. Being blinded by the sudden brightness inside once again, Taehyung nearly tripped over his own feet for the second time that day. Jimin held him up, relieved that he was able to catch him before he kissed the floor.

"Careful."

"Mn."

As the group neared a closed door, one man knocked while the other spoke up, "Sir, we've brought the new recruit."

From inside, a muffled, "Come in," reached their ears and the door was slid open. Taehyung stumbled inside; arms being held by both strangers. He tensed, not liking the feeling and an evident growth of fear and anxiousness pooled in his stomach. When one of them strengthened their grip, Taehyung flinched, and Yoongi's hand instantly flew up to the men's arms. His gaze was cold as he tore their hands away, "Don't think you can man handle him just because the boss is here, I warned you before, didn't I?"

"Now, now, Yoongi-ssi," a gravelly voice interrupted. The old man looked over at Taehyung whose gaze was directed at the ground then returned his eyes to the two men at his sides. The man smiled, tight-lipped and not genuine. "You may leave, thank you for transporting him here."

The men bowed and did as told. As the door closed, Jimin and Yoongi took their places, standing close to the silent blond and bowing respectfully.

"Kalon-ssi, it's a pleasure to see you," Jimin greeted politely.

"At ease my boy, I wanted to ask for your help with the new recruit seeing as I have a meeting in a few minutes. I will leave you with the new recruit's partner, please make sure they become acquainted."

"Yes Sir, will do."

The man known as Kalon left the room and Yoongi instantly removed the chains around Taehyung's hands and legs, letting them fall to the ground with a huge thump. Taehyung said a small, barely audible, "Thank you, Hyung," at the elder's actions and Yoongi merely gave him a smile.

"Excuse me for interrupting whatever it is you're doing, but I'd appreciate it if I was given what I asked for." A stern, slightly impatient voice spoke up and their attention was turned to a man leaning against the door frame.

When did he get here?

How didn't we notice?

You could feel his ego from where he was standing, and Yoongi couldn't help but scoff when he saw the man glare down at him.

"And who might you be?" Jimin asked, trying to prevent Yoongi from doing something unnecessary.

"I'm Jeon Jungkook and that belongs to me, so hand it over."

Jimin and Yoongi were utterly flabbergasted at his response. He had the audacity to talk to them with no respect and refer to Taehyung as a thing? He has balls. A lot of balls.

"I'm sorry? The hell did you just say? Say it again you insolent prick!"

"You heard me shorty now, hand it over! It's about damn time that the stupid organization decided to finally give it to me, I've waited for too long. Move it, pipsqueak," retorted Jungkook, walking into the room with an unwavering form. Yoongi lunged at him, not liking the way he spoke to Jimin or his little brother, but was held back by Jimin who frantically tried to stop him.

"Jimin let me kill him, can I kill him? At least let me slap him, I'll make it sound nice and crisp."

"No. Yoongi. Not now, okay? Think about Taehyung, you know he doesn't like violence and he's already struggling to stay calm."

Yoongi paused, staring at Taehyung who had shrunk in on himself and he willed himself to stop and take a breath. Once Yoongi had calmed down, Jimin tried talking to the newbie.

"Jeon Jungkook, right? You must be a new recruit as well, meaning I'm technically your seonbae, it's nice to meet you. Anyway, back to the topic at hand, you said Kim-ssi belongs to you? How so? A contract between partners doesn't mean one has ownership over the other regardless of status and species."

"Hah. I became an Officer at least three days ago and aside from choosing a specialized weapon, because according to the boss I'm very capable of handling one, I requested something better," Jungkook smirked, pointing a finger at Taehyung, seeing him flinch and become even smaller.

"I requested a partner and weapon in one, and that would be the thing standing behind you. The contracts were signed and this was arranged for us to meet properly, but I don't think that's necessary so if you could be so kind as to give me what is rightfully mine and leave, I'd be over the moon with joy."

Jimin was trying really hard not to walk up to the young boy and hand his ass to him after the way he spoke about Taehyung. Not only that, but this man has no manners and is basically mocking them. His light eyes shifted to Taehyung, squeezing shut as he apologized to the boy before turning to the navy haired man.

"I think you need lessons on manners and respect," Jimin sighed. "First of all, that thing standing behind me, yeah, he has a name. Second of all, he isn't a thing he is a human being like all of us here regardless of the blood in his veins. Third of all, he is my baby brother, as well as Yoongi's so don't you dare insult him unless you want your ass handed to you on a silver platter. I'm the top ranker here, not you."

Jimin was violently jabbing his finger at Jungkook's chest, trying to refrain himself from physically hurting the man but immensely wishing he could. A few minutes of glaring at each other and Jungkook looked away first, making Jimin nod in triumph. He turned to Taehyung with an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Taehyung-ah, I know you're shaken up, I shouldn't have blown up like that. The contracts have been signed and we can't change them, so he'll be your partner from now on. We don't want to leave you in this brat's care, but we have to."

Taehyung nodded, knowing nothing could be done, remembering the warning Jin had given him when he was given the option.

"Listen here, if he does anything you don't like, tell us or beat his ass up. I know you don't like to fight, but if it's necessary, then don't hold back. We'll try and get you a phone, but for now, be good and don't hesitate to tell us if anything is going on. Can you promise me that?"

Taehyung chewed on his lip as he looked away from Yoongi, returning his gaze with uncertainty. It's easier said than done to do as he was asked, but he can still try, so he nodded. Yoongi smiled, patting his head before going back to help Jimin with finalizing the paperwork and living arrangements. When they were done, Jungkook immediately left with Taehyung right behind him. Now, he was officially Jungkook's partner and weapon.

Taehyung's bare feet padded silently against the tiled floor of the office building, his eyes swiftly roaming his surroundings as his lips were parted in a small, silent gasp. He didn't know whether this place was bigger than the ward since he's never properly seen it, but it's bigger than his cell and very neat and busy. He realized that the doors opened by themselves, unlike the doors at the ward and he wondered how that worked.

Is it magic? Were ghosts opening the doors for us?

The outside world was brighter than he expected, but it was warm and he liked it. He marveled over the number of people and the few plants he recognized. However, a small click grabbed his attention and he was left curiously staring at the thing Jungkook had just climbed into. It was a car. Those four-wheeled vehicles that his Hyungs would talk about, but this one is smaller than the one he had ridden earlier. It was also a very shiny red.

"Hey, stop gawking and get in! Or what, you've never ridden in a car before?"

He shook his head, carefully opening the door and sliding into the passenger seat. His eyes observed Jungkook, watching how he put on his seatbelt and adjusted his seat. Taehyung copied him, buckling in after closing the door, but he left his seat as it was. He liked the leg space and the leather mats felt weird against his feet. If he dragged them across the bumps, he'd feel ticklish. The ride was, unsurprisingly, dead silent. No luggage was given to Jungkook since Taehyung didn't have any belongings, except for books he had already read, and Jungkook hadn't spoken a word to the silent boy aside from that one remark about him not knowing what a car is.

When the car came to a halt, Jungkook coldly told Taehyung to get out and so he did. He watched Jungkook unlock the front door, finding this lock and door to be different from the one's he's seen so far. It was smaller. It also swung in and out and had a different handle. It was new. It was different from his cell's door. Not transparent. It's not plexiglass either, it's wood, but the handle is not. Jungkook didn't bother asking Taehyung to follow him inside, but he didn't need to because the blond quickly padded after the man, admiring the neat, open space in front of the small, but wide building. It was green and had one long stripe of gray concrete that led to chubby stairs. A small shiver ran up his legs when his feet touched the concrete and he lingered there for a moment before briskly walking up to the open door.

It's weird.

Taehyung awkwardly closed the door, intrigued at its movements and almost shrieked when he saw Jungkook sitting on one of the... chairs?

They look too big and soft to be chairs. Are they beds?

"Listen, I'm not planning on getting all buddy-buddy with you, so don't even try to get close to me. All you have to do is do everything I say, I'm your superior and I won't be lenient when it comes to being disobeyed, especially not by something like you, understood?"

Taehyung nodded; eyes focused on the floor as he felt Jungkook's piercing gaze on him.

"Don't you talk? Are you mute? Not like I care, if you're quiet then that means you'll be less bothersome. You can go, your room is the first door on the right down the hall, it's late so sleep. I don't want to deal with an unfocused weapon during work."

Taehyung obeyed and left to his new bedroom which wasn't as different as the room he had in the psych ward except for the fact that the walls were gray instead of white and now his door was smaller and made of wood. Other than that, nothing else was different. His bed still had those plain, boring white sheets. His ceiling was shorter, but still white. He didn't feel any different from when he would sleep in his cell. This room, it was still a prison. Still a cell.

He still wasn't free.

Chapter Text

Waking up to an unfamiliar ceiling wasn't fun. He sat up in a hurry, and almost called out for Jin before yesterday's events came flooding back to him. Taehyung's heart was trying to beat out of his chest, and he didn't know if it was due to shock or excitement.

I'm not in the ward anymore.

The blond searched the room, finding a pair of black clothes, neatly folded, and placed on the surface of one of the cabinets. He got out of bed, finding a yellow note that read: 'This is your uniform. Take care of it and try to look proper, it's your first day of work. I'll be outside, don't keep me waiting. We leave at 9:00 on the dot. - Jeon'

He set the note down.

We leave at nine? What time is it?

He couldn't find anything remotely similar to a clock, but the sun was peeking out childishly and he couldn't help but panic.

I'm sure it's early morning, but how do I know what time it is?

With frantic moves, Taehyung picked up the black uniform, and began to take off his white clothes. The difference in color was startling, and the fabric wasn't as comfy as his ward clothes. The long coat was hard to fix when he couldn't see where the buttons went, and the shoes were chunky and heavy; they weren't comfortable in the least. Wearing shoes felt strange, so did wearing socks, he was used to being barefoot; it was easier to move around without things weighing down his feet. Taehyung knew his hair was a mess, it always was after naps, but the idea of upsetting Jungkook wasn't appealing and he couldn't find a brush so he left it alone.

Walking out into the hallway, the blond rushed into the kitchen, took a fruit and gulfed it down as quickly as he could before rushing back into the bathroom after finding the right door. He searched for a toothbrush, finding a new one under the sink and pausing before ripping it open.

Would I get in trouble for opening it?

He didn't know, but he had to hurry so he used it and began to brush his teeth. Closing the faucet, the blond scurried to the front door, opening it and closing it just as quickly before scanning the open plane for the man with the dark blue hair. He looked impatient; not good, so he ran up to him, not surprised when he heard him click his tongue.

"You're late.."

Jungkook's words faltered when his eyes landed on the slightly panting male with messy hair and a disheveled uniform. As he stood before the elder, Taehyung directed his gaze to the ground before bowing deeply as an apology, not uttering a word. He heard Jungkook clear his throat before the click of the car's lock was heard.

"Get in the car. We'll make it just in time and fix your uniform and hair. You need to look presentable."

Taehyung nodded, taking his seat and smoothing out his blond locks. Throughout the whole car ride, Taehyung kept glancing out the window, trying hard not to look like a child going on their first field trip. The building from yesterday pulled into view and the boy couldn't help but stare at it with big eyes again. The car had entered an opening near the back, gray walls and pillars lined the ground before the tires screeched against the shiny floor and the car came to a stop.

"We're here. Stick with me. I don't want to lose you on the first day. Don't go acting all buddy-buddy with others either; not like they'll try and be friends with something like you anyway."

Jungkook closed the car door, addressing Taehyung with a look of indifference as they began to walk into the building. The elder guided them through the maze-like halls until they reached a pair of big black doors. Jungkook pushed them open with ease and inside were hundreds of people lined up, backs straight. Taehyung stared at the number of people in amazement.

They must be workers too.

Both stood at the end of the many rows of people and faced a stage where a podium stood. It reminded Taehyung of the one Jin had stood behind during his trial. He shook those thoughts away, willing his attention to stay focused on his surroundings and not his memories. Soon, a rather familiar-looking man reached the center of the stage and spoke into the microphone.

"Good morning to you all. I am Evzen Kalon, head of the S.D.F. I would like to welcome and congratulate all the new recruits and I would also like those of you who aren't new to help guide the newbies in this line of work. You have chosen to defend and protect the citizens of South Korea with your life, that is something not many have the courage to do. Build up trust with your teammates, don't think of yourselves as enemies or competitors, you're all valued and you're all here because of your skills. Here, teamwork, strength, trust, courage and intelligence are key. For centuries, our kind has battled against the invasion of those we refer to as supernaturals."

Many of the people nodded along to the man's words, but Taehyung felt himself go rigid at the mention of the supernatural species. He has been part of that population for years now and hearing this man talk about keeping them at bay was uncomfortable.

"Our ancestors have fought for our safety and we will continue to carry one their will of protecting our people. Now, having said that, it has been made clear over the years that not all supernaturals are a threat to us. We have managed to co-exist with some species and have even hired some of those special people to fight alongside us. They have fought for their rights in our society and successfully gained them. They are our allies and we will treat them as such. Our goal is to exterminate those that refuse to comply with our laws, regardless of their supernatural species or background. The Supernatural Defense Force has spread far and wide around the world, and as its main branch, we will uphold our duties to the best of our abilities... Now that this has been said, would all the squad leaders join me up on stage with your partners, please?"

The squad leaders all made their way up to the stage; Taehyung was able to recognize two people: Jimin and Yoongi. It seems his stare was strong, because one of his Hyungs ended up looking into the crowd. Jimin scanned the sea of people from atop the stage and made eye contact with the younger, giving a slight nod of his head before paying attention to what the chief had to say.

"Can all five squad leaders introduce themselves starting with squad one," Kalon moved away from the podium and allowed the first people to walk up to the microphone.

"Hello, I'm squad one's leader Park Jimin and this is my partner Min Yoongi, I can't wait to work with you all, I have very high hopes for all of you."

I hope I get put in squad one...

"Hi~! I'm Jung Hoseok, leader of squad two! This is my partner Kim Namjoon, it's good to have you all here, I hope you're hard workers, see you in the field!!"

He's cheerful, he seems really nice. His friend has a cute smile too...

"Nisus Miran, squad three leader, and my partner Kim Hyuna."

They look scary... Like Beom-Hyung.

And so, they continued. Once the leaders finished their introductions, Kalon began reading out the names of the new recruits and what unit they were placed in. Jungkook impatiently waited for his name to be called. He'd often glance at the boy next to him and he couldn't help but compare him to an innocent, lost puppy, but what can you expect from someone who's been locked away for ten years?

The number of people around them began to diminish and right as Jungkook's nerves were wearing thin, their names were finally called.

"Last, but not least, Officer Jeon Jungkook and his partner Kim Taehyung will be joining unit one. It's good to have you both on our side."

The slight sarcastic tone of voice was obviously directed towards the young boy trailing behind Jungkook. Taehyung kept his gaze down, willing himself not to stare at Kalon and his fake smile. Reaching the steps on the side of the stage, Jungkook said a small 'let's go' as they walked up to the platform. As they walked past the many groups, faint murmurs were heard, spreading like wild fire in the blond's wake.

"Kim Taehyung?"

"Isn't he the kid who destroyed half of Daegu!?"

"You should avoid him."

"He's still alive?"

"Poor Officer, he's stuck with a monster."

"Aren't you one of the victims? Try and stay away from him, okay?"

"He's not a demon, he's a devil!"

"How does he have the guts to walk up here and act like a decent citizen?"

"Forget that, how the hell is he allowed outside!?"

Jungkook noticed how his partner began to fidget uncomfortably while he kept his gaze on the ground. He wasn't deaf, the people weren't really trying to keep their comments to themselves, but they should have the decency to keep their mouths shut in his presence. Jungkook made eye contact with some of the gossipers and sent them a glare, instantly shutting them up. Don't get him wrong, he could care less about what others have to say about his partner. He just doesn't like listening to rats spewing bullshit on the first day.

Reaching their group, the duo was kept at quite a distance, wary glances being casted at the blond. Jimin and Yoongi smiled at Taehyung sympathetically, motioning them to the front. The people parted as the blond moved forward, Jungkook following close behind. When everyone was situated, Kalon once again smiled, opening his arms in a large gesture, giving his final statement, "Now that teams have been assigned, you can all get started on your jobs and assignments. Have a good rest of your day."

The newbies followed their leaders to their respective floors and began their work. Squad one's floor was the highest level and for the first time in his short life, Taehyung rode an elevator. He was apprehensive at first, but the glare he received from Jungkook and the coaxing from Yoongi made him climb in. He ended up taking the corner spot, holding on to the railing with one hand while he held Jimin's uniform coat with the other. His stomach felt fluttery as the elevator moved and he almost gasped out loud. It was strange, but necessary and something he'll have to get used to.

It won't get stuck if I'm alone inside, right? How does it work?

Walking down the hallway on the right, the workers were met with their desks. Jimin and Yoongi stood at the entrance, staring down at the straight-backed men and women.

"Alright, each of you has your own desk, all the work you need to do has been either placed in forms of paper or placed as files on your computers," began Yoongi, scanning their new additions carefully.

Jimin nodded, adding with a stern tone, "Do not interfere with anyone else's assignments unless asked or ordered to, this includes helping other squads. As our number suggests, you have been placed in the best performing unit; I won't tolerate any slackers. You are to focus on your tasks and only your tasks, understood?"

A series of responses were heard as the workers went to their designated spaces and got to work immediately. Taehyung, being new to everything before him, was having trouble operating whatever it is that was sitting right in front of him. He chewed on his bottom lip and scanned the room for someone who could help him, but, of course, no one was available. The eyes he connected with looked away quickly, everyone was blatantly avoiding him. Taehyung glumly looked back at the thing before him and wondered whether or not he should just press every single button in sight.

"You're so clueless it's concerning, didn't they let you use a computer when you were in the ward? I've only seen you read books in there."

It was Yoongi. Taehyung sheepishly smiled before replying, "Hyu-Hyung, I wasn't allowed to- to use any-anything because they thought I'd try.. I'd try to do so-some-something with it... What's a com-computer? How do I use it?"

Yoongi chuckled and ruffled the blond's growing locks, "I'll teach you, so pay attention."

"Mn!"

For his first day, it wasn't that bad. At least, not yet.

Chapter Text

"Hey, isn't that him?"

"That's the half-breed."

"Disgusting."

"Who let him out?"

"You think he'll try and kill us too?"

"Did you seem him during practice? He can't even shoot a gun properly."

"I heard someone tried giving him purified water during lunch break..."

"Guess it didn't work; is he immune?"

All sorts of rumors and gossip have been spread throughout headquarters about the newbie supernatural in squad one. One would think that after ten years, most people wouldn't remember that painful incident associated with the young man, but they still do. Vividly. Taehyung would often find himself being pushed around, his desk and belongings were messed with; some of his work has even gone missing completely! They've tried to drug his food or drinks whenever he wasn't paying attention and Jin had to be called in once after he nearly lost his ability to breath after drinking sweetened, thanks to the poison, water. In short, he was being bullied.

"Oi! Half-breed! I see your master isn't around, are ya' lost?"

"Oops, I didn't see you there, you didn't scratch the floor, did you?"

"Stop it guys, can't you see the halfie wants to cry?"

When he wasn't with Jungkook, he'd be picked on even more. Majority of the time the verbal abuse happened when the Officer wasn't around, but he can't do anything against the great number of tyrants. If he did something that would be considered 'hurtful' to anyone, he's sure that they'd take him back to the ward without investigating further or kill him via the collar. He tried getting along with some of the workers despite his shy character, but it was all in vain, they only saw him as a monster. Of course, there were people who were aware of what was going on, but they did nothing to try and prevent it. Very few actually tried stepping in, Yoongi and Jimin being two of the ones that stood up for Taehyung. They stepped in whenever they could, but two people weren't going to the stop the teasing even if they are top rankers. Even Jungkook didn't do anything to help, but then again, why would he? Jungkook wasn't much different from the ones who shunned the boy. He only called him when he needed something.

"Hey lapdog, where's your owner? Did he finally get tired of you?"

"You're quite small for a supernatural, aren't you? And a scaredy cat too!"

"Guys, you think he's actually a dude? Ain't he too tiny and pretty?"

"Oi, Ban, why don't we try teaching him some self-defense? Maybe a few experiences will help him understand where he's supposed to be."

At this point, Taehyung was on the verge of tears. He couldn't handle the way he was being treated and for a while, he began to think that maybe he should've just stayed in his cell and never left the ward. It's only been about four weeks and he already feels like quitting. The brightness of the outside world is a million times worse than the lighting of his old cell; his eyes couldn't help but water every so often. He actually had people to play with at the ward, Seok-Jin's medical team was actually nice to him, especially Becky. It's a given that compared to what he went through in those experiments, this wasn't much but it still took a toll on him. It's not easy to get used to. No one would stand up for him. Even he himself couldn't do it, so what made him think that anyone else would?

"That's enough Ban-Ryu. Leave him be."

Or maybe there was someone.

"Don't make him get even more fired up, he may be cheerful but not when you get on his bad side. Now go. We'll be reporting this to Miran and Hyuna, by the way."

Make that two people.

Taehyung was relieved but surprised to see two familiar faces. It was Jung Hoseok and Kim Namjoon from squad two.

"Hey there, you alright? I'm sorry for the way you've been treated, some people have no respect for others. We would've stepped in sooner, but I thought they'd eventually stop, guess I was wrong," Hoseok scratched the back of his neck, ashamed of his failed expectations. The younger shook his head and bowed gratefully at both males. Namjoon and Hoseok told the boy that he didn't need to thank them, but the younger refused their protests and thanked them again. The two leaders decided to accompany Taehyung back to his unit's office and tried to strike a conversation with the younger boy.

"So, Taehyung, right?"

The boy nodded at Namjoon's question.

"How old are you? If I may ask, that is."

Taehyung picked up his pace slightly, having enough distance to turn and look at them while holding up his hands.

"Ah, so you're eighteen? Wow, you're young. We're your Hyungs and seonbaes then. I hope we get along."

Taehyung smiled softly to himself before nodding at the elder. Namjoon was Hoseok's partner and it was hard to see why he wasn't appointed as an Officer. The majority of those in the partner position are the few supernaturals that are willing to hunt their own, only very few chose that position out of their own free will. There have been cases where humans without any criminal records were assigned as partners because of their low scores on the entrance exams or because they were demoted, but according to Namjoon, his clumsiness is the reason he wasn't appointed as an Officer.

Taehyung has witnessed Namjoon's clumsiness in action during their virtual training, but aside from his quirk, he's a very strong opponent. He's intelligent and from what he's gathered while observing him, Namjoon tends to be the one behind the attack and defense plans. Hoseok is a very cheerful person but when he's out in the field, you don't want to mess with him. Taehyung has noticed that Hoseok gets very serious when performing an important task and won't hesitate to call people out on their mistakes. Both are formidable opponents, and their chemistry is amazing. What's more is that both were candidates for specialized weapons, but only Namjoon agreed to taking the trial, so he's currently in possession of one.

"You don't talk much, do you, Taehyung-ah?"

The aforementioned looked to his left, his eyes landing on a curious Hoseok as he nodded, humming and giving a slight frown, making the older panic slightly.

"I-I wasn't saying that it's a bad thing, you don't have to talk if you don't want to, it's totally okay, I was just curious!" He waved his hands frantically, trying to clear up the misunderstanding. Namjoon tried calming him down seeing as he looked like he was about to pass out from all the rushed movements and apologies leaving his mouth, and Taehyung almost laughed. Keyword: Almost.

"Sorry to interrupt your miming game, but I need my partner back."

Taehyung's good mood suddenly dropped at the sound of the monotone voice which belonged to the one and only Jeon Jungkook.

"Excuse me, did anyone ever teach you what manners are? We're your superiors, show some resp-"

A slight tug on the end of his uniform sleeve stopped Hoseok's words. It was Taehyung. He was looking at him with eyes that said 'it's okay, just let him be' before he made his way to Jungkook's side.

"Hold on, Taehyung-"

"Hoseok." A hand grasped his wrist and Namjoon shook his head, "Let him go, they're partners, there's nothing we can do about it."

"But, but Namjoon!"

"What are you going to do? Yell at the man? Tell him how bad he is at taking care of his partner? You know that won't solve anything, we just have to look out for him, alright?"

Hoseok's shoulders drooped as he nodded with pouting lips. Namjoon pats his back, leading them towards the elevators while Taehyung silently followed Jungkook to the front of the building where their team was assembled.

"Jungkook, have you explained the situation to your partner?"

Jungkook scoffed at the leader, "Hah? He has no need to know, all he needs to do is follow my orders when told to."

Jimin rolled his eyes before beckoning the younger over to him, "There's a hostage being held at a high school not so far from here. The culprit was a teacher at the school, turns out he's actually a ghoul. The teacher was found dead a few days prior after he was charged with sexual harassment and was fired on the spot. The one who reported him was a female student by the name of Chou Min-Kyu and she's the hostage. You, Jungkook, and the other newbies will stay outside guarding the entrances and preventing anyone from leaving and entering while I, Yoongi, and the others go after the ghoul-turned-ex-teacher. Don't do anything else unless we tell you to, understand?"

Taehyung nodded, making Jimin smile and pinch his cheeks before walking away.

"Alright, let's go and remember your orders!"

Once they arrived at the school building, they were met with a swarm of people. Teachers, Students, Passerby's, and Parents were all in a frenzy. The Officers maneuvered their way through the crowd, leaving their vehicles a short distance away so as not to draw attention to themselves. One of the admins walked up to the leaders, obviously worried about their student as they got out as much information about the situation as they could. The new recruits quickly began to evacuate the people and kindly told them to leave so they could properly do their jobs.

"Use flames to seal the perimeter, make sure to keep them under control!"

They got to work, creating a perfect barrier with tamed flames. While they were doing this, those with experience moved into the building in hopes of getting to the young girl before any real damage had been done. The two-floor building was quiet, a few materials scattered on the ground from when the students rushed out of the building in panic; what a way to end a school day. They checked hallway to hallway and room to room as they were walking through the building. The first floor was empty and as they reached the top of the second level, an ear-piercing scream made them jump.

"Find the room, hurry!"

Wasting no time, the men rushed into the room at the end of the hall coming face to face with the suspect. Jimin lifted his gun, slowly walking into the room, "Step away from the girl and come with us, don't make things harder than they should be."

The men surrounded the culprit, arms raised and ready to fire if need be. Min-Kyu was crying, backed away in a corner. Her clothes and hair were disheveled and a wound was inflicted on her bottom lip; so much for getting there before she was hurt.

"What makes you think I'll give in so easily? This little bitch got me fired and ruined my life!"

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "The jig's up, bastard. You can stop pretending, we know you're a ghoul. Leave the girl alone."

The teacher went rigid, face going blank before a large, inhuman grin took over his face. He grabbed a handful of the girl's hair and yanked her up to her feet, licking at her blood-stained lip without hesitation with his serpent-like tongue. The poor girl let out a frightened yelp and thrashed in his hold.

"Ah! He-Help me, please!! Waa-ha~ help m-me!" The girl cried, trembling in place as a sharp nail pressed against her skin. Jimin scowled, it's too risky to shoot if he has a blade at her throat so, reluctantly, he raised his hand.

"Lower your weapons."

"That's right, stand down or I'll slit her throat. Maybe I'll just cut every single part of her body until she bleeds out right in front of you... She deserves this, she ruined his life so I'll ruin hers! For good! It's a win-win if you think about it."

Jimin clicked his tongue, trying to think of a plan that wouldn't kill anyone in the room, much less hurt them. This guy's more than just a disgusting ghoul, it's the first time they've encountered one smart enough to take a hostage, much less come out in broad daylight. Why does evolution have to occur? Couldn't it just leave them alone so the damned creatures remained dumb and nocturnal?

"Jimin-ssi, what now?"

Said male turned to the left and saw one of the partners talking into their mic. It was Insoo, one of the supernaturals in their group. He's a support type, so being in the frontlines isn't something common for him. The ability he has is useful though, merging with anything dark-Wait... That's it!

Jimin rushed to speak to the man, "Insoo, how long can you hold him down for?"

Insoo looked quizzically at Jimin before quickly understanding what he was referring to. He stared at the puddle of dark shadows at the suspect's feet and responded, "Based on the length of his shadow, I'd say maybe a few seconds before the lighting changes. If the floor boards were darker, I'd be able to last longer, but I only have his shadow."

Pleased, Jimin nodded and turned to Yoongi, "Yoongi, contact Tae and tell him to wait under the window, he's going to catch Min-Kyu."

"Understood, on your signal."

At the entrance of the school building, Taehyung jumped in surprise when he heard a rough voice coming from his earpiece. The poor boy had been carefully watching a butterfly perched not too far from where he was standing, so when he was suddenly spoken to, he couldn't help but feel startled.

"Taehyung-ah? Can you hear me well?"

It was Yoongi. The small boy instantly nodded, but then remembered that they can't see him so he simply hummed in response.

"Okay, listen to me Tae, Jimin wants you to catch the girl the second you see her, you'll only have a few seconds to prepare yourself. We're on the second floor, the second window to the right, do you think you can do it?"

Taehyung once again gave a hum and ran to get in his position. Breaking her fall shouldn't be difficult, he's done it in practice before. Luckily, no other people were around, so he was able to move freely. He rushed to the window, peering up at it as he waited. Faint shadows were seen, two were moving quite frantically. Taehyung began to take deep breaths in order to concentrate on only using a portion of his powers.

"Get ready," Jimin's voice rang throughout the men's ears. "Three... Two.. One, now!!"

Insoo swiftly bounded the culprit's legs, his body submerged in his shadow, everything below his torso completely gone.

"W-What the hell!? A demon? Why are you helping them!"

He received no answer, and instead was met with a flash bomb, momentary blinding the ghoul, and some of their own. The window was shattered and someone managed to reach the girl whispering a small sorry as they pushed her out the window where Taehyung was waiting to place the barrier.

"Cuff the bastard!" Jimin yelled. Yoongi followed the order, placing the silver handcuffs around the man's hands with a satisfied smirk on his face. Jimin grinned, "Mission accomplished. Nice going Insoo, you can let go now."

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, let's get this guy into prison, Jin'll love placing him in a cell," teased Jimin as they began walking out of the classroom.

Walking out the front door, one of the newbies came up to the group, bowing in front of his seniors and saying, "Jimin-ssi, the medical staff just arrived."

"We're on our way there, thank you. Make sure to stomp out the fire, no trace left behind."

"Yes, sir."

After gathering everyone up, Jimin congratulated everyone on their efforts and hard work. The Officer specifically looked over at Taehyung when speaking about safely getting the student outside, not missing the glares of jealousy and annoyance the blond received. Drawing their attention away from Taehyung, the team was dismissed and allowed to go back home or to headquarters if they still had work. No one questioned the praise Taehyung received, but the result of that praise made the boy suffer more than before.

Chapter Text

The next few days were full of Jungkook barking orders at Taehyung during their time out on the field and in the office.

"Hey, half-breed, where's the report I told you to write? Hurry up and finish it, I don't have all day!"

"I told you to go after it, what are you doing just standing there!? Now that squad two idiot's gonna get credit for my work!"

"You're supposed to shoot the gun, don't you know that?"

"Burn it! I thought that was your strong suit, didn't you get rid of Daegu with flames? Useless."

Of course, Jimin and Yoongi scolded Jungkook when they could, but the dark-haired man only rolled his eyes and shrugged. He was undeniably one of Kalon's favorite employees, so the punishments he received were very lenient in order to keep him in the force. As for the bullying and harassment, it had increased again after the event at the school. Taehyung was beat up a few times in the locker rooms of the training dome, the attacks became more physically violent when they found out that defense mechanisms against demons didn't work on him, but luckily his wounds healed quickly, only leaving behind light bruises. Unfortunately, some panic managed to seep out and leave him drained and brain muddled. Hoseok and Namjoon had stepped in again when he was getting harassed in the lunchroom, and Yoongi had found him in the locker room surrounded by a group of idiots that scrammed the second they saw him with a gun in his hands. Since then, the bullying stopped, and Taehyung was able to go about without worrying too much.

Even so, despite the lack of harassment and bullying, Taehyung was starting to look haggard. There were times the teenager would walk into the office with heavy eyelids, his lack of sleep being very obvious. During lunch, he'd pick at his food, hardly finishing his plate even when he'd be encouraged to by his Hyungs. His full cheeks were starting to look hollow, and his clothes were barely hanging on to his body. It was a drastic change compared to the person he was a few months ago.

"Come on Taehyung-ah, you need to eat. Jin won't be happy if he knows you aren't eating well."

"You need strength, eat up. Our type of work is heavy, you can't be skipping meals Taehyung-ah."

"Come on, say aah~!"

"You're still growing, you need all the nutrients you can get."

Not only that, but the constant paper and manual work at the S.D.F are starting to take their toll on the boy. The new environment wasn't helping either seeing as how he's had trouble adjusting to his surroundings, but no matter how many times his Hyungs would ask if he was okay, the boy always gave them a bright smile and nod.

No, the bright lights aren't hurting his eyes. No, the sun isn't beating down on him to the point where it's uncomfortable. No, the food isn't hard to digest. No, he doesn't struggle to sleep in his new bed. No, he doesn't feel bad, he's completely fine.

"Yoonie, I'm worried about Taehyung-ah. He looks too pale and exhausted; he's not eating properly either."

Jimin and Yoongi are in their apartment, sitting on their sofa with Jimin in Yoongi's arms. The two have been dating for a while now, thanks to Jin, but they try not to be so obvious when they're at work because who wants a bunch of people poking their noses into someone else's business?

"I know Minnie, but we can't do anything about it if he won't let us help."

"But you know how he is, he'll keep things bottled up until there's no more space, what if something happens again?" Jimin looked up at his lover with worry-filled eyes and the elder gently pecked his lips before bringing him closer to his chest.

"We'll talk to him tomorrow, okay? He'll be fine, he's a strong boy and if things do go wrong, then we'll find a way to make them right." Yoongi raked a hand through the silver locks, smiling at the pleased hum Jimin made. "It's late, we should sleep."

Jimin nodded and followed Yoongi to their bedroom, allowing himself to be consumed by the warmth of his lover's embrace as he fell asleep.

The next morning, Jimin and Yoongi were the first of their unit to arrive at the office, as per usual. Both began their work, keeping an eye out for their young colleague as everyone slowly began to arrive. When the clock struck ten, Jimin was beginning to fret. Jungkook and Taehyung were usually early, they should have been here by now.

"Jimin, calm down, they're just running late. It happens to everyone," whispered Yoongi.

Thirty minutes later and the boy finally made an appearance. Jimin felt relieved, but it didn't last long. To say Taehyung looked dead was an understatement, the small boy was barely raising his feet to walk, his arms are shaking like leaves in fall and their approaching summer so there's no way he's cold to the point of shivering. Jungkook was walking calmly up ahead, with his unoccupied hands in his pockets while Taehyung carried a stack of paperwork and an office bag on his shoulder, both things not belonging to him. Jimin couldn't help but glower at the sight of his little brother carrying the brat's belongings. He glanced at Yoongi before clearing his throat and asking to see and talk to the younger outside.

"Taehyung-ah, are you sure you're doing fine? Look at you, it looks like you haven't slept in weeks, and you've gotten thinner, please tell me what's wrong," Jimin pleads as he takes in the younger's appearance once more.

"I-I'm fine, Hyung, rea-really."

The boy's voice was raspy and deeper than before, which only added to the elder's worry. It could just be that he hasn't been speaking as often as before, but Jimin knew that something wasn't right. Taehyung isn't okay, he isn't fine.

"Taehyung-ah... Please don't lie to me, I'm worried about you."

Taehyung simply smiled, trying to reassure his Hyung that he was fine. Jimin heaved a heavy sigh as he dropped his hand from the younger's thin shoulder and gave a weak smile before walking back into the office with the latter trailing behind him. He just knew that something bad was about to happen. His gut is telling him something's going to occur. He hoped he wouldn't find out what that bad thing is.

Yoongi walked up to the torn man, his own worry shining through his tone as he asked, "So? How did it go?"

Jimin simply shook his head, mirroring Yoongi's stressed brows as they both took their seats and observed the young blond. Morning soon turned into noon, and it was time for lunch. During this time, the young blond sits at a table with his Hyungs; Yoongi, Jimin, Hoseok, Namjoon, and miraculously, Jungkook. Well, he was forced to sit with them. More people around meant less problems for Taehyung so with a few threats, Jungkook found himself reluctantly eating with this group of people. Taehyung played with his food, continuously pushing it around with his utensils. He wasn't hungry today. Again. Taking notice of his sluggish movement, Jimin's worry spiked again.

"Taehyung-ah, are you not hungry? You should eat."

Namjoon piped in, "Your brother's right, we don't want you fainting on us or getting hurt, so open up."

The elder brought a piece of the younger's food up, waiting for Taehyung to open his mouth. It was a piece of fruit, not the actual meal, but the man figured that having something sweet might be better. After some time, the boy did as requested, albeit reluctantly, and Namjoon fed him a few more pieces, making sure that at least half of the food was eaten. Jungkook merely scoffed and rolled his eyes, not understanding why everyone is so keen on caring for the younger.

Why would they care about a half-breed? Did they forget that he practically murdered more than half of a whole city? One of the most populated cities in South Korea was nearly brought to ruins because of this kid and they're worried about him getting sick? Please, they're idiots.

"Looks like break time's over, Hoseok. We gotta go, you have a meeting," reminded Namjoon as he stared down at his watch.

Looking at the clock on the far side of the room, Yoongi stood up, "Alright, let's get back to work. Taehyung-ah, Jimin, let's go."

"Right, we'll see you guys later."

Hoseok nodded, waving at the trio, "Bye-Bye! Taehyung-ah~ See you later!"

Jungkook rolled his eyes again and waltz up to their floor, sick of their friendliness. Later in the evening, all the workers were starting to pack their things, ready to dip the second their shifts ended. No one likes the idea of staying for overtime, working late is the night shift's job. Jimin didn't find it in himself to scold them for it, so he let them be and only waved them goodbye. Namjoon and Hoseok had dropped by to say goodbye too, they would have stayed for longer if it weren't for the reminder that they had people coming to fix their drainage system in less than an hour. With them gone, that left Jungkook, Taehyung, Jimin, and Yoongi.

Well, technically, Yoongi and Jimin didn't have to stay because they already finished their work for the day, but their little brother still had some left and his infamous partner wasn't much help. Taehyung doesn't use the computer he was provided with, he does everything by hand so, naturally, it takes longer to get things done. Although, he does have a perk. That perk being the fact that he's ambidextrous so he can switch hands when he gets tired with one of them. While he was writing off files, Jungkook left the room to use the restroom, finally leaving the others alone.

"Taehyung-ah, go home and rest, you can finish your work tomorrow."

Yoongi simply received a small head shake and sighed before walking over to the young boy and his unfinished work, only to realize something that ticked him off.

"Taehyung... What the hell!?"

It wasn't Taehyung's work, it was Jungkook's.

"That brat! That's it, we're taking you home with us, let's go." Yoongi tugged the younger's arm, raising him to his feet only to have the boy's limp body in his arms and a panicked Jimin right next to him in a matter of seconds.

"Shit, Shit, Shit!! Yoongi, w-what do we do!? He fainted! I knew something was gonna happen, oh god..."

"Jimin, breathe, he's still breathing so he's still alive, he isn't gonna die, right now we need a doctor."

"Right! I-I'll call Jin-Hyung."

Yoongi nodded, laying the fainted boy down on the ground as his silver-haired lover called for Jin who said he was already on his way. While the two waited for the doctor to arrive, the young boy's partner finally returned from his visit to the restroom. He froze in the doorway at the sight before him, his yawn becoming nonexistent.

"What happened?" His wide eyes looked at the scene, his brain coming up with possible scenarios.

"What happened?" Yoongi spat. "This is all your fault! You can't even do your own work!? What, are you lazy? You don't know how to read and write? He's in this state because of you and your horrible antics!"

The wine-haired man was standing face to face, smack in front of the shocked navy-haired newbie. His feline eyes glaring daggers at him and he would've physically hurt the latter if it weren't for the arrival of a heavy breathing Jin. The man must've broken the speed limit and ran all the red light because there's no other way for him to have arrived in a matter of five minutes if he was coming from the ward and hospital.

"Where is he!?"

Jimin lead Jin to the boy laying on the ground while Yoongi and Jungkook got pushed out of the way. Yoongi ignored Jungkook, approaching Jimin and placing a gentle hand on his hunched shoulder. Jungkook kept his distance, leaning against his desk.

"Jin-Hyung, is he gonna be okay?"

Jin set down his suitcase, preparing his materials and stealing glances at the boy passed out on the office ground as he ordered, "Someone tell me what happened. Now."

The three males flinched at the assertiveness of the handsome doctor, rushing to get something out.

"W-We don't know, he's been looking awfully tired these past few days and all he does is work and rarely eats anymore. I'd ask him what was wrong but you know how he is, now he fainted and I called you."

Jin hummed as he checked the boy's condition, sighing when he took in his pale skin and thin limbs. It reminded him of the instances where Taehyung would refuse to eat and couldn't sleep because of the nightmares and the way he was treated.

"He overworked himself and he's close to malnourishment. I don't know why he hasn't been eating, it could be that he isn't used to the food or he's doing it on purpose and the new environment isn't helping him either. You said they're isolating him, right?"

Yoongi and Jimin nodded.

"His social skills are already lacking, they treat him like trash, and he's been thrown into a routine he isn't used to, it was only a matter of time before he deteriorated. Poisoning him with cyanide, beating him, bad mouthing him; it's too much for him. I didn't expect it to be this bad though... He might be out for a few days."

He moved his hands to the younger's forehead, glad that he isn't sporting a fever. He shifted down to his throat, making sure that nothing else is wrong and just when he was about to pull away, the young boy's body pulsated. With furrowed brows, both his hands slowly moved along his limbs, feeling it pulse again. Jin looked carefully at Taehyung, the throbbing continuing, and he remembered a similar thing happening in the past.

This isn't good in the least.

"His demon."

There was a moment of unbearable silence as a heavy force grounded Jimin and Yoongi. Jimin stumbled forward, uneasy smile on his face, "Hyung, what're you saying? Is he okay?"

Yoongi grabbed his arm gently, tugging him back. "Jimin... Let him talk."

Jungkook sat on his desk behind them, chin against his finger as he mumbled, "His demon?"

Jin was hesitant on telling them the situation, especially with a stranger right behind them, but it's best if they know. Keeping it from them won't be good if what he thinks will come true.

"Taehyung is a half-demon, he has his human side and his demon side, think of it as two people or personalities in one body."

"Right, but what does that have to do with this?"

"Listen first, ask later."

Yoongi nodded, sealing his lips for Jin.

"It's rare, and I've only seen it happen twice but if one of them is in danger or something happens to one of them, the other takes over. You've only met the other one a few times too. Right now, Tae's body is shut down because of the over-exhaustion meaning he's practically defenseless, and it can be his own will or just his other side's, but-"

"His demon side is trying to resurface as a defense mechanism, meaning that if he wakes up, there's a chance he won't be himself. We'll be lucky if he doesn't kill us if he wakes up a demon, right?"

Jin turned to the man who interrupted him and asked the question he should've asked the second he saw him, "And who might you be?"

"Jeon Jungkook, owner of the half-breed. I'm an Officer in squad one and a new recruit."

"Yeah, and he's also the reason why Tae is in this state," Yoongi added while crossing his arms over his chest, side glancing Jin who looked visibly bothered at his statement. As he should be.

"Well, Jungkook, I'll take care of you later, but for now, I need a proper place to lay him down."

The doctor gently picked up the surprisingly light boy, looking at the others for a place to situate Taehyung. He followed them to one of the resting rooms on their floor where he laid the boy down on a small, foldable bed. With a sigh, Jin shooed them away, "Alright, go away. You all can go home and rest, I'll watch over him in case something happens."

Jimin and Yoongi nodded before hesitantly leaving the room, Jungkook following close behind.

"You. Jungkook. Stay... We need to talk."

The dark-haired man heaved a sigh before trudging over to the taller male who was softly running his hands through the sleeping boy's hair.

"What made him this tired? Yoongi blamed you, but I want you to explain yourself. I can't judge you until I have both sides of the story."

"I've done nothing wrong, he doesn't even go out, how am I supposed to know what made the runt collapse? He's weak for someone with demon blood in him," he scoffed.

Jin perked up, turning to face Jungkook with confusion, "He hasn't been outside? Why?"

Jungkook shrugged, "He doesn't have the time to, nor does he have to. He can't handle people anyway, so it'd do him no good. All he needs to do is obey my orders."

Jin glared, towering over the ill-mannered man in front of him, "He's not a runt, he's not a robot meant to do whatever he's told, Taehyung is an innocent eighteen-year-old boy; a human. Tell me what he does if he doesn't go outside, because I know my boy and he'd be running around, pointing at everything, so why hasn't he been outside?"

Jungkook gulped at the elder's tone of voice and began trying to defend himself, "The kid can't stand the sun and I'm not going to babysit either. Besides, he doesn't know where anything is and do you really think people will want to be anywhere near him? He's an abomination; he's better off staying inside."

Jin's hands had stopped combing through Taehyung's hair long ago and he was already pushing the newbie out of the room. He had heard enough. He wouldn't be able to stand hearing more from this person's mouth

"He's just a boy for God's sake, if I knew he'd end up with someone like you, I would've never told him about the offer in the first place! Just because he's a half-breed... He's already been through enough shit and here I thought he was finally going to accomplish one of his dreams after ten long years but instead this happens?! All he wanted was a chance at freedom and he gets this. Just... Why?"

Jungkook couldn't help but feel a slight tug on his heartstrings when he saw the way Jin stared down at his partner. The tenderness. The want and need to keep him safe. It reminded him so much of her. Jungkook lowered his head and mumbled an apology, receiving a cold and curt, "Leave," from Jin who didn't spare him a glance. He understood. His apology didn't matter after everything was said and done. Jin tugged on his hair and couldn't help but sigh in frustration as he looked at the boy beside him, wondering why someone so innocent and kind has to go through such hardships.

"God... I shouldn't have let you leave. I'm so sorry Taehyung-ah."

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jin woke up to the sound of a silvery melody being hummed and a warm blanket draped around his shoulders. Disoriented, he slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes as he took in his surroundings. His eyes landed on a boy swinging his legs back and forth while sitting on the edge of a small bed.

Taehyung-ah...

The blanket fell to the ground as he rushed to his feet, causing the humming to stop as the boy turned to look at him.

"You're awake, good morning, Jin-ssi."

Jin-ssi? So, it isn't him...

"Good morning to you too, how is he?"

"He is fine, but he doesn't want to miss a day of work while he rests, so he forced me to take over."

The boy hopped off the bed, landing lightly on his feet before turning to look at Jin with a bright smile that was everything but genuine, "It has been quite a while, a few years if I remember correctly."

"Don't do anything reckless, we don't want others to find out that you aren't him."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me Jin-ssi, but if there is something I don't agree with," the boy's honey-colored orbs flashed a neon purple and his voice deepened, "I will not just sit around and do nothing."

"I still don't know your name."

"I have many names, call me what you want, I'm supposed to be a demon after all so why should it matter? In the end, I will just be remembered as that, a demon."

Jin finished fixing the room they stayed in and beckoned the boy to follow him, his once purple eyes returning to their normal honey color as he got ready to play his part. The building was quiet, not many people belonging to the morning shift have arrived, but those who were already seated merely said their good mornings and went back to work.

"So, he's become a partner? Hah, never thought he would end up working for the ones who locked us up."

Jin simply hummed as they continued walking towards squad one's working space where a relieved Jimin instantly latched himself onto the now awake boy. He pulled away and ran his hands all over his face, making sure he wasn't dreaming, and that's when something stood out. Something feels off. He stared at Taehyung, hard, trying to find something. Jimin didn't know what he was looking for, but he knew exactly when he had found it.

"Jimin..."

"You aren't him."

The small boy smiled, his eyes turning into crescents, "My oh my, it seems like we have a rather bright one in here. It's an honor to meet you again Jimin-ssi, it has been ages."

Leaving Jimin perplexed, the blond then looked over to the man standing behind the previously mentioned and greeted him as well, "Yoongi-ssi, I owe you my life, it's good to see you after so long."

Both males turned to look at Jin, eyes expectant. Jin, of course, didn't bother beating around the bush as he blurted, "He's the demon. He won't reveal his name, but you can call him what you like. He'll be stepping in for the time being so please watch over him."

Jimin and Yoongi both nodded, albeit a bit unsure, as Jin bid them farewell. As soon as Jin left, someone new walked through the door and his words caught in his throat as the conversation he had last night replayed itself in his head the second he saw the blond back on his feet.

"Tae-Taehyung?"

The boy turned to the source of the question. With great scrutiny, the blond raked his eyes over the tall, well-built man and without saying a word, completely ignored him and went to his seat, leaving the latter shocked at the entrance. Jimin and Yoongi held back a snicker, ignoring the glare Jungkook gave them. At his seat, the blond stared at the computer for a while, slightly lost at what he was supposed to do. He knew being forced to do this wasn't going to be in his favor, but the kid could have explained how everything worked.

What kind of contraption is this?

"Do you need help?"

"Unfortunately, I do. He did not explain the contents of his so-called work."

Yoongi rolled his eyes at the unnecessarily formal form of speech but walked the demon through the use of the computer and Taehyung's overall tasks. His sudden need for help did draw some attention to the blond, specifically from Jungkook, but no one read too much into it. This side of the blond seemed to be a quick learner, not that Taehyung wasn't, but this persona managed to master the computer surprisingly quickly. With the use of the computer, Taehyung was able to finish his work a lot quicker than usual, giving him some free time before lunch.

"Taehyung-ah."

He perked up at the call of his 'temporary' name, raising his downcast eyes to the silver-haired man's own crescents.

"It's lunch time, come on."

He nodded, following after Yoongi and Jimin. The blond walked between them, startling a bit when he had climbed into the elevator. The men laughed, making the blond pout and not glare because apparently, Taehyung doesn't glare.

That was worse than descending. Maybe even worse than ascending, not that I'd know what that's like.

"Taehyung-ah~!"

"Hoseok, stop running."

The teenager rose his gaze quick enough to dodge the sudden onslaught of affection that the man with the huge smile was about to give him. Thinking things clearly, maybe he should have let this Hoseok guy hug him because now he was being relentless to his cheeks.

"That was mean, Taehyung-ah, I only wanted a hug," he complained as he pinched the boy's cheeks. Taehyung glanced at Jimin, his eyes practically begging him to get this overly affectionate man away from his face. He huffed in relief when he felt the pinching stop and he looked up to find another, very tall man smiling down at him.

"Sorry Taehyung, he heard about you fainting last night and was just relieved to see you back on your feet," he explained. Pulling Hoseok forward, he lightly jabbed his side, "Come on Hoseok-Hyung, apologize."

"Sorry, Taehyung-ah... I got carried away. Ah-Haha..."

The blond, now familiar with their names and characters, shook his head, giving a small smile. Yoongi and Jimin shuddered at how similar it was to Taehyung's, finding the whole ordeal to be like something out of a doppelganger story. Their time together went smoothly, Namjoon and Hoseok didn't seem to pick up on the shift of character that Taehyung had overnight, but there were a few times that the boy would do some out-of-character things. There was the way he ate, for instance. Taehyung isn't one for big gestures, even his smiles are small, so when he suddenly ate like royalty; perfect posture, napkin on his thighs, poised hands holding the silverware, he gained questioning looks.

"He's been reading too many books centered around kingdoms, don't pay him too much attention," Jimin had rushed to say.

"Yeah, you should have seen the phase he went through after reading romance books. Wouldn't stop reciting lines that made us cringe," added Yoongi, receiving chuckles from the men around them.

Eating poise aside, there's also his way of interacting with others. There were times where he would boldly walk up to someone he would normally avoid or the few times he had slipped up and actually talked to others without his usual nervous air or stutter; not that people knew about it. Luckily, Jimin was able to cover for him majority of the time. The next few days went almost exactly the same, but the mistakes were diminishing until Jimin and Yoongi could hardly tell that the boy in front of them wasn't their Taehyung. When people are surrounding him from all sides, the blond refrains from standing out and talking in order to properly play his part, but if he's alone with people he knows like Jimin or Yoongi then he does as he pleases.

Jungkook hasn't been filled in on the fact that Taehyung's demon is currently the one in control, none of the adults related to the blond wanted to tell him. It was partially, well, fully, Jungkook's fault that Taehyung ended up like that in the end, so he has no right to know. If he found out, it's possible he'd try and do something stupid like challenge the demon to a fight. Because of his lack of awareness regarding Taehyung's current wellbeing, Jungkook was slightly taken aback by the young boy's sudden surge of confidence when it came to answering his orders. Apparently, he's not as bright as everyone thought he was.

"Yah, half-breed, hand me those papers."

"Half-breed? Excuse you but this half-breed has a name and I think you are quite capable of getting the papers yourself."

"Listen, kid, I don't know what the hell has gotten into you but don't forget your place. I still own you, you're still mine, and you still have to follow my orders so-"

Jungkook's words were cut off by a loud sound coming from the only other person in the room. The young boy threw back his head and let out a loud, humorless laugh as he wiped away his fake tears before coming to a stop.

"Don't make me laugh."

Taehyung rose from his seat and began making his way over to his subordinate while slightly, but definitely, glowering at the navy-haired male. Once he was standing before him, he steadily leaned in towards the elder, smirking as he saw the latter back away further into his chair. He moved his head close to Jungkook's ear and neck, the smirk only growing and his eyes glowing a bright violet as he whispered into Jungkook's ear, "Listen here, pretty boy...You. Do not. Own. Me.. If it were up to me, I would have eaten you up the second I laid eyes on you."

"G-Gross," chocked out the stiff man, "Aside from being a half-breed... Are you gay too?"

Taehyung let out a teasing, breathy laugh before ghosting his hands over the stiff male's exposed neck, the deepness of his voice not helping Jungkook in the slightest. "So, what if I am? Am I making you question your sexuality, Jeon-ssi?"

If it weren't for the fact that he was sitting on his office chair, Jungkook is sure he would have bolted out of the room the second the half-breed tried to approach him. He's sure he would have run away, but the way his body is reacting makes him think otherwise. No words are coming out of his parted lips, only puffs of air and he's painstakingly conscious of the blond's presence. Is he paranoid or is this actually Taehyung's true nature? Something isn't right here.

Jungkook, who was about to place his hands on the young boy's waist in order to hold him back, made eye contact with the blond, feeling drawn in. Whether that was on purpose or purely accidental on the blond's part, he didn't know, but when Taehyung pushed himself away and mouthed out a goodbye to him, Jungkook felt his blood run cold. He was drawn in by his partner. By a half-breed. By a boy.

"Damn that kid!" Jungkook grunted out as he tried sorting out his thoughts, the image of his partner staring at him a few seconds ago replaying over and over in his head. He was practically questioning his sexuality again, he's actually semi-hard right now and he's desperately willing it to go away, but aside from that, there was one thing in particular that stuck out to him.

"I know I didn't imagine that... His eyes changed color."

Taehyung reached the bottom floor, the lobby as they call it, and when he was sure that no one was around, he stumbled over to the vending machine farthest away from the entrance and laid his back against it for support, feeling a throbbing pain in his head.

"Tsk, I am running out of time."

He slid down the side of the snack machine and brought his hands up to his head while wincing and emitting a few groans. Taehyung mumbled curse words to no one in particular. The real Taehyung was coming back tomorrow. His demon will no longer stay in control of his body, he will return to his peaceful slumber until he's called upon again or until something else happens.

What kind of life have I been given? Ten years... This is a nightmare.

He sat there for a few more minutes, glaring at anyone who decided to use the machine he was leaning against. Once the pain subsided, he rose to his feet and surveyed the snacks in the machine, trying to find something to munch on. Human food was interesting. Strange, but interesting, and often times, delicious.

As the afternoon progressed, Jungkook continuously glanced at his partner, trying to find anything that'll help him prove the fact that there was something wrong with the younger, but nothing seemed to be off. The blond was as silent as ever and seemed a bit apathetic. He followed the instructions given to him without talking back like before, he kept his gaze on the ground, he's acting normal.

Did I imagine it? No, no way I did. I most certainly saw his eyes change color and not only that, but his voice and demeanor changed completely too. Who would know more about him? Jimin? Of course! I should've asked him earlier, they're brothers after all but... I hate him.

Jungkook looked around the office for the short Officer, finding him at his working desk, filling out some paperwork. He stood up, confidently walking over to him.

"Officer Park, may I have a word with you?"

Jimin glanced up before sighing and returning to reading and signing off more pages, "What is it, Jeon? I'm busy."

Jungkook tried not to click his tongue and roll his eyes, breathing in slightly in annoyance as he spoke again, "It's about my partner."

At the mention of Taehyung, Jimin stopped his actions and looked up at the blue-haired Officer, "Let's go outside. Yoongi! You're in charge while I'm gone."

"Roger."

The elevator ride was tense and silent. They didn't look at each other. They didn't touch. They simply walked. Once they were outside the building, Jimin stood before Jungkook, arms crossed, waiting expectantly for the latter to start talking.

"So? What is it?"

"There's something wrong with my partner. Ever since he woke up from that little incident, something's been off and since you seem to be so buddy-buddy with him and because you're brothers, I thought I'd ask you about his behavior, so do you know something I don't?"

Damn him, what did that demon do?

"I don't know what you're talking about. Jin-ssi said it was due to him overworking himself, it's a miracle he even woke up after that. There hasn't been anything out of the ordinary. He's working efficiently, he hasn't caused problems, so I don't know what behavior issues you're talking about, if you're simply trying to cause him problems then I suggest you stop-"

"His eyes changed color and his voice dropped an octave. I know what I saw, and he dared to play with me, there is something wrong with that thing so don't play dumb with me Park."

"I have nothing to tell you, Jeon. Get back to work," Jimin sneered and Jungkook scoffed before walking back into the building, leaving the pondering Officer outside on his own.

Ugh... this is gonna kill me one day.

Chapter Text

On the ride back home, the atmosphere surrounding the two males was heavy and thick. Jungkook continuously side glanced at the boy on the seat next to him while the blond boy tried to ignore the stares while having a conversation with the original owner of the body that has miraculously figured out how to contact him.

"Kid, he keeps staring at you, is he into younger boys or something? He's giving me the creeps."

Jeon-ssi isn't a pedophile, he doesn't even like me s-so I don't know why he's staring. It's probably because of what you pulled in the office.

"That is what he gets for calling you a half-breed and his property, but I will not lie, he is definitely my type-"

Do-Don't try anything! You can't blow our cover, remember?

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it, but if he attempts anything you can't blame me for what might happen."

Fine, you're almost there, I'll rest a while longer... un-until morning.

"Right, go on."

Just as Taehyung had said, Jungkook pulled up at their driveway and exited the car without a word. The young boy just clicked his tongue before rolling his eyes and getting out. Both entered the dimly lit living room but before either of them could walk into their respective rooms, the younger was slammed against the wall, encaged by the elder's well-built body, arms on either side of his head. Taehyung, of course, tried to stay in character and not do something the actual Taehyung wouldn't do. He kept his gaze on the ground and attempted to make himself smaller, displaying a face full of innocence and confusion with a slight tint of fear; He could win an Oscar.

"Look at me, runt."

Jungkook's voice was stern, like that of those alphas in the books Taehyung read out of boredom, but he's all bark and no bite in the demon's eyes. Hesitantly, the cowering boy raised his gaze and locked eyes with the waiting male. Jungkook searched the younger's eyes, certain that something isn't right and that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him back at the office, but their color remained normal. He clicked his tongue and grabbed the small boy's chin, making him jump, not as part of the act, but because he was genuinely surprised. Jungkook moved his head in different directions, positioning it at different angles but the eyes remained the same. His grip unknowingly tightened, causing Taehyung to let out an unintentional whine, making Jungkook quickly release his chin.

What the hell does this idiot want? He is testing my patience.

The demons pouting party was interrupted by sudden murmuring that made Jungkook sound like he'd lost his mind. Taehyung would like to bet that it's a very high possibility.

"I swear I saw them turn purple, I didn't imagine it, I'm not going crazy, and his attitude definitely changed..."

So that is what he's doing? He will not leave me alone until he finds something, huh?

"Yah, can I go now?"

I have no time for this stuff.

Jungkook stared down at the once cowering boy in shock and Taehyung took this small period of time to duck under the elder's arm and escape from the previous position. No more being slammed against the wall.

"Y-Yah! I'm not done with you, who said you could leave!?"

"Um? Me... Bye."

"Why you-"

"I would stop meddling in other people's business if I were you, Jeon-ssi. We don't want you getting hurt now, do we?"

And he did it again. His eyes flashed a neon purple and his personality changed.

"You aren't Taehyung, who are you?"

"Oh, my... Now you decide to use his name? And of course, I am Taehyung, who else would I be?"

The young boy stalked up to the man, pace ever so teasingly slow, hands clasped behind his back and a sly smile adorning his features. Jungkook quirked an eyebrow, questioningly staring at the advancing boy. Taehyung was soon only a few steps away from Jungkook, if he were to extend his arm, he'd be able to touch his chest with his hand flat against it.

"Hey, tell me, what makes you feel so superior compared to me?" He tilted his head to the side, not really waiting for an answer. "You see, you are quite an interesting specimen, Jeon-ssi.. So prideful, so arrogant, so human."

Taehyung grinned widely, taking a step closer to the latter who flinched but refused to step back. It wasn't the reaction he was hoping for, and he made it obvious. The younger pouted before giggling, getting closer to the stunned male who was trying to wrap his head around everything. Jungkook was more confused than he was back at the office.

What the fuck is going on? Has he gone nuts?

"Now, why would you go through the trouble of getting your hands on us? You humans enjoy ruining those who are different from you, regardless of their intentions. I have seen the way you treat Taehyung but there is something hidden behind your snide remarks and brutish actions, something you seem to be quite oblivious to."

"What are you talking about? I have nothing to hide! Of course I'm superior to you, you're only a half-breed, demon or not, you have no place in society so of course I'd be on top of you. I'm the Officer, not the other way around," defended Jungkook.

Taehyung hummed, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes, "My, what a wonderful reason, your thought process needs assistance. Aside from your boyish pride, you have a tiny, itsy-bitsy piece of sympathy or... is it empathy? There is a reason why you treat us this way and it's not just because you believe that you hold the power. There's something else."

Jungkook was confused. Nothing coming out of the younger's mouth was making sense. What pride? What pity? Sympathy? For someone with powers and the capability to do things people can only imagine? Yeah, right.

"Or maybe you simply don't know how to act towards the one you find attractive. Could it be lust? That seemed to be the case back at the office."

Jungkook flared, willing the flustered tint of his skin to sink, "Shut up! You know nothing! You're just spewing nonsense."

As far as Jungkook knows, he's straight. He doesn't find the boy attractive in the least... Probably. Anyway, this game is getting exhausting. Taehyung keeps referring to himself in the third person or says 'us' and his way of speaking is far too matured and strange.

He's only eighteen, why does he sound like some ancient dude?

Jungkook was beginning to question everything, maybe even regretting ever getting involved with the half-breed. His brain was working hard to find out the root of this change, so much so that he eventually blocked out the latter's' voice, and the blond wasn't too pleased.

"Do not ignore me, Jeon-ssi."

Jungkook jumped at the sound of the boy's changed voice. It's the same velvety, deep tone that he had heard at the office and it was right next to his ear. His body tensed again as he regained his senses, now being able to feel the blond's body pressed against his own, hands roaming his chest and abdomen area, making him unintentionally shiver.

"You know, I like the way you react to me Jeon-ssi, it makes me want to tease you more."

"Wh-What are you doing!?"

"Tell me, Jeon-ssi, have you gotten to the bottom of my so-called change? Do you still think I am nothing but a mere half-breed you can toy and use as you please? Am I not Kim Taehyung? Do you still hate me? Do you like me? Do you want us? Do you think we remind you of something?"

Jungkook gulped as the younger's face was now only inches away from his own. He had his glowing violet eyes on display and a little smirk on his luscious lips, making him look older than he actually is.

"Well? Will you answer me, Jeon-ssi?"

"You... You aren't him," he breathed out. "You are not Kim Taehyung, but you're still a half-breed. I still see you as nothing and nothing can prove that wrong. I don't know who you are, but I will find out."

"Tsk, no fun," Taehyung pushed himself away from the well-built man and began to walk away, a pout on his lips and arms crossed on his chest before something strong made his form waver.

"Ngh!?"

The blond's hand shot up to his head, knees becoming weak as his vision blurred. He attempted to straighten himself up and take a few steps forward but was met with an even greater wave of pain and he whimpered as his knees collided with the ground. Jungkook didn't know what was wrong and he ran to the younger almost on autopilot before his head could hit the wooden floor. Hurriedly, he brushed aside the youngers growing bangs and felt his forehead.

"Hey, what's wrong? You were perfectly fine a few minutes ago."

He was met with harsh breathing and a weak smile before he saw Taehyung's hooded eyes.

Wow... What the hell?

The right was purple while the left returned to its natural color of soothing honey, and Jungkook wasn't gonna lie, it was mesmerizing.

"It... seems that.. he do-doesn't... want m-me to tea-tease you, hah.."

"Who? You make no sense, you runt."

There was no bite to his words, hands pushing away the unruly hair strands.

"Tae- ngh! J-Just lay me do-down... You... You'll find out.. eventually.."

Jungkook clicked his tongue and tugged at his dark locks in frustration. Taehyung had passed out in his hold and now he had to carry him to his room while thinking of what the hell is going on with the half-breed. This kid's bringing nothing but trouble to him. These headaches are only going to grow, especially with the nonsense Taehyung had spewed.

He said I'd find out at some point, but what will I find out? Do I even wanna know? I think I bit off more than I can chew.

The next day, there was chaos at the S.D.F.

It was supposed to be Taehyung's day off and Jin had planned to take him to an amusement park seeing as how he never went to one. They did go to the amusement park and everyone but Jungkook was invited. Namjoon, Hoseok, Jimin, and Yoongi joined the other two about half-way through the day. Taehyung had latched on to both of them, his childish nature leaking out in tons. It had startled Namjoon and Hoseok, but that was to be expected since they'd only ever seen Taehyung be shy and quiet, not hyperactive. On their journey through the park, they grew to find out some things about the blond. One: he doesn't like heights, but he still likes some rollercoasters. The drop, however, is out of the question.

"Are you sure you don't want to try it Taehyung-ah?"

The blond shook his head, visibly shaking when he heard the screams coming from the large tower in front of him. He craned his neck just in time to see the round, seat-filled part jerk twice before plummeting to the bottom. His heart sank to his stomach. There was no way he'd ever get on that.

"Okay, let's find something else then," proposed Namjoon, leading them all away from the scary ride. They had walked into the arcades and game booths, Taehyung's eyes had instantly lit up, especially when they saw all the stuffed toys. The others had smiled unconsciously, everyone leading him to different games, easing his nerves when they'd go near crowds. It was fun. It should have been like that all day, but just as Hoseok was about to win a shooting game in order to get the large prize of a stuffed Pikachu, Jimin received an emergency call from the S.D.F and they all had rushed back to the city. Taehyung had forgotten about the prizes he could win and insisted that he wanted to go back to the office with the rest of the guys, and Jin wasn't able to say no to him.

The group of six entered the bustling building in a rush, scanning the room for anyone they could get information from and luckily, someone was spotted.

"Insoo! What's going on?"

The questioned worker rapidly explained the situation to Jimin who couldn't help but click his tongue in annoyance. Jimin ruffled his hair and stormed into his office the second they got off the elevator followed by his friends.

"What's wrong, Jimin? What happened?"

"Spirits."

That was the only thing the latter had said and everyone was at a loss for what he meant. Actually, that was a lie, everyone understood perfectly except for Taehyung.

"Spirits? But they haven't made an appearance since the incident that happened centuries ago, weren't they said to be extinct? And the spatial quake alarms aren't going off either, there's been no impact whatsoever, it makes no sense!" Namjoon exclaimed while sitting down at one of the empty desks.

Hoseok nodded, adding, "Exactly, they were said to be a myth or legend, right?"

"Is there any footage that confirms that it was a Spirit?" Yoongi asked.

Jin was watching over Taehyung, not wanting the younger to be involved in the matter at hand.

"Hold on, where's Jeon?"

The group went silent, looking around the room for the blue-haired male that caused them all a great pain. It was a little past lunch hour, normally he'd be lazing around the floor at this time or just sitting at his desk.

"You called, Park?"

"Indeed I did Jeon, you know about film work so I need you to help me with the footage, enlarge it and make it clear enough to recognize the person on camera."

"Tsk, not even a please?" Jungkook did as told despite not liking the way he was ordered to do it and his eyes widened at what was shown on the footage.

"What? Did something happen? What are you... gawking at... Wow."

They all crowded around the computer screen, staring amazed at what was captured by the S.D.F's cameras.

"It really is a Spirit."

"But why did it appear?"

"Forget about the why, we should be asking how?"

"Maybe it's looking for something."

"Looking for what though?"

"We need to review the files on them, Hoseok I'll leave that up to your squad, can I count on you?"

"Sure thing Jimin, Namjoon and I will get to it immediately."

"Thanks, I'll see you guys later."

Namjoon and Hoseok bid their goodbyes as they went down to their floor. When they left, Taehyung was still with Seok-Jin and he was as curious as ever to know what the commotion had been about, so he tugged on Jin's shirt and asked him what a Spirit was.

"Ah, a Spirit is a being that comes from a different dimension or world. Generally speaking, we don't really know where they come from, but they fall from the sky. We don't know if they come here voluntarily or not but each time they appear, they create something called a space quake. It's like a bomb explosion and instantly destroys everything in its way. From what was recorded, it seems like every Spirit has a personality of its own and can pick up languages rather quickly. They all have different powers and knowledge of the world and some can be quite ruthless, they disappeared after a battle between them and an unknown entity, or, at least, that's what the reports say. They're thought to be related to the Gods, too, but those are things we can't confirm."

Seok-Jin was met with a look of slight confusion from the blond. Chuckling at his failed attempt at an easy explanation, Jin ruffled the boy's growing locks, "It's nothing you have to worry about baby, just focus on not overworking yourself, kay?"

"Ok-Okay Hyung."

While Jin and Taehyung were talking, a certain someone was quietly observing them. The young man couldn't stop thinking about the blond's last words to him last night. Whoever that was, Jungkook didn't like them. Not one bit.

Chapter Text

Following the sighting of the Spirit, the S.D.F became as busy as ever but that didn't stop Jungkook from trying to gather information. Despite his efforts, even Jimin avoided his questions about the younger's strange behavior. The only thing Jungkook knew was that the eighteen-year-old boy was the cause of the Daegu disaster a few years prior and has some sort of supernatural blood in his veins. Based on what Jin had said the day the blond fainted, it also seems like his other side presents itself as a different personality. Could that be what had happened? How can he find out more about the boy? Then, it clicked. Kim Taehyung's file.

Surely he would find something there. He never looked through it because he saw it as unnecessary. He didn't need to know anything about the latter because he was only his trump card, nothing else, but it seems he has no other choice. If the people won't answer his questions, then he'll find the answers himself.

When Taehyung and Jungkook were dismissed from work, the elder drove them home, hoping to find his partner's file somewhere in his room where he just threw it and left it there forgotten. Once they arrived and the front door was closed and locked, Jungkook ignored the blond as he hurried in to his bedroom, slammed the door, and began the search for the file. He cursed himself for being reckless with the papers he got from work. His room isn't dirty or messy in the least, on the contrary, it was clean and well ordered. It smelled great too, not one speck of dust in sight, yet he somehow couldn't find a dumb orange folder. It took him an hour of searching until Jungkook finally found what he was looking for. He has no clue how it ended up under his mattress, but at least he found it. Jungkook impatiently opened the faded orange folder and began to read the information presented.

Name: Kim Taehyung

Gender: Male Age: 18

Status: Stable Birthdate: Dec. 30, XXXX

Arrival: August 3, XXXX

Confinement: Solitary

Cell#: 95 Species: Half-Demon

Eye Color: Brown

Height: 5'4 Weight: 125 lbs.

Demon Type: Unknown

Description/Summary: Kim Taehyung had no knowledge of being a half-demon and claimed to be born and raised as a human. On August 3, XXXX, the patient went on a rampage, murdered thousands, including his own family, and destroyed more than half of Daegu. After being shot by Min Yoongi, he was brought into the Ward and taken care of by Doctor Kim Seok-Jin. The patient refused to speak to anyone but Doctor Seok-Jin and was put in solitary confinement until he came of age for trial. Tests and experiments were run in order to bring out the patient's demon but all failed except two. When loved ones are put in danger before the patient, his emotions become too unstable and the demon appears. When tormented and abused profusely to the point where he breaks down, the patient requests help and forces the demon out. No information on the demon has been acquired and the only people who have seen and met it have been Doctor Seok-Jin, Officer Park Jimin, and partner Min Yoongi. His demon should not be taken lightly.

Jungkook finished reading through Taehyung's file, feeling somewhat satisfied with the new information but new questions also flooded his mind. There wasn't much on him, but it was enough. He became curious about the boy, even more than when he first laid eyes on him. Jungkook knew Taehyung was strong, of course he was, he had to be in order to destroy such a heavily populated area at the age of eight.

"Kim Taehyung seems like I'm not the only one hiding something."

The rest of the night, Jungkook spent his time researching the blond and the incident from ten years ago on his phone. If he was going to mess with the kid in order to talk to that person that pisses him off, then he's going to need all the details he could get even if they're made up by the press. Exaggeration is going to be key for this game and he isn't going to play nice.

The young blond tossed and turned in his bed, grabbing at things that weren't there. Behind his closed eyelids were splatters of red, the scent of burned wood made his nose itch, and his body ached. He was alone in a place he couldn't recognize and the more he tried to find a way out, the more his body ached and the noisier it got. He didn't like the noise. It screamed his name in agonizing fear and he didn't know why. All he knew was that if he stayed still, the noise would stop, the red would disappear, and the smell of burned wood would be dispelled. The murky ocean would swallow him whole as it numbs the pain in his body, but it would make him suffocate.

Just let me bring you to your end once and for all... Foolish King

Honey eyes snapped open to find nothing but gray walls. His chest is heavy. His body hurts. He doesn't know what just happened, but it doesn't feel right. His frantic eyes searched around the room, wanting to make sure that nothing was out of place and that he was the only one present in the bedroom. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Was it just a dream?

The young blond shook his head to rid his mind of the pending thoughts, of the strange addition to his dreams, and quickly began to get ready for the day. He finished adjusting his uniform and quietly opened the door to his room, not wanting to disturb the man in the room across from his. When Taehyung stepped out and closed the door, a certain smell caught his attention and he had to make sure that he hadn't woken up later than usual. Based on what can be seen from the window of his room, he should have woken up at the right time. Curious about the smell wafting into the hallway, he followed the scent only to be met with a cooking Jungkook.

I didn't know he could cook.

He slowly made his way to the dining room, not wanting to disturb him but, unfortunately, he ended up bumping into the table. He rubbed at his hip, hissing silently at the pain and probable bruise. It was a sharp edge, not very pleasant in the least.

"I see you're finally awake," Jungkook called to him without turning to look at him and it's great that he didn't. It makes it easier for Taehyung to feel comfortable, but his ease wouldn't last too long, that much he was aware of. He gulped, waiting to be scolded, but instead, he was told to sit down and wait for food.

"I'll be done soon, just sit and wait. That shouldn't be too hard for you."

Taehyung scurried over to one of the empty seats, head looking down at the hands on his lap, not wanting to anger Jungkook so early in the morning. It's already a miracle that the man woke up earlier than him to make breakfast, but something must be going on for him to be doing this. Is it because of what happened two days ago? His other side played too much and angered him a lot, there's no telling what Jungkook would do if Taehyung didn't listen to him right now.

I told him not to cause trouble, but he just went and disobeyed me, he could've cost me my job and I would've ended up back in the ward, but... Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

His fingers twitched against his knees, coming to meet in the middle as his thoughts wandered.

If I knew I was gonna end up with such a mean person, I would've rejected the offer and stayed in my cell. I could've still seen Jin-Hyung and Jimin-Hyung and Yoongi-Hyung, and Becky-Noona.

Jungkook's gaze went unnoticed. He watched Taehyung fiddle with his fingers and hands. He noticed the zoned-out eyes and the frown twitching at his lips. He didn't like it. He doesn't want to be ignored.

I wouldn't have met Jungkook, and I wouldn't have to get teased... I wouldn't make my Hyungs worry about me.

"Yah! Are you going to eat or not?"

Taehyung looked up, meeting the irritated gaze of Jungkook and then realized... He angered him.

"I don't remember telling you to look at me," he coldly stated, causing the blond to let out a rushed apology.

"I-I'm s-so-sorry."

Then Taehyung realized he messed up again. So much for making up for what he did the last few days.

"Seems like you really want to test my patience today, runt."

He was about to deny Jungkook's assumption but quickly caught himself, shaking his head furiously while avoiding the elder's burning eyes.

"Oh, so now you want to follow my rules? You know, you disobeyed me quite a few times a couple days ago too, even went as far as playing with me, so why don't you disobey me some more since you seem to like it so much, hm?"

Taehyung shook his head once again, covering his mouth with his hand so as not to make a noise. Jungkook kept glaring down at him, slowly approaching him, unnerving the blond who was starting to shake in his seat. The breakfast the elder had prepared was long forgotten, the aroma no longer reaching the blond's nose.

"Disobey me, half-breed, just listen to what I say and you won't suffer. You're collared, remember?"

He shook his head again, eyes wide with fear. The collar on his throat suddenly felt tighter, heavier. Taehyung gulped, keeping his lips sealed despite his breaths coming in short puffs.

I can't do as he says, even if he begs me. If I do, it'll only bring me more trouble... I can't

Jungkook startled Taehyung out of his daze with a laugh, "Haha! You idiot. You do realize that you're already doing what I asked, right? You refusing to comply is exactly what I want. I'm telling you to act the same way you did last night, is that so hard? Just follow my orders!"

N-No way... He's right..

Jungkook could tell he was shaking. He took in every detail as Taehyung stood, trying to back away. The heaving chest. The dropped and trembling hands. The unfocused eyes. Everything.

I can't breathe... Am I suffocating myself? Am I still sick?

Stumbling over the chair, Taehyung didn't manage to turn the corner of the table, not with Jungkook blocking his path. Instead, he felt a sudden wave of dizziness strike as Jungkook gripped his jaw, making the blond look directly at him. Directly at his venomous orbs. He couldn't stop the whimper that left his trembling lips. Taehyung was terrified and he didn't know why. Maybe it was the fact that he was regretting all his life choices so far. Or maybe Jungkook was just that terrifying. The honeyed eyes began to fill to the brim as the slim body trembled and his mind raced.

"Look at you," cooed Jungkook, watching Taehyung squeeze his eyes shut at his mocking tone.

"Trembling in fear and I haven't done anything yet... Pathetic," he scoffed and the blond tried to get out of his grip but only ended up making him laugh at his failed attempt. Jungkook hummed, staring down at Taehyung in a form of amusement he knew too well.

It's the same look those guys at the office give me... He's playing with me

"You know, I did a bit of digging and found out a few things about you. I didn't know you were that much of a dangerous criminal."

What?

Taehyung's body stiffened before falling limp against the edge of the table when Jungkook's grip on his chin was removed. The boy gazed at the elder with wide eyes, not sure whether or not he wanted to hear what he says. He's sure he doesn't want to know.

"It seems I've gained your attention," smirked the raven.

Taehyung watched him walk around the counter, reaching down to grab a stack of papers only to slam them down next to him. They had his name on them. Taehyung noticed the pictures of burned grounds and broken houses. It was an explosion.. Why is my name on those papers?

"Kim Taehyung. Eighteen years old. Arrived at Seoul Psych Ward at the age of eight. The cause behind the destruction of Daegu and also the killer of thousands including his own family. Damn, how crazy would you have to be to kill your own brother and sister? Not to mention they were younger than you."

H-He knows?

Taehyung's eyes widened as he moved away, hands grasping on to whatever surface they could find purchase on. Jungkook's smirk grew wider as he continued, circling around the unsteady blond.

"Unaware of being a half-breed and claimed to be born and raised as a human, seems like a failed attempt at an excuse to me."

He shook his head, "N-No! It's tr-true, I-I was human, I swe-swear."

"Whatever you say, runt. You were practically a loner, refused to speak to anyone but three people all because of a little stutter that you just can't get rid of," he teased and Taehyung reflexively covered his mouth, embarrassed.

"Previously experimented on but to no avail seeing as how nothing was found out except for the fact that you regenerate and heal quicker than most species. But I bet that hurt, huh? Did they cut you up with knives? Burn you? Drown you? Inject you with all types of things? That's why you can't stand sharp things, right?"

Did they? I... I can't remember.

"I... I don't know."

"Oh! And turns out Park and Min aren't your brothers at all! They're the people you decide to use to fill that void of loneliness, such a tragic story indeed," he laughed as Taehyung stood there, grounded to the floor, head flooding with fragmented pictures.

What were they?

People? Fire?... Crying? Blood?... It can't be.. I- I didn't mean to. It wasn't me... Was it?

"No, I-I didn't mean to, it was- it was an accident! I-I didn't know, it was-wasn't my fau-fault..."

"Face it. You're a murderer. You killed your own family. You killed countless people in the blink of an eye and you dare to call yourself human? You still have the guts to call a massacre an accident? You should've died but instead you were saved, how disappointing. I bet even your so-called friends hate having you around. Jin had to babysit you and deal with your problems. Yoongi and Jimin probably only hung out with you cuz Jin asked them to. You were isolated from the world and had no knowledge of the outside for years, how pitiful indeed. Forced to play house for ten years, I could never."

"N-No, stop, 'm n-not a m-mur-murderer, I didn't me-mean to.. Ah... n-no, i-it was someone else! Not me. I-It wasn't me! He... Help me, I-I didn't know-"

"Keep telling yourself that and maybe you'll come to believe your own little lie. To think a weakling like you could kill their own siblings and still have the heart to say they weren't aware of doing it, even I wouldn't drop that low," he whispered in the boy's ear, fake sympathy dripping off his whole being.

"Bu-But I rea-really didn't know, I'm so-sorry I... I ca-can't... Mom.. Da-Dad.. Wasn't me, pro-promise! No-Not me! No... He-Help me... ngh-uh.."

"You think saying sorry will bring them back? How could you not know that you were killing innocent people? Hah! What a joke. Did you feel nothing after having their blood dripping down your hands!? Didn't you hear their cries!? Their begging for mercy, for you to spare them and come to your senses!"

"I didn't!! I-It wasn't me! No, n-no, no, no, It wasn't me... Haha. Hah.. No, it- it wasn't m-me! Him, it w-was him, not- not me.. I did-didn't kill anyone, no, no, not me..."

But if it wasn't him then why was he seeing that explosion? Why could he hear those screams of agony and cries of pain? Why could he smell the burning wood and iron? Why? Why does he have these memories if it wasn't him?

Jungkook came to a stop in front of Taehyung's hunched over form, a thrilling glint in his eyes.

He's close. He knows he is.

"Why can't you just come to terms with the sins you've committed? No wonder you're just a mere half-breed. You can't even be a functioning weapon, scared of fighting and killing when you've already done it a million times before! Useless and-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!!"

Jungkook stopped his degrading and stared at the boy before him, smirking triumphantly, one thing running through his head.

Bingo.

Chapter Text

Jungkook stood there, confidence brimming and proud grin on his lips. Before him stood a seething Taehyung no longer trembling in fear, but trembling in rage. His aura changed drastically and Jungkook swears that he can see purple and black mist emitting from the younger whose head was currently staring at the ground, fringe covering his eyes.

"You." He seethed, "What are you playing at?"

Jungkook quirked a brow, "Me? I have a few questions I'd like answers to, but I'm also just curious and wanted to test a theory of mine. Apparently, it worked."

Taehyung scoffed, finally meeting Jungkook's gaze and making him tense up instantly. The younger's eyes were dripping with animosity and looked deadly ominous; there was no warmth or that familiar glitter of anxiousness, only pure hatred.

"Just curious you say?"

Jungkook swallowed his saliva, not knowing what was to come but he was sure it wouldn't be something nice. The file did warn him about this guy.

"You humans truly enjoy toying with others, don't you? Well, now it's my turn." Taehyung grinned slyly, "I won't go easy on you after the stunt you pulled. Now, come to me, Zaphkiel!"

A ground shaking gong rung in the room as a pistol appeared in Taehyung's outstretched arm and a giant clock appeared behind him. The gun was pointing to one of the roman numerals like a clock hand and with a hard glare, Taehyung pulled down the gun's hammer saying, "Yod Bet."

The clock ticked, a loud ding echoing in Jungkook's ears as purple mist made its way into the gun barrel. Without hesitation, the blond pointed it directly at the stunned man's head, giggling before pulling the trigger and saying, "Enjoy the ride, Jeon-ssi."

Once the shot was fired, Jungkook could've sworn that he was supposed to be dead, but instead, he awoke in a completely different place.

"Yah, Kim Taehyung! Get back here young man, you haven't eaten breakfast!"

"Sorry mama, I'll see.. see you la-later, I'm g-go-going to be la-late for.. for school!"

Jungkook looked at what he assumed was a young Taehyung running at full speed while a beautiful woman waved him goodbye. Short hazel hair, bright brown eyes, tan skin, and a large smile despite reprimanding her son. He was almost an exact replica of her.

How am I seeing this? And his hair... It's not blond.

Jungkook watched as two other children left the house shortly after Taehyung did, both holding on to a well-dressed man's hands. He can only guess that those are his siblings and his dad. Their mother waved goodbye at them from the door and the calm happiness of that scene was cut short fairly quickly as soon as late afternoon arrived.

The scenery morphed into something horrid right before Jungkook's eyes. It was the incident that took place all those years ago, something he only saw on TV. He saw how the small Taehyung was frantically running home from school, unfortunately tripping on a rock causing him to scrape his knee and hands. Though it sounds crazy, Jungkook felt the sting of the younger's wounds and when he inspected his body, he saw that he too had the small scrapes.

What? How?

He turned back to Taehyung, wondering why he was in such a hurry to go home. The brunette was close to his house now, out of breath and sweaty. He was about to throw the door open when a blinding light went off, causing Jungkook to squint his eyes. As he was about to open them again, Jungkook let out a blood-curdling scream, falling to the floor, not understanding where the pain was coming from. His body was on fire.

Damn it, I shouldn't be feeling any of this! This is the past, it's an illusion!

"MA-MAMA!? PAPA!?"

Taehyung's desperate cries shook Jungkook awake and when he finally looked at his surroundings, he felt nausea and disbelief. Everything was up in flames, burning bodies littered the ground, some of them being Taehyung's own family. The smell made bile rise up his throat, hand coming to cup around his mouth. He could make out the charred figures under the rubble and he knew Taehyung could see them as well. Broken calls of his name left the lips of the bodies strewn across the floor, whines and painful wheezes ensuing. Trembling limbs reached out for the burned bodies hiding under wood and remains of the house, never managing to come into contract with them. Taehyung hurled, clutching at his throat as he coughed, breathing in the black smoke and sobbing erratically.

Sirens were heard in the distance and Jungkook felt the need to flee, so he did. He ended up following Taehyung, fear, and adrenalin pumping through his veins. Soon enough, they were being shot at, hunted down, and all Taehyung could do was run, sob, and try to defend himself. Wherever Taehyung went, calamity followed and everything he felt was transferred to Jungkook.

Shit, I'm gonna die! Wait... Is that.. Yoongi!?

At this point, Jungkook was astounded at the fact that he could still walk, so when they stopped in the middle of the forest, he had hoped that he'd get the chance to breathe again. He was wrong. Really wrong.

"Plea-Please... Someone.. Help m-me. I don't wan-wanna die.. 'M so-sorry, 'm sorry.. ugh-uh.. sorry.."

Jungkook shivered and trembled. He sniffled and gasped. He held on to his aching body parts, wanting nothing but rest. All of a sudden, the piercing sound of something cutting through the air was heard and an arrow soon hit near his head, making him let out a yelp. He was mimicking what Taehyung had done.

I can't control my body!

Taehyung kept pleading for his life, desperate for someone or something to help him and that's when Jungkook saw Yoongi shoot his arrow. He thought it was going to miss considering the distance, but feeling the burning sensation of something penetrating his stomach caught him off guard. He had no time to register what happened before he blacked out. When Jungkook woke up again, he was in what he thought was a lab, surrounded by men and women clad in white but this time, Taehyung was nowhere in sight.

Wait, where'd he go?

"Don't worry Taehyung, it'll be over soon."

Taehyung? Me!? I'm not Taehyung, dimwits!

Before he could question it further, one of the men approached him, metal tweezers in hand while another held open his eye.

"N-No, wait, WAIT!! AGHH!?"

My voice! It's not mine?!

His eyeball was pulled out, leaving a gaping, bloody hole on the socket where his right eye should be. Before he could recover from that, another two made their way down to his fingers, metal clippers in hand.

"NO! St-stay bAck, s-sto-Ah- Agh!!"

His fingernails were pulled out, one by one, leaving his fingers throbbing in pain. His toe nails followed right after and only until now did he realize that he had restraints on his body.

"Y-You can't.. NO, DO-DON'T DO THIS!! PLEASE?! J-Jin-Hyung! JIN-HYUNG!!"

"Someone gag him, he's being too loud."

"The regeneration is happening sooner than expected, his healing abilities are extraordinary!"

"Hurry up before that annoying doctor shows up!"

"MMPH?! Mm-mh! NGH!!"

Damn you all!! I'd kill you if I could!

It felt like he spent an eternity tied to that bed, gagged and unable to do anything but let out muffled screams and pleads as an unsettling warmth covered his body. He's sure he blacked out at some point. When the crazy nut jobs were done, they simply left him there. Tied to the bed. Blood dripping and pooling all around him, cascading like a waterfall. He's sure that even some pee had been added to the mix due to the torturing. His body is in excruciating pain and he's unable to breathe or see properly. His eyes were removed more than once and he still can't understand how it was possible for them to grow back. His finger nails and toe nails were yanked off even more times and they're still throbbing. His wrists were slit, arms were cut, legs were stabbed, organs were toyed with and removed; to say he was exhausted both mentally and physically was an understatement, he can't even believe that he's still alive.

How did that runt survive all this? I've had enough...

He didn't know if he closed his eyes or if his vision just wasn't intact anymore but, everything went black, and when he woke up again, he was back in his home's living room, trying to collect his bearings.

"My oh my~ Look who has returned. Did you enjoy your little trip?" The blond teased as he sat comfortably on the sofa's armrest with his legs crossed.

Jungkook jumped, turning to stare at that unfamiliar person in the living room, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Y-You, what was that? I-I... H-He... How!?"

"Hm... Magic?"

Jungkook blankly stared ahead for a second before rapidly checking his body for any sign of an injury, but it was clean.

"N-No way... that's impossible! M-My nails," completely normal.

"My stomach," unharmed.

"M-My eyes, everything!?" Nothing was wrong.

He looked over at Taehyung, seeing him sprout a smile resembling that of the Cheshire cat from that dumb fairy tale.

"That was my spiritual weapon. One of many. Cool, right?"

"Spiritual Weapon? But you're a demon, that makes no sense! Shouldn't you have some sort of demon art or something?"

"Hmm~ I may be a demon to you and your kind, but I may be something else to others. I never once confirmed the fact that I was a demon, yet again I never denied it, but what my weapons are known as is beside the point here Jeon-ssi."

"All of that... It actually happened?"

Taehyung looked dumbfounded at the man's question and heaved a small sigh, hating that he has to explain what happened.

"All of that indeed happened. That is only a fraction of what you made him remember. Be grateful that your time ran out or else you would have ended up in an asylum after everything you would have been through."

"So, he experienced... all that?" Jungkook suddenly choked on his words as tears began to stream down his cheeks.

Why am I crying? He has nothing to do with me, I shouldn't care!

"How cruel."

Taehyung looked curiously at the man before him, tilting his head to the side, "Why are you crying? I don't understand you humans. You inflict pain on others and act cocky but the second the roles are reversed you become pitiful and suddenly try to amend your wrongdoings. You truly are intriguing."

"So, you're the type to give people a taste of their own medicine?" Jungkook laughed bitterly.

"I'm just doing my job, I am not sorry, I personally believe that you needed that Jeon-ssi. You should not project your failures on someone else, he is not responsible for your past short-comings."

Jungkook cocked an eyebrow, sniffling slightly, "How?... Can you read minds or something? And what do you mean by your job?"

"I don't read minds, but if I really wanted to, I could see your past."

"Don't... Please."

"I do not pry into the lives of others, do not fret. Protecting Kim Taehyung is my top priority right now. I have nothing else to say, he has calmed down now so I shall take my leave, but," Taehyung glared once again, his voice turning cold, "If you hurt him again in any way, you will greatly regret it."

Jungkook quickly nodded, not wanting to anger him more. With a final glare, Taehyung closed his eyes, breathing in slowly before opening them once again, revealing orbs of shining honey. The boy fiddled with his fingers, avoiding Jungkook's gaze at all costs but it seemed as though he wants to say something.

With the tense atmosphere, Jungkook swallowed his pride and lowered his head, "Hey, listen, I... I-I'm.. s-sorr..y... Sorry, I am really sorry."

Jungkook struggled to speak those few words, feeling bile trying to climb up his throat at the mere thought of saying them. It was something he never said to anyone, but he had to apologize. He overstepped his boundaries.

"I.. I had no clue what you were put through and- and I disregarded you and your feelings. You didn't deserve any of that and I even put your health in danger. I know I was.. I was wrong and I regret what I did.. I don't expect you to forgive me but.. Please just know that I really am sorry."

The elder was on his knees, his head now close to touching the floor as he lay his forehead on his hands in front of the younger who was at a loss for words. Taehyung didn't know what to do. He felt bad for the man before him. He felt like he had been a burden to the man all this time. Taehyung had momentarily reverted to the eight-year-old he used to be because of this man. The teenager and physique he had built while in the ward was gone because of the man groveling before him, but he felt like he couldn't hate him, so he did what he felt was right.

Slowly and quietly, Taehyung slid down to his knees in front of the elder and carefully wrapped his arms around his shaking form, cradling Jungkook's crying body.

"It's okay," he whispered. "I forg-forgive you, you're no-not a bad.. bad guy. But I... I won-won't forget it."

At hearing these words, Jungkook rose his head and was met with a small heartwarming smile that he thought he wasn't worthy of. Warmth filled his cheeks as the smaller softly wiped away his tears, eyes still avoiding his own. Jungkook thought that'd be best for now because he doesn't want those pure orbs to be tainted by his dark ones.

"Thank... Thank you, I wouldn't expect you to forget, but you're too kind for your own good."

Taehyung simply shook his head as he helped Jungkook stand, a small grin on his lips, "Jin-Hyung sai-said it's one of my... my bes-best traits."

They were interrupted by a violent knock at the front door. Both turned to look at the door and proceeded to look back at each other. Jungkook moved forward, Taehyung following close behind but the latter stopped him and told him to stay where he was as he went to open it so, the smaller obeyed. They weren't expecting guests, obviously, and the knocks weren't nice. It sounds like they're trying to break down the wood. Jungkook cautiously opened it and let out a breath of relief when he saw that it was just Jimin and Yoongi.

"Jeon Jungkook what the heck have you been doing!? Do you have any idea what time it is, you're supposed to be at work right now, and that's not even half of what you've missed!"

Jimin wasted no time in reprimanding the newbie Officer, not noticing said newbie's red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks until his partner pointed it out.

"Were you... crying?"

Jungkook's gaze shifted to the man standing to the side of the fuming Officer and quickly rubbed his eyes and wiped at his cheeks, denying his accusation. He received an unconvinced look from Yoongi before being pushed aside so they could enter the house.

"Where's Taehyung?" Asked Yoongi as he looked around and failed to find the younger. Jungkook glanced at where he told the younger to wait but saw no one and his visitors were growing impatient at not receiving an answer. Jimin was about to blow off some more steam when the younger walked in with drinks, effectively calming Jimin down.

"Tae! Are you okay? He didn't do anything, right? I was worried since you didn't show up to work, I thought something bad happened again."

"Jimin, you'll make him spill the drinks, wait for him to put them down."

Taehyung set the tray down, letting Jimin hug him and look his body over. He was used to the manhandling, Jimin was always the one fretting about him over the smallest of things. Taehyung didn't mind, it only showed that the man cared about him.

"Nothing's wrong, right?"

The blond shook his head, making an 'ok' sign with his hand. Jimin sighed in relief as he turned to look at the boy's roommate, glare dead set on his blue eyes.

"Jeon, you have a lot of explaining to do."

Chapter Text

They all sat down on opposite sides of each other in the living room with Yoongi and Jimin on one side and Jungkook and Taehyung on another. Yoongi and Jimin stared intently at Jungkook, waiting for him to start explaining why they didn't show up to work after knowing that a Spirit is roaming the streets of South Korea freely and it didn't even trigger the alarms.

"Where do I start?" Jungkook sighed as he warily rubbed the nape of his neck, tone a lot duller that his usual snappy tongue.

"Why didn't you show up at work? You could've at least called in to let us know."

"Well..." Jungkook trailed off as he thought of how he could explain everything without sounding crazy. Actually, forget the sounding crazy part, they're gonna skin him alive when they find out that he purposely bad-mouthed the little blond boy. Taehyung saw how Jungkook was having trouble and normally he'd try not to butt in, but it was painful to see so he decided to just come out and bluntly tell them what happened.

"He was sho-shot by Yod Be-Bet."

Silence struck as they stared wide-eyed at the youngest of the group. Jungkook was shocked that the boy could so casually say something like that and the other two were stunned at the fact that Taehyung actually spoke up and mentioned his other half's ability in front of Jungkook.

"Yod Bet? One of your- I mean, one of his weapons?"

Taehyung nodded at his Hyung's question.

"How? No one has ever seen him use them, and he hardly ever shows... What did he do?"

Jungkook glanced over at the blond, wanting to explain what went down but Taehyung took a small breath in, avoiding the waiting eyes. Jungkook will only make things worse. If he talks, then Jimin and Yoongi will listen until he's done, but if Jungkook talks, there's no doubt they won't let him finish. He has to be the one to tell them.

"He upset him. I disobey- disobeyed him and... We ha-had an argue-argument of sorts, I didn't feel we-well an-and... and asked for he-help so he to-took over, but he di-didn't take wha-what hap-happened well and used the wea-weapon... Huff, mn..."

The younger paused, frustrated at his form of speech. Maybe he should have let Jungkook tell them what happened after all. He struggled for a while, wanting to speak but finding it hard to form the words. They were so clear in his thoughts, in his mind, but why couldn't he just speak them? He hated this.

Jimin placed his hand over the boy's fists, smiling gently, "It's okay, take your time. You can do it. Just like we practiced, remember?"

The blond nodded, letting his frustration diminish a bit. He thought of what he wanted to say, starting to formulate the words bit by bit, "Hy-Hyung... h-he knows what h-hap-happened the d-day of the inci-incident and he... He knows what I went thr-through in the lab, he saw.. He saw it with his ow-own eyes and... H-He's learned his les-lesson. He apologi-gized too so plea-please don't be s-so... So mean to him."

Yoongi and Jimin looked at each other, mouth agape as they glanced back at Jungkook who hung his head low in shame before looking back at Taehyung. Jungkook was waiting for something to be thrown at him, maybe he'd get a stab wound or something, but when nothing came hurling at him, Jungkook peeked up to find a stern Jimin staring daggers at him. Tensing and looking back down, Jungkook couldn't believe he was cowering over a simple glare and though he's one of the top-ranked newbies, he's well aware that Jimin and Yoongi can hand his ass to him.

"U-Um.. I really am.. I really am sorry," he muttered, raising his gaze. "I'll try not to be so insensitive in the future."

Jimin grunted, rolling his eyes and huffing, "Fine, but that doesn't mean we're best friends or anything like that."

"Like I'd want to be best friends with you anyway!" Jungkook's normal stuck-up tone was back, but despite his rude remark, a small relieved smile was adorning his lips.

"Ew, stop, you don't look normal, go back to being bratty and annoying," Jimin said as he looked away from the navy-haired boy.

Yoongi rolled his eyes at both them before clearing his throat, "Ahem! Since you missed your shifts at the S.D.F we should let you know about the progress we've made, which isn't much. Information about the Spirits is limited. All the files and books written about them are either far too old or completely missing. Namjoon tried his best to collect as much information as possible with the help of Hoseok, but even then, not much was found."

Jungkook leaned forward, brows furrowed, "What exactly do we know? Some information was found, right? What was it."

"We know that they come from different worlds, some have theorized that they're from different dimensions, but we can't prove those theories wrong or right while others think they come from the heavens and are related to Gods, but those are also hard to prove."

Jungkook hummed, "What about our defense against them?"

"The second they appear, a large catastrophe is triggered and an alarm is set off, all citizens are evacuated underground in order to avoid casualties. The S.D.F front liners are the only ones who stay above ground, that includes us," added the unusually grim faced Jimin. Yoongi placed a hand on the man's thigh, watching the tension in his body slowly disperse.

"Their appearances used to be frequent centuries ago but all of a sudden, they stopped coming. Some say that they were defeated by some warrior, others say that they lost the connection they would use to appear on Earth, but other than that not much is known. We know what to do in case of an appearance, but this one, this one isn't normal in any way. "

Jungkook carefully saved all the information in his head, going over everything until he could recite those words perfectly, trying to fit pieces together but having no real luck. Taehyung stayed quiet, silently observing the conversing men. He'd space out every once in a while, fingers fiddling with his clothes and legs shifting every once in a while. The thought of slipping away and staying in his room crossed his mind a few times, but he wants to learn as much about the Spirits as possible and that would be rude too. It's his job now, so he should focus on retaining the information.

"What about their combat or defense mechanisms? Is there any info on that, something like a video or papers?"

"I'm not too sure, like I said, what he has is limited," Yoongi huffed.

"Is there anyone who might know something?" Jungkook pushed for more answers, wanting to know every little thing no matter how insignificant.

"Actually... I think there might be, but I'm not sure if they'll be able to cooperate or if they even want to cooperate," Jimin hesitated, toying with his badge.

"We'll take our chances," Jungkook adamantly claimed, staring intently at the Officer before him.

Sighing, Jimin gave in, jumping onto his feet, "Alright. Let's go, we need to hurry."

The men stood up, Taehyung glancing up at them curiously before he was tugged to his feet by Jungkook. The blond had blanked out for a moment, busy thinking of who knows what, so the only thing he had heard was Jimin telling them they had to go. The sudden touch on his hand had startled him, body flinching away until he realized that it wasn't someone who was going to take him back to the lab at the ward. Taehyung was glad that Jimin and Yoongi hadn't seen, but Jungkook was eyeing him strangely before urging him forward silently.

"Come on, you can daydream all you want later, we've gotta go."

In all truth, he was as harsh as ever with his words, but his grip was gentle compared to before and Taehyung nodded with a miniature smile. He shook off the crawling restlessness and blurred memories, following the silver-haired male out the door. Jungkook didn't mind the reaction, he thinks it makes sense considering what happened a while ago and instead, questioned where they were going .

"Wait. Where are we going?"

Jimin turned to look at the curious newbie and simply shrugged, "Seoul Psych Ward."

He didn't look enthusiastic in the least. If anything, he looked apprehensive. Yoongi seemed to know that too since his eyes would often wander over to his partner once they arrived at the grand building. Jungkook didn't question it and Taehyung simply followed the other three into the ward, gaze never leaving the ground.

"Hello, how may I help you all?"

The woman at the front desk smiled kindly at the men before her, not noticing the small boy hiding behind the three males. They understood why Taehyung was trying to hide, not many enjoyed his presence when in the ward when he was in his cell, they can only imagine how they must feel seeing him outside of his cell, so they decided to get things over with as quickly as possible.

"We're part of the S.D.F., can you please let Doctor Kim Seok-Jin know that Park Jimin, Min Yoongi, and Jeon Jungkook will be waiting for him in his office?" Jimin asked sweetly, receiving a firm nod from the young woman as she reached for the phone in order to let the doctor know about his visitors.

"Feel free to make your way up there, he should be free soon."

"Great, thanks."

The men rushed into the elevator, effectively hiding Taehyung as they reached Jin's office, finding him already sitting on his desk. It seems he was able to get free time a lot sooner than expected. Although, knowing him, he probably pushed his work onto his team.

"So, what brings you guys here?" Jin asked, looking at the three males standing in front of him. Wait, three? Why three?

"Where's Taehyung?" He rushed out, slightly panicked.

"I-I'm here, Hyu-Hyung," a soft voice called out as a small tuft of blond hair peeked out from behind Jungkook's back, Taehyung revealing himself soon after. Jin breathed a sigh of relief, placing a hand over his previously panicked heart.

"Right, Jin-Hyung, we need to talk to someone."

Jin looked quizzically at the silver-haired Officer waiting for further information.

"His last cell was number nine, I don't know if he was moved at all, but his name is Chen Jun."

Chen... Jun?

Jin opened his laptop, typing in the name, and searching their database for the man until he finally found him. Reading over his profile, the doctor's eyes widened and he glanced over at his colleague, making sure that he wasn't mistaken, "Are you sure that was his name?"

Jimin nodded, "I'm sure, I was the one who brought him in."

"I know that but... Fine. I'll take you to him, but you can't all go in at once, understood?"

They all agreed and Jin brought them to an interrogation room, telling them to wait while he brought in the man. Jimin was insistent on being the one to talk to the guy, he even ignored Yoongi's worried pleas. Turns out Taehyung wasn't the only stubborn person in the group.

"Jin-ssi, who exactly is this man?" Jungkook asked, looking at the man who was probably in his late forties from behind the one-way mirror.

"He was one of the only people who stayed above ground during a spatial quake and had an encounter with a Spirit. Actually, he managed to befriend said Spirit and helped it escape the S.D.F."

"Wait, what? You mean he sheltered an enemy force?"

Jin nodded as he watched Jimin walk in and take a seat before the man.

"He knows a lot about them because of that. The Spirit showed him its power voluntarily. The sad thing is that he had fallen in love with it, and he went crazy after seeing it die. He claimed that it was innocent, but his pleas went unheard and he was placed in the ward shortly after."

Jungkook looked back at the mirror, seeing the poor man thrash in his seat, wanting to lunge himself at Jimin who didn't even flinch. Was he doing that on purpose? Or was this because of his unstable mental health? He didn't know. He couldn't tell.

"The one who killed the Spirit, was it-"

"It was Jimin."

Jungkook felt his blood rush up to his head as he stared at Jimin through the glass.

"Jimin killed Chen Jun's love, the Spirit known as Mayuri. He was young when he had done it. Unlike most of you, Jimin and Yoongi entered the S.D.F at quite a young age, so of course they felt the need to carry out their duties regardless of outside factors. If they were told to kill the enemy, they would do it. That's what Jimin did. It was the mission that placed him at the top."

Jungkook refrained from asking more questions, that answer was already enough information. No wonder Jimin looked so anxious. Yoongi was only trying to keep him from being insulted, but it seemed that he wasn't one to care about the insults hurled at him. The conversation between Jun and Jimin wasn't progressing and Jungkook was surprised at the number of insults and names that the old man was throwing at his seonbae. Even Jin was shocked and had to cover Taehyung's ears in order to keep those words out of his vocabulary.

Jimin somehow managed to calm the man down after letting him vent his anguish and hatred. When he was starting to ask him questions though, the man would remain silent. None of his questioned received answers.

"Please, Chen-ssi we need your help, and I would hate to use violence on you."

Jun remained quiet, refusing to cooperate, making Jimin sigh in slight annoyance, "Look, I apologized already, and I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about the fact that I killed the Spirit that day. You have to understand that it was, and still is, my job. Stop being stubborn and answer my questions!"

He slammed his hands on the steel table for effect, feeling his patience running low. How many more times does he have to apologize in order for the damned old man to give him the information he's looking for? All his life? Until he dies? They don't have that time.

"A simple sorry won't bring her back to me."

Oh, my lord! Why is he so goddamn stubborn!?

"You should have thought about the consequences before deciding to play house with something you knew we had labeled as an enemy and threat."

Maybe his words were a tad bit too harsh, but he wasn't completely wrong. He had brought that fate on himself, he should have followed protocol and gone underground because if he had then he wouldn't be locked up in here for insanity and treason.

"Fine," sighed Jimin, "don't say I didn't warn you."

Jimin walked out of the interrogation room and back into the room next to it where the rest of the guys were. No one dared to breathe as he groaned, messing up his hair before placing his hands on his hips. He sighed, turning to look at the blond who was busy staring at the crying man in the next room. It almost looked like Taehyung wanted to cry along with him and it was things like these that made Jimin remember that he was still a boy and he wasn't supposed to be in this line of work.

"Taehyung-ah, I need a favor."

Everyone turned to look at the smaller boy. He stopped staring at the man and slowly turned to the others. He couldn't help but gulp before nodding, "What is it Hyu-Hyung?"

Jimin couldn't help but smile mischievously before explaining his request to the younger who was hesitant but agreed to it either way. Time for Plan B.

Chapter Text

The frustration washed off of Jimin rather quickly when Taehyung had nodded and soon, he waltzed into the room, a smirking blond following right behind him.

"I'll ask one more time Chen-ssi, please, tell me what you know about the Spirits. It's important for us to know."

He was met with nothing but a few hiccups and sniffles.

"Ha... Don't say I didn't warn you." Jimin stepped back, turning around and brushing shoulders with the boy behind him, "He's all yours now, just don't kill him."

The door was slammed shut, the echo ringing in the dead room. An amused chuckle bounced around the walls and the cracking of bones followed by a satisfied sigh accompanied it.

"Well, well, well, it seems like I get to have fun with you now, Chen-ssi."

Said man's head rose up at the sound of the new voice, but when he did, he regretted looking up. His gaze dropped quicker than a hummingbird's wings can flap.

"Oh my, scared already I see," teased Taehyung, inching closer to the now shaking man. The same mist-like substance Jungkook had seen earlier in the day surrounded the blond, violet eyes gleaming stronger than before and the coy yet dominant smile present on his lips isn't helping in the least.

The guys couldn't help but be amazed at the sight. Jungkook was the only one whose had more interactions with the demon, the others only met him briefly so seeing his character out in the open was interesting. This side of Taehyung had a knack for acting high and mighty and sometimes it's like he doesn't know what word contractions are. Most demons had sharp tongues and had the tendency to use words that were very obviously, not in the dictionary. Very few actually behaved decently. Taehyung's was fairly educated.

"Now then, why not answer some questions for me, hmm?"

Chen Jun gulped at the menacing aura coming from the latter, but he didn't waver. His lips remained sealed despite their constant trembling. The blond clicked his tongue, slick black boots thumping against the solid ground, stopping when he came to stand at the old man's back. There was a beat of silence in both rooms, a silence that could drive someone mad. Rustling and clicking reached the old man's ears and he hesitantly peered at Taehyung from the corner of his worn-out eyes. He didn't like what he was seeing. The blond was twirling his hand-gun like a toy baton, cocking it in the process and perfectly stopping it at the center of the old man's head all in one motion. It was amazing and the guys in the other room all had to do a double take before staring at the blond in awe. The contrast of atmospheres in both rooms was hilarious.

"Tell me everything you know about Spirits and I promise not to accidentally kill you," threatened the very cheery blond, applying pressure to the gun against the man's head. The old man visibly gulped, trying to stand his ground but the second Taehyung placed his finger on the trigger and began to pull it back, he threw away his resolve and gave in.

"F-Fine! I'll tell you what I know, just put the gun down!"

Taehyung glanced at the mirror and smiled triumphantly, pulling the trigger and taking delight at the reaction he got after the man realized there were no bullets present. With a light pat to the old man's shoulder, the blond took a seat in front of Jun, easily saying, "Great, let us begin."

After questioning the man, Taehyung was praised by everyone, even Jungkook, though he did look reluctant to do it. They decided to call for a meeting tomorrow, strictly between squad one and squad two's leaders, including Jungkook and Taehyung. The six men came together in one of the building's meeting rooms, making sure to lock the door and properly assemble their belongings before presenting their findings.

"Okay, is everyone here?" Jimin asked, looking around the room, counting the number of heads. "Alright, let's get started, we know that the arrival of a Spirit will set off the spatial quake alarms, correct?"

"That's right, once they touch the ground, they'll destroy everything in their way whether it be on purpose or accidental," Namjoon reassured.

"We also know that their appearances used to be frequent, and there wouldn't be a time when the spatial quake alarm wouldn't sound," Hoseok added.

"But this Spirit didn't make the alarm go off and disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. The only way that would make sense is if it had arrived ages ago and stayed in hiding, but there's no way to find that out," Yoongi reminded in a matter-of-fact tone as he crossed his arms and leaned back on his chair.

"And thanks to Taehyung, we were able to find out their defense and combat mechanisms," Jungkook piped in, glancing at the fiddling blond. He didn't like the idea of having him talk so much, the kid could barely say his own name without butchering it, but it's the doctor's order so what he says goes.

"Right, um, it seems th-that they each have a.. a weapon called a Spirit-Spiritual Weapon and- and they all vary depending on... vary depending o-on their use or type. They ca-can be ho-hostile towards anyone o-or anything, e-es-especially when thr-threatened... Mm.. Ugh..."

His words cut off with a groan as he bit his lip, brows furrowed as his eyes scanned the notes in his sweaty, trembling hands. The guys gave each other small glances and Jungkook kept his eyes on Taehyung, wanting to encourage the boy, but finding it hard to. He's sure all he's doing is glaring.

"Taehyung-ah, it's alright. Breathe, remember that no one here is rushing you. Alright?"

Of course, Jimin beat him to it. Jungkook scoffed, rolling his eyes and flinching when he felt a sharp pain on his shin. Yoongi's glare was sharp as he told the man to watch his actions and all Jungkook did was bow his head and look away. Taehyung had taken a few breaths, letting his words form again despite still feeling frustrated.

"Their... Their weapons are similar to our spe-specialized gear... Um.. It usually ap-appears when their- when their name is ca-called.. Um... They li-live in King.. Kingdoms, each one have- having smaller s-sects... Ah, I think I-I'm done... So-Sorry."

Everyone smiled at the young blond's effort to speak out loud, knowing it's not easy for him but it's good practice for him. Now that he's willing to talk, and that Jin has told him to try and do it more, they aren't going to let him wither away, so any practice is better than no practice.

"Well done Taehyung-ah, now, about the myths surrounding the Spirits," Jimin prompted. Everyone fell silent, not much is known of the stories behind the disappearance of the Spirits; all they know is that something or someone is strong enough to stop the Spirits from coming back to Earth.

"I was able to find a book about the myths, but it's ancient, so I was only able to decipher some of the writing," Namjoon shared. "Apparently, the Spirits were almost as worshiped as Gods. They were thought to be immortals and protectors, the writing was smudged, but it said something about them going to war with one another. Though other sources say that it was just a one on one that took place within their realm, some say it was a group effort that could have transcended worlds. Whether or not the warriors survive the fight is unknown too, that's all I could find."

"That's more than enough Namjoon-ssi, well done," Jimin reassured the dimpled man.

The six males spent a few more hours in the room, throwing ideas and going over what they found various times to make sure they didn't miss something. The strange Spirit that had made an appearance was still a major red flag for them, but no matter what they thought up, nothing seemed plausible. Coming to no clear solution, they all left, heading to their corresponding floors to continue doing their jobs. The members of squad one all went to their separate desks, resuming the work left for them by other groups. Everyone was working effectively. Well, almost everyone. Jungkook kept replaying the words Taehyung had said in the conference room over and over again in his head. He feels like he's overlooking something important, but what?

What is it? What am I overlooking?

His gaze shifted towards the younger who was cautiously pushing on the buttons of the computer keyboard and then it clicked.

They each have a weapon called a Spiritual Weapon and it tends to appear when their name is called...

"Oh shit," he whispered. "He isn't a half-demon."

I never once confirmed the fact that I was indeed a demon... My Spiritual Weapon.. One of many...

That son of a bitch... He practically gave himself away and I didn't notice!

Everything made sense now. Taehyung wasn't a half-demon.

Taehyung...

Jungkook shook his head at his slow-witted realization.

He's half spirit!? How the hell did I overlook that? I feel so stupid!

Jungkook pulled at his hair, ticked off at the fact that he just now put the pieces together.

The truth was staring me right in the face, and I didn't even realize.

He huffed in annoyance at his stupidity, but now what is he supposed to do with this new information?

Wait, if he's a half-spirit then the Daegu disaster was actually a spatial quake, and that new Spirit we caught on camera could have shown up at the same time too! Holy shit, Jeon Jungkook you're a genius.

Now that he's thinking about it, Taehyung himself didn't know about his other half using a spiritual weapon. Jimin, Yoongi, and Taehyung, all called it a normal ability, so even they don't know.

Will they believe me even if I do explain it to them? From what I can collect, neither Jimin nor Yoongi have seen Taehyung's other half use the weapons so if I can show them, maybe they'll believe me... But then that means I'll have to do something that will make him want to kill me, so I'll pass.

"Um, Ju-Jungkook-ssi?"

"Huh?"

Jungkook looked up and saw the small blond boy fiddling with his fingers and biting his bottom lip.

Now that I look at him, he is pretty cute for a boy.

He shook his head, not wanting to think of him like that. He's sure he doesn't swing that way.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, seeing Taehyung jump a bit and hesitate to speak again. He's not surprised, he's been told he's not approachable in the least.

"It's fine, you don't have to force yourself to talk if you don't want to."

"W-Well, I'm done.. done with work an-and I was won-wondering if you n-ne-needed he-help?"

Jungkook almost smiled a bit at his stuttering but stopped himself, wiping the smile off his face before refusing his offer and telling him that he already finished.

If I let him help me, I just know that his brothers are gonna give me shit for it.

"O-Oh, okay."

Taehyungs words trailed off as he pondered over what to do next. He looked a bit disappointed, but maybe it's just Jungkook's imagination. Jungkook's come to notice that his head has been all over the place when it comes to thinking about Taehyung, and it's not a good thing. He blames his dumb other half! Hold on.

If we're both free of work then maybe now would be a good chance to try explaining things!

"Hey, you wanna do something? We have some time left, and there's something I wanna talk to you about."

I'll tell him first. He should know, I just hope he takes it well. If he doesn't, I'll be skewered for sure.

Jungkook looked down at him as he stood and grabbed his bag, slinging it over a shoulder as he began to walk. Taehyung ran up to the elder once he gathered his things, gaze trained on the floor. Their steps were the only audible sounds in the hall, growing Taehyung's nerves.

"Where are we- we going? Shouldn't we te-tell Jimin-Hyung?"

"To the training room on the other side of the building. It should be empty, and it'll give us enough privacy and room for what I have in mind. That shorty doesn't need to know about a thing."

"A-Ah, okay."

They made their way to the dome, the building housing the gym and training rooms. Luckily, it was empty. It was close to evening; everyone is dead by this point so no one would ever think of practicing or training at this hour. How does Jungkook know? He's one of the few people who actually decides to train even after their tasks. It's easier to move around and do what he wants when there aren't people there to get in the way.

Before entering one of the training rooms, Jungkook stopped at the weapon room where he scanned his ID card and grabbed his specialized weapon. Now he's glad the company didn't revoke it since he hasn't used it since his trial exam, so thanks to that, Jungkook might have a chance of fighting for his life if he pisses the blondie off.

Demons were long subdued by the majority of the world decades ago and most were placed within objects, earning them the name of Specialized Gear or Specialized Weapons. They were kept underground, locked beneath the grounds of the S.D.F headquarters where the demons remained in possession of their respective weapons. Somehow, they managed to make them portable, reducing them to a round lock with an activation key. The key itself is the user's DNA and the push of a button at its center. After a weapon has been claimed, it'll only react to that person until the day they die or after they break the contract between the weapon and the master. Even after the trials resulted in higher success rates, very few were willing to accept a demonized weapon. Jungkook and a few others were some of the only ones to go through with the process.

The raven stuffed the small contraption into his bag before going back to Taehyung and opening the arena's door.

"Okay, leave your things on one of the hangers or cubbies, change in one of the stalls and when you're ready, meet me in the center of the arena."

Each dome had various rooms, each one had a changing room, a shower, a weapon room and an the training ground. How that's possible, he doesn't know, but leave it to Kalon and the previous founders to find a way to fit so many things in one confined space. Jungkook saw the blond walk into a changing room and after setting his stuff down, he too walked into one, getting rid of the uniform and replacing it with a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, stashing the gear in his pocket again.

He finished first, so he went ahead and walked into the arena. When he reached the center, Taehyung emerged from the entrance clad in a slightly oversized black and white hoodie and black sweats. It looked like he was drowning in the sweater. The pants too.

"So, I'm not sure how to explain this, but I think the scientists messed up when they said you were a half-demon," Jungkook wasted no time and pulled no punches, carefully eyeing the blond boy.

"Huh, w-what do you me-mean? Wha-What else would I be? Jin-Hyung ran the tes-tests himself... He- He wouldn't l-lie!"

Okay, so he's getting slightly riled up, that's to be expected. His stutter gave him away, but Jungkook has to be careful with his next words. He felt apprehensive. After all, this was a theory, not a fact. He could be wrong, but he strongly believes he's correct. Jungkook breathed in and out, not wanting to mess anything up so soon. He extended a hand, waving the boy off, "Calm down, let me explain the reason behind my theory, alright?"

Seeing the younger nod, Jungkook continued, "During the meeting this morning, you explained how Spirits call their weapons Spiritual Weapons and can summon them by calling their specific name, correct?"

Taehyung looked confused but nodded his head. Of course he remembers. He had struggled to get those words out, how could he possibly forget?

"Were you conscious when your second half took over at the house?"

"Only after he sh-shot you. W-When you we-were on the g-gr-ground, saying it wa-was cruel," he responded softly. Almost sorry. This boy really is too nice for his own good.

"Taehyung, when he took over, I asked what he did and what the weapon was called and he called it a Spiritual Weapon. Not a demon art, not some hell-related ability; not anything a demon would use."

Jungkook warily scanned the younger's face, awaiting his reaction. Taehyung was having a hard time understanding what the Officer was trying to imply, but, indeed, he never witnessed his second-half use its weapons. He was always unconscious whenever he took over unless there was nothing dangerous that needed him to remain unaware of what was going on. Him being awake during those times is rare. Very rare.

"I didn't understand why a demon's weapon would possess such a name, normally they have demon arts, but then he said that he never confirmed the fact that he was a demon and he never denied it either. He only went along with what was being said about him."

Jungkook was betting everything on his theory. Maybe he was being too forward, but the kid had to understand that he was right. It was the only reasonable explanation for everything.

"Not only that but he said we'd figure it out eventually and he doesn't resemble our cursed gear or other demons in the least, your blood wasn't compatible with any demon species on Earth, your transformation doesn't resemble that of a demon either! What else could the answer be?"

Taehyung was starting to catch on to what Jungkook was trying to say, but he couldn't believe such a thing. How can that theory possibly be correct? It's impossible! Jin had run those tests a million times; how can he be related to a species that's never been researched before? This is tormenting. If it's a crude joke, then it's not funny.

"That's impo-impossible... Such a th-thing has never h-hap-happened before! I can't be... If- If this is a jo-joke then.. Then it's no-not funny!"

"It isn't! I know it sounds crazy, but what if it has? What if it has happened before but we just don't know?"

Jungkook approached the blond, trying desperately to meet the boy's fleeting eyes. "Taehyung, some files are far too ancient for us to decipher, who knows, maybe there was something like this in one of those manuscripts. And even if it's never happened before, that doesn't mean it's not possible."

Taehyung shook his head, "B-But I... I ca-can't be.."

"Everything that we've found out so far and everything that has to do with your second-half points to the fact that you are not a half-demon!"

He finally said it. Now it's time to put the nail in the coffin.

"Taehyung, you're half-spirit."

Chapter Text

The young teenager found it hard to believe. How could he possibly be half-spirit and half-human? The workers at the ward clearly said he was half-demon, even Jin said so. Though that's true, Jungkook is the only one who has had contact with him the most. His reasoning doesn't sound wrong either. He can't counter anything he's claimed.

Taehyung looked up at the elder with wide eyes, a light tremor in his hands when he realized what this could do to him. If being half-demon made him a target of torture and experiments, then being half-spirit will surely lead to his death.

"W-What now then? If the others fou-found out th-then I... I'd b-be k-ki-killed!"

Jungkook smirked, shaking his head and reaching for the cursed gear in his pocket, "That won't happen. Now, we try to talk to him while keeping you conscious."

Taehyung backed away as Jungkook unflinchingly swiped his finger across the edge of his piercing, placing the bleeding pad against the circle and succinctly pressing against it until he heard a click. Within a single blink, Jungkook was already aiming the unopened specialized weapon at him.

"Do you think you can do that?"

"W-What? I don't kn-know, I've ne-never t-tr-tried be-before," the younger stuttered out, uneasy about having a very dangerous weapon aimed at him. It wasn't even fully activated, and it already made him shake like a leaf in winter.

"Listen, if you can't do it out of your own will," he raised his arm and aimed at the boy, pressing further into the sunken center, "I'll make him appear."

Taehyung gulped, nodding quickly, closing his eyes, and trying to find a way to talk to his second half. They've never done this before, the only time he's ever spoken to the other half is when he's distressed and needs help or that one time where he fainted. All those times, he wasn't sure how he had done it. What'd he do that time? All he ever thought of was wanting to talk, to be heard, and eventually it happened. If it's in his head, then it should be easier than if he were to speak to him out loud.

Um, excuse me? Are you there? Demon-ssi?

Not gonna lie, talking in your head makes it feel like you're talking to yourself, and Taehyung is starting to wonder if he's only going to make a fool of himself. Having Jungkook standing a few feet away wasn't helping either, the pressure was immense. The man hadn't released the lock completely, but it's only a moment of time before his patience withers. He called out a few more times, feeling relieved when he actually got an answer.

Alright, I'm here, what is it that has you calling for me? Is that brat bothering you again?

No, actually, he wants to speak to you, but please allow me to see and.. and hear what happens!

Is that so? So be it, the connection will be open and you shall stay conscious but that does not mean you will have control of your body, understood? Tell him not to make me regret this decision.

Alright, thank you very much.

Taehyung breathed out a sigh of relief as he opened his eyes again. He glanced at Jungkook, seeing his foot impatiently tapping the dirt floor. Had he taken that long? Taehyung isn't sure how much time he spent trying to find the voice of his other half. All he knows is that whenever he talks in his head, he doesn't waste time falling over his words, so he'd like to think that he didn't take all that long.

"Well, what did he say?" Jungkook impatiently asked. He had expected the younger to have already allowed the Spirit to take over, but seeing how he still looks shy and innocent, that didn't happen.

"He agree-agreed to speak to y-you."

"Hurry up then, I need my questions answered," Jungkook snapped, startling the latter.

"R-Right! S-So-Sorry," the younger bowed frantically.

Jungkook carefully observed the teenager, hands now at his sides but still gripping onto his locked gear. He noticed a sudden change in the younger's surrounding air and he couldn't help but grin. Jungkook didn't know why, but he enjoyed the feeling he got when the younger's aura suddenly changed. It made him feel excited. Electrified. His hairs would stand on their ends and a thrilling chill would climb up his back.

He's here.

The boy before him slowly opened his eyes, revealing two majestically colored orbs. Jungkook couldn't help but stare at the strange yet beautiful sight. It was just, wow.

"Now, now, I know I'm attractive, but there is no need to stare so intently."

The navy-haired male snapped out of his dazed state, snapping back at the blond, "Don't flatter yourself, now that you're here, let's get down to business."

The purple-eyed boy chuckled, "And what is this business you would like to discuss?"

"Well, I figured out what you are."

The blond cocked his head in mock confusion, "What do you mean, human?"

"I'm guessing you did it on purpose," he said as he raised an eyebrow. "You aren't a demon. You're a Spirit. A cocky one at that."

Both stared at each other, not saying or doing anything until the Spirit began cackling hysterically. It was weird seeing Taehyung laugh so dramatically. Or, well, it was weird seeing his body react in such an uncommon way.

"Haha! You finally figured it out! My god, it took you quite some time Jeon-ssi, you have no idea how long I was waiting for this," he exclaimed as he wiped a few stray tears, leaving Jungkook dumbfounded.

That... is not what I was expecting.

"My, I haven't laughed like that in ages. Everyone at the ward was far too dumb to figure anything out, even Jin-ssi failed. I admit you humans are at a disadvantage due to lack of information, but that is why I helped. You are welcome."

Jungkook heaved a sigh before shaking his head, "I want to know how you suddenly appeared and took over Taehyung and why you've been so secretive about what you are. His close friends aren't even aware of it, and even he didn't know. Not only that but, were you the only Spirit who crossed over?"

"I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure how or why I was placed in this child's body at that time, but I knew that I had to protect him the second we got stuck together. His body was not capable of handling the immense power, so it led to destruction. At that time, I too was unable able to do anything... I was forced out of my realm so I had no control over where I landed, and when we woke up at the ward, I did my best to stay hidden."

His facial features suddenly hardened, a tick presenting itself on his flawless eyebrow as he grits out, "I only momentarily showed myself when Jin-ssi was being harmed because his will to help him summoned me and made me take over. I was unfamiliar with your world, but I could tell who meant well and who did not. As for not correcting them and saying that I was a demon, at the time, your language was foreign to me, but once I learned it, I knew that keeping this to myself would keep him safe."

"Safe from what?"

The Spirit laughed, no trace of humor present in the sound.

"Safe from what, you ask? Safe from experimentation. How do you think those humans would react to a half-spirit, Jeon-ssi? It would not be a nice ending for the boy if such a thing were found out. Being half-demon is nothing extraordinarily new, but he was still toyed with, it would be a million times worse if they found out the truth."

Jungkook couldn't deny that, but, "If that's true, then why are you fine with me finding out? And you still haven't told me if you were the only one who crossed over."

"I'm not sure, but it is possible that I was followed. That is all I can say in relation to that inquiry. As for why I'm fine with you finding out, it's because you, Jeon-ssi, you are far too dull to do anything to harm him. Believe it or not, you are already highly attached to the boy. Whether you want to trust me or not is up to you, but I know there's a reason why you decided to associate yourself with him and it's not because you felt superior."

"I won't ask for more on that, so let's move on before I decide to land a hit on you. I want to know about your weapon."

At the mention of his spiritual weapon, the Spirit's lips twitched, creating a very smug smile. He shifted on the balls of his feet, humming, "Which one?"

Jungkook narrowed his eyes, "Which one? There's more than one?"

"For me, certainly. Did I not mention having various weapons before? Oops, it must have slipped my mind." Taehyung smiled cheekily and Jungkook's eyes widened.

The man gulped, "H-How many?"

"Oh just a few, would you like to see?" He chirped happily, eyes shimmering in excitement.

Why do I get the feeling that he just really wants to show off?

Jungkook awkwardly smiled at the latter while sighing.

I might as well check them out...

"Alright, I have nothing better to do anyway," he muttered in defeat.

Late afternoon had brought about a small gap of free time for those in the office. Jimin had finally gotten the chance to stretch his limbs, sighing in satisfaction when he heard the familiar cracks. Glancing over to his partner, he shook his head when he was met with a slouched over Yoongi, head buried in his arms.

How long have you been sleeping for?

He shook his head, peering over to the desks across from his expecting to find the small blond and cranky blue-haired man, but they were empty.

"Hey, where'd Taehyung and that brat go?" Jimin skeptically asked. Something about both of them being gone didn't sit right with him. Jungkook could be bullying Taehyung again, or worse.

"Don't know. They've been gone for a while now. I heard something about the training rooms though," one of the other workers answered as he shrugged his shoulders.

Jimin clicked his tongue before shaking Yoongi awake and dragging him out of their office still half-asleep.

"Hm? Jimin, where are we goin'?"

"Jungkook and Taehyung are gone. They went to the dome. I don't like the idea of them being together so we're gonna grab the other two and go find them."

Yoongi yawned, stretching his arms, "They might be busy. Hoseok and Namjoon, I mean. Tae and Jungkook might just be training, I don't think the kid's dumb enough to hurt Tae again."

Jimin shook his head, "I don't trust him. Send Jin-Hyung a text, we might need him. Let's go, we're here."

Yoongi nodded, taking his phone and swiftly typing out an S.O.S to Jin who replied in a matter of seconds. Both walked down the halls, giving curt greetings to other workers as they finally managed to find who they were looking for.

"Hoseok-ssi."

"Namjoon-ssi."

Both males looked up from a broken computer. They smiled sheepishly at the pair, walking over to them after telling one of their workers to call IT.

"Is something wrong?"

"You could have called if you guys needed something, coming down to our floor isn't always necessary."

Jimin shook his head, waving away their worries. "Coming down is no issue, trust me, but are you both free right now?"

Hoseok and Namjoon glanced at each other, looking back at the pair.

"We are."

"Great, come with us," he ordered and Yoongi mouthed an apology.

Inside the elevator, the men conversed, Jimin doing most of the talking while Yoongi tried to convince him that he was being too dramatic and overprotective. Jimin's been in a sort of mood since early morning after one of their cases went sour. They had been called in for a mimicker sighting out by Gangnam. The fact that it was seen in such a busy place made things hard for them; finding it was a pain in the ass and getting rid of it was like getting a migraine. The stress of that case followed by finding out that Taehyung had gone somewhere with Jungkook was just the cherry on top.

Yoongi's efforts to placate the emotional man weren't taken well. His words only fired Jimin's bad mood and eventually, both were at each other's throats. They got into a small argument and the other two were unable to do anything but stand and watch. They were starting to think that they looked like a married couple with how much they knew about each other to the point where their worrying turned into fights that didn't seem to have any bite.

"How long have you guys been partners for to have such a close relationship? It's almost like you're married," chuckled Hoseok, his voice fading out when he saw how red Jimin had gotten. He glanced at Yoongi, seeing him avert his gaze and pull down his cap. The wheels in Hoseok's head began to turn, a light bulb going off in seconds.

"Wait... Don't tell me.. You guys really are married!?" Hoseok sputtered, inching closer to them.

Jimin frantically shook his head, hand covering his blushing cheeks, "N-No! We aren't married, what are you talking about!?"

"But your reactions! That's not normal!"

"You were the one who said something weird!"

Hoseok gasped, clutching his uniform dramatically, "How dare you blame it on me? If you aren't married, then why'd you act like that? Huh?"

Jimin clamped up, looking away again. Namjoon placed a hand on Hoseok's shoulder, telling him to stop bullying the pair. Yoongi, on the other hand, approached Jimin, silently interlocking their hands. Jimin flinched, startled at the sensation. He stared up at Yoongi, eyes questioning what he was up to. Yoongi smiled lightly, turning to the still whispering duo.

"..Wait... Yoongi?" Jimin placed his free hand over the pale warmth surrounding his occupied one, slight anxiety in his voice. Yoongi's grip only tightened before he cleared his throat, unwavering eyes piercing Hoseok's and Namjoon's as he confessed, "We aren't married."

Hoseok rolled his eyes, "Yeah, you've made that clear enough alrea-"

"We're dating."

"Huh?"

Hoseok froze momentarily, blinking about three time before staring at their interlocked hands. Next thing they know, the elevator stops and Hoseok's squeal matches the opening of the doors. Namjoon smiles brightly at the pair of still blushing males, clapping his hands softly, "Congratulations, I'm honored to know you trust us enough to tell us this."

"Sure."

"Thanks."

"Namjoon, they're dating! That means they're technically close to getting married, right? Right!?"

Hoseok violently whispered, clutching on to his partner's arm for dear life. Namjoon shook his head, placating the enthusiastic man. Stepping through the elevator's threshold, Yoongi lets go of Jimin's hand, but remains close to his side. Hoseok and Namjoon follow close behind, finally noticing the small cues that stand out about the two. Hoseok ran up to them, wedging himself in the middle. He ignored Yoongi's glare and instead asked more about them as they all walked to the dome. When they were a few feet away from the building, they noticed a man clad in white leaning against the door. He waved at them as they approached.

"Jin-Hyung!"

"Jin-ssi."

"About damn time you got here, I can't get in and I don't know why," huffed the doctor.

"You can't get in?"

Namjoon tried the door, sliding his ID through the machine, but the red light continued to flash brightly. His brows furrowed, "It's locked."

"Jungkook," Jimin grit out. "I bet he locked it, that damned brat."

"Great, now how are we gonna get in?"

Yoongi approached the door, pulling out his own ID. Hoseok was about to tell him that Namjoon had already tried that, but when he saw the green light and heard the door slide open, he shut his mouth.

"How the hell are you able to open the door?"

"Special ID."

"Those things exist?"

They walked in, finding two uniforms hung neatly on hangers and two bags.

"We really need to thank Kalon-ssi for the special treatment," Jimin chuckled, passing his own ID through the arena's lock. "If it weren't for that, I would've blown this building up just to get my hands on that stuck up newbie."

They could hear murmurs and muffled voices, further proving Jimin's idea that they were together, but he wasn't expecting to see something so... Shocking.

"Hey, Jimin...?"

"Yeah Jin-Hyung?"

"You heard that, right? And you saw it?"

Jimin nodded, "I'm pretty sure we all did."

"Then, that person.."

Namjoon reached for his gear contraption, "It's not Taehyung."

Their hands reached for their respective weapons, clicks meeting their ears.

"A Spirit?"

Chapter Text

"Alright, this is Zaphkiel. It allows me to toy with time. It is equipped with these two pistols which can be used as the hands of the clock. The bullets have different purposes, depending on how the pistols are placed. I have twelve total. Amazing, isn't it?"

Jungkook carefully scrutinized the weapon and nodded his head. He got chills at the memories of when he got shot with one of those pistols; it was not a pleasant feeling or experience.

"I can also use it on myself, but that only applies to certain bullets."

"Why do you get them? The weapons, I mean. I know Taehyung can use your power without using the weapons, so why?"

"Think of it as a bonus. Our powers are a gift from the Heavens and can sometimes be enhanced through the use of spiritual weapons. They can range from clothes, weapons, accessories, instruments, and sometimes, we can own more than one," he elaborated, playing with the pistols. He winked and Jungkook felt like gagging. He can't get used to the way he acts after becoming familiar with Taehyung's shy character.

"Now, onto the next one."

The old clock disappeared along with the guns as the blond raised one arm in the air, his voice echoing in the arena, "Camael!"

A large, red halberd appeared in his hand. Flames licked at the weapon's blade as it shone in the light of the room. He skillfully brought the blade down, letting it stop inches away from Jungkook's face. He could feel the heat coming off the weapon, beads of sweat already forming against his skin.

The blond grinned, "This is Camael, and this one is special."

"Special?"

"It can take a second form."

The boy threw the halberd up effortlessly.

"Camael, Megiddo!"

Jungkook gawked at how the halberd swiftly changed its form, parts clicking into place to create a cannon that fell perfectly onto the blond's awaiting hands. He's never seen such a small cannon, especially not a handheld one. It reminded him of the big machine guns characters had in those video games his mentor used to play in, but cooler.

"As you can see, this one is linked to Efreet, the fire spirit. Its attacks are solely based on fire. The flames may be as strong as hellfire, so I would do my best to stay away from them if I were any of you and the blade itself is hot so do not get in the way of a strike. Although it's a fire-based weapon, I can't control the element since I don't have a strong affinity towards it. Like the others, it's powered by my spiritual energy."

"Spiritual energy?"

"A force that resides within Spirits and others of our realm. Think of it like electricity. Without it, our weapons are useless and we're practically powerless. The more spiritual energy we have, the longer we last and the more powerful we are. If we cultivate enough, then we can halt our aging and eventually become immortal."

Jungkook nods, taking note of everything. The blond opened his mouth, but his gaze shifted to something behind the awaiting man. His eyes sharpened, a very evident glare covering their glint as Jungkook followed his line of sight, eyes going wide before he moved closer to the blond.

Damn it, didn't I lock the room!? This is horrible timing!

"Jungkook, step away from it."

Jungkook moved to stand in front of the Spirit, arms spread out wide, "Let Taehyung and I explain, don't do anything reckless, he isn't dangerous!"

"Jungkook, what are you saying? That's a Spirit you're protecting, not Taehyung, that isn't him!"

Jungkook was confused. Could they not recognize the blond? Why? He looked exactly the same except for the fact that his eyes were different.

"What are you talking about? Of course it's him, who else would it be? Put your weapons down and let us explain, you're being too hasty!" Jungkook yelled as Hoseok and Jimin began to inch closer, separating to opposite sides. Namjoon, Yoongi, and Jin stayed centered, approaching slowly.

Damn, they're seriously going to kill us. How'd they even get in!?

"Jeon-ssi, they won't listen to what you say."

The whispered sentence sent a shiver through Jungkook's body and his hand instinctively gripped harder onto his gear contraption. Shaking his head, he tried talking to the others again, but that only made them argue even more.

"The only reason why they think I'm not Taehyung is because they saw me summon a weapon, this is why I refrain from using them when they are present. Humans jump to assumptions far too quickly and refuse to listen to reason."

Jungkook shortly glanced at the boy behind him, feeling his body tense at the desperation being brought on by the people surrounding them and whispered, "Then what do you suggest we do!? They'll try and kill you if we don't do something, what if Taehyung retakes control?"

"We can try if you would like, but it's not guaranteed that they will stand down."

"I'll take my chances, if push comes to shove, I'll pull out my gear."

The Spirit nodded, getting rid of his weapon while closing his eyes, "The child is shaken up, guard him well."

Jungkook nodded, "I will."

His eyes opened once again to reveal the shy and frightened honey orbs Jungkook was so accustomed to seeing. Taehyung had heard and seen everything, and he was scared. He never thought his friends or family would point a gun at him. It was worse than having Jungkook pointing one at his head.

"Jimin, Hoseok, Yoongi, please, put the guns away and let us explain. I promise you, this is Taehyung, your Taehyung," Jungkook pleads, desperately wanting them to listen, but they didn't. Instead, they got closer and Namjoon hesitantly placed his finger on his gear's lock.

"Jeon, step away from the Spirit! Don't make the same mistake Chen did," Jimin warned.

"Listen to us kid, they're dangerous! It could be related to the one that appeared a while ago," Hoseok pushed, glaring at the blond.

Taehyung was now clinging to Jungkook's shirt from behind, eyeing his friends, locking his frightened gaze with Jin's who only lowered his head. The blond felt a stabbing pain in his chest, his eyes beginning to sting as he dropped his head, leaning his forehead against Jungkook's back.

".. J-Jin-Hyung..."

Jungkook heard his stuttered whisper and clicked his tongue. These idiots just won't listen. He shook his head, running out of words to say. At this point he had no other choice. His finger finally released the lock and a freezing light enveloped the navy-haired man. The guys blocked their eyes, curses and gasps falling from their lips.

"He has cursed gear!?"

"I knew this kid was trouble."

"Namjoon, unlock yours!"

Jungkook was enveloped in an icy-blue mist, voice reverberating as he alerted them, "I'll give you one last warning."

A scythe made its way to his open hand and a belt placed itself on his thigh, holding knives, grenades, and other objects of many shapes and sizes. His hair became pinned to the back with a black and blue hairclip, leaving half of it down as streaks of artic blue painted the indigo locks. His ocean eyes became littered with small snowflakes as his ears were adorned with earrings in the form of icicles. For this being his first time using the specialized gear since his entrance exam, he's awfully compatible with it.

"Stand down and let us explain, or else."

Taehyung noticed that Jungkook's voice had doubled subtly, and its tone was softer and melodic, different from his usual sharp and rude one. It somehow managed to calm Taehyung down a little. His shaking had lessened and he was able to take a very well needed deep breath. Hearing the previous commotion calm down ever so slightly, the blond was still clinging to Jungkook as he peeked out from behind his back, only to be met with a bullet scratching his left ear. He jumped and squeaked, holding onto Jungkook's shirt tighter as he hid once again.

"Hey, it's okay, I won't let them hurt you, alright?"

The scared blond looked up at a sincere Jungkook, nodding at his surprisingly gentle words and actions. Right now, Jungkook is the only one he can trust. Jungkook is the only one who won't hurt him. Oh, the irony.

"Namjoon, Yoongi, please, can't you see this is wrong! If this was any other Spirit, don't you think it would've already attacked instead of hiding behind me? Jin-ssi, you know it's him, don't you? You should know better than any of us! You're all scaring Taehyung, you're hurting him, can't you see that?"

The three men looked at each other, doubt in their eyes while Jimin and Hoseok began firing their guns again. Jungkook clicked his tongue, deflecting the bullets to the best of his abilities, finding it difficult now that both Officers were shooting continuously.

"Agh!? Damn, listen to me dammit!" Jungkook roared as a bullet pierced his right leg.

"Look at him and tell me he isn't Kim Taehyung! Tell me he isn't the boy you helped raise, the boy you saved from death! Tell me he isn't the sweet, shy, innocent boy who went through hell and back!! Tell me, I dare you- Ngh!"

He was met with a graze to his right cheek and a rip on his abdomen. Taehyung flinched, placing a shaky hand over the bloodied shirt as his pupils shook.

"Ju-Jungko-kook..." Taehyung stared at his hand, shuttering at the crimson color painting his skin before he moved forward, staring directly at the wound.

"Jungkook!? You.. Bl-Blood... Y-You're b-bl-bleeding!" His voice cracked as his bloodied hand reached for the man's wound again, but he was yanked back as another round of shots were fired.

"Don't come out!"

"But you-"

"I'm fine, Taehyung!"

Jungkook's form wavered and Taehyung wrapped his arms around his waist as the scythe's end dug into the dirt floor. He couldn't keep putting Jungkook in danger, he's hurt already, if they don't patch him up, the wounds will worsen.

"Hyu-Hyungs! Please, s-stop, he.. he's hu-hurt!" He yelled desperately as Jungkook sliced two more bullets that attempted to reach the blond.

"Taehyung, it's no use..."

"J-Jin-Hyung!" He cried, balling his fists when he felt a sting behind his eyes. "Yoon- Yoongi.. Yoongi-Hyung!?"

Jungkook hastily blocked his view of the man, groaning as another bullet placed itself in his already injured leg. Taehyung flinched, clutching onto Jungkook tighter as his muddled head kept crying out for his friend's, lips moving automatically to match.

"Nam-Namjoon-Hyung?!"

Said man clenched his jaw, fingers fighting to keep his gear from unlocking despite being told to open it and kill the blond. He too turned away from Taehyung. He wouldn't use his specialized weapon, but he can't bring himself to believe them so easily. The last two names died slowly on Taehyung's tongue, his voice hoarse and shoulders trembling as he let his tears fall. Jungkook glanced at the crying boy, eyebrows furrowed as he reached for his belt. He took out a small mask, turning to Taehyung and placing it over his mouth and nose.

"Don't take it off," he warned. "No matter what, alright?"

Taehyung nodded, wiping away his falling tears as he saw Jungkook removing a pin from something in his hand with his teeth. The small round object was launched into the air and Jungkook pulled out a mask of his own.

"You're all damn lucky I can't kill you, so this'll do for now."

It blew up. White mist rained down on the arena, filling up the ground and everything around it.

"Shit, don't tell me..." Jin backed up a bit, covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve, "Don't breathe it in!! It's sleeping gas!"

Realization struck far too late. Slowly, one by one, the rest of the guys began to fall to the ground, vision going blurry before blacking out. Taehyung had stared with wide eyes as they fainted, falling heavily to the ground. His legs moved on their own, kneeling next to their limp bodies as he glanced at Jungkook. The man had gotten rid of his scythe, his clothes were stained a sticky red, evident punctures in the fabrics. The blond rushed to Jungkook when his leg gave way, worried cries leaving his bitten lips.

"Hey, breathe, I'm fine... Help me carry them out of here, okay?"

Taehyung sniffled, "B-But you're h-hu-hurt.. You sh-shouldn't move!"

There was an urgency to his voice, but his sound level was close to a whisper. This boy doesn't know how to yell or raise his voice properly. Jungkook swallowed a chuckle. He pushed the boy away, moving onto his feet with a grunt, reaching down to pick up Hoseok. Taehyung was going to call out to him again, but bit his lips before moving to help move his friends.

Bleary eyes peered open, squinting at the bright lights followed by groans. As they regained consciousness, the men realized they were tied to chairs and stripped of all weapons. The room they were in was part of the training facility, it's the watching room where people could observe the practice or re-watch the videos of it. Knowing that, it's almost certain that they're the only ones present in the dome. They all kept quiet, still confused about why they were tied up, but then they heard Taehyung. It wasn't good.

"You-You're finally awake! I'm gla-glad." Taehyung was relieved as he stood at the door way with a small smile, hands on his chest, and a Band-Aid on his ear.

"You! Where the hell is Jeon? What did you do to him? What are you planning?" Jimin questioned as he thrusted forward, wanting to lunge himself at the boy he believed was an imposter.

Taehyung, being taken aback by his Hyung's reaction, backed away, shaking his head, "No it's no-not like that... Jungkook wen-went to put- to put away your w-wea-weapons, I'm not w-what you think- what you think I am Hyung!"

"Don't lie, I saw it with my own eyes!" Argued the silver-haired man. "There's absolutely no way Taehyung can wield such a thing! He isn't supposed to have the ability to call out for a spiritual weapon!"

"But it re-really is me... Hyu-Hyung!" The younger cried, wanting the only people he's close to, the only people he can consider as friends and family, to see that he isn't a threat to them at all. He stepped away from the door, letting it creak closed as he tried reaching out to Jimin who glared at him with an emotion he's only seen on his tormentors. Pure Hatred.

The door to the room slammed open and everyone flinched. Jungkook walked in, more like limped in, pulling Taehyung behind him as he openly glared at Jimin. His thigh and abdomen were bandaged, a slight patch of blood visible while a Band-Aid sat on his left cheek.

"I see you're all awake," he casually said.

"Jeon, what has gotten into you!?"

"Nothing Hoseok-ssi. The real question is, what's gotten into all of you?" He retorted, staring down at them all. He smirked, leaning down and teasingly cocking his head as he poked fun at the situation the men found themselves in.

Clearing his throat, he moved back to Taehyung's side, "So, since you idiots didn't want to listen to us back there, you'll listen to us now. Shut your traps and pay attention."

Chapter Text

Properly seated with Taehyung at his side, Jungkook bowed his head, "Thank you, now, about what you saw earlier, let me explain. The ward messed up when they said Taehyung was a half-demon. The blood running through his veins doesn't belong to any demon, and I have proof."

Jimin scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Jeon, have you lost your mind? Quit playing doctor and theorist."

"Out of everyone in this room, I am the one who has had the most encounters with Taehyung's second half! Yesterday, I pissed him off and he called out his weapon to punish me for it. When he finished, he referred to it as a spiritual weapon," he paused to gauge the men's reactions. They were all still tight-lipped, but their eyes were giving them away.

"From the information gained earlier this morning, Spirits use weapons called spiritual weapons. Not only that but I had a conversation with the demon, and he said that he never once confirmed the fact that he was a demon. His blood didn't match with any demon species, Taehyung's transformation doesn't resemble a demon's or our own and we have demon weapons!"

"He's a half-breed, it's expected that he won't resemble a full-fledged demon," Jin voiced out from his seat next to Namjoon.

Jungkook rose his hand, "But wait, there's more."

"Why are you so cringe worthy?"

"Shut it Sunny. Okay, evidence number two! The Daegu disaster wasn't a demon going on a rampage, it was a spatial quake and it's possible that more than one Spirit crossed over that day. If that did happen, then that Spirit we spotted could have been here since then. Everything points to the fact that Taehyung is not a half-demon, even his second half confirmed it with me! Kim Taehyung is a half-spirit," Jungkook finished with an urgent tone, wanting them to understand that they were wrong.

"That's impossible... There's no way," Jimin shook his head in disbelief.

"But it would explain a lot," Namjoon countered. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but when Taehyung first arrived, Jin-ssi said there were no records of him being related to or coming in contact with any demons."

"Namjoon's right," Jin confirmed reluctantly. "I ran those tests and checked them multiple times, and the results never changed so I just diagnosed him as a half-demon. If Jungkook's right, then it would explain a lot."

"If it's true, then show us."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Yoongi. He had been silent this whole time, his voice had startled a few of them. He quirked a brow, staring past Jungkook and over to Taehyung, "It shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"Yoongi's right. Show us," Hoseok agreed, followed by everyone else.

Jungkook sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Fine, we were going through the weapons anyway, so I'll give you a run-through of the ones I've seen."

Jungkook looked down at the eighteen-year-old boy, kneeling down even if it was painful to look him in the eyes. He ignored the throb coming from his punctured stomach and thigh, placing a reassuring hand on the blond's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, but I promise I'll make them understand, okay? Call him out for me, please," he whispered gently, making the latter slightly blush and nod his head. Getting used to the nice Jungkook was hard. Taehyung couldn't help but wonder how long this treatment would last. Jungkook stood up straight once again, waiting for the purple orbs to meet his midnight eyes. Once they did, he gave a small nod, letting the other know that he was going to start with the first explanation.

"Alright. The first weapon in the itinerary is Zaphkiel," as Jungkook called its name, the Spirit quietly called forth the clock. "Zaphkiel allows him to mess with time. It comes with two pistols which symbolize the old clock's hands. Each bullet has a different purpose depending on where the pistols are placed, I wouldn't recommend getting shot by any of them unless you want to end up in Jin's ward."

He shuddered before looking at the boy a few feet away from him and asking, "Did I miss anything?"

The Spirit shook his head. Jungkook nodded, looking back to the men, "Let's move on, next is Camael. Camael has two forms, this is its first form, its second form is Megiddo."

The clicking of the halberd was heard as it turned into the cannon from before.

"Both forms are solely based on firepower and according to what I gathered; the flames can be as hot as hellfire so stay away from them at all costs. He can't control the element and all his weapons run on his spiritual energy."

The five males were starting to come to terms with the raven's theory. This is something unexpected on so many different levels. Believing that Jungkook of all people figured it out is even more unexpected than anything else.

"What's spiritual energy?"

Jungkook glanced at Jin, shrugging, "He said it's like electricity."

"It is the driving force of our species. Without spiritual energy, we cannot use our spiritual weapons and are essentially powerless. We draw the energy from the earth and the heavens and cultivate it within our golden cores," the Spirit elaborated as he made Camael disappear.

"Spiritual Core?" Jin echoed.

"It's a golden pellet near their solar plexus, it's in charge of regulating their power."

"Jimin-ssi is correct," the blond smiled dishonestly at the workers tied to the chairs. "Both our life and power sources are connected. We can survive without our cores, but they help us heal as well; it all depends on the wound. More questions?"

"Do you have more?"

"More what, Hoseok-ssi?"

"Weapons."

"I do. Would you like to see them?"

Jungkook shook his head, crossing his arms behind the blond. One thing he's learned about this guy is that he liked being the center of attention and enjoys bragging and showing off. If they get him started, he won't finish anytime soon. To his demise, everyone nodded, the blond grinned, and Jungkook sighed.

After untying them, the Spirit stood at the front of the room. The men were all seated on the chairs they were once tied to, a reasonable distance away from the Spirit. The young boy was standing rather gracefully, his hands elegantly placed in different positions. His left hand was placed behind his head, right above his left ear. His right hand found a place slightly in front of his abdomen, under his left elbow.

"Aither."

Two large fans with beautiful, gleaming and intricate designs found their way into his grasp. He snapped the fans open, leaving the audience in awe. It was something simple, yet he made it look like it took some effort to make it looks so refined. The blond moved them forward, almost covering his face, revealing only his gleaming eyes.

"It may not seem as grand, but it's not wise to think little of this weapon. As you can see, they are similar in size and color, but their designs are different. One controls earth while the other controls air. The fans themselves are sharp, so no touching unless you want to lose a limb. Still equally as dangerous as the previous ones, but without the fan, I cannot do anything as grand as moving a piece of land, so it is also my top priority to not lose any of my weapons."

The men nod and hum, seeing Taehyung swirl one of the fans, a small tornado dancing freely on the hard floor. The boy closed the fans, standing upright before making them vanish.

"The next one will, unfortunately, be the last one."

Jungkook perked up. That was quicker than I thought.

"Lydian!"

A choker and gloves appeared, settling on their rightful body parts. They were simple. Very simple. So simple the silence that followed didn't even include crickets.

"Simple, but not any less powerful than the rest. The power to create and modify sound waves. Sound and voice manipulation."

He showed the men the palms of his leather-covered hands, showing small speaker-like features littered all over the area, "These help with the creation and manipulation."

He placed his palm on one of the walls and small but strong vibrations were felt traveling all over the room. Some of the guys placed their own hands against the surfaces, feeling the tremors run up their fingertips. When the blond took back his hand, the tickling vibrations slowly died out and the men sat upright again.

"The neck piece also contributes to the making and changing of sound. My senses are overall sharper than a normal human's, but when using this weapon, my hearing senses heighten even more. For instance, if I were to go quiet for a few minutes..."

He closed his eyes, lips tugging upwards, "I can hear the sound of your blood pumping through your veins, your hearts, I can tell that one of you is fairly excited."

Hoseok had straightened up at the comment and the Spirit's smile grew.

"And with this," he stuck out his tongue, showing them the intricate mark that was painted on it, "I can use my voice as I please as long as it is a command."

"You mean, you can make others do what you want?"

Those glowing purple eyes trained themselves on Jimin who stared at him just as hard. The blond chuckled, "You want a demonstration?"

"If you're willing, then yeah. I've never heard of something like that."

The blond smirked. He took a breath, staring down at Jimin, and easily said, "Kneel!"

Jimin fell to the ground, knees supporting his bottom as goosebumps littered his skin.

"Apologize."

"I'm sorry!" Jimin's hands flew up to his mouth when he realized what he had done. The others looked just as shocked as he did and Jungkook was trying really hard not to snort, but his shaking shoulders gave him away.

"Return to your seat!"

That invisible force was back. Jimin felt like he had drawn a blank as his body settled on his chair again and the strange sensation disappeared. He stayed slightly surprised, still trying to process what exactly had happened. It was weird. He was compelled to follow the orders. Never mind that, his brain had blanked out the minute Taehyung had finished voicing his command and only came back online after he had finished complying.

"Scary," he muttered.

"Anyone else want to try something? Please, if you have doubts, I would love to prove them wrong."

Yoongi offered himself up for the challenge. The maroon haired man stood up, hand already reaching for his gun as he glared at the blond.

"Let me fight you."

"Hm? Here? It's quite small, are you sure?"

"The place doesn't matter."

"Interesting," hummed the blond, excited glint in his purple eyes. "Alright. I shall make it easier for you. I will keep my eyes closed and will only focus on defense. Deal?"

"Eyes closed!? What if you end up getting shot or hurt! No way, I won't let you," Jin argued.

"Sorry, but I am not your Taehyung, Jin-ssi. I'm capable of this."

Jin's words died out, they were swallowed, and he doesn't know how he let something like that slip his mind. This person wasn't his Taehyung. It's so blatantly obvious, yet he still made such a simple mistake. Of course, this person can hold their own against Yoongi, they're one of the rare supernaturals to ever grace the Earth.

"I can do it."

Jin snapped out of it, turning to the red-head, "Y-Yoongi! Are you crazy?"

"No. I'm just not one to back down from a challenge and this guy pisses me off for some reason."

"Great! Yoongi-ssi, tell me when you're done preparing."

"Alright." He loaded the gun, pulling back the slip and taking aim, "Done."

The Spirit nodded, closing his eyes and remaining unmoving.

"Shoot whenever you would like."

Yoongi took aim, not worried about shooting the blond in the least. The sound of the bullet leaving the muzzle resounded in the room and everyone was ready to fall out of their seats, hands covering their ears. Yoongi aimed at the blond's arm, but the bullet never hit. Instead, it lodged itself in the wall behind Taehyung.

"You can try again if you would like. Feel free to use your fists instead, I won't make the first move."

"I hate how cocky you sound," Yoongi admitted, stuffing the gun in its holder and doing exactly what the Spirit had proposed. He threw a punch, fist aimed right at his pretty little face, feeling ticked off when he saw the blond's grin. He preferred the other Taehyung.

"You missed."

Indeed, he did. Yoongi nearly fell forward when Taehyung moved out of the way but he regained his balance and went in for a back kick only to end up having his leg grabbed and body shoved to the floor. With a surprised grunt, he looked up at the blond only to find his eyes still closed. The man sighed, sprawled on the floor, limbs spread out and head back as he surrendered, "I give up."

"Hm, I win," the blond snapped his fingers and got rid of the weapon. "That is all, you may speak now."

"So, it's true then? But how?" Jin hung his head. As a doctor and researcher in the ward and hospital, he's intrigued by the new phenomenon. He's intrigued, but he's also guilty. Hours ago, he just stood by and watched as Taehyung was being hunted. He stood by and let it happen while Taehyung had pleaded for his help. How can he not feel guilty?

"I can't say how or why I was placed within the child. All I know is that my job, ever since we were placed in that cell, is to protect him as much as possible."

Jin stilled, narrowing his eyes, "Protect him from what?"

The blond grinned, eyes turning to crescents, "From you."

The men drew in a breath, slightly offended at the words spoken by the Spirit. Jungkook looked away, staring at the ground in hopes of hiding his amused smile. He knows where this is going. He won't bother standing up for them, he'll just enjoy it.

"What do you mean to protect him from us? We are not a danger to him!" Jimin argued.

"That is rich coming from the one who tried to kill him an hour ago," spat the blond, making the silver-haired man shut up.

"Now, if you would let me elaborate, I am to protect him from humans and even my kind if need be."

"But... But we won't harm him," muttered Jin.

The blond's eyes were as unreadable as ever, but for a short second, Jungkook thought he saw them soften. It was too quick to tell, he didn't know whether or not he imagined it because seconds later they were back to that sinister glow. Noticing the tension, Namjoon had jumped in to change the subject, effectively diverting their attention.

"How is it possible for you to have multiple weapons? Isn't in one per Spirit?"

"That's a secret made for my knowledge only. All you need to know is that I was created that way, but you are correct in assuming that we have one or two each."

"Can you wield more than one at the same time?" A monotonous voice asked from the floor.

Jimin rolled his eyes, "Yoongi, quit sulking and get up from the floor."

"Fine," grunted the latter, climbing onto his chair and crossing his arms.

"Well, Yoongi-ssi, I have never tried, but it may be possible," he answered while picking at his nails before looking back up at them, specifically at Jungkook, "If that is all then I shall take my lea-"

"Wait!"

They jumped, glaring at Hoseok who sheepishly bowed his head. Glancing back at the blond he smiled lightly, "Your name... We don't know your name."

The Spirit looked at Hoseok with wide eyes before regaining his composure, shocked eyes now painted over with indifference. His fingers twitched at his sides, wanting to clench the same way his jaw had done so before he faked a smile and said, "I do apologize, but I have no such thing."

"You're lying, right?" Hoseok asked with a small chuckle, but once he saw the latter shake his head, it slowly died, "... Oh."

Everything suddenly felt suffocating, and the Spirit quickly disappeared before more could be said.

That topic shall not be breached.

Chapter Text

Taehyung wasn't sure what to do. He just stood there, fidgeting with his fingers as he kept his gaze on the ground. No one spoke for a while; the room was silent. Uncomfortably silent, but soon, everyone in the room launched themselves at the small blond — Everyone excluding Jungkook.

"Oh my god, Tae, we're so sorry! We shouldn't have done what we did, and we should have listened to you and let you explain, we're sorry!!"

They all stepped back, letting the boy breathe as they each apologized separately while Jungkook stood with his arms crossed on his chest.

"It's ok-okay, really, i-it.. it w-wa-wasn't your f-fault. Please s-stop a-ap-apologizing!" Taehyung frantically responded, not enjoying all the attention he was receiving at the moment, a vibrant blush coloring his tan skin.

"Taehyung-ah, why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Jin's right, you could have told us sooner and we would have avoided the past events."

The small boy chewed on his bottom lip, "I-I would have, bu-but I just recently found out. Ac-Actually, Jungkook-ssi figured it out and... and told m-me."

"Hold up. You're saying that the muscle bunny brat figured it out on his own? I know he said it before but I didn't know he was serious," Jimin dumbfoundedly confessed, portraying everyone's reactions. The blond gave a nod.

"I told you all before," a voice spoke up from behind. "Did you think that the Spirit voluntarily told me everything? I pieced everything together on my own," he remarked with a smug expression.

"Don't get cocky, I still don't like you, Jeon."

"I don't like you either Park, you're the reason I'm limping right now and you haven't even apologized."

"It was a heat of the moment thing, get over it, you can still walk."

Both stared each other down as the rest continued their talk.

"Hey, Taehyung, do you happen to know his name?"

The young boy looked at Hoseok. He shook his head, looking sadly at the chestnut-haired man, "I'm s-sorry Hobi-Hyung, but I don't. I-I don't call hi-him anything, he- he just appears."

"Oh, I thought he was just joking so I asked you, but if you don't know either then I guess what he said is true... Don't you think it's sad that he doesn't have a name?"

"It really is, he has nothing to be called or remembered by. Almost like he has no true identity. Everything and everyone has a name, it's almost impossible not to have one," Namjoon added while Jin simply hummed.

"Let's call it a night, there's no good in dwelling on it, maybe we just need to wait a while longer," Jimin pointed out, grabbing on to Yoongi's arm and tugging him toward their car. The others agreed, going their separate ways.

As they were driving home, Jungkook noticed how Taehyung was slowly nodding off in his seat and soon fell asleep. He came to a stop at a red light and silently admired the boy's features. Carefully, he brushed aside a few strands of hair from the sleeping beauty's face, smiling at how cute he looked right now before returning his gaze to the road and continuing the drive home. Then, he felt stupid. He really needs to stop thinking about the boy in such a way, it's not normal. Not normal for him, at least. He glanced at the still sleeping boy. He's probably exhausted from the day's events. He can still remember the feeling of his arms wrapped around his waist. The warmth his trembling hands had provided as they tried to steady him. Jungkook was supposed to be protecting Taehyung, but it seems the blond was trying to protect him.

Parking the car, Jungkook quietly made his way to the passenger's side and unbuckled the sleeping boy. Jungkook was scared. What if he dropped him? Or what if he woke him up while trying to move him? He didn't want to wake him up. He wanted to let the blond sleep.

No, stop! Get it together Jeon Jungkook, this should be easy. You're only picking him up, no big deal.

Jungkook slowly slid his arm around the boy's shoulders and legs, picking him up and making sure not to hit any of his body parts on the car. He softly pushed the car door closed and walked to their front door, struggling but eventually opening the wooden frame. Taking his shoes off, Jungkook made his way to the blond's bedroom where he laid the latter on the soft mattress. He slid his hands from under the boy's light body and pulled the covers over him before walking towards the bedroom door, stopping at the doorway.

Taehyung's room was quite bare compared to his. It's been at least two months and it looks like he just moved in, doesn't he have some belongings? Come to think of it, he's only ever seen the boy wear his work uniform and the boring clothes he arrived with. He really was a jerk for not letting him go out. Taking one last glance at the cold room, he took one last look at the sleeping boy. What had the Spirit said? That he was already attached to the blond? That's what he said, and Jungkook's scared to say that maybe he has become attached to the small, innocent blond. He can't help but be attracted to him one way or another. He's been drawn to the half-spirit since the day he heard of him and that feeling only grew when he laid eyes on him. He just didn't want to admit it.

Their encounter in the office after he collapsed only made him want to deny the attraction even more, it wasn't in his nature to waver like this. He shook his head and sighed, turning away from the boy and silently closing the door. Maybe these feelings will pass after some time.

The workers all greeted each other as they got to work, but no sooner did they sit down then when they all jumped at the sound of an alarm going off. The door to the office burst open and one of the workers in charge of the cameras rushed in, attempting to catch his breath.

"Officer... Officer Park, it's the Spirit!"

Jimin instantly looked up and jumped to his feet, "It finally appeared? Give me the current report on its whereabouts ASAP!"

"Yes, Sir! Currently, it's in the abandoned factories near the old railroads in Incheon."

"Approximately sixty minutes but I think we can make it in less time," he muttered.

"Alright, go back, and don't lose track of it!" He instructed the man as he turned to his group, "Gather your things. We leave in ten. I want the newbies to stay away from any direct contact with the entity, leave that up to those with experience. Meet me in the parking lot, Shuo you're in charge while I'm gone. Yoongi, let's go; we're taking squad two with us."

A series of agreements were heard, and both the Officer and his partner exited the room. They rushed to Hoseok's office on the floor below theirs, wasting no time on knocking. Jimin burst into the open office, not restraining his voice, "Hoseok-ssi!!"

Said male rose his head and turned to look at the two who just ran in, "Jimin-ssi? Yoongi-ssi? What's going on?"

He was alarmed but tried to stay calm.

"The Spirit appeared, get your best men ready, we meet in ten at the parking lot! Hurry!"

According to the observer, there hasn't been much movement on the Spirit's half, and that unsettles Jimin greatly.

Why did it decide to appear now and why isn't it causing a commotion?

"Jimin, we're here."

The car came to a stop, along with every other vehicle that was following them. Jimin reached for his earpiece, making sure it's properly secured, "We're here. Don't let your guards down, I don't like the fact that it hasn't caused any trouble. Newbies stay on guard, secure the perimeter, the rest of you go off into your respected groups and start the plan."

All men grabbed hold of their weapons, stashing them in their belts before splitting up. They had a total of twenty-eight people, not a lot, but Jimin thought it was decent. Besides, out of everyone in the building, only those in squads one and two knew more about the Spirits. If Jimin had brought others, they'd be at a loss for what to do and would most likely end up hurt if not dead. The four groups made their way into the abandoned building, the newbies working to seal the perimeter with tape, standing guard around the terrain when they were done. Some questioned why they weren't given the chance to face the supernatural; they've helped with demons and mimickers, even with ghouls and xana!

"Tsk, why are we always stuck with guard duty? It's not like someone's going to show up in a deserted place like this and ask for permission to enter. When will we finally get to stand in the front lines, I'm capable of kicking ass!" Jungkook whined as he kicked at the dirt, drawing slight attention to himself only to make it disappear with a glare.

The raven wasn't fond of standing guard. He wanted to take part in the action, which was one of the reasons why he joined the S.D.F in the first place. He was promised a lot of action aside from food, money, and a house but all he's getting is the last three things! Right now, he'd give anything to pull at his mentor's ear and bombarded him with complaints. He's only ever fought in a mission twice! Only twice!! He was tired of being used as a bodyguard for his seniors and partaking in the building of barriers.

Taehyung simply observed the Officer while leaning against the car they drove in. The young boy, unlike Jungkook, was glad that he didn't have to fight in the front lines. Yes, he is well trained and can, sometimes, defend himself when needed, but he isn't a great fan of violence, so he tries to avoid it. Standing guard is better than trying to hunt something down and trying not to die. Not only that but if anyone else found out about him being half-spirit, then he'd be in danger too. Time ticked by like that. The sun slowly began to set, almost as tired of hanging in the sky as the new recruits were of waiting and guarding. Many had taken a seat on the bare ground or had leaned against the vehicles, a few yawns here and there while others entertained themselves with games like rock-paper-scissors or their equipment.

The longer they waited, the more Taehyung was starting to feel like something was wrong. It was far too quiet for a mission meant to kill something, and not only that, but he feels like they've taken far too long. He's heard absolutely nothing from the device in his ear and he's tempted to go check the place out himself, but he knows that is not a brilliant idea. The young boy bit his lip, thinking hard about whether he should ignore this feeling or act on it. Then again, what would he be able to do? He isn't capable of helping, he'd just get in the way. He sighed, picking at his skin.

"That was a big sigh, are you bored or something? I'd think you'd be glad that we're stuck out here."

Taehyung jumped, startled by the sudden appearance of a new voice. He looked around him but found no one.

"Down here, halfie."

Something tapped his ankle, making him flinch as his gaze turned to the person squatting with a stick in their hand.

"Jun-Jungkook-ssi.."

The raven rose an eye brow, staring expectantly at the blond. Taehyung avoided his gaze, choosing to focus on scratching at the skin between his fingers. Jungkook groaned, jumping to his feet as he approached the blond with a piercing gaze.

"Are you gonna tell me? Or am I going to have to get it out of you myself?"

Taehyung flinched; a stuttered breath escaped his lips as his teeth made work of the skin inside his mouth. Jungkook, whether he was doing it on purpose or not, noticed the shift in his behavior and couldn't help but think that maybe he had been too harsh. He was irritated, yes, but that doesn't mean he has to take out on the boy in front of him. Maybe his mentor was right about his bad temper management.

"Ha... Look, I didn't mean to sound so.. mean? Harsh? Point is, I'm willing to listen if something's wrong."

Taehyung stared at him, nodding and looking away when their eyes locked. He didn't want to think that something terrible happened to his Hyungs. They're strong, very capable of handling themselves, but he can't help but think of the worst-case scenarios. Then he remembered the dream he had a few nights prior. The voice he couldn't recognize and the feeling of suffocating. He shuddered. The bad feeling wouldn't go away, it only grew. He's scared to ask. He searched for Jungkook and found him at a corner near the edge of the railroads, drawing random things on the dirt with a twig while muttering curse words under his breath again.

"Stupid Officers, thinking I can't handle the front lines, always calling me a newbie, I bet I could take all of them on and make it out alive. The old man didn't train me for this shit. They already spent three hours in there and I haven't heard squat, cocky bastards..."

"U-Um... Jungkook-ssi?"

"What!?" Jungkook snarled, realizing that it was just the small blond. With wide eyes that soon squeezed shut, he scratched at his nape in exasperation, quickly apologizing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you... Is something wrong?"

Jungkook scrutinized his partner and only now noticed how fidgety he was, biting his bottom lip and playing with his fingers. Something is definitely wrong. Jungkook narrowed his eyes, staring even harder at the blond whose eyes jumped as they ran away from him, but he caved seconds later.

"It's too qui-quiet and... and they have-haven't co-come back... Um.. I think, I-I.. Um... Some-Something feels wrong."

Jungkook furrowed his eyebrows and realized that the younger was right. Nothing has been heard from inside the building, no orders have been given through their in-ears and it's been hours since they've gone in.

"Jungkook-ssi?"

Jungkook rose to his feet, looking in the direction of the largest building's entrance. That's where the group had gone in. Jimin and Yoongi went in there. Hoseok and Namjoon went in there. They checked their equipment before going in and everything worked just fine, yet they've received no signs of anything happening. Even the building's shadow reeks of foul play.

The raven walked forward, "Come on. We're going in."

Chapter Text

"What is this?"

Their shoes clicked against the cement floors of the old factory. Wary movements came to a slow stop when they stumbled upon a present box. They didn't know what to do. It was fishy. This building had been unused for a while now, the business that had been run within had gone broke and the place was simply left alone after everything closed. Some machinery was still lying around, but majority of what was present consisted of dust and debris, so why would there be a present box of all things?

"Should we open it?"

"And then find out it was a bomb and we all die? Yeah, sure, why don't you open it Zhan?"

"Oh, you're such the genius aren't you, Wang? By all means, go ahead and figure something else out."

"No one touches the box unless I say so!" Hissed Jimin, glaring at the two embarrassed men. He rolled his eyes before turning to stare at the group, "Does anyone have an ability that's similar to x-ray or clairvoyance?"

Maybe it was because Jimin was intimidating at the moment, but no one spoke up. Then again, it could just be that no one had an ability like that. There have been no clear boundaries when it comes to who develops what ability in the different supernatural species; quite a few do have some passed-down abilities, or sometimes a combination of their parent's, but they can also develop something unrelated to those.

Jimin asked again, searching the crowd, "No one?"

His eyes searched the group, seeing them all fidget about before a shy hand rose from above the crowd. Not long after, an equally nervous voice fought its way out of the wall of bodies.

"Um.. I-I do, Sir."

Jimin smiled, "Great, come up here. What's your name and how do we make it work?"

The person weaved their way through the crowd, reaching the front rather quickly. They bowed to Jimin who bowed back before straightening up, the nervousness obvious in their sweat decorated forehead. It was a girl. A little on the short side, amber eyes, and short black hair pulled into a low ponytail. He's never seen her before, so she's probably in Hoseok and Namjoon's division. He can't tell what she is just by looking at her, but at this point, it doesn't matter.

"My name is Suzu Mikami, Sir. Um, all I have to do is touch the item, Sir, but they have to be solid in order for me to see them. I can't see gas, and liquids are an on-and-off kind of identification."

"Mikami...? Ah! The transfer, right? Good to have you here, don't fret about the draw backs, every ability has a flaw," reassured the man, motioning to the strange item with a smile. "Go on then."

Everyone looked around in awe at their interaction, specifically Jimin's form of speaking. It was formal, but gentle. He maintained his position, but it wasn't overbearing or constantly being squeezed into his words or actions; he wasn't as scary as they thought he was. Seemingly also shocked, the transfer stepped up slowly, reaching out a stiff hand to the present box while everyone watched with their breaths halted. They waited for something, anything, and when a small breath of relief left Suzu's lips, everyone else copied it.

"It's nothing. From what I can see, the box is empty. Either the substance is a gas or it's really just empty."

"Hm... Great, thanks Suzu. Yoongi, punch some holes into it, will you?"

"Understood."

Suzu fell back into the group and Yoongi stepped up, cocked gun aimed at the carton dressed in ribbons. His finger wasted no time in pulling the trigger, letting a full round of bullets rip through it. When he removed the empty case, there was a shift in the air. It was strange. Cold. Uneasy. All their hairs stood on their ends.

"Jimin..."

"Yeah," answered the silver-haired man, "I feel it too. I don't like it."

Everyone was suddenly on guard, flinching at every small sound their ears picked up on, but one unnerved them all the most. To make matters worse, the one who heard it first was Hoseok.

"H-Hey Namjoon..."

"Yes?"

"I-I heard someone laugh."

Namjoon didn't know whether he should roll his eyes or smack the guy's shoulder, but then his ears twitched at the echoed ring of a childish giggle. His need to mock the brunette faded in his throat as he stared back at his partner, "I heard it too."

Hoseok shivered in fear as he ran up to Jimin, shaking the man as he sputtered on about the laugh just as it echoed again and the ground began to take on color along with everything else around them. The laugh grew louder and more prominent the more the building changed only to disappear when the changing came to a stop.

"Did we accidentally go down the rabbit hole and end up in Wonderland?"

"That would make sense if we had actually gone down a hole, but we walked through the door of a factory in Incheon, so I highly doubt it."

"Way to kill the fun!"

"Stop pouting Soo-Young, we didn't come here to play!"

"Seung-Cheol, your children are fighting."

"They're your children too, Jeong-Han... Ji-Hoon, Soo-Young, Mingyu, Wonwoo, cut it out. You don't want to anger our squad leaders, do you?"

The four men stopped their quarreling and separated from each other at the thought of having an angry Hoseok over their shoulders. Heads hung low with shame, they simultaneously apologized to their seniors. Their sudden outburst wasn't a surprise though, this group in particular had a habit of bickering with each other, but they were very capable out on the field. They also weren't wrong in joking about their surroundings, it did look like they were transported into some creepy fairy tale world. The cement floor was now a chess board, checkered in black and white. The tall walls had been colored in a light blue and a soft light illuminated the room. Mirrors, long and short, hung on the walls and toys littered the ground and air. It was something childish, almost like a nursery and mirror house in one.

"Alright, stop the lollygagging, we're in uncharted territory. I can only guess that this was because of that present box," sighed Jimin. It seemed Suzu was right in assuming there was a gas in the box, luckily it wasn't flammable, but it ended up decorating the factory in a strange way.

"The Spirit should be in here somewhere, why haven't we found it?"

"Should we send a group to check the second floor?"

Jimin didn't like the idea of separating, but he nodded and the Officer that had asked went off to collect a few others in order to search the second floor. Half of the twenty-eight workers climbed up a flight of stairs as quietly as possible, eventually no longer in Jimin's line of sight. Upstairs was almost a replica of downstairs but on a smaller scale. As they ventured further into the labyrinth-like space, the group reached a pair of gold-colored double doors. The only pair of doors that looked this intimidating and huge.

"Officer Park, this is Officer Chan, we found a pair of doors. Large, gold, far left of the second floor. What should we do?"

"We're heading up right now, don't do anything and wait."

"Copy that, we'll wait."

Less than five minutes and all twenty-eight men peered up at the enormous doors, pondering whether or not they should open them. It was suspicious. Something bad is bound to happen if they open the doors, but the Spirit might be behind them. They were wasting time, everyone here knows that they're in possible danger, death isn't something they haven't thought about, it comes with the job, so when Jimin stared at each and every one of them, he saw their determination and gave a firm nod.

"It's all or nothing," whispered the men.

Jimin placed his hands against the doors, and that's all it took for the doors to open.

"What the-"

A sudden force pushed all the workers through the doors, making them stumble to the ground and rush to their feet just as they slammed closed.

"Welcome! I've been expecting ya'."

Startled at the closeness of the greeting, the men jumped into their defensive formations, hands twitching at their waist carriers or ready to deploy their abilities.

"Easy there, I haven't done anythin' yet, why so aggressive?"

Where is it?

Their eyes calmly scanned the small box-like room, finding it empty aside from some floating objects and mirrors. No one dared to move, eyes panning over the floor. Occasionally, they'd flinch at something in their peripheral only to sigh when they noticed it was only one of the floating mirrors or toys.

Where is it? Is it invisible? No, it's definitely not... Then can it momentarily make itself invisible?

"I only came here for somethin' a friend of mine lost... Hehe, it's no big deal, gimme it and I'll leave. How 'bout it?"

"No chance, you won't be taking anything," bit out one of the twenty-eight. Jimin rose his hand, eyes squinting to something in the far corner of the room. The men stilled, silent and waiting.

A speaker?

So, they were being monitored? From where?

This place has cameras, but they should be out of commission unless...

His eyes once again roamed the room, landing on the lining of bulbs in the ceiling. Jimin squinted, noticing a flashing red spark that clearly didn't belong to a normal light bulb.

Bingo.

"Shoot the bulbs."

Questioning looks trained themselves on him before they were met with a glare and they began shooting at the bulbs, covering their eyes in the process so as not to have the shards fly into them. They waited. If what he thought was right, then the thing won't be able to see them anymore. If the cameras are down, then the security locks should be down too; that's if they were both connected, and that would have to make the Spirit show itself.

"Try the doors."

They did, but the huge things wouldn't budge.

So, the cameras and the locked doors weren't connected. That means the doors are held closed by the things powers alone, not by the security system.

"Keep tryin' but ya won't get anywhere."

It can still see us? But the cameras...

"Hey kid, are you the leader?"

Jimin stepped back, startled at the sudden whisper near his ear. From next to him, Yoongi supported his back, looking at him in concern before his eyes trained themselves on something in front of him. A shadow? It looked like one, but it was changing shape. It was becoming something else. Feeling uneasy, Yoongi stood in front of Jimin, one arm aiming his gun and the other blocking his partner's exit.

"Ya' broke my cameras. That's no fun."

Yoongi glanced at Jimin, eyes fleeting between him and the now human-shaped shadow. From their right, Namjoon approached, Hoseok staying in front of a smaller group of men that were still trying to move the doors.

"Jimin-ssi, Yoongi-ssi, that shadow... Is it?.."

"It is," answered Jimin, now openly glaring at the grinning thing in front of them.

"Well, isn't this a nice welcome, and I tried bein' a good host too! Did my decorations not tickle your fancy?"

It's the Spirit. All twenty-eight now had their eyes trained on the grinning person before them. A classic top hat in an ugly orange sat on its black hair and the suit it wore looked almost too big. It looked like a grade schooler playing dress-up with their parent's clothes, but there was a glint in its colored eyes that made them wary. Khione wasn't wearing modern-day clothes when she arrived, she dressed in clothes resembling those of thirty centuries ago, so this Spirit must have been residing here for a while if he shows up wearing a suit.

"Your decorations are wasted on us; we didn't come here to welcome you."

"You've got some guts to try and talk us up like that, do you even know who we are?"

"Choi, Hange, enough. We didn't come here to conversate or talk trash either. Apologize to the leaders."

The partner's straightened up, glancing at each other before both bowed, "Yes, Sir. We apologize to the leaders!"

Hoseok glanced at Jimin, then at Yoongi and back to Namjoon. It wasn't easy to get used to this type of behavior, but it came with the position so all four just waved them off. They were the heads of this operation, it's not the first time they've worked together, but their steps in this situation are critical. Provocation like that would only get them killed quicker so reprimanding them was necessary.

"Eh~ So I was right in assumin' you were the leader, huh? You look pretty. Kinda weak, but real pretty. Why are ya' doin' such dirty work? You'll end up ruining your face!"

Irked at the comment and the obvious lusting directed towards Jimin, Yoongi spoke up as he fired a warning shot near its head, "He's allowed to do what he wants. For someone rumored to be old, you sure do act like a kid. Why don't you make things easier for us and surrender? You should know that the S.D.F has no time to waste on garbage like you."

"Yoongi, what do you think you're doing, you didn't have permission to shoot!" Jimin scolded quietly while the latter shrugged.

Of all people, he didn't expect Yoongi to be the one to break protocol, he's usually the cool-headed one that sticks to what they learned in training. The last time he did something like this was when he first became Jimin's partner. He had been nineteen at the time and Jimin had been seventeen. The age requirements for working back then were non-existent and both had family that had served the police force, so both ended up going down that path. The only difference was that Yoongi had been forced in to joining in order to please his brother's wishes and kill the things that had taken his brother's life while Jimin joined because it was his duty as the eldest son of the Park family.

Sure, their start was rocky with Yoongi being older yet in a lower position than Jimin, but they managed to work things out after some time. They were the perfect partners, always in sync, practically able to read each other's minds, so the fact that Yoongi did something like this was unbelievable.

The Spirit's eyebrow seemed to twitch as it stared up at Yoongi. One could only guess it had gotten mad or annoyed seeing as how its fists were trembling at his sides and he dared to take a step forward. His advancement was met with another bullet that lodged itself in the ground and this time, Jimin felt the need to slap Yoongi across the head the same way he had done so on their first mission. Instead, he decided to try and talk to him, "What are you thinking!?"

Jimin whisper-yelled, tugging on Yoongi's arm, "Do you want to get us killed? We have him surrounded, all we have to do now is pin it down and break its golden core, if not pierce its heart!"

Yoongi glanced at him, shaking his hand off, then looked away with nothing to say. Jimin gasped, attempting to move forward only to be pushed back and into someone else's arms.

"Yoongi!"

"He wants you."

"W-What?" Jimin blanched, suppressing the need to groan and roll his eyes as he exclaimed, "Are you seriously being jealous right now!? Stop this, you'll only risk our lives!"

Yoongi seemed to still at that, but it went away the second he heard the Spirit laughing his ass off. Maybe he was being unreasonable and immature, but something about this thing irked him and he didn't like it. He glared once more, asking Hoseok and Namjoon to hold Jimin back while he told the others to keep trying the doors and keep their guns aimed at the thing's chest. The two followed his order despite feeling a bit hesitant and the rest of the men split into two groups: one working on the doors and the other aiming at the surprisingly small Spirit, not questioning the strange interaction between the two leaders.

"Aw~ Did ya have a lover's quarrel while on the job? By all means, keep at it, that'll only make it easier for me to take him from ya'."

Yoongi flared up, cocking his gun again as he stalked up to the damned thing, staring it down as he grits through clenched teeth, "Try me, fucker. I won't you lay a finger on him."

"Yoongi what are you thinking!? Stop this, right now!"

"Stay out of this, Park."

Jimin gawked, wide-eyed at his partner. His thrashing halted but the arms around his torso stayed tight, knowing that if they let go, Jimin wouldn't be able to stand. Yoongi rarely referred to him as Park, he only did that during their first months as a team, so why is he referring to him in that way now? Is he being petty? Now, of all times? That's insane!

"Min Yoongi st- Yoongi!?"

The Spirit had launched itself at the maroon haired man, taking his momentary distraction as an opening. Yoongi easily dodged the body, but before he could do more, his back collided with something that made him hiss. He stumbled forward, turning his head to the side only to see the edge of a glass fragment coming straight at his face. He grunted at the slight pain in his back as he bent back to dodge. That's when he noticed that he was no longer in the room with the golden doble doors. His comrades are gone, leaving him alone in a maze of glass.

A maze of mirrors.

Chapter Text

Yoongi grits his teeth, infuriated at the situation he was in. So much so that he punched one of the mirrors, breaking it to pieces. The stinging enveloping his hand was nothing compared to the rage growing inside of him. He was being played with. Every time he looks at one of those mirrors, he sees himself as the little boy that used to cheer for his older brother. The boy who would wake up in the middle of the night after a bad dream and would sneak into his older brother's bed. The boy who heard the news about his older brother dying after a mission that never assured his safety to begin with and a weapon that did nothing to protect him. The boy who had received the thing that was supposed to keep his brother alive and couldn't help but keep it anyway, tucked inside a pocket above his heart.

He hated it.

"Where are you!?"

He didn't want to see that part of himself again.

"GET OUT HERE YOU COWARD!!"

His throat felt raw. Chocked up. No matter how far he ran, every reflection in the mirror was of his past self and his older brother.

"All you do is hide behind them, coward! I'll break them all if that's what it takes for you to show yourself," Yoongi proclaimed as he grabbed his loaded gun and began shooting at the glass, destroying it and the images of his past. The loud sound of glass shattering and bullets hitting the ground echoed as the mirrors diminished. Yoongi kept shooting his gun until all the bullets in the magazine were gone. He was breathing heavily, searching the room like a mad man.

"Ya' humans really are sensitive. Hey~ tell me how your brother died, yeah?"

Yoongi whipped around, finding nothing but the dim wall staring back at him.

"Did it hurt?"

He turned again.

"Was it quick?"

His eyes followed the shadows.

"Ah~ I wish I could've seen it! I wonder if his screams were clear, did his beautiful blood splatter everywhere? Hey, tell me, yeah?"

The hot breath at his neck made him jump and the sickeningly excited voice made him want to hurl. With a hand over his mouth, he turns to the swaying person in the tall hat, pointing the gun at him. He was breathing heavily, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears, but that was the least of his worries right now.

"You... How did you get those images? What kind of sick jokes are you playing!"

The Spirit hummed, moving to the melody he made up, "Those images, I found 'em. Your head told me everythin', all I had to do was bring 'em to life!"

"My head?"

"Yup! Afterall, no matter how hidden away they are, memories always resurface," it muttered coyly, almost like it knew something Yoongi didn't. His momentary confusion was startled away when he felt a hand at his chest and the need to heave for air. His eyes had reflexively squeezed shut, opening only after he willed them to. Staring down at him was the shadowed face of the sorry-excuse of a man, eyes glowing a crazed color as a full-toothed grin took over his lips. It was enough to make Yoongi shiver in unwanted fear. The hand at his chest pressed harder, making him hiss as the thing he had been carrying in that pocket pricked at his skin.

"This thing," the Spirit murmured, purposely adding more pressure onto the hand at his chest, "This is what killed him, right? This is what failed to save him?"

Yoongi groaned, moving his head to the side so as not to answer the question, but that only made the man above him dig the object deeper into his chest. Yoongi held back a yelp, deciding to bite his tongue instead.

"It is, isn't it?" It pushed, grin growing in size and eyes narrowing in glee. "I'm right, I know I am. How great, ya' have the killer with you! Hey, show me, yeah?"

The red-head grit his teeth, suppressing another yell as he decided to take his pain out on the guy trying to rip his chest open. He managed to grip the wrist of the hand adding pressure to his chest and with a sudden buildup of strength, pushed forward, sending the Spirit tumbling to the ground with Yoongi falling over him.

"Ooh~ Y'know, I like it rough too, is this how ya' play with that pretty boy ya' were arguin' with earlier?"

That comment made Yoongi tense and throw a punch at the thing's chest, grinning when he saw its face contort in pain. Holding back his strength was never Yoongi's forte, especially when it was being directed at someone or something he didn't like. He leaned forward when the sting in his chest suddenly made itself present again, not missing the giggle of satisfaction that the Spirit had leaked out. With a hiss, Yoongi dug his fingers into the pocket at his chest, pulling out the circular trigger that had plagued his memories for a long time.

No sooner had Yoongi pulled out the thing than he had tried to scramble to his feet and get away from the reaching hands of the still grinning and giggling Spirit. The hands were quick and, much to his surprise, the reach of its arms is long. The giggling became incessant and the glint in its eyes took on a different glow as they trained themselves on the object in Yoongi's hold.

"Come on! Lemme see the killer! Pretty please, I swear I'll play nice, yeah?"

"You're crazy!" Yoongi responded, continuing the game of tag he had been subjected to, stumbling on the mess of glass fragments he had created. With the crunching of glass, Yoongi felt his body connect with the ground, larger shards embedding themselves in his palms as he tried to brace himself and stand back up. Object still in hand, Yoongi staggered, jaw clenching at the sting on his palm when suddenly, the air left his lungs as a strong kick was delivered to his diaphragm. He coughed like crazy as he desperately tried to breathe again, wheezing with a hand on his stomach. His eyes glared at the thing standing in front of him and he spit right at its feet.

"Mad bastard," he grumbled, wincing when the Spirit brought a foot down on the hand holding the thing that had caused him pain earlier. Yoongi winced but continued his provocations, watching as the Spirit's anger grew more and more until they were both in the same position they were in before: Yoongi laying on the floor with the Spirit sitting on top of him.

"I don't think I like ya' kid."

"Feeling's mutual, crazy bastard."

"I appreciate the compliment," it grinned, leaning down towards Yoongi's face with wide eyes glimmering in amusement. "They don't call me the Mad Hatter for no reason."

The group of twenty-seven tried leaving the giant room only to end up being pushed back by the golden doors, having no luck in opening them, much less making them budge. They were trapped like sitting ducks.

"Damn that Yoongi! I told him not to act recklessly, and that's the first thing he does!?"

The silver-haired Officer was having a difficult time understanding why his lover acted in such a way, and he was extremely worried about him. Was it really just because he was jealous? It's stupid!

"We aren't going anywhere anytime soon. We've tried everything, but this place is a maze that knows exactly what we plan to do," Chanyeol sighed as he slid to the checkered floor.

"The worst part is our mics and earpieces are cut off, so we have no way of contacting the guys outside," Seung Cheol added. "Not like they'd be of any help though."

Some nodded in agreement as they, too, took a seat on the chess-board floor.

"Yoongi completely disappeared too, and the Spirit is probably with him. I hope he doesn't end up dead," Hoseok complained as he messed with his hair, yelping when Namjoon elbowed his rib as he tilted his head towards a distressed Jimin. He ducked his head, regretting the last part of his whine as he remembered the recent revelation Yoongi had given them. Of course, no one felt worse than Jimin right now. His boyfriend went missing along with a large threat and they can't do anything to get out of this locked room.

The longer they assessed the problem, the more depressed they felt. All hope was lost, and they had no idea what they were supposed to do now. If explosives, guns, or force didn't work, then what would?

Sighs and groans bounced off the walls as some paced around the room and others remained seated or lying down. Namjoon was one of the few that had kept trying to find a way out, ear pressed against the doors as he knocked on them. He had tried to wedge some string between both or at least get it under the door, but it was like they were completely blocked off. The string wouldn't go through, but he was able to find something else- or more like he was able to hear something else.

"All of you, shut up for a second," Namjoon ordered, pressing his ear closer to the door, seeing everyone close to him suddenly do the same. He rolled his eyes, but glanced at them and asked, "Do you hear that?"

"What? I don't hear anything."

"Wait- footsteps? Running? Someone else is here!"

"Okay, but who?"

"Yoongi?"

"That can't be him, he's light on his feet, that's too much noise for it to be Yoongi," Jimin claimed, and Jimin was right.

Taehyung and Jungkook managed to sneak inside the building without being caught by the other newbies. It wasn't that difficult, much to their surprise. They walked in through the main entrance, much to Taehyung's dismay, not knowing what to expect, and now they're glad they didn't expect something.

"The hell is this place?" Jungkook grunted, smacking a stuffed toy away only for another to collide with his head.

Taehyung, unlike Jungkook, had felt his blood run cold when a small voice echoed in his head. It was that familiar one he had heard once before in his sleep, he's sure of that, but he didn't know why it had suddenly come back. He had thought that it wasn't something important, Vil had never mentioned it after he had woken up, but now he thinks that voice was probably a foreshadowing of all this. If he's right, then that would mean this is also his fault. If his Hyungs got hurt or if anyone else got injured, it'd be his fault.

Jungkook turned to look at the smaller boy beside him, noticing how rigid he had become. He knew Taehyung wasn't keen on coming into the building, the kid was practically scared of everything and anything, but he didn't think it would impact him so much. He's never seen the boy look so pale before.

"Are you alright? Do you wanna go back?"

Taehyung rose his gaze, eyes in a bit of a daze as he shook his head. Jungkook pursed his lips, approaching the boy slowly, "No, you aren't alright or no, you don't wanna go back?"

"I.. I want t-to stay..."

"Okay, then what's going on?"

Taehyung fumbled with his words, going quiet when he heard something in his head. It was a whisper, but it had been very clear and eventually he spit out the words that had echoed in his head, "It.. the na-name, Mad Hat-Hatter... I-I don't g-get it."

Jungkook quirked a brow, repeating the name, "Mad Hatter? Is that the Spirit's name? How did you know?"

"I-I don't kn-know.. Hi-His name just pop-popped in-into my head... But we n-need to fi-find the guys, fa-fast!"

Jungkook heard the desperation in the young boy's voice and couldn't help but wonder why Taehyung was so keen on leaving as soon as possible. The fact that such a weird name had suddenly appeared in his head was even more concerning, but he could question all that later. They had people to find and rescue.

"Okay. Come on. We need to look for them-"

A colossal explosion made both men jump.

"Shit!" Jungkook immediately stood in front of Taehyung, shielding him from whatever was coming their way.

Damned reflexes!

Explosion, after explosion, after explosion, the ground shook until the wall farthest from them came crumbling down, and two people were coming right out of the rubble and dust.

"Who is that?" Jungkook questioned, squinting his eyes in hopes of figuring out who was fighting through the clouds of dust.

"I-It's Yoongi-Hyung!" Taehyung shouted, catching said male's attention.

"You two! What are you doing here!?" He yelled, rolling away from something that was hurled at his unmoving body. With a glare, he clicked his tongue, "Tsk. Damned Spirit, die already sicko!"

Yoongi pointed his gun at the approaching person, watching the bullets cut through the air and land by its head. His aim is faltering.

"Yoongi-Seonbaenim, where's everyone else!?" Jungkook yelled over the loud commotion.

"You two need to leave. Now!" He responded, not wanting to put the two young boys in danger.

"We'll be fine, so leave- Agh!"

A piece of glass impaled itself in the red-head's leg, making him fall to one knee as an annoying cackle reached his ears.

"Come on! Come on! Use it already or you'll die, make things fun for me, yeah?"

"You bastard! I'm not going to humor you, go die!!"

Yoongi pulled out the shard, ignoring the stinging and bleeding as he tried to aim again only to have his gun shattered as something lodged itself into the muzzle and came right out the back, barely missing his cheek as it left a scratch.

"Hahaha! There, no more weapon~ Come on, use it already!" The Spirit yelled impatiently, arms thrusting forward as he sent long, thick glass splinters down on the glaring red-haired man that refused to comply with him, but that was when a blob standing off to the side caught his gaze.

"Oh?" He tilted his head, not pausing his assault on Yoongi. An amused smile painted his lips when he saw the little thing run over to its injured friend.

"Yoongi-Hy-Hyung!?"

Taehyung had bolted straight to his Hyung's side, ripping his uniform's sleeve, as he removed one of the splinters and tied the cloth around Yoongi's leg. He'd normally cover his exposed skin, but right now, he wasn't worried about the things littering his limbs, he was worried about his bleeding and hurt older brother.

"Taehyung... Get out of here. It's not safe... You'll get hurt, cover your scars before he-"

"I don't ca-care!"

Yoongi's eyes widened at how loud the small boy rose his voice, never before hearing him yell, much less speak at such a high volume.

"I-I won't let you d-die, you... You c-ca-can't die! My... M-My scars do-don't matter right no-now!"

"Taehyung," Yoongi moved his gaze to the younger's brown orbs, but his eyes focused on something else, his heart accelerating at a tremendous pace as he screamed, "Taehyung, move!! Now!"

From afar, Jungkook's voice also grew urgent, "Get out of the way, you idiot!!"

"H-Huh?"

The younger slowly turned his head, seeing why his injured friend and partner sounded so panicked, but even if he tried to, there was no way he could dodge that. It's too big.

"Well, well, well, aren't ya' just real sweet," singed the Spirit, "Thank ya' for appearing so soon, now all I have to do is bring ya' home with me... Of course, you'll either be dead or alive!"

A massive ball of what looked like glass was approaching them at a high velocity, causing Taehyung to freeze in place. Yoongi's voice was completely blocked off as the young boy merely focused on the object that was about to kill them both, if not injure them. The words he heard the person say had made his head spin and blood run cold, even his Spirit's voice was inaudible to him. As it got closer, Taehyung looked away, throwing himself over Yoongi, waiting for the impact.

"W-What?"

Taehyung slowly opened his eyes, stuttered breaths leaving his lips.

Nothing happened. There was never an impact.

But the body he had been shielding was suddenly gone and two people were now standing before him as shining fragments rained down on them.

Chapter Text

"Aw, come on! Ya' survived? How boring."

Taehyung heard that disappointed whine and when he finally regained the feeling in his body, he stared wide eyed at the people standing inches away from him. The blond watched as the Spirit slowly advanced towards the men, an irritated glint in its eyes.

"Here I thought I was finally going to get my friend's present and have some fun. Guess not."

"You shouldn't underestimate me," Yoongi rasped as he clicked the object he'd been holding on to this whole time. His body was being swallowed by hues of black and green, worrying Taehyung who only sighed in relief when Yoongi was visible again.

Smirking and chuckling once he had the familiar bow in his hand, the read-head cracked some bones, "I'm just getting started, bastard."

The Spirit clapped and wriggled in excitement, fawning over Yoongi's new form, "Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! It's out, the killer's out!"

It yelled out praises at seeing the two horns poking out of Yoongi's bangs, eyes glittering with stars. This is exactly what the brother looked like in the images he had seen, but this one, this one was harder to break.

"Honestly, you really think I'd let you kill off my weap- I mean, my partner? You're real dumb for a high ranked supernatural," mocked Jungkook, wanting some attention as well because, after all, he was the one that cut through that sorry excuse of an ending attack.

The Spirit stopped flattering Yoongi, gaze shifting to the man who had called him stupid and with a large grin, it hopped over to Jungkook, doing what he had done with Yoongi.

"Oh wow, I'm real lucky today! I've got two humans and my friend's present, this is great!"

Jungkook glared at the Spirit when he heard it refer to Taehyungs as 'his friend's present' because no, idiot, Taehyung wasn't anyone's present, he was his partner.

"Taehyung," he called, staring down the Spirit so as not to give it a moment of distraction that could be used against him.

"Y-Yes!"

"Get out of here, find the others and run."

Taehyung felt his stomach drop as he glanced at both Yoongi and Jungkook, trying to ignore the burning gaze from the man in the tall hat.

"But.. I-I can't just g-go, what.. what about you?"

The blond didn't want to. He didn't want to leave both of them behind, but one glance from Jungkook and the boy nodded. As he stood on wobbly feet, Taehyung felt something land over his shoulders. A jacket. Taehyung stared up at the man with beautiful blue eyes, a small warmth spreading over his tummy. Jungkook had given him his jacket. The man had glanced at Taehyung earlier, eyes staying on the blond's exposed arm as he took in the patterned marks. His eyes didn't linger for long and instead, he took off his uniform coat, threw it at Taehyung, and his gaze shifted to Yoongi.

"Taehyung-ah, do as Jungkook said. Find the golden doors on the second floor. Everyone is there. Go on."

The blond nodded, slipping his hands into the big jacket, beginning to run toward the stairs on the opposite side of the three men, coat trailing behind him.

"Hey~! No fair, ya' can't run away like that," whined the Spirit, pouting childishly when Jungkook blocked his way when he had attempted to go after Taehyung.

"Yeah, no, he's mine, so paws off psycho."

The Spirit grunted, turning around only to be met with Yoongi slowly advancing towards him, fangs on display and eyes a terrifying green swallowed by pitch black, "I won't let you get away this time, Mad Hatter. It's two against one now."

Running through the halls, tugging on Jungkook's large coat, Taehyung's eyes searched the floor for the large doors, smiling in relief when he found them. He wasted no time and pulled them open, not wanting to keep the others inside for much longer. The second the doors creaked open, everyone fell out of the room, causing Taehyung to question what they were doing.

"Um, h-hey Taehyung-ssi. We heard a lot of noise and wanted to know what was going on," Wonwoo sheepishly admitted from his position on the floor.

"Yeah, we tried leaving millions of times but we always ended up back here so thank you!" Soo-Young added.

Taehyung had simply nodded, offering them a small smile. These were some of the few people who actually tried getting along with him, but he thinks that Hoseok and Namjoon had something to do with their efforts. All twenty-seven men dusted themselves off as they stood back on their feet, and Taehyung tried to explain what was going on, struggling more than usual as a million pairs of eyes trained themselves on him. It really wasn't helpful, but when he found Jimin, Hoseok and Namjoon, he was able to calm down enough to properly tell them that they had to leave. Everyone nodded, not commenting on his stuttering or broken sentences as they filed down the stairs and he followed. Landing on the first floor, Taehyung pulled back, leading everyone out through the front entrance, not seeing Jungkook or Yoongi anywhere near the previous fight zone. Jimin stopped at the entrance, back to him as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

Taehyung noticed, seeing his shoulders sink and fists clench. He was thinking of something. It was strange to have bumped into Yoongi without Jimin being there next to him. It only occurred to Taehyung right now that maybe something had happened before he and Jungkook arrived. He knows those two wouldn't separate out of their own free will, especially during such an important mission.

A small tap on his shoulder made Jimin jump, but looking back to see the blond, he breathed a large sigh, "Oh my god, Taehyung! Don't scare me like that! What are you still doing here?"

It was clear to Taehyung that Jimin was about to prepare his weapons, but he didn't expect to see a specialized demon weapon in the palm of his hand. That was what he had been staring at with sinking shoulders. He thought Jimin hadn't accepted the offer. Then again, he never knew that Yoongi had one either. As far as he knew, out of all their friends, Namjoon was the only one in possession of one aside from Jungkook. Taehyung had questions. Millions of them, but now is not the right time. Of course, Jimin wouldn't let Yoongi fight alone and Taehyung only wished he could do that for Jungkook as well. If only... but he was told to stay safe, so the most he can do is offer up as much information as possible.

"Jimin-Hyung, it-it's about the.. the Sp-Spirit..."

Jimin was ready. Demon weapon ready to be powered and eyes on the search for his lover and the reckless excuse for an Officer while Taehyung's words ran a marathon in his head.

We shouldn't take the Mad Hatter lightly. He hasn't summoned his spiritual weapon at all.

He shook his head, frantically searching for the newbie and his partner, he had no time to wonder how Taehyung knew all of that.

"Yoongi!? Jeon!! Where the hell are you!?"

"Over here shorty!" He heard Jungkook call.

"Jimin! Why are you here?!"

And there was Yoongi.

Jimin scoffed, glaring at the red-head, "You're joking, right?"

Yoongi shook his head, limping up to the silver-haired man, "You were supposed to stay with Taehyung, what are you doing here? Are you crazy! You'll get hurt, I already have this kid with me, I can't take care of both of you."

"Hey, don't rope me into your affairs, I'm the one that saved your ass, remember that!"

Jimin, finally taking in Yoongi's beaten-up form, bit the inside of his cheek, finding it hard to be completely mad at the red-head. So, what did Jimin do? He gave Yoongi a whack on the back of his head and a pull on his ear.

"How dare you!? I thought you died or something! You shouldn't have acted too recklessly, you selfish idiot!!" Jimin pounded on his lover's chest, trying hard not to cry while Yoongi merely laughed.

"Don't laugh, do you have any idea how worried I was? Why would you act like that?! I don't care if you were jealous, that's not a good reason to disappear on me!"

Yoongi smiled softly, tucking Jimin's head into the crook of his neck as his grip on his waist tightened. Sometimes he forgets that this man is younger than him. With the way he acts around others at work, it's hard to remember that. Yoongi gave a small kiss to his temple and whispered, "Sorry, love."

Jimin crumbled, his own grip on Yoongi tightening as he nodded his head, still tucked into Yoongi's neck. From the side, Jungkook rolled his eyes and cleared his throat, attempting to stop them from feeding him dog food. Turns out it worked because they pulled away really quickly when they remembered Jungkook was in the room with them.

"U-Um, so, where's the Spirit?" Jimin questioned quickly, pretending to look around the room that resembled almost every other part of the old factory.

"Oooh~ Someone else came to play!"

The familiar voice of the Mad Hatter cheered excitedly from somewhere in the room. All three were on alert now, but when he was standing right in front of a seemingly pissed off Jimin without having been seen, a small chill ran up their spines. If they were disturbed or frightened, none of them showed it. The man in the tall hat giggled sardonically, a strange glint in his eyes that made Jimin uncomfortable shown like never before as its face approached Jimin's.

"Y'know, you're really adorable when you're mad," he shifted impatiently on his feet, hands clasped near his chest, "Hehe... You can't imagine the things I'd do if I put my hands on ya', you're just my type."

Jimin scoffed, "Do it, I can literally kill you and also, I'm taken."

This only added to the Spirit's excitement, further annoying, and enraging the men in the room. Especially Yoongi if his clenched jaw and piercing glare was any indication.

"To think I'll be able to kill three Spirit killing Officers in one day, how exciting!!"

The Spirit's shrieks of happiness were interrupted by two simultaneous attacks, fairly close to either side of his head. They were perfectly in sync, aim shockingly accurate and bodies surprisingly light.

"Damn," both Jungkook and Yoongi said, "We missed."

"Y'know, it's not nice to interrupt someone when they're talkin'. My mom said ya' have to listen when someone talks!" He protested as he quickly pulled a glass blade on both Jungkook and Yoongi's throats, enough pressure on it for them to bleed but not enough to kill them. With a huff at their impatience, Jimin felt the need to step up and make a few things clear to the psycho in the top hat.

"I'm trying my best to be polite, but if you move that knife a centimeter closer to them," Jimin began, "I will tear you apart."

"Psycho," growled out Jimin, eyes swirling with the malice that only makes itself present during jobs like these as he kicked the child away, earning himself a string of laughter from the Mad Hatter. The familiar clicks of those weapon-carrying objects echoed amongst the cackles as Jimin's silver hair was soon outlined by streaks of black and pink. Serpent-like, smokey whips, ending with sharp blades slithered around each of his hands while scales surrounded the corners of his diamond-shaped eyes. There was a whistle and Jimin rolled his eyes when he saw Jungkook simpering over to him, scythe over his shoulder.

"So, both of you have a cursed weapon and decided not to mention it? Wow, no wonder Taehyung looked shocked when Yoongi brought it out."

"Not now, Jeon, we've got more important things to deal with," muttered Jimin as he tried to restrain the spirit with slithering ropes that came from his shadow. He managed to bind it for a while, but he faltered when the crazy little thing decided to bite on the ropes.

"Jimin, he plays dirty, don't let your guard down," Yoongi warned, skillfully letting his arrows chase the moving Spirit.

"Thank you for your concern but I can take care of myself."

"Oh my god, can you two stop fighting real quick? How are we gonna kill this thing?" Jungkook asked, unphased by the Spirit throwing daggers at him.

Jimin nodded, still trying to form some sort of binding around the damned Hatter, "Yeah, we can, but Jungkook, Taehyung told me something and I think you-"

"Tell us later. Right now, all I want to do is get rid of this filth," Jungkook snarled, cutting the other off and making him internally sigh. He turned to Yoongi, catching his waiting gaze. Well, at least one of them is willing to listen. They rushed toward each other now that the Hatter was busying himself with Jungkook.

"What is it?"

"His spiritual weapon, it hasn't been used and Taehyung-ah said this guy is on a higher level when it comes to power. I tried warning Jungkook, but.. Well, yeah, he's too high on the idea of killing it."

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "Taehyung may be right after all, Jungkook's too cocky for his own good. We'll keep that in mind, let's try and get it done and over with as quick as we can."

Jungkook and the Mad Hatter, as Taehyung had called him, were too busy dodging each other's attacks to pay attention to them. Seeing a four-foot-four man fighting a five-foot-ten man was comical but it ticked them off a bit that Jungkook wasn't taking things seriously. The sooner they get this over with, the sooner they could get to Taehyung, and the sooner he could explain to Jungkook the problem Taehyung had addressed.

"He's holding back for a reason, I'm sure he'll use it once he gets tired of being ridiculed. His vitals are shockingly calm, all the movement he's doing seems like a simple walk in the park for him."

"Then we'll have to be quick and careful, but with Jungkook being here that'll be difficult. My arrows haven't been able to land a single hit."

The partners kept discussing their possible openings, not taking Jungkook into heavy consideration. There was a higher chance that the idiot would do as he wants instead of following their plan. Besides, they've never had trouble working together. On the contrary, they're the perfect duo. They know what to do without so much as saying a word to each other and so, they began their efforts of getting rid of the nuisance.

"You two aren't the only ones in this room!" Jimin bellowed, successfully grabbing their attention. Yoongi had moved away, trying to get close to Jungkook despite not liking the idea of Jimin using himself as bait.

"Hey, Hatter, for someone with a crush on me, you're really bad at keeping me company."

Ugh, I'm gonna puke, holy shit, I can't believe I just said that, gross!

"Oh? What's this? Did ya' get bored of that red-head? See, I told ya' both that if ya' kept fightin' it'd only give me a chance to steal ya' away," mused the Hatter, skipping over to Jimin who tried really hard not to show how uncomfortable and disgusted he was when a cold hand snaked its way around his waist. What made it worse was that he was basically towering over the thing, yet somehow, Jimin felt like he wouldn't be able to budge even if he tried to.

With the Hatter now stuck to him, Jimin glanced at Yoongi and Jungkook, giving them both a subtle nod as he smoothly moved his hands up the short man's body, earning himself an excited hum that broke off into a shriek when the Hatter realized what he was doing. The black ropes slithered around his limbs, tying themselves in place and holding him down in the process. Jimin yanked at the restraints, tightening them as much as he can before calling to the youngest.

"Jungkook!"

The blue-haired man twirled his scythe, swinging his arms up as he rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah, don't tell me what to do!"

The bottom of the handle clinked against the floor and the crisp of advancing ice made them shudder. It climbed up the Hatter's tied legs, leaving puffs of fog in its wake as Jungkook let out a chilling breath of his own. With a tilt of his head, he nodded towards Yoongi, "Get it over with, Horny."

"Don't call me that," grunted the red-head as he pulled back on the arrows fletching, letting it soar with perfect confidence.

Everything had slowed down as the arrowhead neared the Hatter's solar plexus, right where his core should be.

It hit.

A crack followed.

The pitter patter of raining crystals seemed to magnify in volume as the trio began to feel elated, but a single unnerving sound made them grit their fists and hold their breaths.

"Ha.. Haha.. Ah-Hahaha! Guess who's still alive~!"

Chapter Text

It shattered. The arrow didn't make it.

He giggled, cackled, howled, and chortled as he mocked them. The ice at his legs shattered and the restraints around his limbs ripped apart as the arrow that was supposed to pierce his core fell at his feet, the arrowhead stuck to a fragment of glass. He shielded his core, and they hadn't noticed.

"Oh, for fucks sake, you've got to be kidding me right now," mumbled Jungkook, glaring at the other two who couldn't help but sigh in frustration at their failed plan.

Mad Hatter dusted himself off, fixing his hat as a shadow overcame his face and all they could see were his glowing eyes and sinister smirk as he asked, "Now, shall we begin the main course?"

The wind picked up the dirt, dragging it over the rails and throwing it at the people patiently waiting for any sign of the three missing men. They were beginning to grow anxious as time ticked by.

"Do you think they're okay?"

"They've been in there for a while now..."

"Give them time."

"I heard a big crash, should we go check?"

"No. All we can do is wait."

The murmurs and whispers of concern continued as they all looked to the abandoned concrete building. The only ones who kept quiet were Namjoon, Hoseok and Taehyung, all for different reasons but it didn't stop them from sharing the same anxiety.

"Hy-Hyung... Something fee-feels wrong," the small boy whispered, only receiving a hum from both in return. He didn't know what those hums meant. Were they agreeing with him? Had they even heard him? Did they only respond so he would be quiet?

"I want you all to return to headquarters," Hoseok ordered, suddenly standing before the worried group.

"What!?"

"No way!"

"Hoseok-ssi, please, you have to let us wait for them too!"

They argued pleadingly, but that did nothing to shake Hoseok's resolve. He won't take any chances. They should know that as much as anyone.

"This is an order, everyone but Namjoon and Taehyung can leave. Inform those at the main building of what's happened and do what you can to reinforce our security and the security of South Korea," he implored.

Namjoon helped convince everyone to leave them there, letting Taehyung inch closer to Hoseok. Reluctantly, car after car pulled out of the dirt road and onto the highway, leaving only one van behind. A moment of tensed silence enveloped the three, neither of them speaking up despite their surroundings feeling suffocating. What were they supposed to say? What were they supposed to do?

"Are you fools just going to stand out here?"

They jumped at the unexpected insult and turned to look at the perpetrator.

"Taehyung?" Hoseok questioned unsurely.

"It's not Taehyung," Namjoon countered, "It's the Spirit."

"It seems some of you can tell us apart," it grumbled with a tilt of his head, adding, "I see you met Weylin."

Hoseok's brows furrowed, a questioning noise filtering through his chest. Taehyung tried not to roll his eyes, changing his words, "Mad Hatter, but I'm guessing you both got babysitting duty."

The men avoided his eyes. He snickered, earning an unamused glare from Hoseok. The glare was brushed off like a speck of dust on someone's shoulder as he proceeded, unbothered, "Those three are in trouble, that man is not easy to defeat."

The duo's heads snapped towards the blond; attention fully grasped.

"In trouble?"

"Like, they're-gonna-die in trouble?"

"The boy warned Jimin about Hatter before going in there, I guess they took the warning too lightly. The man might be short, childish, and warped, but believe me when I say that he plans everything perfectly. He isn't a general for nothing."

"Wait, a general?"

"And you're telling us all this now!?"

"Would you rather I expose myself in front of your men? I am telling you now so you can do something about it. If we do nothing; they will die. Especially if he finds one of them interesting enough to keep them alive."

Jungkook smiled as he swung his scythe down, catching Mad Hatter off guard. He had been the first to recover from the initial shock of their failed death plan and wasted no time on hacking at the Spirit.

He's in the frontlines now; he won't waste his time gawking over a failure.

"I like your guts, kid... But it'll take more than a scratch to stop me from tearing ya' apart," he growled cynically, laughing as he threw a fair number of shards at the running scythe owner. Jungkook jumped, swinging his blade down with a quickness none of them had seen before. There was a breath of satisfaction, then blood covered his once clean blade, dripping to the ground as he walked closer to the hissing body on the floor.

"All that blood looks good on you," he commented as he saw the Spirit look at him with eyes full of something akin to pleasure before they shifted to orbs that held nothing but clouded insanity. It was almost like he was enjoying the pain. That made Jungkook smile and say, "If you like it so much, I'll break you down till all you can see is red."

Snapping out of his stupor, Jimin began gathering his bearings, yelling out to the younger, "Jungkook, his chest, pierce his heart! Retract your blade and then go for the center just below his chest and don't take it out until you hear something shatter!"

Jimin's hands waved at the shadows as they slithered and moved in Jungkook's direction, "I'll help you, so be quick! Yoongi, you too, hurry up!"

The read-head blinked, nodding quickly, "R-Right!"

Jungkook smirked, shrugging while holding his scythe over his shoulder, "Sounds easy enough... But first, let me have some fun with him."

Jimin and Yoongi took a double-take, nearly stumbling over the rubble. The shadows even stopped moving as the silver-haired man gawked at Jungkook in disbelief. Yoongi's hand twitched around his bow, and he almost reached for an arrow as he voiced his bafflement.

"Huh? Ho-Hold on a second, we can't waste our time like that!"

"Yoongi needs medical attention and Taehyung needs to stay safe as well as everyone else," Jimin added.

Yoongi ignored the first part of Jimin's comment and proceeded to keep scolding the blue-haired boy, "What if it escapes us? All because you want to toy with it!? Jungkook, he hasn't even used his spiritual weapon!"

Jungkook ignored both, rolling his eyes and waltzing up to the Spirit laying on the ground, observing him with amusement. His leg was healed, no sight of a single scratch, but he stayed on the ground. That was good enough.

"Not so tough now, huh?"

Mad Hatter's shoulders trembled as his head dropped forward and slowly lifted again as he began laughing like the mad man he is. Jungkook's confused eyes only made him laugh more. His Cheshire cat grin made Jungkook stiffen in place, their eyes had locked and something about the Mad Hatter's reflective irises unsettled Jungkook. For a few moments, he had gone deaf. Jimin's calls weren't reaching him, and Yoongi's tugs did nothing to move him. All he was aware of were the mirror-like eyes that reflected an image Jungkook thought he had long forgotten.

No, he hadn't forgotten.

He forced himself to keep it away. His chest heaved as a gasp broke him out of his trance. Jungkook felt his pulse go wild and his blood run cold. The grip on his scythe loosened as it clanked on to the checkered floor and soon disappeared and turned into the round lock that housed the weapon. Yoongi had been quick on picking it up after it rolled out of the duo's reach, moving to try and get to Jungkook who was shaking like a newborn fawn, but he was pushed away. He hadn't seen the Hatter's sharp-toed shoes coming at him and only felt the awful sting of something breaking into his skin and ripping back out of it as he was sent tumbling to the floor.

"Yoongi?!"

Jimin clenched his jaw, moving to try and obtain more ground against the Hatter, but he was blown away just as easily as Yoongi. The only difference would be the fact that he wasn't physically harmed. Not yet, at least.

"Jungkook, don't just stand there, get away!" He urged the still stunned boy. "Your gear is gone, if you don't leave now, you'll get killed!"

But Jungkook didn't respond. He was stuck staring at the Hatter who still held his gaze. He knew something was wrong, he knew he wasn't supposed to just stand there like an idiot, he knew but... He can't move away.

"Hey, Officer, wanna know something?"

The Mad Hatter's chilling voice choked Jungkook up. He trembled, gasped for air, tried closing his eyes to stop himself from staring at the mirrors that showed him something he didn't want to remember.

"A mirror doesn't only show you what you want to see," droned the Hatter, slowly creeping closer to the stiff boy whose form relaxed momentarily when a sudden picture of the small blond boy he lived with flashed before those reflective orbs. Hatter's smile turned into an amused smirk, tongue peeking out ever so slightly, as if he were savoring the sight.

"It also shows you what you wish to hide."

Jimin watched the two interact, seeing Jungkook frozen stiff yet very reactive to whatever he was being told. He had gotten to Yoongi and placed him against the wall, telling him to keep the pressure on his open wound and not to move unless he wanted to be tied, so now he had to run back to Jungkook again. Hatter had managed to puncture through the right side of Yoongi's torso with a kick of his leg. If he had to guess, the Spirit's pointed shoes were the ones that caused the damage. Jimin was afraid that Jungkook would end up getting hurt in the same way, or worse. He began running toward them the more he thought of such a thing happening. He realized he had to be quick or Jungkook would be done with.

"I knew things were going to go downhill soon," he muttered.

The Hatter swayed, observing the way Jungkook kept following his eyes before he found himself grinning and simultaneously squinting his eyes because of the size of his elation. This one was easy. Almost too easy.

"Want me to demonstrate?"

"Shit," Jimin muttered under his breath as he clicked his tongue, sprinting towards Jungkook. He saw the Hatter reaching his hand out, that can't be good. In his haste, Jimin tried getting through to Jungkook, not giving a damn if his voice cracked in the process. "Jungkook!! Get out of the way! RUN!!"

At that moment, Jungkook seemed to have broken out of whatever state he was in and cocked his head in confusion, not understanding why Jimin was telling him to run. The silver-haired man tried speeding up, but at this rate, he wasn't going to make it in time. Even if he used the shadows, there's no way he can get Jungkook out of there before the Mad Hatter finishes using his trump card.

"He's going to use his spiritual weapon, you idiot!!"

Jungkook registered the elder's frustrated words, finally understanding his current situation, and immediately turned to look at the Spirit. He was grinning, ear to ear as he spoke the dreaded name, "Mirall."

It was already too late.

He found himself surrounded by full-length mirrors; small slivers were the only openings from which he could see outside. He had instinctively gripped his hand, thinking he had his scythe, but when the realization that he didn't have it dawned on him, Jungkook hastily reached for the gun at his waist. To his luck, the tremors in his hands hadn't gone away and the gun easily tumbled out of his grip. He heard the taunting giggle of the Mad Hatter and Jungkook saw the mirrors begin to reflect an ominous picture that rooted him to the floor.

He thought he had forgotten that.

He wished he had forgotten it for good.

The last thing Jungkook saw was the Spirit's glowing crimson eyes and vile smirk, and Jimin's running figure close behind it.

"Jungkook!?" Jimin rushed towards the boy's limp body only to be stopped by a barrage of glass. He reflexively jumped back, getting away with only a few scratches here and there. His eyes locked onto the red glowing eyes of the crazed Mad Hatter.

"I don't think so, Officer. He isn't waking up unless ya' defeat me," it grinned in delight. "He'll be having lots of fun in there till I'm gone!"

"You're so irritating for a little twerp! If it's a fight you want then it's a fight you'll get. You aren't the first Spirit I've faced and you won't be the last," Jimin retorted, slamming his palms against the ground, seeing it crack as the dark snake-like shadows around his arms began to dart towards the Mad Hatter.

He giggled, dodging the restraints as easily as if he were jumping rope, "Ya' think ya' can kill me? Don't make me laugh, I'm not as easy as ya' think! How 'bout I kill your lover first?"

At the mention of Yoongi, Jimin stilled and turned his attention to the injured man sitting against the wall. He was fine. Well, as fine as an injured man with blood loss could be. It was obvious that his state was deteriorating. He had gone pale and his eyes aren't open anymore, but his chest is moving so at least he isn't dead. Not completely.

"Tsk, tsk, ya' shouldn't get distracted so easily, beautiful," he scolded Jimin, coming up close to the silver-haired male who stumbled back. With a pensive hum, Mad Hatter skipped closer to where Yoongi was, taunting Jimin as he added, "Maybe I should've gotten rid of that red-head after all. He was entertainin', but now he's borin'! How 'bout I make it quick and stab through his heart? Hm?"

Jimin felt the anger bubble up inside him, hissing at the Spirit, "Don't you dare touch Yoongi!"

The Hatter hummed, approaching Jimin as he cooed. He reached a hand out, caressing his cheek and Jimin decided to spit on his face. The hand on his face stilled, twitching and matching the strained smile on the Hatter's lips. Wiping off the liquid, the Spirit grits out, "You'll pay for that, lovely."

"Don't go giving me nicknames, psycho," he bit back, throwing a heavy punch that was easily avoided and in return, he was given a strong kick.

The two exchanged blows one after another without a moment of rest. The Hatter made use of his small size to evade Jimin's flying fists and kicks, but when the chain whips were launched in the mix, it became difficult to keep up. Soon enough, the Hatter made use of his abilities, bringing out daggers that he threw as an attempt to keep Jimin at bay and using his mirrors to reflect whatever light was available.

Jimin managed to get close without many injuries, coming to a stop when he noticed a glint approaching his forehead. The Spirit had thrown a significantly thin yet large shard of glass right at Jimin the second he had gotten within three feet of him. He managed to dodge the hit, his back arching as he flipped, his feet barely grazing the Hatter's nose. He's glad he never stopped the stretching and exercising he had done back in dance school. As Jimin landed back on the ground, he threw one of his chain whips, managing to land the blade in the shrimp's shoulder only for the shadow-chain to be yanked, making him stumble forward. A small chuckle made it to his ears as his abdomen made contact with the Spirit's knee, sending him straight up to the crumbling ceiling and right back down to the concrete floor. Not wasting a minute, the Hatter attempted to crush Jimin's body once again, clicking his tongue when all he hit was the breaking ground. Jimin had rolled away, now properly standing as he spit some blood out of his mouth, wiping his lips.

"That hurt."

"As it should. Think of it as payback for my shoulder."

"Maybe I will," a new glint showed itself in the rose-gold orbs of the snake-like boy. He noticed the wound on the Hatter's shoulder heal flawlessly, no scar left behind. He's the only one left and he's running out of options. He needs numbers.

"Here goes nothing," muttered the man, following with, "Monarch's Reign."

Out of the surrounding darkness came shadow creatures, all having the same rose eyes as Jimin. So long as there is darkness, this will remain as Jimin's territory. It's his forte, no way will he let a Spirit beat him in a field that's in his favor and no way will he let himself be done in while Yoongi is still injured and in the room. He might be rusty when it comes to using his specialized weapon, but he knows he can still deliver well formulated attacks.

"Hm, what's this? Toys? They look boring~ Wanna see mine? I can make some too, look!"

The Spirit did something with its hands and the crunching of glass made Jimin cringe and a feeling of annoyance made his eyebrow twitch when he saw how the Hatter practically copied his skill.

This wasn't in the information Taehyung's Spirit had given us back at the dome, just what can't these things do!?

"See, I can do it too! Ya' aren't that special- What was it? Ah! Right, ya' aren't that special, Jimin," mused the Mad Hatter, slowly advancing towards the fuming silver-haired man. "I only came here for one person, and you're getting in my way."

That was the last straw for the normally level-headed Jimin. No way in hell will he ever let someone who deserves to die call his name.

"Don't think so highly of yourself you stupid Hatter. I don't remember giving you permission to use my name. Why don't you go back to Wonderland? I'm sure the Queen of Hearts is dying to cut off your head."

"Ooh~ bringing up the fairy tale now, are we? A piece of advice, don't mock me, darling. Ya' won't like me when I'm mad."

Jimin laughed, throwing his head back, staring directly at the enemy. He wasn't scared. He can't be scared. But he isn't sure how long he'll be able to last with two of his partners out of commission.

Chapter Text

Namjoon, Hoseok, and the Spirit version of Taehyung managed to collect their ideas and come up with a some-what valid plan. They had to hurry though, they only had so much time before things go completely south to the point where the damage will be irreversible. Taehyung's Spirit was right, Mad Hatter showing up was not good at all.

Inside the rumbling building, Jimin's hair seemed to shine while his snake-like eyes began to glow a fiery rose. The sound of falling rubble was heard followed by a groan and the crack of bones.

"Gettin' serious now, are we?"

Jimin couldn't help but smirk, "I'll bring you to your knees and make you beg."

With a final glint of his eyes and shimmer of his scales, he called forth a trump card he's been working on for years now, "Beast of the Abyss."

Jimin rose his arm and swung it down, directing it towards the cackling boy standing near the newly created rubble. A gigantic snake darted forward, aiming its fangs at his master's enemy, slight drops of venom leaving small indents on the concrete followed by a sizzling sound. It took him ages to make this move work. The snake was actually the demon possessing his chain whips and, to some extent, his body. He's never heard of anyone attempting to do something like this. Most of the people with these demon weapons limit the demon-to-human relationship to simply speaking, but Jimin went beyond that. It sounds crazy of him to think such a thing, but he has a strong bond with his weapon's demon. Strong enough to make him find a way for the demon to materialize itself without leaving the chain whips or Jimin's body. In the end, Jimin found a way.

"The Mamushi venom causes the victims' tissues to liquefy, and that's only one of the venom's many effects. One drop and you're done for," explained Jimin, haughtily running his hand through his silver and pink locks. His extended hand now pointed downwards, and with a confident glint of his eyes, he promised, "I'll save Jungkook and Yoongi, even if it ends me."

A shiver of hot arousal ran up the Hatter's spine as a heavy blush covered his cheeks. He was excited. Jimin was everything he could ever want. He knows he can end things now, but he's having so much fun. He can keep leading the man on, keep letting him believe that he'll win just to see him crumble and give up in the end. That sounds so nice, it almost made him moan.

"Ya' think you'll be able to live and defend your lover and friend? Ya' must be crazy! I only came here for the little blond, but ya' make it so hard to end things, ah~ I want ya' so bad."

Little blond? Taehyung? He's the one they're after? Over my dead body will he ever go near Taehyung!

Jungkook finally came-to, but he wasn't in the abandoned factory with the Spirit, Yoongi and Jimin. He was back in a place he desperately didn't want to remember. A place he thought he'd manage to get rid of for good. He didn't want to return to this place.

"Wait- Where are you going!? Y-You can't just leave us here- Kyungmi!"

Jungkook would like to be anywhere else but here.

"I'm sorry Min-Seok, but I can't do this anymore. It's too much, I told you before, you shouldn't have kept him."

"You can't mean that, please.. No, wait, Kyun!? Kyungmi, come back! Please? You can't do this to us..."

Jungkook stood up from his lying position, realizing that he was shorter than he was supposed to be. That can't be good.

"Jungkook?"

Said boy tensed at the soft voice that called his name.

"Hey baby, I'm sorry. Did momma wake you?"

Don't smile at me like that.

"No, it's okay momma. Where's daddy?"

When he heard himself speak those words, a horrid realization doused Jungkook in cold water. He can't control his body. His lips won't move at will. He has no control of anything here. He's stuck.

A painstaking yell echoed amongst the rubble, cutting off with a choked cough. It was painful.

"Ah! Agh!? STOP IT!"

Jimin was pinned to the ground, shards of glass the size of kitchen knives embedded in his palms and arms as he struggled to get the Hatter off of him.

"G-Get... AWAY!!" He mustered up his strength and kicked the crazed man off his body. Stumbling to his feet, Jimin clenched his jaw at the horrible feeling of glass wedged into his body, but he was kicked to the ground again.

"I don't think I gave ya' permission to stand, darlin'."

Another kick was given to his abdomen, eliciting a rough cough from the injured man, small drops of blood and saliva dripping out the corner of his open mouth. The Mad Hatter then proceeded to step on his arms again, the shards going in deeper, not stopping until he felt something snap and heard his victim's yells.

"AHH-AH!! Ngh- F-Fuck!?"

Jimin's screams of agony and pain echoed in the makeshift arena, the normal factory floor long gone, making his enemy smile and laugh.

"Yes! Yes, that's it! Scream, yell, beg! Beg me for your life ya' piece of human scum!"

The beaten male moved onto his side, attempting to stand once again, battered voice beginning to call for the man now lying on the ground with blood matting his hair to his head.

"Yoon- NGH!?" The sound of cloth being torn apart resounded in the suddenly quiet room as panic settled in Jimin's stomach. When he felt a bony hand trace his skin, he cried, "AAH-AH!! S-Stop, NO!"

Heavy breaths mixed in with the recurring sobs from the battered man. The Hatter smirked, licking his lips as he held Jimin down, taking pride in the shivers that traveled through the bleeding man's body.

"Your so-called lover won't be of any help to ya', cutie," the Hatter murmured. Jimin squirmed again, burning arms attempting to move, twitching uselessly at his sides. He could barely register the fact that he was bleeding out and crying, eyes solely trained on Yoongi's fallen body and his barely rising chest. He was lying in a puddle of his own blood. He wasn't conscious anymore and that only scared Jimin even more, so much so that he didn't react to being lifted and pushed against the crumbling concrete wall until there was a grip on his throat.

He could still breathe, but he knew it wouldn't last for long. His time is numbered. Briefly, he wondered if the rest of the people that came with them had returned safely. If they had all left, entrusting them with this mission. He briefly wondered if they'd be disappointed after finding out that they failed. Would his body still be lying here once word of their defeat reaches headquarters? He hopes Taehyung isn't the first one to hear the news. It'd kill him. He doesn't want to make him sad again.

He writhed, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. His kicks were weak. His grip was loose. He was pathetic.

"Oh, how I love seein' ya' like this. I want to make ya' mine and mine only. I already dealt the ending blow to that archer of yours. I'll stuff ya' or maybe conserve your body and keep ya' as my prized possession and little toy. You're such a beautiful specimen, darlin'," it whispered into the trembling man's ear, seeing him shake his head furiously as his eyes clenched shut.

Jimin clawed at the Spirit's hands with his broken and tattered arms, whimpering at the pain and feeling of slowly being suffocated. He attempted to use his demon gear's abilities, but he couldn't. The snake he previously used was entirely shredded to pieces by the Hatter's glass with a shrill shriek as its parting gift. Jimin was able to inflict damage onto the Hatter, a part of his face burned off by the venom, leaving part of his skull visible, and one of his arms had received a huge bite. Despite that, the Spirit was still strong and standing. The venom did paralyze his body for a few minutes, but the man cut his hand and sucked out the infected blood, managing to stay alive.

After that move, Jimin was drained and the Mad Hatter took that as an advantage, doing as he pleased until cuts and bruises littered Jimin's body. Jimin is too weak to summon more shadows, the fact that he remains transformed is a miracle, but he knew it wouldn't last long. His strength is running out, his chains are on the ground; Jimin has no idea how he's still breathing and fighting.

"My, how things have changed, Haha! Your confidence is all gone now, what happened to killing me and saving your little friend? Your lover? Huh? My spiritual weapon still has the kid guarded, he isn't going to wake up and it'll be all your fault," it taunted, squeezing tighter, leaving no room for oxygen in the thrashing man's lungs. "You will be the sole reason behind their deaths, how does that sound? What if I alter the memories of those you brought along, hm? Make them believe that you killed them. That it was all your fault. Hm?"

Jimin thrashed again, eyes stinging and head pounding with the force he used to shake it. He didn't want that. It can't happen, it would break them all. He doesn't want it to happen.

Please... Someone... Anyone.. Help me...

Jimin's vision began to fade as the grip on his throat got tighter. His body is giving up on him. He stopped thrashing and clawing at the Hatter's hands. A strange warmth slipped over his arms, he felt light-headed and he could feel his heartbeat start to slow down, reverberating over his entire being. His hearing was becoming dull, almost like if he were underwater. Jungkook's body seen in the distance was now just a blur like the lop-sided smile of the Mad Hatter right in front of him and Yoongi's beaten body lying on the floor.

I can't... breathe... Yoo..nie

"Yes, that's it, let it happen, ya' can't fight me anymore. I warned ya', didn't I? You are no match for me, Jimin, my darlin'... Ya' never were."

It's cold... It burns...

Choked intakes was all that could be heard as tears ran down Jimin's cheeks. Just as his eyes began to succumb to the feeling of tiredness, and his body welcomed the numbness, he heard the voice of the people he'd hoped had stayed safe. The ones he was supposed to be protecting. The ones that were supposed to have left them.

"Jimin?!"

The dull, rose-colored eyes shifted groggily to the opening on the opposite side, a small smile gracing his lips, "Taehyung... "

You're.. not supposed... to be.. here... dummy

Jimin let his eyes fall shut and let his lungs breath out the little amount of oxygen he had left. Taehyung rushed forward at the sight of the battered Jimin. Blood was dripping from his slit arms like a waterfall, tainting the floor beneath his dangling body. Yoongi was lying on the floor, a horrible gash on his head, a gaping hole in his abdomen and incisions on his hands. Jungkook lay unconsciously guarded by mirrors; unmoving, unharmed, and breathing.

Were they too late?

Jungkook's mind felt tortured. Time seemed to flow erratically. He was now six years old, and he was well aware that his father wasn't going to come back home. He had to deal with his mother weeping every night after she came back from her many jobs thinking that Jungkook was sound asleep.

Every morning he had to wake up early in order to make breakfast for the both of them, do the dishes, go to school, and clean their small apartment.

He'd finish his homework, make dinner, and then he'd sleep until his mother came back crying again.

That was his routine.

One summer evening, Jungkook had decided to take a nap after cleaning again. He left the balcony door open in order for the room to cool down and fell asleep on the wooden floor. That day, his mother returned home earlier than usual, her gaunt body dragged itself inside and she was met with her son's sleeping body. She eyed the boy, approaching silently, gaze shifting to the opened balcony doors where the curtains swayed in a waltz with the wind. Before the young boy could register what was going on, Jungkook felt himself suffocating and his eyes snapped open, body startling out of sleep.

It was happening again.

"M-Mom-ma... c-can't.. breathe- Ngh! Hick... ngh."

His mother had her hands wrapped around his tiny neck, grip tightening when the young boy called her 'momma.' The small boy looked at his mother's eyes, noticing how dull and crazed her once gentle eyes seemed. Jungkook knew that the person in front of him was not his mother anymore, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"It's all your fault..." She muttered, grip tightening. "He left because of you... You're to blame!"

Jungkook's eyes widened, ready to pop out of their sockets as he clawed at his mother's hands, scared for his life as he felt the sensation of drool start to slide down his jaw. His legs kicked, body going taunt and relaxing again only to struggle once more.

"L-Let..go... mom-ma, it h-hurts- hick... mom, ple-please- nngh..!"

"If only you weren't born! If I hadn't given birth to you then Kyungmi would have stayed with me... It's all your fault! All your fault! Die!?!"

"So-rry... Momm-ma.. Kookie- kuh, Kookie's... so-sorry..."

The poor boy kept wriggling under his mother's grip, body flailing uncontrollably as his lungs cried for oxygen. He began to feel fuzzy, his eyes rolling to the back of his head as his hands slowly fell limp at his mother's wrists. His legs no longer kicked. His voice no longer left his parted lips. His eyes no longer blinked. A single tear ran down his warm cheeks. He wasn't responsive. When she saw how her son stopped moving, she instantly removed her hands from his neck and questioned what she had been doing.

She apologized over and over again as fat tears left her tired eyes. The woman hugged her child close, ear pressing against his small chest. Her trembling hands caressed his face and hair before her lips placed a lingering kiss on his forehead. Minutes pass and Jungkook coughs roughly, heaving as he tried to collect any available air, coming back to life after his small blackout. When his bleary eyes focused, he saw his mother stand and back away from him as she continuously shook her head, hands tugging at her disheveled, unkempt hair, her eyes slightly back to normal.

"Mom-ma?" Jungkook's small, hoarse voice called out as he saw her begin to approach the open balcony door.

"N-No, Jungkook, st-stay away from mommy... Momma isn't safe, okay? M-Momma has to go away, you understand, right baby?"

Her voice was shaky. The six-year-old shook his head, not liking the way his mother was acting or the way she was staring at him, "N-No! Mom, don't go... I-I'm safe! I'm fine, see! Jungkookie's fine!"

He stood up, nearly toppling over as he got dizzy from the sudden quick movement. His mother gave him a sorry smile, as bright as the moon hanging above her.

"I'm sorry Jungkookie. Mommy has to go now, okay? Be a good boy... Remember, momma loves you," she grinned, eyes crinkling in the way they always do when she looks at him, and took her last steps back.

Jungkook shook his head, scrambling towards his mother, tears streaming down his cheeks and cries leaving his lips as the sound of something hitting the ground was heard from the open balcony door.

From the door his mother had crossed.

From the balcony she so unhesitatingly fell from.

From the place she had allowed death to tempt her and drag her into its grasp.

All he could do was sob.

"Leave him alone you imbecile!!"

A sudden force sent the Spirit flying to the wall on Jimin's left. The silver-haired man's body slumped to the ground, motionless and silent.

"JIMINIE!?"

"Jimin-ssi!"

Taehyung kneeled down beside his head, inspecting his battered form with a horrified gleam in his eyes. This Spirit doesn't have a strong relationship with these men, but the owner of his body does and more often than not, their emotions and thoughts are shared constantly. Drops of water plopped onto Jimin's exposed chest, the only thing left were his jeans and even those had some evident tears in them. Taehyung removed whatever remained of his uniform's long coat and covered the man's body with it, not wanting the others to see the different wounds scattered across Jimin's torso and legs. Jungkook's jacket was enough for him, he didn't need two.

The still chest made him feel sick, but the blond still leaned into his face, cupping Jimin's cheek in one hand and running his other hand through his silver hair, touching their foreheads together. The colored streaks that once adorned Jimin's hair began to fade as the scales near his eyes disappeared. The blond was hesitant on calling him the way Taehyung normally would, but he sucked it up in hopes of getting the still man back.

"Jiminie? Can you hear me?"

His hands covered themselves in gloves and he hummed, sending the waves into his body as he hoped his healing would do something. Taehyung squinted his eyes in a failed attempt to stop the tears, the blond's just glad the others can't see him. He hid his face in the crook of Jimin's neck, failing to notice the sudden small rise and fall of his once still chest.

He wasn't dead.

"Tae... Taehyung?"

The call of the blond's nickname made him snap right up, looking at Jimin in hopes of finding that he had not imagined someone calling out the name.

"J-Jimin?"

Said man's eyes delicately fluttered open, a few coughs leaving his bloodied lips as he tried to stabilize his breathing, wincing at the pain of taking in oxygen. Once he felt steady enough, Jimin reached one of his bleeding, shaking hands up to one of Taehyung's warm, tear-stained cheeks, carefully rubbing his trembling thumb over the bottom of his eye.

"Why.. are you cry-crying, silly?"

The injured man mustered up a tired, and painful smile, trying to pass it off as a happy one, but failing miserably as he broke down hastily, "I-I... I tho-thought I l-lost you... I'm g-glad you're here, I don't know what I'd do without you... I was so scared."

The blond felt a sudden rush of nostalgia come over him. Jimin's words brought back a memory that was still fresh in his mind. Swallowing the lump in his throat, the blond smiled softly, "I'm so sorry for being late, just look at you... You don't deserve any of this. I won't let anything happen to you from now on, I swear so, just, hang in there for me, yeah?"

Taehyung was heedful as he picked Jimin up, making sure not to hurt his injured limbs as he hurried outside of the building with Namjoon carrying Yoongi right behind him. Jungkook would have to wait a while longer. They placed them in the van before hurrying back to Hoseok to fight, and hopefully, defeat the Mad Hatter, just like they planned.

Chapter Text

Hoseok was nervous. He only recently got his offered specialized demon weapon after finding out about the Spirit. He knew their guns, grenades, bottles of purified water and the rest of their equipment wouldn't work against this species, so upgrading was necessary. It helped that Namjoon was well acquainted with the weapons, having him as a partner has saved his life more than once, literally and metaphorically. Now, he just has to do as they practiced.

"Alright, let's see what we're dealing with."

Hoseok was soon enveloped in a bright, shining light. His chestnut hair curled at the ends and in his right hand appeared a spear so sharp that a dragonfly landing on the edge would be instantly cut in half. His hands were adorned with golden marks in the shape of the sun and some lines hid under his uniform's sleeves.

"Hmm... The blade looks well-made. It resembles some of those foreign ones that you humans display in those large, transparent cases; your demons seem to be foreign. Interesting," Taehyung mused.

"You mean the museum displays?"

The blond nodded.

"Well, I'm not sure if they are foreign, but without our demon weapons, we wouldn't be able to last in a fight against your kind. Only those who pass the possession test can attain one, and we happen to be some of those who passed," explained Hoseok before chuckling sheepishly, "I was forced to accept mine after finding out about you guys, I was scared out of my mind! The weapon types are just an added bonus. We capture the demons, then confine them within a normal weapon. Where they come from doesn't really matter."

"Hm." Taehyung took his eyes off of Hoseok, wanting to see how Namjoon would look once his cursed gear was activated. Apparently, he was staring too hard.

"Um... Taehyung? Why are you staring so intently?" Namjoon smiled warily, not liking how hard the Spirit was staring at him from afar.

"I am waiting for you to do what Hoseok-ssi did, I'm curious to see how it happens again."

The dimpled man nodded and tried not to feel uncomfortable under the others' scrutinizing gaze. It seems Namjoon was able to find a similarity between Taehyung and his Spirit: both are curious.

"Okay," he took a deep breath, "here I go."

Exhaling, the clicking sounds began, halting just as quickly as they had started, showing his familiarity with the object. Specks of shining dust began to fall from above, finding refuge on Namjoon's body. Then, something changed. The places where the dust landed shimmered before disappearing and leaving something different in its place. The dust is what made Namjoon's hair grow to his mid-back, resembling a galaxy. Literally. A headpiece with a moon and hanging raindrop decorated the forehead area, silver bands wrapping around the head, and adding to the majestic hair.

When they thought it was over, something caught their eyes. Strings. An uncountable number of strings were floating around Namjoon, two attached to each of his fingers while the rest hovered around his being, too thin to be seen unless you paid close attention.

"Amazing, but I am still far more superior," Taehyung boasted. His arms were crossed over his chest, weight on one leg as his head was cocked to the side, smirk visible, and a mischievous glint in his purple eyes.

"How about you stop being self-centered and get ready to kill that thing. We need to save Jungkook and get out of here alive. Yoongi and Jimin are waiting," Hoseok urged, looking at the haughty male seriously.

"Of course, please do forgive me for my aloof behavior. Now, what should I use? He uses glass, correct? I have fire, sound, air, earth, and time. Zaphkiel is out of the question, Aither won't do much, Lydian can work but maybe Camael will work better. Then again, I just want to cause a bit of destruction so let's leave the best for last," he mumbled.

"Alright, I've made up my mind. Camael!"

The red halberd appeared in his extended hand, flames licking at its blade. A red tint dusted the corners of his eyes, their violet color glinting before dying down. A whistle was heard, and he turned to look at the audience. The audience being Hoseok and Namjoon followed by the staggering Mad Hatter.

"Well then, let us begin the extermination," he announced, striding over to the child-like enemy, his partners following close behind.

"Tsk. Ya' humans always ruin all my fun! I'll kill ya' like I killed the other two," he fumed, body enveloped in a silver light before his wounds become covered by crystal.

"Hah? You've been saying that since they set foot into your domain. I don't see it happening anytime soon," Taehyung teased.

The Spirit looked up, gaze locking with the blond boy before him, immediately gasping as he realized something important. He pointed an accusing finger at Taehyung, claiming, "You! You're the fallen one, aren't ya'? The little blond!"

Taehyung tried to look puzzled, but he was taken aback by the comment and mention of the title. He tried to act like he didn't know anything about a 'fallen one,' after all he barely managed to remember who the twerp was. The fact that the Hatter had mentioned that name made it even more clear to Taehyung that all of this was, indeed, his fault. Through his peripheral vision, he could make out Hoseok and Namjoon's questioning gazes and decided to end that idea then and there. Now is not the time.

"You aren't wrong in assuming that this is the boy who you've been looking for... But I have no idea who you are confusing me with when you refer to me as the fallen one. I am not them. If anything, I am the one who will end you, but do not fret, I'll try to make your death as quick as possible!" He yelled as he swung the halberd down. He saw the general dodge but felt no need to retract his weapon so quickly because he already knew what was going to happen next. He saw Namjoon's string all around him, his body was tugged back, and he felt the need to hold back the want to laugh as he heard an explosion from in front of them.

"Well, well, well, it seems you were right Namjoon-ssi, but I'm afraid Hoseok-ssi missed our target."

"What makes you say that? As long as the string is near you both, it should be possible for us to deal the finishing blow."

"Yes, well, fate is a funny thing. It can be unpredictable no matter how often you change it or try to outsmart it."

The dust created by the explosion cleared up, revealing a coughing Hoseok and a twerp hidden behind a wall of shattered glass. The general was totally unscathed, making Taehyung's eyebrow twitch in irritation.

"Wow! I expected more from the so-called fallen one. It seems the oracle was wrong; your petty people aren't strong enough to beat us!" The Hatter admitted whole-heartedly, running up to Hoseok who was quick enough to block the Mad Hatter's attempt at a stab. He thrust his spear forward, scraping the man's cheek.

"Shut up about your little fortune teller you twerp! And I am not a human, do not lump me in with these people," Taehyung grunted as he swung the halberd at its neck, managing to slice a good portion of it. He smiled in exhilaration when he heard the Spirit's cry of agony and his purple eyes sparkled at the sight of blood. A small, satisfied chuckle escaped his lips as he redirected the blade and brought it down to the Hatter's leg and this time, he was able to cut off the whole limb starting from the upper thigh.

"AAGH!!" Cried out the Spirit as it stumbled to the cement floor. It seethed, jaw clenched, and hands balled as his body trembled. He was struggling to heal. "Y-You'll pay for that.. Ya' damned half-breed!"

"Oh my, I do apologize for my rude outburst but," he covered his mouth, a giggle leaking through the small opening, "I can't take you seriously when you're bleeding out on the floor with half of your skull visible!" Taehyung apologized, weapon leaned on his shoulder and head thrown to the side.

"Ya' won't be laughing after I kill you!" The Hatter threw some shards, placing a large cover of crystal over his bleeding leg, making Taehyung click his tongue.

"The man-child is trying to heal himself, we need a plan," Hoseok pointed out, making Taehyung walk over to where he and Namjoon were standing.

"Namjoon doesn't do offense, so the fighting is left to Taehyung and I. Joon provides support, his string should help keep us alive and it won't cut those he sees as allies so even if the kid doesn't get hurt by us, if he touches the string, he'll bleed. We can't get Jungkook back unless we kill this Spirit, Jimin and Yoongi are waiting for us too, so let's finish this as fast as possible!" Hoseok urged as the three remained huddled up.

"Hoseok, Taehyung, time your attacks. Go in one after another, switch out and go in together when the Hatter's trying to figure out what and who he should attack. I can increase your speeds with the strings, if need be, but you'll have to push yourselves. I can't manage both of you at the same time while trying to keep you from dying," Namjoon added, looking at both his comrades.

"I haven't known you for long, but I can see you have good chemistry. I won't be defeated by someone smaller than Jimin-ssi, it will ruin my pride. I am tasked to keep Taehyung-ssi alive and safe, so that is what I will do. Let's go."

Jungkook made his way home from middle school. His uniform soaked and tattered, a few bruises adorning his face and body, slight traces of blood here and there. His classmates really enjoyed teasing and making fun of him. Everyone in the neighborhood heard of what happened to his mother all those years ago and that lead to him acquiring tormentors and idiotic nicknames. To add fuel to the fire, he had recently been outed as gay after foolishly confessing to one of his classmates. He had been led on only to be thrown under the bus the second they were walked in on. Rumors that said he pushed his own mother to her death circled around despite the ruling being that a khan worm had taken over her body. Rumors of him being gay and forcing himself on classmates began to spread around school. Others blamed him for his dad leaving, calling him a bastard child. The bullying increased after him being outed; everything got out of hand.

After his mother died, a funeral was held and once it was over, the small boy overheard his mother's relative's cruel words. It seemed her own family pitied her and hated him.

'I knew she'd end up this way.'

'Didn't even leave any money behind.'

'Her husband left her and the child.'

'Apparently, he got tired of caring for the kid.'

And then, the whispers began to speak of him.

'What's going to happen to the boy?'

'Our home is already full.'

'I have five mouths to feed; I can't add another.'

'I don't want a murderer in my house.'

'The orphanage will take him in.'

No one wanted him. No one needed him. He was just a waste of space. A murderer in their eyes.

"We'll take him in."

The small boy looked up to see one of his aunties smiling softly at him, her husband standing beside her.

"If no one else is willing to take him in then we will. I've already sorted out the paperwork. Come on Jungkook-ah, let's go home."

Home. That's what they called it, but his new home was nothing like what he dreamed of. His aunt and her husband treated him nicely. They allowed him to continue going to school, but as he grew older, things became too much for them.

When Jungkook arrived at their apartment one evening after school, he heard his aunt and her husband speaking at the dining table. He hid behind a corner, hearing their words as he felt his heartbreak once again.

"I know you love him Cheyeon, but we can't continue to raise him. We have two kids of our own, he has to go."

"We can't just throw him out, Ji-Han. Where will he go?"

"Cheyeon, he has to go. We're running out of space and money, he isn't even our kid, come on!"

"But-"

"You want me to leave?" Jungkook finally intervened, asking the question that repeated itself in his head every day.

His uncle, Ji-Han, gestured towards one of the empty chairs at the table and the pre-teen slowly sat down in front of them. A suffocating silence enveloped them before Ji-Han proceeded to explain what was going on. "I'm sorry Jungkook, but I don't think we can take care of you anymore."

"Why? I thought you guys wanted me..."

Ji-Han hesitated, "You know how it is. We aren't financially stable and we have kids of our own too..."

"Aunty?"

Cheyeon gulped, looking at her nephew sorrowfully, "It's hard to take care of you and our kids Jungkook-ah... I asked my sister's relatives, but they all said no when I asked if they could take you in. I'm sorry Jungkook, I really am, but... Why don't you consider going to an orphanage? Or maybe a shelter? I'm sure they're not all bad, you might meet some nice people and-"

"No, it's fine."

He rose to his feet, the chair scraping the wooden floor.

I knew it...

"I'm sorry for being such a burden," he gave a small, sad smile.

I don't belong anywhere.

"Don't worry, I'll find a place to stay and leave once I gather my things. Thank you for taking care of me all these years," he bowed to show how grateful he was and went to his shared room, packing whatever he found useful, which wasn't much. He didn't look over at his sleeping cousins, knowing it wouldn't do him any good. It was only a matter of time before this happened again. What he had to take wasn't much, for people saying they were short on money, they didn't indulge him with much but spoiled his cousins like crazy. He walked back out, halting in the hallway. Maybe he should've taken longer in packing.

"I swear that little fag is trying to make me feel bad, pretending he's doing fine and making us out to be the bad guys! I hope he gets hit by a car or something, I don't want to see him ever again. Damned brat!"

"Ji-Han!? Don't say such things! Jungkook isn't like that! Even if he were interested in other boys, that child doesn't deserve any badmouthing. He's already been through enough. I don't understand how you can think or say such things about a boy as sweet as him!"

Not waiting any longer, Jungkook ran out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him as he battled to keep himself together. He ignored his aunt's cries. They meant nothing to him now.

It's okay, you knew this would happen eventually. They were going to get tired of you and kick you out sooner or later. This isn't the worst thing you've been through.

It wouldn't be the last thing he'd go through either.

Miraculously, the Hatter managed to stand on two feet, one being a crystalized stump, and instantly sent out some sharp spikes. The three partners split up as they jumped back in order to avoid getting skewered.

"Mirall!"

Spikes fell from the ceiling like rain, crashing into the ground, some hitting the three fighters. The men began their attacks right after the barrage of glass. The loss of his leg dented the Mad Hatters agility and overall movement, but his ego and need for blood didn't dwindle in the least. His main target amongst them was Taehyung. Both engaged with each other quite a bit, but Taehyung had the upper hand by miles.

"All your big talk was nothing but nonsense!" Taehyung grunted out as he pushed the Mad Hatter away, yelling out, "Megiddo!"

He grinned, falling from the ceiling with his cannon aimed at the Hatter, breaking a good chunk of his makeshift leg with a single explosion.

"Ya' can't talk to me about nonsense, all you're good at is running away!" Retorted the Hatter, thrusting a long shard of glass towards Taehyung's chest. The blond man barely moved away in time, a scratch leaving a small sting near his collarbones. The jab at his past also didn't help his concentration and only pissed him off even more.

"Someone siding with that devil of a king should not be telling me what I'm good at," he swung the halberd wildly, frantic movements matching his temper. "You should rot in hell like he will!"

Life is challenging when you've got nothing but yourself. Jungkook learned that the hard way.

"You thief!! Get back here!"

Jungkook ran as fast as possible, bread in hand as he turned the corner only to be yanked back by the collar of his worn-out shirt.

"Not so fast you little runt. You've been stealing from my café for weeks now, don't think I'll let you get away with it again!"

The fat old man threw him onto the concrete floor. People murmured and scurried off. As he lay on the floor, Jungkook's ribs hurt. His hunger growls and claws at his insides. He's tired. Weak. Starving.

"Yah!? Are you listening to me? You worthless piece of shit! Huh!?" He began kicking, yelling, and spitting insults at the dirt-stained boy. His midnight locks were knotted and covered in dirt and grime. His body was gaunt, bones were beginning to peek out as his baggy clothes threatened to slip off his limbs. Those that passed by just watched or walked away and feigned ignorance as Jungkook continued to be beat, loaf of bread clutched against his chest so the man's rough hands wouldn't be able to take it away.

"Excuse me sir, I would appreciate it if you would stop abusing the boy now. Anymore and you'll kill him."

That familiar voice was a breath of relief for the young teen.

"Who the heck are you?" The fat guy stopped his abuse and turned to look at the one who spoke up against his actions only to shut up immediately.

"Who am I? The current head of the S.D.F, Hang Seonmi."

Seonmi had a strong, lean frame, black hair and matching coal eyes. Everyone feared him and they had the right to do so. There are many rumors surrounding Hang Seonmi, especially the idea that he's a cold-hearted killer in his profession. Both humans and supernaturals feared him. Regardless of those rumors, Jungkook was the only one who knew the truth.

"R-Right, I apologize sir, but this boy has been stealing from my business for a straight week now! I had no choice but to punish him!"

The fat guy tried to explain, receiving an eye roll and scoff from Seonmi, "Right, but that doesn't give you the right to beat him until he's incapable of moving. You should have called the authorities. Go back to your job, I'll take care of him."

The man grunted, leaving the boy behind with who he would like to call his savior.

"Hey, kid. Can you move at all?"

What a dumb question, obviously I can't!

The boy just attempted to move, knowing it would be futile, but he can't control his actions in here. He's bound to do everything by the script. Seonmi sighed, hauling him up and taking him to the hospital.

If it weren't for him, I would've died back then.

"So, you finally woke up."

The boy looked to the side to find the head of the special police force already looking at him. He tore his weary and embarrassed gaze away from the man and surveyed the room they were in. A hospital room. The IV in his arm and heart monitor were enough to prove him right.

"What was your name again? I don't think you ever told me. And your age?"

The teen hesitated, avoiding the smug grin thrown his way as he relented. "J-Jeon Jungkook, sixteen. I was thirteen when we first met, though."

"Hmm? So, are you going to tell me what you're doing out there? Or will you keep to yourself again?"

Jungkook suddenly felt overwhelmed and fought back the welling tears. He couldn't take it anymore. He was hungry, in pain, and ready to get his life over with. He can't do this anymore.

"Don't go to school. My... My mother died years ago. A khan worm... I got kicked out by my uncle and aunt. I.. I have nowhere to g-go," he explained as his voice cracked. Seonmi sighed, not liking when kids would cry. He ran a hand through his hair, looking the boy up and down.

"Where have you been staying? An orphanage? Foster home? I told you to check them out before too."

The boy shook his head, shameful expression visibly present, "On the streets... I don't like orphanages or foster homes."

"You've been staying on the streets? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is!? I warned you... What if you're attacked? You do know we've been having trouble with humans and supernaturals, they won't hesitate to kill you."

"And I told you, I can protect myself! I've survived until now, haven't I?"

Seonmi swallowed a groan, running a hand over his face as he stared at the glaring and pouting boy on the hospital bed. The kid was stubborn. He learned that on their first meeting, but he won't let them continue this way.

"You'll be staying with me from now on."

Jungkook rose his head, big doe eyes wide with unshed tears, "W-What? But you don't even know me! I can't cause you this much trouble, rumors will spread if someone sees me with you and-"

"My word is final, but don't think it'll be for free. I'm gonna whip you into shape, you won't be a pushover anymore and if someone decides to talk behind my back, they'll regret it. Be glad the person who beat you wasn't a supernatural otherwise you wouldn't be alive right now," he stood up and placed a hand on Jungkook's matted hair. "Besides, I told you, right? If you can protect yourself so well, you might as well join the S.D.F."

With that said, the man walked right out, leaving Jungkook speechless.

Chapter Text

They've been going at it for a while now, maybe around an hour, managing to get in a few hits. Luckily, Hoseok and Namjoon have only gotten a few scrapes and bruises while Taehyung remained seemingly unscathed. Taehyung somehow managed to switch between two of his spiritual weapons, letting Namjoon focus solely on assisting Hoseok. By using Lydian to propel himself and increase his speed, Taehyung would switch to Camael the second he got close enough to hit the Hatter. Hoseok, now behind the Spirit, pulled back his arm, launching his spear and letting it whistle as it hit its back, piercing right through the skin and bones.

"Namjoon!!"

In the blink of an eye, Hoseok was pulled back by the strings as the Mad Hatter grabbed a hold of a glass javelin, throwing it where he last saw the shining male, yanking out the spear and throwing it on the ground. Taehyung fell from above, flames dancing around him as he swung his halberd towards the twerp's side, only to have it blocked by his crystalized flesh.

"Hoseok-ssi!"

"Aron: Luceat lux vestra!!"

A blinding light appeared from Hoseok's fallen spear, eliciting a hiss from the Hatter as Taehyung suddenly dropped down, right leg extended as he swiped at the Hatter's legs, making him fall on his back. He moved on top of the Spirit, straddling it and restraining its hands with the help of Namjoon's strings, one wrong move, and the twerp's wrists will be severed. Taehyung's halberd was placed on the Mad Hatter's neck while Hoseok held his spear right above the heart. They were all panting, sweat running down their faces and exposed body parts.

"Any final words, Weylin?" Taehyung asked, quirking a brow and adding pressure to his blade. The Mad Hatter laughed, failing to believe that he was actually being held down by humans. His laughter soon died down as he looked straight at Taehyung, crazed eyes glinting.

"Using my given name, how brave. They're waiting. He's going to come for ya' and he won't stop until you're dead! Haha! I'm glad I got to fight with the Fallen One, the Foolish King... Your eyes gave you away~ It really was ya'... Vi-"

His words got cut off as the squelch of blood and the puncture of skin was heard. Taehyung had forced the spear to pierce the Mad Hatter's heart, a distasteful glare adorning his features while his own halberd had chopped through the neck.

"I do not belong to your story; I am no fallen king and that is not my name."

Namjoon and Hoseok didn't question their comrade's actions, but they both knew they'd have a talk about it later. The fact that he was able to hold onto a demon weapon without facing any retribution was a miracle in itself. Demon weapons don't allow others to touch them once they've been claimed, yet Taehyung held it without any issues. When Hoseok got his spear back, he and Namjoon locked away their specialized demon weapons, exchanging glances. Taehyung followed shortly after, weapons disappearing, but his Spirit half was still in control. They all looked around, making sure it was all truly over until their eyes landed on a body and they all suddenly remembered who it was.

"Jungkook!!" Hoseok exclaimed, rushing over to the young Officer with Namjoon following close behind. They fell to their knees, picking the boy up, shaking him, and calling out to him only to be stopped by Taehyung.

"You will only hurt him if you keep being so rash. Carry him, we'll take him to Jin-ssi. He'll awaken in due time."

Hoseok nodded, placing Jungkook in Namjoon's arms as they walked back to their car, where Yoongi and Jimin were waiting.

"You're back... Thank God you didn't d-die," Jimin snickered, wincing shortly after. Yoongi, who miraculously managed to regain some consciousness, shook his head, telling him to just be quiet and sit still but he was just as relieved as Jimin was. At seeing both of them awake, the others felt relieved, although the blood painting their bodies wasn't that pleasing.

"Of course we made it out alive, who do you think we are, huh?" Hoseok boasted, showing off his S.D.F badge.

Yoongi rolled his eyes, "Enough of that... let's go, Jimin needs med-medical... huff.. attention... I managed to s-stop some of the bleeding, but his bones are practically shattered and my head is... fuzzy."

"Right, let's go. Taehyung, sit next to Yoongi, I'll sit Jungkook next to you. Hoseok, start the car, we're going to Jin's hospital."

"Roger!"

They piled in, not looking back as they drove away from the abandoned building that slowly crumbled to the ground. Taehyung had surprisingly fallen asleep, head leaned on Jungkook's shoulder comfortably. Maybe the fight tired him out, it was his first time in such a situation, and using his other half doesn't mean he won't feel the effects of a fight. Hoseok peered at the blond through the rearview mirror, smiling softly only to remember what the purple-eyed Spirit had said before killing the Mad Hatter. It was unsettling. That small conversation both Spirits had was something that was obviously not good news. He'd have to tell the others at a later time, maybe Jin would be the best choice. Well, he'll find out soon enough.

"He'll be fine, there's nothing severely wrong with him. His brain waves are shifting between theta and delta, it's because he was put to sleep and if what you said is true, then it has to do with him recalling memories. He should wake up soon, it's probably an after effect of the Spirit's weapon," Jin assured as he removed his gloves and looked back at the five males in the room. They all visibly relaxed, making Jin chuckle before popping the bubble surrounding the real issue.

"I need an explanation as to what happened in there. Two of you came back nearly dead, every one of the groups that went along with you came back and three of you managed to kill a Spirit when it would normally take a full attack force! Not only that but the only one with experience was on the brink of meeting Jesus, Joseph, Mary and God in heaven!?"

Jimin flinched at the way Jin talked about him and the others just looked away. The one who spoke up was Taehyung. Not Taehyung but the Spirit inside Taehyung, as if the blond would ever come out and say everything so bluntly.

"It was a Spirit by the name of Mad Hatter, birth name Weylin. He used glass and mirrors. He trapped everyone except Yoongi-ssi inside of a room in its makeshift domain. When he fought Yoongi-ssi and Jimin-ssi, he was not using his spiritual weapon. Jungkook-ssi stood against the Spirit when Taehyung had intervened in order to help Yoongi-ssi, if he hadn't done so, Taehyung and Yoongi-ssi would have died. As for Jungkook-ssi's current state, he was too cocky and was placed under one of the Hatter's spells, courtesy of his spiritual weapon. Hoseok-ssi, Namjoon-ssi and I had to take over the fighting. I dealt the finishing blow, we drove back to the ward, the end."

Jin nodded, posing a different question, "What happened to Tae? He hates fighting, especially killing."

Taehyung smiled, "He gave me control and I blocked our connection when the fight began, the child would never agree to kill someone after all."

"I appreciate you doing that, but you know that's not your body. You shouldn't extend your use of it," Jin reminded sternly, receiving a small glare from the Spirit who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"As you wish."

The violet eyes dimmed, revealing the same soft, hazel eyes of the small blond teen, leaving a few of the guys at a loss for words. They didn't expect to see something like that, normally they'd close their eyes first and then switch. It was oddly captivating. Magic was something else.

The blond fiddled with his fingers, staring at the floor, "J-Jin-Hyung, I'm sor-sorry."

Jin smiled softly, opening his arms for the younger to run into, which he did. He ran his fingers through the younger's messy locks, humming softly, "You have nothing to apologize for sweety, I'm just glad you're okay."

Taehyung nodded, hanging on to Jin's coat. He felt overwhelmed for some reason. The feelings from when he was waiting outside the factory suddenly came rushing back at him and seeing what happened in the end choked him up in more ways than one. When he let go, he turned to look at the rest, tears welling in his eyes as he saw how banged up Jimin and Yoongi were. Both men saw this and cooed, walking up to the sniffling boy.

"Hey now, don't cry... We're okay, see? None of this is your fault, okay? We're safe," Jimin whispered, Yoongi nodding along with him.

"Minnie's right, kid. All that matters is that you're safe and so is everyone else. This is our job, and this will be your job from now on too... Let's keep our heads up, hm?"

Taehyung finally let his tears fall, sobbing into his make-shift family's arms while they comforted him as best as they could. Namjoon and Hoseok stood back, smiling fondly at the family-like group. Jin looked away from his friends and made eye contact with Hoseok and Namjoon, bowing his head in gratitude, smiling when the other two did the same. There was a whine and whimper, startling the huddled men when they realized it didn't come from Taehyung. It was coming from the man in the hospital bed and Taehyung was quick to run over to his appointed partner, taking one of his big hands into his own small ones.

Taehyung looked the man over, relieved that he didn't have any injuries on his body. His relief was short-lived when he heard Jungkook whine again. He squeezed the man's hand, running the pad of his thumb over the skin, seeing Jungkook relax ever so slightly. Taehyung can feel him tense and relax, muscles contracting with no clear pattern. He didn't know why, but he didn't like seeing Jungkook like this. Uncomfortable, almost vulnerable and Taehyung wanted to make him feel at least a little better.

Now looking at his face, Taehyung caught Jungkook's lips moving, eyebrows furrowing, and curiosity took over the young blond boy. He leaned in, ear close to the sleeping man's lips and sure enough, he was saying something. Taehyung pulled back; eyebrows furrowed as he repeated what he had heard.

"Momma?"

He turned to look at his Hyungs, seeing they were just as confused as him. They shook their heads and shrugged their shoulders. The boy pouted, looking back at Jungkook. The sleeping man had begun to flinch and sweat, muttering increasing as his grip on Taehyung's hand tightened. The youth didn't jump away in fear and confusion, instead, he sat on a chair beside the bed, leaning down to where Jungkook's ear was and he whispered, voice tender and thin, "Shh, shh~ i-it's okay. You're safe now... Do-Don't worry, it's okay, sh-shh."

The group of men weren't used to seeing Taehyung act like this. They're always the ones taking care of the teen, not the other way around. He was carefully and sweetly running his hand through Jungkook's hair, and his thumb was still caressing the hand he was holding. They were thoroughly lost, not knowing what prompted the boy to do all this. The confusion only heavily applied to everyone except Jin who simply smiled. The doctor knew why Taehyung was doing this. What he's doing now is exactly what he had done whenever Taehyung had woken up from a nightmare. Whenever he was having night terrors, and when he simply needed some comfort and warmth.

It took some time, but Jungkook had calmed down and Taehyung continued to softly shush him, removing his hand from his hair but keeping a hold of his hands. Taehyung turned to look at Jin, boxy-smile on display as he exclaimed, "I-It worked, Jin-Hyung!"

"Yes, nice job, Taehyung-ah."

It was late in the evening when Jin began to send the guys away. They still had things to take care of back at the main building, even if they didn't want to go back. Reports are necessary in their line of work, and this report is going to be quite long. Everyone said their goodbyes and thanked the doctor for patching them up. Yoongi and Jimin were required to stay in the hospital overnight and tried to get Taehyung to leave with them and stay in the empty bed in their room, but the young boy refused to leave Jungkook's side. Jin had convinced them that it was alright and that he'd take care of him for the night until Jungkook woke up. He also reminded Jimin that he shouldn't try to do anything too strenuous with his broken arms and fractured ribs after his discharge. Yoongi was advised not to do any extreme movements unless he wants more stitches.

If it weren't for one of Jin's team members being a supernatural, there's no way Jimin would be out and about right now. Yoongi was also close to being dead, the amount of blood he lost was crazy, Jin was surprised he was able to regain consciousness so soon. Both are stubborn, so he thinks that might have saved their asses, but he also thinks they'd be gone without him. With that aside, even if they were healed for the most part, it's not wise to take it for granted.

When everyone had left, Jin sat on the chair Taehyung had found and made the smaller boy sit on his lap like when he was younger. Whether or not he minded the obvious growth spurt his young patient had, he didn't show it. On the contrary, he still held him close and still coddled him as if he were that eight-year-old boy from before.

"Tae, aren't you tired? Why don't you take a nap, hm? Jungkook will be fine, I'll wake you if anything happens, okay?"

Taehyung looked up at Jin then looked over at Jungkook. He contemplated the offer and agreed after releasing a small yawn. He curled up on Jin's lap, head on his broad shoulders and legs thrown over the side of his thighs. Taehyung was asleep in no time, releasing small huffs and body going limp and heavy, making Jin sigh. He was worried. He had heard something off-setting from Hoseok before he and Namjoon left for their office and it was anything but good.

"Are you sure he said that?"

"Positive, Jin-ssi. Both Namjoon and I heard it clearly."

"The Spirit called him the 'fallen one' and said 'they're coming for you' but the unsettling part was the fact that the Spirit knew Taehyung's second half's name," Namjoon revealed, making Jin gasp and stutter over his words.

"H-His name? The Spirit half has a name?!"

"We weren't able to catch it. We only heard the first two letters," Hoseok dejectedly admitted.

"Well, what were they!? It's better than nothing," Jin insisted.

"V-I, Vi. That's all he said before Taehyung plunged the spear into its heart."

"Jin-ssi, we need your help. There must be a reason why Taehyung's Spirit refuses to reveal his name and why he's here in the first place, this can't be a coincidence," Namjoon pleaded.

"I'll see what I can find, but I can't make any promises. I'm not part of the S.D.F anymore; I'm only the head of the hospital and ward so you guys have a better chance of finding information. Regardless of that, I'll see what I can do. Thank you for the information, I'll see you around."

Jin worried at his lips, arms circling protectively around Taehyung's body.

"Oh Taehyung-ah, what have you gotten into now?"

Chapter Text

When Jungkook woke up, Taehyung was nowhere to be seen. The only person in the room was Jin. He was confused at first. He woke up in an unfamiliar place connected to machines. The young man soon figured out he was in the hospital, and he didn't like to admit the fact that it reminded him of something he went through before.

"Glad to see you're awake, I was starting to worry. You took quite a long nap, Officer-ssi."

He glared at Jin, refusing to give in to the taunting. Instead, he asked, voice raspy, "Where... Where is everyone? What about the Spirit? Where's my partner?"

"Well, aren't you full of questions," Jin commented, giving him a cup of water. "Yoongi, and Jimin were discharged a while ago. Hoseok, and Namjoon are in their office filing in the reports for yesterday's mission. It was a success despite two of them returning half dead and you being knocked out the whole fight. Taehyung killed the Spirit and saved your ass, by the way. He's sleeping in my office right now."

Jungkook cocked his head, "Yesterday? Wait, what time is it?"

"It's currently two in the morning. You've been asleep for at least half a day."

"You're kidding, right?!" The man couldn't believe he slept for that long. "Wait, you said two of us came back half-dead?"

Jin nodded, "Yoongi and Jimin. Luckily, I was able to patch them up in time. Jimin ended up with broken arms, a few torn muscles and two fractured ribs but he was healed, for the most part. Yoongi got stitches on both sides of his abdomen, a slight concussion and got minor cuts on his palms; one leg got a puncture wound but he's also doing fine. One of my team members excels in healing, he's lucky she was still at the hospital."

"And the others?"

"Hoseok and Namjoon only had scratches and bruises. As for Taehyung, his Spirit was in control for the whole fight, but he wasn't injured in the slightest. He helped take care of you after he was back in control but fell asleep not long after..."

Jin hesitated as he stared at the waiting eyes of the blue-haired man. He didn't want to ask, but he did promise Taehyung that he'd let him know when he'd woken up. Scratching at his neck, he glanced at Jungkook and asked, "Would you like to see him?"

Jungkook looked down at his hands, contemplating the doctor's words. He didn't want to, but he felt the need to see the young boy, especially after hearing what Jin had said about him caring for him. Even if it turns out to be an embarrassing scene, he can't find it in himself to care. He's already been embarrassed enough anyway. In the end, he nodded, shuffling off the hospital bed. Jin helped him remove the needle attached to his arm as his feet gingerly came in contact with the cold tile floor. Goosebumps littered his milky skin as he followed Jin down the halls and to his office, not caring about his lack of proper clothes. It wasn't what he was expecting when he heard the word office.

"This is your office? This is more like a mini apartment. A mini-mini apartment."

Jungkook couldn't help but gawk at the so-called office. It had a small kitchen area, a pull-out bed, a small table, and a bathroom with a shower. It was all in one place though, so really, it's not that big of a place. Either way, he didn't know an office could have so much. As Jin led him to the small table, Jungkook found the small boy curled into a small ball on the bed, blankets piled over him while his chest rose and fell in a slow pattern. Jungkook almost cooed. Keyword: Almost.

"Cute, isn't he? He likes burrowing under blankets when he sleeps on his own."

Jungkook choked on air at Jin's sudden comment, not knowing how to answer. He feigned a scoff, rolling his eyes, "Are you kidding? He sleeps like an elementary schooler during nap time."

"What, you think my son isn't cute? I should check your eyes then, because that's one hundred percent impossible. If he can't find something to hug, then he won't be able to sleep, that's why he piles blankets up, to feel the weight of something near him. You room with him, shouldn't you know this?"

Jungkook was going to question Jin's words when addressing Taehyung as his son, but then he remembered what happened last time he opened his mouth in front of Jin and decided to keep those thoughts to himself for now. Instead, he focused on the last of his words and the question at the end. He looked away, shrugging his shoulders, "I've never seen him sleep. At least not long enough to pick out his habits... Anyway, how exactly did he help take care of me? I was unconscious, wasn't I?"

Jin stayed silent. He didn't know if it was something Jungkook would like to hear. Then again, he did ask so it's his job to answer truthfully.

"He comforted you, calmed you down. I don't know what happened with the Spirit, but it seems you were under one of its spells. You called out for your mother, started thrashing, whimpering and whining."

Jungkook tensed at the mention of his deceased mother. Then, flashes of what had happened back at the abandoned building played through his head. Those damned memories of his can't seem to leave him alone even after so many years.

"You know, he used to have nightmares and fits almost nightly," whispered Jin, staring fondly at the sleeping blond. Jungkook followed his gaze, feeling his own hardened stare begin to waver.

"He was traumatized horribly by that incident, day in and day out. His memories are all jumbled up and more often than not, he can't remember what he dreamt or what happened before he arrived at the ward. The only way I could calm him was by hugging him close, running my hand through his hair, rubbing his back, and shushing him. Normally, most patients don't like being held during fits and I thought that would be the case with him... I was wrong," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"He's a strange one. I reminded him that he was okay, that he was safe, and I hummed random notes and songs," Jin looked over at Jungkook, glancing away toward the sleeping blond again. "That's exactly what he did to you... He held your hand, rubbed his small thumb over the skin, the other hand ran through your hair, and he kept shushing you, whispering how you were safe. You should've seen the proud look he had on his face when you actually calmed down. If I were him, I'd resent you for how you treated me, but Taehyung's too sweet and forgiving to hold grudges and hate someone."

"He said you thought his kindness was one of his strong points, I see he wasn't kidding," muttered the dark-haired man. As he continued looking at the bundled-up boy, Jungkook's brows furrowed, and his face was painted over by grief and regret. He hated himself right now. He hated himself a lot.

"I... The reason why I was hard on him... It was probably because of how I was brought up," Jungkook whispered, hesitant but determined to open up to the doctor. Jin was blunt when needed, but he had no ill intentions, and it seems he's well versed in counseling people. Jungkook took a seat, silently asking Jin to do the same. They were both seated in a small, comfortable silence. He breathed a few times, hands clenching and unclenching subtly. He was going to do this. He was going to talk. He was going to remember.

"My childhood... It wasn't the best, not at all," he began, voice just above a whisper. "My dad abandoned my mother and me when I was just a toddler. Said my mom should have gotten rid of me when he asked her to. She had to work a lot of jobs in order to support us after he left. She had bills to pay, food to buy, it was hard for her. I think I was in kindergarten or maybe first? I- I'm not sure, but she had gotten home late, and I had- I had made us dinner and I was planning on waiting up for her, but I ended up falling asleep."

Jin noticed the waver in Jungkook's form. The way his head had dropped and the way his eyes had fluttered closed only to shoot open again, as if he were afraid of shutting them. Jin saw the struggle and he made sure to show Jungkook that he was aware of it. He placed a hand over his fist, not missing the way Jungkook had flinched. The blue-eyed boy shook his head, taking a few breaths.

"I-It was during summer; it was hot, and our balcony door was left open... Wanna know what I woke up to?"

It was a rhetorical question. No answer was needed because he was going to answer it anyway. Jin understood that and kept quiet, observing.

"She... My m-mom... She strangled me half to death."

Jin went rigid. His blood ran cold, body going momentarily numb. Jin works at a psychiatric ward, and he runs the hospital too, so he's heard and seen his fair share of stories, experienced his fair share of shocks and surprises but, some things still manage to get to him. A mother hurting her own child. He still can't imagine that. He still can't get it through his head. He observed Jungkook carefully, not missing the shake of his head and the humorless chuckle that escaped his trembling lips.

A coping mechanism?

Not a great one, he'll admit.

"Blamed me for my dad leaving us. She said it was all my fault and that if I- if I died, maybe he'd come back... Ha-ha, how dumb. When I went limp, she let go. When I came to, she did the unthinkable... She let herself fall from our balcony," he muttered, gaze now locked onto Jin's. His eyes weren't focused. They were glossed over, almost foggy. Jungkook wasn't looking at Jin, he was looking at a phantom that wasn't physically there.

Jungkook ran a hand down his face, stuttered breaths leaving his lips, "She... She killed herself right before my eyes, and the last thing she said to me was 'Momma loves you. Mom-Momma is sorry.' I... I saw my mom jump... I heard her body hit the floor, I... I witnessed everything."

Jungkook clenched his hands, eyes now boring holes at the table. "I was bullied in school. I was called a murderer. Rumors started about how I had killed my mother, and no one bothered to learn the truth; she had been under the control of a khan worm. No one cared. Rumors got worse when they found out I liked- When they found out I might be attracted to boys... No one cared about the truth or about me."

Jin's gaze widened, a small hint of realization dawning on him.

Is that why he didn't like Taehyung since the beginning? His mother was killed because of a supernatural, it's not hard to think that he grew to hold a grudge for all supernaturals. And his relationship with Yoongi and Jimin... is he mad that he wasn't allowed to act on his sexual preferences too?

"One day, I had gotten home to find my aunt and uncle arguing... Heh.. Ha-ha, after taking me in, they were trying to figure out how to send me away! Apparently, they weren't doing well financially, so I- I made it easier for them and left voluntarily. I lived on the streets at the age of twelve. My only way of survival was stealing and hiding. When I was thirteen, I was caught by a bakery owner. I ran away but an S.D.F officer caught me. Luckily, he let me go with warnings about the streets being dangerous and what not."

He laughed again. Is that his way to dampen the emotions that come with talking about this? So, he's the type to laugh things off and play the strong man...

Jin could have never guessed that Jungkook had been orphaned and left to live on the streets. He couldn't have guessed that this man was gay, either, but that's probably because he's been repressing those feelings since he was a pre-teen. With the way he carries himself, he'd think the man was raised as a spoiled brat by some well-off people.

"At sixteen, I got caught again at a café by the owner. He beat me to a pulp and left me for dead."

He looked at Jin, eyes full of something he couldn't decipher. The doctor knew he was hurting, but this type of hurt was different from Taehyung's. Very different. Finding a way to help ease the pain would take time even for someone with the amount of experience Jin has. Everyone is different, some methods work well for one person and for another, they might not.

"I was saved by the same officer who caught me the first time. Rubbed it in my face that he knew I'd get in trouble again and decided to take me in saying that becoming part of the S.D.F was a choice I should take if I had the guts. I had seen them fight supernaturals so I knew how to deal with some of them because of that. When Seonmi took me in and trained me, I had decided to join the second I was able to."

"Wait, Seonmi? You mean Hang Seonmi? That Seonmi!"

Jungkook nodded, looking smug, "Yup, everyone kept going off about how he was this scary, cold-blooded killer but he was only like that during work. Seonmi was actually a big softy."

"Holy shit, you were trained by one of the previous S.D.F heads... No wonder you're a quack."

Forget that, I was part of the S.D.F when Seonmi was around! That man was nuts; working under him gave me stress like nothing else could, no wonder Jungkook passed the exams with flying colors!

"Shut it. Even with him taking me in, I couldn't really fully trust him. I can't rely on others, they're all backstabbing people who're quick to judge and only know how to look down on others. On me. Trusting people won't do me any good."

Ah, so he has trust issues as well. At least he admits it, though it's more like he thinks he's capable of relying only on himself even if he were to be in a troublesome situation... That would explain the events at Incheon pretty well.

"When I saw how docile Taehyung was, how easily he would cower, it irked me," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "He has power, he has strength, he has everything I never did but he let himself be called names and be trampled on; it was frustrating! If I had his powers, I wouldn't have suffered the way I had, I could've taught all those idiots a lesson. I didn't know why he didn't use his abilities to help himself. I couldn't understand! Taehyung isn't weak, he wasn't like me, he had strength and abilities! I was weak, I had nothing, b-but... I- I knew nothing about him at that time."

Jin began to understand Jungkook a bit better. His actions made sense considering the fact that he had been abandoned by everyone, shunned and now he met someone with great abilities that never used them for their own benefit and let himself be looked down on. It can be frustrating. It's hard to understand, but, "Jungkook, you were a child when it all happened. What could you have done? You did what you could to live. You weren't weak, you survived! That's a fine display of strength for someone who was that young."

Jungkook shook his head. He knows he was only a kid. He knows he wouldn't have been able to change anything, he had no way of knowing that his mother had been taken control of. He knows, but it still frustrates him.

"The only reason I found out what had happened with Taehyung was because I taunted him and pushed him to the brink... His abilities were out of his control. The amount of power I wish I had led to his demise in more ways than one and he was scared of it. I'm sure he still is," he whispered strongly. He bowed his head, eyes closed tightly as he suppressed his emotions as best as he could.

With a small laugh, he admitted, "I've come to realize how strong he actually is. He's way stronger than me."

Jin hummed softly, lifting Jungkook's head and making him look at his eyes which held nothing but warmth and empathy, something he wasn't used to seeing. Jin could tell. He smiled lightly, shaking his head, "It's alright, I know it must've been difficult, but I'm glad you were able to tell me all this. You're also unbelievably strong for being able to speak freely about such things and I'm sure you'll find a way to mend what you've broken. Don't use your upbringing as an excuse for your actions and character, everyone is bound to make mistakes. What matters is what we do after those mistakes and whether or not we learn from them. I trust you with my son, Jungkook. Don't make me regret this."

Jungkook nodded firmly, eyes stinging with tears as he thanked Jin and promised to take better care of Taehyung. Speaking of which, the young boy had woken up a few minutes ago and when he heard Jungkook's voice, he felt elated. He was going to meet him, but when he saw how serious his Hyung's looked, he decided to stay back and give them privacy. Regardless of that, he heard everything, and he felt a small tug at his heartstrings because he never thought that someone as strong as Jungkook would have suffered so much.

Taehyung was orphaned too, but under different circumstances. Unlike Jungkook, he was saved and given warmth and love, so some things were unrelatable. Despite all that, Taehyung is glad that he never grew hatred or remorse towards the man. He's glad that his gut feeling about Jungkook being kind at heart was right.

Chapter Text

It's been a month since the Supernatural Defense Force took down the Spirit known as the Mad Hatter. It was in the news for a few days before dying down. There haven't been any other big cases, but a few lesser entities have popped up. The smaller squadrons were tasked with taking care of those, leaving the higher-ups with the time to look through files, finish paperwork and reports, and train or just be lazy. Unfortunately, squads one and two couldn't be lazy even if they wanted to be, and that's because they were under the watchful eye of a fairly scary human being: Kim Seok-Jin.

"Alright, split up into your pairs! You'll be sparring against each other, first to be knocked down loses. After pair sparring, you'll go up against one another in a One-V-One, am I clear?"

The panting males all nodded, refusing to go against the elder. Last time they did that, they had to endure an hour of his talking while holding a plank position and it wasn't nice. The Officers paired up with their respective partners. Since there are three groups, one will be the odd one out so they played rock-paper-scissors to find out who it would be. Hoseok and Namjoon had to wait it out, meaning that Yoon-Min and Tae-Kook were going up against each other.

"Okay opponents, please head to the center of the arena! Face each other and bow, remember the rules and try not to destroy the place. Taehyung, control your powers and don't let your other side take control. This is the time and place for you to practice."

Taehyung bit his lip in anxiousness, taking a few deep breaths. He's trained with Yoongi and Jimin numerous times when he was stuck at the ward, so he knows them better than anyone else. Regardless of this, he's Jungkook's partner so he has to follow the directions his higher-up gives him no matter what. That's what the contract said after all. He isn't a person while in the field, he's supposed to be another one of Jungkook's weapons.

"Kim."

Taehyung raised his head, expecting Jungkook to pick a spiritual weapon for him, but instead, he was given an actual position and task.

"I want you on the defensive, don't focus on anything else. I'll take care of the offense." Jungkook side glanced the young boy, "In short, Jimin's mine and Yoongi's yours."

The blond nodded, eyes shifting to Yoongi. The red-head was already looking at him and Taehyung felt the same nerves he felt the first time he was asked to train with them. All three men unlocked their gear, something Taehyung will always find fascinating. Jungkook carried his scythe and weaponry belt, Jimin held his chain whips and shadows lingered in the dark spaces of the arena, and Yoongi held his bow, quiver on his waist like a belt.

Taehyung was the only one without a weapon or a fancy make-over. He didn't need one. Not yet. The pairs looked at each other with narrowed eyes, simply waiting for the cue. The gunshot echoed in the arena and they moved, quick and stealthy. Jimin went for Jungkook and Yoongi went for Taehyung. Jungkook fared well against Jimin despite having to go in close to attack. Jimin didn't have a problem with his proximity, his attacks didn't need a certain distance to work. Yoongi kept his distance, firing arrow after arrow at the younger who simply deflected them with his fan. Once and a while, Yoongi would shoot at Jungkook, wanting to give Jimin more openings and it worked until Taehyung decided to intervene and send the arrows flying back towards the red-head.

Yoongi couldn't help but find it amusing.

"Yah, Taehyung-ah! Don't you think you're being too uneventful? The only one fighting is Jungkook. Take things up a notch!"

Yoongi soon disappeared from Taehyung's line of sight, making the boy momentarily panic and frantically look around the arena for the man with horns.

"Panicking won't help you in battle, don't you remember?"

Taehyung turned at the sound of Yoongi's voice, fan outstretched as he sent a gust of air his way but he was quicker than that.

"I already told you!" Yoongi had ducked just in time, managing to deliver a packed punch to the younger's abdomen in return for the puff of air, "You're too uneventful and predictable!!"

"GWA- HAA!" Taehyung grunted as his body was sent skidding across the floor, all air knocked out of his lungs. He came to a stop, feet still planted on the dusty floor, arm clutching his stomach as he attempted to breathe. A few coughs and heaves escaped his lips. He didn't think a single punch could have such great force.

"Taehyung!?" Jungkook diverted his attention from his fight against Jimin to Taehyung at the sound of his harsh coughs. He bit at the corner of his bottom lip, weight shifting in the blond's direction, "Hold on a bit more! All you have to do is make his back touch the floor!"

For a brief moment, Jungkook tried running over to his partner, but an arrow was sent flying right at him, managing to scratch his cheek while a slithering shadow climbed up his torso, squeezing at his chest.

"Not so fast Jeon, he's mine."

"Easy there kid, I'm the one you're fighting!"

"Yoongi, Jimin- Tsk!"

"Now, now, calm down. This is just a practice match, remember? No need to feel so angry and besides, he needs this. If he isn't pushed around then he won't use his full power, simple as that," chided Yoongi.

Jungkook clicked his tongue, glaring at the man before going back to his fight with the waiting Jimin. How can he end this quickly? Even with his gear, he won't be able to do anything if he doesn't know the limits of the specialized weapon. All he knew so far was that he could use ice and the belt at his thigh was seemingly never-ending and provided a lot of things. If he remembers correctly, the demon in the weapon should be able to respond to him; he's the medium used to house its powers after all.

Oi, Shyrion, what exactly can you do?

It was at this moment that Jungkook wondered if this was how Taehyung spoke with the Spirit. Did the blond constantly talk in his head or think silently, and the Spirit would just respond? If that's the case then he applauds him because there's no way in hell he'd ever be able to get used to talking to no one inside his head.

You're asking now?

Jungkook fought the urge to physically display his surprise at getting a reply. This really was weird.

I wasn't told what you can and can't do, I just took the test, passed, and inherited you. Not like you come with a user's manual either, so? Can't you help me?

The line went dead for a while. Jungkook was beginning to think the demon just didn't want to help him, which wouldn't be a surprise. Even without the help, he's sure he can at least injure the shorty somehow.

Ice.

Jungkook's eyebrows shot up and there was a small tug on his lips.

Oh? I thought you weren't gonna help me.

You are my human. Whether I like it or not, I am only alive because of you. To make things simple and short, the cold is not a problem to my user, and anything related to ice is something I can do. The element is yours to wield, all you have to do is think it or verbally say it.

The blue-haired man hummed, taking a few steps back and creating a small gap between him and Jimin.

Hmm, I see. In that case, "Let's make an ice rink!"

He stomped his boot-clad foot on the ground, watching as ice covered the arena's floor.

"Woah! Hmph, don't tell me you're finally getting serious here? Your partner gets hurt and you instantly see it as a reason to stop playing around? Do you not trust him? You don't think he can take down Yoongi on his own?" Jimin questioned as he tried to keep his balance, knowing this could probably drop his possibility of winning by a lot.

Instead of a verbal response, he received a knife to the thigh, making him yelp at the sudden pain. He scoffed, eyes narrowing onto Jungkook who twirled his scythe like he hadn't just stabbed someone.

"You petty brat, how many different blades, concoctions, and grenades do you have in that belt of yours!? What, are you a ninja?"

Jungkook laughed at Jimin's unbelieving tone, shrugging his shoulders, "I could probably be one, why? You mad that I have more equipment than you do?"

"As if, I don't need extra ammo to beat your ass."

The ice-covered floor shattered at the pressure Jimin used to propel himself forward, swooping in quite low in order to gain some speed. He came to a halt when he was standing inches away from the scythe wielder and just as quickly as he stopped, he rose his leg to give a strong kick to Jungkook's left side, enjoying the slight pain that came from the younger managing to block the attack with the scythe's handle. Even though his leg came in contact with the metal, it didn't stop the impact from happening and both were sent back only to run at each other when they regained their footing. From the stands around the arena, Jin, Namjoon, and Hoseok were quietly observing the fights.

"This looks more like a one-on-one battle than a team battle," Hoseok remarked, arms crossed as his eyes followed his comrade's movements.

"I hate to say it, but Seok isn't wrong. Jimin and Yoongi did help each other out in the beginning, but now they've separated. The only difference is the fact that there are four people on the floor and not just two."

"Yes, I can see that, but Taehyung doesn't like being watched so this is the only way to make him fight. Back at the ward, it was only me and him when he practiced, no one else was allowed," Jin explained, eyes trained on the young blond. "He fairs better when he isn't being singled out so a make-shift team fight is one way I figured he'd be able to show us something."

"What about Yoongi and Jimin? They weren't allowed either?" Hoseok asked, finding it unbelievable that only Jin was allowed in the room with the younger.

"Only after they gained Tae's trust. Even then, I was the only spectator while he practiced with Yoongi and Jimin either individually or simultaneously. We taught him everything he knows, and it was secretly too, we'd be in big trouble if anyone had found that we were training a half-demon. He's a quick learner. If anyone can make him fight, it's those two."

"But aren't you a doctor of sorts? How are you so well-versed in combat?"

"Hoseok!"

"No, it's alright, he isn't wrong," placated the broad-shouldered man. "I am a doctor, the best one you'll ever find, but I wasn't always in the medical team... We all have our secrets, Hoseok-ssi. I've got quite a few of my own."

With the ending comment, they continued watching the fights. Sure, they had questions in regard to his words, but pushing someone to spill something they don't want to isn't something the duo, specifically Namjoon, enjoy doing.

Down on the floor, everything was a close call between Jungkook and Jimin, but Yoongi was definitely on the winning side when it came to his fight against Taehyung. The blond was struggling. He knew that if he didn't use something other than the air fan, Yoongi would bring him down and that would mean a loss for him and Jungkook. Taehyung was starting to crack under the pressure. The amount of power he can use when the Spirit isn't in control is close to nothing in comparison to the powers of the specialized demon weapons. If he increases his amount of power, he's eventually going to let his other half take over and that's not supposed to happen. He knew Jin wanted him to master the double wielding too, but he just isn't sure he can do that yet. He can't even share control of his own body!

Well, that is what I am here for, my boy.

The Spirit's voice echoed in his head, shaving at his resolve.

Just say the word and I will gladly make him touch the ground.

Taehyung twitched, tempted by the offer but he pinched his hands and got rid of the idea. No. I can't give in. I won't... I can't keep relying on you.

Fine, then have it your way. I shall offer a piece of advice instead. Without strong resolve or trust in yourself, you will get nowhere. There is no short-cut to becoming strong, ignore the what-ifs and push yourself. Only you can set your limits.

Taehyung lowered his head in a small, soft nod, ridding himself of the voices inside his head that told him not to try.

With determination, he rose his gaze, steeling himself.

I'm not going to be controlled by someone else! I can do this.

This is my body, these are my... These are my powers, and I can control both at will.

I will control both at will.

Chapter Text

The air in the arena suddenly changed. Those on the floor were still fighting, but one of the four felt completely deaf as he stood, knees slightly bent and hands slightly spread, palms up as he slowed his breathing. The blond was trying to block out everything going on around him. He focused on his breathing and zeroed in on what he wanted to use. He was going against an archer; a demon bird who still had the proper training to fight in hand-to-hand combat. He had numerous skills in his arsenal, he just had to choose two that would allow him to defend and attack.

He exhaled slowly through his mouth, not knowing how this combination would work in his favor, but willing to take that risk. His hands twitched slightly as he tried channeling both powers to either one of his hands.

"Lydian..."

A tingling sensation spread throughout his left arm, reaching all the way to his fingertips as a glove covered his hand and a sudden sharpness filled his ears. The blond fought back a small smile, not wanting to break the concentration. He took another deep breath, and exhaled like before, finding the name he wanted to call.

"Aither..."

The same feeling spread throughout his right arm as a fan placed itself in his hand, the weight making it bob as his grip and stability accommodated the object. With one last breath, he opened his honey eyes, and all sound came flooding back to him in one go. His opponent stood before him, playing with his bow as he smirked, "So, you finally decided to get serious. You took your sweet time; your Officer is close to reaching his end."

"I'm so-sorry I took so long, but I... I won't let you win."

With a snap of his fingers, he managed to come in close enough to send a punch at Yoongi with his left hand, missing his body entirely, but that was fine. That was the point. Blind to the change, Yoongi hadn't realized that Taehyung had magnified the sound waves as he feigned a punch so when he felt something bubbling up from inside of him, he stared bewildered at the blond. Harsh coughing filled the arena as drool made its way onto Yoongi's pale skin. He fell to his knees, losing his balance, heaving hard breaths as he glared at the younger, not expecting something like that at all.

Taehyung had messed with the sound waves enough to mess with Yoongi's lungs, but not enough to the point where he'll cause permanent damage. It was difficult getting the right modifications, he almost lost the fan in the process of concentrating on the sound, but he regained his reign on both and now, he gained new knowledge. He can do this. He can keep both powers flowing and not lose one of them while using the other.

Yoongi stood on wobbly legs, bringing his bow up and loading it with an arrow, taking aim. The bow looked bigger than before and the glowing arrow didn't sit well with the blond. It made him feel uneasy.

"Alright, playtime's over. Let's get down to business."

He let it go, watching it soar and come closer to the blond, only to be deflected and buried on the sand, exploding right after. Now Taehyung was glad he had flicked it away, or else he's sure he would have gotten a burn aside from a cut. The younger flicked his right wrist, fan opening as it was directed at the ground. He smoothly rose the fan, a piece of the ground rising with it. It wasn't the ideal size, but it was close enough. If he tried being more exact, his grip on Lydian's power would loosen and that's what he wants to avoid. Taehyung professionally closed the fan as it was pointed at Yoongi, hearing the piece of earth zoom forward. It was pierced by an arrow that cracked it to pieces. The ground shook as the younger laid his left hand against the floor and Yoongi stumbled, trying to keep his balance. The shaking wouldn't allow him to shoot again, Taehyung knew that, so he disrupted his stability and proceeded to make the dirt floor rise in a well-sized wave, bringing the read-head to his knees. He wanted Yoongi to fall back, not forward, but something is better than nothing.

The trio on the stands looked closely at the sudden change of events. Taehyung was gaining ground.

"He did it!? He's using two different spiritual weapons, right? Right?!"

"It looks like it, and he hasn't lost control either. That's good, isn't it?"

Jin nodded at the question, smiling proudly at the blond. His eyes moved from Yoongi and Taehyung to Jimin and Jungkook, eyes widening a bit at the results. They'll hate him later since he didn't see who fell first, but oh well. He cupped his hands around his mouth, yelling out, "Both Officers are out! Jimin and Jungkook have both touched the ground!!"

Everyone looked at the mentioned males with mouths open. Jin wasn't lying. Jungkook and Jimin were out cold with their backs against the arena's floor, chests running to catch air.

"As of now, it's a tie! If either of you manages to bring the other down, the last one standing will earn the win for their team!!" Jin exclaimed, asking Hoseok and Namjoon to remove the knocked-out males from the arena.

The doctor continued to spectate the fight between the partners, making sure not to miss a single movement made by both males. Taehyung was equally on par with Yoongi. Both gained ground and lost ground as they continued their match, but their stamina was running out.

All in all, Yoongi has more experience when it comes to fighting so his stamina is something Taehyung can't match just yet. Taehyung only has the experience gained out on the field and the practice matches while at the ward and those only lasted a few hours, if not minutes. Not only that, but his training sessions weren't daily, it was only when the two workers had free time so his lack of continuous practice with his sudden collapse a few months ago have chipped at his stamina quite a lot.

Powers and demons were no longer being used, Yoongi was fighting Taehyung with his hands and vice versa. He dealt blow after blow, not stopping his assault of kicks, jabs, and punches. Both were drenched in sweat, covered in dirt and scratches with dry blood here and there. By the time Namjoon and Hoseok had returned to Jin's side with the other two, Taehyung had met his limit. With swift moves, Yoongi threw the younger over his shoulder and pinned him to the floor, a smug smile on his lips.

"Looks like I win this one, kid."

Taehyung panted; eyes wide as he stared at his Hyung in amazement, the pain in his back nearly numbed out completely. He smiled and laughed a bit, "I-I guess so, Hyu-Hyung. You're real-really strong."

Yoongi stood up and offered his hand to the younger who gladly took it. Jin and the others met them at the entrance of the arena's floor.

"Taehyung, well done. We need to work on your stamina though. I knew you had it in you," Jin ruffled the boy's sweaty locks, looking at the others, "Alright, next, Jimin and Yoongi versus Hoseok and Namjoon. You're allowed a five-minute break."

Everyone let out a huff thinking that maybe, just maybe, Jin would call the practice off. Guess they were wrong because the older instantly looked at them with a bright smile that was anything but sincere, making them all tense and agree with the break. In the end, they continued practicing and training until late evening. Everyone was dead by the time Jin let them leave. They were going to wake up sore for a very long time.

As they drove home, Taehyung once again fell asleep on the ride back and Jungkook couldn't help but stare. Would it be wrong for him to say that his heart skipped a few beats when he did? It was weird. It also scared him for a bit. He thought there was something wrong, like maybe he was getting sick or something got hurt during the practice session, so he checked right after settling Taehyung into his bed but found nothing. No bruises, no cuts; nothing. So why did his heart beat so erratically? Was it really because he was staring at Taehyung?

Jeon, what the fuck are you thinking... Don't go down that tunnel, not again, snap out of it!

He dipped down, splashing some cold water on his face as he gripped onto the side of the sink. The reflection in the mirror made him look away. The person in the mirror wasn't him. It was an impostor. A version of him that had disappeared long ago. The him now didn't flare up at the thought of a certain person. The him now didn't feel his heart skip beats when observing the face and gestures of a certain person. The him now does not fall and believe in that emotion that caused him so much trouble back in his youth.

No.

Right now, he can't be the person whose ears and cheeks have been tainted a dusty rose. He can't be the person whose eyes seem to brighten up at the mere thought of those golden locks. He can't be the person whose heart is running miles per hour at the thought of that priceless smile. He can't be the person staring back at him in the mirror.

But he wants to be.

He wants to be able to be that person. He wants to be able to feel his heart beating out of his chest when he sees that person. He wants to accept the part of him that was rejected before it even showed itself. He really wants to.

Maybe that talk with Jin wasn't all that helpful, I feel like I'm going back to ground one again...

With a heavy sigh, Jungkook flicked the light off and closed the bathroom door. He stared at the door across from his own and with heavy eyes, he turned his back to it and walked into his own bedroom.

"You should've never been born. Why couldn't you just die?"

Not again, please.

"Momma's dead because of you.. You killed her... You killed me."

No, I didn't! I didn't kill her, I didn't...

"Stop lying to yourself Jungkookie.. You killed me... You killed momma."

"SHUT UP!!"

Jungkook startled awake, shaking and trembling as he grabbed at a phantom hand around his neck. He's been having these nightmares ever since the stupid encounter with the Mad Hatter. It's been days. It's been weeks. A month and it's always the same scenario over and over again non-stop; he can't take it anymore.

He's tired of feeling suffocated only to wake up being able to breathe just fine.

He's tired of the taunting words the shadow of his mother keeps repeating.

He's tired of looking up at those dead, burned-out eyes of hers.

He's tired of going back to being that helpless, innocent six-year-old boy.

He's tired of hearing that horrible splat as the body collides with the concrete.

He's tired of everything.

Jungkook removed the soaked and messy bed covers from his quivering body, throwing his legs over the bed as he stood up on wobbly limbs. The sweat felt disgusting so he decided on taking a shower, knowing there was no way he'd be able to sleep again after the nightmare. He picked his comfy clothes since today was an off day and grabbed a towel. He didn't bother checking the clock and simply walked out of his room and straight for the bathroom at the end of the hall.

Without bothering to knock, much less listen to the small shuffling on the other side of said door, Jungkook pulled open the door. He was so out of it until his gaze came in contact with soft honey eyes that were widened in shock and fear. Jungkook suddenly realized what his situation was. Heat rushed to his face as he saw the younger boy attempting to cover his frail body with a towel and when his eyes traveled to the exposed skin, he caught sight of something that instantly made his heart drop, but the urgent and desperate shout that followed made him bail quicker than the bakery and café owners of his childhood ever could.

"GET OUT!!"

The man snapped out of his stupor and quickly closed the door, leaning against it as he processed what he just witnessed. He couldn't help but blush at the memory of a partially uncovered Taehyung, but he also couldn't help but feel ashamed at what he had done. It was only for a fraction of a second, just like the time he had seen the skin of his arm at the abandoned factory but Jungkook is sure that his eyes didn't deceive him this time.

Taehyung's body was littered with scars.

Small ones, big ones, some fading and others prominent. His heart clenched at the sight, and he felt the need to apologize, something he wouldn't have thought about doing before. He's apologizing because it's Taehyung, he's sure he wouldn't do this if it were someone else.

"Taehyung?" He called from his place outside the door, "I... I'm sorry for barging in! I wasn't paying attention and I thought it was empty so I just opened the door... I didn't know you were there; I didn't mean to see you like that, I'm sorry."

The knob clicked and the door was pulled open, causing Jungkook to instantly rise to his feet and move out of the way before he falls back and gets himself in another embarrassing predicament. Taehyung was now fully dressed in sweats and a large hoodie, his collarbones being the only visible, non-marked, piece of skin. He was fidgeting, hands playing with each other while his head was hung low, blond locks still wet and tangled. He looked adorable, but his words didn't match his appearance.

"Y-You saw, did-didn't you?"

He sounded devastated as the words were forcibly uttered. He appeared smaller than usual as his brown eyes seek for a place to rest. Jungkook couldn't bring himself to lie to the younger and nodded his head as he stared at the ground, "I did."

Taehyung let out a shaky breath as his hands wrapped around his body as a way to comfort himself but also as a way to conceal himself. His expression twisted into one of displeasure as he bit his lip and crinkled his nose, "You mus-must think I'm disg-gusting..."

Jungkook's head snapped up at the boy's comment. He clenched his jaw and shook his head. He doesn't know what's gotten into him, but he doesn't like seeing him like this so he made it clear. There's no way in hell he'd ever think that those marks would make someone look gross. He's an asshole, but not that much of an ass.

"Don't say that about yourself, it isn't true. You aren't disgusting in the slightest! You're everything but disgusting, Taehyung. I'd never think of you like that... I never thought of you like that."

Said boy shook his head, biting his lip in order to refrain from whimpering, clenching his eyes shut. He didn't believe any of Jungkook's words. Who would think a body littered with scars was beautiful? Pleasing to the eye? That's ridiculous.

"You don't ha-have to lie to m-me. I know it's gross, I-I'm sorry you... You had to- to see that."

Taehyung's head was forced up, teary eyes locking with midnight skies as the firm voice reached his ears in the most gentle way possible, "I'm not lying to you. If I could, I would- I would kiss all your scars away... I would heal them all and make sure they'd never appear again."

"Y-You don-"

"I mean it, Taehyung-ah," he repeated, not caring about the words falling out of his mouth. He doesn't have the time to register what he's saying, he just knows he wants, he needs to say all this.

"Your scars don't disgust me in the least, I still think you're stunning and I'm sure everyone else would agree with me. They make you who you are, and... I would never want to change who you are."

Jungkook's words were sincere and heartfelt, something even he didn't expect from himself, and they only made Taehyung burst out in tears as his small hands held onto the elder's shirt. If he felt how drenched in sweat it was, the boy said nothing and Jungkook wiped away the boy's tears, pulling his body into his arms, letting him release the emotions that had unknowingly piled up in his heart. He had thrown away all reason the second the blond had bad-mouthed himself; he's done denying the fact that the boy isn't important to him. The him from last night can go fuck himself.

"Th-Thank you, Jungko-kook-ssi... I'm sorry, a-ag-again."

The smaller pulled away, drying his face with his sweater sleeves as he sniffled. Jungkook smiled softly, nodding before sending the boy off to his bedroom and entering the bathroom for his well-needed shower. He only realized how horrible he looked after gazing at himself in the mirror. He's genuinely surprised that Taehyung had latched on to him so easily. If it were him, he would have pushed himself away without a second thought.

Isn't this too eventful for one morning?

Chapter Text

The nightmare from that morning disappeared from Jungkook's thoughts for a while. Long enough for him to be able to close his eyes and not see his mother's battered body or dead eyes. For the most part, he was stuck thinking about Taehyung. He really doesn't understand how he didn't think about knocking, how could he forget the fact that he lives with someone?

He blow-dried his hair, tugging on it every time he thought about how dumb he was. When he deemed himself dry enough, he slipped into his clothes, reveling in their feeling of warmth and comfort. Looking at himself in the mirror one last time, Jungkook reached for his hairbrush, nearly dropping it when he heard a loud crash. The brush was now gripped in his hands, his body momentarily freezing as he processed what he just heard. Something broke. Something broke and the only other person in the house was Taehyung.

Taehyung...

Jungkook threw the door open, eyes scanning the available sights. Everything seemed normal, but the slightly open door of Taehyung's room made him feel uneasy.

"Taehyung? Are you in there?"

He pushed the door open, finding it empty. Taehyung was gone. He was sure the blond had walked into his room after their ordeal. After something like that, Jungkook is sure the youth wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but the bed was neatly made, and the pillows looked untouched.

He walked out of their bedroom's hallway, into the living room, finding it empty. Had he left? That's not possible, he's not familiar with the streets, he'd get lost instantly. Jungkook walked forward, coming to a stop at the entrance to the kitchen, eyes scanning his surroundings until they landed on what he believed made the loud noise.

Shards of broken glass.

He neared the white porcelain, feeling on edge at the fact that no one else was present but him. At least, that's what he thought, but when he tiptoed around the counter, his heart almost stopped.

His roommate was sprawled out on the floor, bloody hands clutching either side of his head as he writhed in what Jungkook could only guess was an uncomfortable pain but, strangely enough, no sounds were heard. He was silent but his eyes were out of focus, and they flashed from their natural color to that vibrant shade of purple.

"Taehyung!?"

The shards of glass were disregarded as Jungkook kneeled before the younger, hands reaching out to touch him only for them to be slapped away with a desperate cry.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!"

Jungkook flinched back, not knowing what to do. Taehyung had yelled at him. He actually yelled at him. Not that slight rise of his voice that only made him sound louder than a whisper, but softer than a scream. This time, his voice actually grew in volume and even left him speechless. That's never happened before. He didn't know what was going on. He tried approaching him again, but that only made Taehyung move away and cry out again. Jungkook felt helpless.

"Taehyung? Hey, calm down, okay? What's going on, what happened?"

He spoke and spoke and tried to approach in a million different ways, but he simply couldn't. Taehyung wouldn't let him get close and wouldn't respond to a word he said. He can't get through to him. What should he do? Was Taehyung in danger? Could he die right now? Was this going to turn into the same situation that happened all those years ago? Was he going to lose someone else?

"Tae-Taehyung, what do I do? What's happening!?"

The younger gasped for air as he pulled on his blond locks, barely managing to mutter out his words coherently.

"Vo-Voice... J-Jin-Hyung, ca-call him.. HURRY!" His voice fluctuated, shifting from his to the Spirit's as he writhed on the floor, tears painting his face.

This wasn't good.

When Jungkook had called for Jin, he didn't expect everyone else to come along too. It only took Jin a short time to arrive at Jungkook's place, the guys all arriving minutes after, worried and frantic about the sudden call. Maybe it was the way that Jungkook's voice had been barely audible, or the fact that he was tripping over words and Taehyung's whimpers and pleas could be heard in the background; anyone would've rushed over if they had heard the commotion.

The young boy was still writhing on the ground, hands clutched over his ears as his eyes continued changing colors. His body was shaking as if he were having a seizure, and no matter how many times they called out to him, he wouldn't respond. Pained shrieks escaped his lips and the glass on the floor only made it even more dangerous for him. His hands were already littered with cuts, and drops of blood were visible on the tiled floor. Jin ordered the glass to be removed and Jungkook, still shaken up, did as requested while everyone else stood back.

"All of you need to calm down, you hear me? He'll be fine so don't panic, I can't deal with more than one person, am I understood?"

Everyone nodded, some stepping back and others heading to the living room or dining table. The only one who stayed near the counter was Jungkook. He couldn't walk away even if he wanted to, he needs to be here.

"Taehyung, baby, can you hear me? It's Jin, I'm here, baby."

Jin attempted to move Taehyung over to his side, not wanting the boy to stay hunched over for much longer. He jumped away a bit, but Jin was able to get him to lay on his side, facing him. His eyes weren't focused, maybe he could see them and just couldn't notice, or maybe everything was just blocked out. Jin tried to remove Taehyung's hands from his ears, but the younger thrashed in his hold the second he felt the light touch on his fingers and shook his head, nearly banging it on the floor.

"N-NO! Don't wanna listen! Do-Don' wanna li-listen!"

Taehyung moved away, pulling lightly on his hair. Jin looked worriedly at the younger. He looked at the others, noticing how stiff they were, but regardless of that, they came here to help and support so that's what they'll do.

"I need something soft. A pillow or towel, anything, hurry," he urged, grabbing onto Jimin's cardigan the second it was handed to him and placing it under the blond's head. Better safe than sorry, he already injured his hands, let's not injure anything else. Jin's never seen him like this before unless he was having a night terror, but even then, the boy allowed himself to be cradled.

What's going on?

"Jungkook, what happened prior to this? Something must've happened, this isn't normal in the least, how long has he been like this?"

"I-I don't know. I was in the shower and- And I thought he was in his bedroom, b-but then I heard something shatter. When I got here, I found him... crouched on the ground in the same position he's in now. The only thing he said was to call you and something about... Voices."

"Voices?" Jin asked as he looked back at Taehyung and remembered what he had said when he tried to peel his hands off his ears. No way... "He's hearing voices."

"Huh?"

That comment pretty much summarized how everyone else felt about Jin's statement.

"What do you mean he's hearing voices? How can we stop it?" Jimin quickly asked, not liking the way his baby brother is acting.

"Jungkook, how long has it been since he's been like this? More than five minutes?"

Jungkook shook his head, trying to think of a number, trying to remember how long he stared at the boy on the ground. He couldn't remember.

"I-I... I don't know."

"Hah? What'd you mean you don't know? You found him!" Jimin yelled, grabbing the man's collar, "Think, Jeon, how long has it been!? You should know!"

Jungkook stumbled back, staring at Jimin's worried eyes and looking at the blond crying on the floor.

Think.

Think Jungkook, how long was it?

"Jungkook! I need an answer," Jin urged.

"Th-Three minutes... it- it's been three minutes total. Almost four."

"Namjoon! Open my briefcase and hand me the syringe filled with a green-yellow substance, make it quick."

"Syringe? You're gonna inject him with something!?" Jungkook exclaimed, not liking the idea.

Jin clicked his tongue, "I don't like the idea either but he's practically begging me to stop him from hearing these things! It's not a normal seizure, if this goes on for any longer, I won't have any other option so sedating him is all I can do right now! His spirit half can't even take control, that's why his eyes keep changing color, he's in pain. I won't allow him to keep suffering, I'm a doctor, I know what I'm doing."

The broad-shouldered man extended his arm, looking expectantly at Namjoon, telling him what to do without opening his mouth. He prepped the needle, carefully approaching Taehyung. "Baby, I need you to stay still, okay? Please do that for me, I'll make the voices go away, I promise."

Taehyung was reluctant to listen, yelling at the brunette, "NO! GO AWAY!! I-I don' wan' it- AH-AGH!?"

Everyone flinched at the high-pitched cry, some running up to the scene only to look away just as quickly as they had gotten to the counter. The blond was twisting and thrusting all over the floor, eyes wide and dazed, almost rolling back. It was painful to watch but Jin wasn't about to give up on him. He brought his empty hand up to the boy's hair, weaving his fingers through the silk-like threads. He can't get closer than that, but it seemed to work a bit.

"A song," he mumbled, looking up at the others. "Someone sing something, anything, just sing or hum. I need him to be as calm as possible or I won't be able to give him the sedative."

"What? Sing what?"

"I can't sing."

"Can't we just play something from our phones?"

Jungkook watched quietly as Jin kept muttering sweet nothings to Taehyung. He wanted to be there. To be next to him and calm him down. Now he knew what to do. Now, he knows what he can do. While the rest kept breaking their heads over what to sing or who should do it, the man approached the squirming blond, kneeling on the opposite side of where Jin was. The doctor met his gaze, giving him a small and appreciative nod that Jungkook quickly returned. He never thought he'd be doing this. He never thought he'd use something from his mother to help someone. Life is full of surprises, isn't it? With a deep breath, Jungkook began to hum.

It was soft.

It was gentle.

Then he began to sing.

It was surprising.

"Twilight emerges, I see the setting sun in the horizon..."

The timber of his voice made them shiver and it stirred something inside of them.

"And absentmindedly recall your face... It's inevitable that recalling will only add to my sorrows.. Heave a soft sigh for the good times we shared..."

The effect was almost instant as Taehyung came to a halt, trying to focus on the melancholic melody. His brain knows where this sound is coming from, it knows who it is, it knows what it's supposed to do when it hears the melody.

"The night is still young; a sky of stars land in our eyes... Collecting in soft threads of light... A cool breeze tugs at the candlelight, dancing alone with no one to admire it... Leaving the flowers petals fluttering in the wind..."

Jungkook's voice kept filling up the space and those around him didn't distract or bother him in the least. They were all listening attentively, because something about this didn't sit right with them. Something about Jungkook didn't sit right with them.

"I want to preserve our past... And weave a beautiful dream... This fantasy might end in more hurt, but what harm is false happiness when nobody shares it.. "

Taehyung stopped flailing. He was left with slight twitches and the changing of his eyes slowed ever so slightly as Jungkook's tone began to shift.

"You were once my frontier... Fighting off al my sorrows... Remnants of the autumn wind is fierce, old friends are gone; I've now been exiled by love.. Trapped in the center of tearful eyes..."

Jin took this chance to find the proper place for the injection, he managed to get one of the boys to help him clean the skin before skillfully inserting the needle and just as skillfully taking it out. Slowly, but surely, Taehyung was beginning to calm down as his breathing steadied. His hands carefully dropped from their position over his ears, and his body fell limp against Jin's lap, eyes coming to a close as that sad melody died out along with him.

"What did you give him?" Hoseok asked, eyeing the tired-out boy.

"A drug similar to Rozerem. It's slightly stronger and there's no chance of getting addicted, the side effects aren't dangerous and it's almost instantly effective... I made it myself. It only put him to sleep, don't worry, he'll wake up when it wears off."

The house fell silent, they were all relieved that their younger friend was no longer acting up. They were all even more worried about the blond hearing voices. The fact that Taehyung was hearing voices is unsettling and Jin could only think of one solution to his anxious heart.

"I'm taking him with me."

"What!? You can't do that, he's my partner and we have a contract," Jungkook argued, not liking the idea of Jin taking Taehyung away from him.

"I can do it and I will! We've been over this, he doesn't belong to you, I have the proper tools to take care of him and you don't. You won't know what to do and this isn't normal! I will be taking him with me, and I will keep him under surveillance until further notice, am I clear?"

The workers remained reluctantly quiet, looking away from the authoritative male.

"Namjoon, help me carry him out, you're coming with me. Details to follow."

Said man ran over to the doctor, carefully picking up the passed-out boy as he followed, no questions asked. He mouthed a goodbye to everyone else as he stepped out the door and into Jin's car. The drive to the ward was silent, Namjoon couldn't stop fidgeting in his seat. Even when they reached Jin's office and placed Taehyung in one of the closest rooms, the older remained quiet. Jin was seated at his desk, rummaging through his papers and sighing in frustration. He slapped his hands on the desk, standing up and walking over to Namjoon who was seated on one of his extra chairs. The doctor did something completely unexpected. He sat on Namjoon's lap and buried his head in his neck, making the younger stiffen.

"U-Um, Jin-ssi? Are you alright...?"

"Just hold me... I was so scared."

Namjoon spluttered, "But- I.. Um, We-"

"Just shut up and do it!"

Namjoon quickly complied and only now did he notice the way the man's hands were trembling. He always seemed cool-headed and strong no matter the situation, but it seems even the strongest people have their weak side. Jin clutched onto the younger's jacket, burying himself closer to him, allowing the peach-haired boy to pick up on his small sniffles. Namjoon slowly wrapped his arms around the elder's body, tightening his grip on him and snuggling back. He rubbed what he hoped were soothing circles on his quivering back.

"I-I was so afraid, Namjoon-ah... I've never seen him like that before and the thought of losing him... I don't want to lose him..."

"You won't lose him, Hyung. He'll be perfectly fine in due time, he doesn't want to lose you either, and he has all of us supporting him too. You don't have to be the only one bearing these feelings, I'm sure everyone is worried about him and we're all counting on you to bring him back to his full health."

Namjoon is fairly new at comforting others, he tends to be clumsy so he's usually the one being comforted, and even then, he isn't good at starting any type of human contact or affection. He normally comes off as awkward but, right now, he was just saying whatever came to mind and doing what felt right. Jin simply nodded at the man's words, knowing they held some truth. He has to be strong for Taehyung. Taehyung needs him and he needs Taehyung just as much as everyone else does, so he doesn't have to harbor everything on his own. He has people he can lean on and the boy in front of him, the man currently holding him, is one of them.

"I like you, Namjoon-ah."

Chapter Text

Where... am I?

He looked around with hazy eyes, still feeling sleepy. His ears are ringing, and something is covering his mouth. It feels stuffy, he doesn't like it. His arms feel heavy, his body feels numb. He tried moving my head, feeling it tilt to the side. Machines.

There are machines next to me? I'm on a bed.

He hears slight beeping, the ringing in his ears is gone and the sound of a heart monitor replaced it. His vision focused and he finally recognized where he was. The sound of something being slid made it to his ears, but he didn't feel the need to find out who or what it was.

"You're awake... And you're calm. Oh, thank god, I'm glad."

It was Jin, but why did he say it like that?

I'm calm?

I'm awake?

Jin approached the bed, and Taehyung couldn't help but feel teary-eyed when he finally saw him. Why? He turned away, not wanting to look at him for some odd reason.

"Why... am I-I here?"

His voice. It was muffled, hoarse, and only then did Taehyung realize he had a breathing mask on. He wants to take it off, but his hands won't move. He sluggishly looked towards Jin, waiting for an explanation. Jin leaned in and carefully removed the mask, fixing the bed so the blond was sitting up instead of laying down.

"Taehyung-ah, do you remember anything before now?"

It was a strange sense of déjà vu. Jin had asked him this same question once before and the irony of it all is the fact that he's about to give him the same answer he did back then.

"I... I don't know... N-No? Why am I-I here? Hyung?"

Jin bit his lip, hesitant in answering the question. Taehyung looked at him pleadingly, begging him with his eyes to tell him what happened.

What happened that I had to end up at the ward again? Did I do something again? Did I hurt people again?

"Yesterday morning, Jungkook found you crouched on the ground of the kitchen surrounded by broken glass. When I got there, you were covering your ears and refused to let anyone near you. You wouldn't stop rocking, shaking, and you'd yell at random times, I couldn't get through to you. Your other half couldn't take over either, we had no idea what was going on, but you kept saying you didn't want to hear them."

"Them?"

Jin nodded, looking straight at him, "The voices... You didn't want to hear the voices and the only thing I could do to stop them was put you to sleep. I brought you to the ward, and I already informed Kalon-ssi that you won't be returning until you're stable. I had to sedate you at least three times throughout the span of the remainder of the day yesterday. Every time you woke up, you'd start yelling and crying again, we had to tie you down so I'm glad you were able to wake up well today."

Voices? What voi-

You won't get away again

Are these the voices?

The foolish king will die!

No, this is only one

Calamity will follow wherever you go, you can't escape!

I'll kill you with my own hands, my dear boy

But who is this? Why are they... How? He didn't know. They felt like vague memories, but they weren't his.

Taehyung's hands twitched and his heart nearly leapt out of his chest. The heart monitor suddenly started beeping wildly, and his breathing became uneven, heavy. Jin instantly rushed to his side and tried to calm him down.

These words I just heard; were they fragments of the voices he was talking about? Wait, no, this is only one person... I've been hearing them since yesterday?

"H-Hyung, how long.. how long has it be-been? I-I heard them, they're fra-fragments but... It was only- only o-one person, one voi-voice.. Why?"

Taehyung looked up at him, copying the way he breathed in and out, managing to steady his heartbeat, clenching and unclenching his fists only to notice the new scrapes adorning his hands. More scars. Great. His chin was tilted away from his hands, worried and relieved eyes staring at his own.

"It's alright, you couldn't control it. I don't know why it happened Taehyung-ah, it seems like we're going to have to find out on our own but I have a feeling it's because of your other half... He isn't just a simple Spirit."

"W-What? But h-he hasn't done anything!"

"We can't trust him blindly, Taehyung-ah. You know that better than anyone else."

The blond chewed on his lip, nodding.

"What... What about every-everyone e-else? Do they know? A-And Jungkook-"

"Everyone knows, they were all there. As for Jungkook... he's been really worried about you, especially since it happened on his watch. He didn't want me to take you from him, but this is the only place I could keep a close eye on you. Actually, they should be dropping by soon, it's almost they're lunch break."

Lunch? It's already noon. I've been asleep for a while now, one night and almost two days. I-I probably stink, I haven't showered at all...

"J-Jin-Hyung?"

He hummed, removing one of the IV's attached to the blond's arm.

"Ca-Can I shower? P-Please?" He looked down shyly, feeling embarrassed at the question and his cheeks flared when Jin began to chuckle.

"Of course you can silly! I've only cleaned you down with a cloth and warm water, so a shower is definitely a good idea. Come on, I'll help you."

A shower was most certainly what Taehyung needed. It felt nice not being all icky and his hair felt better too. Jin was combing it, saying that they should cut it or at least give it a trim, but Taehyung didn't want to. His hair's been growing out blond ever since the incident in Daegu. At some point Jin had to cut off the chocolate-colored hair so it wouldn't look weird and since then, Taehyung's never cut it the same way he used to. It's fine the way it is. It's long enough for majority of it to fit in a small ponytail but short enough that it doesn't bother him when it's down. He liked it like this.

Jin was tidying up the room while Taehyung sat patiently on the bed. The door slid open, and a chorus of gasps filled the quiet room. Even before Taehyung could raise his gaze, his body was engulfed in a warm and tight hug. Silver hair tickled his chin and neck; he knew exactly who it was.

"Jim-Jiminie-Hyung, good after-afternoon."

"Don't 'good afternoon' me! You had me worried sick!"

He pulled away, crossing his arms as he glared at Taehyung. Taehyung looked away, lowering his hands and fiddling with his fingers, starting to scratch at the new scabs. The bandages had been removed before he stepped into the shower and they hadn't been put back on. Scratching at the scabs was a habit the youth had picked up in his cell, it happened every time he got nervous or anxious.

"Will I have to bandage up your hands again?" Jin set down the small, empty water basin he had been cleaning and walked over to Taehyung, pulling his hands away from each other with a stern and knowing look.

Taehyung shook his head, placing his hands on either one of his legs, "I-I'm sorry."

"Look, you made him get in trouble Jimin-ah, you know how the kid is, apologize."

Yoongi walked up to the blond and lifted his chin. He smiled at him, not his gummy smile but a relieved, tight-lipped one. Taehyung smiled back too, looking behind him to find Namjoon, Hoseok, and Jungkook standing in the back. They all came closer and said they were glad he was feeling better. It was when they suddenly pushed Hoseok forward that things became interesting. He cleared his throat, looking over at him with sparkling eyes. It was weird.

"So, we have something for you. I won't say who picked it out cuz I don't want to embarrass them, so close your eyes, kay?"

Taehyung wanted to know what it was. He tried doing as he said, but kept peeking so he gave up on closing his eyes and tried moving around in order to at least catch a glimpse. Sadly, he wasn't able to. Hoseok had caught on to what he was trying to do and purposely hid it even more until he saw the boy give up. Deeming his reaction as sufficient punishment for attempting to sneak a look, his hands were pulled in front of him and something Taehyung has never seen before was being pushed his way. He tentatively grabbed it, looking curiously at it. He poked at it, shook it, and tried squishing it, making the others chuckle.

"W-What is it?" He whispered, staring at it intently. It was a glossy brown, or maybe it's a red-brown? It was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. A box. It was soft, slight bumps protruding at the top of the pretty gold designs, but it was hard too. Hoseok sat next to him and took the thing away, placing it on his lap as he lightly held on to the top and carefully peeled it open, revealing a strange, silver machine inside. It was full of bumps. Very close to it were long strands of silver, thin and stuck to a solid piece at the very back. A strange handle was poking out of the box, placed above on of the bumpy-thing's thick and poky wheel.

Taehyung couldn't help but giggle at its strangeness.

Hoseok stood back up and gave the box back to him, the cap still open. Taehyung hugged it close, smiling at him as he looked back down at it. He's still not sure what it is, but he likes it, nonetheless. Curious fingers reached for the handle, fiddling with it when it suddenly clicked. A loud click. Taehyung panicked, thinking he broke it. He didn't know what to do and nearly dropped it had it not been for Jimin's quick reflexes.

"'M s-sorry, I-I don't know.. I do-don't know what ha-hap-happened!"

The others chuckled before telling him to be quiet. He was confused but bit his lips and stayed quiet. Then, he heard it. A small, clear and beautiful sound. His lips freed themselves from the grip his teeth had on them as the notes sunk in. Something about them was familiar.

Where is it coming from?

He wanted to know and it looks like it was obvious because when he glanced at the others, some were covering their mouths while others laughed out loud, but only one of them remained stoic as he walked up to him. He plucked the box out of Jimin's hands, placing it in his own.

"Hey, Jungkook, hold on, don't be so rough with it!"

"You shouldn't push it away like that, it was a present."

He placed it back in Taehyung's hands, making him want to get rid of it again. He was scared he might break it. Jungkook wouldn't let Taehyung let go of it though. Instead, he placed his hand under Taehyung's, holding it with him.

"You don't have to be afraid of it, it won hurt you, and you won't hurt it. It's meant to provide comfort," the male explained, slightly annoyed. "What I just said is something you should listen to, you hear? I- Ahem- We didn't pick this out for you for no reason. Jin told us you like music because it helps when you don't feel good, so we bought a music box. Namjoon-ssi knew someone with good craftsmanship and we had them make it for you. It's the only one of its kind, you understand?"

Taehyung nodded slowly, gulping afterward, "Y-You mean... It was- It was made for m-me only? The... The song t-too?"

"Yeah, everything," he confirmed, making him shut up with shock. Jungkook stood up and began walking away after that. Taehyung didn't want him to go. When he saw him stop at the doorway, Taehyung felt happy, but didn't know exactly why.

"Do me a favor, Taehyung-ah."

The blond was stunned. Jungkook called his name in such an endearing way, he's never done that before. He... He liked it.

"Mn?"

"You shouldn't make us worry so much," he mumbled, struggling to find his words as his eyes met Taehyung's. "Talk to us if anything is wrong, no matter how small. If you forget that, I won't hesitate to smack you across the head."

It was a bit harsh, but Taehyung wondered how Jungkook's face looked when the words left his mouth. There was a strange warmth mixed in with his normally sharp-tongued comments, and it made Taehyung grin like never before, pearly-whites on full display as he hummed in agreement.

"I-I'll try."

Then he left. Everyone quietly teased him, telling Taehyung how he had gone to all the stores in Seoul just to find something he might like and how he searched each store for at least an hour. He'd call one of the guys and ask them their opinions on all sorts of things and finally settled for a music box after Namjoon had reminded him of Taehyung's attraction to music. That had made Taehyung feel warm inside. He held the box even closer, grasping it protectively in both hands as a gentle smile adorned his lips. If the others noticed the way he stared at it, they didn't mention it.

Jimin was congratulated by the blond after he had told Taehyung how quickly he had recovered, bragging about his bone strength and what not until Yoongi interjected, saying that the only reason the casts were removed early was because of the abnormal in Jin's team. At the mention of this abnormal, Taehyung had quickly started naming the people in his Hyung's medical team, making the others break into laughter at how quickly he had blurted out their names and positions. His stutter was no match for his outburst of words.

It turns out he knew the person that had helped Jimin heal really well. They had helped him heal back when he was ambushed in the ward by the other doctors and scientist too. Her name was Becky. Actually, it was Rebbeca but it's difficult to say so they settled for Becky. She was really nice and she was definitely Taehyung's favorite person when it came to Jin's team.

The more time they spent talking, the more Taehyung had forgotten about everything. He was hoping he could be discharged early but Jin shut down the idea, saying that he wants to make sure he was all better. Much to everyone's disappointment, Taehyung had to remain in the ward and the others had to go back to work. That's how the few following days went.

In the mornings, Jin would visit him and bring breakfast. He'd check his vitals and the records of his sleep from the night before and then kiss his forehead before going back to check on his other patients. When Jin would leave, Becky would spend the rest of the day with him, keep him company until the afternoon rolled around. They'd talk, she'd teach him new words in her native language, he'd show her the present Jungkook had picked out for him, and he'd end up feeling warm and giddy by the time she had to go. Then, the guys would show up and stay with him until their lunch breaks ended to which they'd all leave and he'd be back with Becky and Jin until night came again.

Halfway through the week, Jin had determined that the voice the younger was hearing was gone for good. Hopefully. And he was ready to go back home. The others had jumped in glee at the news, but Taehyung couldn't reciprocate those feelings one hundred percent. Jungkook was the one person that didn't show up on the last day of Taehyung's hospital stay. The blond tried not to look so down when the person he wanted to see most didn't show up, the only thing he had was the music box he had picked out. The others weren't blind to this either, they could practically see the dejected pout on the blond's lips and longing stare he'd give the music box.

On the morning of his dischargement, Taehyung was able to tell Jin what he had remembered in regard to the voice, and to say it was unsettling was too much of an understatement. Jin was even more sure that the Spirit was at fault for all of this. Taehyung simply received a small thank you before Jin began throwing curses at the Spirit in his head. He kept those ideas and words to himself and instead, asked the boy to get ready because he'd be driving him back to Jungkook's place later that evening.

It's time for him to go back to his home.

Chapter Text

Jin had talked to the men about what the younger told him earlier in the morning via text messages throughout his work. What Taehyung remembered and the words he recalled were reason enough for everyone to be worried about him. They all shared the worry, but they had agreed to do anything they could to stop any more damage from being done. Telling Kalon about Taehyung was still too risky, but it was saved as a last resort in case anything really bad happened. For now, all they could do was check in with him regularly and as subtle as humanly possible. He left them with a small thumbs up emoji as he sighed and went off to get rid of his lab coat.

"Taehyung-ah, are you ready?"

He walked into the room, finding the young boy cranking the lever of his music box in endearing fascination. Any harder and he fears the music box might not survive for much longer. Jin observed him for a while before clearing his throat, making Taehyung jump with a small shriek.

"J-Jin-Hyung!"

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled, earning a small glare from Taehyung. He nodded towards the open door and the blond picked up his box and small bag of clothes, jogging to Jin.

"I'm ready."

The doctor drove the younger to Jungkook's place, noticing how impatient the boy was as he stared out the window. He smiled to himself, turning up the radio a bit more and humming along to whatever was playing. Taehyung had bounced out of the car the second Jin had parked and he would've sprinted to the door if Jin hadn't held on to his hand. With a shake of his head and a laugh, Jin walked him to the door and knocked, waiting for Jungkook to come to the door.

He should be home by now, what's taking so long?

Jin was going to knock again when the wooden apparatus finally creaked open.

"Jin-ssi?"

Jungkook stood at the doorway, hair disheveled, and obvious eye bags present. Taehyung peeked out from behind Jin and gasped at how horrible Jungkook looked, burying his face into his Hyung's back to avoid staring. Jungkook saw Taehyung and smiled a small, tight-lipped smile, earning a forced one in return when the boy peeked out again.

"Are you okay, Jungkook-ah? You don't look too good," Jin cautiously asked, not sure how to feel about Jungkook's appearance.

Is this how he looked at work? Maybe this is why he didn't come to the hospital today.

Jungkook shook his head, running his fingers through his messy hair as he let Taehyung enter the house after Jin had given him a hug and kiss on the crown of his head.

"I'm fine, just the effects of taking care of some paperwork all day."

Jin nodded, unconvinced, but he didn't like poking into other people's lives, so he just smiled warmly at the young man before going back to his vehicle and driving off. Right when he closed the door, Jungkook leaned against it, pinching the bridge of his nose as he felt a slight headache coming on. He felt like shit. He was about to push off the door when he noticed the blond boy standing a few feet away from him, eyes looking him up and down intensely. Jungkook swallowed a lump, and his hands became sweaty. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

"Did you g-get any slee-sleep?"

Jungkook tried not to look startled at the random question and nodded slowly, attempting to reassure the younger that he did sleep.

It didn't work.

"Liar," Taehyung whispered, stalking up to the taller male, standing on his toes in order to properly reach his face. The nervousness that had previously surrounded him whenever he was in Jungkook's presence was gone and instead, he seemed more confident in being able to meet the man's hard eyes.

"How lo-long has it.. it been sin-since you've slept?"

His small hands roamed the man's face, eventually making Jungkook stare him in the eyes. Jungkook felt uncomfortable. Having Taehyung voluntarily touch him out of possible worry made his insides flop and his body flare up. The strong eye contact only made it worse, so he removed Taehyung's warm hands from his cheeks and attempted to get rid of him.

"Stop staring at me, I'm fine."

He walked away, wanting to go to his bedroom, or anywhere that doesn't have the blond around. Taehyung chased after him with his eyes, turning to look at him walk away. His fists tightened as he tried raising his voice, "If- If you don't want to- to t-talk about what happened, then sa-say so... Don't just lie and- and s-say it's fine!"

The other stopped walking, slightly turning his head back, enough to see the blond and his visibly long hair.

"Why are you so stubborn? I said I'm fine."

"You are-aren't."

"And how would you know?" He grits through a clenched jaw.

"Be-Because," the blond gingerly walked up behind Jungkook, almost like when someone is trying not to scare a stray cat away, and slowly wrapped his arms around his waist as his head rested on his middle back. "Some-Sometimes, memories are... are the wo-worst form of to-torture, right? I know."

Jungkook tensed. He was about to peel himself away from the younger, but something compelled him to stay in his hold for a while longer. He didn't want to push him away yet, so he shakily sighed and asked, "How?"

"I heard you. The mor-morning after the in-incident with Hat-Hatter and... And the days aft-after that."

"You... You heard me?"

Jungkook always thought no one had. He thought his cries, gasps and shouts stayed confined in his bedroom. It never occurred to him that someone else was aware of his nightly suffering.

"I... I know what ha-happened," whispered the blond. "I heard you ta-talk with Jin-Hyung. I- I heard your cr-cries, but I couldn't bring... couldn't br-bring myself to help y-you. I heard you scream, and I knew... You had- You had nightmares again, di-didn't you?" Taehyung asked, tightening his grip around the older, feeling how the man was trying to get away from him. The younger isn't going to let go. He knows Jungkook needs someone, and he doesn't care if there's a possibility of him getting hurt again, he isn't going to turn a blind eye to him.

Didn't he say that we shouldn't make each other worry?

"Let me go."

The younger shook his head.

"I said. LET. ME. GO!!" Jungkook yelled as he grabbed at the younger's hands, easily ripping them off his waist and striding forward only to have his arm grasped again. Taehyung's broken voice ripped through, "You.. You were there for- for me so.. So let me be there for you!"

"I don't need you!!"

"That's no-not true!"

"Just leave me ALONE!"

"NO!" Taehyung yelled back, hands tightly gripping onto Jungkook's shirt sleeve and eyes clenched shut. The normally shy, soft-spoken, and stuttering boy was gone and instead was replaced by someone who refused to let someone fight on their own. In a fit of adrenalin, he let go of the arm and ran forward, crashing into Jungkook's chest and wrapping his arms around his neck as they fell to the ground with a thump.

"Get off me!"

"I won't!"

Jungkook pulled at the boy's clothes and body, trying to pry him off and failing every time. His grip was crazy and when he managed to unlatch the boy from himself, the blond would clomp himself onto whatever body part he could grasp, so Jungkook gave up and let the boy hold him. He allowed himself to be held, and no matter how much he hated to admit this, he couldn't help but lean into the warmth. The last time he felt something like this was the night before his mother died. She had laid next to him, wrapping her thin arms around his body, cradling his head to her chest, right above her heart. That was the last moment of warmth he ever felt. From then on, every touch he was given felt ice cold. There was no warmth, no comfort, no kindness. It was just numbingly cold.

His hands slowly wrapped around the younger's waist as he buried his head into the youth's neck, breathing in shakily, "I-I just want to be numb... I don't want to feel anything. I can't take this anymore."

Taehyung listened attentively, bringing a hand up to the man's soft, dark blue locks. He could feel the slight bumps on Jungkook's skin from the soft touches he was receiving and small stuttered breaths would hit Taehyung's shoulder as Jungkook tried to stay composed.

"They keep coming back and I... I can't make them go away. Every single night without fail, I... I feel like I can't breathe a-and... and it's always her.."

"Your mother?" Taehyung carefully whispered, not wanting to set off the currently vulnerable man. Jungkook meekly nodded, his hands squeezing the younger closer.

"It's always her, but at the same time, it's not," he mumbled, hiding further into the crook of Taehyung's slim neck. "She ca-calls me a murderer, blames me for her death but... I-I didn't kill her, I didn't.."

"I know, I know. You had no-nothing to do with it. You were just at... At the wrong pl-place at the wrong time and with the- the wrong per-person," the younger soothed, his hand still raking through the short, tangled locks.

"... Can't sleep because of her," Jungkook weakly confessed, feeling Taehyung hum. He could feel the vibrations. It was soothing. Things were starting to feel unreal. A bit fuzzy. All he knew was that Taehyung felt warm.

"Don't leave me."

"Mn, I'm n-not going anywhere," replied the younger, starting to feel exactly how heavy Jungkook was now that he was starting to relax more.

"... Promise?"

Taehyung found the way Jungkook was speaking and acting very endearing. It made him want to laugh softly but he refrained from doing so, he could do that later. It wasn't the time for such acts.

"I promise."

"... Mph... Tired... wanna sleep..."

Jungkook's voice was frail and more like a small gust of wind against Taehyung's skin than actual words. Maybe it was the feeling of someone playing with his hair. Maybe it was the feeling of being held. Maybe it was the warmth coming from the small body on his lap. Maybe it was that velvety voice that came out every time he needed to hear it. He didn't know what it was, but his eyes wanted to close so badly. He wanted to sleep peacefully for once.

"You sh-shouldn't sleep here, you- you should g-go to bed," the younger chided lightly.

Jungkook whined, not wanting to move from the comfortable position he was in but did as told anyway. He tugged Taehyung along with him and when they reached his bedroom, he made the younger lay with him, much to Taehyung's surprise. Jungkook once again buried his head in the younger's neck and wrapped his arms around the blond's waist, snuggling as close to him as possible. Taehyung allowed him, knowing the man needed this. Jin would do something similar whenever he had nightmares too. He knew having someone close helped. When they were settled, Taehyung once again began to run his fingers through the blue locks, earning a pleasant hum from the man who was beginning to doze off.

"... Sorry... I was mean to you earlier," drawled out Jungkook, earning a shake of the head from Taehyung.

"I-It's fine, I know you... You didn't mean t-to. Sleep, y-you need rest."

"... Kay... 'night..."

"Good-Goodnight, Jungkook-Hyung."

The following morning, Jungkook woke up without his usual cry and cold sweat. Instead, he found himself well-rested while in the arms of someone else. It took him a while to register the position he was in, dazedly staring at his ceiling until he glanced down and saw the messy, puffed-up blond hair. He couldn't stop the blush from climbing up his neck and decorating his cheeks and ears. He carefully detached himself from the other's body, sitting up on his bed, attempting not to wake him, but a small comment made him jump.

"G-Good morning, Jungkook-ssi."

Jungkook scrambled off the bed and refused to look at the person that was now sitting up against the headboard.

"Good morning," he mumbled, still looking away from the blond.

Ah, his stutter is kind of cute. Wait, no, stop it Jungkook!

"D-Did you sleep we-well?"

Jungkook nodded, softly thanking the younger, still embarrassed about the whole ordeal.

"I-I'm glad."

The bright boxy-smile on the younger's lips made Jungkook's heart unwillingly skip a beat. He cleared his throat and moved to one of his drawers, the younger took notice of his actions and began walking towards the bedroom's door.

"I'll lea-leave then, you probably want to change and... And I don't want to be in y-your way."

Jungkook turned back, not wanting the other to leave just yet. "W-Wait! Let me apologize for yesterday. I was too harsh on you and said somethings I didn't mean. I just... I didn't want you to see me like that, I didn't want you thinking I wasn't strong enough, it was embarrassing. I-I'm sorry."

Taehyung dropped his hand from the doorknob, contemplating what to say. His back was turned to the older, not wanting to put more pressure on Jungkook by staring at him. He didn't think of Jungkook as weak. Not at all. Instead, he... He thought he was very brave.

"I don't see vul-vulnerability as weak-weakness," he admitted, voice soft yet unmistakably firm. "Vulnerability is strength and- and not everyone is capable of showing some-someone that side of them, that is why it's con-considered as strength."

Jungkook wasn't expecting those words from the young boy. He thought maybe Taehyung would have just nodded and left, maybe even tell him that it was okay and not to worry about it. He remembered the way he had let himself relax in the blond's arms. The way he let his guard down and completely allowed Taehyung to comfort him. Taehyung's normally childish and distant, practically a ghost sometimes, but he was able to say something so mature and managed to care for someone who didn't deserve his kindness. He didn't freak out or judge him. Instead, he listened and, Jungkook would consider this very true, acted like an adult or an older brother.

Then again, it could be a result of what he's been through. After all, this eighteen-year-old boy has gone through hell and back. Literally and possibly figuratively. He was able to empathize with Jungkook and now he was making it clear that he didn't see him as someone who isn't strong enough to care for themselves. It was strange.

"Never apologize for being sensitive o-or emotional. Le-Let it be a sign that- that you have a heart and aren't afraid to- to let others see it... I know so-sometimes it feels be-better not to talk at all about any-anything to anyone, but th-there are times when having someone you ca-can talk to and... And knowing when you need to talk becomes crucial. You don-don't want to end up in the kind of- of situation where the on-only person you have is... Is yourself... Trust me."

The door was opened, and the young boy stepped out, closing it softly. The pitter-patter of his feet was heard followed by the closing of another door. Jungkook was left staring at the door even minutes after the other had left.

Taehyung... Just how lonely have you felt before?

Chapter Text

The only thing Jungkook knows about his partner is what he witnessed through the spiritual weapon and what he read from his file, but he supposes that isn't enough to fully understand the boy.

When he left his bedroom, he found Taehyung in the kitchen making breakfast and dressed in his uniform. Jungkook observed him from the table, taking in the view of the younger. Taehyung really was small for someone his age. He was probably around a five-six or five-five compared to Jungkook's almost six-foot height. If Jimin and Yoongi were taller than him then he was most definitely below a five-eight because both of those men were a five-ten. He was lean too, but instead of having the typical build of a man, he has more of a feminine body structure. Although, that can change when the Spirit takes over. Every time they switch control, the younger becomes more mature, erotic (though he feels weird admitting that), and cocky. His body structure only adds to those qualities but despite being small and feminine-like, he's still fairly strong both mentally and physically and his facial features are well defined.

"I-I can feel you sta-staring..."

Jungkook looked down, embarrassed at being caught red-handed. He cleared his throat, apologizing and saying he was daydreaming. From then on, he just patiently waited, trying not to stare at Taehyung again. Soon enough, a plate of food was placed before him.

"Thank you."

Taehyung sat in front of him, nodding at the thanks he received. Both began to eat and Jungkook carefully continued his scrutinization of the younger. His long blond hair didn't seem to be dyed, no visible brown or black roots were seen, but wasn't his hair dark? He remembers it being a dark brown in the vision he had seen. His skin was a natural caramel color, almost like a tan, and his eyes are a soft honey. His beauty marks haven't gone unseen by the older either, his button nose is decorated by one a bit above his left nostril while two others found a place on the bottom eyelid of his left eye and on his bottom lip closer to the right corner. Speaking of which, his lips were a pretty peach color, perfectly shaped and naturally glossy.

The boy was undeniably gorgeous.

Now that he had the chance and time to look the boy over, Jungkook won't deny how captivating the young teen was. He also won't deny the fact that he now noticed how he couldn't steady his heartbeat whenever the other was near him. Maybe it was because of yesterday's events or maybe the older was experiencing something else completely unrelated to Taehyung. A cold, maybe?

You tried that last time, Jungkook, it didn't work.

Taehyung picked up their empty plates and placed them in the sink, turning over to Jungkook, avoiding his gaze like before. "W-We'll be late if I... I wash them now so- so m-may I clean them when we re-return?"

Jungkook smiled, finding the stuttering cute once again, "Yeah, that's fine, don't worry about it."

He's glad Taehyung didn't catch his smile or else he'd be painted red all over again. He's been doing that a lot and he doesn't know how to feel about it. Since last night, he's felt lighter around Taehyung. It scares him. He's aware of that fact, but quite frankly, Jungkook doesn't think he can keep himself from feeling this way. He just hopes he can keep his act together for the day.

They arrived at the company on time, greeting people they've worked with before as they made their way to their floor. Those who used to pick on Taehyung simply ignored him now, paying him no mind for fear of potentially having to face one of the Officers in squad one. Yoongi and Jimin were already there along with a few others. The newly arrived men sat at their respective locations and worked on whatever was handed to them. Jungkook felt a burning gaze on him, making chills run up and down his spine. He glanced to the side, seeing their squad leader staring holes into him. He gave a forced, awkward smile before pretending to look at his papers.

Did I do something? D-Did he find out about what happened yesterday!? NO, no, no, that's impossible Jungkook! Taehyung hasn't spoken to either of them since their last visit to the ward.

He glanced up again, finding Jimin's eyes still trained on him.

Then why is Chibi-Chan over here glaring so hard!?

Jungkook's internal conversation was cut short by a grip on his shoulder. He turned to the left, nearly letting out a shriek at the face that was centimeters away from his own.

"We need to talk Jeon."

Jungkook gulped, nodding and following the other outside to the entrance of their floor, only glancing back once. He isn't sure why he's being called out, but he's sure he hasn't fucked anything up. This time, he didn't cause any trouble during his patrolling, and he hasn't even been on a mission so there's nothing to blame him for! This is stressing!

"What is it, Park? You've been glaring for a while now." Jungkook tried staying calm, but he didn't like the way Jimin was staring so intently at him.

"You... You pervert!" The silver head pointed an accusing finger at the baffled boy. "You've been eyeing my baby brother this whole time; don't think I haven't noticed!"

"W-What!?" Jungkook sputtered, shaking his head profusely while he flailed his arms around. "Y-You've got it all wrong! What'd you mean I've been eyeing him? He's my partner and he's still only eighteen!" Defended the twenty-one-year-old.

"So, if he weren't eighteen, you'd go for him? Woah~" Jimin covered his mouth in fake astonishment, making Jungkook groan.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean? You think my baby brother isn't good enough for you? Not cute enough for you? Huh? I see how you've been looking at him, don't deny it!"

"Of course, he's cute, I'm not that blind! He's gorgeous, a total beauty but I know nothing about him and vice versa! Not only that but I... I'm sure there's no way something like that can happen... He deserves better and I- I'm not... It can't happen!"

Jimin's smile grew as he leaned closer to the blushing man, "Ho-Ho, I see~ So, Jeon Jungkook-ssi has the hots for my baby brother. That's definitely unexpected but we all saw it coming. Don't try denying the fact that you're into him either; it's obvious to me."

"H-Huh? Obvious? You all? What're you talking about, shouldn't you be trying to, like, get me to not like him, and stay away from him?" Jungkook was lost and confused at Jimin's response to his sudden rant on the younger boy. Didn't he hate him?

"Majority of us noticed something was up back at your place," murmured Jimin, not wanting to get any of this out to any onlookers. "When you suddenly started humming out of nowhere and then got defensive when Jin mentioned keeping him at the hospital, and you got that song of yours made into a one-of-a-kind music box for him... It was hard not to piece things together. It was weird and unexpected because, well, it's you."

Jungkook glared.

Jimin sighed, patting the man on the shoulder and looking him in the eye, "Look, we can't control how you feel, and I won't refrain you from it either, but if you come to hurt him again, we won't forgive you. He's new to all of this, don't expect him to understand the way you feel about him, the only form of love he's familiar with is the love he gets from us."

Jungkook flared up, "Lo- It's not like that!"

They began walking back to their office, Jungkook remaining silent in mortification, while Jimin kept going on about his outlook on this. It surprised Jungkook, he didn't expect this kind of response. He thought Jimin would have threatened him or even gone as far as telling Jin and Yoongi. He thought he'd agree with the fact that Taehyung could do so much better, that he deserved better. Was that just him?

"Taehyung isn't your typical everyday person. He's been through a lot at a far too young age, and he's been labeled as a monster and a danger to humanity. You thought of him in that way too. You stripped him of the title of human and labeled him as an object. For an eighteen-year-old boy, he has the demeanor of someone a whole lot younger but that's because he had no childhood to enjoy and was left alone with only four to three people to talk to; certain developments weren't made, and some still haven't been made despite him being outside."

That hit home. Jungkook furrowed his brows at the mention of his past actions towards the blond. He was a jerk. He can see what Jimin is saying, but he still doesn't think it's a good idea to keep these feelings towards the young blond. He even tried convincing himself about that while staring at the mirror and getting lost in his thoughts.

Jimin glanced back at the young man, slightly slowing down his pace as they reached the elevators. He let Jungkook meet his gaze and smiled softly, "If you're going to love him, then gently lay your hands on his soul, and find the places that are broken."

Jungkook chewed on his lip, shaking his head and keeping his gaze low as he admitted, "I don't think I can do that. I'm not... I'm not capable of being that gentle. I'll only end up hurting him more. I can't even accept the fact that I- that I'm... gay."

Jimin scoffed, tilting his head, "I don't think that's true. You've accepted your feelings for him, I think you're just scared of trusting them and that's okay. It's not easy, but you'll get there."

The elevator dinged open, and they climbed in, lucky to be the only ones on board. Jungkook mulled over the words Jimin had spoken. He supposes the man isn't completely wrong, but... "What if I end up hurting him regardless? I can't treat him the way you guys do."

"You just have a hard time showing your soft side, I'm sure you can love him until those fractured crevices left by his past become nothing but thin, white scars that he'll barely even remember."

Jungkook paused, muttering that one word, "Scars... Huh?"

Now at the doorway to their office, navy orbs stared at chocolate ones. One awaiting the last words while the other smiled knowingly. Jimin glanced at the young blond sitting at his desk, hand moving at a well-set pace.

"That's how you love someone who is broken, Jungkook."

The blue-haired man stared in anxiousness at Jimin, gulping at the weight of his words. He only nodded, walking into the office and going for his seat as the other gave his shoulder one last pat.

That's how I love someone who's broken, huh? But I don't think I'm capable of loving in such a gentle way... I'm afraid I'll only break him more.

Lunch break rolled around sooner than anticipated and Jungkook wanted to use this time to get to know more about his partner. He wasn't going to use anything he learned in order to piss the younger off or make him panic again; he learned his lesson last time. Jungkook genuinely wants to know more about Taehyung. Think of it as his first step to mending someone who's broken: He's getting to know the person.

Jungkook nervously glanced around the room, eyes landing on Taehyung and then on Jimin as he curiously peered at the blue-haired man. It seems Jimin understood what Jungkook wanted when he had subtly pointed at the blond because he kept everyone busy, allowing the man to pull Taehyung away and into a more secluded and quiet area. There's always an empty corner in the far back of their floor, Jungkook had gone there numerous times to laze off or hide from the higher-ups. It made sense for him to bring the blond there if they want to talk in private.

When they got there, Jungkook was relieved to find the place empty. He pulled Taehyung along with him, sitting on the carpeted floor and patting the space next to him. The blond complied, still slightly confused about what was going on. He looked over at Jungkook, wondering why he was suddenly whisked away from the others. He plucked at the carpet, pulling his knees up to his chest and looking away.

"Sorry for grabbing you so suddenly," apologized the elder. "I wanted some time alone with you."

Was that a weird thing to say?

He wasn't lying, but he's also new to all of this, he didn't want to come off as weird or anything of the sort.

"I want to know more about you. We've been working together for months, but all I know is what was written in your file and what your Spirit showed me... If you're willing to talk to me then I wouldn't mind answering any questions you have about me either."

"You wanna know mo-more about... me? W-Why?" Taehyung asked, finding it strange that someone like Jungkook actually wants to know stuff about him. Even Hoseok and Namjoon haven't asked anything like that. No one has. Not only that but, Jungkook never showed interest in him so, why now?

"I'm... curious, I suppose. You don't have to say anything you don't want to! It's all up to you."

Jungkook looked at the younger with hopeful eyes and he sighed in relief when the other nodded slowly. Taehyung averted his gaze again, smiling softly at the small rays of sun that made it through the windows.

"W-Where do- do I start? There's no-nothing intere-interesting about m-me."

"Just say whatever you want, I don't care what you choose to tell me, I'll find everything important," he confessed and Jungkook smiled a genuine smile, something no one has ever seen.

It was new.

It was nice.

Taehyung felt a wave of heat wash over him and looked down at his hands, "Well, I- um, I'm eighteen and- and I... I used to have siblings. I-I... I was the oldest of three."

He smiled sadly, clouds blocking the light in his eyes, but they were overwritten by fake joy as the subject changed, "I-I like languages, I used t-to know how to- to speak some, b-but they were ne-never put to pract-practice. I can- can still understand most of them though! And Be-Becky-Noona helps me with- with Spanish."

Jungkook didn't question the blond's shift in mood, nodding his head and honestly reacting to what he was told.

"That's unbelievable, I struggle with my own language and you managed to learn others, I'm not capable of that. You must be really smart, huh?"

"No, i-it's not tha-that great of an achie-achievement, really!" Taehyung argued, feeling embarrassed. "When y-you're locked up for- for ten years on your own, you make do with... make do with what you're gi-given. I was lucky enough to have J-Jin-Hyung looking over me. He's the re-reason why I-I like to learn so mu-much."

You can practically feel the thankfulness and fondness oozing out of Taehyung. His eyes became soft and his lips twitched into an involuntary smile. He looked better with a smile on his lips.

"What about school? You were only eight, right? You must've been in second grade, unless I'm doing the math wrong."

The blond shook his head, twiddling his thumbs, "I-I finished school. At... At least th-that's what Jin-Hyung said, but I-I'm not too sure, ha-ha."

"I see... I've been wanting to ask this but, is your hair dyed?"

Taehyung grabbed at some strands, peering up at them as he shook his head, a small chuckle leaving his lips, "N-No, it's all-natural. It used to be da-dark brown, but after... after the incident, i-it turned blo-blond."

"Your hair changed color?"

The blond nodded, "Yeah, I-I don't know the name for- for it but, if y-you ask Jin-Hyung, he can tell you."

"That sounds cool..." Jungkook picked at the carpet, not sure whether or not he wants to ask what he's interested in next. It could make things go south really quick and that's what he doesn't want, but he wants to know. He needs to know. So, with an invisible breath, he asks, "What about your family? Do you still remember them?"

Taehyung tensed, not prepared for a question about his loved ones. He hasn't spoken about them since he was first placed in the ward. He can barely remember them or anything in relation to his past with them. What he knows is simply what he's been told or what he can recall without feeling any fear or panic. His pulse skyrocketed and he could already feel the cold sweat lining his forehead and palms. His heart was ready to rip out of his chest.

Memories really are the worst type of torture sometimes...

Chapter Text

"Tae-Tae, let's go play!"

Two small bodies dragged him outside. He followed along, looking offended when one of them darted their hand out, yelling out, "Tag, you're it!"

They instantly started running away from him with huge smiles adorning their faces as he gave chase.

It took him by surprise when things started flowing out so easily. When things started coming back to him so easily without any pain.

"I'm already a big boy Hyung, don't baby me~" A pout and small stomp made everyone in the room burst into laughter as the small boy removed his older brother's hand from his head. He smiled down at the boy, receiving a forced frown in return.

For once, he could say he recognized these people.

"Oppa~ Junpei is being a bully!" The small little girl complained, hugging her brother's leg as the supposed bully defended himself.

"Am not! She started it."

The arguments he broke up and the laughs he got out of them.

A giggle was heard as the little girl played with her big brother's hair; glad someone was able to accompany her in her game of dress-up.

"Oppa's pretty!"

The older smiled, pinching her cheeks, "Not as pretty as you. You're beautiful, Yuri!"

The games he'd agree to and the things he was, unfairly, convinced to do.

The first grader walked proudly into his Hyung's room, showing off the sheet of paper and gloating about his score, "Hyung, look, I got a perfect score! Bet I did better than you did when you were my age."

The one-sided competitions and the praise they'd receive for their hard work.

"Tae, lookie, Yuri got a new dress!"

The boy nodded, smiling down at the little girl, finding her enthusiasm adorable.

"Kids! Dinner's ready," their mother called from the bottom of the stairs. "Dad will be here soon, he said he has presents for us!"

"Coming," they'd all respond and race down to the table to see their mother smiling and shaking her head at their antics just as their dad opened their house door, arms open and already waiting for them all to run at him like usual.

How long has it been since he remembered things so clearly?

Jungkook wasn't an idiot, and he was most certainly not blind. He noticed the shift in the younger's mood again and instantly took back the question, not wanting to pressure the boy into answering something he felt uncomfortable about. Taehyung looked out of it, staring blankly at the floor.

Maybe he jumped the gun by asking about his family, curiosity isn't always good Jungkook.

"You don't have to tell me, never mind, I was being insensitive."

Taehyung snapped back into reality, pushing the memories away and trying to play the strange feeling in his stomach off with a smile.

"Jungkook-ssi, i-it's fine. I don't mind. M-My family, right? What ab-about them?"

"... Are you sure? You really don't have to tell me about them, I know it must be hard," Jungkook persisted, only receiving a shake of the head from the other who now had a determined look on his face despite shaking like a leaf. It was close to impossible to change Taehyung's mind, so Jungkook stopped trying to convince the younger and simply listened.

"There isn't m-mu-much to say. We... We were a family of fi-five. It was Mom, Dad, m-me, my little.. my little brother Junpei, a-and my... Um.. my little sister Yu-Yuri. My little sister was in- in pre-school and my little b-bro-brother was in first gr-grade. I was in- I was in second grade."

Jungkook's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting them to be so close in age. If that's the case, then they must have been really close to each other. He can only imagine something like that. He was an only child, one that wasn't exactly wanted at that, so having siblings is nothing but a long-forgotten dream.

"Wow, you were close in age with your brother, and your sister wasn't far behind."

Taehyung nodded, looking at the ceiling as he took a few breaths, "... That day... It was Yuri's four-fourth birthday and- and I... I ruined it. I ruined everything... I'm a monster."

A stray tear slid down the tanned cheek of the blond who quickly wiped it away. He sniffled and rose to his feet, choosing not to look at Jungkook as he hunched in on himself.

"W-We should get back, Jim-Jimin-Hyung will sc-scold us if we're late."

Jungkook silently nodded, following behind the younger. He knew it was a sensitive topic, but he was curious, and he knows that isn't a proper excuse. He did get to know a bit more about the blond, but then he had to veer off into a topic he knew was too sensitive and painful. Now he feels like an insensitive idiot.

"Taehyung."

The boy slowed to a halt, looking at the older with glassy eyes and a runny nose. Jungkook didn't know what to say for a moment. The way Taehyung looked only made Jungkook feel even more guilty. Not only that, but he also made him remember the incident that made Taehyung think of himself as a monster.

"I didn't mean to make you remember that. It wasn't your fault and they know that as well, but... I don't blame you for thinking that way."

Taehyung nodded, looking away and not fully believing the man's words. He was just saying things to comfort him. It's nothing new.

"You were the victim, but they forced you to play the villain that day, and the same way you said I could lean on you, you can lean on me... Maybe I'm a bit late, but I can be here now. I know what you are, and you are not a monster."

The honey orbs shined involuntarily, building tears as the boy nodded again and continued walking on ahead. He wasn't going to cry. He refused to cry, but at least now he knew that the words the man had spoken that day at the hospital were true, and the words he had told the man yesterday were true as well. For the rest of the day, Taehyung and Jungkook remained in comfortable silence more often than not. Jimin didn't ask how things went but based on the fact that Jungkook asked him to take Taehyung for the rest of the day, he can only guess that something happened. He hopes it wasn't something bad, but maybe he can coax something out of the blond later in the day.

Three knocks startled the doctor out of his dazed reading. The metal door was hit again, a voice asking for permissions to enter and in walked someone Jin was least expecting to see.

"Jungkook? What're you doing here? Where's Tae?"

The blue-haired boy scratched the nape of his neck, giving a sheepish smile, "Hi Jin-ssi, Taehyung is staying with Yoongi and Jimin for a while."

He smiled... I'm guessing he's feeling more comfortable around me but, I'm betting all my life savings on the fact that he wants something.

"I wanted to ask you some questions, too," he added.

I knew it!

Jin observed the boy suspiciously, "And questions about what, exactly? People don't just show up at my office at six in the evening to ask me questions."

"A-Ah, well, I wanted to know what places Taehyung would enjoy visiting?"

Both males stared at each other for different reasons. Jin stared at Jungkook because of the strange question he just posed and the fact that he was being bashful and actually stuttered. Jungkook was looking at Jin because he really needed to know and he felt that if he backed down then he wouldn't get an answer. Jin kept his gaze locked on the younger, trying to figure him out, but he came up with nothing.

Sighing, he pushed his reading glasses up the bridge of his nose, giving him a decent answer, "He'd like anything and everything; preferably something a kid would find entertaining. He didn't have much of a childhood, eight years isn't much. He'll find anything interesting; you can show him a turtle crossing the road and he'd jump in astonishment."

The amusement park would be good too, but we already went without you so let's steer away from that.

"Are you sure?" Jungkook pressed the older for more, not taking note of the doctor's slight eye roll.

"Yes, Jungkook, I am one hundred percent sure."

"Okay, anything he doesn't like?"

You.

"Heights, avoid heights and probably any horror related things. Why do you want to know this? Couldn't you have asked him directly? Are you planning something I should be aware of?"

Jungkook shook his head, walking backwards towards the exit, "Nothing at all. Just curious. Bye!"

"Yah! Jeon Jungkook!!"

It was no use, the Officer dashed down the halls and out of the building quicker than Jin could have imagined. The broad-shouldered man shook his head, sighing heavily.

What could that kid be planning?

The next morning was a Saturday, meaning that squad one had the day off so, Jungkook took this as an opportunity to take Taehyung out, but this isn't a date! It's just two work partners hanging out... Yeah, even he himself doesn't believe that lie.

He double-checked his wallet, making sure the tickets they needed were inside along with some extra money. He tucked the leather wallet back inside his jeans' back pocket, fixing his black shirt and blue hair. He took a deep breath before walking out of his room and knocking on the door only a little more than an arm's length away.

"Taehyung? Are you awake?"

Shuffling was heard from the other side of the door as it cried open, revealing a messy-haired Taehyung in his pajamas. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes, looking up at Jungkook, "Jun-Jungkook-ssi?"

His voice was laced with sleep as a small yawn once again left his small lips. Jungkook felt bad.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"Mn, it's okay. W-What's wrong?"

The man held back the grin that wanted to adorn his lips, asking the young boy to change and fix himself up. It was only around seven in the morning, so they still have plenty of time. If everything went according to plan yesterday then that means Jimin had taken the boy shopping, so he's sure he must have helped the boy in choosing something for today.

"A-Are we going some-somewhere?"

Taehyung was now wide awake at the mention of going out and the nod he received from Jungkook was enough for him to run back into his room. He searched his drawers and realized he doesn't really have anything worth wearing. His closet and drawers are full of large sweaters and hoodies, plain shirts, and sweats; all hand me downs from his Hyungs, mind you. Then he remembered the clothes he bought yesterday with Jimin and Yoongi. It was a pair of jeans, but he was self-conscious of wearing them because they were a bit tight once they went past his thighs. Jimin had insisted on buying them though, saying they looked good on the blond and even went as far as looking for others like that.

Staring at the jeans, Taehyung made up his mind, slipping on the soft, light-blue cloth. He then slipped on a plain white shirt, covering his frame with a purple oversized hoodie courtesy of Yoongi. He brushed his hair, letting his bangs fall over his eyes. He slipped on some socks and made sure to put on a decent amount of deodorant before walking out of his bedroom and running into the bathroom to wash his teeth. When he was finished, he walked out, finding Jungkook waiting in the living room. The stunned man looked the boy over, quickly walking to the front door in order to keep himself from ogling the boy.

"Ready?"

Taehyung nodded, following Jungkook to their car after they had put their shoes on. The blond asked Jungkook where they were going, but he received the same answer over and over again. It's a secret. The younger pouted but continued to take in their surroundings. He didn't know where they were. They arrived at a parking garage, as Jungkook called it, left the car and began walking instead. Small stalls lined the streets and Taehyung sniffed the air, hearing his stomach growl.

"Haha, are you hungry? We can grab a bite if you want."

Taehyung blushed and nodded, leading Jungkook to one of the stalls. He liked the smell coming from it and almost drooled when he saw the food. Jungkook smiled kindly at the lady who was packing the food, "Can we have an order, please?"

The woman grinned back, handing him a small plate with enough food for two. Jungkook paid and bid goodbye to the lady and the man cooking the food.

"Do you know what these are Taehyung?"

The younger shook his head, already stuffing his mouth with the yummy, warm food. Jungkook stifled a laugh, "They're Mandu, dumplings."

"They're yum-yummy!" Taehyung declared, humming at the nice taste. Jungkook nodded, eating some before the younger finishes them all.

They continued walking, the food and plate long gone as they approached a crowded area. Taehyung reflexively held onto Jungkook's jacket sleeve, wary of his surroundings. Jungkook expected this much from the smaller. Taehyung isn't completely used to highly populated places, he still doesn't like the crowded cafeteria at their work building either, so he took a hold of the boy's hand and interlocked their fingers. He picked up the pace, ignoring the heat that took over his cheeks as he weaved through the crowd, ran up some steps, and stopped at the platform he was looking for.

Taehyung had no time to ask what was going on. When he lifted his gaze, all he saw were weird looking roads in front of them, signs with different times, numbers, and names hanging above their heads. Before Taehyung could question where they were, a loud sound enveloped them. A gust of wind flew past them, almost strong enough to make the younger lose his balance. The floor near the loud sound vibrated and when their surroundings had calmed down once again, Taehyung's eyes took the form of saucers as he stared at the thing in front of him. It was large, almost as tall as the ceiling. There were a lot of windows and it had more than one door.

How did it work? He couldn't see any wheels, did it float? What is it? His questions were interrupted by a hand that was placed in front of him, a piece of paper fluttering in its hold. The young boy looked at the person giving him the paper. Jungkook smiled reassuringly, seeing Taehyung grab the ticket.

"Let's go, this is our train."

So, it's called a train. It's huge.

Taehyung followed after the blue-haired man, stepping into the train warily as if the floor would move the second he stepped on it, but it didn't. He heard a stifled laugh and turned to Jungkook with quizzical eyes. The culprit shook his head, leading him further into the train.

"Don't worry, you're too light to move it. It's well planted on the rails and the wheels are tougher than a car's. It'll take a while for it to start so let's go look for some seats, alright?"

So, it does have wheels. Good to know.

Taehyung kept looking around with eyes full of childlike curiosity. Jungkook smiled, adoring the look on his partner's face. It seems Jin was right. He tugged the boy over to a pair of open seats as the train's doors closed and the announcer informed them of their departure. When the giant metal vehicle began to move, a slight gasp left Taehyung's lips. Now, he's been on a car before, but that's the only mode of transportation he's been on, so naturally, he would find this all to be interesting and new, adorably so.

His hand reached out to tug on Jungkook's jacket, body jumping in his seat as he exclaimed, "Jun-Jungkook-ssi, it's mo-moving!"

The man nodded, showing Taehyung the view from the window. The younger wowed and stared at everything in awe, face and hoodie-covered hands pressed against the glass. His eyes were barely able to keep up with the changing scenery. He looked away, turning to Jungkook and tugging on his sleeve again, "W-Where are we.. are we go-going? Ca-Can't you tell me?"

"Sorry, but it's a secret. You'll see when we get there, okay?"

Taehyung pouted again but was soon distracted as he heard the announcer and felt the train come to a stop at a different platform. More people board, others get off and then they were off again. After a few hours, the train finally came to the stop Jungkook and Taehyung were waiting for. The older stood in front of the doors, Taehyung doing the same, but he didn't expect to lose his balance when the vehicle came to a stop.

"Woah!"

"Careful, you might get hurt."

Jungkook managed to catch the younger before he had fallen to the floor. Taehyung nodded, thanking him as they walked out of the train, flustered at their close proximity. The blond surveyed their surroundings, seeing they were on a pretty empty platform in a fairly unpopulated place.

"Taehyung, come on!" Jungkook yelled from the exit to the train's platform.

They once again began walking, Taehyung traveling from one side to the other, taking in everything no matter how small. Roads soon became dirt trails and people soon became birds and small animals. Taehyung sighed in awe, mesmerized by their story-like surroundings. He stopped a few times to blow on a dandelion and to try and touch a small bird; Jungkook couldn't help but stare. He found it endearing. Walking further into the nature-filled area, Taehyung's vision suddenly became black. He jumped, now on high alert, but that changed when he heard Jungkook whisper in his ear.

"Calm down, it's just me. I'll guide you, don't worry."

The soft silk tightened at the back of his head and Jungkook once again held his hand.

"Trust me?"

Taehyung nodded, finding it in himself to trust the man.

"O-Okay," he whispered. "I trust you."

Chapter Text

The crunching of leaves followed them as Jungkook lead them further into the plains. They came to a stop; a small breeze kissed their exposed skin, and the sound of rustling flooded their ears. Taehyung's senses were trying to help the boy figure out where he was, a small scent of lavender had reached his nose, but it disappeared just as quickly. He thinks it's the Spirit's doing, because he knows he doesn't have that good of a nose, but he ignores that idea for now. Upon further inspection, he noticed that the once singing birds became quiet in the distance and there were no apparent signs of other people.

Jungkook looked down at the boy in front of him, posing the awaited question, "Are you ready?"

The younger nodded in anticipation, trembling in excitement. Jungkook slowly removed the cover from the boy's eyes and observed his reaction. It was wonderful. The blond found himself surrounded by flowers of different colors and tall, soft grass. Traces of morning dew were still seen, and the sun's rays only amplified the meadow's beauty. It looked like small jewels were lost in between the leaves and the flowers extended further than the eye could see. It was like something out of a book, like the opening scene of a romance film.

It was marvelous.

"A-Are we still in Korea?"

Jungkook chuckled, nodding.

"I... I've never seen any-anything like this... Are you- Are you sure we-we're still in Korea? I-I'm not dreaming?"

Taehyung walked forward, looking back at Jungkook with gleaming eyes. His fingers touched the petals of a lavender plant softly as he slowly gave a full turn, closing his eyes and taking in the nice feeling of being out in a place as wonderful as this one. He felt relaxed. Free. Like he could run and never get tired. How can such a beautiful place exist out here? How can he be so lucky to see a scenery like this? He turned to Jungkook, honey eyes still holding disbelief.

Jungkook laughed, "I assure you we're in South Korea, and no, Taehyung-ah, this isn't a dream... It's real. Enjoy it."

"Thank you!"

Jungkook's eyes widened as his back soon came in contact with a bed of flowers.

He heard a melodic laugh.

One full of enjoyment and astonishment.

One he never heard before.

He squinted his eyes, seeing Taehyung sitting on top of him, his hands on Jungkook's chest as he threw his head back. This is the first time he's heard the younger laugh out loud like this. He loves it. The light from the sun made him glow, and this is when Jungkook absolutely knew that he had undeniably fallen in love with the half-spirit boy by the name of Kim Taehyung.

He had fallen for him, and he was going to stop denying it.

He had denied his attraction to others for the longest time for fear of being left behind like his mother had been. He was scared of being abandoned again. But Taehyung wouldn't leave him like the others did. Taehyung wouldn't abandon him. He already told him he wouldn't leave him alone.

With a small, gentle smile, Jungkook reached out a hand and tucked a strand of golden thread behind Taehyung's ear. The boy was still staring down at him with glittering eyes, animatedly expressing his happiness and gratefulness but all Jungkook could hear were the ringing of bells and all he could see was an angel glowing in the morning sun.

"Taehyung-ah," he whispered lowly, "Wait for me, okay?"

The boy didn't hear him. He didn't hear that plea but the gentle nod he gave made it seem like he had.

That day, Jungkook had taken enough pictures to create an album. After questioning what Jungkook was doing with that thing in his hand, that thing being his phone, Taehyung had willingly posed for some, giggling when he saw the end results. He had run up and down the field, laid on the flowers and took in their scents; he thoroughly enjoyed it all. He enjoyed it so much that he had nodded off on the train ride back to Seoul and even on the car ride back home. Jungkook could only shake his head and smile fondly.

He really likes Taehyung.

Two months of peace was all they got, but at least this time there was an actual warning that went off. Blaring alarms sounded all throughout Seoul and the neighboring cities. Everyone in the S.D.F was being deployed to different places, fully armed and suited. Those that stayed behind were the information and surveillance squads who were meant to keep everyone as updated as possible. The squads were sent in groups and luckily, Jimin and Hoseok's squads were both placed near the epicenter of the disaster.

According to the information group, they only caught a glimpse of the threat, and the epicenter was right in the middle of Seoul. Since the spatial quake alarms were set off, they think it's another Spirit, so they placed the people with experience against a being of that caliber near the center while the rest were branched out for safety measures. The same group of friends as before gathered near the huge mess of fallen buildings and cracked streets. They checked for casualties and luckily found none; the people were able to evacuate safely.

"Yoongi, where was the suspect last seen?"

The maroon-haired male searched their surroundings, extending his hand while pointing at a specific building, "Right there. Seems obvious that it chose to hide there, the place is basically buried in snow and covered in ice."

Yoongi looked over his shoulder, motioning the silver-haired man to come closer, "It's best if it's just the six of us going inside."

Jimin nodded, looking at the large group of people a couple of feet away from them.

"Jungkook. Taehyung," called the Officer, grabbing both boy's attention, "You're coming with us. The rest of you, keep anything and anyone from entering that building. Only come in if Officer Hoseok or I call for you, understood?"

The men and women nodded, saluting before dispersing around the building and open space while the group of six walked to the frozen building.

"So," began Hoseok, "How are we breaking in?"

The guys stayed quiet, thinking of how they'd go in without making a scene.

"Can we melt it? Doesn't Hoseok's demon work with light or something like that?"

"Ironic, but no, Raicho is a lighting demon. Unfortunately, it won't generate heat, it'll only break it," explained the brunette, spear in hand as he looked at the rest for another idea.

"We could always just break-in."

"Yoongi, that beats the point of surprising the enemy."

He rolled his eyes and nodded, deciding to stay quiet.

"Can Taehyung do it? One if his weapons uses fire, right?"

They all looked over at the quiet boy, feeling dejected when he rejected the idea.

"C-Can't control the fl-flames. Only the halberd and- and canon, bu-but then it would be too noisy, and I-I'd have to call f-for them... The CCTV's might.. might catch me," he quietly elaborated, letting everyone think of what else they can do.

Their youngest member sighed quietly. He had already thought of a plausible idea. He wanted to make sure he wasn't wrong first though, because messing up wasn't something he was fond of. He gathered his courage and tapped the blue-haired man's arm, "U-Um, Jungkook-ssi?"

Jungkook looked down at the boy to his left, keeping his voice low, "Hmm, what is it?"

Taehyung's eyes danced around while he picked at his uniform's sleeve. He looked up at the other, whispering his own question, "Y-Your demon, its element is ice, ri-right?"

Jungkook nodded.

"Ca-Can you break down the ice? Like, make... make it dis-disappear?"

The Officer's eyes widened at the sudden realization and he couldn't help but feel stupid.

"I can. God, I feel dumb."

He extends his hand, clicking on the lock of his device. The others watched as he marched up to the frozen wall, placing his palm fairly close to it, but not touching it. He breathed in, letting it out slowly as his hand began to lower and his fingers curled into a fist. The ice followed the hand movements, a portion wide enough for them to walk through formed as the ice crumbled and dissolved without a sound. Taehyung beamed at the fact that his idea worked out properly, following after the others who had already stepped through the opening.

They remained quiet inside the dark building, the only light being the one coming from the opening and Hoseok's glowing spear so everyone could at least see where they were going.

Jimin picked up what seemed to be a puppet and looked at it with uncertainty, "Is this a... Toy store? What's up with these Spirits being childish?"

"It's not just a toy store," added Yoongi as he walked by a stationary section, picking up a pen and twirling it around. "As for them being child-like, Taehyung's isn't like that so I don't think it applies to all of them. This is probably where they landed and decided to stay."

Jimin acknowledged Yoongi's words and kept looking around, "I guess you're right."

"Isn't it too quiet in here?" Whispered Namjoon, carefully looking around but almost jumping out of his skin when Hoseok suddenly clung to his arm in panic.

"N-Na-Namjoon, something moved over there, I swear I'm not lying, there was a shadow too!!" He whisper-yelled, pointing to a dark corner on their right. They stared at it for a good minute before Namjoon directed their mini-flashlight, Hoseok's spear, in its direction and saw nothing. Rolling his eyes, he looks at Hoseok unamused, "There's nothing there Hoseok."

"But I swear I saw something!" Protested the chestnut-haired Officer, scurrying to catch up to his partner and failing to hear the pitter-patter of running feet.

On another side of the unidentified store were Jungkook and Taehyung who were a lot less on guard than everyone else.

"Come on Goldilocks, don't stay behind me. I feel better when I can see you, that way I know you're safe."

Taehyung picked up his pace, staying a few inches in front of his Officer as they surveyed their surroundings. Jungkook has now been using a new nickname on the blond boy. He found the story behind Taehyung's hair color interesting. Apparently, it changed color after the incident ten years ago. Jin called it something related to Marie Antoinette Syndrome and so, Jungkook decided to call him Goldie or Goldilocks. Since the younger hasn't said anything about being called like that, he's kept it.

Jungkook kept a close eye on the blond, smiling fondly at how he picked up almost anything he saw. When he was about to call out to the other, something bumped into him from behind and his instincts kicked in rather quickly because seconds after the collision, he already had the thing pinned down with his scythe on its throat.

"Taehyung! Bring the light over!"

The younger rushed up to Jungkook, shedding light on the scene thanks to the small flashlight he had found on one of the store's shelves, gasping when he saw who the blue-haired man was pinning down. He didn't know why, but he felt uneasy when he got the urge to stop Jungkook from hurting the person. Regardless of that unease, he pulled at the man's scythe, shocking Jungkook.

"J-Jungkook-ssi, le-let her go! She's not.. She's not dangerous!"

"You know her?"

Taehyung shook his head and in turn, Jungkook stared at him in confusion, "If you don't know her, then how do you know she isn't a threat? Taehyung, we came here in search of the thing that set off the alarm, you know what our job is."

The younger nodded but shook his head right after. He seemed frantic as he looked from the girl to Jungkook. The girl kept staring at Taehyung and the younger couldn't help but feel lost.

What do I do? Ahjussi?

I am not a counselor and I told you before, I am not an Ahjussi.

I'm sorry, but I don't want him to hurt her.

Child, do you even know that woman?

N-No, but... You do... Don't you?

Tsk, you and your sharp senses. Let me take over, you are too bright for your own good.

What... What're you gonna do?

I am going to stop Jungkook-ssi from possibly harming the lady.

Promise?

Taehyung could practically hear the eyeroll that came with the Spirit's forced agreement to not harm the girl. Quickly, Taehyung let his eyes close, opening them shortly after, observing what the Spirit and the others were going to do now.

"Jeon-ssi, kindly get off of her, she means no harm... Yet."

Jungkook snapped his head over to the boy on his right and narrowed his eyes, "It's you. You know her?"

Bright purple eyes glared at navy-snowflake dotted orbs as they held each other's gaze. Neither of them looked away, both determined to stand their ground. Taehyung was beginning to grow annoyed, his eyes glowing even more as he clicked his tongue, "Khione."

Jungkook stared at him, not understanding what he meant. Taehyung rolled his eyes, moving his gaze over to the girl that was still being held down. He took in her familiar robed and elaborated, "That's her name. She will not cause trouble; I shall make sure of it."

Jungkook looked warily between both and carefully rose to his feet, placing the scythe's blade over his shoulder. Taehyung walked over to the girl, staring down at her with a glare and look of disdain.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, and if you refuse to comply, " he smiled, looking as cheerful as ever, "I will end your life myself!"

The girl didn't respond, but her eyes glinted, as if daring him to do such a thing. Jungkook called everyone over, pulling the girls to her feet as they walked outside with the girl cuffed and surrounded on all sides. Taehyung was right behind her, violet eyes concealed by their natural shade of brown as they made their way back to the main building. The questioning of the girl was going to be needed, and he was the one that was going to take care of it, regardless of what the head has to say.

Old friends are a pain in the ass.

Karma better be prepared to hold me back because I am about to do his job for him.

Chapter Text

The building was bustling with people running about, all from different floors and positions. As the squadrons entered, paths were cleared, and some stopped to momentarily stare at the apprehended culprit. Some noticed her strange attire first, others noticed her unusual hair color and complexion, but none of them attempted to speak or interact with her. Even if they wanted to, it'd be impossible to do so with all the guards surrounding her, so all they could do was stare and leave.

"I'm going to inform the head of our arrival; I'll request a room for questioning too."

"Jimin-ssi, let me come with you."

Jimin looked over at the blond and rose a brow. Something was off.

"Tae, stay with Jungkook, I won't take long."

The blond walked up to the Officer, posture unflawed as he insisted, "I want to go. There's something I want to ask Kalon-ssi."

Jimin finally understood what was setting him off. Taehyung's stutter was gone. The past few weeks have been calm so this side of the younger remained dormant and there hasn't been a trigger, so why did it show up now?

No way... Is it because of the person they brought in? In that case... "We really need to give you a name," sighed the silver-haired male as he shook his head and motioned for the blond to follow.

They boarded the elevator with Jimin pressing the first button and Taehyung smiling in triumph, finding the Officer's comment funny, "I highly doubt any of you could name me. I don't answer to the name originally given to me, bold of you to assume I'd answer to a name given to me by a group that kills my kind and every species in general."

Jimin remained unfazed at the boy's comment about their work, but what caught his attention was the mention of his name.

"You said you didn't have a name, now you're saying you do but don't like it?"

"I have no name," Taehyung quickly responded, semi-glaring at the other. Fortunately, the ding of the elevator and the opening of the metal doors saved both men from a possible argument. Jimin led them to an office at the end of the long hall with a label that read "Head of S.D.F" hung on it. Inside sat Kalon, a moderate smile on his face as he welcomed both workers in, asking them to take a seat. Taehyung remained quiet as Jimin explained their findings to their boss, waiting for the time when the questioning room was brought into the conversation.

"So, seeing as how our groups found and apprehended the subject, I find it appropriate for us to take care of the interrogation. After the interrogation, we can keep it in the ward under tight surveillance in solitary confinement an-"

"Actually, Kalon-ssi."

Both looked over at the young boy that had remained silent until now. Jimin was basically fuming at the fact that he was cut off while the boss was looking at him skeptically, waiting for him to continue.

"I wanted to request that you allow my Officer and me to keep it at our place."

If either of the men were drinking water, they would have choked or spit it out, or both. Jimin's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets and even Kalon lost his composure while Taehyung merely sat back and waited patiently for them to calm down. Of course, he was questioned heavily by both men, especially Kalon. The young boy still wasn't fully trusted by everyone, he has brought great chaos to South Korea in the past and making him part of the police force was only allowed because it was the only way for Jungkook to join. The boy asking for such a thing to happen was questionable.

"I know my past actions make you wary, but I assure you that Jungkook-ssi and I are capable of keeping the suspect in-check. We are a part of the top squad, you can expect the best from us, Sir. Please, grant me this small request," Taehyung stared at the man with pleading eyes while Jimin wiped his sweaty palms on his uniform pants. The two held their gazes for as long as possible, it was so stiff inside the room that the air felt like it wasn't breathable. With a long sigh, Kalon gave in, "I will allow you to house the subject."

Taehyung smiled and Jimin grabbed at his chest in relief.

"Thank you, Kalon-ssi," they both said in unison, bowing, and getting ready to leave.

"But," they stopped and looked back, "If I find out that something went wrong, you will pay with your position. I will not hesitate to send you back to where you came from, Taehyung-ssi."

Jimin gulped and Taehyung nodded. The ride back down to the first floor was uncomfortable. Neither of them spoke a word to each other, they stayed as far away from each other as possible and only returned to their usual way of acting after they got off the elevator. Jimin explained what was going to happen and it'd be a lie to say that everyone wasn't surprised to hear that Jungkook would be housing the girl instead of the ward.

"Anyway, let's go. The room is already set up and reserved. Those who won't be coming along, get up to your floors and start the reports, no cutting corners!"

A chorus of agreements echoed in the hall, and everyone began to move. Jimin and the rest began their walk to the interrogation rooms, keeping the girl between them all. When they arrived, Jimin took the girl in first and then came back out.

"Okay, we'll do what we did last time. If she refuses to speak then we'll bring in Taehyung."

The guys nodded, walking into the other room with the one-way mirror. The girl was cuffed to the table for safety measures. Jimin looked over at the one-way glass and gave a firm nod, meaning he was going to begin the questioning. He looked over at the girl and examined her for a few minutes.

"What's your name?"

The girl stared at Jimin, examining him the same way he examined her.

"Khione," she informed delicately, startling the Officer at her voice's gentleness and the fact that she knew their language. He snapped out of it and continued, "How old are you?"

Her eyes seemed to glimmer as her lips displayed a small and effortless smile, "Older than you'd think."

Jimin looked unamused as he posed the question again, "How old are you, Khione-ssi?"

The girl kept her tranquility as she answered the question without hesitance, "One thousand years old, my birthday was last month."

A loud thump and whine followed right after her answer. Jimin had managed to fall down somehow but given the fact that she said she was one thousand years old, his sudden accident was understandable. He got back up on his feet and looked closely at the girl before him. There was absolutely no way this girl, or maybe woman? Lady? There was no way this young lady was that old, she looked to be in her mid-twenties or younger!

"You... You're one thousand years old? That's impossible!"

Khione chuckled lightly; her laugh was as soft as her speaking voice.

"That is my age. I warned you, didn't I?"

Jimin cleared his throat and proceeded with a nod, "Alright then, where are you from and why did you come here? How do you know our language?"

"I come from a different realm, a place where snow and ice are abundant regardless of the time of year, a place close to your companion," she replied, looking over at the glass that showed her own reflection. "As for why I'm here, I've come to warn him of what his actions have caused and will cause. I was given specific orders to return with your companion whether it be dead or alive, but I'm my own leader and I don't follow a coward's commands so rest assured, I won't harm any of you. And for language, once you reach my level and title, languages are no longer an issue."

"My companion?" Jimin inquired, slightly on edge at her words. "Who are you talking about? Why is he wanted and how can I be sure that you won't do anything to us?"

"The small blond. The old divine has spoken. Time is of the essence, if it'll make you trust me then I'll hand my life over to your companion."

Khione looked at the glass again, speaking as she held her gaze on someone behind the one-way glass, "I swear on my name and title as Goddess of Aphelion, the kingdom of winter, that I will not betray you or your people so long as I live. Kim Taehyung, body for the one who wishes not to be named, is my witness and if this vow is broken, then he will take my life and I shall perish, no longer able to enter the wheel of reincarnation."

"H-Hold on a second, did you just say Goddess?"

On the other side of the glass, Taehyung is holding Khione's gaze, eyes glowing stronger than ever before as their purple hue reflects off the glass. He smirks, standing in a domineering way as he accepts the contract.

"So be it. Should you reject this oath, the gates of paradise will be forever out of your reach and you will meet your end by my hands." His eyes brightened for a fraction of a second before returning to their natural color as Khione bowed her head and averted her gaze, looking over at Jimin once again.

"The promise has been made and sealed. You didn't hear wrong, I'm indeed a Goddess and a Queen. You can continue with your questions, Officer."

Jimin was stunned, looking between the glass and the strange lady. Why is he still surprised? This job practically comes with surprises as a bonus. Getting back on track he continued with another question, "What's this prophecy you mentioned? That Hatter also said something about it, and he was after Taehyung too, why?"

"The prophecy might be related to something you humans have come to know as a legend," she explained. "The being that was forced to descend from the world above shall take shelter within a child of man until it is time for his return. Foes will be sent as an attempt to keep the being from ascending in order to fight for its rightful place as leader and ruler. This prophecy has been deemed as a war in the fight for the sects. The victor is yet to be determined, but the favor is in the one who dwells within the child of man. That is what the divine foresaw."

Jimin ran a hand through his hair, looking over at the glass. This was a lot to take in but, she wasn't wrong in assuming that it was linked to their legends and rumors.

In the other room, Yoongi turned to look at the blond who lazily picked at his nail, gruff voice grabbing its attention, "You. Spirit, you knew all this?"

The blond turned to Yoongi, cocking his head, "So what if I did?"

"Why didn't you tell us anything?" The man asked, bitterness dripping down his words.

The purple orbs stared the man down despite the height difference, a distasteful frown on his lips, "I was not obligated to. What would you have done if I had informed you of it? Do you really think your kind would just believe what a demon such as myself has to say? Have you forgotten what your dear lover and your two friends almost did to Taehyung when you found out he was related to a Spirit? Don't think so highly of yourself."

All Yoongi could do was click his tongue and drop the subject. The blond did something similar, rolling his eyes and glaring back at the woman in the interrogation room. He wasn't happy about seeing her again and he was going to make that very obvious.

Khione was easy to single out amongst crowds of people. Snow-white silky hair that reached her mid-thigh in gentle waves. Blood red lips against porcelain skin and eyes a beautiful cerulean blue. She most certainly looks like a Goddess. The way she carries herself with gracefulness and an open mind only adds to her beauty. Her manners are warm and she's easily approachable. Her quiet and soothing voice; everything about her screams for the title of Goddess and Queen, even a princess alone can't compete with her.

Khione stood at a height of five-foot-seven, and she resembled a young woman in her mid or early twenties. The only thing that stood out as unusual would be her clothes. She dressed like someone as old as the Joseon era, but her robes weren't the type those in Korea once wore. They were different but gave off that feeling of being ancient.

When she was escorted to Jungkook and Taehyung's house, the younger instantly blew a fuse the second they stepped foot into their home and the Officer had to hold him back. It looked like the Spirit and the Goddess used to have a nice relationship, but something happened, and it's been left unsettled for years.

"Taehyung, calm down! You can't go causing trouble, especially after Kalon-ssi's warning!" Jungkook protested as he held the flailing boy's arms.

"Jungkook-ssi, I advise you to release me before my mood plunders even more. She deserves this as punishment for betraying me!" Snapped the younger, eyes glowing their vibrant purple once again. Khione simply stood on the other side of the room, unbothered by his outburst.

"She has the audacity to be sent here and make an oath to help you and your people when she's the reason why I was sent here to begin with!? It's outrageous! Fuck the stupid story that oracle came up with!"

Jungkook groaned and huffed, sending a small glare to the lady who seemed to have caused all this. He clicked his tongue and warned the younger once again, "Listen to me, please! Calm yourself down or I'll do it myself. That collar around your neck can detonate at any given moment because of your agitation and I haven't been visiting the ward these past two weeks for no reason so please, Taehyung, calm down!!"

Tired of fighting the restraints, Taehyung gave up and fell back against Jungkook, chest heaving as his eyes simmered down in brightness.

The peace didn't last.

He pushed himself away from the blue-haired man and walked over to the white-haired girl. Their faces were mere inches away from each other and even before Jungkook could call out to the boy, his hand had already come in contact with her pale skin. The girl faced forward again only for her to receive another slap on her untouched cheek. Before any more harm could be inflicted, Jungkook grabbed a hold of Taehyung's hand and wrapped his arm around his waist as he pulled him back. The blond didn't fight back and allowed himself to be moved. He hung his head and when he felt the grip on his body loosen, he pushed himself away and ran into his bedroom, locking the door.

Jungkook massaged his temples and sighed heavily, "I'm sorry about his behavior. He's never acted that way before and this is the first time he's showed up in a few weeks. I don't know what's wrong with him."

"It's alright," assured Khione. "You have no obligation to apologize for his actions. He has every right to react this way. He's still young despite his way of acting and speaking. Of course, he's young when it comes to our world's age system, but he's much older than you."

Jungkook gestured for her to sit down and make herself comfortable. She accepted, watching as he walked into the kitchen. He was probably going to get some ice for her cheeks so she called out to him, "If you're going to grab ice then you shouldn't bother!"

"But your cheeks might swell!" He responded and all she did was chuckle.

"Darling, I can cool it down myself. Besides, our bodies don't work the same way, this won't be a problem. My body temperature is lower than yours, so my pain tolerance is slightly higher, and the swelling won't be much of a problem either."

Jungkook complied and returned to the sofa, sitting across from the stunning woman. He didn't know what to do. He had numerous questions for her, but would it be rude of him to ask about certain things? As if she was able to read his mind, the Goddess assured him that he could ask whatever he'd like and Jungkook did.

"If it's not a problem then, do you know his name? The Spirit's?" Jungkook looked hopeful and his eyes only light up more when the Goddess nodded.

"Then, can you tell me what it is?"

His hope died out rather quickly.

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry," she shook her head softly. "I'm afraid I can't do that."

Jungkook's hope disappeared as he saw her sympathetic gaze, "Why? Is it possible to find out what it is?"

She nodded, moving her hair from her eyes, "It's his wish to remain unknown, I won't go against it, but I will tell you that he isn't just a simple Spirit, there's more to what he is. As for his name, it's something he found repulsing after a certain point in time, very few know it this time around. To know his name, the most obvious answer is to gain his trust. He isn't one to trust someone so easily, but he remains loyal to those he lets in. It won't be easy, but it'll give you what you want."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, "He's a cocky little bastard, there's no way we'll get along that well."

Khione stifled a laugh, clearing her throat, "Another option is getting the answer from an enemy force." She looked carefully at Jungkook, "Force it out of them without him interfering."

"But didn't you say that very few know his name? How can I be sure that someone or something that came to attack knows his name?"

"Those sent by the one after his head know his name. Without it, they wouldn't know who to go after," she admitted.

"So, I have to gain his trust. The only option that has nothing to do with getting close to him is interrogating an attacker, but that's probably going to be impossible since he's always involved in the fighting."

He fell back onto the sofa's headrest, coming to terms with the fact that he'll never know the Spirit's name. Khione smiled sadly at him, feeling sorry for not being of help to the young boy in front of her.

"It's late, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

Jungkook showed Khione to his room, letting her know she'll have to stay here for the time being. She didn't complain, saying it was just fine. Closing the room door, he faced the door in front of it. As quietly as possible, he peaked his head through the opening of the bedroom door, a wave of relief instantly washing over him when he saw Taehyung sleeping. Jungkook allowed himself to walk inside, keeping as quiet as possible. He's glad he was able to unlock the door, thank God he didn't throw away the key to this room because if he had, then there's no way Jungkook would've been able to move over to Taehyung's room.

When he reached the foot of the bed, Jungkook took a seat on the open space near the blond's feet, carefully pulling the spare blanket over his small body. Jungkook got rid of his own uniform and replaced it with comfortable sweats and a slightly baggy shirt. Now that they have an extra person in the house, Taehyung and Jungkook will have to share a room. The blue-haired man lay beside the blond, tucking himself under the blankets next to him. He stroked his hair, moving his bangs away from his peaceful sleeping face.

My Goldilocks. I want to know you better.

"Who exactly are you, Spirit-ssi?"

The young man didn't bring up the betrayal or their past relationship, but Khione told him as much about him as possible. Even so, Jungkook can't help but be curious about him. Apparently, despite his egotistical character and taunting words, he isn't as bad as what people make him out to be. His whispered question remained unanswered, but Jungkook had already made up his mind. If his questions will receive answers after gaining his trust, then he'll do what he can to make the Spirit trust him.

The next morning, Jungkook woke up to the feeling of added weight on his stomach. He groaned, squinting his eyes as he rubbed and yawned the sleep away. His hands plopped down and Jungkook stayed staring at whatever it is that was sitting on him. Then it spoke. At least, he thinks it spoke.

"Go-Good morning, Jungkook-ssi."

Without thinking much about it he knew who was speaking and lazily answered, "Mm, morning Taehyung- Wait... Taehyung?"

That's when Jungkook got scared.

He propped himself up on his elbows and sure enough, that head of golden hair definitely belonged to the eighteen-year-old boy.

"Tae-Taehyung! What.. What are you doing!?"

He tilted his head, "I'm n-not doing any-anything."

"Why are you sitting on me?"

"Sh-Should I not? I'll g-get off," he started moving, but the way he was backing away was not the right way to get off.

"No, wait, don't move back like that! T-Taehyung-ah!"

Jungkook surged forward, tugging on Taehyung's arms in panic.

If he moves even a centimeter more, he'll be sitting right on my crotch!

He pulled him forward without thinking and felt his breathing stop when he realized how close they were. Their noses were practically touching, any closer and he'd be able to feel his lips on Taehyung's... What the hell am I thinking!?

"Wow, Jungkook-ssi, I never saw you as the type to initiate such intimate things."

Huh? Taehyung doesn't talk like that. No way!... It's, "The Spirit?"

The twinkling eyes and satisfied grin adorning his face answered his question.

"Bingo, Jeon-ssi."

He sighed and fell back onto the mattress, grabbing at his hair.

"That was cruel and uncalled for," grunted Jungkook, feeling Taehyung get off. The fact that he laughed ticked him off, but then Jungkook remembered he was supposed to try and get along with him.

"Hey, can I talk to Tae for a bit? There's something I want to tell him, privately, if you don't mind."

The small glare he sent his way wasn't unnoticeable, but when he clicked his tongue and closed his eyes, Jungkook couldn't help but feel thankful. It was obvious to tell who was right in front of him.

I don't know how I didn't realize sooner that Taehyung wasn't the one I woke up to find on top of me.

"Taehyung-ah?"

I'm never going to get tired of those pretty little eyes of his, be it their natural honey color or that vibrant purple, they always look astonishing.

"Jun-Jungkook-ssi? You're st-staring again."

"O-Oh, I'm sorry. I wanted to talk to you. You remember the girl we found yesterday?"

He nodded, playing with his fingers.

"You knew that she was someone the Spirit knew, didn't you?"

"Mm-hm."

Jungkook smiled at his shy and cute mannerisms, petting his bed hair, "Well, she said that I should try and be friends with him."

He peered down at him, trying to catch Taehyung's fleeting eyes, "Is it okay for him to stay while we aren't at work or when we're alone?"

Taehyung stayed quiet, but Jungkook didn't feel the need to worry. He's come to understand that this is normal for the blond. He stays quiet while he thinks and doesn't speak until he's certain of his answer. It's something not many do, but if Jungkook had to guess, Taehyung does it because he wants to figure out whether or not what he'll say will appease the other person. Jungkook's come to learn that the blond isn't a fan of messing up or displeasing others, and he can understand why, but he hopes Taehyung will be able to grow out of that and simply say what he wants without worrying too much.

"Okay," he finally said, looking at him with a small smile, "But- But I want to se-see the girl f-first."

Jungkook nodded, getting off the bed and extending his hand for him to take, "She'll be staying with us, so you'll meet her once we have breakfast."

Jungkook walked him to the table, both still clad in their pajamas. Well, Jungkook was in pajamas. Taehyung had slept in his uniform. As soon as they reached the living room, the person they were talking about walked right out of the kitchen, steaming cup of tea in hand. She greeted them once she took notice of their presence, soft voice wafting through the air.

"Good morning Jungkook-ssi and... Taehyung-ssi, I assume?"

They both said their greetings, Taehyung obviously more quiet than usual. Jungkook pulled him to the front before he could hide, placing his hands on his shoulders as he said, "Khione-ssi, this is Kim Taehyung. He's eighteen and awfully shy around new people."

Taehyung blushed at the introduction, glancing at the woman a few feet away from him. She smiled warmly, waving at the blond.

"Taehyung, this is Khione. She's a Goddess, Queen and an acquaintance of your Spirit. She'll be staying with us until we sort things out so be a good boy, okay?"

"I-I'm not a ch-child! I know how- how to act w-when there's c-co-company," the younger huffed, embarrassed at the way Jungkook was treating him, but he couldn't help but smile when he heard a chuckle from the blue-haired man.

He liked this Jungkook.

They sat down for breakfast and Khione attempted to make conversation with the little blond, managing to get a steady flow of answers which shocked Jungkook quite a bit. It took him weeks to get Taehyung to properly speak to him, but she did it all in a day. Then again, she was nice and he had acted like a total jackass so it does make sense.

"Jungkook-ssi? Jungkook-ssi."

The young man snapped out of his sulking state, apologizing for spacing out.

"It's alright, I just wanted to verify something I was told."

"What is it?" He asked, looking between Taehyung and the Goddess.

"A little birdie told me you have the ability to work with ice, is that true?" Her eyes glimmered in anticipation and her excitement only magnified when Jungkook nodded.

"Oh Gods, how exciting! Can I see? I've never met a human that can use my Kingdom's element!"

Jungkook reddened, rubbing his neck, "I guess so, you can come to the training room with us if you really want to, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. I'm not that great when it comes to wielding it, I've only been using my gear for a month or two."

"Liar! Jung-Jungkookie is am-amazing whenever he uses his.. his powers, d-don't believe him God-Goddess-Noona!"

Both were surprised at the younger's sudden outburst and Jungkook couldn't stop himself from questioning what he was called.

"Jungkookie, huh?"

Taehyung blushed, looking away and crossing his arms over his chest, "W-What about it? You call me Gol-Goldilocks so... So, it's only fair that I- that I call you Ju-Jungkookie, but do-don't get used t-to it!"

Jungkook laughed wholeheartedly, smile wider than ever and Taehyung felt his heart skip a million beats.

Why?

Was he just very happy?

He liked the idea of Jungkook wanting to get along with his other half. He also found Khione to be very nice. He liked Jungkook's smile and his laugh. Maybe all of these reasons are the cause of his heart's strange beating pattern. He could only guess.

The rest of their morning was easy going. Khione had to follow the men to work, but she stayed at the ward with Jin who was made aware of everything over the phone thanks to Jimin. To their surprise, the Goddess had been a great help to the doctor when it came to taking care of patients, everyone loved her. The fact that no one was displeased with the lady made it even more difficult to understand why Taehyung's other half didn't like her. The more they thought of plausible reasons, the more they realized that there's really nothing that could make someone hate Khione as much as the Spirit does. They just don't mix, like oil and water.

"Jungkook, I need the files on the recent Xana attacks. It looks like Kano's squad might have found the culprit guilty for the drownings."

"Alright, I'll send them to you in a second."

"Thanks, you can take a break after you do. Natsuki, I need your report on the demon family case! I've already given you two extensions; this is cutting it close. Do you want to be knocked down to another squadron?"

Jungkook blocked out the rest of Jimin's complaining and orders, clicking the send button and leaning back in his chair with a sigh. He tipped his head back, resting his eyes. He feels tired for some reason. Maybe he's just worried about how things will turn out with the young blond and his other half. He still has to tell the others about his idea. Forgetting about that for a moment, he decided to shift his thoughts over to what happened during Khione's interrogation. That prophecy she mentioned has everyone on edge. What the divine she mentioned had prophesized hasn't been wrong so far. The being that fell from above was the Spirit and the child of man that ended up housing him was Taehyung.

"Ugh... This is giving me a headache..."

"What is?"

Jungkook tried really hard not to yell out in surprise, the best he could do was open his eyes and flinch away from whatever was close enough to hear what he had said.

"S-Sorry, did I... did I scare you?"

The stutter. Taehyung?

Jungkook looked behind his chair, finding the blond standing unsurely as his fingers rubbed at his uniform's buttons.

Now that I'm paying more attention, doesn't it look like his uniform's a bit big on him?

"Taehyung, is your uniform too big for you?"

"E-Excuse me?"

I'm guessing that question was too random.

Waving him over, Jungkook had a closer look, making him move around despite his small protests.

Was it just me?

No way, his eyes hardly ever see wrong.

"Was I wrong? Jimin-ssi, come over here for a sec!"

Taehyung perked up, looking down at Jungkook with confused eyes, "W-Wait, why are you call-calling Jimin-Hyung over!?"

He sounded worried and the fact that Jimin was actually walking towards them made it worse.

"What'd you want, Jeon?"

"Does his uniform look big on him?" Jungkook pointed at the fidgeting blond and Jimin felt the need to slap his colleague's head. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Jeon, I know I gave you a break, but that doesn't mean you get to play tailor with Taehyung."

"But I'm not!" Jungkook defended, pointing at Taehyung again, "His uniform looked big, that's why I'm asking! Besides, he came up to me not the other way around."

"You can figure that out at home, but right now, we need to finish organizing the files before lunch break rolls around. Get back to work," scolded the silver-haired man.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, going along with the order while Taehyung returned to his seat again. In the end, he wasn't able to tell Jungkook what he had wanted to and he had finally built the courage to actually try and talk to him. He felt dejected. His eyes would wander over to him every so often, but he kept quiet and continued working.

Maybe I can try again later...

Chapter Text

The hours ticked by, their working hours had finished and Taehyung wasn't able to talk to Jungkook at all. Every time he tried, he was interrupted by something or someone so he eventually gave up. When they had gone to the ward, Jin granted Jungkook permission to bring Khione into the training rooms, and everyone was made aware of the arrangement Jungkook, Taehyung and the Spirit had made earlier in the morning. The talk was calm at first, but not everyone was okay with the idea, more specifically, Jin.

"I understand that you want to get to know the guy- thing - whatever he is, but we don't know if there are any side effects to having him take over for an extended period of time, and not only that, he doesn't like Khione! His intentions still aren't clear enough, it's risky!"

Jungkook sighed and rolled his eyes for the thousandth time that day. Everyone's patience was thinning as time clicked by.

"Jin-Hyung, please, Taehyung himself agreed to the idea and this is the only way we can befriend him properly," explained the young man once again, midnight eyes pleading the doctor to comply.

He was stubborn.

"But the risks, what if something happens? If anything goes wrong, we'll be blamed and he'll be locked up in his cell again!"

Jungkook's eyes softened, but he wasn't going to back down. "If you're worried about the risks of him taking over for a long time then we can ask the Goddess, she knows more about him and the whole situation than any of us and if something goes wrong, I'll take full responsibility for it."

Jin shifted his gaze to the lady standing near the corner of his office, waiting for what she had to say about the matter. The white-haired woman smiled softly, padding over to Jin and taking his hands into her own smaller and much colder ones.

"Nothing will go wrong if he prolongs his control of the body. Rest assured that he'll do no harm to the young boy, he knows he's only borrowing the body. I believe he can control his emotions for the duration of your training," she assured the younger, in her age system, as her warm aura worked to relax the previously tense man.

Jin nodded, releasing his hands from her cold yet pleasant hold. "Alright. We should head to the training ground then; our time has been cut short so be glad that I won't work you till death."

In the dome, Jimin and Yoongi made sure to lock their room so no one except them would be able to access it. If anyone else found out that Taehyung was a Spirit, then there's no doubt he'd be locked up and experimented on again and that's something no one wants. In the locker rooms, Jin orders them to change out of their uniforms, short and curt because he really isn't in the mood. To appease the man, they all collectively yelled out their responses as Jin lead Khione out onto the main floor where they waited for the guys to come out. Neither of them spoke. The atmosphere wasn't awkward or anything of the sort, they just didn't want to talk. Five minutes later and the others began piling into the room one after the other, the last one being Taehyung, surprisingly. Jin didn't question it, but he didn't overlook it either.

His eyes were trained on the blond before he looked away and cleared his throat, "Ahem, I'm in no mood to monitor you guys so I'll make it easy. Spar with each other after warming up or work on your own, I don't care. Work on your control and output of power, especially those of you using the specialized demon weapons."

He eyed the leaders of squad one and two, not missing how they straightened up, "I know you were able to pass the compatibility test, but you mustn't forget that what you're using is still considered a demon. Regardless of your current relationship with them, they will take over the second your guards drop or the second you're no longer capable of exerting and using their powers, so toughen up as much as possible or you may just lose your lives. Jungkook, this applies to you specifically, two months isn't enough so work on your endurance."

Jimin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, and Jungkook gulped, bringing their shaking hands up for a salute as they all said, "Yes, Sir!"

Khione stood on the sidelines, seemingly surprised at the responses the doctor was able to elicit from his companions. She hasn't been here long but, a doctor isn't supposed to help train soldiers, right? No Gods or Goddesses involved with healing ever trained other junior Martial Gods in martial arts. Those that did were previous generals, royals, cultivators or elemental masters. Of course, that doesn't mean that the healers can't or don't know how to fight, it's just not very common.

"Taehyung."

Her attention was drawn back onto the men, seeing the boy step forward.

"You aren't Taehyung, are you?"

The perceptibly young girl, or woman, simpered at Jin's quick ability to pick out who was in control of the young boy's body. When the younger placed a sly smile on his lips, soon allowing his pearly whites to show, it was no longer needed for Jin's previous question to be answered.

"My, Jin-ssi, you really are keen."

The doctor huffed, rolling his eyes, "I've known him long enough to know when it's truly him. You may be able to play his role and character, but you aren't and won't be able to perfectly impersonate my Taehyung. All I ask of you is to not cause trouble. If you do, I'll send you back to where you came from myself, understood?"

The Spirit faked a sweet smile, bowing slightly just to tick off the older, "Why of course Jin-ssi. Please, don't worry about me, I can most definitely play the part I have been given."

Jin's eyebrow visibly twitched as he turned his back on the others and walked up the steps leading to the arena's seats, "Begin when you want, I don't care for the parings just train!"

Without wasting any time, the men stayed in their corresponding pairs and began branching off to different spaces, each of them already fully suited. Khione watched from her place next to Jin, not being able to sit still due to her excitement. She glanced at Jin, opening a conversation.

"I was impressed by how quickly you figured out that the blond boy wasn't himself. How did you do it?"

Jin looked back at her, deciding not to be rude just because he was in a bad mood. He wasn't really in the mood for anything, he's been pulling all-nighters since the day the Goddess arrived all because he wants to find out what type of danger his son is in. All of that plus his normal work at the ward and hospital has given him nothing but stress and migraines.

Staring at the boys on the arena's floor, he sighed, "They act differently. Taehyung is usually the first one on the arena and today he was the last. He tends to keep his head down and if not, then he keeps his eyes on the floor while his head is held high. When they lined up, he didn't do any of those. When I call his name, he never steps out of line because he doesn't like being the center of attention, today he stepped forward. Does that answer your question?"

Khione silently clapped at the explanation. Jin was very perceptive, enough to pick out small differences. She can only guess how much potential he has as a mere human. If given the opportunity, she's sure he would do great as a Martial or Civil God.

"I'm amazed, you seem to be the only one who can tell them apart almost instantly. Even Jungkook-ssi isn't capable of that yet. You're very capable."

"That kid? He's only now starting to pay attention to him, of course he doesn't know. He used to hate the idea of even talking to Taehyung, their relationship is only barely taking a turn and that's because the idiot got a rude awakening that knocked him off his high horse."

Khione hummed, staring down at the men littering the arena. It seems these humans are special compared to the rest she's seen. They aren't like the people in her realm, but there are a few similarities. These men have potential. She turned back to Jin, silently observing him before going back to looking at the others.

"So, why did you want to see them train? As you can see, it's not that interesting. I'm sure a heavenly being such as yourself has more important things to do that watch humans train."

"Well, it's because Jungkook-ssi can control one of my Kingdom's elements. Having a human who can wield my element is something I never would have imagined. I do have duties to take care of, but my junior officials are currently taking care of them. I've extended my stay in the mortal realm, but the current emperor doesn't mind as long as we do our jobs."

Khione turned to look at the men in the arena again and she nearly squealed when she saw the soft, blue highlights in Jungkook's hair and the blue mist that seemed to surround him. Jin could only silently question what the girl was thinking, his judgmental gaze not going unnoticed by the Goddess who simply continued to observe the young Officer after lightly apologizing. She kept her eyes on everyone else too, mumbling and muttering about who-knows-what every time someone did something new. Her eyes always came back to Jungkook though. It looked like she was about to fall off the railing when he and Taehyung started sparring. She was a fan already.

"You know, if you really want to, you could go down there and watch them up close. At this rate, you'll end up falling off the railing and I'm not trying to see that happe- What the heck!?"

Jin jumped when Khione's face was suddenly inches away from his own, her eyes sparkling like glitter.

"Really!? May I?"

Jin nodded, wanting to have his personal space back as soon as possible. When the girl finally dropped down to the main floor, he could finally breathe normally again.

Khione ran over to Jungkook and Taehyung, huge smile on her face as she turned to the man with the scythe, "I was given permission to watch you up close, I hope that's alright. I won't be a bother, will I?"

"You most certainly will be, this amateur can barely form a proper icicle, your presence will only hinder our training," Taehyung unhesitatingly yanked her back without remorse, glaring at her as she asked to be let go. He was going to tell her to go back to the stands, but Jungkook jumped the gun.

"Yah! Taehyung, don't just throw people around like that, it's dangerous!" Jungkook panicked as he moved to check on the girl, only to be stopped by the young blond.

"She's fine, that won't kill her, unfortunately, so leave her be and work on controlling your measly power."

Jungkook was stunned, impaling his scythe into the ground, "Unfortunately!?"

He stared down at the young boy, stunned at his thoughts, "Can't you just get along with her? She hasn't done anything wrong, has she? Stop being childish and cooperate, wasn't it your idea to keep her at our place? Your problems aren't important right now, we have bigger things to deal with."

Taehyung's jaw clenched, his spiritual weapon long gone as his nails dug into his skin, trickles of blood decorating his palms as he released his words in a storm of vexation, "Shut your mouth! You know nothing, you insolent human! Don't spout such nonsense without having a clear picture of what happened, you have no right to say that this stupid Goddess has done nothing wrong, you know nothing. She is the reason I am here. She is the reason why I have no place to call my home and you have the boldness to tell me she's innocent? Ha-ha-ha, don't make me laugh."

"Young man, that is enough. Jungkook-ssi, please, he didn't hurt me, I'm not capable of dying so rest assured that he can't really harm me in that way."

Jungkook's eyes widened in surprise at the idea that she's immortal, but then again, he supposed that heavenly beings would be immortal. They have to be in order to be considered holy. Then, he looked past the blond, seeing Khione approach them ever so calmly, but he's sure that deep inside, she feels the exact opposite of calm. She called out to the young blond, but he refused to acknowledge her and kept his gaze trained on whatever stood behind the Officer in front of him. Khione grew tired of his stubbornness and called out to him once more, tone growing icy. Jungkook sensed her displeasure and clicked his tongue, glaring at the unresponsive boy, "She's calling you, the least you can do is acknowledge her."

Taehyung gave him a glare of his own, remaining stubborn, "I will not acknowledge a liar."

"Taehyu-"

"Jungkook-ssi!"

The blue-haired man turned his attention to the lady behind the blond, standing down when he saw her shake her head. This made Taehyung chuckle in amusement, comments flying out of his mouth without a filter.

"My, what an obedient little human you are Officer. She's as intimidating as a butterfly and you chose to yield to her? I thought you were far better than that, no wonder you were always being pushed around by others."

Jungkook tsked, narrowing his eyes as he responded to the other's words, "You can't talk like that about me. Stop running your mouth, is that all you can do? Spout nonsense and bullshit in order to feed your ego? Pathetic."

Taehyung grinned, eyes glowing their vibrant shade of violet before he brought the back of his palm to his forehead as the other clutched his chest, "Oh, my, you've insulted me! Whatever shall I do? I shall be mentally and emotionally scarred for years!"

Light chuckles were heard from around the trio but one look from Jungkook and they all went back to their business, ignoring the argument occurring between the Officer, Spirit, and Goddess. Before Jungkook could bite back, Khione had gotten in between them, startling both men. She turned to the blond, stern glare in her blue eyes as she scolded him, "You can call me whatever you want, but I will not allow you to insult your comrade. You know better."

"It's such a shame that nobody, not a single soul, asked for your opinion," responded the blond, hand on his hip as the other pulled his hair back. "Why don't you go back to that serial-killer of a King and tell him how you failed? Maybe he'll spare your people again or maybe, he'll give you what you deserve."

The Goddess bristled, eyes narrowed and jaw tight as she snapped her fingers and a pile of snow gathered at the younger's feet as some rained on him from above, the air around them turning chilly.

"You have no power over me, boy. Stop this nonsense at once! For once in your life act like a proper man!"

Taehyung laughed hysterically, bending over as he eventually calmed down, a stoic expression taking over his face. "Are you sure you should be saying that, Goddess? I'm not the one feigning kindness here."

His halberd appeared in his hand; no name being called as its flames licked at the shining blade. He rammed it into the ground, right where the snow was, smiling proudly as it melted in no time. At this point, everyone in the arena was staring at them intently, no one dared to intervene for fear of possible death. Jungkook grabbed his scythe again, taking a few steps back as his hand traveled to the belt at his thigh. Jin was on his feet, watching from the stands and cursing the damned Spirit with all his might. They didn't think a fight between two other-worldly people would break out, but Taehyung's temper was something else completely. It left them wondering what the whole problem was.

What could have happened that made the Spirit hate the Goddess to the point where he'd want to kill her?

"Taehyung, stop this, there's no point in fighting. Did you forget the promise you made to Jin-Hyung?"

The blond turned his head, meeting eyes with a nervous Jimin. For some reason, he liked the look the silver-haired man had on his face. The look of anxiousness. He picked up his halberd, slinging it over his shoulder as he approached the man with snake scales decorating his skin. Pausing centimeters away, he leaned into his ear, whispering, "I can see why Mad Hatter went crazy for you, should I do the same thing? Hmm...?"

Jimin unknowingly tensed, pushing the blond away, stumbling back only to be caught by Yoongi. The archer took one look at Jimin's trembling form and glared at the culprit, "What did you say to him?"

Taehyung giggled, throwing his head back, bringing his hand up to his face, tongue darting out to lick his lips, "All I did was tease him a little, no need to get mad at me."

"That doesn't answer my question, what did you tell him that made him push you away and tremble!"

The blond contemplated whether or not he should tell him, liking when Yoongi would get irritated at his antics. He stifled a laugh again, digging his halberd in the arena's ground, leaning on it, "I asked him whether or not I should do what Mad Hatter did again because he looked good. Are you happy now?"

"You what?!"

The archer was pissed, reaching for an arrow only to freeze when he felt a burning heat against his neck. He peered to the side, eyes coming in contact with Taehyung's glowing eyes reflected off of Camael's red blade. The room filled with gasps, and everyone rushed to separate the blond from Yoongi, making sure the maroon-haired man wasn't injured.

"Taehyung, stop, you're taking things too far!"

"You are not one to talk, Jeon. Want me to remind you about what you did? You should not be lecturing me, orphan."

No one had expected that. Not even Jungkook. And that only made things spiral down even quicker.

"What did you call me?"

The blond cocked his head, feigning innocence. Jungkook repeated his question, waiting for an answer.

"Hm? What, was the word too difficult for you? Alright, I'll use a synonym. Jeon Jungkook seems fitting, does it not? Do you really think you should be telling me that I have taken things too far after the stunt you pulled? Someone who did nothing but run away from their problems should not be lecturing me."

Jungkook glared at the blond in disbelieving anger, biting his tongue to keep from saying something he might regret. He doesn't know whether or not he's serious or if he's only being like this because he's angry, but bringing up his past is uncalled for. Jungkook knows this isn't right, he can't add more fuel to the fire, especially because the one who'll get punished in the end will be Taehyung, but it's hard. He took a few breaths, trying to think of a way to lower the growing tension.

"Tae- Spirit, stop. Please, this isn't good for anyone, what're you gonna get out of fighting all of us? Let's just, calm down and talk this out, it'll be better for all of us."

The Spirit stared at Jungkook for a good amount of time, eventually getting rid of Camael as he approached the blue-haired man. He really hated him right now. First, he judges him, telling him he's being dramatic and unreasonable. Then, he's telling him to calm down and stop picking fights because it's not good for anyone. They're all taking Khione's side without knowing the full story and they're continuously antagonizing him, not only that but the only reason they're trying to stop him is because he's in Taehyung's body; it's infuriating. If he weren't connected to Taehyung, would they still attempt to calm him down? Or would they try and get rid of him the same way they got rid of all the other supernaturals?

He doesn't know. Yet, somehow, he feels like maybe they would try and get rid of him. They wouldn't bother finding out the truth.

He can't stand it.

Chapter Text

They fell into a stand still. The blond nearly shoulder to shoulder with Jungkook, both facing each other. He hung his head low, wondering why he ever believed that someone would ever listen to him again when clearly, no one cared enough to do so. He wondered when everyone would stop blaming him for everything and anything. He wondered if he could just stop everything. What would it take? Him admitting to all the accusations? Him accepting the root of his name? His body? His power? His death?

He doesn't know.

"Were you not the one who told the boy that he was innocent?" He eventually asked, barely loud enough for Jungkook to hear. "That he was the victim and not the culprit?"

Jungkook was caught off guard at the blond's murmured question. He didn't know that he had heard their conversation that day. He had hoped that he hadn't. Regardless of that, why would he bring that up now?

"I did... Why?"

The blond stared up at the raven, purple orbs holding something stronger than pain and more agonizing than sorrow. It was something Jungkook had never seen displayed on the Spirit's face. On Taehyung's face. It almost physically hurt to see him like that. Why did he look like that?

"He is not the only one who was made into the villain, Jungkook-ssi... You should have done your research before going after me- No... I should have known better."

The strained smile on his lips made Jungkook's inside's churn. What is he trying to say? Going after him? They aren't going after him, they're trying to stop them from fighting. Does he not understand? Or is there something else they're missing?

"I do not regret what I'm about to do." He rose his head, staring up ahead, voice coming out stronger and darker than before as he declared, "You want to treat me like the bad guy? Then fine, I'll be the bad guy."

"W-What? Hold on... Taehyung? H-Hey!"

The blond marched forward, pushing Jungkook aside, ignoring his questions. The only person in his sights was the woman with snow-white hair. The closer he got, the quicker his pace became until he was sprinting towards the waiting girl, grinning when he saw her start to run at him as well. He'll show the Goddess how much stronger he is compared to her, once and for all. He'll fulfill the role he was given.

His restraints are gone.

"No, wait! Stop it!!" Jin's desperate cry echoed in the room, and it was almost like instinct. Namjoon had placed string in the open space between both supernaturals, leaving no room for movement between them. Jimin had bound their bodies as best as he could, shadows covering their limbs. Yoongi already had his hand in his quiver. Hoseok's lightning was used to hinder their vision and prevent further movement, crackling along the red strings. Jungkook froze the ground again, working to freeze their bodies in place. They thought it would work but... They were useless.

"I told you before!"

Jimin's binds were shattered, the ice climbing up his legs was melted and the strings blocking his path were shredded.

"You humans are no match for me, much less that sorry excuse of a Goddess."

"N-No way... Are they that strong or are we just weak?" Jimin murmured, watching as his ropes disappeared.

"It might be both," admitted Namjoon, feeling his strings weaken after each cut. They shouldn't be able to cut through them, no one should. If they tried, they'd be instantly sliced by the micro blades. This is the first time it's happened. Not even the shocks from Hoseok's lighting are having an affect on them.

Yoongi grunted, tired of wasting his arrows, "What now? Jungkook and I can't get a clear hit on them!"

"It's no use, we're wasting our time!" Hoseok yelled, calling back his spear after attempting to hit one of the moving people.

They can't do anything if they can't hit the target. They watched apprehensively as the duo interchanged blow after blow. It was crazy. Their eyes weren't able to keep up with their movements, they could barely see them touch each other. The only indications of the fight are the loud collisions that shake the ground and the large gusts of wind that sweep their surroundings.

"This is nuts... We can't even see them."

"Forget about that, neither of them is coming to a stop, their endurance is something else."

"Yeah, and they're destroying the arena, how are we going to deal with this!?"

"We have to wait for an opening, there has to be a way to stop them both."

"It might be too late by the time we get a shot, let's try not to let them strike the seats, Jin-Hyung is still up there... This is all mess."

Both Taehyung and Khione had scratches and visible blood splotches on their clothing, but the rate at which their wounds healed was abnormal. Khione had only ever fought with the Spirit once before, but it was nothing like this. He had gained more power over the years; it was startling, and it wasn't good news either. He wasn't supposed to be able to grow his cultivation here. The energy is scarce, almost non-existent! That was the whole reason she sent him here, but somehow, he managed to exceed her expectations. She was giving it her all and still, the blond was overpowering her despite her cultivation level.

"Have you gone mad!? If you keep this up, you'll put everyone else in danger!"

The blond's smirk never wavered, eyes glowing with satisfaction, "You think I care? I already told you, I am not the one feigning kindness!!"

The halberd flew across the open space, barely missing Khione's ear. She hissed at the sting from the burn, sending a blizzard his way only to have it pushed back by air. Taehyung rushed at the staggering woman, fist coming in contact with her arms as she tried to deflect the blow, only resulting in her body being thrown to the other side of the arena with a painful thump!

"Hey now, don't start lagging on me, little Goddess! What happened to me not having any power over you? Hah?"

"You shouldn't be able... to wield.. all those elements," grunted the woman, letting her hands grab the leg that tried to kick her side, dropping her body temperature as much as she could, watching the skin begin to burn and freeze over. Khione stared at him with worry, "You're letting it get to you... You promised not to do it! You know what that gift can do!"

The blond hissed, trying to rip her hands off his numb leg, but he only ended up losing his balance. Khione took this as a chance to restrict the blond, sitting on top of him and starting to numb and freeze his body as quickly as she could. Her hands turned a frosty blue and her breath came out in clouds. She ignored the painful thrumming near her abdomen, pushing every ounce of her spiritual powers into her hands, but she wasn't quick enough.

"You think you can speak of promises?" He scoffed, all but growling, "Get off!!"

A large smack sent her rolling backward, her forehead aching. Taehyung had smacked his forehead against her own. If he felt a sting, he didn't show it and instead sneered at the woman cradling her head on the ground. Her prim and proper clothes now stained along with her pure skin and blinding hair. No one would ever think she was a holy being in this state.

"That's a childish move- UGH!" Khione landed on the dirt floor again, body skidding across the floor for a bit as she coughed. Being pushed off by dirt isn't pleasant, she's sure some managed to be inhaled in to her lungs.

"Curses... That was uncalled for... You... Are you thinking straight? You're letting yourself get carried away!"

The blond snapped his gloved hand, being transported over to where the girl had landed. He didn't hesitate in grabbing her by the throat, picking her up as he cackled in delight, "Me? Carried away? No, I'm simply proving to you that I am more than you think. Be it a Goddess, a Deputy, a Ghost, a Spirit; regardless of your status, I still have the upper hand. This is not how you imagined it, is it, my dear Khione?"

His grip around her neck tightened, choking her. She wheezed and glared at him. Some oxygen was still being let in, but the blond knew how to tease because the second she'd breath in, his grip would tighten only for him to loosen it again. Khione spits on his face, trying to create some frostbite on his hands, but her strength was diminishing. She has to call it off. Forget her pride, her status won't change after this and she can't let him turn and harm the others.

"L-Let.. go. Fine... I surrender... Ngh!"

"Eh~? Well, that means you refuse to fight back, right?"

Khione's eyes widened, slight panic filling her body as she saw those glowing purple orbs staring right at her blue ones. She knows she can't die, but that doesn't mean she can't feel pain or grow tired. If this goes on, she'll be completely at his mercy.

"W-What?"

He let go of her throat, proceeding to kick her once more as she doubled over. He didn't need his powers anymore, all he had to do was kick her down over and over again until she understood that there was no point in standing up again. Khione coughed, whimpering, but not giving in. She covered her face and her head, attempting to try and push the blond back. Frostbite did nothing, her blizzards were blown away or melted, her snow was just a small ball now and her ice shattered before it manifested properly. The blond had lifted his leg once more, ready to slam it down on Khione's upper chest when an arrow lodged itself in his thigh, making him hiss as it burned with a glowing green liquid.

"Hey, that's enough!"

He diverted his attention to the group of people standing behind him, specifically Yoongi, who already had another arrow prepared.

"You've done enough damage already, give Taehyung his body back. You're taking things too far, this grudge of yours should be settled when you have your own body back. Regardless of how much you hate her, you should be able to tell when it's enough. She can't fight back anymore, that's the end!"

"Haha... Hahaha! You think I'm satisfied? Tell me, if you were face to face with your brother's killer, would you take your own advice? Would you stop the fight the second the culprit is no longer able to fight back?"

Yoongi's face scrunched up, legs stepping forward ever so slightly, "What? I wouldn't let them get away alive, but that's nothing like this! Don't compare my brother's death to what you're doing now! Let Taehyung come back. If you keep disobeying, your collar won't let you leave alive."

The blond approached them, a glowering grin adorning his darkened face, "My collar you say?"

There was the sound of cracking as the blond's fingers traced around the collar at his neck, the grin growing as he said, "This measly thing is nothing but an accessory."

It crumbled, pieces raining down like dust.

"I was given permission to borrow his body and there is no way I'm giving it back when I still have business to attend to. You won't believe me, but this situation is exactly as the one I posed earlier. Don't get in my way."

"That wasn't the deal, you told Jin you wouldn't cause problems!" Yoongi yelled.

"SHUT UP!!" He rose his head, glaring at them all, loving the way they tensed. He chuckled, covering his lips, "If I knew it felt this good to unwind, I would have done it ages ago. Ah~ What should I do next? Maybe I should fight one of you? Or should I finish your friendly Goddess off first, hm?"

Taehyung smirked broadly as he licked his lips in mock hunger, high on the adrenaline and growing killing intent. He wanted to finish Khione off so badly. He wanted to crush her neck, to see her writhing body fall limp under him... But they interrupted him. He didn't like that. They had no right to get into his business. They know nothing.

"Hey~ Can I paint the arena red? Blue and grey is too boring."

The six males shared looks of horror at the blond's unsettling words and terrifying gaze. Their bodies went stiff at the implication of his fake question. This was different from when they faced the Hatter. This Spirit is of a completely different caliber.

"W-What're you saying?" Stuttered Jimin, grip on his whips tightening. The blond's gaze shifted to him, making him jump and look away. It made the deranged boy laugh and hum.

"Leave him alone... Don't touch Jimin."

His gaze turned to Yoongi once again before turning over to Hoseok who instantly took cover behind Namjoon. Something clicked as he stared at them all. The blond sputtered, grabbing at his stomach before sighing in delight, "You..." He glared, pointing an accusing finger at all of them, "You're all scared of me, aren't you?"

"We aren't."

The blond frowned, turning to the scythe holder. He shook his head, wiggling a finger as he said, "Liar. I can hear them. All of them. Especially yours and," he looked over at the man descending the stairs of the arena's seats, "His."

Jin rushed up to the others, feeling the dense aura surrounding the blond. It made him feel sick, but he tried approaching him either way. Everyone watched, worried at what could possibly go wrong, but the blond remained unmoving, eyes trained on the approaching doctor. Jin came to a stop in front of the blond, eyes searching the neon orbs.

"Please, stop this already... Bring Taehyung back... This isn't right, you know that!" Jin cried, feeling at a loss for what to do as he reached for the boy's hand. He held it in his own, squeezing it as he pleaded with the Spirit, but it was all in vain. Taehyung took his hand back, placing it over his hair as he messed it up with a groan. He was getting bored again. Then he smiled to himself because, what if he humors them a bit?

Growing tired of their pleading, the blond tilted his head, face now blank as he stepped closer to them, bringing Khione forward, grip now on her hair.

"Taehyung, baby, stop this... Please, I know you're somewhere in there, I know you don't want to hurt her, stop this please, I'm begging you! Give me back my son!"

That was his cue. With a hidden smirk, the blond lowered his head, free hand slightly twitching at his side. It wasn't visible to them until his head was thrown back but the boy's eyes began to change color, he almost returned to his senses, small mumbles leaving his lips, "J-Jin... Hyu..ng.."

"Taehyung! Come on, come back to us baby," Jin urged, begged, watching the way his small, little boy struggled to gain control.

"Hyung... He-Help.. me..."

"Goldie, hang in there alright? Just hold on a while longer!"

They were all desperate. Glad that their desired person was starting to come back, but that was the point. That was the plan. Give them false hope and crush it all. He'll let them enjoy this small sliver of hope a while longer. He'll put on a show they won't forget.

His eyes switched from honey to violet, back and forth, hand twitching, moving as it tried to peal the other one off of the Goddess' head, genuine tears escaping both eyes. Groans and whimpers escaped his lips. His honey eyes looked at all of his friends, blood gathering at the lip he had bitten. He was genuinely fighting it. He was there but then, Taehyung suddenly stopped moving.

Why?

"Tae-Taehyung?"

"No way..."

The only response received after silence was an unsettling giggle as the blond leaned forward, violet orbs glowing maliciously from under his bangs. The giggle morphed into a cackle as his head was thrown back, coming back down as a hand washed over his face in attempts to hide its growing smirk.

"I'm sorry, but Taehyung can't come out right now... Haha.. He can't come out!"

A sudden wave of worry and fury washed over everyone, especially Jungkook and Jin who immediately questioned what the Spirit meant by those words. Had he harmed Taehyung? Was it all a trick? Was it him all along?

All they received was a humorous laugh that began to resemble the Mad Hatters crazy cackle as his pupils constricted and stared at the six mortified men. Their faces turned ashen, almost white, at the younger's response. They watched as his grip tightened and Khione struggled to touch the ground, her hands trying to unlatch Taehyung's hands from her hair, trying to freeze them, numb them, but nothing worked. His maniac laughter filled their ears, his moans of satisfaction flooded the room, giving them goosebumps. Their hands became clammy as they felt rooted to the ground.

Something... We have to do something! Anything!

"Taehyung can't come out~ Hahaha! He can't come out; I'm in control! The body is mine... You thought he was gonna come back?! Ah~ This is great, great, super great... I'll kill her; I'll finally kill her, and I'll kill all of you next!!"

The Spirit declared his intentions loud and clear. The thought that he had intentionally let Taehyung breakthrough just so he could push him back again was unthinkable. All of this was unthinkable.

"Damn it, I knew this was a horrible idea! You better hope my boy is unharmed and well or I'll find a way to get rid of you myself!" Jin yelled, holding back his tears. "Jimin, Namjoon. Bind him now before he moves again!"

"H-Huh? Oh, right!" Jimin, still as pale as everyone else and limbs almost as limp as jelly, willed the shadows to move, slithering up and around the blond's limbs.

"Okay," responded Namjoon, albeit a bit hesitant, hand sending his strings out with a flick of his wrist. Jin stepped forward and rose his arm, flinching when he felt someone hold it. He turned to find Namjoon; worried eyes trained on his.

"What are you planning to do?"

"Namjoon, let go of my arm."

"Not until you tell me what you're planning. Out of everyone here, you're in more danger because of your lack of power," he whispered out.

Jin sighed, softening his gaze as he placed his hand over Namjoon's, removing it himself, "Trust me. I'm not as weak as I look. There are things I can do and making him stop is one of them so please... Let me go."

He was unwilling but reluctantly stepped back, watching Jin move forward again. The brunette apologized under his breath and with a simple flick of his wrist, whatever he was holding in his hand implanted itself between the blond's eyebrows in the midst of his struggling confusion. They watched as his body slowly fell limp and Khione was left on her knees. Her cries died down as she passed out, her body realizing she was no longer in danger.

Silence once again reigned over them.

Chapter Text

Jin whipped out his cell phone and called his team of workers from the ward to come pick up both the blond and injured woman. He was fuming with anger at the way things had escalated and the fact that a team of trained soldiers were frozen in fear and panic despite having been in previous more life-threatening situations was enough to summarize how troubling this event was.

"Get her treated, place her in a VIP room in the hospital. Take him to the ward. I expect him in one of the cells by this morning, take him to his old one if it makes you feel better. I want him chained, treated, and on sedatives when he shows signs of waking. No visitors allowed and I want no other doctors or nurses to monitor him unless I'm consulted beforehand. I am his guardian and personal doctor, if I find out that he was tampered with, I'll personally make your lives a living hell. Leave."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Wait, Jin-Hyung, you're seriously not gonna let us visit?"

"And you're gonna put him in his old room? What if he gets scared again?"

"Jin, you know he doesn't do well on his own."

Everyone was trying to reason with the older, trying to make him drop at least the no visitor rule but Jin remained stubborn. He's given in to their requests one too many times and they've been nothing but trouble. This is going to be his turf, so they're going to abide by his rules whether they like it or not.

"My words are final. All of you thought this was a good idea and look at what happened when I decided to trust you guys and that damned girl!"

Everyone looked away at his words, feeling distressed and guilty; especially Jungkook. The young man hasn't stopped trembling since the earlier happenings. Nearly witnessing the young blond killing someone and enjoying it was something he never thought he'd see, but he needs to remember that that person wasn't Taehyung. It wasn't his Taehyung, his Goldilocks.

It was the Spirit. Someone he didn't know.

A young girl with short, black hair covered by a bucket hat and a blinding smile ran up to them, grabbing everyone's attention as she saluted, "Sir Jin! We've finished transporting them to the ward and hospital. Khione-ssi has been placed in a hospital room under Doctor Hyung-Won while Taehyung-ssi was placed in cell ninety-five again. Beom-ssi is working on the sedatives and restraints."

Jin managed to give her a small smile, thanking her for the update, "Thank you Rebbeca, can you keep an eye on Taehyung for me? He trusts you more than anyone else. Let me know when he wakes up, alright?"

The girl, now known as Rebbeca, nodded, her smile never fading as she dug her hands into her overalls, "You can count on me Sir Jin, but can you please just call me Becky? It's a lot easier to say and it's shorter too, you know?"

Jin smiled, nodding and patting her on the back as a signal for her to get going.

"Jin-Hyung, who was that? I've never seen her before."

He turned to look at the chestnut-haired man, eyebrows furrowing at his sudden curiosity. "Her name's Rebbeca, she's part of my medical team. You probably haven't seen her around because you hardly ever visit the ward and hospital. She's the supernatural that treated Jimin, Yoongi, and Taehyung. Why?"

Hoseok blushed slightly, covering it up with his hand, "N-No reason, I was just curious that's all."

Jin and everyone else looked at him with doubtful eyes, only making him grow a brighter shade of red. Yoongi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "You like her, don't you?"

"W-What? No~ We just met- Actually, we don't even know each other so that's not possible. Nu-uh, impossible!" He emphasized his words by making an 'X' with his arms, but everyone could tell that Hoseok was interested in the short-haired girl. While Yoongi, Jimin, and Namjoon were busy interrogating Hoseok, Jungkook took this opportunity to talk to Jin.

"Jin-Hyung?"

Said male turned to look at the young man, gaze hardening almost instantly, "What do you want Jungkook?"

"I-I'm sorry about Taehyung," he bowed deeply, almost ready to kowtow, "I take full responsibility, please don't take your anger out on the others! It was all my fault and I'll accept any punishment! If you have to or want to, then I'll let you take care of him from now on. He can stay with you, move in with you, but please, let him continue working as my partner. I... I can stay away if that's what you want, I won't refuse any of your orders!"

"... Jungkook."

Jin was taken aback, not realizing just how serious the younger was when he said he'd take on the responsibility for the blond's actions. It wasn't his intention to make him feel like this. It wasn't his intention to make any of them feel guilty. Jin placed his hands on Jungkook's shoulders and made him stand straight, he couldn't help but let one small tear escape his eye.

Jin smiled remorsefully, cupping the side of Jungkook's face, "I know. I know you're sorry, and I know you're probably blaming yourself but trust me when I say that this isn't your fault. It's no one's fault and no matter how badly we want to point fingers, we shouldn't. I was wrong for lashing out at you guys. I won't make you do anything like that; I can't rip you away from him like that. You've been through enough. Right now, I just hope that when he wakes up, it isn't the Spirit who's in control."

Jungkook nodded meekly, leaning his head onto Jin's chest as he tried to calm down and relax even if it was for a few seconds. This side of Jungkook was still new to everyone, but Jin didn't let them question what he was doing and simply asked them to help clean up. Jungkook stayed in the man's arms for the remainder of their time inside the dome and avoided the questioning gazes that followed his back when he left. No one brought up Taehyung or Khione for the time being, but everyone was thinking about both of them. Everyone had the same feelings of guilt and worry, but they did a good job of hiding them from others.

Jimin immediately started crying the second they walked into their apartment and Yoongi had to hold him close and try to calm him down while silent tears trailed down his own cheeks.

Hoseok and Namjoon sat on their living room sofa, silent as they, for the first time in their lives, prayed to the Gods that everything would turn out alright.

Seok-Jin fell apart as soon as he saw Taehyung in chains and shackles while connected to machines, cloth wrapped around his small wounds as he lay still on the bed.

Jungkook. Jungkook didn't want to step foot inside his house. He was scared, afraid, terrified. If he walked through the door, he'd be welcomed by nothing. The only thing he'd see is darkness and the only thing he'd hear is silence because... because his Goldilocks wasn't there.

The following two days consisted of a simple routine for the five workers and the Doctor. They'd sleep, wake up, eat if they felt hungry, go to work, visit the hospital, then the ward, and then go home to sleep again after dinner. Khione had woken up the night she was brought into the hospital. If it weren't for her natural healing abilities, she would have stayed interned for at least a week but in a few more days she'd be free to go. Taehyung, on the other hand, hasn't moved since that day. The bandages covering his body have been lessened, soon they won't be needed anymore. He's stable. Rebbeca has been keeping an eye on him for Jin, but there's no telling when he'd wake up or who he'd wake up as. Jin has upheld the no visitor rule, much to his friends' dislike, so the only way the others are able to see the poor blond is through surveillance cameras, which is what they're doing right now.

All six men are gathered around the TV screen portraying the young boy in different angles and different proximities. Some are gnawing at their nails while others are smiling softly at how peaceful he looks in contrast to the heavy chains and machinery.

"Has there really been no movement or signs of him waking up?" A groggy voice spoke up, coming from the young, messy-haired man sitting on one of Jin's office chairs.

Jin shook his head, eyes as soft as the clouds as he gazed into the boy's glossy, irritated and smokey eyes, "Becky has been keeping a close eye on him, but the reports are always the same. There isn't anything I can do, I'm sorry."

Jungkook dropped his gaze, slowly shaking his head as he muttered a small, "It's okay."

In all honesty, out of everyone in the group, Jungkook is most desperate to see the young boy in person. Even if he is separated by an invisible wall, he wants to be as close to the sleeping boy as possible because regardless of what the others might say, he blames himself for Taehyung's current state. If he hadn't gone along with the Spirit's outburst and argument, if he had tried to calm him down and settle things instead of insulting him and being insensitive, if he hadn't brought up the idea of him staying in control then maybe, just maybe, Taehyung wouldn't be chained up and back in his cell.

"H-Hey, guys? I think he moved."

The attention in the room shifted to the silver-haired man staring intently at one of the windows on the screen. Jin scurried over to where Jimin was and practically bore a hole into the TV as everyone held their breaths and paid close attention to Taehyung. No one dared to move and that was when they all caught a glimpse of it.

Taehyung's fingers twitched.

"He moved?! Jin-Hyung he moved; Taehyung moved!" Yelled Hoseok, shaking the doctor by his shoulders while Namjoon tried pulling him off.

Jin heaved a breath, hands covering his face as he began to move to the phone on his desk, "Becky! Cell ninety-five, Taehyung's showing signs of waking. Start the sedatives at a light dose and increase, if need be. I'll meet you there as quickly as possible."

He slammed the phone down after hearing the girl's response and glanced at his hopeful friends. Moving towards the door, he looked back at everyone, a pointed look on his face, "Wait here. If any of you go down there, I swear I'll use you as test subjects for my new drugs."

All five of the soldiers nodded rapidly, taking a seat in any open space and sighing in relief when they were finally alone. Jin practically sprinted to the younger's cell, arriving out of breath. Putting the pin in the lock, the wall opened, closing right after as he wasted no time in assisting Becky with the sedative. Taehyung's pulse was stable along with his other vitals, his temperature rose a bit but it's not high enough to be considered a fever.

"Was there any other movement aside from his hands?"

"No Sir, but his eyes were moving a few minutes ago. It seemed like he was trying to open them," replied the assistant as she placed the bag of liquid back on its stand.

"He must be regaining his senses then; we should keep a close eye on him."

"Yes, Sir."

They remained quiet as they finished their tasks. Jin moved up to the still boy, forcing his eyes open while shining a light on them momentarily, observing the way they dilated. He pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed, holding one of Taehyung's hands with both of his.

"Taehyung-ah?" He called out, carefully observing the boy. "Taehyung-ah, we're all waiting for you so hurry and wake up, okay? Everyone's worried about you. Jungkook hasn't been able to sleep, and he looks horrible," he laughed quietly, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the youngers warm hand.

"You know, Minnie and Yoongs have been planning an outing for us, but we need you to wake up in order to follow through with it. Seok and Joon bought you presents too, they said they want to play with you again," Jin continued talking to the younger, soft smiles and small chuckles escaping his lips. Becky stood to the side, feeling bad for the doctor, but smiling at the way he interacted with the cute little boy. She's been part of Jin's medical team for about five years now and she's been previously introduced to the boy on the cell bed. Both men were very nice and welcoming and the only reason she's able to speak the language properly is because of them.

"Becky's here too, she's helping me take care of you. You remember her, don't you?"

Becky walked up to the bed, leaning in close to the boy as her finger moved a piece of hair, "Hey there Taehyung-ssi... You've been napping for too long Señorito."

Jin chuckled at her words as he continued talking to the younger, wanting him to react one way or another, but it seemed to all be in vain. He brought the younger's hand up to his lips, leaving a light kiss on it. He eyed the small box on the stand next to the bed, thinking of the time Jungkook had sung in order to calm the blond down. Jin stood, walked over to the glossy box, and turned the handle. The cranking was soft, and when it no longer moved back, he let it go. The melody flooded the room, gentle yet sad. Jin could almost hear Jungkook singing it, though the words fade closer to the end. He's sure Jungkook never finished it and he wondered if Taehyung remembered this song. If he remembered who sang it. If he remembered anything related to the song at all.

Becky watched the clouded expression that covered her senior's being. She felt bad for the man. She was aware that he had raised Taehyung after the event that occurred, she had only recently been assigned to his team, so the information was given to her by those around her. No one was keen on helping him keep the little boy alive and well, but she was. She had nothing against the boy, so why shouldn't she help? Being ostracized because he wasn't like everyone else didn't make sense to her. She wasn't like everyone else, but no one ostracized her when she had arrived. Why do it to a boy who needs human interaction so survive?

Turning to the blond, her soft smile dimmed as she narrowed her eyes. She saw movement come from behind the boy's eyelids. Becky began to slowly move forward, not wanting to disturb her senior and once she reached the head of the bed, she forgot about not wanting to bother him completely.

"Jin? Jin. Jin! Sir Jin, he's awake!?"

Jin jumped at the sudden loud ruckus. He registered what the young girl had said, leaped onto his feet again and ran to the other side of the bed, analyzing the boy's contorting face. He laughed in surprise when he saw Taehyung open and squint his honey-colored eyes, letting them adjust to the bright lights overhead. His hands and arms twitched as he attempted to regain movement in his joints and muscles. Becky moved quickly, removing the restraints as Taehyung eventually managed to reach out towards Jin. His breath fogged the breathing mask as his ears registered the beeping of the heart monitor. When his eyes focused, he let his hand lightly touch Jin's cheek as a small smile adorned his lips, "J-Jin... Hyung... 'm so..rry.."

Seok-Jin shook his head, putting his hand over Taehyung's, "Shh, baby, it's not your fault. You're okay and Khione's okay, we're all okay."

"Tir..ed... sleep... p-plea..se?"

Jin nodded, patting the boy's head as he asked Becky to stop the sedatives for now since the Spirit didn't make an appearance. Once Taehyung had fallen asleep, he excused himself and walked back to his office, wanting to tell everyone the good news. He pushed open his door, nearly jumping out of his skin when he was met with five sleeping males and some loud snores.

"Oh god, calm down my heart," he whispered to himself, rubbing at his chest as he took deep breaths. When he finally confirmed that he wasn't going to die, he quietly closed the door and went to the back of his studio-like office, looking for the extra blankets and pillows he had to buy because of his visitors.

One by one he started covering up the guys and putting pillows under their heads. When he was done, he nodded his head and placed his hands on his hips, going over to his bed where he then stripped of his work clothes and slipped into some pajamas he found lying around. Usually, he'd end up sleeping in his coat and work clothes but he needed to feel comfortable tonight so he laid down, wrapping himself in a blanket and with one last look at the camera footage of Taehyung's cell, he let himself succumb to sleep.

Chapter Text

Jungkook was startled awake by nightmares again, but this time they didn't only consist of his deceased mother. No, Taehyung was also a part of them. Those glowing, violet eyes crazed with murder were engraved in his memory and somewhere along the way, it was Taehyung that was trying to choke him, not his mother. It was only once he was calm enough to understand that he was just dreaming that Jungkook realized he wasn't home. His eyes fell on the screen of windows displaying the sleeping blond he had dreamed about. He was in Jin's office. His heart clenched and he looked away.

Jungkook roamed around the room, jumping every so often when a snore would come out of nowhere. He avoided the other sleeping bodies as he scanned the room, a stack of rusty old books and papers in the corner of the desk catching his attention. They seemed to be as old as Khione, no offense. The handwriting was barely legible, and the pages were all torn and stained the color brown.

What are they?

He carefully held one, squinting his eyes, thinking it would help him when really it did nothing. Huffing, he put it back down only to find a small magnifying glass hidden under the other pages. Taking it into his left hand, he brought it near the page, reading what he could and noticing a pattern. These all started with the same letter. Why?

"Didn't anyone teach you that it's wrong to snoop around?"

Jungkook jumped, dropping everything in his hands as he turned to look at who had spoken. The owner of the office, and probably these papers, stood on the other side of the desk, arms crossed as he stared disapprovingly at the blue-haired boy.

"Jin-Hyung, don't sneak up on people like that! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snoop I just... Got curious," Jungkook justified nervously, picking up the object he had dropped as Jin made his way around the corner, picking up the papers and walking away with them. Jungkook followed behind him, wanting to know what those documents were and why he had them.

Jin stopped, turning to look at the boy trailing behind him like a puppy, "What did you read?"

"I don't know what it was, but all the words started with V, why? What are they? Why do you have all those things and why don't you want me to read them?"

Jin massaged his forehead, knowing it'd be futile to wave the younger off, so he came clear, "They're names and words, lists of ancient gods and demons, records of past incidents regarding supernatural beings, legends, tall tales, fairytales, anything related to supernatural things that I was able to get my hands on."

"What do you need them for? I mean, humans have been co-existing with them for centuries now, why research them?" Jungkook leaned forward, any further and he'd topple over the small dining table.

"Because," stressed the older, gnawing on his lips, "I'm trying to find out more about Taehyung's other side. The day that other Spirit showed up and you were put under the influence of its spiritual weapon, Hoseok and Namjoon worked with Taehyung in order to defeat it. When they began their fight, the Spirit referred to Taehyung as the 'Fallen One' and before they killed it, he was about to speak the Spirit's name but Taehyung killed him."

Mad Hatter knew his name? I could've known his name!?

Jungkook scolded himself for being such a hot-headed person that day. If he would've listened to Jimin then he could've forced the Spirit to tell him Taehyung's Spirit's name.

"Hyung, did they hear anything about his name? He spoke it, right? Even if he was killed, he was able to say something, right?"

Jin nodded, "He did, but only the first two letters. Hoseok said the only thing they heard was Vi, that's it. Taehyung's Spirit refused to acknowledge his name, he's a mystery to us, and the only person who can tell us the answer to this mystery is Khione."

"But she swore not to reveal any of his information to us and not only that, their relationship is far more than just rocky, they nearly killed each other!" Whisper shouted the younger, pulling on the tips of his hair as Jin agreed, falling back on his chair. Both stayed quiet for the following minutes. They were deep in thought, both failing to realize the staggering figures approaching until a groggy voice startled them.

"Are you guys trying to shoot lasers out of your eyeballs or something?"

"Oh my God!!"

"Holy shit!!"

"What, I scared you? Sorry, I'm not sorry," Yoongi plopped down on an empty seat, not bothered by the glares and baffled looks on either of the men's faces.

"It's too early to be arguing guys," whined Hoseok as he struggled to find the table due to his squinted eyes, traces of sleep still evident but luckily, Jimin was there to guide him. The only one missing was Namjoon who soon appeared from the bathroom.

"So, what are we gonna do? Staring at the table isn't my idea of fun or entertaining."

"Jin-Hyung has been trying to find out more about Taehyung's Spirit, apparently his name starts with V and for some reason, people are after his head," blurted Jungkook, ignoring Jin's head shakes as he let the others know about what was going on.

"Hyung, you should've said something! We could've helped you," murmured Jimin as he took Jin's hand into his own.

The older gave a sorry smile, as he ran a hand through his hair, "I know, but you guys have your own workloads and I didn't want to add more stress. The research hasn't been much help anyway, I haven't figured out anything and we hardly have stuff on Spirits, especially on one that has more than one weapon. The name is what I definitely can't figure out though. We can only guess what his name could be since we have no way of verifying it."

"What about Khione or even Taehyung? Can't they figure it out and tell us?"

Jungkook and Jin shook their heads at Hoseok's proposition, repeating what they had said earlier. Taehyung doesn't know the Spirit's name despite having asked numerous times, he always received the same answer as everyone else: He has no name. Khione, she knows. She most definitely knows, but she's sworn to secrecy and refuses to tell anyone so there's no use in asking her. The only way to find out is to probably force it out of the Spirit or find someone else who knows and force it out of them.

Why is life so hard?

"For now, we should keep our heads up."

Everyone rose their heads, looking over at the peach-haired man at the far end of the table.

"There's no point in beating ourselves up, all we can do is use all the resources we have and be patient. If it's meant to be then it'll happen, with us as a team there's no way we can be brought down so easily, right?"

Some chuckled and others shook their heads. Namjoon could say some oddly powerful stuff sometimes, there's definitely a reason why he received the demon owl as his weapon.

"I never pegged you as the wise one Namjoon, but I can't really deny your words," mused Yoongi, leaning back on his chair.

Hoseok nodded, giving Namjoon a thumbs-up, "You sounded so cool when you said that, definitely a ten-ten mini-speech."

"Compliments aside, we should get going, we still have stuff to take care of."

At the mention of work, everyone groaned, making Jimin roll his eyes. They contemplated whether or not they should call in sick but then that'd be way too suspicious so they opted for actually showing up at the office. The one who was still reluctant in leaving was Jungkook. He had spent a few extra minutes watching the live feed from Taehyung's cell, carefully observing the way he was being taken care of. The girl Jin had introduced to them last time was taking care of him and if he recalled correctly, she was someone Taehyung liked a lot.

"Wait a while longer and you'll be able to see him again."

He didn't turn around. He didn't want to. Jungkook already knew it was only him and Jin in the room. His fingers grazed the screen, focusing on the window displaying the blond's side profile.

"The others didn't ask about him. They were probably scared of knowing what had happened, but I want to know... What happened yesterday? Was it him?"

Jin took a seat at his desk, adjacent to the TV, "It was Taehyung."

"I see," he sighed, "that's good."

"Did you have nightmares again?"

Jungkook turned his head, smiling wryly, "You can tell?"

Jin nodded, "Perceptiveness is one of my strong points, I told you that being observant can be helpful."

Jungkook chuckled, "Yeah, well, I can barely find the right pressure points to use during fights, I don't think being patient and observant will be any better."

"You'll get it eventually, don't be too hard on yourself," soothed the Doctor. "By the way, Becky said he'd be better in a few days, visitors should be allowed soon."

"Hmm... What is she anyway?"

Jin clicked a pen against the desk, legs crossed, "What'd you mean?"

Jungkook looked over at the brunette, "Becky, what type of abnormal is she?"

"Ah, that," he kept quiet, twirling the pen. "She's an elf."

"She is?!" Jungkook asked, looking back at the footage, eyeing the video carefully before pointing out a few things, "But she looks normal. I mean, aren't elves supposed to have pointy ears, long hair, be super tall, and all that? She looks like a normal human! No, wait, I thought they were close to being extinct, how is that possible?"

Jin rose a brow, unamused, "That's a stereotype, Jungkook, not every elf looks the same. For starters, Becky's a foreigner, she cut her hair shortly after arriving in South Korea because it got in the way during procedures and her ears are pointy, you just haven't seen them. Also, being an endangered species doesn't mean they're all gone; it just means there's less of them and they're harder to find."

"Now I'm curious," mumbled the man, eliciting a chuckle from Jin. He semi-glared at the doctor, "Don't laugh, it's not funny."

"I know, I know, you'll meet her properly at a later time so don't be so discouraged. You should get going, you've got work and Jimin won't hesitate to file a report on you being lazy and what-not."

Jungkook sighed, knowing he really had to leave this time. He glanced at the TV again for the last time, smiling softly at the sight of the sleeping blond. Jin hurried him out, caring gaze never leaving his disappearing figure. The man was starting to change. He's glad that Jungkook can be less guarded around him, he wishes he could be like that with the rest too, but he knows it takes time. All he can do is support him and wait.

It was just as Jin had said, Taehyung was allowed visitors only a few days later, making everyone feel relieved and happy. Luckily, Kalon wasn't made aware of what happened in the training room and Jimin had written up a fake report. Well, it wasn't completely fake, only the part where Taehyung nearly killed Khione was altered. Aside from that, Jin explained that the younger was doing well, but there'd be times where he'd have an internal battle with his other side. He has been able to stay in control majority of the times, oftentimes sleeping right after because of the exhaustion. It seems like the Spirit is still livid about the whole situation and because of that, everyone agreed on keeping Taehyung and Khione away from each other for a while longer.

Hoseok and Namjoon volunteered to house the Goddess in the meantime while Jungkook spent his free time visiting the younger, sometimes being accompanied by some of the others. They've run into Becky a few times, introducing themselves properly and having small conversations every once in a while, Hoseok especially tried to talk to the young girl.

This afternoon, Jungkook had come in for his usual visit, not bothering to inform the receptionist because everyone already knew him from how often he dropped by. Jin was nice enough to tell him what the pin to the lock was and so, he didn't need assistance when it came to entering the cell room. He leisurely walked up to the bed, not missing the tufts of gold hair sticking out from the blanket draped over the visible body on the mattress. The man shook his head, pulling lightly on one of the strands of hair, hearing a whine.

"Ow... Hurt."

"Is this any way to welcome your guest, hm?"

The blanket was pulled down as Taehyung sprung up, bringing a hand up to massage his scalp. He glared at his Hyung, glancing at his eyes only to look away immediately after.

"I'm so-sorry."

The blue-haired man shook his head, watching from his place against the wall directly in front of the bed, staring fondly at the eighteen-year-old boy. He must have been gazing at him for too long because soon enough, honey pearls met his own midnight skies, and time seemed to freeze. Jungkook felt his heart jump and run around in his chest while Taehyung felt a wave of heat envelop him, tinting his cheeks a soft rose.

"Y-You're gonna burn ho-holes into m-me," whispered the younger, reluctantly looking away.

Jungkook laughed under his breath and walked up to the bed, sitting as close to the younger as possible. He couldn't help but brush his hand through the golden locks, a small yet solemn smile graced his lips as his eyes softened.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to stop him. I'm sorry that you were put in danger and I'm sorry that I wasn't responsible enough to stop myself from arguing with him... I'm sorry, Taehyung-ah."

"You don't ha-have to apologize all... all the time. I-It wasn't your faul- fault. I'm just... too weak to control my own body and mi-mind. I thought I had gotten better, I really did.. I did but, I- I haven't chan-changed at a-all."

His small hand reached out for Jungkook's own, softly placing it on the mattress as a stray tear disappeared into his blanket. The older didn't say anything. He couldn't and he didn't want to. He found the actions strange and new, but he didn't question it. He allowed the small boy to calm down, hearing a single sniffle as he rose his bowed head, a small, forced smile on his lips when he asked, "How- How's Khione-ssi? Is she al-alright?"

Jungkook couldn't help the chuckle that left him at the younger's words, "Will you ever worry about yourself? Khione's fine, she's at home right now and everyone else is still at work. She didn't want to come because she was afraid of what could go wrong if you were to see her so, in the meantime, you won't be able to meet each other."

"I-I see, that's good to know. It's sa-sad that I can-can't see her th-though," Taehyung rubbed at the small bandages placed around his forearm, a small chill starting to walk up his spine. Jungkook took notice of the boy's nervous fidgeting, staring at the bandages, "I thought your wounds were done healing, why do you still have bandages?"

The blond stopped messing around with his arm, sitting up a bit straighter than before as he struggled to come up with a good answer, "I... Um... It's because of a ha-habit.."

"A habit?"

"Y-Yeah, I tend to.. to scratch at my scar-scars so Jin-Hyung covers them u-up. Something like... like a nerv-nervous tick."

"Oh," the man trailed off, changing the subject. "So, what have you been up to?"

Taehyung tucked away a strand of hair, avoiding eye contact, "Stuff."

Jungkook quirked a brow, "What stuff?"

"Lear-Learning Spanish with B-Becky and play-playing with the music bo- ACHOO!?" A surprisingly loud sneeze escaped the boy's system, making Jungkook hide a smile. Taehyung blushed, hiding his face, "So-Sorry."

"Don't apologize, it's natural."

The blond looked down, feeling another shiver wash over his body, goosebumps littering his skin. He pulled the blanket closer to himself, covering his upper body as he leaned against the small headboard.

"You okay?"

"Yes, I-I'm fine."

I think...

Jungkook looked at the younger in hidden concern. He didn't want to be too obvious, but he's sure that idea had sunken a long time ago. If Taehyung wasn't comfortable enough to tell him he isn't feeling well, then that just tells Jungkook that he has to wait longer and try harder.

"I'm glad you liked the music box," he admitted, staring down at his hands. He's sure there's a tint on his face right now, and he doesn't want Taehyung to see it.

Taehyung glanced at the small box on his night stand and nodded slowly, still a bit cautious, "It's s-sad, but... I really like it."

"It's sad?"

"Mn... It hurts, but- but it's good. I.. I feel like I know it. I can't reme-remember where..." He muttered, voice disappearing as he felt a small itch in his throat.

Jungkook didn't notice the uncomfortableness that had bothered the young boy and only focused on his words. He said the song sounds sad. He said he likes it. He also said he can't remember where he heard it before and Jungkook didn't know how to feel about that.

"You don't remember where you heard it? At all? Nothing?" Jungkook fired question after question, slightly overwhelming the blond. He looked dizzy, disoriented and Jungkook started feeling bad.

Was he being too pushy?

"You don't have to answer, never mind."

Jungkook shifted his gaze back to the blond, seeing him burrow deeper into the blanket. He held back the smile that wanted to appear at the cute sight.

"You.. You know the song?"

Jungkook nodded.

"Sing it for me."

Oh?

"What was that?"

Taehyung huffed, knowing that Jungkook had heard him. He held on for a while before giving in to the older, "The s-song. Sing it.. for- for me..."

Jungkook smiled, "Okay."

Chapter Text

Jungkook winded the music box, following the tune he had grown up hearing while his mother thought he was sleeping, the words naturally slipping out. Involuntarily, his memories drifted to the figure sitting at the balcony door, peering up at the glowing moon and twinkling stars with longing. The glass door was parted, letting the night breeze wander inside even though all she was wearing was a light night dress. The shawl over her shoulder's danced with her black hair, porcelain skin glistening and dusted pink, almost the same shade as her moving lips. He wondered if she knew he was awake. If she could see him peeking at her from out of his worn-out blanket, large doe-eyes wide with awe. He wondered if she would have kept singing if she knew he was awake. If she would have sung for him when he'd ask her to.

"Remove my clothes, swallowing tears for a smile... Wait for you to dress for battle and meet great change with a roar... In the end, the past will always flow by, If I fly away maybe I can escape this sadness."

The blond stared at the blue-haired man, eyes glossy as the singing died and the music softly continued, escalating ever so slightly before mellowing out. He remembered where he heard that melody. It was that song that stopped him from hearing those voices even if only for a while.

"Twilight emerges, I see the setting sun in the horizon... The night is still young, the river of stars flows by alone... The sunny and cloudless sky, what a beautiful scenery. If you're not by my side, what does it matter even if I can ascend to heaven.. The boat passes the empty harbor, feeding the loneliness... In the wilderness, glistening teardrops fall like frost."

Jungkook's voice is what filtered in through the chaos like sweet honey into warm tea. His voice had a beautiful cadence and it magically filtered in emotions, transferring them over to the listener. Taehyung almost felt like crying. He could feel the squeeze in his chest and the way Jungkook looked while singing; Taehyung could swear that he was mirroring that same expression right now.

"Who shot down my sun? It was your appearance that took away all of my light... Embarking on a long journey is no match for hesitation, coping with exile is no match for desolation. I will slip into the ocean of my memories, searching for your face, only you are my heaven... You alone are my paradise."

Hearing it for a second time in its entirety made it even more clear to Taehyung that this song was, indeed, sad. It held longing, pain; something he's felt many times before. It gripped at his heart and poured into his veins. Even after Jungkook was done singing and the music box had finished accompanying him, Taehyung could still hear the song loud and clear.

"I like your voice," he found himself saying, gentle eyes trained on the man next to him.

Jungkook still felt wrapped up in the song and its memories, but he tried to throw out a response, even if it is nonsensical.

"I like your voice too, Goldie."

Unamused Taehyung rolled his eyes, surprising Jungkook a bit. He didn't know this version of Taehyung could roll his eyes in such a way.

"I-I can't sing so how.. how can you sa-say that?"

Jungkook hummed, fiddling with the blanket, "Well, you can hum, you can rant without a problem sometimes, you can speak smoother than before now, maybe singing isn't that far-fetched of a goal. It can help soothe your stutter, maybe. It's gotten better now that you've been talking more often and you manage to pace yourself well, just try."

Taehyung pondered over that idea.

Does he want to butcher a song? No.

Does he want to let Jungkook hear it once? Yes.

He wants to do what the older is asking but, he's scared of messing up. What if he sounds like an idiot? What if he stutters through the whole thing? But what if he doesn't? His eyes squeezed shut. The blond was having a mini-crisis over something so trivial it almost made Jungkook want to laugh. Maybe he was being too mean.

"Taehyung?"

"I.. I can try."

Jungkook smiled, feeling bad for feeling happy.

"B-But I won't gua-guarantee the quality! And- And I need mo-more time!"

"That's fine by me Goldie."

Taehyung sighed, mentally preparing himself. He's never done this before, but it shouldn't be too hard. Jungkook wasn't expecting the blond to agree to his request. Now that he did, he wonders how the boy is going to sing the song. He knew Taehyung's voice was on the deeper side. Even when he was shy, it never went too high, but maybe the notes were doable for him.

"Jung-Jungkook-ssi?"

"Hm?"

"You.. You have to gi-give me the words to the- to the song."

"Yeah, I will. I'll type them out and print them at work."

Taehyung smiled, "O-Okay! Um... Can- Can you te-tell me where you learn-learned the song? Why.. Why did you sing it for- for me? I-I... I.."

The young blond stopped. Not because he wanted to, but because he couldn't keep going. There was a grip on his throat. He felt the hands clasping around it, squeezing. His throat was closing up. A choked cough shook his body. A shiver scampered down his spine. He hugged himself, pulling the blanket higher up his body. Small beads of sweat decorated his forehead as he trembled.

Something isn't right.

When Jungkook heard the boy stop and cough, he quickly sat up from his relaxed position. His eyes looked the boy over from head to toe and he didn't fail to notice the sudden changes in the younger. He didn't like them. He had gone startlingly pale and despite the room being warm, he was shaking and his teeth nearly chattered. Jungkook began to feel some panic take root in his abdomen, words rushing out, "Taehyung, are you alright? What's wrong? What's going on? Do I need to call Jin? Or Becky?"

The blond shook his head, trying to feign ignorance, attempting to change the subject by talking about something that would catch Jungkook's attention, but he failed drastically as he fell into a coughing fit only to suddenly freeze as he felt his body pulse. He went momentarily numb, body tingling and breath halted. That wasn't a good sign. Regaining some feeling, he turned his wide eyes to Jungkook's worried face and pushed him away in a hurry, "P-Please, you nee-need to leave!"

A wave of pain shot through his body, making him flinch and grit his teeth, preventing him from moving or speaking any further. His body twitched against the bed, choked breaths and heaves escaping his lips. Jungkook didn't know what was going on and it scared him. He rose to his feet, quickly approaching the blond. The sight reminded him of when he had found Taehyung on their kitchen floor. He didn't want that again.

"Oh shit," whispered Jungkook when he saw the flicker of color in the blond's wide and shaking irises. The boy's hands twitched, approaching his neck and head. It didn't look right. Jungkook was right in assuming that because the next thing he knew Taehyung was inflicting damage to himself as his hand squeezed and clawed at his throat and pulled at his hair. Jungkook hopped on the bed and moved to straddle the younger, pushing his body flat onto the mattress and holding him down, "Sorry for this Taehyung-ah!"

The boy grunted, trying to pull his hands free, regaining some sense of self as he mumbled his pleas, "J-Jungk-kook, y-you need... to l-le-leave.. p-please- Ngh! Lea-Leave- ACK!?"

Jungkook shook his head, keeping his grip on the younger's hands soft yet firm, staring down at him with eyes full of determination, "No. I'm not leaving you alone, no way in hell am I leaving you alone! I know it's painful and I know you feel the need to keep him subdued, I know you can fight it Taehyung, but it's okay if you lose this one time..."

The blond peered up at the navy-haired man, glossy honeyed eyes begging him to leave the room and let him deal with this on his own like he always has. All he needs to do is wait it out. He knew Jungkook only wanted to help him but he could never forgive himself if something went wrong. If he ended up hurting him. He can't. Taehyung adamantly shook his head, back arching as he tried freeing himself from Jungkook's grasp, short gasps leaving his parted lips as the tears began trickling down at the ebbing and flowing pain. It was becoming unbearable and he could hear the Spirit's angry yells echoing in his head. His breathing is dwindling again. His vision threatening to become blurry. Jungkook was becoming unrecognizable to him and that scared him.

"I-I can't... I can't.. H-Hurts- AH! AH- AAH!! I-It hurts, I do-don't wanna... Plea-Please... OW!? STOP!! NO, AGH- AH!"

Jungkook clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to see the way Taehyung was reacting to his other half. His cries were painful enough, he can't imagine how many times he's had to deal with this on his own. He didn't know it was this painful and torturing, Jin never mentioned it being this bad. With swift moves, Jungkook pressed against some points on the blond's body, using what Jin had taught him to try and steady the boy. When his thrashing calmed down because of the numbness, Jungkook leaned in, planting his lips against the boy's forehead as he murmured, "I'll protect you properly this time... You know him better than any of us, you know whether or not it's okay to hand over the control, it's your call, Goldie."

The blond shifted his blurry gaze to meet Jungkook's honest and trustworthy eyes. The slight fear and anxiety he felt dwindled away as he looked into the midnight orbs, but he still can't bring himself to let it happen. With difficulty, he shook his head, biting at his lips.

"Taehyung, please. I promise nothing bad will happen. Seeing you in pain hurts me. If letting him out makes the pain stop, then that's okay."

He shook his head again, crying out in pain and discomfort. His body might be limp, but the emotions and sensations don't die out with the tactic.

"H-He... He's been thr-through a lot.. AH!.. Hah.. Like m-me. H-He's hurting to-too. Los- Losing a family.. He knows w-what it's like... I do-don't want h-him to take his fee-feelings out on y-you... Ngh- please... go..."

He squeezed his eyes shut again, begging Jungkook to leave. A warmth on his forehead took the young blond by surprise, making him gasp, eyes shooting open and coming in and out of focus as he felt Jungkook's lips move against his skin, landing another gentle peck on his crown. Why was he doing that? He didn't know but... He didn't hate it.

Seeing him calm down momentarily, Jungkook took this chance to whisper the same words once again, "It's your call Taehyung-ah... I promise, I won't let anything like what happened before happen again, it's okay."

"Ggh! Kuh," Taehyung choked on a scream, swallowing any sound as his eyes widened again, switching colors, back arching off the bed, front side colliding with Jungkook's chest. Another tear streamed down his face, joining the others as it landed on the pillow. Jungkook clenched his eyes shut, his heart aching at the younger's pain. How much longer does he have to endure this?

Jungkook leaned down again, head on the pillow as his lips neared the boy's ear, "It's okay... Let him out for me, Goldilocks."

One last ear-piercing screech and the whole room fell into a state of stillness as Taehyung's listless body fell onto the mattress. Jungkook was breathing heavily, leaning over Taehyung's limp body, calming down when he heard the younger's steady breathing. His grip on the boy's wrists loosened as he slowly moved back, glancing down at his body.

Did he fall asleep? Was this what Jin meant when he said he'd fall asleep because of the exhaustion?

"I appreciate the assistance, but why are you staring at me like that?"

Never mind, guess he's not sleeping anymore.

Jungkook climbed off the blond, sitting at the foot of the bed again, "I'm worried about him. It looked painful. You didn't have to do that."

"That's the consequence of fighting for control. He wouldn't have to suffer if he let me surface. At first, I would have gladly destroyed this place, but there would be no point so I had no intention of causing a mess, especially when the one I want to destroy is nowhere to be seen."

Jungkook sighed, "You know, instead of forcing it, you could've asked him. He wouldn't have said no unless it were necessary. He was worried about you taking out your frustrations on us, on me. If you had told him what you just told me, he would've agreed."

The Spirit stayed quiet, looking away from the Officer who got back on his feet. Jungkook moved away from the bed, searching for something he could use to clean Taehyung up a bit. The sweat had done a number on him and the scratches are probably burning because of the salt water. A towel and small basin were soon placed on the bedside table, the trickle of water from the wringing of the towel catching the zoned-out Spirit's attention. He flinched when Jungkook suddenly held his chin firmly and began to carefully scrub his face. Alarmed at the close contact, the blond pushed Jungkook away, avoiding his hands, "W-What do you think you're doing!? Unhand me, this instant!"

He continuously pulled back, smacking Jungkook's hands away, making the man roll his eyes and flick his forehead, "Stop moving and let me clean you up, or would you rather stay covered in dried up sweat and tears?"

Rubbing his forehead, the Spirit clicked his tongue, leaning forward and ignoring Jungkook's triumphant smirk as he continued to wipe away the dirtiness and rinse the cloth every so often. The man gently ran the cloth over the boy's tan skin, letting it rest over the slight red marks on his neck. He hopes they won't leave any permanent remains. When Jungkook thought he was done, he left the things on the bedside table and walked back to sit on the mattress, not missing the eyes that trailed his every move.

"So, why did you want to come out? It wasn't just because you felt like it, right?"

The Spirit narrowed his eyes at the man, arms crossed as he refused to say anything. Jungkook simply proceeded to talk, "Would you like to talk? I wanna know why you went crazy at the arena, was it on purpose?"

The Spirit scoffed. Turning to Jungkook, he narrowed his eyes, "Do you truly believe I would do such a thing? If I wanted to go mad, I would have done it ages ago."

"Then why?" Jungkook pushed, serious gaze trained on the violet eyes. "Khione was surprised at your powers. She said you weren't supposed to be able to control the elements like that and you kept saying she was playing pretend; can't you tell me anything?"

"It would do you no good. Stop being nosy."

They stayed in a bubble of silence for a few minutes before Jungkook spoke up again, sincerity coating his words. "I was hoping we could have a proper conversation. Get to know each other better. I'm sorry about the fight and I know what I did was wrong so, can we start over? Taehyung mentioned something about losing a family... Does that have anything to do with what happened?"

The blond tensed and leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed in an indescribable emotion as he glared at Jungkook, "Do not speak of them, it does not concern you!"

Jungkook rose his hands in mock surrender, telling the boy to calm down, "I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a sensitive topic for you, but I genuinely want to talk with you."

The blond stared at him suspiciously, not fully trusting his words. Half of what Jungkook said sounds like bullshit. Why would he suddenly try and get along with him? He didn't listen to him back at the arena, so why does he want to listen to him now? After everything's over and done with, he suddenly decides that he wants to be nice. He isn't buying it.

"You want to get to know me better? That's hilarious, you hate me, why would you propose such a thing?"

"I don't hate you," corrected the raven. "The only people I've hated are the ones who left me out on the streets and even then, the feeling didn't last long. I just don't particularly fancy you."

"Last time I checked you willingly ran away and just so you know, your existence does not make me happy either."

"Yeah, no kidding. I thought the only ones who knew about my past were Jin and Taehyung," he scratches the nape of his neck. "Knowing that you also know it is... Unexpected. Now I get why you called me an orphan back then."

The blond quirked a brow, vaguely remembering the instant he had muttered the words. The information piqued his interest and despite how badly he wants to ignore the other, he's curious. If Jungkook wants to talk, then they'll talk.

"May I know what happened? My tongue slipped at the moment, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have spoken such words. "

Jungkook was surprised at the sudden apology and interest, but happy that some progress was happening. He can't say he likes the topic, but sometimes talking about it makes things better, and maybe easier to an extent, so he won't be against it.

"It's alright, I understand that very well. I don't mind telling you."

Chapter Text

Jungkook fiddled with his uniform coat's buttons, repeating his life events again, "My father abandoned my mother and I when I was a toddler. With my father gone, my mother had to work different jobs and long hours in order to provide for us and our small apartment, so I learned how to cook, clean, and look after myself at an early age. One night, I was sleeping on the floor and... She nearly killed me."

"Killed you?"

The blond had heard the story, but he couldn't understand why a parent would turn to such drastic measures. Then again, he knows of one person who would do something like that even if they were sane.

Jungkook nodded, bringing his hands to his neck, "I was strangled by her. She blamed me for everything that happened. She told me my father would still be with her if I hadn't been born. In the end, she committed suicide right in front of my eyes and I was left an orphan until one of my aunts took me in. The investigation done on the incident was ruled as the fault of a mind controlling supernatural. I was bullied throughout middle school, and I didn't finish school because I was too much for them to take care of and I left. I lived on the streets from then on."

"But then, how are you still alive if you were left on the streets? Surely you couldn't have been good at surviving, the crime rate during that time was large as well."

"How do you know that?"

"I have been here for quite some time; I'm not clueless on everything. I still wonder how you managed to live."

Jungkook ignored the sting of the comment and smiled through clenched teeth, "I managed to survive pretty well, even better when I was able to pickpocket without getting caught and copy the training regimen for the company I'm working for right now. In the end, I got in and I'm one of the most valued employees so there. Well, that's the end of my mediocre sob story, what's yours?"

The blond clamped up again, looking away. It's only fair that the blond tells him something since Jungkook told him about his past. The Spirit pondered over the countless ways he could reject the question or provide an answer. The blond shook his head, bringing his knees to his chest, "I apologize but I can't. Not right now."

With a reassuring smile, Jungkook nodded, navy eyes flooding with sympathy and understanding as he got off the bed, cleaning the invisible dirt away from his black pants.

"I understand, I'll leave you be for today. I have some work left over and training in a few hours. If you ever feel like talking, let me know."

"I know you want to know more, but you should keep in mind that I am not a great person. Be it as it may, I've managed to keep the young boy safe, but I also came here and destroyed many things. I've caused nothing but chaos. Don't let my lack of defense tell you otherwise."

The blond's gaze followed the retreating back of the young Officer, seeing him wave off the attempt at a warning. Taehyung flopped back onto the bed, turning his back to Jungkook, only turning to look at the see-through glass when he no longer heard his footsteps. He turned over again, pulling the blanket over his body as he thought about Jungkook's words.

He wanted to get to know me better. How long has it been since someone has told me that? Was he lying? It's possible he's only saying that in order to gain information so he can go and tell his buddies.

They just want to get rid of me.

Everyone has come to hate me.

Khione only makes matters worse and all because of my gift? There's no point in telling my story, it won't change anything. I'll still be feared. I will still be a demon, a villain.

There is no reason to drag others into his business. If the war happens, he could end up dying. It's best for everyone if they don't poke their noses into his business. He can't handle any more disasters happening because of him.

He closed eyes, tugging the cover over his face and curling in on himself. He didn't need anyone else. He could do this on his own. He was strong enough. No one else had to get dragged in, not again. Never again.

"Jungkook! Watch out!"

A tree stump was hurled his way, scratching his nose when he bent back to dodge it, landing on his feet after his unexpected backward cartwheel. A few feet away from the blue-haired man was a sprinting Jimin, a visibly deformed ghoul running after him. It didn't take long for the man to get rid of it, bellowing as he surveyed his surroundings for other creatures, "Who the hell let Jin use the VR Room!?"

"I didn't even know we had a VR Room!" Exclaimed Namjoon, using his strings to cut another creature, something that resembled a shifter, to pieces, watching it disappear right after. Jimin smiled at him in awe, starting to ask about his strings until both he and Namjoon watched a hysterical Hoseok scurry past them, a Blight on his tail.

"I don't wanna die~! Aron, save me!!"

"Yelling your demon's name won't help you, Hoseok!" Both said in unison. Namjoon went after his Officer, telling him that a Blight would disappear after being exposed to extensive light. Hoseok didn't hear him.

On the other side of the arena was Yoongi, hands on his knees as he panted and groaned, "My body's not made for this much exercise... Hah~ Damn it, Jin!"

Yes.

Jin was able to get permission to use the company's special VR Room in order to make the guys' training a lot more realistic to the point where they could practically feel the pain of getting hit by something made out of pixels! Yay, fun. Too much fun because Jin ended up creating some weird things that don't even exist in their current lives! The man had read all the papers he had pulled out of the archives and decided to use the information to his advantage.

"All you people do is whine, man up! You're the selected few who have their hands on limited-edition weapons and the best of the best in the S.D.F, pixels are nothing compared to the real things! I even placed extinct species in here just so you could actually improve more, be grateful."

Everyone released a yell of reluctant agreement, running from the pixels and working themselves out defeating them, occasionally cursing the older out under their breaths. With all the training Jin has been giving them, they've been able to use their demons a lot more without damaging their health and psychological state. They've even gone as far as making deeper relationships with their respective demon weapons, working out pacts and rules that both sides have managed to uphold. If need be, they'd be able to use their cursed gear for at least three to two days without having to worry about their demons overtaking them and probably killing them.

"Alright, that's a wrap! Hit the showers and meet outside when you're done, tomorrow's a day off so we're heading to the ward the second you walk out of the showers," the speaker broke off with a bit of static as the pixelated surroundings returned to the normal blue and silver dome.

Everyone caught their breaths, simultaneously walking out of the room and into the showers. The group was as rowdy as ever, throwing soap suds at each other and trying not to slip, eventually getting scolded by Jin again. When they arrived at the ward, everyone greeted them with smiles and waves, already used to seeing the handsome men. At this rate, they've all practically memorized the whole ward's layout so getting lost wasn't an issue. As usual, Jin unlocked all the doors and when they reached Taehyung's cell room, he nearly broke everyone's eardrums.

"Hey, warn us before appearing! Turn around!" Someone yelled, confusing the men further. The voice was familiar and when the lights in the cell dimmed, the vibrant green eyes that met Jin's made it clear who it was.

"Becky?"

"Yes, now please look away!"

Their timing was horrible. The young healer could only do so much to cover the blond from the onlooking eyes of his friends. Their visit wasn't ideal right now because the young boy was only in his trunks. If they had announced their arrival sooner, then Taehyung wouldn't have decided to jump into the shower a few minutes prior.

Finally reacting, Jin turned to the men, urging them to follow the order of turning away, "Look away, you dimwits! Quit staring or I'll dig your eyes out with my scalpel!"

"Okay, okay, we're looking away, we're looking away!"

Everyone turned to face the wall on the opposite side of the cell, some even clamping their eyes shut. Jin breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the see-through wall, catching Taehyung's fleeting eyes in the dim room, a blanket pulled up to hide his now clothed body.

"Did they see?" Mouthed the younger, worry obvious in his face as Becky worked on bringing back the light. The doctor dropped his gaze, whispering a small sorry as he shrugged his shoulders. He isn't sure if they were able to register the scars on Taehyung's body or not; he should've warned Becky that they were coming. He can't believe he hadn't thought of that, what an idiot.

"Hey, Jin? Can we turn around now?"

The doctor and healer looked back at Taehyung, seeing him give a small nod. Both warily looked at each other before moving to clean the room and open the door.

"Y-Yeah, it's fine now. Let's go in."

The entrance opened, all six walking into the semi-awkward and tension-filled room. Jungkook was the last one to walk in, his eyes instantly settling on Taehyung. The blond was avoiding everyone's eyes, obviously busy thinking about whether or not they saw his body. He remembered the morning when he stumbled upon Taehyung in their bathroom, fresh out of the bath and towel-free; things didn't end well that day.

"Um... I have other patients to attend to, so I'll be taking my leave, Sir Jin. See you later Tigrecito," she ruffled the boy's hair, murmuring near his ear, "Se fuerte. They won't judge you, kay?"

The young elf gave a reassuring smile, earning a nod from the boy. The small awkwardness that ensued after Becky left didn't last long as one of the guys threw himself on the hospital bed, clinging to the younger's waist, whining about their day.

"Taehyung-ah~ Jin-Hyung is so mean! I was chased by a Blight, a Blight! Waah~! Taehyung-ah~."

"A... Blight?" Taehyung looked quizzically at everyone else, hand threading through Hoseok's hair as he continued to whine and wriggle on the bed. Jungkook unknowingly glared at the crying male that clung to the blond, composing himself when he heard someone sigh.

"He's being a drama queen."

It was Jin.

"I convinced the Boss to let me use the new VR Room for training, turns out Squad two's leader is a scaredy-cat. Can't even come face-to-face with a pixelated Blight."

Stiffed laughter and chuckles echoed in the room as Hoseok turned to look at Jin and gave him an offended glare, "Am not, 'm not a scaredy-cat."

"Sure, you're not," scoffed Jin.

Taehyung still looked confused and asked, "What's a Bli-Blight?"

"It's something like a shadow and decayed body. Sounds weird, I know, but one touch and the thing it comes in contact with will start to decay from the inside before the skin begins to rot. The most effective and well-known way to defeat a Blight is using purified water or light which is what Hoseok should specialize in, to an extent," explained Namjoon with precision, earning looks from the others and a small thank you from Taehyung.

Jin applauded his words, redirecting their attention, "Blight aside, I have good news! Taehyung is ready to go back to work. He'll be back home tomorrow and will go back to work on Monday, his wounds have healed and his psychological state is stable so he'll also be joining the training again. As for Khione, I think it's safe for them to be near each other now so there's no need to keep them separated anymore unless you guys are fine with the way things are right now."

Taehyung beamed happily while the rest clapped and cheered, conversations starting shortly after as they filled the younger in on what's been happening in the office. Jungkook took a seat next to Taehyung on the bed, returning the blond's small smile. The man took hold of one of the younger's hands, rubbing his thumb on the caramel skin, not caring about the other people in the room.

"Are you feeling better after last time? I scolded him for you, told him he should ask instead of forcing himself out. I didn't tell Jin either."

Taehyung giggled, nodding his head, "I fee-feel fine. U-Um, about earlier, d-do you know if anyone.. if anyone sa-saw me?"

His grip on Jungkook's hand tightened as he looked at the dark-haired man with waiting eyes. Jungkook reached for the other hand, holding them both and bringing them up to his lips, kissing the scarred knuckles and letting his lips linger on the warm skin as his navy eyes stared directly at the blushing, wide-eyed younger. He moved back enough to let himself speak, never breaking their eye-contact.

"Taehyung, you are permanently imperfect and inevitably flawed."

The younger's face soon began to drop, eyes returning to their natural size as he heard what the older had said, but before he could protest and get upset, Jungkook interrupted him.

"And that is what makes you beautiful."

"W-What?"

"I don't care how many times I have to keep reminding you, but I'll do it over and over, time and time again until you agree with me; You. Are. Beautiful."

"N-No, that's not- Mph!"

Jungkook covered his mouth, a light glare piercing Taehyung's unbelieving eyes.

"Your scars aren't ugly, don't be ashamed of them... All those marks mean that you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you; it means you're a warrior and a survivor and no one can tell you otherwise, especially not our friends. I told you this the first time I saw them, and I'll keep repeating it if I have to."

The blond shook his head, refusing to believe those honey-coated words. Becky's words ran across his thoughts, but even if he wanted to, he can't accept that idea. He wouldn't be judged? That's impossible, people don't just turn a blind eye to things like this, they don't keep their questions to themselves, they don't look at them and say they look nice- It just doesn't work like that! It's not supposed to work like that.

The others stopped their chattering, turning their attention to the muttering boys. Their ears had picked up on some words, and they had decided to stay out of it, but that was hard when Taehyung had a look of refusal and disbelief written all over his being. As unwilling as they were to interrupt and get involved, they felt the need to give them their two cents.

Hoseok piped in, sitting to the right of the worried blond, "Kook's right, you know. We might not know how or why it all happened, but we've known you long enough to be able to say that we completely agree with the fact that what you choose to keep covered doesn't and won't bother us."

The young blond rose his head, looking over at the observing eyes. Taehyung was trying to close them off. Trying to ignore and refuse their words, but Jungkook coaxed him into listening to them no matter how badly he wanted to block his hearing. At the edge of the bed, Namjoon and Jin leaned into each other, offering the boy a reassuring smile.

"It's alright to feel uneasy when it comes to your hardships and the results of those troubles, but you should know that you shouldn't be ashamed of them."

"I told you before, didn't I? You are my son. My most prized gift and blessing, you're a wonderful boy Taehyung-ah."

"N-No... I-I don't.. I can-can't believe that," he muttered, dropping his gaze. "Do-Don't lie to me..."

Small hiccups escaped the gap of the blond's lips, salty droplets trickled down his cheeks as he struggled to keep his light eyes open, and his hands intertwined with Jungkook's. His body trembled as he tried to keep his weeping at a low profile, breathing labored as his nose became runny.

"Taehyung~ Don't cry or I'll cry, and I don't wanna cry," Jimin begged, taking over the open spot on the blond's upper left, voice already shaky. Yoongi joined his lover, placing a hand on the boy's trembling shoulders, "You know we wouldn't lie to you. Stop putting yourself down, society may label those scars as something ugly, but that's because they're blind. We aren't."

"Mn... I-I.. I'm grateful... Thank y-you but I-I just c-can't.."

"It's alright Goldie," whispered the raven. "It takes time. We know. We'll be here every step of the way so it's alright if you can't accept our words yet. We'll just keep repeating them until you do."

Taehyung attempted a smile, giving a small nod, "Mn."

The truth is, most of them couldn't properly register any of the marks on Taehyung's body, but unfortunately, the young boy couldn't help but worry and one thing led to another. They stayed together for the remainder of the day. Taehyung eventually fell asleep in the middle of the six men, who looked adoringly at the blond. One question arose, though. Something that Jin was able to pick out from Jungkook's conversation with Taehyung.

Chapter Text

Strewn all over the bed and cuddled up to the sleeping blond, the men didn't dare move. They were comfortable and exhausted, so there was close to no possible way for anyone to get them off the mattress. Yes, they weren't going to move, but that didn't mean they weren't going to talk. Talking was very necessary, especially right now.

"Jungkook, you've seen his scars before?"

The man looked down, ashamed. He let his hair cover his face as he nodded, "Mn. By accident."

"I didn't even know he had any, but I did find the fact that he always wore long sleeves and didn't take his uniform coat off weird, especially when it was burning hot outside," added Hoseok as he traced shapes on Taehyung's forearm.

"Same but I did catch a glimpse of something one time during a joint mission. His uniform jacket got caught on some debris and slipped off his shoulder, I'm pretty sure he was wearing a shoulder brace that covered the open skin, but he pulled it back on in a hurry. I never thought it was because he had scarring," Namjoon recalled.

"I'm more interested in how Jungkook accidentally saw his scars," Jimin voiced, glancing over at the dark-haired man.

"Honestly, you saw them on accident? How?" Yoongi asked with honest curiosity.

"Wait, isn't he supposed to have, like, super-duper fast healing or something? Wouldn't that mean that there'd be no chance of scars being left behind?"

"His healing and regeneration are on a high level, but even then, some wounds are far too deep or big to not leave scars and some of those marks were made when he and the Spirit weren't fully compatible."

"Oh, that makes sense... I think."

Jin rolled his eyes, shaking his head. At the question concerning how he saw the scars, the young man avoided everyone's curious gaze, feeling the heat rise up his neck. He didn't think he'd have to tell anyone about what had happened and he knows he'll get in trouble the second he blurts it out. The teasing would never end, they'd call him names, they won't let him live it down. He can't escape it, so here he goes.

"I-In the bathroom. I forgot to knock and he had just gotten out of the shower so... Yeah."

"Jeon Jungkook?!"

"Who forgets to knock?"

"Especially when you have a roommate!"

Everyone shushed each other, looking over at the still sleeping Taehyung and releasing the tension in their bodies. Then they darted their attention to Jungkook again, eyes glaring and heads shaking. Jungkook regained his normal posture and crossed his arms, slightly glaring at everyone else in return, "I hope you don't bring up the subject or incident when he's around. He's not confident in himself at all, and if any of you decide not to erase his body from your brains, I'll do it myself."

"Oooh~ Jungkook's jelly!" An inhuman sound escaped Hoseok's mouth as he wiggled his eyebrows, nearly getting smacked in the face by Jungkook.

"They aren't even dating yet and he's already getting jealous? Imagine when they actually hook up," Namjoon remarked, not affected by the young boy's glare.

"That's if they hook up."

"Yoongi! You're giving them bad luck," Jimin scolded, lightly punching his boyfriend's shoulder. Jungkook stayed quiet, arms crossed, and an unintentional pout on his lips. Jin watched him carefully, finding it endearing. Jin could notice the changes, he's sure the others could too, and he's glad they aren't mentioning it. The change is one step closer to what Jungkook wants.

All it takes is time.

When Taehyung returned to work and walked into the office, he took a seat at his desk and nearly got a headache at the amount of paperwork idly sitting there. He glanced at Jimin and Yoongi, wanting to be told that his desk was just temporarily being used as a storage place or paper holder but when they simply sat and got to work, he knew all those papers were for him. Some of his fellow workers looked at him sympathetically, feeling bad for the worker with the tall yet slightly diminishing pile of paperwork. By the time Taehyung had finished going through all of them his hands were cramping and ready to fall off.

"Lunch break! You've all got an hour, be back on time!"

Everyone instantly walked out of their office, heading to different floors to enjoy their food and free time, some heading for the cafeteria and others to the streets. Taehyung, unlike everyone else, stayed at his desk with absolutely no desire to move whatsoever. He turned down his Hyung's offer of eating together at the cafeteria and stayed in the office. His head was on his desk, body hunched over as his tired hands lay limp on the surface.

"What's up with you? Your first day back and you're already dead. What about lunch, you aren't going to eat?"

The young blond simply groaned in response, moving his head so he could look at the owner of the smooth and light voice.

"So? Do I need to take you back to Jin-Hyung?"

Taehyung shook his head, sluggishly sitting up and taking the lunch box from the man's hands, seeing him take a seat on the chair next to his own.

"Don't I get a thank you?"

"Thank y-you, Jungkook-ssi."

"Hm, that's better."

They ate in silence, Taehyung's hands having a difficult time gripping the chopsticks while Jungkook was now done with his food. Both his right and left hands felt like weights. Jungkook took his time, trying not to laugh at the number of times the meat would run away from Taehyung's chopsticks to the point where the boy would just use his hands to eat. Feeling amused enough, Jungkook lightly slapped away Taehyung's hands, reaching for his chopsticks and picking up a piece of meat, carefully bringing it up to the boy's mouth. Taehyung glanced at the food and back to Jungkook. The raven rolled his eyes, tapping the boy's lips. The blond opened his mouth, taking the hint and allowing Jungkook to feed him. It made him remember the time Namjoon had done the same thing. Both blushed at the action, but neither tried to stop so Jungkook fed Taehyung until his meal was finished.

At the entrance of the office, four heads were peeking out. Two looked ready to burst, one looked indifferent and the other was gaping at the scene that played out. Of course, those four heads were attached to the leaders of squad one and two. They've been watching them for a while now and Hoseok and Jimin were finding it hard not to squeal at the cute scene. Namjoon was shocked at the fact that Jungkook has actually changed, to some extent at least. He can still be quite the handful but he seems to be a lot less uptight when he's around the guys. Yoongi is just, staring. His face is stoic, but there's a high possibility that his head is filled with thoughts of Jungkook not being good enough for his little brother, but the scene he just witnessed was undeniably sweet; too sweet, in his opinion.

"Ahem!" Clearing his throat, Jimin and the rest of the eavesdroppers waltz into the room in their corresponding pairs. Jungkook basically flew out of his chair and made his way to the trash can on the opposite side of the room, ears burning at the thought that they might have seen what he was doing with Taehyung. He threw away the disposable lunch boxes and took a few breaths, trying to be as normal as possible.

"Jungkook! You and Tae had lunch together? No wonder we couldn't find you in the cafeteria."

"O-Oh, yeah, I finished early and came back up. He was still eating so I just kept him company."

Good one Jungkook, you're safe!

"Eh? But Taehyung-ah said you ate together."

Or not.

Jungkook gulped, side glancing the smirking Jimin at his side and the shiny-eyed Hoseok in front of him. He looked past them and saw Yoongi playing with Taehyung's hair while Namjoon helped move the finished paperwork.

Are these two the only ones who saw something?

"Well, he ate while I kept him company, so I guess you could call it eating together."

"Oh, I see, so it was like that. In that case, thank you for keeping my Taehyung-ah company."

Jungkook sighed when Jimin and Hoseok walked away, hand on his pounding heart. Why does it bother him so much? It should be fine if others saw, especially their friends. Since when did he consider them friends? But, somehow, being caught feeding your crush by the people closest to you is embarrassing. He knows Namjoon and Yoongi aren't the type to start anything, but Hoseok and Jimin live for the drama. He can only hope it doesn't get too unbearable.

A few minutes of idle chat later and the employees were back at work, small jobs being handed out here and there but nothing huge or widely dangerous. Taehyung managed to finish all his paperwork by the time they had to go to practice and his hands were hating him for it. As expected, Jin was already waiting for them, chatting up a storm with someone they weren't expecting to see.

"Khione!?" Everyone exclaimed. Hoseok stepped up, mouth already moving, "What are you doing here? Didn't you say you had a job to take care of or something?"

The Goddess smiled her usual warm and gentle smile, easily gliding down to the arena's floor, "That's correct. That's also why I'm here."

"Huh?"

Jin stepped up, motioning over to the lady, "Khione will be helping us out today." He crossed his arms, eager smile on his lips, "She'll be your sparring partner."

"What!?"

Their eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets at the news. Was Jin trying to kill them? He's asking them to go up against a holy being that nearly destroyed an arena. That's sending them off to their deaths!

"Jin-Hyung, are you serious? How can we go up against a divine being like her!? That's like walking into the gates of hell!"

"Hoseok's right, what if another incident like what happened last time happens again? Are you seriously gonna risk that? Not only that but we're humans, how can we go against a God."

"Hoseok, Jungkook, shut up."

The brunette pouted and walked back in line, hating Jin and his spontaneous, unreasonable ideas for training. Jungkook stood his ground for a while but unwillingly fell back in line when he saw Jin's clear resolve.

"Alright, now that everyone has settled down," Jin looked pointedly at Hoseok and Jungkook, "Khione has agreed to help with your training. I know she's on a far, far, far higher level than all of you, but that's exactly why I agreed to this. The VR system can easily create an opponent similar to her, but I'd prefer having you face the real thing. I can't have you guys freezing like you did before. Don't worry, she won't go all out unless it's completely necessary, which I doubt will ever be the case."

Throughout the explanation, Khione kept her perfect pose, nodding along to some of the doctor's words. She seemed well, eyes never lingering on Taehyung for too long. When their eyes locked, the blond would try and smile, but it always looked a bit forced and worried. It didn't bother her though; she would return it with honest gentleness.

"In the end, whoever is left standing will be considered the winner. You can think of yourselves as enemies if you'd like, or you can work together but either way, your task is to render her immobile. So, let's get started."

They did get started. It was horrible. Khione helped with their training for the majority of the week and neither one of them felt like moving on their days off. The guys were able to come up with some interesting combos during their mock fight with the beautiful Goddess, actually being able to keep her from moving a few times. Luckily, Taehyung was able to use his other half without any issues but he kept quiet for the majority of the training, especially when it meant talking to Khione. There were times when the blond would freeze mid-fight, but he'd manage to shake down the sudden panic and keep practicing. That being said, the only one who was able to move easily without an issue after the week of training was Taehyung, and that was because his Spirit's powers helped with his healing.

Everyone else... Sore and banged up. That is exactly what everyone's state was.

Out of all of his friends, Jungkook was always one of the ones who was left standing, and for some reason, he's always the target of attacks. Whether they're intentionally directed at him or not, especially when Khione's participating, he's always breaking his back trying to avoid them and counter the assaults as best as possible. The teenager was well aware of Jungkook's condition. He would be one of the first ones out when it came to their practice, very rarely did he ever last until the end, so he's seen Jungkook fight. Taehyung would wince when watching how the man would dodge, not being able to imagine his own body bending or moving in such ways. He would also flinch at the strength of the attacks both delivered by the man and delivered by Khione; they both look like they hurt. Sometimes, he wondered if Jungkook growing up on the streets had anything to do with the way he was able to move about, but he never asked out-front.

On their off-day, Taehyung stood outside the door, hand raising and lowering as he worried at his lips. He wanted to knock, but then he doesn't want to possibly bother his housemate so he takes his hand away only for the cycle to keep going. In one of his hesitant knocking gestures, his hand moved on its own and he could only blame the Spirit living inside him, because there's no other way he'd let himself knock on that door.

"Taehyung?"

He was startled at the man's quick response and with no other option left, he swallowed his anxiety and responded appropriately, much to the Spirit's liking.

"J-Jungkook-ssi? Can- Can I co-come in?"

"Come in, it's alright."

With a small breath of relief and strength, he pulled the door open, wincing when he saw the small shock of pain that struck the older when he sat up on his bed. His muscles must be aching, maybe even throbbing. Ouch.

"I should be the one feeling the pain, not you," chuckled Jungkook, grabbing at his ribs and groaning shortly after.

"R-Right."

Taehyung silently walked up to the foot of the bed, seemingly thinking something over before his eyes caught Jungkook's and the familiar violet flashed across them.

"It seems to me like you are feeling it, Jungkook-ssi."

"Seems like I am... What a pleasant surprise, to what do I owe your appearance, Spirit-ssi?"

The blond smiled, amused at the way Jungkook was speaking to him. He cleared his throat, sitting down by the man's legs, "I can be of assistance to you. It won't last forever, but it can diminish the aches to the point where you can move properly without much pain."

"Hm," Jungkook hummed, curious as to why the usually cold and haughty Spirit is offering him help. "Do you want anything in return? It's strange of you to offer someone help."

He remained quiet, eyes scanning Jungkook's before he sighed and uncrossed his arms, "In return for my help, I want you to listen to me."

Jungkook quirked a brow, "Listen to you?"

The blond nodded, "Last time we spoke, I told you to give me time."

"Yeah, but we haven't talked since then, so how did I ever convince you to talk to me? Don't you hate me or something? I thought you'd stay quiet forever."

"It is true that I don't fancy you. Your horrible attitude and way of treating those around you was appalling and when you treated the child like trash, it only made my feelings toward you worsen, but... for a reason I cannot explain, those feelings have diminished. You have been able to change to a certain extent."

His violet eyes locked onto Jungkook's blue ones, his mind trying to decipher why his hatred for this man has come close to disappearing. Why he can't keep hating him and why he wants to talk to him. It's never happened before. He didn't think he'd be capable of forming bonds with others again. Not after that day.

"The boy has grown fond of you. You have shown me more than once that you are willing to get along with me. I thought about it, I deem you trustworthy enough to know about me. But, if anyone else finds out, I will kill you, understood?"

Jungkook nodded, not surprised at his hostility. He knows that this will play a vital part in figuring out what might happen to them in the future. All the guys are desperate to find out this man's origins, but he doesn't want to go back on his promise to the violet eyed man.

They'll just have to wait a while longer.

Chapter Text

With a single glance to the side, the blond nodded, almost as if reassuring himself of what he had agreed to do.

"Alright then, I will treat you so stay still."

"Okay."

"Lydian, come."

The apparatus attached itself to the blond's hands and neck, markings appearing on his tongue. His arms extended toward Jungkook's body, palms opened as he closed his eyes and seemed to think of something. Jungkook was going to ask if everything was okay when a low hum came from the blond, heliotrope eyes seeming to flicker as he focused on keeping that tone. Then, he spoke, "Heal."

In a matter of minutes, Jungkook felt lighter, like he never went through training. It amazed him how something so simple can make him feel close to no pain and Lydian disappeared when the Spirit thought the pain had dwindled to a reasonable amount. Jungkook moved his arms about, stretching here and there, realizing that the soreness really had been reduced.

"That was amazing! How'd you do it? Nothing came out of your gloves; all you did was hum."

"Something did come out; you simply couldn't see them. Your mortal eyes are not powerful enough to do so," the Spirit clarified. "I told you before, Lydian allows me to control sound waves and give commands that can't be disobeyed. All I did was create a low-frequency wave that would allow your muscles to relax and thus, modify the pain. I created the wave when I hummed and spread it throughout your body using the gloves. For reassurance, I told them to heal."

"Wow, that's something I could've never grasped in school. You make it sound easy but my teachers couldn't help me understand a single thing."

"Hm, you were not made to be a scholar. That aside, you said you would listen to me so listen well for I won't repeat myself."

Jungkook got comfortable, nodding at the blond when he was ready. The Spirit took a few deep breaths, he couldn't believe he was about trust a human but he knows at least Jungkook deserves to know why everything is happening. As the boy's protector, it'll only serve as helpful information.

"As you already know, I come from another realm. My home was known as Elysian, the Kingdom of Eternal Spring. It was beautiful. Like every other country, Elysian had its rulers. The royal family lived in a palace created by nature itself and the King and Queen had only one child; A son."

"In my world, at a certain age, children are trained to cultivate energy from the Earth and the Heavens in order to create their golden core. The gorgeous and eye-catching Prince was an early bloomer and because of his growing feats as a young cultivator, received a gift from the heavens at the age of fifteen. His gift was one that was only recorded in history books, and no one knew much about it, so the King and Queen felt uneasy about their son's special power. Since then, the prince never used his strange gift and at the age of seventeen, a special guardian was found for him. It was the neighboring kingdom's ruler, Khione Vespera. The reason behind her becoming a guardian for the prince was the King and Queen's age and their want for their son to have a friend."

"A friend? He didn't have any? And aren't you old-old? Why would the King and Queen worry about age if you and Khione are practically immortal?"

Vil quietly rolled his eyes, elaborating on Jungkook's questions, "In these countries, the people can live up to the age of one hundred, if they were lucky in cultivation, unless they ascended and acquired immortality. The rulers of Elysian did not acquire immortality or godhood, so they can only wait for their time to come. The young Queen, who had only recently become a Goddess, was well versed in the matters of the worlds, there was not something she did not know."

"Did... Did she know about the prince's gift? What does this have to do with you? And if she did then why didn't the King and Queen contact her sooner, wouldn't it have been better if they had-"

The Spirit sighed. Lord, Jungkook is so dense... "Do not interrupt me. Your questions will soon be answered."

Jungkook shut up and nodded, allowing the Spirit to pick up where he had left off.

"When the King and Queen spoke of their worries, the Goddess' expression turned grave, for their son's power was one that should not have been brought into the world again. His gift was more like a curse. It allowed him to automatically take a person's spiritual weapon and their energy along with it. Spiritual weapons are infused with their owner's energy, oftentimes giving them a spirit of their own and they only react to their owners. Being able to take someone's weapon is like stripping them of a limb. The bigger problem was the fact that the more he takes, the more control over himself he loses. It's even been recorded that the user's memories are also affected; overall, it is not recommended to use this ability."

A loud gasp escaped Jungkook's lips as he thought, Poor Prince. If he utilizes his gift recklessly then he'd practically lose everything.

He was being dramatic, in Taehyung's opinion, but he supposes it's not unwarranted.

"Having been informed of that, the prince was prohibited from using his ability and as time went by, the prince grew closer with the Goddess. They would leave the palace and wander around the kingdoms and their sects, venturing to the neighboring towns and eventually, the prince met new people."

"So he made friends," confirmed Jungkook, not understanding why the blond sounded so regretful.

"I suppose so. He grew close to them, slowly but surely. They were a group of eight that visited each other frequently and that eventually lead to unfortunate events..." His voice trailed off, slight regret in his eyes, "One of the people he grew close to became a victim of an attack by outsiders during a visit to Elysian. They believed that by going after the ones the prince cherishes, they would be able to kill the prince or receive a ransom in return for his friend. The person became unable to use their spiritual energy because of that attack and knowing of the prince's gift, he asked for him to take his spiritual weapon because he didn't have the power to wield it anymore."

"No way..." Jungkook felt bad. Years of not using his gift and the first time he's asked to use it it's by someone who was hurt because of him. It must have been difficult for both of them.

The blond couldn't understand why the human man was able to feel so much during his storytelling. Were all humans like this? Or were the reactions something to show that they were listening? He didn't know. He can't tell.

"The prince, though reluctant, did as requested. He hated himself for it, but the look of gratefulness on his friend's features dwindled the guilt. That was the first weapon he had stolen and the first time he broke a rule set by his parents. When he reached the age of twenty-five, he fell in love."

His expression became one of longing, soft and warm as he spoke, "The girl he had fallen for was the daughter of a kingdom known for its strong military power. Ludus was the name of the kingdom and the ruler was King Ifer, a single father. The Prince and Princess hit it off and got married after three years of having a relationship and two years of courting, just in time for the rulers of Elysian to witness the wedding. The rulers of both kingdoms agreed to the marriage and the coronation would be in a few weeks; after the mourning period of his parents."

"So, they died shortly after the wedding?"

"That's right," the blond seemed to hesitate, brows furrowing as his throat ran dry, "Ahem, their cultivation was high, but even that wasn't enough to keep them from dying of illness."

He cleared his throat again, fixing his hair and moving forward, "Before their deaths, they asked the prince to use his gift on them... He did not understand why his parents were asking him to break that rule but, when his mother said they wanted him to have a part of them, he allowed himself to do as he was told... It broke his heart when he realized why they had said such a thing and it pained him even more that the second time he used that gift was also because someone he loved was about to disappear."

Jungkook sat up in disbelief, hands dropped to the bed sheets as he said, "Don't tell me... He really took his parents' weapons?"

The Spirit smiled solemnly, "That is correct. For the first time in years, maybe the first time since his birth, the prince had cried and in a matter of weeks, he and his wife ascended to the throne with Khione at their side as their most trusted ally. The years that followed of them being rulers were known as the Thousand Years of Peace, and their happiness only grew when the Kingdom had received the news of their Queen being pregnant. Celebrations were thrown, lasting almost a week but the peace and joy were soon broken and the Kingdom of Spring crumbled at the hands of their own allies."

"It seems that there were people who thought they were too kind and passive as rulers and they were willing to do anything to take over Elysian. The palace was always highly guarded by the King's most trusted cultivators; his friends. They had pledged their loyalty and decided to become his supporters even after the King had repeatedly told them it wasn't necessary. The root argument sprung from a dispute over a new piece of land and it grew into something disastrous and unrelated to it. The King and his wife fled, their unborn child being the reason behind their desperate need to survive, but their fate was undeniably cruel. The King witnessed the death of his wife and child, only having enough time to take her weapon before it was too late, the ticking of a clock ringing in his ears. The only reason he survived was because he was exiled to a different realm; one far away from his own, against his will."

Jungkook noticed the shift in atmosphere. The way the Spirit's eyes glowed menacingly, he couldn't help but feel his stomach churn with anxiety and impatience. He couldn't help but think that details were missing, but that was beside the point. All of this was a mess.

"What do you mean it crumbled at the hands of their own allies? It was all pre-meditated? If the time of their ruling was peaceful then shouldn't the people be happy? No one wants war and death, it's better for things to stay calm."

The blond nodded, breathing in heavily, "You are not wrong, but no matter how close someone is to you, you should never underestimate the power of feelings such as envy and greed. The King of Elysian was far too kind for his own good, so much so that when he cried for help no hand was reached out to him, no door remained open; not even the one belonging to the person he thought would always support him. The moral here is that betrayal begins with trust, and unfortunately, I was too blind to see what was right in front of me and too scared to take proper action."

"W-Wait... What? You...?"

Holy Shit...

The dark-haired man remained wide-eyed as he tried to understand what the Spirit was getting at. He just referred to the King as himself, right? Then that would only mean that the Spirit is... "D-Did I hear right?"

The Spirit's face remained sour and pained as he hung his head, his breath stuttering out as he nodded defeatedly, "I am King Vil Schoenheit, the former ruler of Elysian, the Kingdom of Eternal Spring, son of the late King Eirian Schoenheit and Queen Ingrid Schoenheit, and bearer of the heavenly emperor's gift. My wife was Queen Cielle Schoenheit, formerly known as Cielle Aldora, daughter of King Ifer Aldora, the same man who is bringing my kingdom to ruins and... And the man who killed my wife and unborn child. King Ifer murdered my wife and child without hesitation and all I could do was take her spiritual weapon and flee involuntarily because of that damned Goddess. What a coward I was."

Jungkook was speechless. The boy- No, the man before him was a King! But... He's gone through so much. Is everyone he knows messed up like this? This is what Taehyung had mentioned during the struggle for control, wasn't it? The fight with Khione is starting to make sense.

"I... I don't know what to say. I'm sorry... About your wife and what you've been through but, why did they turn against you? You could've taken their weapons and powers, right? Why didn't you? A-And why did Khione leave you alone? And your friends? Before you said you were forced here involuntarily by her, but didn't she do that to save you?"

Vil remained quiet, seemingly spaced out. His eyes were hazy, focused on nothing in particular. He looked uncharacteristically sad. Jungkook lightly tapped his shoulder, seeing him flinch.

"Oh, I apologize... What did you ask?"

Jungkook retracted his hand, taking in how washed out the King looked. His complexion wasn't the best, if the sudden paleness of his face and the slight trembling of his hands said anything. Shaking his head, Jungkook carefully fixed his position on the bed, "Nothing. You should rest, you don't look too well. I promise to stay quiet and we can talk more when you feel better."

"What are you saying? I'm fine, I need no rest."

"You're trembling."

"Your eyesight is bad."

"I have twenty-twenty vision."

"Then, you're simply seeing things."

"Vil, I'm not stupid, get some rest."

"I did not give you permission to address me by that name! Do not speak that name unless you wish to die."

Okay... so maybe we aren't on the best friend stage yet.

"Okay, what should I call you then? I can't keep calling you Spirit-ssi, especially when I know your name."

"V. Just, call me V for now."

Jungkook nodded, pushing the blond out of his room and into his own, leaving no room for protests. Minutes later, he peered into the boy's room through the door and the teen was knocked out cold.

Now that the boy was asleep, Jungkook was free to do some investigating of his own, and the person he needs to speak to first is the one person who should have offered the Spirit help.

Chapter Text

Knocking on the door to Hoseok and Namjoon's apartment, Jungkook waited patiently for one of them to show up, walking right in when the door was finally answered.

"Ye- Jungkook? What are you doing here?"

"Hey, where's Khione?"

"H-Huh?"

"I said, where's Khione?" Jungkook prompted his question again, looking pointedly at Hoseok who still seemed to be processing what he had asked.

"Hoseok! Who was at the door?"

"Na-Namjoon, can you call Khione over? Someone wants to see her... I don't want to die so hurry up!"

Jungkook rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and tapping his foot impatiently, huffing a breath of air when Namjoon and the Goddess finally showed up, "Aish, about time! I'm taking her with me, I'll bring her back soon!"

The pair of males looked at each other and shrugged, unsure of what was happening, but unwilling to get in his way. The young man dragged the girl along, asking her to get inside his car as he drove off to who-knows-where, only stopping when he deemed the place empty of living things.

"Jungkook-ssi, what's going on? Why are we here? You were far too rude to Hoseok-ssi and Namjoon-ssi-"

"Why didn't you help him?" Jungkook muttered, not caring about how his tone of voice was giving away his confusion and slight anger.

"What?"

"Why. Didn't. You. Help. Him? It doesn't make sense to me and I need to know why."

Khione was confused. She didn't know what Jungkook was referring to, she was starting to think that he might have hit his head or something. Her babbling about whether or not he was well or if he needed to see a doctor was only agitating the male even more.

Isn't what he's asking about obvious?

Calming himself down, he spoke the name, "Vil Schoenheit."

Khione stopped her rambling, a stressed smile decorating her lips as she plays dumb, "What? I'm not sure I know who you're talking about."

"You know very well who I'm talking about Khione Vespera. Don't play dumb with me and just answer my questions, why didn't you help him? If you sent him here then that means you actually cared enough to not let him die, so why couldn't you help them both?"

The Goddess didn't even flinch. She simply sighed, fixing her posture, "So he finally told you, that was quicker than I expected. I'm also guessing he made me out to be the bad guy."

"You told me to earn his trust, I did. Quit stalling and answer me already, I only want to know why things ended like that. You were supposed to be there for him, right? I mean, in the end, you saved him!"

"Jungkook-ssi, one of the only reasons I stayed by that boy's side was because his parents asked me to. I had no intention of acting as his personal bodyguard and as a recently ascended Goddess, I had affairs to take care of. At that time, he was King and he had already come of age, he was old enough to take care of himself."

That wasn't the kind of response he was waiting for. Khione had been kind to them all, she even told them about the oracle and said she'd help them, but after hearing Vil's story, is it possible that it's all a farce? Did she not feel guilty for not helping him when they had grown close over the years? Jungkook couldn't wrap his head around it.

"But he trusted you, he said you grew close, you became friends, why would you turn your back on him? You could've tried and helped him. His wife and baby died! Do you not feel guilty?"

Jungkook didn't believe that Khione was as bad a person as Vil had painted her out to be. He wanted to know her side of the story, but it's starting to sound like she really didn't care for him.

"I didn't play a part in his downfall; he was far too naive and way too kind for his own good. One cannot cling to the idea of keeping peace forever. Peace cannot be kept by force and you can't find peace by avoiding life, that's exactly what he's doing," she accused, becoming more aggravated. "If I had helped him that day, my own kingdom would've been destroyed and the Heavens would have banished me if I had hurt any mortals. Gods can't interfere with mortal affairs, he knows that! My people would've suffered and paid for something they weren't a part of. As a Goddess and Queen, it was, and still is, my duty to protect my subjects, even if it means closing the door on a friendship that lasted years! He was foolish for thinking that avoiding his problems was the best solution for everything. He's a coward!"

"You betrayed him and his wife... Because you were trying to save your land? But they weren't after you, all you had to do was keep him safe! You could've saved his wife at least, you didn't need to keep them with you, you could've sent them both here, couldn't you? I-I don't get it. Khione, you're capable of standing against them, aren't you? You showed up here and said you'd help us and him, but you turned him down and sent him here on his own when you could've saved them both?!"

"I had no choice! It was him or my people and I chose to save my people, I did the right thing."

Jungkook shook his head, pointing his finger at the agitated Goddess, "If you had helped him, his wife would still be alive and he would've been able to hold his son or daughter, he wouldn't have witnessed his lover's death or the feeling of betrayal! If push came to shove, I'm sure he could've helped you protect your people. You and all those idiots are the reason why he became so guarded and unstable!"

"And it was because of me and my knowledge that he obtained the title of a proper Spirit and came to this world alive! I gave him more life, I practically made him something close to immortal. Selfish? Hah! Don't make me laugh. I did what I had to do; it wasn't my fault that he was the target of a takeover. Even if I had helped him, there would've been no guarantee that we'd make it out alive, not against the strongest military that has ever existed in our realm," she spat, making Jungkook cringe at her words.

He steadied his breathing, not wanting to say too much. Maybe he shouldn't have come to her right after hearing the story. Maybe he should have waited. Or maybe he shouldn't have even tried talking to her about it!

"You may have gifted him immortality, but I'm sure he'd much rather be dead than alive and if given the chance, I'm one hundred percent sure that he'd do anything in his power to get back what he lost. He's carrying more anger and pain than a thousand armies could ever bear, that's why he lost control at the arena! He was betrayed, deceived, hurt! I finally understand what he meant when he said that Taehyung wasn't the only one labeled as a villain, everyone suddenly turned on him, including you. You made him out to be the bad guy along with everyone else!"

"You would've done the same thing if you were in my shoes," she defended, blue eyes glaring at Jungkook. She understands that her actions weren't likable, but someone who's just an outsider shouldn't be telling her whether what she did was wrong or right. Vil brought all of those troubles on himself, she couldn't have done anything to stop Ifer, especially not when her own people were at risk.

"I wouldn't turn my back on my friends. I may be a rude son of a bitch sometimes but those who are close to me won't be left to suffer alone, I'd risk my life for them if I had to."

"You-... Is this what you wanted?"

The raven stayed quiet, watching the way the girl struggled to keep her composure.

"You don't have any right to judge me, I-I did what I had to do, I don't have to give you excuses! Vil... Vil is still important to me, there's a reason why I came here-"

"The reason why you showed up and made that pact with him was to redeem yourself? You thought that if you came here, found him, and put him in a spot where he can't do anything but accept your contract, you'd be able to gain his forgiveness or feel like you're paying for what you did to him?"

"I-I.." She tried to argue with him, but nothing came out. Her face constricted, hands bawling into fists and shoulders trembling. Her ocean eyes began to water and her nose became runny. Khione dropped her head, letting it loll as sniffles filled the car, white locks bouncing as she wiped at her eyes in vain, not being able to hold back her whimpers and cries.

She hated Jungkook's bluntness.

She hated how he made her think up excuses for her actions.

She hated how he didn't give her a chance to explain her side of the story but she also hated how some of his words hit the nail on the head.

She hated it all.

The raven remained quiet as the snow-white girl got everything out of her system. He admits he might've been too harsh and unfair and maybe biased, but the only person he holds his tongue in check for is Taehyung. He doesn't fully hate the lady, not at all, he just hates her way of thinking. He can't understand how someone could be able to do that.

When he and the others were at the factory in Incheon, Vil had pushed for Namjoon and Hoseok to go and help him, Yoongi and Jimin. Vil barely knows them, but he helped them. If it had been Khione, would she have left them to die? It's hard to imagine, but that's what it sounds like.

Sighing, Jungkook carefully reached his hand out, fixing Khione's messed up hair as best as he could, earning himself a stare of confusion and a slight glare. He attempted to smile a little, but it probably looked awkward and forced so he just relaxed into his seat, looking away from her and over to the scenery in front of them. It was close to pitch black, a single lamp post providing light for them as they caught a glimpse of trees, city lights visible on the side.

"I might've been too harsh, sorry," he started, "But I don't regret what I said. That aside, I do believe one thing."

Khione copied him, looking out the window and leaning against her seat, "And what is that?"

He peered over at her, seeing her bright blue eyes reflected off the glass, "It's what you do in the present that will redeem what you did in the past and end up changing the future. Let's hope that when the time comes, you're able to make the right decision."

Jungkook's final words left the air between them heavy yet light. The young man was still slightly put off by everything. The Goddess still didn't like the fact that she was talked down by an outsider. She was sure that she had done the right thing that day, but could she have been wrong? She kept her thoughts to herself, waiting until they arrived at her current home.

An hour later and the car had come to a stop in front of Hoseok and Namjoon's apartment. Khione unbuckled herself, stepping out and bowing despite her current state being a mess.

"I hope you have a fine rest of your evening and I apologize if I'm not who you thought I'd be, but please take into consideration that being a ruler and having to make choices between subjects and connections is not easy; He knows that too."

"I still don't know how to feel about that. I can't share your way of thinking, but I'll try to keep that in mind. I'll also try and get him to open up more, he's not as bad as people make him out to be," he responded out of courtesy.

She sighed, "You know, the only time I saw something close to peace in his eyes was when he used to go outside of the palace with us and CC. Other than us, I've never seen him get along with someone so well, it was almost shocking how well you interacted with him. I believe that you're one of the only reasons, along with Taehyung-ssi, that he'd still choose to be alive... Goodbye Jungkook-ssi, I'll see you at training on Monday."

And she left.

Chapter Text

It was tense.

Every time Khione and Jungkook bumped into each other, the air froze but no one dared to question what was going on between them. The few times Vil showed up, everything was quite normal. It seemed like the conversation they had three days ago only left an effect on Jungkook because the Spirit was as haughty and irritating as ever. The only time things went smoothly for everyone was during work hours and that was because Khione doesn't show up and Taehyung stays in control for the majority of the day.

That being said, Jungkook would love if he could just tell the guys what he knows about the Spirit so they could stop agonizing over finding information. Jin is still trying to find out more and the others are also helping in the information hunt, but they've gotten absolutely nowhere. Centuries of living together with other species and they have nothing on Spirits and outside realms; did they go to space for no reason?

"Hey, V?" Jungkook leaned his chin on his hand, staring at the blond sitting across from him. V was looking out the window, avoiding the raven altogether. It was Friday evening, training had ended a few hours ago and Jungkook decided that eating out and walking around with the blond would help as an icebreaker of sorts, but not much has happened.

Trying again, he tapped the boy's leg, "V, why can't I tell the guys about you?"

"It is sensitive information. I warned you ahead of time that you were to keep your lips sealed, no one can know what you know."

"But if they knew then it'd be helpful to us. We'd be able to know who we're going up against, come up with countermeasures, maybe find a way to get to them before they get to us, we need your information V. If they knew about you then maybe you'd be able to get along with the others and patch up any misunderstandings."

Jungkook was met with silence yet again. He's not surprised anymore but if V was able to tell Jungkook, why couldn't he tell the others? It's not like it'll endanger them more, they've already been close to death numerous times and South Korea's cities have already been remodeled at least three times, if not more, in the span of four months.

Why can't he just come clean about everything?

"Are you scared? They're trustworthy, I'm sure they wouldn't blow things out of proportion, and I know they wouldn't mistreat you or hand you in either," he continued, trying to get something out of the other. "They haven't told anyone about Taehyung being half-spirit, Hoseok and Namjoon are happily housing Khione too, they have nothing against any of you. If you can tell anyone then it'd be them."

Unfortunately, he gave up after receiving a glare, taking the last bite out of his ice-cream sandwich. Taehyung had finished his ice-cream cone shortly after they had sat down so V was only left waiting for Jungkook to finish. When he noticed that the young man had finished eating the sandwich, the blond rose to his feet and began walking towards the exit. He momentarily made eye contact with someone a few tables away, a light tingle shocking his body. Jungkook followed after him, noticing his lingering gaze. Following the same line of sight, he found an empty seat.

What was the blond staring at?

Tapping the blond's shoulder, he leaned down, asking, "What are you looking at? Nobody's there."

V furrowed his brows before glancing back at the table, still seeing that same person hiding behind a book. Jungkook couldn't see them? Another shock creeped up his toes. He turned to Jungkook, pulling him out of the shop and into the busy streets, glaring at the person he swore he saw once more. Jungkook stumbled over his feet, looking down at the blond and back at the shop as he tried to gain some sense as to what was going on.

"Hey! V? Slow down, what's going on?"

"Shut up and walk," responded the blond, continuing to pull the man along. The further they walked into the city, the more crowded it got and Jungkook subconsciously searched for the young blond's hand, properly locking them together and pulling him closer only to have his hand pushed away.

"I am not Taehyung, and for the record, I'm not scared of crowds and I'm also not afraid of your companions."

V saw the clueless face of the blue-haired man and sighed, elaborating, "It's for their safety that they don't know about me. It can be dangerous, especially if any of them are held captive because of the fact that they know who I am. I want to avoid problems like that."

"But I don't think that'll happen," Jungkook reassured while grasping the boy's hand, "Even if it does, we wouldn't blame you and we'd definitely find a way to save them and kill the bad guys. That's our job after all, and some problems are unavoidable, y'know? You'll be fine, we'll be fine."

The blond looked away, flustered at the sudden actions from the man before him, "Fine, I'll think about it but- Um, please release my hand."

Jungkook blushed, pulling his hand away, "Right, sorry, it's a habit. Taehyung doesn't like crowds and I forgot you were the one in control right now, yeah, it won't happen again!"

V smirked, finding this reaction interesting. Leaning in close to Jungkook, the blond tapped at his chest, "It's nothing to blush about, I know I resemble your beloved little Goldie."

His teasing made Jungkook speed his walk in an attempt to run away from the blond and his cheeky smile. Not caring about the people around them, he spluttered, "You two aren't similar in any way! At least I wasn't staring at an empty table!"

V couldn't help but find Jungkook's reactions amusing but the feeling of lingering eyes made him freeze and survey their surroundings. Was he imagining things? First, the person at the shop and now this?

"Jungkook-ssi?"

"Hm?"

The blond waved him over, "Do you sense anything strange? Like we're being watched?"

The navy-eyed man warily looked around, shaking his head at the blond, "No, without my gear I don't sense much. Still human, remember? Do you? Is this why you were glaring at the table?"

"I suppose so, but if you weren't able to see them then this is a greater problem."

He closed his eyes, attempting to drown all sounds out and enhance his senses, wanting to pick out something that goes against the normal flow of people. Footsteps, walking, running, talking, laughing, breathing, and... There. It's lighter than the others, at a higher place and close by.

"Above." His violet eyes turned upwards, scanning the buildings, reaching one across from them and, "Bingo."

The gaze was strong. There were too many shadows blocking their being, but there was no mistake, it's the same person from the shop. Frustrated, he let out a grunt, running into the sea of bodies, trying to keep up with the disappearing entity.

"Damn it, they sent someone else?"

"Hey, wait, V!?"

Jungkook attempted to follow, getting blocked by other pedestrians. He lost sight of the blond in seconds. Muttering a curse, he ran off in another direction, trying to help the blond by scouting out other places. He wasn't able to see anyone back at the shop or a few moments ago when V had stared up at a building, but he has to be able to do something.

Meanwhile, the blond lost the shadowed person, all clues vanishing along with them. Clicking his tongue, he walked away from the crowd, finding an alley entryway only to notice that someone was missing.

Where's Jungkook?

He rushed out of the alley, running back to where they were standing twenty minutes ago only to find it full of people that weren't Jungkook. His violescent orbs searched the crowded concrete jungle. His frantic state earned him a few questioning and judging looks, some even stopped to ask if he was alright, but he ignored them and kept searching for his partner.

Where had he gone?

When he wasn't able to find any signs of the blue-haired man, Vil couldn't help the slight panic that filled his whole being. He's sure that they were being watched, he saw the culprit, could it be that they had gotten Jungkook? Was their goal to separate them!? Then, was this his fault? Why didn't he drag Jungkook along with him!?

Coming to a halt in the center of an intersection, Vil was ready to scream out the missing man's name, but he held his breath when something clamped over his mouth. He went rigid. No way, had they lured them away from each other just so they could get to him!? He struggled, hands coming to pull at the thing blocking his lips.

"Mmh!?"

He couldn't believe this, was he scared right now? His blood ran cold, and he can hear his heartbeat in his ears. Why was this happening? Can't they just give up already? The blond kicked and thrashed in the stranger's hold, not wanting to be dragged further into the alley. He was certain this wouldn't end well until he heard their voice.

"Hey, Vil, l-listen! Oi, calm down, it's just me, it's Jungkook!"

"Hm?"

He stopped, body relaxing and heart calming down significantly. Both stopped moving, feet planted firmly on the concrete ground as the blond tried to find the man's face. The grip on the warm hand loosened and Jungkook took it as the appropriate time to remove his hand.

"Don't yell, alright? I'm going to move my hand and I need you to stay calm."

Vil nodded, heaving a very much needed breath when the hand left his mouth. His head snapped up at the man, body turning quicker than ever before, a look of disbelief on his face.

"What the heck was that!? Were you trying to kill me! You suddenly disappeared, I was worried about you and then you go and act like someone who was ready to kidnap me? I looked for you all over the streets and I couldn't find you, I thought they had gotten to you!"

The boy kept whisper-shouting, audio level increasing bit by bit, leaving no room for Jungkook to explain himself. It wasn't his intention to scare the blond, he just disappeared momentarily to check their surroundings after noticing the way the purple-eyed boy had stopped in his tracks while staring at a roof. He wasn't expecting them to get separated and lost for so long, he was only trying to help, and he certainly wasn't expecting Vil to look so panicked.

"Vil, let me explain, it's not like that at all! I was only trying to help," Jungkook pushed the blond away softly, not wanting to experience any more aggravating closeness.

The blond stopped his assault on Jungkook, glaring up at him, fist landing against his chest one too many times, "Then what the heck were you doing? Huh? Trying to help me? You were not able to see them! You disappeared without a trace, Jungkook, I warned you that it was dangerous... I shouldn't have told you anything, what if they had gotten to you? What then!"

"You were acting strange, I mean, you were staring at an empty table and then you go all silent before you start glaring at a building's roof? Then you go and start running after something and I wasn't able to chase after you so I tried searching other places for something that might look unordinary, but I didn't find anything. I didn't mean to leave you alone like that, please stop hitting me now, yeah?"

The blond stumbled back, pulling his hands away from Jungkook's body. He had been hitting the raven without knowing. He was starting to feel embarrassed at the fact that he had spouted things about being worried over the navy-haired man and not only that, but he had stooped down to the level of hitting him lightly, lightly!p

He sighed, hand on his head. He's done something unthinkable and out of character just because this dunce decided he'd try and help him find someone that's invisible to his eyes.

"What a headache, we should head back. I do not like this."

Jungkook clamped up, not able to find the proper words to help ease the blond. Walking back onto the streets, they returned to their car, the drive home being as silent as when Taehyung had first ridden with him. Vil hated the feeling of anxiety clawing at his insides. All of this was too coincidental to be an accident. Khione said more would come in due time, especially after she didn't return with him, but could they already be here? Is that how Mad Hatter didn't set off the alarms? He was already in South Korea before the cameras caught sight of him, did he descend the same day he did? His appearance didn't stir up the alarms because the day Mad Hatter had descended to Earth had already happened, he was always here but remained in hiding. Then, there could be more like him and that's not good.

"I think this is because of me."

Jungkook's grip on the wheel tightened, eyes on the deflated blond. The uneasy feeling in his stomach wouldn't go away, he doesn't like the way Vil has been acting. He can't understand what's going on and the blond's made no effort in trying to explain anything. Glancing at the blond, he sighed, "Let's not blame ourselves, okay? Why don't we talk to the others, we can draw out the person you saw and try and find them on our own. If push comes to shove, we can even ask Kalon-ssi for his assistance."

"I know you are trying to lighten the mood Jungkook-ssi, but now is not the time for needless hope. If you weren't able to see them, much less sense them, what makes you think your companions will be of help? There is no way that anyone, especially that boss of yours, is going to find out about this."

"But they can help!" Jungkook swerved, bringing the car to a stop as they now found themselves in front of their home. The man faced the blond, dark eyes meeting the glaring violet ones. "If you don't give us a chance to help you, things will only get worse for all of us. Fine, you don't want them to know your story? They won't know, but they can at least be told about this weird encounter. Jimin's demon is a snake, he can probably see them even though I can't, it's a snake's vision we're talking about! Vil, just let them help."

"I already told you, it is useless."

"You don't know that yet, we haven't tried."

"I do not want to try."

"Why? You said you weren't scared, so why?"

The blond remained quiet, dropping his gaze and opening the car door, walking out. Jungkook clicked his tongue, rushing after him.

"Tell me why! We can help you, why don't you want to try? You aren't losing anything!"

"I am not losing anything but there is no guarantee that things can stay that way!"

Vil lowered his head, back to the restless man twelve feet away. Jungkook's right, he isn't losing anything by asking for their help, but if he accepts their assistance, it's possible that someone will end up getting hurt.

"I can't, I do not want to risk anyone getting hurt because of me! If anything were to happen to any of your companions, I have no idea what I would do."

Jungkook's words caught in his throat. Seeing the blond's hunched back and balled fists, seeing him look smaller than normal, made him feel strange. Was this because of what happened back in Elysian? Is it some sort of trauma? At times like these, Jin would probably do a better job in talking to him. Regardless of what it is, he can't keep giving in to his wishes. He knows the others can help, so he's going to let them.

"Alright, why don't we just, go inside and rest? We can talk about this some other time. We can't just turn a blind eye to this and if you won't ask for help, then I will because we need it."

"But-"

"No buts. You can't do this forever Vil."

They walked into their home and Vil merely sighed, walking off into Taehyung's bedroom. He thought that Jungkook would've chased him down. Now he feels stupid for thinking that, because his door remained closed the whole time.

In the living room, Jungkook had attempted to go after the blond but decided against it. The boy needed time. Right now, he can't provide anything but space. Vil never stepped foot out of his room. No noise came from the other side of the door. Jungkook stayed on the living room couch until the time read ten o'clock. He sneaked a peek inside Taehyung's room only to find the blond curled up in his blanket with the music box open on his night stand.

"Sweet dreams, Vil."

Chapter Text

The next morning, Jungkook had to wake up Taehyung for the first time since their contract as Officer and partner had been accepted. He never thought the boy would ever sleep in so much, it's nearly late afternoon. Sure, people like sleeping in on their days off, but he's never stayed in bed for so long. It was almost worrisome, but he was able to determine that he wasn't sick, so he can only guess that Taehyung was tired. Jungkook sat on the bed, feeling bad for having to wake the blond.

"Taehyung?" His hands gently shook the boy's shoulder, "The guys are coming over soon, you need to wake up now."

The bushy brows furrowed, nose crinkling as the boy groaned, rolling over so his back was turned to the older.

"You can't stay asleep forever. We need to talk."

"'Bout what?" Mumbled the sleeping boy.

Jungkook chuckled, playing with the strands of hair on the back of Taehyung's neck, "Something happened yesterday. Spirit-ssi thinks that someone was following us. I want to ask the others for help, that includes you."

Taehyung sat up, bed hair framing his sleep-laced face as he stretched and yawned. He turned his head, staring at Jungkook for a while before realizing the man was sitting very close to him. It took seconds for the blond to crawl over to the opposite side of the bed, blanket still in his hold as he bashfully looked away.

"I-I'll change so, ca-can you leave? I won-won't take long, prom-promise."

Jungkook hid his smile, standing up and walking towards the door, ruffling the blond locks on the way, "I'll come find you once they're here."

Jungkook's surprised. He mentioned the fact that they were being followed by someone and the Spirit made no appearance. Yesterday, he was hung up on the idea that no one was supposed to find out about them being tailed, so when he mentioned it to Taehyung and even said that he was going to tell the others, he thought Vil would pop up and get angry.

Pushing that fact to the back of his head, the man went back to the living room, checking his phone and making sure that everything looked decent. It wouldn't be the first time that the others would come over, but being presentable doesn't hurt, especially when it's about serious matters. He can't really talk though; he's wearing sweats with a simple hoodie and his hair isn't even styled.

"Jung-Jungkook-ssi?"

"Hm?"

He turned to the newly dressed blond boy, trying really hard not to stare. Taehyung in comfy clothes was definitely something else.

"Jungkook-ssi, the do-door... They're knocking."

"Oh, right, I'll get it, sit down." Jungkook jumped to his feet, rushing to open the door.

"About time, I thought my hand was about to start bleeding from knocking so much."

"Shut it, Park, I'll close the door and let you keep knocking if you want."

Jimin rolled his eyes, striding into the house, the others following suit. Jungkook didn't bother commenting anything and closed the door, following them into the living room. They all settled down, leaving Jungkook to perch on the sofa's armrest. It was relatively silent. They had all greeted the young blond, but shortly after that, they all went quiet. Receiving an invitation from Jungkook was rare. The last time they received a call from the man, Taehyung ended up in the ward, but things seem to be normal this time around.

"So, what are we here for?"

"Yeah, you even told us to bring Khione along, I thought you guys were in an argument of sorts."

Jungkook glanced at the Goddess momentarily, clearing his throat, "It was something like that, but things have calmed down a bit. I actually wanted your help."

The men looked at each other, intrigued. Yoongi edged closer to the raven, posing the needed question, "Help with what?"

Jungkook held his gaze, shifting it over to the blond. It was still Taehyung. He's sure of that this time. His hands toyed with each other, brows meeting at the crease, "It's... hard?"

"What is?" Questioned Jin. "Did something happen?"

"Sorta?"

"You're very vague," pointed out the silver-haired man, earning a light flick to the back of his head from Yoongi. He pouted, glancing at Jungkook and modifying his tone a bit, "Can you give us the details? We can't do anything without knowing something."

Jungkook nodded, stealing glances at the blond as the words left his lips, "Taehyung and I went out yesterday during the evening. We went to get ice-cream. Eventually, I asked Taehyung to switch with the Spirit and-"

"Why'd you do that? Did you forget what happened last time you wanted to chat with him?"

"Jin-Hyung, let him talk, he has his reasons for doing these things. Jungkook is probably the only one who can have a normal conversation or relationship with Taehyung-ah's other half and if what Khione-ssi said is right, then he's the one who can handle both."

Namjoon is probably the only one who can talk to Jin like this. Not only that but Namjoon is probably the only one Jin would actually listen to voluntarily. The Doctor did keep quiet, and Jungkook was grateful for that because he's sure that out of everyone in the room, he'd always try and question his actions.

"Like I said, the Spirit surfaced, and I tried talking with him, but we got nowhere," admitted the man. "I think I might've been too pushy because he tried walking out on me right when I finished my ice-cream, but he stopped at the door and ended up glaring at an empty table."

"He glared at an empty table?" Hoseok's heard of a lot of weird things but staring at an empty table is something new. The chestnut-haired man stared at Taehyung for quite a while, seeing the boy shy away.

Jungkook called back their attention, continuing his recount of yesterday's events.

"So, he was staring at an empty table, and obviously, I questioned it and in response, he drags me out of the store and to the streets. We come to a stop, I'm confused as fu- heck and he's muttering to himself about there being a person at the table and other stuff. We're standing in the middle of the street and suddenly, he goes quiet... Five seconds later I see him running off into the crowds and he stops to glare at the roof of a building. We get separated, I wasn't able to chase after him and decided I'd go and see if I found anything unordinary, which I didn't. It's just... weird!"

Jungkook's animated speech came to a halt as he ruffled his own hair, feeling the guest's piercing and concerning gazes. He met their eyes, quirking a brow and urging them to say something which they all had trouble doing because the events sounded like something made up. Their eyes then shifted to Taehyung who couldn't deal with the amount of attention and lowered his head, evidently shrinking into his seat on the couch corner.

Khione asked them to stop their staring and asked Jungkook for more details, "You say you weren't able to see the person, right?"

He nodded, looking at the Goddess, "I didn't see them. I couldn't. I followed his gaze, but I never saw anyone or anything; they were invisible to me."

"Hm... Did he mention anything about the person? Looks? Possible name?"

"No, nothing."

The woman nodded, turning to the young blond on the far corner of the couch across from her seat, "Would you mind elaborating on this? I'm quite sure of the fact that you've been listening. I expected you to try and stop Jungkook-ssi from explaining the situation to us, I applaud you for holding back."

The blond lifted his gaze, meeting the cerulean blue orbs of the firm woman, letting his own honey-colored eyes morph into a vibrant purple. He leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs as he gave a very fake smile, "Your compliment is not needed. I did, indeed, think of shutting him up, but for reasons I would rather keep to myself, I decided against it."

The young man gawked at the blond, feeling slightly proud at the fact that Vil was able to let him tell the others about what happened. Did their talk last night make him come to terms with reason? He hopes that's the case.

"Alright, good for you, you know how to let people talk, tell us about the invisible person. Did you actually see someone?"

"I see you are as straightforward as ever Yoongi-ssi," remarked the blond, rolling his eyes. "I did see someone. I was thrown off when Jungkook-ssi said he didn't see anything. I was against telling you all, I didn't want to ask for your assistance."

"And why is that?"

The blond clamped up again, avoiding Jimin's eyes. Was he going to admit the reason why? No. At least, that's what he thought but like always, his words are always made public by the damned person perched on the armrest.

"He didn't want a repeat of what happened before."

"What happened before?"

"What does that mean?"

"Sounds sus."

"You've been playing too many video games, Hoseok."

"Jungkook, explain."

At Jin's request, Jungkook looked over at the blond, eyes doing all the talking as he stared the man down. It was either Vil told them, or he would tell them himself. Vil didn't back down, his gaze remained firm, but he knew Jungkook would spill everything if he didn't do it himself. The blond looked away, letting the words fall out, "I didn't want to ask for your help because I... I did not want anyone to get hurt again because of me."

His genuine worry left the men speechless. Only Khione and Jungkook knew why Vil had said that and the reason behind what happened back then. They had different views in relation to the event, but they understood his worry.

"I have caused you all enough trouble, bringing you into this matter will only make things worse. If Jungkook was not able to see this person, there is a high chance that all of you will not be able to see them either. I do not want to cause you problems."

Vil fought the urge to let his face fall in regret yet again, violet orbs dimming ever so slightly, voice coming as a gentle whisper, "I am not capable of protecting all of you... It's in your best interest to not get involved."

It was weird.

Hearing such words from someone who's normally aggressive without a real reason is something that would make anyone question whether or not the person before them is, indeed, the person they came to know. Despite the initial surprise of this whole situation, the men were more interested in the mystery.

"We appreciate the thought," spoke Jimin, "but we don't need your protection."

The blond moved his gaze to the workers, seeing their unbothered expressions and leisure posture. Did they not understand how troublesome this would be? The problems he will inevitably bring them will be more dangerous than what they've ever faced. Their world, their home, might be destroyed because of him, but they still choose to help?

Yoongi laughed at the obvious look of confusion on the blond's face, "Yeah, we don't know what you're talking about when you mention the past but, we're more than capable of protecting ourselves. Our line of work requires that y'know."

"If you want to solve this mystery, we're going to need the details," added Hoseok, glancing over at his partner who nodded.

Namjoon shrugged, crossing his arms, "I'm in. As part of the S.D.F, I think this intriguing situation falls under our expertise quite perfectly."

"Are you all absurd?"

Vil was thoroughly confused. Are they lying? Are they genuinely trying to help him? Why? They hate him, right? Then why help him? He warned them about the repercussions, they can end up hurt! Do they not care?

"You might be, but the majority of us are sane. There are a few bumps and cracks here and there but nothing as drastic as you. This is coming from a professional by the way, feel free to say what you like but I assure you, we're doing this knowing the troubles we might face."

"I told you, didn't I?" Jungkook poked fun at the blond, loving how his words were pretty much proven right. "I know your intentions mean well despite your sharp wording, but I told you they'd be willing to help even if they were to get in trouble. With that being said, we need the details."

"Details... Like what? I saw them briefly."

Vil searched the room, waiting for the answer to his question. He doesn't want to come out and say everything, he's still against this whole idea.

"Hey."

The blond looked around, meeting the woman's stern gaze. Her crimson lips parted, letting her airy voice leak out, "You know what we need, don't stall. I understand you're against the idea of these men providing help but deal with it. You can't run forever."

"I am not running," he seethed.

"Then tell us what we need to know. You have far greater secrets to keep than this. You and I both know that."

He clicked his tongue, nodding his head, "Yes, yes, yes, fine."

Following his forced cooperation, everyone shifted in their seats, ready to take in the needed information, a few having their notes open. Vil began describing the person to the best of his ability, "I am not sure about their height, maybe closer to Namjoon-ssi's. I don't know their gender; they were heavily concealed by shadows. Their hair color was a horribly faded pink, long side fringe, asymmetrical and I'm quite sure that they had split ends all over, it was greatly unkept and in desperate need of-"

"You're rambling," Khione cut in, softly eyeing the blond. She had forgotten how much a perfectionist he was. Vil's always been one to remember details down to the smallest of features, but he tends to go on tangents because of them. When it comes to appearances, he won't tolerate messiness. It was nostalgic to see him do something so familiar.

Clearing his throat the man apologized, continuing to list what he remembered. It was amazing how much he could recall. Was it photographic memory? Eidetic memory? Or was he just very good at remembering things? Either way, with the data they collected, it was possible for them to have a sketch drawn by the criminal sketch artists back at the S.D.F.

"If that's all then we'll be leaving. I'll get this into the artists tomorrow and we'll get a sketch sometime in the afternoon if they aren't too busy," Jimin got on his feet, pulling Yoongi up with him as they gathered their belongings.

Jungkook followed them out, letting them know he was glad for their help, "Thanks for coming on such short notice." He looked back at the blond, beckoning him over as he told him, "You should say thank you too."

Vil looked at the man with disgust. He wanted him to thank the others? No way. He shook his head, crossing his hands over his chest, "No way. Goodbye, try not to be too bothersome and nosy next time."

He turned around, walking away before he was pulled back and forced into a bow by Jungkook who thanked the guys and lady. He only let the blond straighten up when they had all left.

"I did not appreciate that; you had no reason to do that!"

"On the contrary, I think it was the least you could do since they decided to help out," argued Jungkook.

"Then what, are you going to force me to reveal myself to them?" Vil prompted, hard stare doing nothing to intimidate Jungkook.

Instead, he shrugged, walking into the kitchen, "If I have to, then yes."

"Tsk. You humans are all so annoying."

"You aren't any better and won't you eventually have to take care of us? When you become a God, that is," retorted Jungkook, sipping on his coffee, "I'm serious though. Sooner or later, you have to tell them and if not, I'll do it myself."

Vil looked away. Why was he suddenly being ordered around and threatened by someone like Jungkook? He's obviously weaker than him, he shouldn't have any power over him. He knows that yet he can't help but succumb to the man's wishes.

"A week," he squeezed his eyes shut, letting his fists loosen, "If we can't find them in a week, then it will confirm a theory of mine. After the week, you can decide when, where, and how. I will not comply so easily, but either way, you will get what you want."

Jungkook hummed, placing his cup down. It wasn't too bad of a deal. It was better than not having a given time limit and letting the blond keep his background to himself.

"Alright. A week it is. Now, bring Taehyung back, we have work to do."

Chapter Text

The sketch was made almost flawlessly. Copies were made public, and the streets were searched during patrols. The database was searched via the visual aid, but no matches were found. For the group of workers, it was frustrating and perplexing. Even after going through everything with the OPM, questions still lingered.

"How is this possible?"

"I already explained it, we searched thoroughly but we can't find a match for this person. Our database doesn't have anyone that looks like this," the man at the large touch screen repeated his words, directing his gaze to the waiting men with confused and pensive expressions. "We've been at this for four days, the background checks are giving us no matches, we only have a visual to go off of, we've ransacked the database on everything, even the surveillance cameras have no footage displaying this person."

"But we saw them, they were following us! How could the cameras not have caught something? If they were there, then they should be in the database!"

"Jungkook, calm down."

The man huffed, marching to the back of the room to cool off with a hesitant Taehyung following close behind. Jimin turned back to the investigator, apologizing curtly, "Sorry for his behavior, he's something like a ticking time bomb sometimes. Hannele, isn't there something else we could do? There has to be more to this, right?"

The man at the screen pushed up his glasses, placing his hands on his knees, "Aah... Well, it's complicated, really."

"Doesn't matter, break it down for us Cocker Spaniel."

"Cocker... Spaniel?" The man felt his eyebrow twitch at the new nickname and the smug look on Yoongi's face. Looking over the name, he closed the screen, "First of all, there can only be a few reasons why someone wouldn't be on our database. One: They aren't from here, thus their data was never placed into our system. Two: They somehow managed to break into the system and delete all traces of themselves, which is highly unlikely considering our security is one of the best in the world. Three: We've got the wrong visuals; this is very likely since we only went off of what someone remembered. Four: The person simply doesn't exist or is some sort of shapeshifter or invisible being that can't be tracked. Really, I don't know what else to tell you, I doubt you'll find them."

"How much longer can you keep searching with the rest of your team?" Asked Namjoon, leaning against the wall.

The man shrugged, "We can keep this up for a while, but four days is already a bit much. Is there a certain amount of time you want us to search for?"

At the mention of a time limit, Jungkook walked back into the small group, blond trailing behind like a baby chick before being pulled over by Hoseok who began to baby him. Hannele rose his head, meeting the navy eyes with his own peach-colored orbs hidden behind his rectangular frames.

"So, I'm guessing you have a time limit?"

"I do. A week."

The investigator's form straightened slightly, pushing the glasses up the bridge of his nose once more, "A week? Four days have already gone by, you want to wait until seven days have passed for someone who's not in our system and hasn't been sighted?"

"That was the deal I made with the person related to the case so yes, a week. It's only a few more days, is it too much?"

The slight waves covered the glasses as the man shook his head, heaving a light sigh, "Nope, it's fine, just three more days, I can deal with that. I'll inform you if anything is found."

"Great, thank you."

"See you around Hannele."

"Bye Cocker Spaniel."

"B-Bye, Sir."

"If you need assistance with the search, please let us know."

"Thank you and bye!"

Hannele watched them leave, waiting for the moment where he could stop waving his hand. This was troublesome. He saw no point in continuing the search but a few more days wouldn't be too much, so he complied. He just hopes he gets paid overtime for this.

The morning ended with the men returning to their floors after meeting with the OPM's head, returning to their pending work. Those on morning patrol gathered their needed belongings and piled out of the office after saying goodbye to their squad leader. While some left for patrol duty, the others worked on pending files and occasionally took calls from other departments and customers. The youngest member of the squad was taking care of reviewing contracts, fixing any errors if he found any, re-writing the needed parts, and stamping the ones that need to be completely re-done and reviewed by others.

"Taehyung, I need you to drop off some papers for me, they're for squad three."

Wasting no time, the blond dropped his pen and stamp, pushing his chair back as he rushed over to Jimin, carefully picking up the files. The man gave him a thankful smile, receiving a small smile from the blond who began to properly balance the papers and move. After three steps, he nearly dropped them, sighing in relief when he regained his balance. Taehyung began walking towards the open door, coming to a halt when he heard someone call out to him.

"Taehyung-ssi, I'll go with you!"

The blond arched his brows, making them disappear under his bangs. No one ever offers to go with him. He turned his head, peeking into the office to find another worker actually jogging over to him. The person waved leisurely at the boy, an easy smile on his lips, "Hello, I'm Kim Hyo-Jong, you're going to partner Hyuna's floor, right?"

Taken aback, the blond nodded, taking a few steps back and doing his best to give a slight bow with all the papers in his hands. Glancing at his Hyung, Taehyung saw Jimin's slight nod, urging him to take the man's offer of accompaniment. Hyo-Jong started walking alongside the quiet blond, a slight bounce in his steps. Taehyung is still wary about the new person; it was strange that someone offered to go anywhere with him.

Hyo-Jong was taller than him. Lean yet well-built if the muscles on his arms say anything; he's sure the man could hurt him easily. Aside from that, he looked really pale, almost sick, is that his natural skin tone? His hair reminded him of pudding, the roots were a dark brown and the rest was a caramel blond, and his eyes were a molten amber.

"You don't talk much do you?"

Taehyung averted his gaze, nodding steadily as the elevator doors opened up for them. Both walked in, Hyo-Jong pressed the third-floor button and glanced over at the blond, "Y'know, when I heard the guy behind the Daegu thing had enrolled in our office, I thought it was gonna be a really scary dude with a lot of issues but when I found out it was you, I couldn't help but think they were all lyin'. You're the opposite of what I was expectin', I mean, you're a bit scrawny for someone who destroyed a city."

Is he making fun of him? Or is he just brutally honest? Taehyung doesn't know. He's never been talked to like this. The most he's ever been told are insults and the few compliments his friends give him. He was sure that this man was also just waiting to bully him but when the office worker suddenly ruffled his hair and said, "I guess you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, huh? Small but feisty, that's ideal for many. Y'know, my girlfriend's also like that, but she can be real cute too!"

Now that piqued the young boy's interest. A girlfriend? He wondered how she looked and what her character is like. The only female friends or acquaintances he has are Becky and Khione. If he thinks back on it, his mother and sister were also some of the only females he knew back then; even in school he hardly ever mingled with the girls. At least, he can't remember ever hanging around the girls.

The elevator came to a halt, letting the men get off and make their way to the main office. Since Taehyung's hands were full, Hyo-Jong knocked on the open door, announcing their arrival, "Excuse us, we came to drop off some files, Officer Park's orders!"

"We'll be there soon, hold on a sec!"

"Hyo-Jong?"

Both men turned, one out of curiosity and the other because his name was called out. What happened next nearly made Taehyung tumble to the ground papers and all. Someone had jumped on Hyo-Jong, making the man stumble back slightly, nearly bumping into Taehyung. While the spontaneous hugging was going on, someone else had walked up to the blond, taking the files from his hands with a small apologetic smile. He bowed in return, glancing over at the person who had accompanied him. He was talking with someone, a woman to be exact. She was really pretty.

"Ah, Taehyung-ssi, this is Kim Hyun-Ah," he presented the woman to the blond who shyly bowed his head, not really knowing what was going on. He knew she was the head's partner, there's no way he would forget the introductions of their first day of work, but why introduce him?

"She's my girlfriend."

"Eh?!"

The blond hadn't realized the fact that he practically blurted out a word full of shock. He only registered what he had done when he heard Hyun-Ah and Hyo-Jong chuckling. In a flustered fit, he ended up covering his mouth

"Hahaha! That's new, no one's ever reacted that way!"

"Well, aren't you just adorable! Taehyung-ssi, right? It's nice to meet you, are you a friend of Hyo-Jong's?"

The blond was flustered, not really knowing how to respond. Would it be bad if he said no? Forget that, she called him adorable, no one does that! What does he do? How does he talk to her? He was agonizing over something seemingly small; the poor boy was still lacking in social skills but luckily, the man with the pudding-head saved him from thinking too much.

"Nah, we just met! I heard he was comin' down here and tagged along cuz I wanted to see you."

"You flirt! I love you."

Is this how Yoongi and Jimin act when no one's around? Taehyung couldn't imagine it. He's seen them hug and give each other pecks, but that's about it. Sometimes Yoongi would whisper something and Jimin would slap him and turn away with a weird smile on his face. He had asked Jin about it, but the Doctor had only told the boy that he'd understand when he found someone he likes. Someone he likes... Someone I like.

What does that feel like, I wonder?

Does it feel nice?

Is it... Is it scary? Hyo-Jong-ssi and Hyun-Ah-ssi look happy. Jimin-Hyung and Yoongi-Hyung look happy too. I think it feels nice, but sometimes it looks like it hurts... They fight, right? I think Mom and Dad used to get into arguments sometimes, but they always made up. Mom would cry sometimes and Dad would look mad. Jimin-Hyung's cried before too, but- but I've never seen Yoongi-Hyung cry. I wonder if my Hyungs have ever fought. Has Jin-Hyung ever liked someone?

How... How do I know if I like someone?

Who can I like?

The little blond's thoughts were going wild at the new questions brought from his curiosity and his new encounter with the couple before him. The idea of finding someone he can like as much as the people around him is foreign. Is it even possible? Let's not think about that anymore. Getting rid of these unplanned thoughts, Taehyung checked the time, tugging on the office worker's coat, feeling bad for breaking up his talk with Hyun-Ah. He pointed at the clock and Hyo-Jong realized that they were taking too long.

"We've gotta get goin' or the leader'll get mad at us," Hyo-Jong chuckled, giving a peck to Hyun-Ah's cheek. The woman shyly slapped the man's shoulder, bidding him a warm goodbye as she accompanied them to the elevator. To Taehyung's surprise Hyun-Ah also gave him a soft kiss to the forehead and ruffled his hair, waving him goodbye. The blond didn't know how to respond, his face heated up and all he could do was hide behind his bangs and wave at her shyly.

On the way up to their floor, Hyo-Jong once again tried talking to the blond, but he never received any words from Taehyung. The boy only answered with gestures and Taehyung thought that his companion would eventually grow tired of trying to talk to him, but the worker continued until they reached their floor and even when they had walked past the open door. The talking only stopped when they had gotten to their respective desks.

"Taehyung, you okay? Seems like he was talking your ear off."

The blond turned to his right, finding an amused Yoongi smiling right at him. The boy nodded, placing his fingers on his ear lobes, twiddling them lightly, "I-I'm okay."

"He's quite the chatter box sometimes, but he's a good guy."

"Mn... Y-Yoongi-Hyung?" The blond picked at his nails, "Ho-How do you know if... if you like someone?"

Yoongi froze. It seemed like he had stopped working and Taehyung was ready to take back his question. He should have thought about their reactions, about the time and place; now is most definitely not the right time or place.

"Never-Never mind, I d-do-don't need to know, I-I'll get back t-to-to work."

Yoongi's stunned gaze softened, brain settling down as he pats the boy's head, "I'll explain when we get home, okay? I'll tell Jungkook to let me keep you for the night, how about that?"

Taehyung smiled, nodding his head. He's okay with that. His question can be answered and he can spend time with his Hyungs. It's fine. He wants to know.

What is love?

Chapter Text

Never have they ever seen the ward this busy. All the halls were flocking with people, even the receptionist was occupied. They had visited the hospital hoping to get to Jin, but they were told he was at the ward, so they crossed the connecting bridge over to the building. Their eyes scanned the clinic, hoping to find someone that could explain what was going on as they stood at the entrance. Even Taehyung wasn't sure about what was going on. He had been looked at for help a couple of times by his friends, but all he could do was shrug and shake his head.

Yes, he spent ten years here, but he was kept in solitary confinement, away from everyone and everything. He wasn't allowed outside so all of this is new to him. Not only that but he was kept in the ward's lower floors. When he had been taken out of his cell, his eyes never looked up and the times he'd come back, he was unconscious. Taehyung never imagined that the ward's main floor looked like this, he always thought it would look as boring and plain as his cell-room did but boy was he wrong.

The blond looked around in awe, he didn't think the psychiatric ward had such pretty decorations. His surroundings made him forget about the reason behind their visit to this establishment. He was curious. He didn't know whether it was a picture or a painting, but the wall right in front of him had a beautiful scenery covering it. The light blue sky was almost entirely covered in white, fluffy clouds while an island of rough green tints kissed by gold floated on the water that held a mirrored reflection of the island and sky. Unbeknownst to the blond, he had walked up to it, realizing the wall was indeed painted, eyes glimmering as his fingers delicately grazed the paint. It felt dry and soothingly bumpy, you could even make out the brush strokes.

"Taehyung-ah!"

The boy flinched, pulling back his hand and realizing that he had wandered away from the guys. He blinked, confused as to why he was suddenly in front of a painted wall.

"Taehyung, don't go wandering off!"

He felt a tug at his uniform's collar and a sudden pressure was added to his head. A small yelp left his lips, hands reflexively reaching up towards his head as he gripped onto whatever it is that had assaulted him, running away and turning to find Jungkook standing in front of him. The man had his arms crossed over his chest, an obvious frown adorning his lips.

"J-Jung-Jungkook-ssi," Taehyung stuttered, relieved yet slightly frightened.

Jungkook sighed, asking for an explanation, "Why did you wander off? You should at least let us know; Chibi-Chan always gets on my case whenever you disappear."

"Sorry, I don't know w-when I left, so-sorry."

Chibi-Chan? Is that Jimin-Hyung?

"Hah, at least let me know next time, okay? You're old enough to know this stuff. Don't go wandering around on your own. I'm pretty sure you don't know your way around this place," scolded the man, interlocking his hand with Taehyung's, tugging him to where the others were. The small blond glanced at their hands and suddenly feeling giddy. His talk with Jimin and Yoongi popped into his head and that feeling only increased when they had met up with the guys.

"Ooh~ Holding hands now, are we?"

"Be glad Jin isn't around or he would've severed your arm by now."

"Cute. I don't like it."

"Oh, you found him, that's a relief. By the way, we finally know what's going on."

Jungkook scowled, rolling his eyes and tightening his hold on Taehyung's hand as he listened to what they had found out. Taehyung was too busy staring down at their hands to pay attention, trying to figure out why his face felt so flushed and why he suddenly felt nervous. This wasn't the same nervousness he felt whenever he'd recall something from ten years ago, it wasn't like when he had to talk in front of others, it's totally different. His right hand touched his cheek lightly, confirming the heat he had felt previously, moving over to his heart where he could clearly feel it thumping faster than ever before.

Was it because Jungkook was holding his hand?

If that's it then, this is what his Hyungs had described to him when he asked about liking someone! Then that would mean that he... The blond shook his head, muttering to himself, "N-No way! That's... That's not w-why, no wa-way! Are you cra-crazy? I.. I have a fever, y-yeah, that's it..."

His little murmurs ended up garnering more attention than anticipated. Not only did the guys look at him questioningly, the other workers in the building and a few patients had also turned to stare at the short boy. The blond boy only stopped his monologue when he felt a small tap on his shoulder, raising his head in response.

"Hey, you good? Is something wrong?"

"N-No Hyung," he assured, attempting to smile lightly at the kneeling maroon-haired man, "I-I'm fine!"

Yoongi squinted his feline eyes, not fully buying it and that's when he noticed the blond's quick glance at the hand Jungkook was holding. Pushing himself off the ground, Yoongi moved his attention over to the blue-haired officer, "Would you mind letting go of his hand now? He's eighteen, not four."

Jungkook rolled his eyes, attempting to hide the red tint that colored his cheeks as he unwillingly let go of Taehyung's hand, "There. Happy? Next time he gets lost, you go look for him."

"Fine, he's my brother anyways so I have no problem with babysitting him," reminded Yoongi. In the midst of the mini-argument, Taehyung had suddenly felt disappointed when he no longer felt the warmth of Jungkook's hand around his own. When he felt the grip loosening and their palms peeling away from each other, the young blond almost whined and his hand twitched, wanting to latch back onto the elder's.

He's confused.

Something like this never happened before. Even when he wanted attention from Jimin or Jin, he never reacted this way. Yoongi, Jimin, and Jin all showered him in affection, even when he complained that it was too much, they didn't stop and when they did, he never tried making them do more. What changed? What's different between Jungkook and the others? He doesn't know.

"Alright, we should head up to Jin's office and wait until he's free," Jimin reminded, ending the pointless argument between his boyfriend and his baby brother's admirer. Jin was busy tending to a new patient; they had arrived earlier today and he was helping them get situated. They had found time to ask the receptionist after she had taken a few calls and that was when they realized that Taehyung had gone missing.

The fact that Jungkook had found the blond was a mere coincidence, he had leaned against the front counter and that was when he noticed the small boy carefully prodding at the painted wall on the other side of the room. He found it endearing, the fact that he got separated from them because of a simple painting on a wall. The only reason the others found out where Taehyung had gone off to was because Yoongi had caught him smiling while gazing off at the place in front of them.

After Yoongi noticed, he had nudged Jimin who tapped Hoseok's shoulder who in turn tugged at Namjoon's arm, and that lead everyone to find out where Taehyung was. When Jungkook had noticed everyone's knowing stares and smirks, it was already too late. He had stopped smiling, glaring at them instead as he looked away from the blond, turning his back on him as he leaned against the counter. The others had laughed, pulling the young man away from the counter despite his protests and pushing him forward, shooing him away. Jungkook had protested against it, telling Jimin to go get the blond himself but the silver-haired man only shook his head and gave him a pointed look.

Reluctantly, Jungkook walked over to where the blond was, calling out to him numerous times only to receive no answer so, he lightly pulled at his collar, bringing a hand up to his head. His intention was to smack him, but he ended up ruffling his hair a bit roughly instead and he hated that he liked how soft it was. That's how Jungkook ended up linking their hands and dragging the boy back to the others.

Now, they were all scattered around Jin's spacey office room. They had been waiting for at least an hour and finally, the man had shown up. He looked worn out, the guys almost felt bad for showing up unannounced but when his face brightened up at seeing them, the guilt went away a bit.

"Why are you guys here? How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long, don't worry about it. We heard someone new was admitted today, sorry if we caught you at a bad time," the peach-haired man smiled, dimples on display as he spoke on behalf of everyone. They waited as Jin walked into the bathroom to freshen up a bit, all of them moving over to the small table in the kitchen area.

"So, why did you guys come to find me?"

"We have some news," started Jimin, "Hannele agreed to extend the search for us, but we've gotten no results, and it's been five days."

Everyone looked discouraged. Jin hummed, smiling sympathetically at the men scattered around his office, "There's nothing we can do about that, is there? I've seen you guys patrolling the area. Jimin, you've been using your gear a lot more often, are you doing alright? You shouldn't overdo it."

The silver-haired man stared at Jin in slight surprise, letting himself relax and nod his head, "I know, I'm fine, really. Basque and I have been partners for a little more than five years now, I doubt anything would go wrong."

"I know your relationship with it is stable, but don't forget its origin. You stopped using it for a while too, things aren't the same as before."

"Yes," the man lowered his head slightly, "I know. But in order to find them, I have to use his eyes and Yoongi's always with me as my partner so I know I'll be fine."

"Alright then. So, why wait a week? If this was someone you knew, then I'd understand wanting to extend the search, but no one knows them. It's a waste of time, if we garner no results then what?"

The Doctor wasn't wrong. It did seem to be useless and a waste of time. No traces have been found and even the OPM team is getting restless and tired of keeping the search up. The only one who could properly answer the question would have to be the one who set the time limit for the search. Jungkook had taken a seat on one of the chairs in the room, man spreading as he leaned forward, "I made a deal."

The others stared disbelievingly at the unbothered man. They didn't think Jungkook was that unreasonable. The first thing they learn before entering the S.D.F is not to make deals with any type of non-human being. It can lead to numerous problems, the worst one being death, yet he made a deal without batting an eyelash.

"Just so you know, the deal wasn't with a stranger it was with Taehyung's other half, he himself can tell you that."

The attention in the room suddenly shifted to the blond standing behind Jungkook. Their eyes did the interrogating and the boy nodded, "I-It's true."

Sighs and groans met Jungkook's ears, making him lean back defeatedly. Complaint after complaint followed and that made his patience diminish. How have they managed to get along so well these past months? The muttering men were silenced by something that sounded like a thump. Their attention was drawn to the wall closest to the door and a silver glint caught their attention. They turned their heads to the desk parallel to the wall, seeing a waiting Jin. He took a deep breath and let it out, repeating the pattern.

"Let's give him the chance to explain. My needles shouldn't be used like this, the next time you decide to criticize his actions without receiving an explanation first, I'll use them on you guys. Understood?"

They nodded, straightening up and letting Jin ask Jungkook for the reason behind his deal with the Spirit. He was stunned at the man's actions, but he was also thankful that someone actually tried defending him and his decisions. It's reassuring at times.

"We can't see the person, that much has been found out, only the Spirit was able to see them. I thought we'd be able to find something, especially with Jimin's snake vision, but we've gotten nothing. He said he'd give us a week. I agreed and told him that if we didn't find anything after a week, he'd have to come clean about everything whether he wants to or not."

"So, he came up with the time limit," confirmed the Doctor, receiving a nod from Jungkook.

"I don't get him," declared the confused Hoseok. He seemed to be pouting as his brows furrowed, saying, "He doesn't want our help, but willingly tells you he'll tell us what we want to know if we fail with something he can help solve. He's not expecting us to succeed, so why make a deal like that? If he really didn't want to tell us anything then he would've said that if we succeed, then he'd tell us everything, but he went along with your idea."

"He's right," agreed Namjoon, chin covered by his tapping finger, "Could it be that he actually wants to tell us but just doesn't want to admit it?"

"It's possible."

"Um..." The young blond stepped up, hand slightly raised, "I-I... I think h-he's scared."

"Scared?"

The blond nodded in response to his Hyung's question, fidgeting in his place. Jin softly called the boy over, waiting until he was standing in front of him. Taehyung's hands were pulled apart and held by the kind Doctor, making him feel a bit more self-conscious but Jin easily coaxed the boy, "Do you know anything else, baby? Why do you think he's scared?"

Taehyung chewed the inside of his lips, feeling Jin tap the back of his hand. Stopping his assault on his lips, the boy parted them, "H-He's scared... I-I know he- he is. He isn't mea- mean, he... he's just s-sca-scared. I c-ca-can't say w-why, I... I-"

"Hey, hey, easy... Easy... Calm down, no need to get nervous or scared, it's alright. Let your words form," Jin soothed the boy, feeling his hands tighten around his own. It seems Taehyung knew a bit more than any of them did, but it's best not to force him. He's said enough so looking the boy in the eyes, Jin gave him a thankful smile, "I'm glad you were able to tell me something. Don't worry, I won't force you to say anything, alright?"

The boy nodded, latching himself onto Jin while the others cleared their throats and let him be.

"So, we have to wait two more days."

"I know we won't find anything, it's been too long, they're probably not in Korea anymore."

"Then we just wait. In time, we'll get answers, right Jungkook?"

The young man nodded firmly, "Yup. Either I'll tell you or he will."

Chapter Text

Two days later, Hannele had called for Jimin, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Namjoon since they were the leaders in this case. The worker wasted no time in breaking the news to them, accentuating the fact that he warned them about the chances of failure. The men had thanked him, apologizing for making them drag on the investigation. Truth be told, they weren't greatly disappointed. They found nothing on the person so that meant that they'd get the information they've been waiting for. They hid their anticipation well, going their separate ways and walking into their respective floors.

Jimin and Yoongi had been met with an impatient Jungkook, glaring at him the second they laid eyes on him. His aura was drawing too much attention. Jimin scolded him, telling him to wait for the time of the patrol. The man had grudgingly complied, focusing on finishing his work as quickly as he could. His furious clicking of the keyboard tiles flooded the room and earned him looks of annoyance from the people around him. Taehyung also ended up staring at the man sitting a few seats away from him, observing the accurate and swift way his fingers clicked on the keys. There's no way he'd be able to do something like that, especially not with his small hands. Jungkook's were bigger than his by quite a bit so they could cover more area.

Noticing the stares and groans of the others, Taehyung took it upon himself to consult the man about his frustrated actions. He pushed his chair back, subtly walking over to Jungkook, tapping his shoulder lightly. When he ended up coming into contact with a glare, Taehyung merely attempted to smile.

"T-Taehyung-ah."

The young blond waved at him, succeeding in making the wrinkles on Jungkook's forehead disappear.

"Do you need something?"

He nodded, pointing at the man's keyboard. Jungkook glanced at it, quirking his head. Taehyung got closer, letting his voice peek out, "Y-Your typing. It's lou-loud and the... the others are both-bothered."

"Oh," he looked behind the blond, seeing the way the workers stole critical glances at him, "I'm sorry. I'll be more conscious of it. Thank you."

"Mn."

Taehyung took his seat again, receiving small nods from his companions in the cubbies near his own. The following hours, Jungkook kept his word. The sound of his typing minimized significantly and because of the sudden rush of impatience that had consumed him, Jungkook practically finished everything right before noon. Before anyone could step out for lunch, Jungkook sprang into action.

"Jimin! Yoongi! We're having a meeting, right now, let's go."

Both men looked at each other, tugging Taehyung along with them as they followed the impatient kid. After collecting Namjoon and Hoseok, they were led to one of the empty meeting rooms where Jungkook proceeded to lock the doors, close the blinds, and drag Taehyung to the head of the room.

"What the hell are you trying to do Jungkook? This is our lunch break, we're supposed to be eating not being dragged into a room, if it's about the results of the search, then I'm sure you know what happened."

"I told you, Park, we're having a meeting."

"A meeting about what? There's no need for a meeting!" Jimin pulled at his silver strands.

Jungkook stood beside Taehyung, hand on his shoulder, "The meeting's about the Spirit, the oracle, and his circumstances."

"You can't wait until after work?"

Jungkook crossed his arms, shaking his head, standing firmly, "Nope. It's now or never, I'm tired of waiting. I can give you the information or he can tell you himself."

"How can you be so sure that he'll tell us anything though? He's practically untrustworthy. I mean, even you don't know anything about him, it can be an empty promise."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong," he intervened, proudly raising his chin, "I do know things about him. I'd like to say I know everything but I think that's too far-fetched."

Taehyung's eyes widened, brows furrowing in confusion, matching the majority of the reactions in the room. A few sighs were heard and some took their seats, others remained standing as they waited for something to happen. They all felt like trusting Jungkook, but Jungkook is, well... Jungkook is Jungkook so that's kind of difficult to do.

The small blond tugged at Jungkook's uniform, unsure about what he was trying to do. How and why is Jungkook saying that he knows enough to tell the others about the Spirit? Even he himself didn't know much and he shares his body with it. Apparently, the young boy was wearing his heart on his sleeve because the second he locked eyes with Jungkook, a rough but warm hand placed itself on his head, petting his untamed hair and slowly moving over to his cheek. Taehyung couldn't help but close his eyes and enjoy that feeling of warmth and comfort, subtly leaning into the touch, shocking the older as he took his hand back, confusing Taehyung. Awkard coughs brought them both back to the task at hand. Jungkook took a knee, grabbing hold of Taehyung's small hands and squeezing them.

"I want you to open up the connection for me. Take your time, fight him if you have to, but I don't want you losing control until I say so, understood?"

Taehyung gulped, nodding slowly. He tried, having trouble in doing what was asked of him, having to play tug-of-war with the Spirit, but in the end, he was able to convince the other to listen and pay attention.

"I-I did it. You can- can talk now, we'll b-be listening a-and he'll be able to.. to speak."

Jungkook smiled proudly, not wasting a second, "Vil. It's time for the others to find out who you are. I don't care how stubborn you are, but it's a fact that if we all know about you then we can find ways to fight and stop whoever is after you so either you tell them yourself or I will."

A strong grip on his wrists made him aware of the disagreement the Spirit was expressing and Taehyung's clenched jaw and furrowed brows were enough to show how hard he's trying to stay in stable control.

Vil was trying to run away.

Running his thumb over the boy's wrist, Jungkook pleads once again, "Please... Trust them. Trust me. Nothing bad will come out of this, we'll protect you and we've got each other's backs. No one will be put in danger but in order to go through with that, you need to tell them everything. This isn't my story to tell. I'll give you to the count of five. If you choose to stay silent, then I'll tell them myself."

The blond's grip didn't loosen in the slightest, it only got tighter as the countdown began. It seems everyone was uneasy during the five-second intermission, and when Jungkook got down to two, the Spirit caved.

"Fine!" The counting stopped. Vil opened his violet-colored eyes, a defeated sigh leaving his lips, "I shall tell them. I will not go back on our deal but don't blame me for what will happen from this moment onwards, knowing me can bring you danger."

Jungkook smiled, a slight cocky glint in his eyes as he mouthed the words 'I win' to the blond.

"Okay, what about Taehyung?" Feline eyes were already waiting for the blond, expecting an answer.

"The connection is open, he can still see and hear everything, the only thing I can do is speak and move as I please, you can trust my words."

Yoongi narrowed his eyes, scoffing, "That's easier said than done considering what happened when you were in control last time. The fact that you even made this deal with this coconut head-ass is already suspicious to me."

"Hey!"

"That was not intentional, I was overtaken by my desire and emotions, it was a mistake and I know a simple apology will not fix it. I am well aware that this is not my body, I know I am not welcome, but this is the only way I can stay alive... So, I ask that you trust me for now. Once it is over, you can think and say what you desire."

Clicking his tongue, the maroon-haired man looked at the others, seeing them nod, he reluctantly agreed to the Spirit's request. The blond bowed his head, fixing his posture and coming to terms with what he was about to do. Breathing in a few more times, he relaxed, vibrant violet irises on display. How long has it been since he's had to introduce himself in front of an audience? Ten years? More? He can't remember.

"I am Vil Schoenheit, rightful ruler of Elysian, the Kingdom of Eternal Spring, and possessor of a gift from the Heavenly Emperor. I am otherwise known as the Fallen One or the Foolish King.."

Elysian. It's the Greek word for beautiful, peaceful, and perfect.

A place where the season never changes. It's always Spring, the borderline between winter and summer; a new beginning. Ice and snow begin to thaw while flowers and grass begin to regain color. The sun peeks out of the clouds, the weather gets warmer but the air remains cool and the days seem to go on forever. Everything shines and glistens with the occasional showers; the name fits perfectly indeed.

Cabins of all shapes and sizes decorated the nature-filled planes and tree branches where children ran, jumped and laughed as they played together. Adults tended to the plants and animals, helping their growing kids while others took up their roles as teachers, cultivators, business owners and more. Young adults worked in small businesses or helped their parents and friends with other jobs while focusing on improving their skills in hopes of being taken in as a guest disciple for one of the top Kingdoms or one of their many sects. Crops were harvested and distributed or sold in the market where trading occurred. Miles away from the small villages scattered around the terrain stands a large, elegant, yet welcoming palace created by stone and decorated with vines, flowers and tree roots.

"It was beautiful," whispered the blond, nostalgia painting over his soft eyes. "There lived the rulers of the Kingdom. The King, the Queen, and their one and only son."

He appeared almost unrecognizable. It was different from when he was telling the story to Jungkook. He had everyone's attention up to the last hair on their bodies. Every word felt heavy. Like it carried a weight only he could fully understand. They're sure that he's the only one who will ever understand the burden of this story. Everyone was enraptured, fully involved in the recounting of the tale, displaying emotions correspondent to the scenarios. If it was sad, they'd frown or their eyebrows would furrow ever so slightly. If it was happy, they'd let their lips tip upwards in a smile, eyes bright. If it was unbelievable, they'd scoff, roll their eyes, or cross their arms over their chest. Vil found it interesting. When they would do that, it made him feel heard. People were listening to him and not batting away his words with other ones. They weren't looking down on him with mocking mirth and displeasure. They were listening.

It wasn't long before his tone shifted again, the listeners feeling it as their expressions also changed. It was about the death of his parents.

"'We want you to use your gift on us both.' They had said. Those words reminded the prince of his injured companion and what he had done. It unnerved him, an uneasy feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. They had said it was forbidden for him to use it. He didn't understand why they were asking him to do such a thing."

His voice perfectly recited the words said at the time, not a single phrase missing. It was perfect. Perfect to the point where it was scary. He could remember something that caused him grief so well when others would rather forget. Of course it was scary.

"I know what we said, my son, but we are giving you permission to do so. Your mother and I don't have much time remaining and this is our last request, please son... There is no need to be afraid."

"No... Why? What if I hurt one of you or both of you, isn't it too risky? I was forbidden from using it on others for a reason, was I not? You said there were risks, Khione warned me too, I can't do it without knowing the side-effects."

"Trust us, son. We want you to have a part of us, something that will remind you of us, this is the only way. Your gift will only hurt you if you use it recklessly and excessively. You are smart enough to know whether or not you're putting yourself or others in danger... We trust you, darling."

He swallowed a humorless scoff, "In the end, his mother's candid words only made the prince feel worse. He knew the risks. Khione had told him. He had convinced her to let him know since his parent's refused to confess. He thought his parents would finally feel confident enough to tell him what his gift can result in, but it seems they wanted to keep it a secret for as long as possible. They wanted to take those unspoken words to their graves because they cared for him, and that's why the prince allowed himself to use his gift with great anguish."

Their chests felt heavy, hearts throbbing painfully. They realized what the prince had done. They understood what his mother and father meant when they had said they wanted to give him a part of themselves. They simply couldn't believe that they'd be able to feel so much just by hearing the words. Some even felt tears begin to form, but Vil never sniffled. He never teared up. He stayed as proper as when he started. Not even as he moved to speak about their funeral and the rush of the coronation. Not even when he brought up his wife being pregnant. The only changes one could hear were the shifts in his tone. Right now, he was clearly mad.

"A small disagreement regarding new land had sparked a revolt. The King of Elysian wanted to split the lands evenly among the different kingdoms, but some of the rulers disagreed. They thought it was only fair that those who found the land should be able to keep it as theirs in its entirety. If that were the case, then it meant that King Ifer would be the one to claim the new land as his since his soldiers were the ones who found it during an excursion. The King's unwillingness to fight over the land and his efforts to maintain peace by making the Kingdoms share made him the object of insults and criticism. He was being ridiculed for his ideals in wanting to keep the peace between his Kingdom and its allies. At the center of all this growing hatred towards the King of Elysian was the King of Ludus, King Ifer."

The way he said that name made an uncomfortable chill run down their spines. There was so much hatred behind it. Like that name was venomous or cursed. To Vil, it might as well have been both. This man was the one who had already killed him once. He made that very clear.

"Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy. No matter how close someone is to you, you should never underestimate the power of greed, pride or selfishness. King Ifer could care less about the new piece of land his men had found, all he wanted was power. He wanted recognition, riches, more followers, a stronger empire, he wanted everything! Everything he wanted was what the rulers of Elysian had acquired."

Vil was trembling. Whether it was because of the fury or because he was afraid, they didn't know. It was clear that he hadn't gotten over this. It was difficult to do so. It was hard not to feel some sense of pity towards him. It was hard not to feel sorry for the way they had treated him in the past. Everything was hard.

"When he realized how non-important he and his kingdom were, King Ifer decided to make the glorious King of Elysian seem like a coward who's too kind and scared of war to provide the people with what they want. Make him seem like a good-for-nothing man that cared more about his appearance than his people and Kingdom's growth. Spread rumors, lies and gossip," he laughed silently, shoulders shaking. "Ifer believed that once the other kingdoms turned on him and joined in on ruining the King's image, not even his subjects will see him fit for the throne. No one will be on the King's side."

He had stopped, dropping his head in something close to disbelief. A heavy silence hung in the air. They felt the need to hold their breaths. They knew he wasn't done. He couldn't be. Pieces are still missing. It was when he had lifted his head again, violet eyes glowing, that Vil had continued, voice sharper than before.

"Each betrayal begins with trust. Our great King was far too kind and disillusioned with the idea of everlasting peace for his own good. When he cried for help, no hand was reached out for him. When he begged for shelter, no doors remained open. He was only left with the option to run, flee, and hope that his wife and child would survive but... The King was the sole survivor."

That was how the story ended.

Chapter Text

The room was suffocating after Vil had finished the story. His nervousness was now obvious despite the way he properly carried himself and when Jungkook held his hand, he allowed him, placing his own hand over their clutched ones. This time, Vil didn't pull away or yell at Jungkook for holding his hand. Instead, he relished the feeling, ignoring the small part of him that wanted to push him away.

From within the connection, Taehyung had reassured him that everything was going to work out the second he had finished talking. The blond didn't sound as surprised as Jungkook had when he first heard his story. Taehyung was calm. Despite only knowing the superficial events without details up to a few minutes ago, now that he had everything, the young boy wasn't creating a fuss. When it came to the others, it was the complete opposite. Even though it took them all a while, it seems that the group of men tend to focus on the not-so-important parts first before actually piecing everything together and getting the whole picture.

"Wait, so you're telling me- Us- that you're actually royalty?"

"You were a King?!"

"Holy shit we literally treated a King like trash... Are we gonna die now?"

"Can we get back on track? We literally just found out about the Spirit, and we can be even more sure that we're in some deep shit right now."

"Yoongi's right, ignore the fact that the asshole's actually a King for now. Joon, text Jin ASAP, we've gotta talk this over with him as soon as we can. Everyone else, breathe, we can't get too excited here."

Stopping their little panic party, the guys straightened themselves out, listening to Jimin and pleasing Yoongi. The feline-eyed man turned to look at the newly introduced Spirit. He isn't going to apologize for everything they've done, he still doesn't fully trust the guy, but he's willing to put up with him until they find a way to fix everything. He does feel bad for him, but he believes their actions were warranted at the time. The truce is only for Taehyung's sake and nothing more.

"Look, I won't say things are patched up between us, but I'm willing to put up with your ass until all of this is done and over with so I'll call a truce," admitted the maroon-haired man, firm in his way of speaking.

Vil simply bowed his head, giving a tight-lipped smile, "That is certainly better than being treated like a nuisance, I shall call this a truce then, Min Yoongi."

The man nodded, glancing at the clock on the wall, seeing that their thirty-minute break is close to its end and sighing, "We have to get back to work, we'll discuss things later, this is a good reason to postpone training anyway so let's go."

Jungkook nodded as the rest began to stand and stretch.

"Okay, Vil, would you mind bringing Taehyung back?"

"Of course. I have no other choice, anyway."

Jungkook was tempted to smack him but decided against it. He'll get all his repressed anger out when the King is back in his body, that way he won't hurt Taehyung. You'd think that after he was able to get all this off his chest, he'd be nicer and less of a snotty rich prick, but apparently that's a feature that won't go away.

When Jungkook looked at the blond again, the young boy's honey eyes were already trained on him and Jungkook stared for longer than he should've. Taehyung didn't seem to mind as much this time, though. After all, he also held the man's gaze, almost as if he were looking for something. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he kept searching. Both had stopped their unusual staring contest when the door had clicked open, peeling their eyes away from each other only to steal a few glances again.

They ignored the murmurs from the others who were starting to grow accustomed to their momentary antics and filed out of the meeting room; no further comments made. Namjoon and Hoseok walked to the elevators, Jimin and Yoongi walked to their office, and Jungkook and Taehyung followed close behind. The blond had his head down and his hand was still held in Jungkook's. His eyes followed their swinging while a fluttering in his tummy made him want to grin. He held back his smile, dipping his head lower and unwillingly let go of Jungkook's hand when they reached the threshold of their office room. He wonders if Yoongi and Jimin can tell him how to know if someone likes him back. He'll have to ask them later.

He isn't quite sure whether or not what he feels for Jungkook is in the realm of liking someone. All he knows is that it's somewhere around there. He's scared of being wrong, but his Hyungs told him not to be. They said it's okay to feel that way. Things won't always go the way they want them to, but that isn't a reason not to try and learn or figure things out. They told him that liking someone can make you feel all sorts of stuff. You can feel scared, happy, lonely, jealous; you can feel a lot. Taehyung wants to feel. He thinks Jungkook might be the one to help him.

With these feelings and thoughts floating around, Taehyung got into his work rhythm quite easily. He didn't complain about any hand aches this time. If he had to visit other floors, Hyo-Jong would jump out of his seat and tag along, chatting like he did the first time he followed after him. If anyone noticed his chipper mood, they didn't comment on it, not even Jungkook. They let the boy be until it was time for them to leave and for the late shift to go in.

The men drove over to the ward, easily walking into Jin's office after a single knock. The man didn't even get the chance to allow them in, the only thing he was able to do was glance at the others who nonchalantly walked into his room like they own the place. He doesn't know if he should be surprised at this point. Closing the door, the guys took their seats.

"Jin-Hyung, we have some good news!"

"Uh-huh.... This is creepy, no offense. I know we're friends, but there's something called privacy, I'm sure you know what it is. I would like some of it, especially in my own office."

"Well be happy cuz you can stop researching Tae's other half," responded Hoseok.

"Really? Why is that?"

Jimin piped up, "We have all the info now!"

Jin seemed to miss Jimin's excitement, lips pursing as he leaned further into his chair, "What do you mean? The last time I checked, we still knew nothing about this whole ordeal."

"Well, now we do!"

"We know the gist of things, we had the chance to know the whole story," commented Yoongi.

"How? Did you find a record about everything? Or did you talk with someone who's as old as the oracle and Khione, because this is starting to feel like a prank," Jin rambled on, feeling the anticipation climbing up his body.

"Thanks to me," Jungkook emphasized, standing in a corner not too far away, "We finally know some stuff."

No way... Thanks to him? They're kidding.

When the doctor heard the young man boast about him being the reason behind them finding out about the Spirit, Jin was ready to burst out laughing. There's no way Jeon Jungkook had somehow managed to find information on something hundreds if not thousands of years older than him.

"You're joking right?" Snorted Jin, "There's no way that's true, right?"

The guys stayed quiet, eyeing each other. They felt the same way in the beginning, but Jungkook is shockingly full of surprises. Coming to the understanding that the guys weren't joking, Jin stopped his laughter and perked up, leaning forward on his chair. His hands perched themselves on his desk, waiting to propel him up the second he got the confirmation he needed.

"Wait, you weren't kidding!?"

They all shook their heads.

Jin finally stood up, leaning dangerously close to the edge of his desk, "Then hurry up and tell me what you know!"

The men jumped at the bang of his palm on the table, nodding and glancing over at the blond boy and Jungkook. Taehyung fidgeted next to Jungkook who pushed himself off the wall and walked around to face the blond.

"Hey Goldie," he placed a hand on his head, lowering his body so he could look him in the eye, "Let's tell Jin-Hyung, okay? Let him surface."

The blond once again felt a rush of heat slap him on the face at Jungkook's close proximity and small smile. Jungkook's done this numerous times already so why is this time so different? He isn't sure, he never is at this point. Seeing Jungkook smile, no matter how small it may be, makes Taehyung want to do things that will keep the smile on his face forever. It's rare to see a full-fledged smile from Jungkook. Even when they're alone, the man tends to find it hard to immediately drop his normally sharp-tongue and harsh mannerisms. Taehyung thinks it's natural to want to see him happier than he is now.

Catching his wandering brain, Taehyung nodded, avoiding the blue orbs that were still trained on him, "O-Okay."

Jungkook smiled again, patting his back lightly as he stood up, clearing his throat, "Ahem! So, this is Vil Schoenheit and before he was named a Spirit, he was actually a genius cultivator and then a King. The reason they're after his head is because his late wife's dad, who is also a King, wants to take over Elysian and started something like a revolution. I also forgot to mention this, but he has a theory related to the person we weren't able to find."

The others nodded along while the blond felt an eyebrow twitch at the way he was introduced. Though he can't completely debunk the words, he isn't going to agree with them full-heartedly either. Ignoring the mention of his theory, the blond stepped forward with a glare thrown Jungkook's way.

"I still am a King," remarked the now violet-eyed boy, taking a jab at Jungkook's ribs for good measure. With a satisfied smirk at the groan he got in return, Vil bowed gracefully, you could practically see the crown sitting atop his head as he said, "I apologize for the late introduction but due to some unforeseen circumstances, I had to come clean about my whereabouts and background. I am King Vil Schoenheit of the Kingdom of Elysian and unfortunately, your group of people has to harbor this burden of housing me."

Jin nearly fell over his desk and his eyes were ready to pop out of their sockets, "H-Hold on, King? A King? Like- Like an actual ruler?"

Everyone hummed and nodded, understanding Jin's shock. They all freaked out in the beginning too, it's not an easy thing to swallow. Luckily, nothing happened and they weren't nearly killed for practically treating someone of royal blood like, well, a no-good demon. Regardless of that, it was still hard to believe. Everything sounds so unrealistic, like when supernaturals first appeared and humanity was lost, afraid, and chaotic. The only difference is that this particular group of men weren't necessarily afraid, they were intrigued.

"Okay," Jin soothed himself, trying his best to keep calm and properly assess the situation.

This is unexpected... Really unexpected.

"Okay, hold on, if you're a King then what the heck are you doing here? Don't you have a kingdom or something to take care of? Couldn't you have just, I don't know, fought the other King?"

"I do have a Kingdom! At least, I think I still do... I'm not a fan of starting wars or violence, especially over things such as land. If only we could have come to an agreement..."

"You think? You've been gone from your kingdom for ten years! Also, your temper isn't the best, you're almost as bad as Jungkook, so your words are contradicting your past actions and you can't expect no wars or troubles, that's foolish."

Vil nodded ruefully, almost like when a kid is being scolded by their parent. His eyes seemed to tremble at Jin's words. It wasn't the first time he was told something of that nature. Maybe he should start coming to terms with that. No matter how he looks at it, he knows they're right. To dream of everlasting peace is nothing short of absurd, he knows that, but the idea of things disappearing, of people disappearing from his life again; he can't imagine such a thing happening again. He doesn't want it to happen again so he miserably clings to that idea because it's the only way he can think of keeping everyone safe without losing himself.

Jungkook easily noticed the change in the blond, he looked over at Jin, shaking his head. Jin took notice and stepped back, calming himself down with a few breaths and allowing the blond to have some space.

"Vil?"

The blond didn't respond. He could feel them. Their desperate claws digging into the flesh at his throat as they try to go back to where they came from. His mouth was left hanging open, lips trembling as he tried to speak or even move. It was hard.

"Are you okay?"

The blond nodded, forcing himself to swallow and breathe as deep and slowly as possible. He can do this.

I can do this.

"Can... Can you continue in my stead?"

It was nothing but a hushed murmur. He's sure no one else caught what he had said except for Jungkook. The man had stared at him with confusion, but nodded nonetheless. This is something he can do without an issue. When he turned to Jin again, he wasted no breaths in elaborating more on the subject, "He was sent here as a last resort by Khione. He had no other choice, and the fact that he ended up in Taehyung's body was something he couldn't control."

Jin nodded, sitting on his chair once again, placing his reading glasses on his desk, "Alright, sorry, I might've been too harsh."

"Understandable... Do not apologize."

Vil finally responded, voice a bit tight as it squeezed past his throat. He glanced at Jungkook; gaze strong enough for him to feel it without looking back at him. The man got the message quite clearly if the chill up his spine was anything to go by.

"When he was sent down to Earth, it's likely that he might've been followed here, so that can explain why Mad Hatter didn't trigger any alarms. As for his weapons, they aren't actually his. He stole them... Kind of."

"Hah, you have a habit of making me sound like a low life, I did not steal them, I was given permission to take them," clarified Vil, grunting at Jungkook. He has a vague intuition that Jungkook said that on purpose. He was trying to lighten up his mood even if doing it meant pulling on some strings that would lead to Jungkook getting punched or yelled at.

"Wait, how? Isn't it one per Spirit?"

"Yes, when it comes to Spirits and select cultivators as well as Holy beings it is one spiritual weapon per being, but when I manifested my golden core, I received something I would refer to as a curse rather than a gift."

"And what was that?"

"Ruler's Authority," he grits out, obvious hatred pouring out of him. "The ability to take someone's spiritual weapon by calling for them or simply touching them."

"You can take someone's weapon!?"

The blond nodded, "I was prohibited from using it for years. I have only used it four times."

"When?"

The guys flinched at Jin's ever-growing curiosity. They though he was one of the few who would stay rather calm during this, but apparently, he was almost as bad as them. In all honesty, they weren't keen on wanting to hear this part again. It was something they could never imagine. If it was painful to hear, they can only guess how it must have felt. Vil didn't have much of a choice when it came to those situations. He was forced to use it; he had no other options and they doubt he could have thought of any other ways when he was stuck in chaos. Now, he carries them around like reminders and treats them like treasures.

"When one of my close companions was injured, before my parents passed away and..."

He choked up; it startled all the guys. Vil's words got caught in his throat, clinging to the walls for dear life. This was like minutes before. He can't move his lips. His jaw feels locked in place. His throat is dry and tight. The words are bouncing around in his head, but he can't form them. It wasn't a problem a few hours ago, he recounted everything without an issue, he should be able to get through this. He doesn't understand why this keeps happening.

"Vil, you don't have to continue," assured Jungkook, Jin not far behind, but Vil shook his head. He isn't going to stop. He can't.

"The last time... was when my wi-wife was... killed... Her father killed her and our unborn baby. He started a revolt against me and when we had to flee.. No one helped us. Not even that retched Goddess. I only had the time to take her weapon before Khione sent me here spontaneously."

Jin covered his mouth, regretting his question. The blond hung his head, teeth ripping at his lips as his hands shook at his sides. He didn't know why it was affecting him so much right now. He told Jungkook and the others earlier, why is he acting up now? He has to get over it, this isn't how someone of his caliber should be acting! Damn it...

He can feel them. The unfamiliar sting in his eyes. The gross feeling of loosening snot in his nose. The stuttered breaths that want to leave his chest. He can feel them. He can, but he doesn't want to.

Jungkook took notice right away, coming to stand in front of the blond, hands on his shoulders as he said, "Hey, it's alright, you don't have to hold back, okay?"

Vil scoffed, willing down the wet, choked breath waiting to escape his unguarded lips.

Isn't that easier said than done?

"I think it'd be more of a relief to actually see you do something other than shouting."

How encouraging... Vil shook his head, bringing a trembling hand up to cover his closed eyes. He was shaking. He wondered when that had started. He can't seem to remember the exact moment.

"Yoon, that's not the right way to word it! Vil, sorry, we didn't mean to put so much pressure on you," placated Jimin, placing a tentative hand on the blond's shoulder.

Vil isn't sure he heard him properly. His ears were ringing. When had they started? He doesn't know. It's loud. Piercing. Even the whispers sound too loud.

"Vil, take a rest, you aren't looking well."

Jin's voice didn't register anymore. Namjoon and Hoseok's calls were nothing but muddled tones. His ears aren't picking anything up. His limbs feel heavy, almost numb. Is it relief? Is he relieved that he finally got everything off his chest? He isn't sure, but he doesn't want to stay. He doesn't want to stay anymore.

"I apologize," a small whisper is all he could manage before it became unbearable to stay. He had enough courtesy to bow once more, head hung low as his violet orbs turned into honey once again. Taehyung remained still for a while, blinking away a haziness that lingered after Vil had suddenly thrown him back to the front. He regained some sense, reaching out to grab at the first person he could make out.

"You good, Goldie? Anything wrong?"

Jungkook's voice was a relief to him. He nodded, not yet able to form his words. It feels weird, but he's okay. He's never been pulled out of the empty nothingness so quickly before.

"Jungkook, sit down with him for a bit," advised Jin, motioning to an empty chair. Jungkook nodded, gently moving the boy along, and helping him sit on the chair. Jungkook stood at his side, hand holding one of Taehyung's limp ones as he turned to the others again.

"I can see why Taehyung-ah said he was hurt and scared," uttered Jin. His gaze trained on the zoned-out blond was full of something hard to decipher. Maybe recognition and slight regret? He felt bad, admittedly, but he has to wonder if anything would have turned out different if they had known this from the beginning.

What could they have done?

Chapter Text

The guards standing around the large throne room were stiff, trying their hardest not to move an inch. At the center of the dark yet elegant room was a boy, knees firmly pressed against the obsidian floor as his head hung low, right hand over his heart. Eight feet away was an extravagant seat big enough to swallow the person sitting on it.

Fitting for a King.

Hues of green, black, and white adorned the royal chair, red rubies lining the palmette, silver threads standing out against the black cushion. On this throne sat a man eagerly waiting for an update on a matter he can't overlook, wine-red hair tied back in a braid that peacefully lay upon his crossed legs, gold and silver crown perched perfectly on his head. The corners of his eyes sharply go down as he glared at the boy. The few freckles on his eyelids and under his eyes added to the man's attractiveness but the rich, gruff voice makes people take a second look at the royal body.

"Well? How's our little King doing? Is the traitor still with him?"

"My King, as the oracle said, he's currently allied with six mortals, but it seems that their relationship is rocky. The Goddess has made a deal with the King, but he loathes her and nearly killed her despite the pact. She's a traitor through and through, she's even assisting them in training."

"Hm, so what the old hag said is true? They're planning to kill me off, I don't like that."

The kneeling boy stayed quiet. His answer to that question could lead to his death, that's not something he's looking for.

"Well, we'll find out in due time, won't we?"

The royal body uncrossed his legs, moving his braid so it'd hang behind him as he stood, shoes clicking against the obsidian floor. The guards seemed to have held their breaths while the boy on the ground suddenly felt a heavy force pushing against his body. The sleek red platform pumps came to a halt right in front of the boy's aching knees, contemplating whether or not they should be nice.

"For a little cultivator, you were quite useful, but... Should I let you go? To be honest, I don't think you're useful to me anymore."

The boy gulped, licking at his dry lips, "I shall do as My King sees fit."

"Oh boo~ You're all so boring! But I like people like you so... One."

The boy rose his head, not bothering to remove his long side bangs from his face, when he saw the red heels walk past him. He was perplexed. What was he supposed to do? Why is the man counting?

"E-Excuse me?"

"Two..."

The guards trained their eyes on the confused cultivator, not moving from their positions. Some were itching to help. Tell him what he was supposed to be doing at this moment. They would help, if their lives weren't at stake. Any sudden movement and they'd be gone.

The royal turned around, staring down at the cultivator in tattered robes, "Three. When I get to five, young man, your time is up."

The boy's eyes widened as the man then said, "Four..."

The boy rushed to his feet, stumbling forward, his skin rubbing against the dark sleek floor. He didn't think about the pain in his throbbing hand as he rushed to the exit of the throne room, barely managing to run past the counting man as he grinned, whispering, "Five.. Bye-Bye."

A loud scream.

The splatter of crimson.

The smell of iron.

Then, silence.

Those inside the throne room have witnessed this many times. He gives them false hope, allowing them the chance to run, but a single flick of his hand results in their deaths. No one had ever made it past the doors of the throne room, they always die before pushing them open. Those who have been chosen by the King are never given the chance to walk away with their heads still intact, it's all a game to him.

"Clean up the mess."

"Yes, your highness!"

Once again, the clinking of the heels echoed in the vast palace as the royal climbs the flight of stairs, black gloves gingerly holding onto the silver rail. He continues his walk, coming to a halt at the dead-end of the hallway, peering up at the family portrait that hung on the white wall. He stares at one of the people in the painting, eyes boring into the green paint that filled the person's irises.

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head in disappointment, "Oh, my foolish daughter, what a mess you've caused! If only you hadn't gotten in the way, things would have been so much easier. Now I'm being told that I'm gonna die if I keep going after him, can you believe that? Me, King Ifer of Ludus, dying at the hands of a pip-squeak fool-of-a-king? That old fortune-telling hag must've seen incorrectly. I fail to see how such a coward could possibly bring me to my death."

Ifer picked at his split ends, conversing with the painted picture of his dead daughter Cielle as if she could actually hear the man. Does he have a few loose screws? No, he's totally healthy, even the royal doctor said so. He's as sane as anyone else in his palace.

"Even that Goddess betrayed me! I thought holy beings weren't allowed to lie, how can there be so many flaws in the Heaven's system? Not only that but she was clever enough to place a barrier around her kingdom and Elysian and left her brother in charge. That demi-god boy has defensive powers that rival my whole army, it's suicidal to try and breakthrough! Ugh, I'm so done with all of this," he groaned, massaging his temples as he turned away and walked into a new room.

He removed his crown, placing it on the cushion at his bedside, removing his gloves, heels, and hair tie. What is he going to do next? One of his generals was already killed by the foolish grape-head, it's not a good idea to send someone else. That darned Mad Hatter, he knew it wasn't going to be as easy as he said it would, he may have been one of the toughest fighters in Ludus, but that Schoenheit has more than one trump card. It's only a matter of time before he shows up here again and there's no telling what will happen when he does.

"Even when you're gone you still give me headaches. I can't get a hold of your body because of those stupid knights of yours so just wait until I get my hands on your fake one, King Vil."

Beyond the barrier encasing the dead kingdom of Ludus was the green surrounding the ever-prosper kingdom of Elysian. A couple of days, if not hours depending on how fast one moved, was how long it took to travel from one kingdom to the other. Off to the side of the first few towns was a forest known for its strange layout. At its center was a crying tree that could never drown in its own tears. On its branches were perched three bodies and in the spaces between its roots lay two. Through the drooping branches flowed the light melody of strings accompanied by the mellow whistle of a flute. The tune carried for acres, but the one meant to hear it never responded. All they could do was wait.

Vil had left too abruptly.

He had disappeared so abruptly that even Taehyung was surprised to find himself back to normal so quickly. Vil has been gone since. The only trace of the King would be his abilities. Taehyung had access to them without contacting him, but Vil must be allowing him to use them without him having to be the one in control. It was good news, but the men couldn't help but feel bad. It felt like someone was missing. They tried riling him up, Jungkook and Jimin would try and provoke him, but nothing worked. Taehyung's eyes remained still and unchanging for weeks.

They followed their daily routines and when training became something optional due to the sudden increase of work on both party's behalf's, the men had no time to meet up or properly relax. Khione was left on her own in Hoseok and Namjoon's apartment, occasionally assisting Jin but more often than not, she'd help the men keep the house in order and would often times meditate. Truth be told, Khione had found out that Vil had explained his situation to the workers and she was partially worried about what they would think of her. Jungkook had given her quite a handful of questions and insults so she didn't know what to expect from the others. To her surprise, they didn't give her much criticism compared to Jungkook. It was strange, but reassuring to the point where they actually had to comfort her before she began to cry again.

Their overall relationship with the Goddess grew and when Jin finally had a pretty empty schedule, he called two of the guys for a special training day. Jin thinks it's possible for both Taehyung and Vil to be in control at the same time, similar to how the others share their body with their demons when they use their demon weapons. In order to figure out more, Jin had asked Khione for help since she knows more about this stuff than he does, and just as he thought, it is possible. Lucky for Jin, it's the duo's day off so there was no way they could reject him.

Locking the training room, all four people sat on the arena's floor, right in the center with the young blond facing the three who sat in a row. He was slightly apprehensive; he's never attempted this. Not only that, but he isn't sure how Vil will react to this, he might end up feeling as zoned-out as back then; he didn't like that. Noticing the boy's fretfulness, Khione smiled sweetly, an almost motherly aura seeping out of her.

"Calm down my Little King, there's no reason for you to be frightened or anxious."

Khione's gentleness helped ease the teenager and the other two males who were almost as nervous as the one paired with the King. The boy's honey-colored eyes glanced at the white-haired woman, crisscrossed legs shaking as his palms rested against his knees. Taehyung had trouble holding eye-contact with Khione after hearing how she had called him, hands coming up to cover his face, it was adorable how bashful he could be. That was all it took for the others to chuckle. The boy slowly lowered his hands, eyes landing on Jungkook. Feeling the gaze, the man returned the attention and gave him a firm nod and small smile, resulting in the blond's own smile.

Jin cleared his throat. Both boys looked back at the Doctor and Goddess and their embarrassment was very clear. Sighing, Jin clapped his hands, "Okay, let's try this as many times as possible. I'm sure you'll be able to do just fine. There's no harm done in trying."

Taehyung nodded, looking between Khione and Jin, eyes fleeting to Jungkook before he breathed in, attempting to calm himself down.

"O-Okay. What... What do I-I do?"

"Go ahead and close your eyes," replied Khione, watching how the boy's eyes fluttered shut. "Now, stay calm, there's no need to get nervous, okay? I want you to find Vil."

"Find him?"

"That's right, just find him and wait. Search for his soul, his energy. It may present itself to you as a scent, maybe a color, a mixture of both, maybe an animal or something completely different. It may be difficult, but not impossible."

Nodding, the young boy fell silent as his eyes remained closed and breathing steady. He was trying to do as told, but it was proving to be harder than expected and his furrowed brows were giving that away. He's never had to sense someone or something's energy before. Whenever they faced creatures out in the field, their presence was obvious and usually, the mission leaders gave them the heads up. Right now, he can't sense or find anything. The others noticed, Jin and Jungkook were the only ones feeling discouraged, Khione actually provided the boy with reassurance and a few tips.

"If he's being difficult, try imagining what I'm about to describe, alright? If you do this, then you're bound to find him. I don't know whether or not he's shown you how he looks, but it'll be impossible not to realize that it's him, so don't worry too much about imagining how he looks."

Taehyung peeked one eye open, closing it right after as he nodded. It felt strange calling out to someone in your head. It almost made him feel like an idiot, but he knows this is the only way he can help the others so he tried to forget about it being embarrassing. He cleared his mind, paying attention to Khione's words.

Thin blankets, running water, a gentle breeze... Falling leaves, a meadow, lavender, tall trees... It was a strange sensation but little by little he began painting a picture. He was walking peacefully through the different flora, taking in the new earthy scent. It looked too fake to be real. He could no longer hear Khione's voice, and there was no way he'd be able to tell her that he found something like this without breaking his concentration. His surroundings grew as he walked forward. He could feel, see, smell, and hear everything.

It was amazing.

He jumped when a warm yet cool sensation enveloped his feet and only then did he realize he was barefoot as he walked into a shallow creek littered with four-leaf clovers, water lilies, and splashes of colorful petals. The water was nearly see-through, but a light blue tint kept it from being invisible. Rocks and smooth pebbles filled the ground as he carefully crossed the creek, stumbling into a grass field. He wiggled his toes at the feeling of the dew and moist dirt at his feet, taking in the smell of fresh grass after a light rain. He had forgotten how it felt to be barefoot. He can feel so much more without his bothersome shoes; it was nice.

The further he walked, the more beautiful and fairy-tail-like the scenery became. It was something he could never imagine with his own level of creativity. Eventually, the young blond came to a halt at the base of a large tree that looked tall enough to kiss the clouds. Its branches were decorated with soft blue and purple flowers that resembled small groups of hanging bells. He didn't know what species they were, but there was no denying that the tree looked beautiful.

A gentle breeze ran past the blond, playing with his hair as he stared up at the unknown tree, squinting his eyes in an attempt to see the curved top. When his eyes reached what he thought was the tip of the tree, he caught sight of something eye-catching. The outline of a body. A person. He needs to get their attention.

Now, Taehyung wasn't a fan of being loud, last time he was rowdy was when he was about four or five so the idea of having to yell or raise his voice was something he never liked. The closest he's gotten to yelling has been during arguments with Jungkook and the fight with the Hatter when Yoongi nearly died. Unfortunately, there was no other way for him to get the person's attention, so he took a deep breath and cupped his hands, allowing his voice to grow in volume.

"EXCUSE ME!!"

His throat burned at the foreign action, but he had to get that person's attention. They're here for a reason, right? They're the only person here aside from him so they might know where Vil is. Squinting up at the body that seemed to have shifted, he waved his arm calmly, keeping one hand around his lips, "C-CAN YOU COME DOW-DOWN HERE!? PLEASE!"

When he saw the body disappear into the tree's branches, he began to feel discouraged, thinking that maybe he had scared the person away. He sighed, softly rubbing at his throat, jumping when he heard a thump come from up ahead. Taehyung couldn't help the slight unease that trickled into his system, but gathering the small amount of courage he had, he gradually rose his head. A large gasp escaped his lips. He wasn't sure who this person was. Their face is hidden in the shade of the giant tree, but luminescent violet orbs gleam in the shadows, and a sudden chill ran up the blonde's spine.

This... This wasn't what he was expecting at all.

"I... You- You're-"

"Come now, the cat's got your tongue, Goldie?"

Taehyung shook his head, watching as they walked out from the tree's shade with an unreadable smirk and glowing eyes. When the person came to a halt, Taehyung had to crane his neck as he stared up at the being he only knew by name and small details. They were taller than Namjoon, saying they were only six-feet tall was probably him being nice. They stood at more than just a six, or maybe it was the high-heeled black boots with golden linings? He isn't sure but they were tall.

"So, how did you find me and why? I made it clear that I wanted to be left alone."

Snapping out of his state of admiration for the new yet familiar stranger, Taehyung cleared his throat, looking back down as his toes moved about the ground and fingers rubbed against each other, "I want to try sha-sharing contr-control."

The man before him picked at his indigo-painted nails, not bothering to pay proper attention to the blond boy.

"Hm, why should I cooperate? It always ends in failure, what makes you think this time will be any different?"

"This time it- it will be different... I know we fail-failed before but.. but this time it can wo-work!"

Crossing his arms over his chest and placing his weight on one leg, the man smiled, "You have ten minutes. Convince me to help and cooperate, if not then you can show yourself out or let me not-so-kindly kick you out."

Taehyung was ready to protest, but he knew this person wasn't one to play games. If he argued, he'd be kicked out instantly, he's sure of it, so for the sake of the others, he'll do his best to convince him.

Chapter Text

Jin and Jungkook were starting to feel restless. Taehyung had suddenly gone limp, body slumping forward, nearly slamming into the dirt floor, it scared Jin half-to-death. Khione had assured them that it was normal and told them to let him be after they managed to keep him propped up. They can't move him too much or else he'll end up having to start all over again.

"How long does this usually take?"

"It's only a matter of convincing Vil. If the other tries failed it was because both Taehyung-ssi and Vil weren't on the same page, they have to mutually agree to their conditions or else it won't work."

Jungkook looked back at the blond, not looking away as he asked, "And how do we know whether or not it worked?"

Khione smiled, bringing a finger to her lips, "You'll have to wait and see."

That didn't help ease his restlessness.

Time was ticking within the colorful landscape inside the blond's headspace and the tension was growing.

"What are you trying to gain from this little lamb? All you've been saying is that you have to do this because your so-called friends keep insisting and I should do this because you and I share a body so it's only fair if we have simultaneous control, but the truth of the matter is that you hate violence, you can't stand the idea of killing, much less witnessing others die; are you not happy with how things are now?"

"I... No, my- my friends nee-need my help!"

"I could keep you safe, they are all afraid of me, we don't need to share control. Worst case scenario: We freeze in mid-fight and possibly die, or you risk the lives of your so-called friends. You can't deal with battlefields, little lamb, give up."

"No, I- I can't, I won't, no-not yet..."

He isn't wrong, he can't stand any of that. The idea of having to hurt someone or having to see someone die makes him want to throw up, but in order to help the others, he has to do this. It's not just for them, it's for himself too.

"I know I don't li-like any of that but- but I don't want... I don't want to be a burden to the others," he responded, failing to look the other man in the eyes. "Y-You can help me; I know you can so... so why don't you? I-It won't bring you dow-down, I can help! We... We can't keep doing this, I nee-need your help."

The man swept his purple-tipped bangs aside, looking down at the small boy, "Why would I help you? I can take care of everything for you, why would we try something that failed thousands of times? Peer pressure is never good, Goldie."

"No, that's not... that's not w-what I meant! Don't you under-understand? You know better than.. better than any-anyone else what I feel and what I think so... so why won-won't you comply!?"

"Oh my," he chimed, pretending to look at the black sleeves forming a triangle on the back of his hands, tip tying around his middle fingers, "Your time is ticking Goldie~ I am very tempted to kick you out."

"Y-You can't do that! I just fou-found you, it's not fair!"

Taehyung was agitated, he's been arguing with who he can now confidently say is the King that shares his body but he's been perfectly evading his claims. He's countered each and every one of his statements, always going back to the fact that Taehyung is a coward that can't fight on his own because he's afraid of death and violence. All this time he's had to rely on a stranger's powers to help him fight and do his job. He's been relying on a stranger's powers to keep his nightmares and terrifying memories at bay. He's been relying on his friends to protect him. On Jimin, on Jin, on Yoongi, on Namjoon, on Hoseok, and on Jungkook. He can't do anything on his own, he's well aware of this, but that's what he's trying to change.

"I... I watched as blood reddened the soil... I- I smelled the burnt flesh, I heard the pained groans and agonizing cries, I witnessed my... I witnessed my family and- and my town's destruction... Ba-Back then I couldn't save anyone, I... I ran away and I have-haven't stopped running but I'm... I'm tired of running," he declared, honey orbs glistening in the light.

Taehyung was determined to make this work and the King is starting to like that.

"And what are you going to do?"

"I have a family to protect, I... I want to keep them safe an-and I want to do it while I'm in control of my body, but the only wa-way for that to happen is if... is if you agree to help me. You have to help me."

He finally met eyes with the Spirit, getting lost in their beautiful hue as his own honey eyes roamed his profile. He was surprisingly handsome. Actually, he can be called gorgeous and eye-catching; beautiful even. His hair was what stood out the most. Blonde roots and lavender ends in an updo with an adorning golden crown, his bangs hanging over it. It appeared as though the male was searching for something as his violet orbs shifted from the blond's eyes to the rest of his face and body. Soon, a pleased smile adorned his lips as he brought his hand up towards Taehyung, "That is all I wanted to hear. I shall assist you. Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible."

The blond stared at the hand, slowly reaching his own out as his grip softly held the other man's surprisingly warm hand. He let a small smile place itself on his lips as he glanced up at the person living within him, "Thank you, Schoenheit-ssi."

"Vil is fine. Schoenheit-ssi is too formal and stiff, I've known you for ten years, we are closer than you think, Taehyung-ssi," chuckled the King, dropping his hand, letting it fall against his long, striking indigo robe which drags on the floor despite the height gained by the shoes.

"Then... Then you have to call me T-Tae!"

"Hm, but I liked Goldie better," teased Vil.

"N-No, only Jung-Jungkook calls me that," muttered the blond, toying with his fingers. It's obvious to Vil that the young boy can reciprocate Jungkook's feelings, but he's too unaware of what those feelings are to notice on his own. That being said, he's not going to play matchmaker just yet, so the sooner he agrees to the new nickname the better.

"Fine then, I will call you Tae."

Taehyung smiled, nodding his head. He looked around once more, taking in the scenery.

"Is this all inside my head?"

Vil nodded, looking around, a solemn smile on his tight lips.

"W-What is this place? Do you live he-here?"

"I used to... This is part of Elysian. My wedding happened here. It was a place I found comfort in."

Taehyung heard the sorrow drowning the man's nostalgic words and felt a small pang in his chest. Dropping his smile, he apologized, "O-Oh, I'm sorry."

Vil shook his head, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, the high slits in the robe's sleeves revealing the inner candy-apple red fabric. His other hand lightly tapped Taehyung's cheek, earning the boy's full attention.

"No need for apologies. Now, let us go, we have people waiting for us, don't we?"

Taehyung remembered Jin, Jungkook, and Khione, nodding enthusiastically as he grabbed the Spirit's hand and walked back into the small nature-filled surroundings, heading further away from the huge tree. They approached the creek hand in hand, getting closer to the edge of this dream-like space. They never let go of each other's hands.

"Khione, are you sure this'll work? It's been twenty minutes," whined Jungkook, practically rolling around on the arena's ground. He had turned to playing with Shyrion's powers, copying what Khione had done, building random things of ice including figurines of random people. Jungkook got so bored that he even played with the things on his utility belt but after he had accidentally smacked Jin on the side of his head with a marble he found in one of the pouches, he reluctantly stopped.

"Jungkook, you're more of a child than Taehyung sometimes. I don't know if it's because you feel comfortable around me or something, but please behave yourself or I'll be practicing more acupuncture with you as my dummy."

"I said sorry, geez, I'm just bored, and he hasn't moved," he defended, trying really hard no to pout because he is not a child.

"He should be waking up soon," intervened Khione, grabbing both male's attention.

"How do you know?"

She pointed over at the blond, "His eyes are moving behind his eyelids and his fingers are twitching."

She was right. Khione stood up, dusting off her skirt as she approached the blond, the others doing the same thing. Jin and Jungkook were nervous. The only one who seemed calm was Khione. Jin was especially anxious as he anticipated what was about to happen. No one knew what to expect except Khione. All three people stared intently at the blond, a large gasp filling the arena as Jungkook started pointing out sudden differences in the younger.

"Jin-Hyung, his hair!"

The blond hair gained a new color: lavender. It was light and soft, adorning different pieces of the silky strands, creating a beautiful ombre of blond to lavender on different levels. The sudden change in color was almost unrealistic.

Squinting his eyes, Jin stumbled forward, "Is that... Eyeliner!?"

"Believe it or not, Elysian's care very much about their appearance, especially Vil," elaborated Khione as she affirmed Jin's question. If they knew the King personally, they'd understand that she wasn't exaggerating. He loves anything that has to do with his appearance and even makes his own make-up. You can probably call him a narcissist, but he doesn't perfectly fit that label. If he sees anyone with a slightly messed up robe, strand of hair, or make-up, he will not hesitate to personally walk up to them and fix it until he deems them 'perfect'.

"Not gonna lie, that purple eyeliner is nice."

"You know about makeup Jin-Hyung?"

"Don't ask questions you'll regret Jeon."

"Noted."

They heard the small boy grunt as he blinked his eyes open, letting them focus as his body regained feeling. Leaning forward, the boy managed to uncross his numb legs and stand. Though it was a bit shaky, he was able to steady himself before meeting the dirt floor in an inelegant kiss. Feeling more used to the new sensation of being there but not fully there, the boy finally rose his head, allowing the others to see his breathtaking eyes.

Khione stood to the side, smiling proudly at the teenage boy. Jin automatically covered his mouth, taking in the slight changes in the boy, still trying to grasp that this was actually happening. Jungkook, now Jungkook was left with a slack jaw and a sprinting heart. If he thought Taehyung's eyes looked beautiful before, then they looked gorgeous now. His eyes glowed the same neon purple as before, but this time, his natural honey color adorned the iris. There were small streaks of gold mixed in with the violet tint, making them resemble a vibrant nebula.

They were speechless.

"It worked," muttered Taehyung, catching the attention of the others. His voice changed too. It sat between Vil's octave and Taehyung's. Still deep and rich but strangely soothing and light. It was alluring.

"It worked! Jin-Hyung, Khione, it worked," he repeated, a slight chuckle following right after.

Khione joined in, giggling a bit herself as she walked up to the boy, "So, how does it feel? Did Vil give you any trouble?"

The boy shook his head lightly, "No. I convinced him. I found him thanks to you, thank you."

"You are very welcome, My Little King."

Taehyung beamed, taking another look at himself. He felt good, but weird.

"It's strange... It's the first time I've talked without tripping over my words, I thought he was lying when he said he could get rid of my stutter during the sharing. Getting used to staying synchronized might be a bit difficult, but we think we can manage."

Khione smiled, "That's wonder-"

"He got rid of your stutter?"

Jin's not sure how to feel about that decision. Taehyung's stutter added to his character, having it taken away was slightly off-putting. Taehyung turned to Jin, nodding his head, "It was part of the conditions. We both agreed on some things, it's only fair since we're sharing my body. Does it... bother you?"

One look at the boy's uneasy gaze and Jin shook his head, denying the question, but he knows that isn't the complete truth. Of course, it bothered him that Taehyung decided to get rid of one of his quirks, but in the end, it was his decision. He knows the teenager hates his stutter, it only adds to his differences and it only makes him feel worse about himself, but it still bothers Jin that he'd try to change something so unique about himself.

"It's fine, baby. As long as you're happy, it's fine."

Taehyung smiled, running up to the older and latching on to him, "Thank you."

It was unexpected, but Jin hugged him back, feeling a smile tugging at his lips, "You have nothing to thank me for Taehyung-ah, I knew you could do it."

It seems his appearance and the way he sounded wasn't the only thing that changed. Taehyung seemed a lot more confident than before. His usually shy and passive air was gone, he was lively and, well, his whole personality made a whole one-eighty shift, it was shocking. It was hard to tell if it was Vil's personality or simply Taehyung's self-esteem improving. The boy unlatched himself, glancing behind Jin to find Jungkook. He didn't know what to do.

Hey, you remember our deal, right? No more shying away, trust me.

B-But I don't know what to do... What do I say?

Follow your gut, you must have learned something from all those talks with your brothers.

That's right. Vil was playing matchmaker despite saying he wasn't going to. He couldn't help it, it was painfully obvious that they had something going on, he might as well help the boy, right? He's definitely not doing this because he wants drama and is tired of them beating around the bush.

Taehyung gulped, glancing away before slowly approaching the frozen yet equally anticipating male. He gave a small smile, staring up at the midnight orbs as he said a breathy, "Hey."

Jungkook closed his mouth, fixing his dry throat, "H-Hi."

Hearing him stutter, Taehyung held back a smile, leaning closer and asking, "Are you okay?"

Jungkook nodded, "Yeah, you?"

He stood straight again, shrugging as he brought his hands to lock at the dip of his back, saying, "Better than ever. Is it... weird?"

Jungkook didn't know what the blond was referring to when he asked if it was weird. Was it weird that his hair gained a new color? Was it weird that his eyes became even more breathtaking than before? Is it weird that, right now, he isn't stuttering over his words and is inhabiting a body currently being run by two different people simultaneously? No. Not at all.

"You look... Pretty."

Wow, that came out sounding less amazing than I wanted it to.

Taehyung's eyes widened before he looked away and covered his mouth. His shoulder's trembled, eyes turning into crescents as his efforts to hide his voice failed and a laugh escaped his lips, "Pfft- Hahaha!"

Everyone stared at the boy, stunned and equal parts amused. Jin was going to run up to him, probably to hug him again because Taehyung actually laughed out loud, but a grip on his wrist made him do a double-take. He looked behind himself, staring at the one holding him back. It was Khione.

She gave him a knowing smile and tugged on his arm, "We should give them some time."

By them, she meant Jungkook and Taehyung. They had gotten back to chatting with each other, a few chuckles still leaving Taehyung's mouth. He looked happy. Jin's never seen him look like that before. It stirred something within him. Something that didn't want him to leave both of them on their own. His gaze returned to Khione, his emotions loud and clear as he let his arm fall to his side.

"But-"

"You know you can't shelter him forever," she softly reminded. "Taehyung needs to experiment on his own and I know you know I'm right."

"Yes, but I- He can get hurt and I don't want to see that again."

Khione gave a sympathetic smile, turning to observe the youths as she whispered, "I've heard your prayers. It's the first time I've heard anyone from Earth pray to me. Afterall, our existence here is practically absent and an elemental master such as myself usually receives prayers during winter on subjects related to the season."

Jin clammed up, looking away in embarrassment. He doesn't know how it hadn't occurred to him that Khione was specifically the Goddess of Winter. He had been so desperate that he prayed for help to someone who probably couldn't give him the assistance he needed. Not only that, but he also didn't expect her to be able to hear his pleas. It was something that never crossed his mind.

"No need to get so flustered," she giggled, adding in somber, "But I'm afraid there are some things even we Gods can't keep someone from experiencing. You would be surprised at the number of things we are restricted from doing. Humans can't be sheltered forever, Jin-ah."

Jin startled at the endearment in her voice, glancing over at the conversing boys again and turning back to the waiting Khione. Nodding his head in silent surrender, he followed the Goddess to the entrance of the training room, "Yeah... You're right. Let's go."

Chapter Text

Jungkook noticed the others had stepped out and he couldn't help but feel giddy. Taehyung's laugh was something else for Jungkook. The last and first time Jungkook heard Taehyung laugh was on their first trip together. The day Taehyung's blond hair shined like gold thread and his laugh filled the meadow like music. This time, his laugh was just as melodic as the last time and Jungkook felt his heart leap out of his chest once again. He chuckled too, pulling the blond into his arms, catching him off-guard. Maybe he was being a bit bold, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

"Jun-Jungkook-ssi?"

You should have called him Hyung.

Shut up.

Jungkook smirked.

"Oh? I thought your cute little stutter was gone," he teased, letting Taehyung step back enough for his hands to find comfort on the boy's cheeks, making those beautifully colored eyes look right at his own.

"It is! You don't like it?"

"I think you're fine," he responded without hesitation, "There's nothing I don't like about you. Nothing is weird and even if something were weird, I wouldn't care because it's you."

Taehyung smiled shyly, placing his own hand over Jungkook's, "That was cheesy."

"Yeah? Did I do better than those characters in your books?"

"Mm-hm," he hummed, thinking about what Vil had said. He's only called Jungkook 'Hyung' once and he was sleeping when he had. Looking up at Jungkook, he mustered up some guts and asked, "Hey, can I... Can I call you Hyung?"

Jungkook tensed. Taehyung wants to call him Hyung. He's never shown interest in it before, he thought he'd simply be Jungkook-ssi until the end of time. He looked down at the boy, unsure and hopeful.

"You want to call me... Hyung?"

Taehyung nodded, "Is your silence a no?"

He shook his head, gently squeezing the warm, chubby cheeks belonging to his Goldie, "I'd love that. A lot."

"Okay then," whispered the blond, "Jungkook-Hyung, wanna go on a date with me?"

That... That was unexpected but, "O-Okay... Yeah, I do."

Told you he would agree.

I still don't know about this; I don't know the first thing about d-dates or love or- or anything!

That is why I am here. I'll guide you, but you have to tell me whether this is actually what you want or not.

It's part of our con-contract, you promised. In return for sharing, you're supposed to help me understand what these feelings are and- and why it's only with Jungkook-ssi.

Well then, let us get started. It's time for you to experience something you have only ever read about in books.

Later that night, someone was rudely awakened for an unknown reason. The man rubbed at his forehead in frustration, leaning against his door frame, "It's midnight, a Saturday no less, and I was sleeping!"

Walking further into his home as he let the guest follow him, the man kept complaining, "What the heck are you doing here at this hour? You better have a good reason or I'm kicking you out."

Despite his harsh words and grumbles, the kettle was set on the stove as they waited for one of them to speak up. His guest looked out of it, more out of it than usual, and the fact that he knocked on their door despite claiming he hates him is enough for him to worry.

"I was asked out on a date."

"Okay?.. Is that bad?"

"Taehyung was the one who asked me on a date."

The whistle of the kettle filled the shock-ridden room and stopped when the stove was hastily turned off. The silver-haired man rushed forward, head sharply turning to his guest, hands grasping at their shoulders, "My little brother asked your rude ass out on a date?"

The man nodded, not bothered by the insult.

"Are you sure? It wasn't Schoenheit playing tricks on you?"

"One-hundred percent sure Jimin-Hyung."

"Holy shit, Jungkook... Did you drug him?"

Jungkook looked offended at this, squinting his eyes as he gave Jimin a certain look, "What? No, why would you even think that?"

Jimin shrugged, pouring some water into a mug, adding a tea bag right after, "People are unpredictable, especially the idiots who claim to be in love."

"Should I be offended at that?"

"It won't make me stop even if it was offending," he admitted, sipping on his tea.

"Okay, so, what do I do?"

Jimin quirked a brow, "What'd you mean, there's nothing you can do, you like him, don't you?"

He nodded.

"Then all you can do is agree to go on the date and enjoy your time together with him. You can't do anything to prepare for a date other than making sure you don't look like shit but you've got the looks and the style so that won't be an issue. If Taehyung asked you then it's because he's starting to realize something, otherwise, he wouldn't have thought of asking you that."

Jungkook nodded along absentmindedly, making Jimin feel like he just spent five minutes talking to a wall. He let him be, drinking the warm liquid until it was gone and Jungkook finally decided to snap out of his little daze.

"So? Have you made up your mind?"

"I already said yes, I'm just... Nervous? Excited? I don't know," he confessed, making Jimin chuckle.

"I know that feeling really well, trust me, it'll only increase as the hours tick by, but it'll eventually go away."

Jungkook stared at him curiously, noticing the unconscious grin on the man's lips as his eyes focused on something he couldn't see.

"Is this how you felt when you went out with Yoongi-Hyung for the first time?"

Jimin nodded, shy but unashamed, "Yup, worst and best day of my life."

Jungkook looked expectantly at Jimin, wanting to know more. His curiosity didn't go unnoticed as Jimin walked them over to the dinner table, both sitting in front of each other.

"It was our third year working together. He had gone home early and I had stayed back to finish some paperwork. When I got home to this exact apartment, I thought he'd be asleep but when I opened the door, there he was. Standing right in front of me with a bouquet of flowers and on this table, he had placed a candle in the center, two plates of freshly cooked food in these very seats, it was romantic. I bet you didn't expect him to be such a cliched romantic, huh?"

Jungkook cringed at that image, nodding his head, he can't imagine something like that at all. He thought Yoongi was uptight and uninterested so he initially thought that Jimin had made the first move. Finding out he was wrong was a strange shock; he can't imagine Yoongi holding a bouquet and preparing dinner.

"Well, I accepted the flowers and the dinner, but then the alcohol was brought out and that was when it became a mess," he admitted, engaging Jungkook even more.

"What happened? Did you puke on him?"

Jimin shook his head, "Nope, I can hold my alcohol pretty well, but I was tired from work and ended up getting tipsy a lot sooner than normal. Yoongi noticed and started cleaning up, I was holding on to the bottle, and when he tried to pull it away... I cried."

Jungkook gasped, making Jimin cover his red face. The memory still made him cringe.

"You cried? Over Yoongi trying to take away a bottle of soju?"

Jimin nodded, glancing up at the laughing Jungkook.

"W-What happened next?"

"Yoongi had to let me keep the bottle until I finished it in order for me to stop crying and ended up carrying me to my room after I passed out on the table."

"Oh my god, that's hilarious," Jungkook cackled, covering his mouth in an attempt to lower his volume. Jimin laughed too, grabbing at his stomach and fanning his face. Both managed to calm down, properly getting air. Jungkook felt better than he did before. The story was helpful in calming his nerves. He's almost certain that nothing like that would happen on his date with Taehyung. He can't imagine that scenario ever occurring. Not until the boy got older and got curious enough to try alcohol that is.

It was well past midnight by the time Jungkook realized how tired he was, so he let Jimin accompany him to the door before letting the poor man sleep again.

"Sorry for showing up so late and without a warning and thank you for the story, it really helped," he honestly confessed, making Jimin shake his head.

"It's fine, I'm glad I could help. Let me know how it goes, I'll see you Monday if not later today, and this time, if you're gonna show up, let me know, please?"

Jungkook nodded, bidding Jimin a good night. When he got home, he made sure not to be too loud, waking Taehyung up right now would be bad. He lay in bed, eyes closing slowly as he let himself forget about the butterflies dancing around in his stomach. It felt unreal, but he dreamt of Taehyung that night. The picture of him that day at the flower field still vividly lived in his head. The glowing tan skin, the shining golden hair, the boxy-smile, the twinkling honey orbs, and the song-like laugh. An ephemeral moment, but unforgettable.

The first one to wake up the following morning was Taehyung. He had set an alarm for fear of sleeping in and he was going to need help with preparing too. Slowly yawning out the sleep and rubbing at his eyes, the small blond sat up, shuffling off the mattress, and walking into the bathroom. He was dozing off as he brushed his teeth, but the voice in his head made him snap awake. Sometimes, Vil was like an alarm clock for Taehyung. Like when he had that nightmare all those months ago, he's sure that Vil was the one who woke him up. When it comes to nightmares, Taehyung's never been able to wake up from them on his own; it's terrifying. Vil was like a shield in more ways than one.

Now washing his face, the blond flinched at the cold water and dried his face, quietly going back to his room. Jungkook's door hasn't opened and it's dead silent so he's probably still asleep.

"V-Vil?"

I am here.

"W-What's a date? What am I sup-supposed to- to do?"

In all honesty, Taehyung wasn't sure about this. Dates and outings are things he's only ever read in books; the plots are totally different too. He's spent time with his friends, but he's sure those times can't be compared to a date. A specially not a romantic date. His head was spinning, he isn't sure if he can go through with something he knows nothing about.

The movies.

"Huh?"

Take him to the movies.

Taehyung blushed, remembering how things played out in all those works of fiction he's read. He's not sure if that's a safe place to go. What if they end up sitting in the back? Or if they're one of the few people in their row or the whole showroom? And the movie! If it's a romantic one, then the atmosphere will get weird, so many things can happen in there!

"A-Are you sure? But I... I don't know any movies! I do-don't know what he likes eith-either," stumbled the blond, fiddling with his fingers as he moved over to his bed.

Studio Ghibli.

Studio... Ghibli? Anime films? They're still being shown!?

"Whe-Where?!"

Vil held back a laugh. Taehyung was gullible, but tempting him with something he's a fan of is one of the only ways to get him to do as he says. The boy's been a fan of Studio Ghibli for years, that's one of the memories he hasn't forgotten. Vil had to work really hard in convincing Jin to let him use his phone in order to find the showings and the theatre. The only issue would have to be showing up on time. Luckily, he found two different options for theatres but the movies are different, it'll be up to Taehyung to choose unless he wants Jungkook to pick.

"Hey~ Vil, do-don't ignore me!"

I am not ignoring you; I was just thinking.

"We-Well, tell me about the fil-films! Where can... Where can we watch them?"

His eyes were practically twinkling as he spoke to Vil. If he were in public, others would probably call him crazy for talking to himself. Thank the heavens they're inside his room. Vil sighed, not wasting time by keeping the information to himself.

You have two options, Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away.

"Both!"

Only one.

"EH?! B-But that's hard! Bo-Both are good, I-I can't... I can't choose," argued the blond, hands now in his hair as he thought of the unfair decision he was meant to make. This was impossible, how could he choose between those two movies, it was practically torture! He's watched them numerous times, sure, but they never get old and they're always so fulfilling. No matter how he looks at it, he can't choose.

"Wait," he gasped in realization, "I ca-can make Jungkook choose!"

You read my mind, go ask him.

"N-Now?"

If you want to have enough time to watch either one, then yes.

Taehyung gulped, "O-Okay, but..."

But?

"M-My stutter... Ca-Can you make it g-go away again?"

Hah? But it does not bother the idiot, why make it go away?

"I-I doubt that... Everyone- Everyone probably thinks i-it's annoying."

That is a lie. It bothers no one. Besides, it's gotten better, you might be able to get rid of it on your own.

Taehyung lowered his head, "Then, jus-just for today? Please?"

It was hard to say no. Vil isn't standing in front of the blond, but he can practically see the droopy and pleading eyes. His voice alone was desperate. If he were able to see him, it'd be even worse.

Fine, but we have to share again, you know that, right?

"Mn, I-I know. It's ok-okay."

Alright, let us go. But if things start to turn into a territory I do not want to be in, I will recede.

The young boy smiled, finding it easy to share his body now that both have formed a proper contract for it. Quickly but quietly, Taehyung peeked out of his room, looking over at Jungkook's door. It wasn't far away. It wasn't far but it felt like it was. Taking a few breaths, he reached out his fist, letting it knock against the wooden frame. It took a while, but his ears caught the sound of the creaking wooden floor, and soon enough, the door was swung open by a messy-haired Jungkook.

"Taehyung?"

The blond froze. What was he here for again? He's supposed to ask him something, right? How is he supposed to do that when the man in front of him looks so distracting? Should he go back to his room?

"Taehyung..."

The blond rose his head, not saying anything as he glanced at Jungkook.

"You... You're sharing?"

Taehyung dropped his gaze, "I... I am. Is it obvious?"

Jungkook scratched his head, nodding, "Pretty obvious if you ask me. Your eyes always give you away."

The blond brought his hands up to his eyes, letting his fingers rest near his lower eyelids. His eyes? Are they that different? Then again, Jungkook's always been able to tell them apart. For some reason, that makes him happy.

"So? Why'd you come and find me?"

Oh, right, he got distracted again.

"Um, about our date, there are two movies I have in mind, but I want you to choose which one we watch," he explained, feeling relieved at the fact that he didn't stumble on his words. He heard the latter hum, getting nervous for no apparent reason.

"And what movies do you have in mind?"

"Well, I'll only give you the names, okay? I can't say anything else."

Jungkook chuckled, nodding, "Alright."

Taehyung beamed, "Okay, Howl's Moving Castle or Spirited Away? "

Howl's what now?

Jungkook only understood bits and parts, but he wasn't going to admit that. He has to choose between two movies he's never heard of before and it may ultimately lead to a smile or a frown. It'd be nice if he could at least get an image of both but Taehyung only gave him the names, so he'll have to make do with those. He glanced at the waiting boy, not missing how his eyes shined in anticipation.

Damn, this is hard.

"Um... Howl's Moving Castle?"

He expected a smile or a frown but he got a shriek instead. It took him by surprise. It was new, surprisingly high pitched, and adorable. He liked that.

"Great! Then get ready, wear whatever, we leave at twelve!"

Jungkook wasn't able to respond, Taehyung was already running back inside his bedroom and was right outside five minutes later. Close behind him, Jungkook had walked out of his room with black skinny jeans and a tucked-in, long sleeve white shirt. His hair was combed down, middle part and slight bangs looking as soft and luscious as ever, a few strands tucked away behind his earring-clad ears. The pieces of jewelry always grabbed Taehyung's attention, they were gorgeous, mesmerizing, and they complimented the older man.

He couldn't get enough of observing the elder and Jungkook's questioning voice and waving hand made that clear enough for Taehyung. The blond blinked for what felt like the first time that morning and apologized, quickly shuffling out of the house, ignoring Jungkook's soft chuckle. Taehyung wonders if this is how Jungkook felt whenever he would catch the man staring at him. An unconscious smile graced his lips as they slid into the car and began the drive.

Chapter Text

Jungkook was curious as to what his little Goldie had planned. When they had arrived at the theatre, the young boy looked around in awe, feeling giddy inside as he tugged Jungkook into the foreign building. The older found it cute and followed behind the blond without protesting.

In his excitement, Taehyung had disregarded the fact that the place was probably going to be filled with people, so when they walked past the open doors, the blond froze in his tracks. Even with the shared control, he felt anxious as he noticed the crowded walkways and open space. The loudness was not helping him in the slightest. On reflex, the small blond latched onto Jungkook's arm, tightening his hold on his forearm when someone walked too close to him. Jungkook flinched at the unexpected touch but soon stared knowingly, brushing the boy's hair gently.

"We can do something else if you want. We don't have to watch a movie; we can go to a park or the field of flowers I took you to last time."

Taehyung shook his head, peeling himself off from Jungkook only by a few centimeters, "Nu-uh, I wanna watch the movie."

Jungkook chuckled, gaining the blond's undivided attention, "Then let's go. Don't focus on anyone else, just us. You don't have to be so guarded; you have to get used to places like these. Take it easy, stay calm, and whenever you're ready, let go. I'll always be here if something goes wrong."

His kind and gentle words still managed to catch Taehyung off-guard sometimes. Jungkook's changed. That or he's always been this nice and just decided to act mean. Either way, Taehyung liked it. He found comfort in his words, so he took a deep breath and tentatively loosened his grip on Jungkook's arm. He tried blocking out the noise, letting his ears filter out what they wanted to hear and what they didn't want to. He let his eyes focus on what's in front of him, blurring away the unnecessary beings and objects. Slowly, but surely, he managed to distract himself from the cacophony. He glanced back, catching Jungkook's proud eyes. Taehyung felt happy, so happy that he ended up grabbing a hold of the elder's hand and pulled him toward the ticket booth and snack area without worrying about the busy surroundings.

After buying their snacks, as per Taehyung's request, the young boy proceeded to lead Jungkook to their showroom and seats, a bright smile still on display. His previous worries about what could possibly happen in the room getting obliterated by his growing impatience to watch the movie with Jungkook. They had gotten a few stares here and there, but one glare from Jungkook was enough to make them smile nervously and look away. Taehyung didn't seem to notice all that much, but Jungkook was quick on picking up on their surroundings. He knew what people could think, and he doesn't want Taehyung to be on the receiving end of the bad things, so he'll silence them before they get the chance to say or do anything.

Sitting next to the blond, Jungkook turned to the large screen, asking, "So, I'm guessing you've watched this before?"

The blond nodded, kicking his feet, "At home with my family and once at the ward, Jin-Hyung would sneak in a projector for me and would ask one of the guys on his team to tamper with my room's camera so they wouldn't know."

"Really now? You've been quite lucky then."

"I guess so... I've watched a lot of the films produced by Studio Ghibli, they've all been great, but my favorites are definitely Howl's Moving Castle and Spirited Away. More like those are the ones I remember most. Haha, that's why I couldn't choose what to watch and decided to ask you."

"I see, then I expect it to be as good as you make it out to be," Jungkook confessed, taking a sip of his soda. Taehyung hummed, letting a small smile grace his lips again. The lights in the room dimmed, butterflies danced in both of their stomachs, the darkness enveloped them before the screen lit up. Taehyung squirmed in anticipation, and Jungkook glanced fondly at the boy before moving his attention to the opening scene.

While the two spent their time in the theatre watching the animated film, tea was being spilled elsewhere.

"They're on a date!? How was I not made aware of this?"

"Guess he trusts me more than he trusts you."

"I think that's only because he's scared of Jin possibly killing him for going after Tae."

"I agree with Seok, that's probably why he only told Jimin."

"I thought Jungkook hated Jimin? Are you friends now?"

"Ew, no, that's gross."

"I believe it's highly likely that Vil had something to do with the plans."

"The Spirit? I didn't peg him as the helpful type."

The men and lady were having their own little outing and get-together at a small family restaurant after Jimin had called them all out saying he wanted to have some quality time together. Jimin's definition of "quality time" was telling the guys and girl about Jungkook showing up at his door in the middle of the night saying that Taehyung had asked him out on a date.

"So? Where'd they go? Who asked who out?"

Jimin smiled proudly, leaning back in his seat, taking a sip of his coke, "Our little baby did, of course. No way in hell would Jeon ever grow the balls to ask Tae out."

Jin cringed, "Language."

"Sorry," droned Jimin, bringing the conversation back to the topic at hand. "Anyway, I heard from him this morning, they were going to the movies. I don't know how Taehyung-ah even knows his way around to be able to find a theatre, he's never been to one, but he planned it."

"I think I know how he found one," muttered Jin. "Vil used my phone to search some stuff up, I'm guessing he was involved."

Khione nodded, "It's likely that Vil was the one who planned it all."

The men turned to her, waiting for an elaboration as the young lady finished a small piece of toast.

"Believe it or not, Vil is quite the romantic and a decent match-maker. He played a major part in the planning of Elysian's festivities and even planned his own wedding. Come to think of it, he also helped some of the villagers and our friends get together; it's weird. From what I've seen, Taehyung-ssi wouldn't have made the first move, Vil must've pushed him to ask Jungkook-ssi on a date and he must've found the place, time, and activities that would take place during their time together."

The cups containing their drinks began to drip, making small puddles around their bases. The ice cubes began to melt and some clinked against the glass.

Vil Schoenheit is a romantic? He planned the date? No way in hell that's true.

"I object!"

"Jimin, we aren't in court, there's nothing to object about," Jin pointed out, shaking his head at Jimin.

The silver-head huffed, crossing his arms, "If what Khione-ssi said is true then that means neither of them actually made a move! Why would that dumb King get involved in someone else's business? Especially when it involves romantic feelings."

"Chim, calm down, there's nothing we can do about it," Yoongi soothed, placing a comforting hand on the man's thigh. The others nodded, staring down at the table. Knowing that Taehyung's acting on someone else's orders when it comes to his feelings is irking. He should learn how to handle things on his own, he's been babied and kept in confinement for too long so he has to stop holding on to someone else's hand.

"Khione-ssi."

The white-haired girl rose her gaze, meeting the dark mocha orbs of the man next to her, "Yes?"

"Is there a way to separate them?"

She knew it would happen eventually. She was expecting that question to appear. She knew the answer and she knew it'd satisfy the person asking it. Her cerulean eyes locked onto his, red lips parting, "There is."

The world vanished. It was only the five men and the Goddess as they all leaned closer, waiting for more information. The young lady placed her hands on her lap, pushing her hair over her shoulders.

"To separate them, we have to find Vil's real body."

"Find his body? You mean that what's inside of Taehyung is something like his soul?" Yoongi asked, not expecting something like that. He thought the Spirit was inside Taehyung, body and all, though, thinking about it now, that sounds weird.

"How can we find his body?"

"Is it really possible for a soul to be removed from a body?"

"The body would have to be preserved though, right? Then he's practically dead! The first stage of human decomposition starts immediately after death, from then, after three to five days, it'll reach the second stage, and ultimately, after a month it'll liquefy."

Jin earned some stares from a few surrounding people and his own friends at his sudden lesson on body decomposition. He apologized for being well educated on that subject and opted to stay quiet. They're in a family restaurant so maybe the topic isn't appropriate, he forgot.

"Okay, first of all, TMI," Jimin sassed, "Second of all, if that's true then I don't think we should be worried, it's been years and she's talking about this because the body's still fine, why else would she bring it up?"

"That's right, Vil's body is still in top shape, preserving it is not a problem for us. As I said, the only part of him that I expelled was his soul, his body is still back in our realm, hidden from King Ifer and watched over by our most trusted people."

"So, it's in Elysian?" Hoseok guessed.

"It's possible for it to be in Khione's kingdom too," mentioned Namjoon, making the Goddess smile lightly. She shook her head, glancing at everyone, "It's not in my Kingdom, it's in his. It wouldn't be right for me to take his body and hide it away in the place where I refused to help him."

"What do you mean by that?"

Hoseok cocked his head, finding her blue eyes, "You didn't help him and that's why you didn't keep his body in your kingdom? You still helped him escape though, right? You helped him either way."

Khione smiled ruefully, remembering her past actions and the argument she had with Jungkook followed by the talk she had with her roommates. She elegantly cleared her throat, garnering their attention, "I apologize for speaking in that way. I know he told you what happened. I don't know how many of you know about the person that betrayed him. To not beat around the bush, it was me."

A downcast gaze adorned her features as she huffed a sigh, "It was during the sudden attack on Elysian. Vil refused to go to war, he hates unnecessary violence, especially when it can easily be avoided. Rumors spread. Lies about Vil and Cielle circled, everyone turned against them. Only the citizens of their kingdom remained faithful since they knew the true King and Queen. Peace was shattered, Vil and Cielle had no choice but to run and with Cielle being four months pregnant, the urgency to find a safe hiding place overtook Vil."

A stuttered breath left her quivering lips as she closed her eyes, afraid of the idea of saltwater piling up and overflowing, "They came to me. Vil looked like he had just run through hell, he was badly injured all over, it was a miracle he managed to keep Cielle safe and unharmed through the onslaught of attacks. Our Kingdoms aren't close, especially not by foot and despite the way he looked I-"

Her voice got caught in her throat, lips running dry, body trembling in what could either be shame or fear of what her mind could so visibly recall.

"Khione?"

The soft call of her name reminded her of the waiting ears. She swallowed, gathering her strength, "I... I closed my doors on them."

A weight lifted off her chest as she spoke the words she wished wouldn't have to be said. She abandoned someone who saw her as a friend, someone who was badly injured, someone who was carrying another life.

"He begged me for help and I- I turned my back on him! I knew he needed help, I knew everyone was after his life, I knew that all he wanted was to keep Cielle alive but I... I was selfish," she cried. Her voice was nothing but a mere whisper and a mixture of broken words between stuttered breaths. Her eyes stung and her nose ached. Her hands balled into fists against her thighs and her shoulders shook, "I-I'm a horrible person. Because of me, Cielle died! I killed his wife and baby! A-And I made him suffer! I sent him here, I ruined Taehyung's life, I-I... I... Oh Gods... What did I do?"

Her whispered cries squeezed at the hearts of the men around her. The reason behind the Spirit's hostility towards the Goddess was made clear days ago, but hearing it again was still heart breaking. They had figured she was the one Vil had talked about even if he didn't go into all those details. His story suddenly made more sense too, Khione's betrayal is probably the reason why he's so skeptical of human relationships. Though that's true, one thing doesn't add up.

"If what you said is true, then how come he's so hot-headed?"

Khione sniffled, rubbing away at her tears, "E-Excuse me?"

Jin gave Jimin a slap across the head at his question, he should have comforted the girl before asking something.

"Don't you have manners? She's crying, at least give her time to calm down!"

"Geez, sorry, you didn't have to hit me!"

Their small argument made the girl chuckle, sniffling right after as Namjoon handed her a napkin, offering a small dimpled smile. Khione took it, thanking him as she blew her runny nose. Even when she did that, she managed to make it look neat. She thanked everyone else for waiting on her emotions to settle, not missing their worried eyes.

"I'm grateful for your kindness, your reactions were far better than I had expected. Jungkook-ssi had a harsher response to everything."

"Of course he did, that kid's got quite the temper sometimes. He probably gets it from his parents or something," Yoongi scoffed, rolling his eyes.

Jin bit his lip at the mention of Jungkook's parents. Would it be bad if he corrected him? He thinks that as long as he doesn't straight up tell him why he shouldn't say that in regards to Jungkook, it should be fine.

"Um... Yoongi, let's not make assumptions, alright? We don't know much about Jungkook to make guesses like that, for all we know, he may not have his parents anymore."

Jin earned some quizzical looks from the others but quickly changed the subject, "So, back to what Jimin had asked. If the King hated violence, why is he so hot-headed and stuck-up? You've seen it too; he has zero respect and has more than just helium in his head."

The others nodded in agreement, remembering that awful day in the training room. It still gave them goosebumps.

Khione hummed, tucking away a strand of hair, "That may be his way of coping with everything."

"His way of coping?"

She nodded, "One of the biggest reasons why he refused to fight was because he wanted to keep Cielle safe along with his citizens. His upbringing and not using his gift also played a part, but, now that he's lost both her and his kingdom, there's no point in restraining himself."

Namjoon tapped at his empty glass, sharp eyes boring into the ice cubes, "He's convinced himself that there's no such thing as friends, that trusting others is all a farce. If that's it, then to him, the only way he can feel at ease is by getting to release his pent-up anger and anguish on others. There's no reason to care about his actions if no one is there waiting for him."

"Then, what happened at the arena..."

Yoongi trailed off, holding on to Jimin's hand. If that was the extent of the man's pent-up anger, then it wasn't just a display of his strength. The words he had said, the things he had done; he was blind. The question he had asked Yoongi at the time. Vil blamed Khione for the death of his baby and wife, she was the killer he was talking about. His situation at the time was no different from the one Yoongi found himself in the day he received his cursed weapon. The desire to get rid of the one thing that could have protected his brother but didn't. The one at fault. The 'killer' was right in front of him so what was he supposed to do?

"Yes, I believe it was a result of his pent-up emotions. Seeing me and how all of you sided with me only added to his agitation so the fight was something he saw as necessary. However, what happened towards the end was something he could no longer control. The reason behind his ending response to everything was something I couldn't figure out. It could be a side effect of using the stolen weapons, but he hasn't taken enough for the effects to present themselves."

"Then, how can we make things go back to normal for Taehyung and everyone else before something like that happens?"

The answer to that was obvious. Everyone probably knew what the response would be, it was clawing at the back of their heads.

"In order to set things straight," started the Goddess, "We have to go to Elysian. In order to do that, we have to find someone with the ability to open portals or something similar to that nature. I'm afraid that without outside assistance, we won't be able to separate Vil and Taehyung."

One of the men smirked, leaning back in the booth, "Lucky for you, I know just the person."

"And who might that be?" Jimin questioned his lover, not liking his grin.

"Simple," Yoongi admitted, "Ahn Hye-Jin."

Chapter Text

Have you ever had that feeling where everything suddenly looks so much more... Colorful?

Like, if somehow, somewhere along the way, a pane of tinted glass was placed over your eyes, making everything appear as if it had a filter.

Everything looked... Warm. Soft. Gentle. Almost like a dream; something you don't want to get away from.

It's peaceful.

Like a single drop of water plopping into a puddle, creating a small ripple.

This is the only way I can describe the way everything seems and feels for me right now.

Gold threads danced in the serene wind, honey glowed in the delicate light, and galaxies bloomed in the mesmerizing orbs. It was breathtaking. Ethereal.

I could stare at him forever and never get tired of it.

It was all surreal.

"Tell me, why do I always catch you staring at me?"

I still don't know what his voice is. Is it baritone? Bass? Or is it more like velvet? Rich, almost like silver. Pleasant to the ears, calming to the soul, strong yet soft. Almost the opposite of its bearer.

"Hey, come on... Stop staring. Did you have fun?"

Those naturally rosy bows that tug up in a timid beam. They look silky, smooth, and soft. Their taste is probably even more irresistible.

"Jung-Jungkook-Hyung?"

It's still a mystery to me. To appear so delicate yet be thought of as savage and perilous.

"Pfft- Haha!"

"Hey~ Why are you laughing!"

He couldn't help but laugh. If only they knew his true nature.

I wonder what everyone would think if they found out that their most dangerous asset is actually an eighteen-year-old boy with the occasional headspace of someone at least ten or five years younger and almost as innocent as a newborn. If they knew he loved books and music. If they knew he could understand and speak more languages than they could ever count.

If only they knew. But he doesn't want them to know.

"You know, you look really silly right now Jungkook-Hyung."

I want to be the only one who knows who he really is.

"Really? I wonder why that is."

He giggled, bringing a hand up to his lips, "You're funny!"

"And you're charming."

The shift of the tone on his tan cheeks made him grin. Jungkook had long ignored their surroundings, letting the picture-perfect scenery of the lit-up bridge and shimmering river blend into the background. He wants to call him his. His heart's been singing for months, teetering on the edge.

Is it too soon?

There's no way Taehyung already figured out his feelings, right?

Besides, is the age gap going to be an issue? He's eighteen and I'm twenty-one, it's only three years, but would others think of it in a different way? That shouldn't matter though, it's our choice and last time I checked, the age of consent is sixteen so, technically, we're safe.

"H-Hey, um, Jungkook-Hyung?"

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"I, um, I want to tell you something..."

Tell me something?

The blond was nervous, swaying from his heels to his toes as he looked anywhere but at Jungkook. He wasn't sure how to go about this. His time with the older was more than enjoyable. Despite their rocky start, his heart wouldn't stop thumping, running, jumping, and squealing; it was strange. A good type of strange. Every time he caught the older staring, he'd feel his stomach fill with ticklish wings and a teasing warmth would spread throughout his whole body. He feels the need to say something but, he has no clue what to say.

Taehyung, I can help you.

Vil? How? You already got rid of my stutter, and you helped me plan the da-date... I can't possibly ask for more, it would breach the contract.

Taehyung was almost sure that he heard the King chuckle and it sounded... Genuine.

Trust me, all you have to do is repeat after me. The contract only means so much, do not fret. Say what I say, okay? I'll lead you until you can go on by yourself.

The boy gulped, giving a strong nod, not yet being able to look the dark-haired man in the eyes. Vil had begun to speak, and Taehyung had begun to recite the words as best as he could, catching Jungkook off-guard at his candid phrases.

I know I'm still naive, young, and probably not what you or anyone else was expecting. I've caused you problems and pain, but I've also been able to make you smile and laugh...

"I know I'm still naive, young, and probably not what you or anyone else was expecting. I've caused you problems and pain, but- but I've also been able to make you smile and laugh."

You could hear the large grin on Taehyung's face. It's almost like the Spirit was reading his mind. His words said everything the blond wishes he could have said himself.

Being with you..

"Being with you..."

Has taught me what it feels like to be real and true to myself... I used to be afraid of what those on the outside would think of me, I thought of myself as a monster but.. You changed that.

"Being with you has taught me what it feels like to be real and true to myself. I used to be afraid of what those on the outside would think of me... I thought- I thought of myself as a monster but... But you changed that, Jungkook-Hyung."

Taehyung finally trailed his soft, nebula-like eyes to Jungkook's wide navy ones and somewhere along the way, Vil didn't have to tell the blond what to say anymore. His words and feelings poured out on their own.

"I care about you, so when I see you having a hard time and pretending that you're fine, it hurts me too... I don't like it when you do things like that or- or when you say things about yourself because, to me, you're perfect."

"Taehyung?" Jungkook was having a difficult time hearing the younger's true feelings. His eyes had begun to sting not so long ago and the look on the golden-haired boy's serene face only added to his emotional pandemonium.

He's starting to get his hopes up.

"Heh, I like it when you say my name."

The tilt of his head made the setting sun cast a perfect shadow on Taehyung, making him glow like never before. It took Jungkook's breath away.

"In all honesty, I'm scared of being happy..." Confessed the boy, "My happiness never seems to last, I'm basically cursed, y'know?"

"That's not true, you know that-"

A hand rose to stop his words as Taehyung slowly shook his head, "Mm-mm, let me finish, 'kay?"

The man closed his mouth, earning himself a small thank you from the blond.

"Even though I know I'm not cursed, so much has happened that I can't help but feel like- like something will go wrong... I'm scared of being happy. I know it's silly, but it's true. And I'm scared that I won't be enough or that I won't be able to properly display and understand my feelings. I'm scared of a lot of things but, despite that, I want to try."

He stepped forward, reaching for Jungkook's bigger hands, "I want to try and be happy and I want to try and understand what's going in my chest and... I think you can help me."

"Me?"

Taehyung nodded, chasing Jungkook's fleeting gaze, "Whenever I'm with you, I just... I feel safe. Like nothing bad can happen. I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you, I want to keep you safe the same way you've protected me.. We still don't know each other that well, I'm sure we have secrets still bottled up somewhere, but, if possible, I want to discover them together... I want to try and be enough for you. I- I want to stand by your side."

Taehyung's sincere, kind, and loving smile didn't compare to his glowing eyes that mirrored more than just those emotions. They spoke a million words as they seemed to gloss over, Jungkook's doing the exact same seconds after gazing into the honey-violet-colored eyes.

"Jungkook-Hyung I... I like you. And I think... I think I might be falling in love with you."

The thump that erupted in Jungkook's chest resonated throughout his whole body.

The words he was least expecting to hear had just left the blond's lips.

"Actually," Jungkook spoke, looking away shortly, "I- I think I've already fallen for you."

Holy shit, his heart just combusted.

No way, there's no way this is happening... He has to be dreaming but the squeeze on his hands is proof that he isn't.

"I... I like you too," he responded lowly. "And, I think I've fallen for you too. I fell for you a long time ago, Taehyung-ah."

The response had served as a good enough reason for Vil to leave both men alone. He had gotten them to the stage where it was their choice what to do with their confessions. With ease, the King allowed the blond to regain full control, blocking their connection in order to give them privacy. Taehyung snapped his head up, wide honey eyes locking onto Jungkook's glossy ones, a stutter leaving his lips, "Y-You do?"

Jungkook chuckled, reaching a hand up to Taehyung's cheek, running his thumb under the skin of his eye, "I always have. I don't know when I fell for you, but I knew for sure that I wanted you and only you the second you tackled me in that flower field."

"Hmm," Taehyung leaned into the touch, nuzzling Jungkook's palm as he glanced up at the older, "I'm sorry it took so long for me to- to realize my fee-feelings."

"Nonsense," Jungkook spoke, leaning down to perfectly meet the younger's sunflower eyes, "You don't have to apologize for something like that. It takes time to understand some feelings and love is one of them. For you, I'd wait a thousand years. I'd even wait an eternity if I had to."

At that, Taehyung got shy, tilting his head towards the ground, earning a cheeky laugh from Jungkook, "What's this? Embarrassed, are we? You're so cute when you get like this, you know that?"

Jungkook's teasing only flustered Taehyung even more. His hands held onto the end of his hoodie, shoulders curling as he shrunk in on himself. He could feel his face heat up and his stomach dance as his shoes collided softly. The next time he heard Jungkook's voice, it was next to his ear, making a high-pitched squeak escape his parted lips. Reflexively, his head shot up and his legs stepped back but he didn't move.

He couldn't.

He doesn't know when but Jungkook had snaked a hand around his waist, pulling him forward and keeping him still. Taehyung stopped his squirming when he realized just how close they were. When he had jerked his head up, he had left only an inch of space between them. Both stilled, gazing into each other's eyes. Taehyung could feel Jungkook's warm breath against his skin, goosebumps appearing under his clothes. He felt hot. Dazed.

Why?

He was so engrossed in the new and strange feeling, that he didn't realize how the distance between them had begun to shrink. He only momentarily snapped out of it when he felt Jungkook tense, his hoarse voice filtering through his ears. He was restraining himself.

"If you don't push me away now, I won't be able to stop once I'm too close."

Stop? Stop what? Taehyung wasn't sure, but he didn't want to push Jungkook away so instead, he closed his eyes, unknowingly leaning closer. Jungkook smirked lightly, no longer hesitating as he closed the gap.

Taehyung felt it.

He felt them.

Jungkook's lips against his own were warm, soft, and somehow, sweet. He was being gentle, it was obvious, but for some reason, that made Taehyung think that the older cared about him and how his actions may affect him. He cared. He cared and that was enough. He's glad that he'll be able to remember his first kiss as something gentle and loving.

Jungkook. Jungkook savored the feeling of his lips against Taehyung's. They felt better than he had ever imagined. They were soft and pliable and even if it's a simple press of the lips, he thinks he can smell the strawberry lip balm the blond had worn. He wanted so badly to run his hand up Taehyung's hoodie and shirt. To squeeze and grab at his ass. To have him moan, whimper, or groan just so he could slip his tongue past his tinted lips and ravish him but... He can't.

He won't.

Not now.

Not yet.

Taking a satisfied breath in, Jungkook pulled away, missing the feeling of his lips against Taehyung's. To fill that urge of wanting to dive back in, he places his lips against the blond's forehead, moving to his cheeks, leaving one last peck on his rosy nose. He heard the boy sigh contentedly, fluttering his eyes open, staring up at Jungkook with a dreamy gaze. It was pleasing.

With a proud glint in his eyes, Jungkook traced Taehyung's lips with his thumb, humming, "Your lips are so soft. I could kiss them all day."

Coming back to reality, Taehyung flared up, immediately launching himself into Jungkook's arms. He buried his face in the elder's broad chest, wanting the space between Jungkook's shoulder and neck, but not being able to reach it properly left him with the valley formed between the man's pecs. Jungkook was surprised, not expecting this type of reaction but it made Taehyung all the more endearing. He laughed, smiling as he wrapped an arm around the boy's torso while the other went up to his golden locks.

They stayed like that for a while, initially forgetting the fact that they had been out in the open when they had kissed and confessed. Neither seemed to mind since it was pretty empty around them, but the red tint displayed on their cheeks and ears said plenty. Now satisfied with the hug, Taehyung pulled his head back, staring up at Jungkook's awaiting gaze. He stayed quiet, but it looked like he was itching to say something so Jungkook took the initiative.

"What is it?"

Taehyung shyly looked away, timidly gazing up at Jungkook with his shining eyes, "Are we... Are we love-lovers now?"

At the question, Jungkook felt warm, smiling softly at the boy in his arms. Jungkook nodded, ruffling the blond's locks, "Yes, Taehyung, we are. You're mine and I'm yours, we're dating, officially lovers, boyfriends, a couple, call us what you will."

"Hehe, we're lovers," Taehyung giggled, a wide, gleeful grin adorning his lips as his eyes squinted and his cheek made contact with Jungkook's chest again.

The man laughed, tightening his hold on the smaller, "You're that happy, huh? My little Goldie."

Taehyung grinned again, nodding, "Mm-hm."

Jungkook's eyes softened, "I'm glad."

"I am too."

They walked about for a while longer, enjoying the setting sun and city's nightscape with their hands held and shoulder's bumping. They can get used to this. It feels perfect. At that time, it was only them, the stars, and the city noise as their background music.

Chapter Text

It was so obvious it almost hurt to watch.

"They're practically glowing."

"Young love is scary."

"I think they're cute."

"Are they even trying to hide it? I mean, it's pretty obvious."

"Oh boy, don't be such party poopers, let them be."

"My, I dare say, Vil has some good tricks up his sleeve, doesn't he?"

When Jungkook and Taehyung had walked onto their floor on Monday morning, everyone jumped up to swarm them. It seems they didn't have to verbalize the fact that they were dating, everyone saw it coming and Jimin had already given them the news. Some of their colleagues also caught on, congratulating them even if they hadn't spoken before. Taehyung was surprised when Hyo-Jong had draped an arm over his shoulder, giving him a light smile and thumbs up. The blond had awkwardly smiled, not used to the skin-ship just yet. There were a few remarks that made the men shoot daggers while Khione covered Taehyung's ears though. It was something unpleasant, but inevitable.

The attention on the two men died when lunch rolled around. A knock on their office door gained the other workers' attention, but when they saw who it was, they went back to eating and finishing work. Everyone already knew who they were here for. In the doorway stood a smiling Hoseok and a waving Namjoon.

"Yo," winked Hoseok, "It's our break, let's go!"

"Khione and Jin are already waiting for us."

Yoongi and Jimin fixed their desks, grabbing their jackets as they approached the men. Jungkook and Taehyung followed close behind with Taehyung waving goodbye to Hyo-Jong. The group engaged in light chatter, the young blond being as quiet as usual until he realized they were walking pretty far for their lunch break. His eyes took in their surroundings, noticing the familiar path. He looked at the others, wanting to speak up, but his nerves were still there.

He didn't like it.

V-Vil?

He searched for the Spirit King, calling out his name in the darkness of his mind.

Schoenheit-ssi? A-Are you there?

I told you to call me Vil, did I not? I shall dismiss it this time, what is it that has you calling for me?

Ca-Can you help me?

With? Be specific, my boy.

M-My stutter...

The blond heard a soft sigh before the King spoke once more.

You know what we agreed to, Taehyung. I can only assist you during training or battle, I am not obligated to help you outside of those terms. I've already broken that rule once and that was for your date, I cannot keep violating our contract. You can't keep depending on me to remove the qualities of yourself that you do not like. This is something you have to work through yourself, my dear.

B-But I-

No buts. You have to grow on your own, you know that. Your stutter has improved, it's only a matter of time before it's close to completely gone. Besides, do you really want to get rid of something Jungkook finds adorable?

Taehyung felt his cheeks flare up and softly shook his head.

Thought so. Now, go on, do what you have to. It's alright to mess up and take your time, do not give up so easily.

Okay...

The young boy bit his lip. The fact that they haven't changed routes has already confirmed his suspicions. They're not far from the training buildings. The dome was becoming more and more clear, and Taehyung's anxiousness only grew. Jungkook hasn't noticed, and if he has, he hasn't said anything. Is he the only one questioning their walk? Is he the only one who finds it strange? They only ever go to the domes after their shifts are done, they've never gone during work hours or their lunch breaks.

Taehyung hesitated but his hands reached out in front of him, pulling on the piece of clothing closest to him.

Feeling a soft tug on his uniform's long coat, Yoongi came to a halt, glancing behind him. He'd recognize that look anywhere. Turning around, he kneeled, bringing a hand up to the boy's hair, "What's wrong? Still can't speak up?"

"S-Sorry," apologized the boy, "Where are- are we g-going? Trai-Training only hap-happens after w-work."

Yoongi's hand fell, gaze quickly shifting to Jimin's before refocusing on his younger brother. He wondered if his older brother ever felt like this whenever he asked about work matters. He gave a light, almost apologetic smile, "Sometimes you're too smart for your own good, Tae. We'll explain everything when we get to the arena, alright? You don't have to worry. Since we're in charge, nothing will happen if we're a bit late to the office."

He rose to his feet, dusting his black trousers and walking forward once again, "Jin and Khione are waiting, let's go. Trust me, you don't have to worry so much."

Taehyung gulped. He felt uneasy. He didn't like the look on Yoongi's face, and he didn't like the fact that he was keeping something from him. Did something happen? Was it about the fight between Vil and Khione? Did he do something to make Jin worry or get angry? Will Khione be going back to her home? Will she try and take him with her? This can't be anything good, right? They won't tell him anything because they know it'll be bad news, right?

His feet dragged against the pavement, boots feeling heavier than usual as he lagged behind. He stared at their backs, then at the growing dome up ahead. He wanted to throw up. He can feel the itch in his throat and the knots pilling up in his stomach uncomfortably. His hands cradled his stomach, head bowed and feet still moving. Vil's voice was nothing more than added noise to the entanglement of worries and anxiety in his head.

Door after door was locked and reinforced until the group reached their arena's ground. It was like Yoongi had said, Jin and Khione were, indeed, waiting for them but it wasn't like the times from before. He could feel it in the air, they weren't chatting like they usually are, they're both quiet and he can see how serious they look. Something was wrong. The blond felt restless and that paired up with his growing uneasiness made him seek some kind of comfort. His honey orbs searched for the familiar blue hair and uniform-clad body he's gotten so used to over the days. Any longer and he'll end up in a situation he won't like, he can feel the panic climbing up his stomach and clawing at his insides. His chest heaved as he felt himself being swallowed up by something murky and his need to find him grew. He picked out the flexed back of the blue haired man as his sight began to narrow down and his legs automatically picked up speed as he ran towards it.

"Huh? Taehyung-ah?"

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Tae!"

"Look out!"

The young blond ignored their voices, feeling the need to have some sort of contact with the man only a few strides away. He was close, he can reach him in time, he's close. His vision was faltering, that's not good. There's something gnawing at him, eating him alive with no remorse. He knows the man can make it go away. He can make it better.

"Jungkook, incoming!!"

The raven turned, noticing everyone's tense expressions. Quirking a brow, he opened his mouth, "What are you- Oof!?"

Something came tumbling onto his stomach. The others winced at the strong impact, going as far as looking away or closing their eyes. Some gasped, others held back laughter, and Jungkook groaned. The force that tackled his torso made him stumble onto the ground, leaving his bottom sore and palms dirty. A squeeze to his waist made the man regain his senses as he peered down at his assailant. At least he now knew that they didn't mean any harm to him. The tufts of gold were messily spread over Jungkook's abdomen area, the majority of the person's body sprawled on the dirt floor. The position they were in wasn't comfortable in the least, so he thought it'd be best to shift around a bit. When he began to move, the hold on his body suddenly tightened.

A lot.

"H-Hey, easy there, no need to squeeze so tightly," he wheezed, bringing a hand to the boy's arms, and only when he settled his hand on him did he realize that the boy was quivering. Jungkook tried not to make his confusion and concern obvious as he glanced at the other silent onlookers, bringing his other hand up to his lips, a single finger standing between them. The others nodded, keeping as quiet as they could. Jungkook tentatively placed a hand on the strings of gold, not missing the small flinch that followed. Ignoring the way the boy's grip tightened more than before as he shifted their position, Jungkook managed to place the boy on his lap with his legs over his thighs, arms now wrapped around his neck. Jungkook sighed, still able to feel the trembling of the boy's body and the shakiness of his breath as his hands lay against his waist.

"Goldie?"

He earned no verbal response. The boy clung tighter onto his body, burrowing his head deeper in the crook of Jungkook's neck now that he could reach it. Releasing a contemplative breath, Jungkook carefully brought a hand up to the hiding boy's soft hair, letting it lay there for a while. If he does more, who knows what reaction he could elicit from the boy. Better safe than sorry.

As his hand lay on the head of hair, the blond moved, pushing against the warm hand laying on his head and scalp. He settled down in his hiding place once again when Jungkook had begun to move his hand, brushing the hair softly. The quivering diminished, still slightly present as the boy's grip loosened and tightened repeatedly. His uneven breathing settled down, coming out in light huffs. The raven continued to stroke the boy's head, gently running his fingers through the locks.

"Goldie? You have to talk to me, Cub. What's going on?"

Jungkook ignored the looks from the others at the slip of his tongue, not wanting to deviate from the situation at hand. The name was new and probably never heard before, even he doesn't know how he came and said it, but it came naturally. Jungkook felt a shift in body weight, looking down to find those familiar honey-orbs glancing up at him. Though he felt relieved, he could never mistake that mixture of emotions. What he wanted to know was why those eyes were reflecting those feelings when nothing has happened to prompt those fears and anxieties. The eye contact lasted seconds before the blond once again hid away, increasing Jungkook's confusion.

Why is he displaying so much anxiety and fear all of a sudden? Did something happen on the way here? When did he start to panic? How didn't I notice?

"What happened? I can't help you if I don't know anything."

He was desperate to know what was causing his Goldie to act like this, but it doesn't look like he was going to get an answer anytime soon. He tried not to do anything to further provoke the younger's uneasiness and tightened his hold on his body. He didn't like it when Taehyung acted like this, though it wasn't often, but what else can he do?

Looking at the others, he shook his head, "I'll stay like this, let's move on. Why'd we come to the arena?"

The men looked at each other, refusing to offer an explanation. Khione tucked her long hair behind her ear, stepping forward until she was told to stay back. The clicking of her heels made the younger tense so Jungkook couldn't let her get any closer. Understanding their current condition, she halted, giving him a sorry smile.

"I apologize for the situation you currently find yourself in, I do hope it can be resolved soon. As for why we wanted to meet you here during your lunch break, we have something rather important to discuss."

Jungkook moved his hand through the golden locks, looking at Khione curiously, "Something important? What is it?"

"I'm afraid it concerns Taehyung-ssi and Vil."

The mention of his name and the Spirit's made the boy in Jungkook's hold tense like never before, the quivering returning along with a muffled whimper.

No... I was right?

It seems Jungkook wasn't the only one who picked up on the change. Khione had abruptly closed her mouth, graceful hand coming up to block her lips as her concerned eyes found the man's dark blue ones. Jungkook tentatively rubbed Taehyung's back, feeling the boy nuzzle closer to his neck with heavy and wet breaths.

This isn't good, he's getting worse.

"We're running out of time, maybe we should talk about this later?" Jimin prompted quietly, worried that maybe continuing to talk would only add to his little brother's odd behavior. He looked at the others, specifically at Yoongi, begging him to agree. It didn't take a genius to understand that this wasn't the best time to discuss their previous ideas.

"I think Jimin's right, we still have time later," muttered Hoseok, looking worriedly at the boy on Jungkook's lap.

Khione caught Jungkook's gaze, offering him a sorry smile. The girl watched her steps as she followed the group of men to the entrance, coming close to removing her heels and walking barefoot. Yoongi looked back, letting the others walk without him. He feels like he's part of the reason why Taehyung is like this. Was it because he didn't tell him why they were coming to the arena? But that's never happened before. The last time he remembers the young boy having a reaction like this was when they had recently seen him after his incident. He wouldn't leave Jin's side no matter how many times they tried getting him to look at them. Massaging his temples, Yoongi looked sadly at the blond and then shifted his gaze to Jungkook.

"We'll make up an excuse for your absence," he muttered. "Take care of him. I think I'm partially at fault for this..."

Jungkook nodded, "I will... Thank you."

With one last glance, Yoongi walked towards the door. He paused before apologizing to his younger brother, "Taehyung-ah, I'm sorry... Talk to Jungkook, alright? We'll be waiting for you."

Now alone, Jungkook didn't know what to do. How does he approach this situation? Maybe moving them to a wall would be a good starter, his back is starting to ache from having to maintain his posture. Glancing at the unmoving boy, his grip tightened as he struggled to stand, the tightening hold on his body making it harder. He softly pushed Taehyung up, properly securing his body against his own as he walked over to a wall, sliding back down to the ground with a satisfied sigh.

Moments of silence ticked by until he felt the younger's body begin to loosen up again, breathing settled down and body no longer trembling. Jungkook took this as an opportunity to try and get the boy to talk.

"Goldie? Can you talk to me now?" He started carding his fingers through the silky locks, not feeling any movement from the younger. "What's wrong? Did you remember something? Did someone scare you?"

His questions remained unanswered. What's wrong with his little blond? Jungkook took some time to close his eyes, not wanting to let his temper get out of hand. He's never been one for patience during times like these. He's scared of blowing up at Taehyung or making things worse. Last time, it was Taehyung who comforted him, this time it's his turn to do the same. During his moment of meditation, the smallest of murmurs reached his ears.

"Scared," it whispered. "Don't know w-why... 'M scared."

It hurt.

Chapter Text

Jungkook felt his heart clench in the most painful way possible. His arms wrapped tighter around Taehyung out of their own accord, a desperate glare in his eyes because he needs to know what's wrong.

"Please... Talk to me. I need to know what happened. Please?"

"I-It was crawling up... I was be-being swallowed up... I'm sca-scared and I don't- I don't know why... Why?"

The man's hands searched for the blond's hidden face. Taehyung didn't fight the movement, letting Jungkook guide his face out of the crook he was hiding in. When their eyes met, liquid pooled at the edges of the normally bright eyes while his lips quivered as a wet breath left them. He didn't want to cry. He had no reason to.

"Hey, hey, hey... Look at me, look at me," Jungkook coaxed, not letting the boy avert his gaze. "That's it, good boy... It's alright, we can figure this out, don't hold back on me Goldie. Let it out. I'm here."

That's all it took for the dam to break. The tears streamed down the boy's tan cheeks as his chest heaved, huffs and sniffles following right after. Jungkook only rubbed his back, tucking stray hairs behind his ears, occasionally wiping away the salted water. Minutes later and the boy was able to breath properly again, letting his forehead rest on Jungkook's chest, ear occasionally pressing over his heart in order to hear its beating rhythm.

"Feel better?"

"Mn."

The small answer made Jungkook silently pray to any and all Gods in gratitude.

"That's good... Wanna tell me when you started feeling off?"

The blond fiddled with the buttons on Jungkook's uniform top, sniffling before nodding slowly.

"I-It was weird... We were walk-walking to the ar-arena for lunch. It wasn't ri-right. I asked Yoongi-Hyung why and- and that's when it started."

"What did Yoongi tell you?" The raven asked softly.

"H-He'd explain he-here."

"Did that bother you?"

"I-I... I don't know. I felt res-restless? Nervous. And- And anxious... I wanted t-to throw up... I was scared. Didn't like it. No noise, n-no light, no pe-people, only you, only you."

Jungkook hummed, "Has this happened before?"

He felt a slight nod.

"Can I know when?"

"War-Ward. My ce-cell."

The boy tensed at the memory, sticking closer to Jungkook as he violently shook his head, "N-No more, no more... Plea-Please?"

The raven understood, reassuring the blond that the questions were done. He doesn't know how long they stayed there. All Jungkook knows is that Taehyung eventually fell asleep, and he didn't see the point in waking him up and throwing him back into S.D.F's bustling building, so he texted the guys and told them he wouldn't be going back. Jungkook stayed in the dome, leaning against the wall with a sleeping blond curled on his lap. He would hum for him whenever he stirred or flinched. He would run his hands through his growing hair. He would peck his head and the tips of his ears, whispering sweet words reserved only for him. If his ass started to go numb because he was sitting for too long, he didn't complain or try to move. If his legs went numb and started to tingle, he didn't flinch. Jungkook let it all happen, content with being able to provide comfort for the boy he gave his heart to.

It was late evening when they had gotten home. Jungkook had told Taehyung to go to bed, but the blond wouldn't detach himself from the raven's side. Jungkook could only assume that he was still shaken up about earlier and simply didn't want to feel alone. He couldn't say he understood completely, but he gave the boy what he wanted and, in the end, he stayed by Taehyung's side until he fell asleep again. Jungkook had placed an extra pillow in Taehyung's arms as a replacement for his hand and quietly closed the door, the music box singing on his night stand. His body landed on their living room sofa the second he was close enough to drop himself on it and his hand fished for his cell phone, dialing one of the only contacts in it.

"Hello, Kim Seok-Jin speaking?"

It only took two rings for the man to answer, quicker than Jungkook had expected.

"Jin-Hyung, it's me."

"Jungkook?" There was a small pause. "How's Taehyung-ah? Did you find out what happened?"

There it was. He was waiting for that, it's the reason why Jungkook had called Jin in the first place. Asking him to calm down, Jungkook explained everything as best as he could.

"It took a while, but I got him to talk after letting him cry for a bit. It started on our way to meet you and Khione."

"On the way to the arena? But why, that shouldn't trigger a reaction like the one he had."

Jungkook nodded along with the older, throwing his head back, "I know, it's strange. He said he started feeling weird when he realized where we were headed. He asked Yoongi about it, but he didn't give him a straight answer. It only got worse after that."

The other line stayed relatively quiet. Jungkook could only guess that the Doctor was trying to figure out what had happened.

"Is that it? Did he say anything else?"

"Nope," sighed the man. "All he said was that he felt restless, nervous, anxious, and felt like throwing up. Apparently, he didn't want any noise, light, or people around."

"But he clung to you?"

"Because I'm his lover and he only wanted me around. He felt safe with me, take it up with him if you have an issue.

"Snappy, okay, calm down. Hmm... I don't know what to think of this. Did he feel like that because no one told him what was going on? Maybe it was a subconscious thing?"

"Don't ask me, I could barely understand your lesson on pressure points and I didn't finish high school, education is not my strong point," reminded Jungkook after a dry chuckle left his lips.

"That much I'm aware of, I just have to speak out loud sometimes. Well, for now, we should try not to trigger something like that again."

Jungkook quirked a brow, "You've never seen him like that? He said it's happened before."

Jin stayed quiet, prompting Jungkook to push for an answer.

"Okay, so maybe it's happened before but that doesn't mean that I'll know what caused it all the time, it's not that simple!"

"Okay, okay, geez, no need to get defensive," drawled the raven. "Speaking of getting defensive, what did you guys want to talk about? Yoongi didn't tell Taehyung and all Khione was able to say was that it was about Taehyung and Vil."

There was the sound of shuffling and the slamming of a door before Jin's breath filtered through, "We found out how we can separate Tae and the Spirit."

Jungkook jumped to his feet, eyes wide, "YOU WHAT!?"

"OW, my frickin' ear! Shut up you idiot or are you trying to wake Tae up?"

Falling back onto the sofa, Jungkook apologizes, "Sorry, continue."

Jin sighed, "I'd much rather speak about this when we're with the others, I won't give you the details but there's a way for us to get rid of the Spirit and bring Tae back to normal. We'll discuss the details no later than tomorrow after work. Don't tell Tae until we're all together."

Jungkook gulped, familiar with the elder's stern tone, "Okay, I won't, see you tomorrow then. Bye."

That conversation bounced in his head all night. The thought of being able to separate Vil and Taehyung was surreal. If Jin's right about this then, wouldn't that mean that Taehyung would ultimately go back to being human? Vil supplies the powers and strength so if he's gone, Taehyung would be left with nothing but himself. Would he be able to live like that? Ten years of having to live with abilities that have been restricted yet very present and now, suddenly, he'll have to live without them? Is that why he felt so anxious today? Did he know?

His questions would have to be answered tomorrow.

Taehyung had woken up with a bad complexion, bursting into Jungkook's room and jumping into the bed. Jungkook had woken up with a start, relaxing shortly after seeing the tufts of golden hair on his chest again. He had wrapped his arms around the boy, rubbing Taehyung's back soothingly, noticing it was only six in the morning. They could sleep for a while longer, they had to wake up at least fifteen minutes before eight, but Jungkook doubts he'll be able to lull the boy to sleep in that time frame.

"Goldie," he murmured, morning voice highly noticeable, "Let's get up, okay?"

"Mm-mm," Taehyung had shaken his head, grip on Jungkook's sides tightening. Jungkook sighed, running a hand through the tangled locks, "We have to. I'll make breakfast, you go wash up in the bathroom, hm?"

"Nh."

"Please? Or do you want me to go with you? We can do it together, I won't leave your side," Jungkook bargained, noticing the way Taehyung had twitched. The blond slowly rose his head, honey eyes peering up at Jungkook, "Rea-Really?"

Jungkook tried really hard not to avert his gaze from the sudden rush of heat that had struck his body and nodded, rubbing at the bottom of the boy's eye. That was the only way Jungkook was able to get Taehyung to move and get up. He thought things would get better once they got to the company, but the odds weren't in his favor. Taehyung was a lot more quiet than usual, even Hyo-Jong had no luck in chatting with the blond. He'd fidget like crazy at this desk, body literally itching to move closer to Jungkook. Taehyung had refused to speak to anyone, even his brothers and friends didn't get a proper word out of him. It was like he had gone back to being the boy they had first met all those months ago.

"Taehyung-ah, come on, you can't keep hiding behind Jungkook."

"No."

Contrary to their beliefs, the blond actually perfectly hid behind the young man, clinging to his uniform as he refused to move and comply with the others. The atmosphere surrounding the group was heavy even after work. When they had walked into the dome, Taehyung refused to step out from behind Jungkook; he was being stubborn.

"Taehyung-ah, be a good boy and come over here."

At Jungkook's request, the blond shuffled forward, now clinging to his front side. Jungkook smiled, patting the boy's head and telling him to at least listen to what the others have to say to which the boy slowly nodded. Taehyung's been surprisingly obedient towards Jungkook today. Not that he's never been compliant, he's always been one to listen to what others say, but today he's more meek than usual. This behavior wasn't bad, to Jungkook at least, but it made the others feel a tad bit frustrated.

Shaking his head and brushing his air back, Jungkook looked at the others, "You guys should start now, he said he'd listen. Sorry that he's being unreasonable, I don't think he's over what happened yesterday."

They all silently sighed, giving each other defeated looks. Wanting to move on, Khione calmly soothed the men, "There, there, let's not fret. As long as our Little King is here, it will be fine. We should begin our discussion."

"We have no other choice," murmured Yoongi.

Jimin put on a smile, "It's fine, you know how he can get."

"Who's gonna start the discussion?"

Hoseok pointed at the Goddess, "Khione can since she's the one who let us know about the whole thing."

"Jin-ssi, want to start us off? Out all of us, you were the most eager to know about this," Khione looked over at the Doctor. She could tell he was anticipating the talk.

"We found a way to bring Taehyung back to normal," blurted Jin, eyes specifically trained on Jungkook. He continued, "We recently found out that what's inside of Taehyung is Vil's soul, nothing less and nothing more. If we can find a way to get to Elysian, then we can return Vil's soul to his body."

Jungkook felt Taehyung shift. He peered down, meeting the boy's worried eyes. Leaning his head down, Jungkook whispered that everything was going to be fine. Taehyung buried his face back into Jungkook's torso and stole a glance at the Doctor. Jungkook gave Jin a nod of his head.

"If given the chance and this succeeds, Taehyung will go back to being normal. At least, that's what we think will happen."

"You think?" Questioned Jungkook.

Everyone nodded. Jungkook contemplated the idea. It was hard to believe. They want to make Taehyung return to the person he was more than ten years ago. His eyes drifted down to the human koala that refused to stay away from him all day. He isn't sure how to feel. Jungkook played with his piercing, trying to ignore the way Taehyung's breath was flowing in through his uniform and hitting his skin. Is that even possible?

"So, how do we do that?"

Khione answered his question, "We find someone with a transportation ability. If we find someone who can open portals, it's possible for us to return to Elysian."

"But can't you do that?" He asked. "You came here through one, right? I mean, can't Gods and Goddesses make portals and go anywhere?"

Khione sheepishly smiled, "I am afraid that is a very big stereotype, even Gods have limits. We have gates that allow us to ascend and descend, but with the sudden chaos that unraveled, the gates have been left unattended and Ifer is the only one who currently has control over one. We need spiritual energy to open portals and cast spells too, your land doesn't have much so it's difficult to do so. The one in my Kingdom can only be accessed by me so my brother can't open a portal for us either."

"I see... Do we know anyone?"

"We do," declared Yoongi, "Ahn Hye-Jin."

"She's well-known among the upper ranks, all we have to do is find a time to go and pay her a visit."

"Lucky us, we were able to schedule a meeting with her."

Jungkook hummed, nodding along to their information. He turned to the others, "I think we should go ahead with the whole idea. We can't keep Vil from regaining his body, that's not our choice."

They all agreed with Jungkook's statement. Throughout the remainder of their conversation, Taehyung stayed latched onto Jungkook, eventually wrapping his arms around Jungkook's waist and clinging to him even more. His ears were on high alert, picking up everything that was being said. His hunches yesterday were right. The idea isn't something he's keen about, but Jungkook already agreed so he can't do much. He doesn't want to start anything either, he's content as he is now.

"Alright, we'll meet her two days from now and we'll have to talk with Kalon-ssi too. It would be too strange if we suddenly disappeared for no apparent reason, so we'll have to confess everything. If push comes to shove, then we'll bolt for the door and find Hye-Jin as fast as we can."

Jungkook raised his hand, "Are we all going to be at the boss' office? I mean, having seven people in an office room is practically death for someone with claustrophobia. Imagine all of us, who have to not get fired or arrested by our boss after telling him that Taehyung's a half-spirit and that we have to go to a different world in order to fix everything, trying to run away from such a crowded place through one door?"

They all seemed to have come to the realization of how chaotic and ineffective that would be.

It'd be suicide.

"I vote Jimin, Yoongi, Hoseok, and Namjoon cuz they're the leaders here," proposed Jin, ignoring their glares. Khione stepped back, refusing to get involved in the choosing of who gets to speak with their head. Jungkook rose his hand again, agreeing with Jin. The four men looked at each other, then at the blond latched onto the raven's torso.

"We need a tie breaker!" Argued Hoseok.

"I think we know who to ask."

"Indeed, we do, Namjoon. It's just a matter of whether or not he'll comply," Jimin sent a look at the human koala, seeing the blond slowly move closer to Jungkook's side as a way to hide himself again.

Yoongi crossed his arms, looking expectantly at Taehyung, "Tae, you have the last word."

The blond shook his head childishly.

"I'll buy you the premium package for that one thing you use to watch your shows whenever you stay over at our place."

The blond perked up, eyes meeting Yoongi's as they had a sort of conversation with their gaze. Giving a firm nod, Taehyung gave his verdict... "I agree with Jin-Hyung and Jun-Jungkook-ssi."

With resolved expressions, the men nodded.

"All right... I shouldn't have made that deal."

"You got that right, there's no way he would've passed on that opportunity. I heard they merged with another big company so now their variety has grown."

The blond hid his smile, tugging on Jungkook's coat. The man looked down, asking what was wrong. Taehyung responded with, "I wan-wanna go home."

Jungkook felt his heart explode but he did his best to keep a composed face as he led them to the entrance and waved at the others, "We'll get going, Taehyung wants to go home, and we're basically done talking so see ya!"

The rest didn't bother arguing with them and let them go with their own waves and goodbyes. When the doors closed once again, everyone agreed with one thing.

"He's totally whipped for him."

"No doubt about it."

"I think they're a wonderful pair."

"Agreed."

Their eyes stayed on the doors for a while longer, exasperation and the relief of everything finally drowning them. They were going to be so busy these next few days.

Making it to their front door was difficult.

Taehyung refused to walk. He was being a brat, he knew that very well, but he didn't care. Instead, Taehyung had requested something mind blowing. The more surprising thing is the fact that Jungkook agreed to his request. He was starting to wonder what he wouldn't do for the blond.

"You're lucky I like you; you know that?"

"Mn."

The blond snuggled into the crook of Jungkook's neck once again, a satisfied sigh leaving his lips. His arms were draped around the raven's neck and his legs locked behind his back. It seems the human koala found the top of his tree.

"Hold on tight and don't let go, okay? I need to get the key."

"Mm-hm."

Jungkook maneuvered his hands to search for their keys, slotting it into the keyhole without much of a struggle. The click of the lock struck Taehyung's ears and then he felt Jungkook's hands support his legs once again as they walked inside. Closing the door behind them, Jungkook rubbed the boy's back, asking him where he wanted to go after slipping off his shoes and successfully tugging off Taehyung's.

"So, where are we heading Koala-ssi?"

"Your room."

"My room?" Echoed the raven, head tilting in contemplation, "Are you sure?"

The blond nodded. Jungkook didn't have the heart to say no, so he took the boy to his bedroom, sitting them down on his bed. Even after settling down comfortably on the mattress, Taehyung didn't let go of Jungkook.

Chapter Text

Taehyung hugged on to the man's back, eventually moving to the front. The young blond ended up straddling the blue haired man, nuzzling his head against Jungkook's chest before letting it rest in the crook of his neck again. His hands loosened and fell to the man's waist, resting listlessly; Taehyung was basically limp. Jungkook thought it was cute. He's never been in such a situation, but he liked it.

"Why do you hide in there?"

"...Like it."

Jungkook angled his head, peering down at the blond who remained unmoving for the most part. "Don't I stink? I was moving around all day, are you sure you wanna keep your pretty little head buried in there?"

Taehyung stifled a giggle, shaking his head as his hands clung to Jungkook's shirt, "Smell nice... I-I like it."

"Eh? You think I smell good?"

Taehyung nodded.

"What do I smell like?"

Jungkook was genuinely curious. The only smell he can associate with himself right now is the nasty smell of a wet dog. He'd been running around the building, getting ordered around a lot more than usual and it was his turn to patrol, so that only added to his work out. Usually, he'd shower before even thinking about touching his bed, but not today. Taehyung clinging to him is a good enough excuse, in his opinion.

He poked at the boy's ribs lightly, waiting for his answer but he received a little, "I'm not gonna tell."

Jungkook scoffed, attacking the boy's sides and tactfully inching upwards as a rupture of laughter and giggles filled the room. Taehyung squirmed, trying to fight Jungkook's hands and trying to shrink his body so as to keep them away. The raven didn't stop though, he continued finding ways to make the boy laugh and giggle breathlessly, letting out his own complaints.

"You're being a real brat today, you know that?"

Taehyung breathed heavily, looking up at Jungkook, "I-I know... hah.. ha... I'm still.. still not telling you.. It's a se-secret.."

"Oh really?" Jungkook quirked a brow before leaning in closer to the blond, whispering, "In that case, I won't regret what I'm about to do."

Taehyung slowed his breathing, wondering what Jungkook meant but when he felt a heavy weight drop on his full body, he understood. The man had laid his body on top of his, letting his full weight drop on the small teenager as they both fell over on to the mattress. He heard the boy grunt and try to push him off, but it was all futile. Jungkook was far heavier than Taehyung, there's no way the blond would be able to turn him over, especially not when he's gone limp.

With an adorable huff, Taehyung let his hands fall to either side of him, groaning, "You're heavy... Move."

"Don't want to."

"Mmm~ Jungkook-Hyung, you're hea-heavy!... Too heavy. Ge-Get off or I'll die!"

Jungkook chuckled, "No you won't"

Taehyung disagreed, heaving a dramatic breath, "I-I will... Can't bre-breathe..."

Taehyung's body went limp under Jungkook's as the boy played dead, not responding to Jungkook's squirming and poking. Jungkook pushed up on his arms, torso no longer leaning against the supposedly passed out Taehyung. He pressed his forehead against Taehyung's, noticing the slight movement behind his eyes. Even when pretending, he can't help but be fully aware of what's going on around him. At least he tries.

"Oh no, looks like my Goldilocks turned into Sleeping Beauty," Jungkook commented playfully, "Guess I'll just break the curse then."

Taehyung's ears perked up at the mention of breaking a curse, eyes flickering slightly. What curse? Wait, how was Sleeping Beauty's curse lifted again? Hold on, who is Sleeping Beauty!? The blond was slightly panicking. So many things could go wrong right now. He could end up head-butting Jungkook if he gets surprised enough or if he just panics. Maybe he'll actually fall asleep. He played dead, yes, but he thought that Jungkook would move so he wasn't squishing him, but instead, he decided to tease him.

"I'm gonna count to three and see whether or not my Goldie is actually dead..." Jungkook watched the boy carefully, moving his forehead away as he counted slowly, drawling out the words. Taehyung peeked an eye open when Jungkook reached one and caught the man's waiting gaze. Jungkook's lips tugged up into a strange smile, eyebrows wiggling, "Hmm~ Looks like you're alive to me."

At the lack of anything eventful, Taehyung hid his embarrassment, lightly pushing Jungkook off of him.

Jungkook sat up, crossing his legs and arms, "What? Were you expecting something from me?"

"Humph!" Taehyung huffed, turning his head and burying it into the sheets as he grunted, "N-No."

Jungkook took notice of the boy's colored cheeks and his fiddling hands.

"Liar."

Taehyung bounced up, glaring eyes trained on Jungkook, "A-Am not!"

"You are."

"Not."

"Are."

The blond puffed his cheeks, looking away once again. Jungkook remained still, observing the childish boy until he deemed him free of any unpleasant feelings. Tapping his knee, the navy-eyed man gave a light smile before sighing apologetically. Taehyung let his pout fall, letting his expression return to normal as he bowed his head. He didn't know why, but the idea that Jungkook can tell when he's lying and when he's not scares him. The only one who knew him well enough to figure things like that out was Jin.

Peering up at Jungkook through his long, curled eyelashes, the young boy whispered a question, "Can... Can you tell when- when I'm lying?"

The blue locks bounced as the man before him gave a slight nod.

"I'm starting to figure stuff out," he whispered back, "You have a lot of little ticks."

"What a-are those?"

"Little habits," came the light response. Of course, Taehyung new what ticks were, his question was to find out what his supposed habits were according to Jungkook, but he wasn't going to tell that to the man. Instead, he listened, waiting for something more to be said. Jungkook's big hand reached for one of Taehyung's, gently holding it as he trained his eyes on the details, letting his words drip out like running water.

"One is that when you're nervous, you pick at your scars and scabs, you get fidgety. You chew on your lips, then you bite the inside of your cheeks," he traced the marks with his pointer finger, letting it run over the palm and back to the knuckles, hiding the smile that wanted to lay on his lips when Taehyung's hand twitched. Carefully placing it back on the boy's lap, he proceeded to bring a finger up to the coral bows, noticing the raw flesh from earlier.

"Another one is when you're scared..." Jungkook's brows shifted, adding creases to the space keeping them away from each other, "When you're scared, you tremble... You freeze up. You struggle to breathe... You try to make yourself small and you bring your hands up to your stomach, hugging yourself. Your eyes get glassy and unfocused, and you try to find someone or something that will make you feel safe before you panic even more."

His tone changed into one of slight regret as he described how the younger appeared when frightened. Jungkook had seen that one too many times already and he's seen the boy have some sort of panicking crisis at least three times.

"I also know how you act when you feel uncomfortable." This time, his gaze made the blond flinch. It wasn't an intentional icy glare, but rather a stern 'you know I'm right and there's no avoiding it' kind of glare.

"You didn't ask me to bring you home just because you were bored or tired of listening to them, did you?"

The warm and childish air that had once taken over the room slowly melted as Taehyung became rigid.

"That... That's not t-true."

Jungkook shook his head, "You're lying again."

"I-"

No. He can't lie to him. Even if he did, Jungkook would be able to tell that he isn't telling the truth. There's no point.

"I am."

"Why?"

It was a simple question. It was simple yet he couldn't answer right away. His head was buzzing, and his insides were melting and freezing simultaneously.

"I... I don't like it," he muttered.

"Don't like what?"

Taehyung gulped, feeling his fingers twitch, "Do-Don't like the.. the idea. I don't wa-want Vil to leave me."

That was why he wanted to leave.

He didn't like the idea of Vil leaving him for good, they've been together for ten years, Taehyung doesn't know how to live without him. What would happen to him? What if something goes wrong? What if Vil just forgets them all? Forgets him? What if he was just pretending to be nice? Pretending to care about the young blond? Or what if he dies after Vil leaves him? Those thoughts were unbearable for Taehyung.

Jungkook felt his chest flicker with pain. He didn't like the frown adorning the beautiful boy's face. He understood the blond. Parting with someone you've known for so long is difficult but, "Taehyung-ah, you know we can't stop Vil from returning to his body, right? It's not our choice to make, we can't stop him from going back home."

And Jungkook was right.

No one can keep Vil from returning to his rightful place. From returning to his own body. That's what sucks.

Taehyung found Jungkook's gentle eyes, posing a question the young man didn't have the answer to.

"When he's gone... Wi-Will I still be your- your partner? I... I won't have any- any powers or.. or abilities. I'm hum-human, not a ha-half-breed. Will I be se-sent back to my cell?"

Jungkook hadn't thought about that.

No one had.

What will happen to Taehyung when Vil finally returns to his body?

Kalon shouldn't have a reason to lock him up again so there's a low chance the blond will be back in his cell by the end of it all. He can still be a partner; all he needs is a weapon that'll grant him some sort of skill. The answers sounded easy enough to come up with, but that was all that Jungkook would like to see happen. The likelihood of the organization providing Taehyung with a specialized weapon was low, extremely low, especially with the way he's been labeled. Those records will continue to damage the blond regardless of whether he's a half-breed or not.

With an exasperated sigh, Jungkook let his shoulders sag, "I don't know, Goldie. But I won't let them take you from me."

Taehyung's heart skipped a beat, cheeks flushing a beautiful rose tint as his eyes widened. He dropped his head, letting his fringe cover as much of his face as possible but a firm tug got in the way. His chin was lifted and right before him were Jungkook's knowing eyes. Taehyung gulped, letting his eyes fleet around the limited space he could see before he focused them back on the approaching raven. Like before, he didn't fight it. He let it happen, just like when it first did. It was strange. The feeling that spread throughout his body, starting from somewhere around his tummy. It was only a simple peck. A simple touch of the lips. Taehyung knew it was a simple peck after secretly consulting with his older brothers but... He wanted more? Would that be okay? Is it strange? Can he have more?

"Hy-Hyung?"

Jungkook hummed, admiring the boy's hooded eyes and the way that word hung in the room.

"...More..."

More?

"I.. I-I want more."

Jungkook knew this wasn't the right time but damn did those whispered words send a bolt of static to his groin. He didn't expect a phrase like that to come out of the blond's mouth, not at all, but it was a very pleasant surprise. The raven cupped the boy's cheek, stroking his under eye, "Are you sure? We don't have to rush... You're new to all of this, right?"

The little nod he got made him smile lovingly, but he wanted more than just a physical inclination, he wanted verbal consent. Letting the boy nuzzle into the hand cupping his cheek, Jungkook brought his other hand up. He tapped the blond's supple bows, "I need words, Cub."

Taehyung blushed more at the nickname, feeling his scalp tingle as he let his eyes shy away. With a flushed face, he did what he was told to do, feeling his head get all fuzzy, "I-I'm sure... Please, ki-kiss me more."

Looking at the adorably hazy eyes, Jungkook gave his last warning, "I won't do anything you won't like, but if I do, I want you to say the word honey."

"Hon..ey?" The blond drawled out as if he were half asleep. He didn't know why but he felt sluggish and hot; it bothered him. Noticing this, Jungkook nodded, lightly tapping the boy's cheek, "That's right. It's our safe word, okay? If anything feels off, if you don't like something, or if you want me to stop, just say honey."

"Okay... Ca-Can I have more now?"

Jungkook released a breathy chuckle, finding it hard to believe that his Goldie was saying these things. He had to wonder where he learned these things, maybe it's those talks he has with Yoongi and Jimin every other weekend? He doesn't know, but he'll end up dying one of these days if the blond keeps talking like that. He held back a bit longer, dragging the boy's chin over to meet his muddled eyes.

"Almost."

Taehyung whined and Jungkook clicked his tongue with no real malice. He shushed the boy, adding, "If for whatever reason you can't talk, and you want me to stop, I want you to tap me three times or pinch me. Okay?"

The blond nodded, whispering a small, "Kay, no-now, more?"

"Come over here," beckoned the older with a fond smile. He situated Taehyung on his lap again after he uncrossed his legs and leaned against the headboard, bringing the blond along with him.

Jungkook failed to hide his smirk when Taehyung suddenly gasped and let go of a stuttered breath when he had rocked forward on his lap, waist flinching in Jungkook's grip. Prodding at the blond's lips with his thumb, Jungkook leaned in, starting by littering pecks over the boy's lips, on the corners of his mouth and coming back to his lips again. With a hand on Taehyung's cheek and jaw, Jungkook got close, letting his tongue dart out and lick at the bottom bow sensually. Taehyung's reaction was almost instant. His head jerked back, a sharp intake of air following suit. Startled by the foreign action, his hands clung to the fabric of Jungkook's thin shirt, chest already heaving. Jungkook softly rubbed at his cheekbones, letting him know it was alright as he repeated that same action, wet muscle coming to lap at the top bow, and this time, the blond didn't pull away. With a pleased hum, Jungkook repeated the action, alternating between the bottom and top, occasionally sucking on them and relishing in the fact that Taehyung wasn't pulling away.

Praising him, Jungkook pushed his thumb up against the slightly parted bows, letting out a husky, "Open up for me, Cub."

A rush of heat and electricity shot through Taehyung's body at the words paired with the new name. It felt weird, but in a good yet frightening way. His whole being tingled, head going momentarily fuzzy and a tightness growing along the middle of his spread legs. Shuddering, the boy slowly let his jaw loosen, allowing Jungkook's finger inside. The man pushed through, gliding his finger into the cavern until he deemed it wide enough, thumb grazing along his perfect, white teeth on its way out.

"Stick out your tongue."

Without a second thought, he did. The pink, wet muscle peeked out, displayed before the hungry raven. He let his thumb run over it, feeling satisfied when he saw it twitch and a hot breath hit his limbs. Without warning, Jungkook let his lips wrap around the muscle, suckling and enjoying the effect it had on the blond. Taehyung's entire body froze before his shoulders slumped forward and a small whine left his throat, face cradled in one of Jungkook's hands, leaning into the touch. Jungkook let his own tongue slide into Taehyung's open mouth, feeling the hot puffs he released as he lapped at the inside and the young boy squirmed restlessly.

Breaking away with a thin strand of saliva connecting their mouths, Jungkook licked his lips and pecked one of the boy's beauty marks, uttering hoarsely, "It's alright, just relax for me... There we go.. Good boy."

"Mn... Good..."

Taehyung leaned in again, chasing Jungkook's lips shyly, but eagerly. Without a hesitant movement, Jungkook once again let their lips lock intimately, this time sucking lewdly on the twitching muscle, and he groaned at the response he received. Taehyung quivered, feeling a tug on something beneath his stomach that forced his hips to jerk forward. The sound of Jungkook's tongue lapping against his own, lips smacking and molding together, only added fire to that burning fuel and when he felt the man suck on his moist muscle again, a sound he never heard before left his lips.

Taehyung's moan was that of an inexperienced beauty stepping into their first pool of arousal: Sweet, unfiltered and raw.

It was hot.

Jungkook heard that melody loud and clear, swallowing it as he locked their lips once more, this time more aggressive than before. With one last teasing suck to the tip of his tongue, Taehyung let out a stuttered breath and Jungkook struggled to hide his groan at the alluring sight of his little blond melting on his lap. Dazed eyes, droopy with arousal, chest heaving with an equally excited heart, and lips swollen with a slightly lolling tongue and slack jaw; it was a heavenly picture. It was Jungkook who had caused the boy on his lap to look like this. No one else but him can make Taehyung look like this or feel like this. Only him.

Jungkook grinned with mirth, running his hands through the blond's hair, "Looks like someone likes having their tongue sucked. You look gorgeous right now, Cub. Just for me, hm? So pretty."

Barely registering those teasing words, the blond pressed his body flush against Jungkook, letting his hips buck forward with a breathy whine as he tried to fit their lips together again. Whether or not he was conscious of what he was doing was something Jungkook wasn't sure of, but he could let the boy indulge in his sudden urges for once, so he stayed still. When he felt the blond's hot breath against his own lips, he let his jaw slacken, allowing the teenager to try and copy what he had done earlier.

It was sloppy. Wet.

Hesitant yet firm.

It was hot.

Taehyung let his fists unclench as his hands wondered over the man's mid-section, running down his abs and back up over his pecks, eventually finding comfort over the raven's shoulders. Heavy breaths, groans, moans, slurps and smacks echoed in their ears, flooding the bedroom as their heavy make-out session continued with Taehyung leading and Jungkook assisting. The heat that had enveloped the young blond minutes prior grew overwhelmingly strong to the point where he could feel something uncomfortably restricting in between his parted legs. He whined without a hint of embarrassment, moving his legs to sit on one of Jungkook's muscled thigs, grinding on it out of instinct as his body trembled and twitched with the movement. His head became nothing but light and cloudy cotton. It was like he wasn't completely there.

Taehyung could barely make out the raven's features, much less the things surrounding them in his bedroom. All he could feel was a heavy warmth and an increasing want. He could barely think. Yet despite that, despite that haziness and those good sensations, he couldn't help the panic that consumed him when he felt giant hands tracing his body.

Chapter Text

His body seized up. The touches changed in intensity as their lips continued locking and his apprehension only grew as flashes of different instances in his life ran across his dazed eyes.

He saw them again.

He felt the pressure against his skin.

He heard them again.

This shouldn't be happening.

There was no reason for him to be remembering these things when the one touching him was the person he liked. Jungkook wasn't going to hurt him, his hands weren't going to slice his skin and make him bleed. His hands weren't going to hold him down, force his mouth open and drug him until he went unconscious and numb. His hands weren't covered by latex gloves or holding scalpels and metal clippers. They weren't, but he couldn't stop the fear that swallowed him whole and blocked out the picture of his boyfriend trying to be intimate with him as per his request.

Instead, he was replaced by the scientists that had held him captive for hours and days on end while his blood ran down the straps, bed, and floors of the lab. He heard the cries, the yells, the laughs, the reprimanding that followed a second of disobedience. He felt the burn of his skin, the ripping of his nails, the bone crushing tightness of the restraints, the rawness of his sore throat and gagged mouth.

It was too much.

His hazy eyes shot wide open, blood running cold as the blond pushed Jungkook away with all the strength he could muster, chest heaving in quick short breaths. His heartbeat was ringing in his ears, and everything seemed to become distorted, head filling with fog as everything became a blurred mess. A need to find something to latch on to overcame him. His hands scrambled to find something to hold on to, something that would hopefully provide some sort of comfort, but he was too shaky and too disoriented to find anything. Amongst the chaos, Jungkook's voice filtered through. It was what he had told him earlier. With the little coordination left in him, Taehyung let his voice break through. One loud and stuttered yelp dissolved the lustful atmosphere in milliseconds.

"Ho-Honey!"

Everything froze.

"HONEY!!"

Jungkook's hands halted the first time he heard their safe word. It was startling but the second time he heard the word, it sounded desperate and hurried. Only when he had properly snapped out of it all did Jungkook notice how stiff and corpse-cold the blond had become. His eyes searched for his partner's, softening when the pools of unfocused honey seemed to tremble. He quickly scanned the rest of the boy, seeing the way his hands seemed to search for something while his unfocused eyes struggled to settle on something and the dangerously quick breaths he was taking made his whole body shudder.

He was scared. He's panicked.

Carefully reaching out for the boy's grabby and shaky hands, Jungkook let his finger prod at the open palm, stilling when the latter had pulled back instantly. He waited patiently before doing the same thing again, getting a slightly similar reaction only this time, Taehyung tried searching for the thing that had touched his hand and Jungkook allowed the boy to warily touch his finger. The blond's lips twitched, but his words never made it out. Even so, his hands had latched on to Jungkook's, trembling and clammy, but tight in their grip. Taehyung didn't stop searching though, his head moving frantically every so often. It was like he was expecting something to come at him. Jungkook didn't know where he should try and touch him again, but the way his head would jerk, and loll looked painful.

With cautious movements, Jungkook lowered the hand holding his finger slowly, letting it rest on the bed while Jungkook's other hand slowly traced over the boy's jawline, settling on his cheek as he steadied his moving head. Taehyung flinched again, eyes frantically searching his surroundings, but he was momentarily blind. He pulled back, settling into the touch like a scared cat after its approached by a random person. Jungkook remained patient, observing the boy silently, calming down ever so slightly when Taehyung could breathe without gasping and wheezing.

Now more relaxed, Jungkook moved forward, softly rubbing his nose against Taehyung's. Taehyung twitched and blinked, trying to find whatever or whoever was in front of him through the haze that blocked his eyes. No matter how often he blinked and moved them, the only thing he could see was a blinding flash of white. Taehyung let his eyes fall closed when he felt something cover them before slowly letting them flutter open as that small presence disappeared, a slight outline coming in and out of focus before the familiar blue eyes of his lover gently roamed his own. Jungkook's mouth moved, lips pushing and separating against each other as words were formed but not filtered into the still shaken up blond who shook his head, the apprehension growing once again at his inability to hear the man before him. His free hand twitched at his side, coming to cover his ear, head shaking in Jungkook's grip.

The words managed to come out in a scratchy tremor, the anxiety filtering out through his voice, "I- I ca-can't... hah... Can't he-hear... 'm s-sca-scared... I can't.."

Hearing the pants and broken words, the raven gently shushed the boy, a single finger pushed against his bruised lips. Taehyung's eyes followed Jungkook's movements, letting the older bring the hand covering his ear to his chest, feeling the way it rose and fell along with his steady heartbeat. Bringing his eyes up again, Taehyung saw the raven point at him and then at his hand. Jungkook was telling him to copy him. His other hand was placed over his own chest, his heavy heart beats bouncing through his touch before he tried to match Jungkook's. They never looked away from each other, much to Taehyung's relief, and Jungkook once again spoke. Taehyung saw his lips move, saw his Adam's apple bob, but his voice was still nowhere to be found in Taehyung's ears.

With a wry smile and careful moves, Jungkook carefully wrapped his arms around Taehyung, bringing his head onto his shoulder. The light jump and hitch of his breath didn't go unnoticed but his battered breaths did lessen and soon enough, he was nuzzling into the juncture at the base of his neck and shoulder. With his eyes closed and the scent of the older surrounding him, Jungkook's voice broke through his sudden deafness. It was like being able to see the first light of day after an endless darkness.

"That's better... Good boy... Can you hear me now, Taehyung-ah?"

"...M-Mn," responded the blond, snuggling closer to the raven in relief.

The smaller boy pushed up against Jungkook, feeling his warmth and taking in his scent again. It was strangely familiar. Something that reminded him of when he was younger, but the memory was foggy, like everything else he tried to remember. All he knew was that Jungkook smelt like a sweet, woodsy sea breeze and robust mint; it was a strange yet pleasant combination. It was working to calm his beating heart and pulsing blood. You'd think that he'd rather stay away from the raven's touch since that's what made him panic in the first place, but Taehyung felt the safest in Jungkook's embrace.

Feeling the once stiff body grow limp and steady, Jungkook silently sighed in relief. He had gotten scared when the blond's sudden panicked cries broke through their kiss, thinking that maybe he had done something wrong. He wouldn't be surprised, he's never done something like this before, especially not with another man, so mess-ups were to be expected. They were to be expected, yes, but with someone as psychologically troubled as Taehyung, it was probably best to tread as lightly as possible. In this case, patience was the key, right? It was alright for the boy to feel scared. It was alright for him to panic. It was alright for his reactions to honestly show his feelings. It was better than him lying and trying to hold everything in. That's why he gave him that safe word.

Letting his hands rub gentle circles between the blond's shoulder blades, Jungkook felt his own nerves diminish, but his curiosity and worry grew. Was it bad to ask what happened right after helping him calm down? He wasn't sure. He really needs to go to Jin again and try to learn more things that might help him care for Taehyung.

"Taehyung-ah?"

His call went unanswered. Whether it be willingly or not, Taehyung didn't answer. He was afraid of answering. He didn't know why Jungkook was calling him. He didn't know what to expect. Was his reaction something that bothered him? Was he going to call him out because of it? Would he say he doesn't like him anymore? Did he mess up? He didn't mean to. Normally, his memories wouldn't resurface like that. It would take more taunting, more pushing for them to come out, not a heated kiss and Jungkook's hands. Why did they resurface now? During such a crucial moment for him. For them. Why? Why didn't Vil stop them from appearing? Why didn't he try to calm him down? Why? Why? Why?

"Taehyung. Taehyung! Taehyung, you need to breathe... Holding your breath isn't good, breathe, Taehyung."

Only then did he realize the heavy squeeze in his chest. The way his hands had balled into fists against Jungkook's clothes and the way his body had curled in on itself. The lightheadedness made him waiver before a large gasp let oxygen regulate through his body once again. Coughs wrecked his being, small pants repeating themselves as tears pooled at the corners of his eyes. Jungkook was stunned. Never had he ever seen anyone do something like that. He knew Taehyung would go through phases, Jin's told him bits and parts when he had tried teaching Jungkook about the body's meridians and pressure points, but never did he mention Taehyung holding his breath for minutes on end without being aware of it.

Is this the first time he's done this?

"Hey, look at me," ordered his stern voice, "I don't want you doing that again. Never again."

Taehyung, miniature pants still leaving his lips, struggled to put together his words. Jungkook's unsparing face didn't change despite being aware of his strained efforts. Yes, he can be gentle and caring, but that doesn't mean that he's completely gotten rid of his sharp, unrelenting, egotistical, merciless nature. He can still be the thief that was rescued off the streets if he wanted to be, so there's nothing stopping him from being the rude prick he was when he first met Taehyung and the others. Jungkook gave the blond a glare, one he's very familiar with due to his prior encounters with it. Strengthening his tone, he spoke once more, "I do not want to catch you doing this again. Whether it be intentional or not, holding your breath is something I will not tolerate. Do you have any idea what could happen if you last long enough to pass out?"

The boy wasn't given a chance to answer as the raven continued his scolding, further fueling the negative thoughts that had flooded the blond's head during the span of him holding his breath. In the end, the corners of his eyes could only hold so many drops. Even after seeing the tears cascading down Taehyung's cheeks and gathering at his chin, Jungkook did not let up.

Not until he was done.

"Wipe those tears Taehyung, you don't have to cry, I'm only saying all this because I worry about you. I'm not Jin, I don't know you the way he does or the way Yoongi and Jimin do, I don't know how or what you were diagnosed with, I don't know how to react to you doing things like these... I'm new to all this too, I can only guess and move instinctively."

The blond hiccupped, obediently wiping at the water painting his tan skin. He was aware of Jungkook's thumb rubbing small circles on his waist and though he couldn't help but think that he had upset the raven, he tried accepting the fact that Jungkook was only worried about him. It's true that Jungkook doesn't know him the way his family does and the only way he can learn is by experiencing and trying to help him in any way he can, but Taehyung can also help him.

Taehyung can help Jungkook. He knows that, but it's hard. Talking about it is hard. He was barely able to tell him about his real family, and the fact that he had eavesdropped on his whole story, yet all Jungkook knew about him was basic information, wasn't fair. Jin and Becky were the ones in charge of his health, even he himself hasn't been well-versed in what's wrong with him, he just knows when something is going to go wrong, or at least he thinks he does. Feelings just gnaw at him sometimes and when there's something in specific, the feelings grow and worsen like they did a few minutes ago. Things worsened shortly after he left the ward and they've been shifting from better to worse, back and forth. He doesn't like it.

"I-I'm sorry," the cracked velvet was hoarse as he apologized. "I'm sorry... I-I'll try. 'M so-sorry.."

At the repeated apologies, the raven's strict, parent-like façade slowly crumbled and he pulled the boy into his embrace once again, whispering in his ear that he was okay. Telling him that it was okay. That things will be okay. He reassured the boy over and over again. For every time he apologized for no clear reason, Jungkook would tell him that things would be okay. That lasted for about five minutes. Taehyung was reduced to mere slurs and mumbles and Jungkook had stopped chiding him, opting to provide comfort instead.

Was he going to apologize for suddenly scolding him and going off on a tangent about how he worries for the blond?

No. Absolutely not.

With what happened, he completely forgot that he had been blue-balled minutes prior but was reminded about what they were doing once the sticky and uncomfortable feeling of dried sweat made its presence known. It wasn't pleasant. He had been okay with them being on his bed despite not having showered right after they had arrived, but now he wishes they had washed themselves sooner. Now he'll have to change the bed sheets and everything.

Tapping the hyper focused and equally restless boy's thigh, Jungkook carefully pulled the blond away from him, noticing his matted hair.

Yeah. They need a shower.

"We need to get you into the bathroom for a shower, or at least a bath. Let me prepare the water for you, okay? You wait here."

Jungkook moved Taehyung onto his mattress with ease, standing and stretching with a groan, a few bones cracking here and there. He really needed that. He threw his shirt into his laundry basket, leaving on his undershirt and pants. Taehyung had been watching him with worried eyes and jittery limbs. He wanted to do as he was told, but when the raven took a step towards the door, the blond dashed towards him, latching onto an arm without thinking. His knees were dangerously close to the edge of the bed, but he didn't seem to care. The dizziness came back momentarily and small pants left his shaking lips as he clung tighter on to Jungkook.

"Do-Don't go... Don't g-go please!"

Taehyung tried not to seem so clingy, but the thought of being left alone made him remember the number of times he'd been left in the ward without Jin or Becky around.

"I-I'll be good.. Tae-Taehyung will- I'll be good, pro-promise... Please, d-don't wanna be- don't wanna be alone... Please..."

His glassy eyes pierced through Jungkook's as the boy desperately clung to him, edging closer and closer to the border of the bed. It's like that day in the arena, but this time he was begging for his presence with the promise of behaving.

Is this normal? Or is this an effect of what happened earlier?

Kneeling down, Jungkook took Taehyung's hand in his own, following his fluttering gaze. Taehyung followed, placing his wait on the mattress as he kneeled on the sheets. His hand continued to hold on tight, eyes littered with fear of abandonment.

"Shh... Shh, it's okay, it's okay, you can come with me," he consoled, interlocking their hands, "I won't leave you alone, but you have to shower on your own, okay? I can sit outside, is that alright?"

The blond tensed and untensed, struggling between wanting to nod and wanting to shake his head. Which would please Jungkook? If he were to shake his head, he'd get mad, right? He has to nod. He has to agree, but he doesn't want to because he doesn't think he can do what the older is asking of him. He wants to, but he can't.

Jungkook seemed to have noticed his dilemma because just as they entered the bathroom, he had said something unexpected but pleasing to the young blond's ears.

"I'll sit by the tub, okay? I won't watch you, but I'll be right here with you. We can talk if you want or we can stay quiet, it doesn't matter as long as you feel better. Hm?"

The blond nodded this time, a light tint on his cheeks and a small smile gracing his lips.

He likes Jungkook. A lot.

It feels nice.

Chapter Text

Jin had just finished sending in the new files for some of the ward's new patients when there was a knock on his door. Without thinking much about it, he gave them permission to enter, only looking up once the door had clicked closed again. His hands halted their typing, eyebrows hiding under his fringe.

"Jungkook?"

"Jin-Hyung."

The younger man took a seat directly in front of Jin's desk, elbows coming to rest on top of some of the papers laying around the surface. Jin noticed his seriousness and closed his laptop, turning his full attention to the man.

"What's wrong? Your shift doesn't start until later today, shouldn't you be at home?"

"There are things we need to talk about, Jin-Hyung. I didn't think I'd have to come ask for your help, but I really don't know how to deal with everything."

Jin stared at him in confusion, a small frown on his lips as he asked, "What'd you mean? Are you sick? Do you feel bad?"

Jungkook shook his head, "It's Taehyung."

The doctor grew more worried, trying to understand what exactly Jungkook was trying to say. His words were taking a while to form, that much was obvious to Jungkook, which is why he jumped right in.

"What exactly does Taehyung have, Jin-Hyung? I know it's trauma, that much is obvious, but there's more to it, right? Yesterday, he held his breath unconsciously for minutes, he panicked so much he wasn't able to see or hear me, I don't even know why! And when I tried to leave, he clung to me and begged me to stay with the promise of behaving; I need to know what's wrong with him. You can't keep hiding his issues from me, Jin-Hyung."

Jungkook's gaze was as piercing as ever, a chill covering the room. Jin could feel his aura like a pressure weighing on his shoulders. If it were anyone else, they would have run away or quickly given in, but Jin isn't a stranger to these types of situations. He breathed calmly, leveling Jungkook with a gaze that seemed dangerously unperturbed. His voice was equally serene.

"If I tell you, will you distance yourself from him?"

Jungkook sputtered, "What? No!"

"Are you sure?" He pushed, eyes never leaving Jungkook's own, "Once you find out everything, you won't abandon him because everything will be too much? You won't see him as a burden?"

"Absolutely not," responded the younger man, no wavering in his voice. He knows what he's singing up for, he knew the second he decided to accept his feelings towards the blond. For Taehyung, he's willing to go through anything and everything. He will never be a burden to him. Taehyung deserves his full devotion and deserves to be cared for and nurtured. Jungkook isn't such a shallow person, he of all people knows what it's like to feel abandoned by everyone and he would never want Taehyung to feel something like that.

"I have zero plans on abandoning Taehyung. As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to stay by his side for longer than anyone else has."

Jin's lips cracked into a satisfied grin, air suddenly going warm, "Okay, I'll tell you then."

Jungkook slumped in relief, glaring at the man after complaining about the test he was put through. Jin settled for patting his arm, not yet sure whether or not Jungkook would be okay with more familiar touches. One of the guys had tried hugging him during training after they had successfully synced up their movements and his response was to freeze and proceed to push them away while cussing them out. Of course, after that event, the guys settled for fist bumping or high fiving instead of celebratory hugs.

Jungkook sighed, staring at Jin questioningly, "There's more to him than just simple trauma isn't there? It's way bigger, isn't it?"

Jin nodded, "Trauma is just the superficial issue here. Anyone can experience trauma, it's not uncommon. What sets them apart are the symptoms that follow after the trauma. In Taehyung's case, he has dissociative amnesia and PTSD, though it's been under control for some time now, it still affects his daily life. He can't recall the disaster or anything prior to that, even more if those memories are linked to his family. Usually the amnesia only lasts months, but his has yet to be solved. I have strong reason to believe that Vil is the reason behind the lack of memory recovery. There are times when Taehyung suddenly remembers things, sometimes it's due to his surroundings, other times it's in his dreams, but Vil tends to block them away as soon as he can."

"So, he's the one keeping him safe, supposedly."

"That's right. Taehyung has been undergoing treatment since the age of eight and had been under medication for a while once he was old enough for it. His treatment stopped shortly after he reached the age of seventeen. He isn't cured, per se, but he's well enough to not rely on it and if he ever needs it again, then my team is at his disposal."

Jungkook nodded, typing whatever he thought was crucial into his phone's notes before raising his gaze and saying, "How can I help him?"

Jin quirked a brow, "Why don't you tell me what brought this on first? You said he held his breath and panicked. What were you doing that brought something like that on?"

Jungkook flared up, looking away and coughing awkwardly. Jin stared at him suspiciously, leaning forward and asking the question again. The younger man blushed up to his ears and down to his neck, reluctantly meeting the elder's waiting eyes. He gulped, fiddling with his phone, "Well... I wanna start off with saying that he asked for more and I only did what he asked!"

"On with it already, Jungkook."

"We... We were making out," he mumbled, looking away, "Things got heated and, well, I started to move my hands along his body when he freaked out. I don't know why or what came over him, I didn't know if it was okay for me to ask... It scared me."

Jin was pensive, an obvious frown on his forehead before he reached a hand out towards Jungkook, a tiny smile on his lips. It wasn't a happy one, it was one that told him it was alright to feel that way.

"If that's what happened, then the only thing I can think of is the torture in the labs," responded the doctor in a voice way too soft for the topic. Jungkook rose his head quickly, a pit of guilt and anger in his stomach. He had made Taehyung remember the torture he had gone through at the ward. If that's the case then, "Jin-Hyung, he wasn't able to see or hear me. At one point, he wasn't able to talk either. Did they... Was he-"

"He was gagged, restrained, and if he wasn't able to see, then he was probably blinded by the overhead lights used during operations and the like. He was reliving those sensations."

"Then me touching him-"

"Was the trigger that made him remember the hands that held him down and caused him harm," finished Jin, feeling bad for the young man before him. He can already imagine what he's thinking and that's why he won't let him drown in those idiotic thoughts. He's worked with others that have had similar reactions, it's hard not to blame oneself when it comes to situations like these. Triggers can only be avoided after they've been figured out and sometimes the ways they come to light aren't exactly pleasant.

"It wasn't your fault, Jungkook. You couldn't help what happened, especially when you didn't know about it."

The raven protested, "But I-"

"You weren't the one who tortured him," interrupted Jin, voice like steel. "You weren't the one who harmed him, Jungkook. He knows that too. Things like this will continue to happen, I can't tell you that you'll be able to avoid them all. Your relationship with him won't be easy-going or as normal as the relationship of others, it will be full of struggles, but that doesn't mean that it won't be happy and lovely. It will just be slightly more difficult."

Jungkook swallowed the lump in his throat, nodding slowly at Jin's words. He rubbed at his eyes, lightly slapping his cheeks before raising his determined eyes up once again.

"I won't give up on him. Please, teach me how to care for him, Jin-Hyung."

That same day, Khione and Vil met up at the S.D.F's training grounds after Taehyung agreed to give them both some privacy. He felt frustrated and restless so he wanted to take his mind off stuff. Earlier in the day, Jungkook recommended him to go spar or just use his abilities at random until he felt better. Apparently, Jungkook would do that sometimes when things got to be too much for him. Vil was reluctant on listening to him, but the unpleasant feelings only grew and he did as he requested. Khione coming along was only partially his fault and partially Namjoon's. Their relationship was still rocky and if they were going to go back to their respective home's it'd be for the best if they'd get along so thus, the idea of them going together popped up.

Khione sat on one of the floor's corners, her dress draping over her crossed legs and touching the floor. Vil was standing a good few feet away. Watching the quiet man warm up his body, Khione tried thinking of the real Vil. His real form and not Taehyung. His long, lavender and blond locks up in their fancy braids or the occasional times he'd leave his hair down and pin back some strands, letting his bangs perfectly cover his face. Remembering details was difficult. She hasn't seen him in so long. No one has. Not alive, at least.

"What's got you all restless, Vil?"

The blond turned a glare towards her, shrugging his shoulders, "I would like to know the answer myself, but unfortunately I don't."

Khione softened her gaze, looking at the ground. The sound of a grandfather clock caught her attention, and her cerulean eyes glossed over when she rose her head.

"So, they were right..." Her voice trailed off. Vil stood in the center, head hung low as his body slowly turned to face Khione. She forced out a cracked laugh, "Even your clothes match hers..."

The King looked at his attire. She was right. The same color scheme painted his clothes, the familiar soft beige and gentle red-orange shades reminding him of the times they'd sparred or helped those who needed it. The short boots he once made fun of where now a perfect fit on him, with slim black trousers covering his legs beneath the robes. A beige cross-collar under robe fit his form perfectly, covered by a top red robe with slight frills at the cuffs and bottom that was secured around his waist with a red-orange sash embroidered with gold thread, an ornament in the shape of a dandelion hanging on it, her favorite flower. Instead of her familiar neck piece, he was given a beige ribbon with an emerald stone at the center that wrapped around his hair gently.

It was an illusion. A simple visual illusion created to appease an idea he had thought of ages ago during one of Cielle's fittings. He always wanted to wear matching robes. He had designed them thousands of times, never being fully satisfied, and now he has to be satisfied with a mirage.

"It's CC's... I didn't believe them but, you really did take it."

Her hushed amazement made Vil look away, making the phantom dress disappear with a single hand movement. He wanted to be nice, even if it was for a while. He knows how close she was to her and even though Khione was partially at fault for her death, she was still a dear friend. With a click of his tongue, he picked at his nails, "I did not take it, I saved it. It's the only thing I have that belongs to her and I was not going to let that prude keep her or her weapon."

He advanced, pistols in hand, "Give me some dummies, I want to try it out while I still have some energy left."

Flicking her wrists and moving her hands skillfully, Khione created golem-looking creatures, asking, "Are you running low? You haven't used it, have you?"

The golems moved, following her hand movements. Vil leisurely walked up to them, letting himself be surrounded. He felt the adrenaline start to rush through his body, answering, "I have, quite a bit, and as for the pistols... Once."

"When?"

Vil called for the first bullet, "Aleph."

He glowed a mist-like orange before easily zooming by the snow golem's, using both pistols to fire bullets made of a murky-auburn substance, watching the advancing and growing monsters crumble to the ground. Khione herself was having trouble keeping up with his movements. She's seen Cielle use it from the Heavenly Realm, never had she faced her face to face though. Cielle was a very powerful cultivator and her weapon was rare; especially made for her by her father. Khione was inclined to nominate her for a position as a Deputy God, but time wasn't in her favor. Cielle died before she could tell her that she had been accepted as a candidate. If only she hadn't been so ignorant and selfish.

Vil reached a standstill, waiting for them to regenerate on Khione's orders, "I used Yod Bet on Jungkook-ssi. It was somewhat instinctive. I've summoned all of the others at least once. Camael was used during the fight with Hatter. My energy is dwindling. I'm afraid it may affect the way I protect Taehyung."

The Goddess felt her hands slip and a ball of snow had launched itself towards Vil, nearly hitting his face if it weren't for Zaphkiel's seventh bullet. The snowball froze before reaching his cheek, falling at his foot shortly after. He sent her an unamused glare, stepping on the crumbled snowball for good measure.

Khione chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry, I was surprised. I didn't think you'd bring them all out. If you ever need more energy, I can supply you with some of my own, but I'm sure Taehyung-ssi will be fine. That aside, you used the twelfth bullet on your first try? How brave, CC hardly ever called for the last bullet."

"He deserved it."

Once again, he alternated between the first and seventh bullets as the snow began to counterattack, surprisingly keeping up with Vil's swift moves.

"Edging the young boy and keeping him on the verge of a breakdown was uncalled for. The only way to make men like him understand and stop with their unruly antics is by showing them first-hand what their victim went through. I regret nothing."

"Of course you don't, you were the only one willing to talk down to Sin aside from Rin-Rin, I'm not surprised at this point."

Vil's movements slowed, coming to a stunned stop. Khione took notice and halted her golems, staring at the blond in concern. She asked if she had said something wrong, but Vil only responded with getting rid of the pistols, turning to look at Khione with eyes full of turmoil and remorse. Vil was normally composed, his emotions were always kept in check and he was always acting proper and, well, royal. Seeing so much in such small pearls was something Khione wasn't used to.

"Sin... Rin-Rin... The others... Are they alright?" He questioned monotonously, tone the opposite of his stare. "Do they know? Do they think I'm dead? Did... Did they all survive?"

Khione rose to her feet, dress dragging behind her elegantly. The snow dissipated and she tentatively placed a cool hand on Vil's shoulder, giving him a small smile. Her eyes softened and the blond didn't want to admit the fact that it made him feel better.

"They know you are alive... They all do. Thay all lived, some of their families had a few casualties, but nothing grave. No one doubts you and those who do have been banned from all our Kingdoms and sects; no one blames you for what went wrong. Especially not our friends, Vil."

He looked unconvinced. A part of him really wants to believe her words and another is telling him that it's too good to be true. After all, if he hadn't been so stubborn and simply let Ifer have the land, the revolt wouldn't have happened. No one would have died or suffered.

She tilted her head, "Who do you think is guarding your body?"

At the mention of his body, Vil shot his gaze up. They were in charge of guarding his body? All of them? He's grateful, really grateful, but isn't that too much? It's a lot of people in one place.

"They jumped at the opportunity. They didn't trust anyone else. They promised to await your return and guard your body with their lives if they have to. After all, they're still your knights."

Dropping his head, Vil fought back the urge to cry. Why did he want to cry? Because Khione had mentioned his friends? Because he was told they were the ones guarding his body? Because he found out that they were waiting for his return? Maybe a combination of everything.

"Those idiots," he scoffed in mock annoyance, "I'll give them a welcome they won't forget in due time."

Khione nodded, laughing as she saw the blond's fond smile.

It was rare. And rare was good.

Chapter Text

In the following days, Khione had filled the men in on some of their realm's customs and history. If they were going to travel to Elysian, then they had to know as much as possible. She tried teaching them some of their language as well, but it didn't work out too well. The only ones who were able to retain the most words were Namjoon and Taehyung.

"I didn't sign up for school, how can you expect me to learn a new language in the span of a few weeks!?"

"Taehyung did it."

"Taehyung is smart, it doesn't count!"

"And Namjoon too!"

"He doesn't count either!"

"Jungkook, you have no idea how dumb you sound right now."

"Now, now, let's not fight."

Time was ticking and so, the language was overlooked and substituted for more history, custom, and etiquette lessons. Those classes were a lot easier for them, though it does take some getting used to and using Khione and Vil as the people to practice with was nerve-wracking and annoying.

"Hm, this young master seems to have forgotten who he's in the presence of. I am the King, show respect and properly bow."

"I am!"

"Your hands aren't in the proper position."

"You're just being nitpicky! Khione-ssi, we're doing it right, aren't we?"

"Vil, stop teasing."

By the end of their lessons, they had packed their bags, taking what they think they needed, including their phones, even if they were going to be in a zero-internet and wi-fi zone. They went shopping whenever they could, double and triple checking everything. Those going had already chosen their designated groups, all that was left to do was break the news to Kalon and get out of his office alive and on time to leave with the help of Hye-Jin.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd say this, but Jungkook, you've got quite the build, don't you?"

Jungkook paused his motions, glancing over at the short man across from him with a slight scowl. The others present looked between the two before focusing their eyes on Jungkook, more specifically, his body.

They were eyeing him up as if he were a piece of meat.

"Oi! Quit staring, you creeps!" He growled, proceeding to fix his shoulder braces, ignoring their lingering eyes. He was planning on ignoring them all, but when he felt something tapping at his back and sliding up his abs, he instantly jumped away and got defensive. Meeting eyes with Jimin, Jungkook rose his arms, glaring at him.

The latter rose his hands in mock surrender, shrugging, "Sorry, sorry, but I'm almost sure you've got more boobs than my mom and your stomach's rock hard, not to mention your back is basically perfectly sculpted, just how long have you been working out?"

Jungkook felt his eyebrow twitch, "I don't have boobs, they're my pecks you dimwit! And I've been training since I was fifteen! I've been building stamina since I was thirteen."

"Okay, geez, no need to get all pissy about it," retorted Jimin, pulling a shirt over his head. "Why the shoulder support though? And you've got some on your feet too, why?"

Throwing on a shirt himself, Jungkook grunted at the nosy man, seeing the others start to file out of the changing room. Obviously reluctant to, he answered the elder's questions, "For reducing the impacts and effects of an attack and to help with landing and pushing off. Unlike you guys, I'm not one to heavily rely on help from a weapon. I use my body to fight more than any of you. I'm probably the most physically strong out of all of you and we don't know what that old geezer is capable of; better safe than sorry."

"Tch, cocky bastard, you aren't the only one with muscles and fighting skills in our line of work," Jimin pointed out as they both walked out of the room, "I mean, have you seen Lee Ho-Seok? That guy's ripped."

Rolling his eyes, Jungkook stepped out of the room followed by Jimin as they walked back to the main building.

"Whatever, I'm going to the roof top. Good luck with Kalon or whatever. Try not to get killed!"

"You're talking to the number one Officer, of course I won't get killed off so easily!"

That's right, it was today.

Was it too soon? Maybe. But it's now or never.

Taehyung and the others should be talking to Ahn Hye-Jin right now, actually. Jungkook just hopes things don't get too out of hand. Meeting with someone at the top of a roof is concerning, especially during the early hours of the morning; he's sure that their shifts are just barely about to begin. Then again, if they wanted privacy then being on top of a roof with zero surveillance was better than being in an office room with forty desks and doors to last decades.

He pushed the door to the roof open, and was met with a heavy silence. It was strange. He thought they'd be talking by now. Pushing back his hair, Jungkook searched for the familiar head of golden locks, feeling relieved when it didn't take long for the small boy to find him first. His talk with Jin days prior briefly came back to him and so did the feelings of determination. Whoever believes he'll abandon this boy because of the loads he's carrying can go swallow a thousand nails. On the contrary, he's going to be one of the pillars of support that he deserves.

Holding back a chuckle at the blond's adorable antics of latching on to him, Jungkook pats his head, looking down at him, "Hey. Where are the others? Is she here yet?"

"Mn." Taehyung lifted his head, pointing over to his right.

Jin, Khione... Becky? And if he had to guess... "Ahn Hye-Jin?"

Said person turned at the call of their name. Ahn Hye-Jin was different from what he had imagined. Taehyung was, of course, wary of her. She had a strong aura and held herself with great confidence. The young woman gave a light bow and offered him a small but honest smile.

"That'd be me, I'm guessing you're the person we were waiting for? You are...?"

Jungkook bowed his head seeing as how he couldn't properly greet her because of the boy latched on to him and introduced himself, "Jeon Jungkook. Part of Officer Jimin and Yoongi's team."

"Ah, the one with the big ego and sharp tongue, right?"

Jungkook glared and glanced at Jin who shrugged his shoulders. Hye-Jin waved her hand in front of her face, chuckling, "Ah-Haha, don't look at them like that, you're quite famous among us and so is your little friend."

Stupid rumors.

"So? Did you explain anything yet? How are we gonna do this?"

Jin stuffed his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, "We explained the situation with as little detail as possible."

"So, she knows about what Taehyung is?"

"I do," she answered nonchalantly.

"Okay, then did you agree to help us?"

Khione quietly cut in, "Actually, there is a bit of a complication."

Jungkook rose a brow, "And that is?"

"She has to be able to see the place in order to transport us there," Jin sighed, "If she doesn't know what it looks like, then she can't help us."

Damn. That is an issue. Khione can't show us how it looks, and her model won't be of any help. We have no pictures...

Jungkook wracked his brain for a solution until he finally stumbled on one. He has to thank his past self for this one or else the question wouldn't have popped up. Looking at the others he asked, "Can't Vil do it?"

They looked confused. One more than the others. Hye-Jin turned to everyone, one question lingering in her thoughts, "Who's Vil?"

Khione's face lit up, hands coming together in a small clap, "You're right, he most certainly can, there's a chance it can happen!"

"How?" Jin asked.

"Using one of his weapons," responded the raven, glancing at the blond. Taehyung was already looking at him and without any words, the honey orbs turned a vibrant violet and he stepped away from his hold. It was almost scary how quickly and easily they can switch with each other. Soon, a familiar smirk graced his lips before he nodded his head towards Jungkook, "My, you're gaining some light in that small brain of yours, Jungkook-ssi."

"You're as rude as ever. Royal prick."

"Not rude, simply brutally honest."

Hye-Jin observed their interactions, curious to the change in the once silent blond. She lightly cleared her throat, gaining their attention. Vil gave her a practiced smile, one befitting a royal, before he bowed dramatically, "It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Vil Schoenheit, Spirit and King, I appreciate your help in this situation, Wizard-ssi."

"How...? I haven't told them what I was," she mentioned in astonishment.

Vil simply smiled, bringing a finger to his lips in a secretive motion before bringing his attention back to Jungkook, "Well, as for whether or not I can be of assistance, the answer is yes. All I need are my pistols. Come, Zaphkiel!"

The familiar and chill evoking chime of the old grandfather clock shook the air, eliciting a whistle from Becky and awe-struck faces from Jin and Hye-Jin. Khione grinned at the familiar objects while Jungkook couldn't help the shudder that ran across his being at the sight of the old clock.

Vil looked over at Hye-Jin, "Well then, shall we get started?"

The Wizard blinked, pointing at herself as she looked at the blond, "Who? Me?"

"Of course, Darling, who else?" Vil chuckled, pointing on of his guns at the woman who yelped and instantly pulled out her spell book, flipping through the pages like a gust of wind. The blond held back a laugh, reassuring her that he wasn't going to kill her. Hye-Jin slowed down, suspicious of his words and intentions.

"Not to sound rude or anything, but you're literally pointing a gun at me. It'd be weird if I didn't think you were trying to kill me," she exclaimed, gesturing at the gun centimeters away from her forehead. When the boy snickered, she nearly stepped up but decided against it when the gun was thrusted forward. Meeting the violet eyes, she closed her spell book and waited.

Vil cleared his throat, fake smile adoring his lips, "Darling, believe me, if I wanted to kill you, I would have done it ages ago. You are my ticket home, I need you and in order to receive your help, I must show you where I- We, want to go."

"And you're gonna do that by pointing a gun at my head?"

"You're in for a ride Dear, just stand there and do not move, it'll make things easier."

Positioning his other gun at his temple, Vil glanced at the others, unsettling smile on display, "It will only take a few seconds, but please watch over our bodies in the meantime, I have no idea what our state will be after I do this-"

"Wait, you don't know what'll happen!?" Hye-Jin panicked.

"I do not bu-"

"Vil, you won't both die, right?" Jungkook asked, seriously done with his whole act.

Vil shook his head, rolling his eyes and nodding over to Khione, "She can attest to that."

The Goddess nodded, "Zaphkiel's bullets aren't all death inducing, they all have different uses. The one he's going to use will only allow Hye-Jin-ssi to peek into Vil's past."

"Different bullets?" Jin asked.

"Yes, there's a bullet for each hour and each one has a different purpose."

"So that means it has twelve, right?" Becky added, interested in the topic at hand. Khione nodded and as they were going to delve deeper into the sudden digression, Vil cleared his throat, "Ahem! We are short on time so that being said, Zaphkiel: Yud!"

The triggers were pulled and the bang was almost deafening. Both the blond and dark brunette fell limp, caught by Jungkook and Jin who carefully set them down on the ground. If all goes well, then they should be able to get to Elysian soon. The only thing left is for Jimin and the others to get here.

Standing in front of a door has never felt so intimidating before. Jimin, Yoongi, Hoseok and Namjoon were all huddled before the wooden contraption, steeling their resolve before knocking and walking into their boss' office. The atmosphere outside the room was already tense and wavering, when they had stepped inside, their blood ran cold. Kalon sat at his chair, arms crossed as he signaled to the chairs before his desk, but the men declined. The man seemed to sense the gravity of the meeting they had requested and sighed, getting straight to the point.

"Now, why is it that the best of my men have requested to see me so early in the day? I'm guessing this is important if you've come in hours before your shifts. You aren't wearing your uniforms either, has something happened?"

His gruff voice did nothing to calm their nerves but years of having to deal with different people has come in handy. As usual, Jimin was the first to come forward, carrying himself like the calm leader that he is in his sweat pants and hoodie.

"Yes Sir, apologies for the early hours of our request but, what we have to say is something that can lead to our persecutions, if not death."

The concerning gaze that Kalon directed towards the four men was something heavy. His reactions only continued to morph into different emotions as the men explained their situation and it was obvious how hard the man was trying to keep calm. The first incident of Taehyung being discovered as half-spirit and how they had lied in the reports about the damage made to the training arena made the man grunt and the men wore apologetic expressions as they bowed lightly.

Yoongi cleared up the events that happened during the Mad Hatter incident after seeing how Jimin choked up on his words; the veins in Kalon's hands seemed to pop as his brows furrowed even more. The reason behind the arrival of Khione and how Namjoon and Hoseok were housing her only added to the tension and a silent sigh escaped the elder's lips. They're sure they've managed to shave down more than half of his life force with the simple act of speaking.

Everything was explained down to the last event, including their current goal and mission. The nitty-gritty details weren't included in their entirety, and neither was their exact destination; that'd be like signing a death sentence all over again. The four workers glanced at each other with hopeful eyes despite their hands being closed over their cursed gears while their boss remained silent and pensive. They were hoping for the best, but the worst-case scenario is never out of the question.

Jimin and Hoseok flinched back when the elder pushed back his chair, leaning on his desk with an aura of crushing decisiveness. Yoongi and Namjoon did a good job at hiding their apprehension, but their grip on their devices tightened the tiniest bit when Kalon decided to look them each in the eye. Their sudden movements relaxed when the man had shaken his head, asking them to calm down, which was easier said than done in this situation. Kalon stared at his workers, eyes searching for the slightest hint of a lie or joke, but the seriousness and worry glowed evidently inside them.

He believes that even if he were to disagree with this whole plan, these men would not abide by his words and go along with their ideas anyway. Out of the whole bunch of workers, these have the tendency of being hard-headed despite being amazing at their jobs in all other aspects. If he has to be frank, they might just be the pillars of the S.D.F. He clearly had no other choice. Losing his best workers was something he wasn't keen on, and he wasn't eager to lose one of the best newbies he's seen in years either, but he'd rather give them permission then have them go behind his back and leave.

Kalon huffed, nodding, "I'll allow it."

The air was knocked out of their lungs, eyes wide and mouths agape.

"That boy... I knew he was unordinary, but not to this extent. Your actions these past few months had me questioning whether or not something was going on," Kalon groaned, pushing back some of his gray hair, "Since April, all of this has been going on since April, I don't know whether I should be glad that my gut feeling was right or not."

The men cheekily chuckled, feeling proud and guilty at their ability to hide something this grand for about five months. Kalon gave them a stern look, continuing on, "But, if what you're saying is true, then I'd rather let you and your group go than risk South Korea's safety or having you stab me in the back and go off on this mission out of your own accord."

Smiling lightly at the men, he gave a firm nod, "Go on, before I change my mind."

The four men bowed, yelling a firm, "Thank you, Sir!"

"Try to come back alive! All of you, alright? The S.D.F won't be the same without its pillars and I want those two kids to make it back too. I'm not worried about Jin, but keep an eye on the elf as well. "

Halfway out the door, Yoongi and Namjoon made it clear that they couldn't make any promises before Hoseok closed the door and Jimin repeatedly pushed the elevator button.

Next stop: Elysian, the Kingdom of Eternal Spring.