Archive of Our Own

Many romances start in school, whether it be in high school, college or even on rare occasions middle school crushes.  It can be at work that love blossoms or by chance on the street somehow.  When younger generations would ask a couple how they met, they would smile and reminisce as they would begin to tell their own personal fairy tale. 

Instead of meeting your one and only, all you got was a blunt hit to the back of the the head.  Proceeded with waking up tied down to a chair, as well as your ankles, and a blindfold covering your eyes. All topped off with the sound of men squabbling on about whatever, leaving you with a rising tempter just wishing to be tested. 

This was strike two of your rotten luck in your evening.  Before you were, unnecessarily, knocked out and presumably kidnapped, you had just socked it to a petty alley thief with a hefty spray of maze and a swift kick to the groin.  Not even a self-celebration for yourself could be had before you came to find yourself here, wherever here fucking was. 

You’d been awake for a while, listening to the borderline argument of voices not sounding too far off from where you sat.  Currently, or for the past good while, one of the voice was trying to inform the others that he had sworn you had woken up.  He was correct, but he wasn’t listened to.  The calm nature you portrayed as an unconscious victim dwindled into firey annoyance.  They were far too noisy. 

“I have a question.” Silence and a stomp of a foot filled the air of the space you occupied almost immediately after you opened your mouth.  You swore you felt their eyes setting you on fire with glares and gazes. 

“I fuckin’ told you,” a voice grumbled.  Maybe the fact that you were indeed conscious wouldn’t be a problem, but in your silent eavesdropping session, you may or may not have heard a few tiny little things you suspect you weren’t suppose to.  You tiled your blindfolded head in fake thought. 

“I understand the point of being tied and blindfolded- identities and what not- but , maybe next time a pair of noise cancelling headphones would make a good topper to the cake.” 

“Son of a-” a mature voice of a young man spoke, more like seethed between his teeth.  “How much did you hear?” 

You shrugged as you waved your fingers about.  You were a big hand talker, but with your hands tied down, it made the habit, shockingly, a bit difficult to accomplish, so your fingers had to take over instead.  

“Why not ask your buddy? He might tell you, or are you gonna ignore him now too?” There was silence followed by your own sigh.  “First thing I remember.  Hmm, maybe a blueprint for a job?  I was pretty out of it, I dunno.”  You heard scuffles and then a loud crash, like someone had just kicked over a trash can.  “That’s a fair response,” you muttered to yourself. 

“That was 20 minutes ago.  that’s a problem.”  It was indeed.  Smart man, whoever that voice was.  You’ve heard a lot from them and if you’ve seen dramas or movies about the type of situation (which you have), there was normally only 2 outcomes for you.  None of which were totally desirable, but if you had the chance to pick and choose, you’d know your choice in the blink of an eye. 

But the chance of them offering a pick or choose situation was slim. 

There was silence once more then you heard footsteps walking calmly towards you.  The soft thud of shoes hitting a layer of thin carpet.  You almost let yourself flinch when they stopped and you felt the over-looming presence of whoever it was stand at your toes.  Almost flinched.  

You knew you had to be strong right now.  Showing fear or weakness would lessen your chances of at least staying alive a little bit longer.  You could save your weakness in the back of your head for later behind closed doors- if you had a later in your almost immediately future. 

You heard the sound of movement in front of you before you felt hands on the back of your head, untying the blindfold from over your eyes.  When it was removed, the room you were in was lit well- annoying your bleary vision. With blinking, squinted eyes you looked up at who was in front of you. 

Dark, midnight shaded black hair, bangs parts and brushing his brows.  Dark eyes with the slimmest hit of your reflection in them.  Tanned skin, screaming with the most sinful of melanin.  Black jeans and white t-shirt that clung to him just enough to show the bulk in his chest, biceps and thighs. But, as intimidating as he look staring passively down at you, he looked young. 

“There’s no point in hiding at this point.  She knows a lot,” he said as he tossed the blindfold onto your lap, you now seeing it was someones tie.  He moved, leaving your front to lean against a wall next to a shut and curtain covered window.  Arms crossed as he crossed his ankles as well.  

Finally gaining your full vision back, you looked to scope out the room.  It was a fairly large, open space: a meeting room of sorts.  Faded red carpet with a formation of tables and chairs.  On separate tables in the middle of the room was a computer and equipment of sorts. Above that was a projector mounted into the ceiling. In said room was 6 other men. 

2 brunette men, a man with red hair, one with a rather rust hair color, a guy sporting wild, dusty hair with a tint of lavender and one more with blond bleached roots that turned lilac at the ends.  What the hell kind of weirdos did you manage to get involved with?  Granted, they were all fairly attractive men, but they were bolder than you expected appearance wise for being apparent criminals of some sort. 

The lilac tipped man rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the ceiling before sighing. 

“Guess we have no choice.” Then, he looked down, straight at you and dropped his arm back to his side in a defeated motion before beginning to go down the line of men.  Introducing them?  Why the hell was he- was he planning on mocking you?  Leading you into a false sense of security before shooting you or something by introducing everyone and himself? 

The taller brunette was Seokjin, the smaller Jimin.  The rust head: Yoongi.  The redhead was Hoseok, but gleefully announced himself as ‘Hobi’.  The dusty, wild-headed stranger was Taehyung.  The one speaking introduced himself as Namjoon.  And finally, the one against the wall who stood before you before was Jungkook. 

First impression: Not your average group of still to-be-determined criminals. 

The entire situation confused the hell out of you.  Why were you taken in the first place when all you did was defend yourself against someone else?  It wasn’t one of these men that attacked you before, so why the hell were you here?  and why did they introduce themselves? Was there a purpose?  A reason?  Hell if you knew, or if they’d end up telling you. 

“Great, now that I know who you are, can I be untied now?”  You moved the tiny bit you could around your ankles and wrists that were bound to the chair. “It’s pretty unlikely that if I tried to pull a fast one, I’d immediately just be tied again, but I happen to be smart.  And my hands are starting to go numb, the rope is too tight.”  

“I told you not to tie them so tight!” The taller brunette- Seokjin- scolded as he jumped up and to you as he pulled a pocket knife from his back pocket of his jeans.  “Don’t move, I don’t want to cut you.”  

“I won’t even flinch.”  He managed to slip the knife between you and your ropes and slowly slice each binding until four small piles of cut rope lay at your feet.  You moved your feet and rotated your wrists as you rubbed them, the skin just slightly more red than they should be.  

He moved back and slightly slapped the Yoongi on his arm, making him wince and rub at it.  He must’ve been who tied you.  So far, they seemed almost harmless? It was making you feel quite unsettled. 

You put your hands in your lap as you put your feet together, knees in front of you as you looked at them.  You wanted to ask if you were allowed to leave, but that would literally be the stupidest question you could ask here.  You knew the answer, but what the hell could you say in a situation like this?  What were they going to say.  

“So, she’s staying with us right?”  Hobi had piqued up as he started walking towards you, a smile on his face.  You looked at him, following his body as it got closer to you and then moved to stand behind your chair.  You didn’t look back at him as you redirected your attention back to Namjoon.  He was cupping his chin, nodding.  

“She’ll have to. I see no other options here.  We’ll have to figure out where she’ll be put.”  

“There’s a free room on the second floor.  Across the hall from Jungkook’s room.  We could put her there?” Taehyung suggested as he lazily waved his arms about in front of him as he sat backwards in a chair.  

“isn’t there boxes in that room?” Hobi questioned from behind you as Taehyung shot him back a response with an eye roll. 

“Just move them out of the room.  Wow, it’s so hard.”  

“Fucking- I’ll cut your balls off, I swear to god Taehyung.”  The two bickered back and forth before Namjoon cut them up and you raised your hand.  What were you doing?  Raising your hand for permission to speak?  This wasn’t a classroom Y/N you idiot.  

“I’m staying here?”  You spoke uncertainly as Hobi draped himself over your shoulders, laughing into your ear as you wanted to flinch away from the loud noise directed unfiltered into your eardrum. 

“Well, of course!  Why wouldn’t you?” 

“Well, I don’t know why?  I haven’t done anything, have I? All I did was get knocked out and taken away.  I didn’t literally nothing to you people.” 

“Not directly,” Jimin started as he finally piped up, “but the man you got was someone we knew.  And since they attacked you, we decided it’d be best to take you just in case you had some connection to him.”  

“Well, I don’t, so why can’t I leave?” 

“You’re silly,” Hobi spoke up again as he cupped your chin and lifted your head to look up at him as she stood tall behind you.  His smile was almost sinister as he closed his eyes.  “You’ve been listening to us talk for too long.  We can’t just let walking information get away, now can we?”  

“Not to mention she knows are actual names,” Jungkook added in monotonously from the wall. Although, that was true, it wasn’t like you asked for their real names, also implying they had aliases.  Made sense you supposed. 

“You see!  It’d be inconvenient if you walked free after all of that.” 

“An inconvenience, huh?”  You scoffed as you shook your jaw out of Hobi’s grasp, making him make a sound of disapproval at your unwanted movement.  “If anything is inconvenient it’s sitting in a chair, in a room full of strangers who’s involved in fuck knows what.”  

“Ladies really shouldn’t curse,” Seokjin scolded you lightly.  You glared at him as you seethed back. 

“I didn’t ask for your two sense.”  You crossed your arms and legs.  “So, I’m suppose to sit back and be what- some sort of hostage?  Prisoner or something?  You realize I have a job right, and a life.  I can’t just drop everything and be your little lap dog.” 

“Doesn’t sound like you’re willing to corporate as well as I hoped,” Namjoon stated.  You scoffed.  Like hell you’d let them play you like a damn fiddle.  

“I don’t roll over for anyone. Keep me here, make me keep my mouth shut I don’t care, but I’m not gonna put my life on halt for you.  You can’t make me.  Don’t like it, then just kill me.” You motioned to him with a thrust of your head.  You knew that he just might if you put up too much of a fight.  But if they were determined to make you stop ‘living’ then you might as well be dead in the first place. 

Hearing a disapproving click of a tongue from across the room, you moved you gaze to see Jungkook push off the wall and stand in front of you again.  He glared down at you, more than a little annoyed as you looked up at him with your own unimpressed impression.  Hobi had moved from your back to your side with caution as Jungkook was quick put pluck a gun from behind him.  

Cocking it, and placing his finger on the trigger, ready to fire at any given moment, he moved and pointed it at base of your nose where your brows parted.  You started into the barrel, and squashed down the uneasy feeling of literally staring at death down into the pit of your stomach.  You felt like you might hurl is you breathed too deeply. 

“We just might if you keep up the attitude.”  He growled at you.

“Jungkook!”  Namjoon shouted at him with a harsh tone at the view of him pointing his loaded and ready gun at you.  “That’s enough!” You remained silent, just staring at him, almost taunting him.  Daring him to do it.  “Hoseok!”  Hobi nodded as he seized Jungkook’s wrist and shot his arm up into the air.  

A deafening bang followed afterwards. 

You felt pieces of the ceiling dust into your hair and fall onto your shoulders and lap.  This fucker just shot the ceiling  Holy shit, he was actually going to shoot you. You moved your eyes to see Hobi’s hand latched tightly around Jungkook’s wrist, shaking lightly as Jungkook fought back trying to lower his hand back down, but failing.  

Hobi stepped towards him and by his wrist pushed him back, away from you.  

“Listen when people talk.  He said that’s enough.”  Hobi seethed as Jungkook ripped his arm away from him and replaced his gun back behind him in his belt loop.  You were safe, for now.  He moved to sit on the table top as Hobi nodded at him in approval, happier with his more mellowed out face. Hobi turned back to you as he smiled, almost reassuringly.  “Don’t worry, we won’t actually shoot you.”  

You opened your mouth, but shut it again just opting to nod at him.  He moved away from you, back towards Namjoon as Jimin trotted forwards and sat cross legged in front of you.  Looking up at you, almost in admiration.  

“Not a lot of people stand up to Jungkook like that.  I like you.”  You rose your brow at him as he smiled at you giddy.  Bouncing his legs up and down as he put his hands in his lap.  You’d find him cute if his buddy hadn’t nearly blown your brains out. 

“Um, thank you?” 

“I think we can work with your conditions.”  Namjoon finally moved to grab a chair and move it closer to you, sitting in front of you as Jimin scooted ever so slightly out of the way, still in front and close to you though. “You said you want to keep your social life intact?”  You nodded.  He leaned his elbows on his knees, leaning in as he nodded again, running through his thoughts.  “Although you seem trustworthy enough, I can’t just let you walk around freely.  I’ll agree to let you go to work and wherever you need.  You’ll have to move your things from where you are now, to here however, and I’ll be assigning someone to escort you when you go out.” 

The moving out part you could deal with, even if you had to choke back an eye roll at the process of moving out. 

“So, I’ll have someone on my heels at all times then?”  He nodded at you as you sighed silently.  

“It’ll be temporary.  Just until we can completely trust you to not go around and talk.”  You nodded at him, just to show you understood.  it made sense, he had to protect himself and his team. 

“Fine, I can deal with that.”  He nodded pleased as he straightened his back and leaned against the back of the chair, folding his arms over his chest with a smug look on his face. 

“Excellent. Jungkook, you’ll be assigned to watching her.”  You leaned forward in your chair as Jungkook nearly fell off the table he was sitting on.  Both of you had wide eyes as Taehyung laughed in the background and Jimin fell over holding his stomach beside you on the floor. 

“Him?!  He just tried to shoot me!”  

“That’s precisely why I’m assigning him to you.  It’s obvious you two are going to be a rocky relationship, so I’m pinning you two at the hip.” 

“That’s not fair Namjoon,” Jungkook protested. “I’m not some watchdog who follows around some lady like she owns me.”  You glared at him.  Namjoon shrugged and stood up. 

“Too bad.  I’ve made my mind, so suck it up and deal with it.  It’s your job now, and she’s your responsibility.”  He grumbled as he just sat back down on the table and looked at you.  You looked back at him as he turned away with a glare.  You clicked your tongue. 

Your new watchdog looked like he needed to be put on a damn leash.  Maybe a muzzle too, he clearly had bite to him.  You just hope he wouldn’t try and blast you again.  

XXX

A bit more of a discussion or two, later you had found yourself following behind Namjoon. Jimin was at your side as he spoke to you and Jungkook behind the group, arms cross still having a tantrum.  You glanced over your shoulder at the annoyed man who had his arms crossed.  You narrowed your eyes at him as his eyes were down watching wear his feet were going.  It wasn’t like you were happy with this arrangement either.  

“Are you listening?”  Jimin asked you as you looked back at him with a smile, nodding.  You just kept getting more and more innocent vibes from him, but you knew he must have another side to him.  He kept going on about who he was, and who the others were.  At least he was approachable.  

As you listened to Jimin, followed Namjoon and rolled your eyes at Jungkook, you took time to also look around.  When you were escorted out of the meeting room, you were able to see that it wasn’t just the room you were in that was nice.  The entire place was a manor.  The second floor (which is where you resided) was part of an open balcony floor.  The entire ‘hallway’ had the doors and rooms on one side of the walkway, the other was a railing that opened view to the first floor.  

There was a staircase leading up and down between the floors and lead to the main entrance to the building.  It was like a gathering area, large enough for a large group of people to hang around and mingle.  The carpet throughout the house was all red, some places more faded and worn than others, but still vibrant.  

You had thought that you had gotten involved with a petty thug gang or something, but from the stature of the building you were now apparently going to be living in, they were a bit more than that.  

Namjoon had lead you around the house to a cutaway hall that had a few doors down it.  One would soon become your room.  He had taken a key out of his pocket, a group of keys to be precise, and after finding the correct one, he put it into the lock on the knob and opened the room up.  It was the room as the furthest end of the hall. There was one door down the hall on the same side of the hall and two across the hall.  

As Namjoon opened the room, you peeked in as he went inside.  It was indeed as they said, filled with boxes.  The scent of dust was enough to make you sneeze and your eyes to water.  Namjoon maneuvered, oddly clumsily, through the walls of boxes and whatnot to the window as he pried it up to let in fresh air.  

“Yeah, it may take a while for us to move everything.”  Jimin spoke as he stepped around you to move and look around the room the best he could.  He peered around some boxes and saw the bed in there, boxes sitting on it.  What the hell was in the boxes anyways?  “At least there’s a bed!”  He smiled as he pointed to it, proud of himself for seeing it first.

“It’s a bedroom.  There’s always been a bed in here.”  Jungkook piped up with a smirk as he stepped inside, not sparing you a glance and making Jimin pout.  He moved and flipped open a box to see what was inside and nodded as Namjoon came to his side, allowing him to see as well.  

“Well,” Namjoon cupped his chin, “we’ll have to go through these and label them.  We’ll have to sort them into their proper warehouses so we don’t lose anything unnecessarily.” Jungkook whined at the work unfolding in front of his eyes.

“Why not move them to another room?  Going back and forth to the warehouses is too much work to get things.  It’s a 10 minute drive to the warehouse yard from here.”  Namjoon shrugged at his complaints and walked back to the wall to bring boxes forward into the little open space them have.  

“Too bad.  We have no other rooms to subject to storage. Now, stop complaining and start looking.  Put the boxes that go to House-1 to the left of the door outside, House-2 to the right and House-3 across the hall.  Understand?”  He nodded as pulled the box knife from his pocket as he started opening box after box.  “Jimin, I’m sure Jungkook wouldn’t mind the help.”  Jimin nodded and did the same.

“Um,” you started and got Namjoon’s attention.  “Since it’s kinda my room that’s being cleared, should I help out?”  Namjoon shook his head, grabbing your shoulder.  

“You’d better not.  It’d be best if you left the boxes to them.  They know what they’re doing, and there’s some pretty expensive and valuable equipment inside that is better off not damaged or unintentionally triggered.”  You nodded as you let Namjoon turn you around and usher you down the hall before calling for one of the other boys to keep your occupied so the three of the could do the cleaning of the room.  

You were able to catch a glance into the room before being completely shut out to know that you weren’t dealing with a regular street gang full of neanderthals.  With the short glimpse you got the the weapon Jimin was passing to Jungkook to put into a box at his left, you would not place money that you had gotten yourself mixed up with the mafia.  That’s what the grenade in Jimin’s palm screamed into your brain through your vision before the door was shut.  

XXX

The entire afternoon consisted of being constantly denied access to your new room.  They had been back and forth taking boxes in cars and they had insisted of changing the bedding. The ones in there were all dusty and hadn’t been washed in who knows how long.  It was something you weren’t going to fight them on.  

It 7 PM when you were cornered by Jimin and finally escorted to the room you’d be living in for a while with a smile on his face.  He was proud of something or another, and honestly you were a bit skeptical when you didn’t see Jungkook anywhere insight.  Wasn’t his job to watch you?  Yet you hadn’t seen him all day, even if he was busy he couldn’t checked to make sure you weren’t dead, or at least not trying to scurry on off while anyone’s back was turned.  

You had a feeling he was going to be a rather irritation thorn in your side.

XXX

As promised, Namjoon let you go to work the next morning.  You were on your way there in the passenger seat of a black SUV Jungkook drove as he sat in the driver’s seat next to you. He hadn’t muttered a single syabal to you all morning.  Rightly so, as you both had a certain distaste for one another.  You hadn’t exactly been introduced on the best of terms after all.  Having a gun pointed at your head isn’t your preferred form of a friendly greeting.  

You sat, staring out your window, your pronse on your lap and it’s screen tilted towards Jungkook.  Google Maps pulled up, giving him in-time directions to your workplace.  You thought back to last night when you finally got into your room.  

Jimin had eagerly dragged you to the room as you entered, seeing Jungkook finishing up laying out the comforter across the mattress.  

“You didn’t put bugs under my sheet, did you?” You ticked your brow up.  He seemed immature enough to pull a stupid stunt like that.  He frowned as he tossed your pillows by the headboard haphazardly.  

“Good idea.  I should grab some.”  

“There’s a window.”  You pointed to the window at his backside.  “Feel free to jump on out at anytime.”  He clicked his tongue as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and waltzed out of the room.  Jimin, who was behind you, peeked around your shoulder  and watched the younger man’s back.  Then looked back at you.  

“You don’t like Kook, huh?”  You rolled your eyes.

“Wow, was it obvious?” Your sarcasm and annoyance towards the black haired youngest fueled onto the heavy sigh you released from your lungs.

“He’s not so bad, you know?”

“Right. Because I’m supposed to consider an ill-tempered brat who almost shot me a good guy?”

“Well-” You remembered what you saw Jimin and Jungkook handling earlier on in the boxes and sighed, cutting Jimin off.  The grenade that indicated they all had their own fair share of personal firearms.  

“Forget I said anything.”  The boys didn’t seem bad, just Jeon fucking Jungkook pissed you off.  It was a mutual annoyance, so you wouldn’t let it bother you.  Or, you’d try to not let it bother you.  But, despite you telling yourself that, it still very much did.  He did.  

After that, you just talked with Jimin a while before washing up and going to bed, the rest of your night went Jungkook-less.  The morning came when Namjoon woke you up and told you that you could go to work, and that you’d have a ride.  You were thrilled to have a way to get there, until you saw Jungkook standing by the front door, keys in his hand as he scrolled on his phone.  

Then with another order from Namjoon, you two were out in the SUV and driving away.  When he finally pulled up to your workplace, he sighed as you unbuckle your seat-belt and exited the map app on your phone, tucking it into your pocket.  When you got out, you didn’t breathe a word to Jungkook, but when you heard the car shut off and the door opposite of you open and close, you looked over your shoulder.  

You were shocked speechless when you saw Jungkook, in his white t-shirt, leather jacket glory, start to follow in after you, you opened your mouth.

“What are you doing?”  You asked, but it came out a bit more bitter than you actually wanted it to.  

“I’m doing my job, duh.”  He nonchalantly responded.  

“You’re job,” you deadpanned back.

“My job.”  You rolled your eyes as you lead yourself inside and greeted your coworkers with a friendly smile and a hop in your step to get into the backroom to put on your apron.  All while Jungkook took a seat in an empty booth, pulling out his phone and getting ready for his longer than normal day.  

XXX

Jungkook looked up every time he heard your voice.  It was an unconscious action, stemmed from the orders Namjoon gave him.  ‘Watch her,” echoed in his head in his leader voice.  Namjoon may be unfair with his decision to stick him to your side, but Jungkook would never disobey his orders.  He new of the punishments Namjoon serves to unloyal, and traitorous men and women who worked under him.  He knew of what he did first and foremost when actions and he’d like to keep all of his fingers attached.

He’d react to a squeak you’d make when you’d stumble over your feet.  Or the sorry’s you’d offer to customers who ran into you, even if the fault wasn’t yours. Or even you repeating back orders for confirmation with a smile earned his head to tick up.  He sat, bored, when around 9 o'clock he finally lifted himself out of his booth to relieve himself and take a much needed piss.  Once he returned, shaking his hands lightly from the dampness of the sink’s water, he saw a mug of coffee on the table of his booth with a note tucked under it.

[On the house - Y/N]

He slid back into his booth and looked around for you.  He saw you, tucking a tray under your arm before waiting on another table with a recipe form and click pen in hand.  He took the coffee and sipped at it cautiously.  It was decent, a bit bitter and needed sugar, but not bad.

Maybe you weren’t so bad.

Throughout your work day, you’d fill up Jungkook’s mug, all on the house and each time he avoided eye contact with you.  You wouldn’t mutter a single word towards him either.  It was a mutual, synchronized silence between you two.  When he cup was steaming and full, his gratitude was shown when he took a tentative sit of it.  That was enough.

Even though he didn’t speak, he did keep watching you.  The more you talked and smiled while working, the more he almost felt bad about point his gun at you. Sure, you annoyed him, but he can’t say he doesn’t admire your wit and mental strength shown in the dead center of the mafia. Did you even know yet?  Did anyone explain the situation you found yourself in at all?  He had no idea what you did or didn’t know.

Just in case, he mentally planned to bring it up on the way back home.  If he had to guts to even talk to you at all that is.  Yes, he wasn’t usually talkative with women to begin with, but you left a sour taste in his mouth.  The way you held yourself and your composure, to him almost felt like you were challenging him.

Jeon Jungkook doesn’t back down from a challenge.

Maybe he had to view you from a different viewpoint?  A different perspective. Jungkook watched you disappear into the back for the last time that evening, as when you came back out you had your bag, your jacket on and your apron had been taken off.  You were waving off to your coworkers as you walked out the door, Jungkook already up and out of his booth seat and trailing after you.  

He unlocked the SUV with the push of his keys as it started and you climbed in.  He rounded the car to get into the drivers side and with a huff, started the engine as it revved and roared, ready for the road.  You sat with your elbow on the rest of the door and your hand cupping your chin, legs crossed.  But, you lacked the safety of your seat belt.  Jungkook clicked his in as he looked at your profile, refusing to even look in his direction.

“Put your seat-belt on,” he told you.  You rolled your eyes as you huffed, watching your breath fog the window just a bit before it faded back to the clear glass it was before.  

“Why do you care if it’s on or not?”  He groaned as he unhooked his seat-belt, right after he just fastened it mind you, and leaned over the middle compartment to grab your shoulder.  He pushed your slightly tilted body flat against the seat, facing forward and yanked the belt around your chest and securely locked it in.  Like a parent to their toddler who was throwing a tantrum.

He sat you in your seat as you looked directly at him now, him also starring straight at you.  You both refused to back down and kept eye contact, all while still sporting hard looks.  

“You really need to start listening to me.”  

“What are you gonna do?  Shoot me mafia man?” You blinked a few time, and scrunched up his entire face as he threw himself back into his chair and ruffled his hair.  The black going in every which direction as he hit his steering wheel before plugging his belt back in across his chest and speeding off, not speaking another word to you the entire trip home.

XXX

It was an unusual feeling.  Coming back to the place you were forced to now call home and be greeted.  In your old home, there was only you.  No hellos, or good afternoons or how was work.  Just you and your old ticking grandfather clock that was never set on the correct time.  But now, you had slipped off your shoes to enter the house, so you didn’t track mud anywhere, and you were greeted by Jimin, smiley as ever and Taehyung who looked happy to see someone new around now a days.  Even Namjoon stopped and smiled to you as he noticed you walking into the house on his way to wherever he was going.

Jungkook of course kept quiet and only replied to Namjoon when he asked if he had watched her like he was suppose to.  A quick ‘of course I did’ was all you heard as Jungkook followed Namjoon into a room.  Jimin and Taehyung dragged you off to the living room to show you some magazines filled with the stupidest sex toys you’ve ever seen as they made a list of innuendos, and you were almost impressed with how many they shot off.

When it was nearing 6 that evening, Jin had stopped by the rec room.  They kept it in order with a pool table, a dart board, mini bar, recliners, TV’s, game consoles, you name it.  It was a large room, no doubt about that, and it was comfortable.  A comfortable, homey feeling enveloped you when you stepped inside.  Jin had announced that he was going to start on dinner, so he wasn’t to be interrupted unless all the youngsters wanted burnt food. You got up from the chair you were lounging in, seeing Yoongi make shot after shot at a round of billiards against Hobi as Jimin and Taehyung were playing some racing game on the PS4.  

You offered to help him, since you were free and rather bored.  He questioned you a few times about if you were cook and you wouldn’t mess up his kitchen, and after somehow passing his little quick fire quiz, you were following him into the large kitchen to start prepping.  

Namjoon sat in his study, his desk cluttered with envelopes, stacks of papers, rolled up blueprints in tubes beside his desk, laptop open as well as his two other computer desktop screens with his keyboard and mouse to the side as he scanned over reports and emailed documents of coding and information to Yoongi to check on later.  

He stopped mid-sentence in typing something or another up as he sighed.  He looked from his screens to a chair off against one of his study walls.  There, sitting sideways in it and looking bored as ever with god awful posture was Jungkook, scrolling mindlessly on his phone.  Normally, he’d be bugging Jin as he cooked, or throwing insults at Taehyung when he managed to get the upper hand at a game there were playing.  But, no.  Here he was, holed up in Namjoon’s study.  

“Jungkook,” the youngest hummed at his leader in response.  Even the hummed sounded lazy.  Namjoon sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose.  “Why are you in here?”  

“Because she’s out there.”

“Jungkook,” Namjoon repeated.  The younger man looked at Namjoon. He had dropped his hand from his face and pointed lazily at the door.  “Get. Out.”  Jungkook locked his phone as he sighed, rather dramatically, and stuffed his phone in his pocket and loudly huffed himself out of the chair.  Walking out of the room, he shut it behind him and not 5 steps away from it, he heard it click.  Namjoon had officially locked him out of the study.  

Great.  

Jungkook walked into the rec room, hands stuff in his pockets as he watched Yoongi sink the final ball into a pocket of the pool table and Jimin stomp his feet when Taehyung’s car just barely crossed the finish line first.  He saw no sign of you in the room.  

He didn’t know where you were, but it wasn’t his problem.  He didn’t need to watch you when you were all at home.  It wasn’t his problem when the walls around him are safe. You weren’t his problem.

Jungkook spent a fair amount of time in the rec room with the other boys. Yoongi had been called by Namjoon to work on a few things that required urgent care, and Hobi had taken to sitting and watching the three youngest scream and shrivel up over a game.  They had long since quit the racing genre and moved to a fighting game.  Where Jungkook was destroying the other two, or where Taehyung would betray Jimin and side with Jungkook to eliminate his character.

Their jolly fun was cut short when Jin practically screamed from the kitchen for the boys to get their food.  They all bounded up, more than starved (not really) and ready to eat. The four of them entered the kitchen, gathering a plate and piling it up with the food of their choice as well as the serving of their choice.  Jungkook saw you standing off in the corner, not talking and just staring at your feet.  What was your problem?

You only responded when Jin had came to you and asked if you could take some food to Yoongi and Namjoon.  They were both probably in the meeting room, the same room you had been in before, working and finishing up something.  But, if food wasn’t taken to them, they probably would skip tonight, and that was a big no-no to Jin. You nodded with half of a smile as Jin set bowls and plates on a tray and took it over to you.  

“Now, try not to trip.”  You rolled your eyes.  

“I literally work waitressing, I think I can handle this.” When you left the room, Jimin with his chopsticks sticking out of his mouth spoke up.

“Anyone else think she’s in a bad mood?”  He then looked to Jungkook.  “Did you piss her off or something?”

“Why the hell are you blaming me already? I haven’t spoken to her all day.”  Okay, maybe he did once, but it wasn’t enough to put your mood down in the dumps.  Maybe it wouldn’t bother him if you weren’t trying to still smile.  Something was obviously bothering you, and Jungkook was annoyed to no end that it was even bothering him.  It wasn’t his job to try and figure you out.

The evening progressed as you ate in silence, and even helped clean up until Jimin ushered you out of the kitchen to sit with him and Jungkook in the living room and relax for a while.  Jungkook wasn’t particularly fond of this idea, and it showed that you knew by the distance you put between the two of you when Jimin pulled you down at his side.  

Jungkook had got up once, going to grab a bottle of water and on his way back, he stopped and heard the two of you talking.  

“Are you okay?”  Jimin asked you.  “I know it’s rough being kidnapped and forced to change lifestyles so quickly and forcefully, but it could be worse you know?  At least we’re nice.”  You sighed as he finished in a hushed voice.

“It’s not the whole situation of negatives that’s getting to me actually.  Yeah, it sucks, majorly, but it also didn’t change anything.  Yet, at the same time, everything changed.  No one notices that I’m with someone, no one notices that I had a ride home or that Jungkook dropped me off and stayed my entire shift.  No one is around me ot notice those things anymore. So, coming from a solitary life to one where there’s someone at my side basically constantly is a bit much, you know?”

Jimin nodded as he sat sideways on the couch, one leg propped on the cushions as he faced you.  

“Where’s your family?  Surely they’d know, right?” You shrugged with a scoff.  

“Who knows.  I don’t remember who they are, I mean it’s been since I was a child the last time I saw my mother.  It doesn’t really matter anymore.”  

“You… don’t have a family?” You shook your head.  “Are they, um- well did they-”

“I’m sure they’re still alive.  They just-” you sighed.  “When I was little, they left me at an orphanage and told me that they’d be back after some trip to a neighboring city, but they never came back.  I heard the adults there talking about how someone could ‘abandon their child’ and since I was the only new arrival, I knew it was me.  It was so long ago now, so I don’t really care now.”

“Then, you’re like Jungkook!”  He smiled, trying to find a way to bridge the obvious, raging, fiery gap between the two of you.  “He doesn’t have parents either. Namjoon found him 6 years ago when he was some petty street thug.  He was left alone too.”  You felt a bit bad for him.  To be left at such a complicated age with nothing going for you.  Not old enough for work, yet too old for too much care and coddling.  

“He must’ve have been a tough kid.  Surviving on his own, it’s no wonder that he’s grown up well.”  Jimin smiled wider as he heard you compliment his dear friend.  Jungkook stood, listening and watching the back of your head as Jimin continued talking.  You were alone, left all alone like he was.  The look in your eyes from earlier seemed familiar to him.

It was the exact look he wore when he was first taken in.  The unsureness around him that was so many people that seemed to care.  The feeling of being in a home.  Food that wasn’t fought for or stolen.  And the men around him with guns and knives who all seemed to care about him like he was their blood brother from birth. You were processing all the new just like he did.  

The next morning, Jungkook and you were in the SUV, just as yesterday.  He had already memorized the route to your work, and so you were scrolling through your phone instead of showing him the way. He glanced away from the road for just a moment to look at you.  

“Y/N.”  He called for you and you for sure weren’t expecting it.  It was weird. That was probably the first time he had called your name, ever.  “Sit with me during your break today.”  He kept his eyes on the road as he turned a corner, arms overlapping on the wheel only to return to their places.  You looked away from him as you swayed gently in the vehicle.

“Only if you pay for your coffee today, hotshot.”  He looked at you and saw your smiling out the window. The rest of the ride was quiet, but when he slid into his booth, the same as yesterday, he fished out a $5 bill from his wallet and set it on the table.  5 minutes later you were taking that 5 and giving him his mug of steaming, free refillable coffee.  That and the first smile you directed straight at him.  

He didn’t know why, but the thought of your break coming in a few hours made him impatient, yet it also did something to his stomach and rippled into his chest.  Odd.

XXX

When your break finally hit around noon, as promised for Jungkook paying for his coffee, you slid into his booth, across from him, with a cup of water and a straw. He wanted to talk to you, but he didn’t know how to open up conversation. What kind of conversation would he have anyways?  He only ever really talks about work, or he’s talking about his interest with the other boys, but he didn’t know you at all. Well, maybe he should start from the beginning.

“Hey, so um-” he started and earned you to flick your eyes up to him.  You were sipping on your straw, taking small drinks of water.  Chin lowered and lips round the clear straw as you let the water drain back down into the cup when you were satisfied for the moment. “I’m sorry?” His voice pitched higher at the end of his words and made you choke before you laughed. He looked at you, laughing straight at his face because he apologized.  He looked almost offended.

“Wow, you’re really bad at talking to people.  Or, maybe your just bad at talking to girls?”  You rose your brow at him teasingly.  He scowled as he sat back against the wine red booth and crossed his arm, puffing his chest out and releasing it with a huff.  Pouting like a child in time-out.

“Excuse me for not knowing how to open conversational topics with someone I just met.”  

“I don’t think that’s the problem.  The fact that you nearly shot me when you and I met might put a damper on this relationship.”

“There is no relationship to be had here.”  

“Ah-ah, never say never.”  

“The word never, literally never left my mouth.”

The two of you bickered back and forth, but it was a fun bicker.  It was time passing and you two moved on from teasing to actually talking.  Favorite foods and drinks and interests and it was actually an enjoyable time.  You were busy trying to explain to Jungkook how a guilt pleasure isn’t a pleasure at all, just something you rope yourself into doing, which he absolutely denied, when a co-worker tapped your shoulder.  

“Y/N, I’m sorry, I know you still have some break time left, but we have a problem.”  You ticked a brow up at her as she looked briefly at Jungkook and then back to you.  “He’s here again.  He’s out back, and he won’t leave.”  You sighed as you rubbed your forehead. The ice in your empty glass sunk further with a ‘clink’ as Jungkook saw your gloom form around you like a snake coiling around a mouse.

“Yeah, okay.  I’ll deal with it.”  The co-worker walked off with a sad look on her face as you slid out of the booth and grabbed your glass.  You walked off without a word and Jungkook was quick to get up and follow you.  He stopped by the co-worker that talked to you to get some answers.  

“Hey, excuse me?”  He got her attention as she looked back at the backroom door when she saw him.  “I was wondering if someone was bothering Y/N?”  

“Um, kinda.  I don’t know the whole story, but this guy keeps come back here and bugging her.  We’ve had him escorted out before, but he doesn’t learn.  He doesn’t seem like a good person either.  I’m worry about Y/N.”  She cupped her cheek.  “Do you, I mean are you friends with Y/N?”

He nodded reflexively.  But he meant it.  He wanted to be your friend.  He hadn’t talked with you for long, but he wanted to keep talking and learn more and be with you for a bit longer.  Besides, if you were really being harassed, he had a way or two to keep the creep away from you.  He thanked the girl for the information and left through the front.  When he was outside, he rounded the building to the alley where the back lead out and when he saw you, arms crossed and talking to some guy, he hid himself.

Backing against the wall and hiding in the shadows and behind some stacked boxes and crates, he was just close enough to listen in.

“Do you really want me to call the cops on you again?  I’m so sick of you showing up here.  Leave me alone.”  Your tone was harsh, but Jungkook had heard something else in it.  Something underneath the annoyance and strength you spit out.  Something vulnerable. He watched you cross your arms, but instead of it showing like you were annoyed, Jungkook saw it as you trying to cover yourself.  Hide yourself or protect yourself.

“You haven’t been going back to your apartment.  The past 2 nights you’ve been gone.  Where have you been?” You jumped as your eyes narrowed after they had bludged and widened.  You seethed at the man in front of you.

“Why are you outside my apartment building?!  Quit stalking me you sicko!”  The stranger stepped towards you, harshly gripping at your bicep.  You hissed as your arms were forcefully uncrossed by his actions.  Jungkook flinched as he nailed his feet in their place.

“Let go of me, Danny,” you hissed as you tried to yank away from him.  You almost freed yourself from his grasp when he grabbed both your arms and shaved you against the hard, brick wall.  “Knock it off, Danny!” You tried to shove him off you as he slammed his hands on either side of your head.

“Tell me where you’ve been!”  

“No!  It’s none of your business.  Leave me alone!”  He harshly gripped your lower face and harshly slammed his lips onto yours.  It, he, tasted like smoke.  Like you just licked an unclean ashtray.  Just as you moved to be in a position to knee him in his, no doubt tiny genitalia, he was off you.

Completely off you. Not forcing himself on you, or holding you prisoner.  In fact, not even his foul breath wafted into your nostrils anymore.

Jungkook finally pulled his feet from the hard, concrete ground in your distress and acted.  He gripped the back of Danny’s neck with an iron grip; dull nails digging into his flesh.  Yanking him away from you, he quickly moved around him and rammed his knee into his gut, knocking the breath out of the pervert. Danny was left sputtering and gasping like an ugly fish.  

Danny, who was bent over in a breathless pain, was then thrown against the opposite wall by Jungkook gripping his hair and whipping him in the direction he wished for his pathetic self to go.  With nearly maximum force, Danny’s head bounced off the wall, his wincing sounds echoing off the walls.

Jungkook backed up, his back touching your open palms to stop his backwards walking. He was making sure you were there, you were okay.  But he knew you weren’t.  He felt the slight tremors of your fingers against his back as you gripped into his shirt.  He glanced over his shoulder at you.

Your eyes were misty, that’s understandable.  A man just forced himself onto you, of course you’d want to cry.  And scream, and kick.  You were embarrassed, angry, hurt, violated and probably even self-conscious to some extent.  Jungkook didn’t like those negative emotions swirling around in your normally thriving eyes.

He flicked his gaze back to Danny, who was just starting to recover.  He held his gut and sported dull, red and raised scratches on the back of his neck from Jungkook nails. He glared at Jungkook, but he was nowhere near intimidating to him.  To Jungkook, Danny looked like a 3 year old trying to scare a frog.  Laughable really.

“Leave,” Jungkook demanded.

“Who are you then?” Danny squeaked out with some regained breath.

“You really don’t want to find out.”

“Beat it kid.  I’m not dealing with you.  I have business with her.”  Jungkook opened and closed his fist as he glared continuously at Danny.  He wanted to sock the sicko.  He reached behind him to wrap his ready hand around his Glock hidden under his shirt, but something else hit his open palm.  

It was his knife instead.

You had predicted the worse case-scenario and plucked his knife from his belt loop and placed it into his hand before he had the chance to touch his gun. You pushed your forehead against the center of his shoulder blades.

“Please, take the knife instead,” you shakily whispered so only he could hear you. He felt the shakiness of your fingers against his skin and with the vibrations of you to him, he made his choice.  He glared at Danny as he whipped the weapon he choose around into sight.  

Hand securely holding the hilt of his freshly polished hunting knife.

He played with the blade for a moment, tossing and twirling it around, showing he had complete control of his weapon and was not to be misjudged in it’s handling. With one last, harsh glare he spoke up once again.  Yet in another demand.

“Leave.”

“Y/N is-” he was cut short by his own crescendo of a scream.  With little effort, Jungkook threw his knife into Danny’s leg.  The man dropped as he clutched his thigh around the knife and whimpered.  Jungkook strode over and knelt to his level, grabbing the knife and harshly twisting it back and forth just millimeters, but causing extreme pain with the sharp blade.  All this before yanking it out of his leg entirely.  Blood dripped down Danny’s thigh and onto the concrete ground, as well as stained Jungkook’s knife and even splattered on his arm and wrist s tad.  

“Don’t you say her fucking name,” Jungkook seethed as he lifted the bottom of Danny’s shirt to stick between his gasping teeth to muffle his sobs and pathetic whines.  “Have you learned?”  Jungkook mocking cooed with a tilt of his head, like he was talking to a child.  Danny nodded as he clenched his shirt in his mouth.  Jungkook nodded and rose back to his full height above the disabled man.  “Stay away from her.”

Jungkook walked back to you and touched your shoulder, soothingly rubbing it to calm you down.

“Jungkook, I- You-”

“Shhh, hey,” he hushed you softly.  “It’s okay.  Let’s go home.  You’ve worked enough today, yeah?” You nodded as he lead you back in and you faked illness and left with work early that day with him.

The drive back was silent and Jungkook only caught a swift glance at your glistening tears before you swiftly swiped them away.  Once you got home, he hoped you’d feel better in a house of people who, despite their occupation, were warm to you.

When the two of you stepped inside, it was Jimin who greeted you and it was also Jimin who noticed the blood dried on Jungkook’s wrist and fingertips as well as the black snake of eeriness that was coiled so tightly around you.  He looked at Jungkook as the youngest just shook his head.  A signal to not ask questions.

Jungkook stepped aside slightly to let Jimin closer to you.  He put his hands behind his back and bent to you level.  He caught you gaze as you unconsciously looked up at him.  Your first friend in this house. Jimin smiled widely and with a squeaky little laugh greeted you.  

“Welcome home.”  You blinked a couple times, those pesky tears slipping lose again as Jimin made you smile.

“I’m home.”  You snuck a glance at Jungkook and gratefully smiled at him. “We’re home.”  Jimin nodded as he engulfed you in a hug and cooed at you.  Jungkook almost didn’t notice the relief in his chest after seeing you smile again.  He almost didn’t not his own smile that mimicked yours when he knew you were going to be okay.  He almost didn’t notice the way his heart hit against his insides in an irregular pattern  And almost didn’t realize how he seemed to freeze when you looked back at him and sent him a silent ‘thank you’.  

Jungkook almost didn’t notice these small, seemingly useless actions of yours.  But he did.  He felt and noticed absolutely everything.

XXX

It was strange being around Jungkook lately.  You’ve been with the boys for just over a month now.  Ever since your run in with Danny, Jungkook stayed practically glued to your side whenever you stepped foot outside the safety of the main house property.

He’d stick to you when you walked and there were even a few times he grabbed your hand and feigned young love to keep others with tainted gaze away from you. He went from actively avoiding you, protecting you to hovering over you and being completely over protective. You couldn’t say it was unattractive, because Jungkook was insanely so.

But, nonetheless, Jungkook had been strange lately.

You were currently sitting in the dining room, bent over the table in concentration.  Your boss had wanted to change certain items on the menu to for the autumn season.  You just so happen to be tasked with the task of brainstorming. You clicked your pen open and close over and over again, not yielding any progress.

Jungkook, who wasn’t sat far from you, was scrolling on his phone boredly. With each click of your pen, his annoyance ticked up.  He finally locked his phone and stood up. Stomping up behind you he reached around from behind you and plucked the pen from your fingers.  You gasped as the action not only startled you, but annoyed you as well.

“Jungkook! Give me my pen!”  He shook his head and tucked the pen into his back pocket.  Firmly away from your reach.

“No.  Your constantly clicking is driving me up the fuckin’ wall! Get a different one that doesn’t click.  Better yet, use a damn pencil. Those do still exist you know.”  You whined as you were ready to protest when Jungkook stumbled forwards from an unexpected weight now present on his back.

Jimin had heard the fuss and as the official yet non-official peace-maker of the boys, he summoned himself. He had ran and launched himself onto Jungkook’s back, latching his feet around his waist  as he looking over his shoulder and looked at you.  Your cheeks were flushed as Jimin’s impact on Jungkook made him come a wee bit too close to you.  Close enough he could see the details of your face he had missed before and you could firmly smell his scent.  He smelt of freshly cut timber and gun smoke.  And odd, yet alluring combination.

“Whats all the fuss about?” Jimin inquired as Jungkook grabbed Jimin’s thigh that was still securely locked around his waist and pushed it into his side more.  The older gasped.  “Ow!  Kook, your gun is diggin’ into- OW!  Stop it!”  Jimin unlatched himself from the younger man and hopped off his back.  As he gathered his footing and rubbed at his sore thigh he glared at Jungkook.

“You’re a bully,” you defended on Jimin’s behave, as Jimin agreed with you.  Jungkook rolled his eyes. You then looked at Jimin and got his attention.  “We’re changing the menu at my work place and I need seasonal sweets.  Got any ideas?” Jimin cupped his chin in thought.  “Come to think, none of you have been to my work, have you?” It’s only ever been Jungkook. Since day one.

Jimin watched as Jungkook stiffened at your realization.  The older smirked as he plopped down in a bar stool next to you.  Grinning like a mad man.

“That’s true!  I should come with you to work! Give Kook a break from watching you?. So long as you have one of us with you, it shouldn’t be a problem to give him a day off, right?”  You wanted to agree.  Jungkook had been doing his job flawlessly recently.  Maybe it was due time he got a break for once. For all his hard work.  You opened your mouth to respond with your agreement when your felt something on your head.

Jungkook pushed his palm into the top of your head.  You grunted as he held a new, capped pen in front of your face.  Close enough to nearly make you go cross-eyed.

“Use this and get back to work.”

“But, I-”

“Cinnamon Bars.”

“What?” Jungkook took the pen and wrote down the words CINNAMON BARS along with a small, scratchy recipe on your paper and then took your hand to place the pen in your palm. “Uh, Jungkook?”

“To get you started. And I’ll expect a free sample for my suggestion.”  He smirked as you gaped at him and his ego.  Even through the newly gained pen at his back as he turned and left to go wherever.  The ill mannered punk!

Jimin watched the banter between the two of you. As Jungkook walked off, past him, Jimin was able to catch a glimpse of the smile on the young man’s face.  Jimin glowed as he hopped after his friend. Ready and willing to put him through an extensive interrogation.  Leaving you confused and one again scratching your head in though as well as wishing the warmth from Jungkook’s palm never turned cold.

XXX

It was 2 months later when you finally managed to discuss with Namjoon giving Jungkook a break.  It wasn’t mandatory for him to follow you around like your own shadow anymore.  It hadn’t been for a long time, but Jungkook still insisted he do so. It’d been 3 months, and the boys trusted you at this point.  And you trusted them.  Sure, the whole mafia thing was hard to wrap your head around, but in the end, it wasn’t your business and if you didn’t get involved then so be it.

Throughout the months, your room had been gradually upgraded.  With a new bed suit to your taste, dressers, pictures and posters, new clothes, rugs for a homey feel and quite a bit more thanks to the money the boys wrack in.  They actually tend to spoil you believe it or not.  They were family to you now. If the situation had to be explained to any outside party, they’d probably think you were nuts to befriend any part of the mafia, but you knew the boys were different when they worked, as opposed to being at home.

The biggest change was definitely Jungkook.  He had escalated even further and had become quite clingy as of late. He was almost as affectionate as Jimin towards you.  Perhaps he had finally come to terms that you were stuck with him in that house, but you didn’t mind.  He was your best friend at this point, what with all the time you’ve been forced to spend together.

He’d pester you at work, sending you faces and awkward hand gestures that made your coworker suspect a relationship, which only lead to you flipping shit on them as you rapidly tried to deny it, at the same time blowing your cover of your not-so-small crush on him.  All while he remained blissfully oblivious to what his teasing antics did.

The 4th month was creeping up and it was colder out.  Much colder and the first snow of the year was peacefully fluttered down from the overcast, grey covered sky. You sat at the window in the rec room, listening to the boys take turn in billiards, each on different teams.  You looked over when you heard Hobi whine at Jungkook, who had just tilted his head with a cocky grin.

“How did you manage a bank shot?  You suck at math! This is literally math!!”  Jungkook basically skipped along the table as he secured a new angle at the cue ball and closed an eye to focus on his new targeted shot.  With the last of his remaining balls, now sunk into pocket, his eyes were now set on the infamous 8. Hobi whined as he flopped on the seat behind him, basically given up at this point.  Even if Jungkook missed his desired shot this round, Hobi still had 3 balls on the table.  

Jungkook tilted his head to try and deduce the best angle for his winning shot when he glanced over at you, watching the game with a small smile.  He straightened up and lifted his pool stick vertically and let it slide through his fingers until the bottom bounces lightly off the carpeted floor and he started his way towards you. He stopped in front of you as you ticked a brow up at him staring down at you with an amused smile.

“What?”

“Wanna play?”  You peeked around him and rolled your eyes.

“There’s literally 4 balls on the table and one of which is yours.  Why on earth would I play now?”  He put his hands on his hips as you continued with your finger up in the air like you were a lecturing teacher.  “Plus, I don’t play pool.”  He laughed as he grabbed the wrist of your floating, upwards pointing hand and dragging you up and towards the table.

“Well, you do now.”  He moved you to a space along the tables edge by your shoulders and stood behind you to turn and tilt your body like he wanted.  He then placed the stick in your hand and started to instruct you.  “Just lay your stomach on the table, but don’t move it or shake the table, it’ll mess up everything.”

You rolled your eyes, as you already knew that basic information. You did as you had seen him and the others do many a pool game, stick positioned through your fingers and firmly grasped in your other hand. He leaned down behind you as he pointed to the corner pocket, the aimed pocket in which held the fate of his victory.

“Now, aim for that pocket.  Strike the cue towards the right of the ball and with enough power to bank it off Hobi’s ball there and it should sink in no problem.”  He pointed to Hobi’s ball which was to play an important role and you nodded.  “Don’t forget to call the pocket, or else the win won’t count.  If you get it in any other pocket, we’ll lose.”  You rolled your eyes.  

“We, huh?  I didn’t know we were teaming up.”  He chuckled close to your ear as he ticked his head in the way you noticed he did more often than not.  

“We are now.  Now, concentrate.”  He stood back up and you took a breath.  You angled the stick to where he had shown you to strike and with an intake of breath you pulled back the stick.  With your exhale, you pushed forward and the solid sound of the stick’s tip hitting the ball and the ball clanking against Hobi’s, followed by the plastic, dull thud of the ball sinking into the pocket, locked in the victory Jungkook was aiming for.

You relaxed your tense form and blinked, wide eyed and shocked that you actually did it.  Jungkook cheered as he reveled in his victory and you stood up, almost proud of yourself.  Thought, you wouldn’t have been able to take the shot if it weren’t for Jungkook’s teaching you were sure.

You turned to give him a hearty high five when he slung his arm over your shoulders and caged your neck, chuckling.

“You sure you don’t play?  You’re a natural!”  He gushed as you rolled  your eyes with an amused smile on your face.  Hobi across the table and still sitting down had fake gagged as he caught your attention.  Followed by a laugh from him. “Oh shut up,” Jungkook said.  “You’re just mad she likes me more than you.”  He teased as Hobi gasped and held his chest as if he had just been thrown the insult of the year.  

You were torn from your momentary victory when Jimin strode into the room as he practically pushed Jungkook off you and hugged you instead.  Jimin was definitely still the same cuddly man you met from before.  It was amazing how a man who you’ve seen throw Taehyung over his shoulder demanding constant attention like he needed air.

“Hey!”  Jungkook whined as he wiped off the prints of dust that Jimin’s shoe made on his pants when he kicked him away from you, still keeping you hostage.  “Don’t cling to her, you’ll make her fall over again.”  Jimin stuck out his tongue as he didn’t appreciate the teasing.  It was one time and it wasn’t his fault to begin with!

“Whatever,” Jimin started and then started swaying you back and forth as you held onto him so you wouldn’t lose your balance.  “Anyways, guess what!”  He beamed, as no one spoke back, knowing that whether they wanted to know or not, they were going to. “I get to go with Y/N to work tomorrow!”  You turned to look at him behind you as Jungkook stepped the slightest bit forward.

“What?” The both of you said simultaneously, only yours was in excitement and Jungkook’s was lower leveled, almost monotone in disbelief. Jimin nodded as he unlatched himself from you and moved to stand at your side.

“Yup!  Namjoon said there’s something Jungkook has to do tomorrow, so I’m going to take his place for the day!  I’m excited to see you work!”  He smiled as you smiled back, both in the new company and finally letting Jungkook be free of you  Even if was just for a day, he deserved it.  Too bad he still had work to do though.  Though, you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel the slightest bit lonely at the thought of Jungkook not being at your side.

As Jimin sat you down to talk and ask questions about what tomorrow may bring, Jungkook slipped out of the room.  His goal?  Find Namjoon and demand answers.

Jungkook had marched into Namjoon’s office and swung the door shut behind him.  No knock of forewarning before his unscheduled intrusion mind you.  Namjoon’s bespectacled gaze lifted from his paperwork as he then almost let a smirk lift at his lips.  He leaned his body back into his chair and dropped his pen, hands folding together in his lap.

“Yes, Jungkook?”  He sounded far too amused for Jungkook’s skyrocketing annoyance.

“So, I’m busy tomorrow, huh?”

“You may, or may not be.  What’s the problem? I figured a day away from Y/N would make you ecstatic.  Seeing as you’ve done nothing but stick to her for the past few months.”

“Well, you thought wrong!  I can’t leave Y/N on her own!”

“And you won’t.  Jimin will be with her.”

“But-”

“You’re staying home tomorrow and that’s it Jungkook.”  Jungkook knew he couldn’t fight back.  Even if he tried, the only outcome would be a sore loss on his end. He, with a huff and furrowed brow, turned on his heel and opened the door to Namjoon’s office and promptly left without another word.

Namjoon smiled as he scoffed to himself and grabbed his phone that rested on his desk.  Typing in your contact, he proceeded to send you a text.  He texted you often even when he was home, as the house was large and he was usually busy, so it wasn’t unusual when your phone vibrated with Namjoon’s contact name on your screen.

Sent xx:xx

Namjoon: Spend your next day off with Jungkook.  He’s pouting.

You viewed the message with a ticked up brow and slight tilt of your head.  Okay?  There was no problem in spending a day with him, you do it everyday practically, but why would he be pouting? You looked up and out the doorway of the rec room just in time to see Jungkook stomping past the door and upstairs, and soon after you could vaguely hear the sound of his door slamming shut.  

He really did seem upset.  Maybe Namjoon said or did something to upset him?  You didn’t know.  

Sent xx:xx

Y/N:  Are you alright?

Y/N : Jungkook?

Your messages went completely ignore, not getting ready as usual.  With yawn after yawn and growing annoyance from early morning, you trotted out into the halls only 20 minutes later.  You placed your hand on the railing of the staircase, ready  to descend them to the bottom floor and officially start your day when someone caught your arm.

“Jungkook?”  He looked sleepy.  Hair mussed and eyes lidded in weariness. You chuckled at him as he looked around, almost confused.  He was stuck in a daze.  “What are you doing?”

“I heard you leave your room.  Habit.”  You eased his hand off your arm and he seemed to pout, latching onto your fingers instead.  This wasn’t unusual behavior from him per say.  He was always needy when he first woke up.  It was the one time he acted like the youngest of a group of mafia members.

“Go back to bed silly boy.  You’ve a day off, remember?”  He stood in his place before he leaned forward, placing his forehead on your shoulder.  He held your fingers tighter in his palm as he sighed into your neck.  You stood frozen.

There were many things about Jungkook you could deny.  Things you could say ‘no’ to and simply pass the prospects off with a smile and wave of your hand. But, more and more it was getting harder to wave off the sensation in your stomach when he touched you.  Just being around him something was suffocating.  But the suffocation of Jungkook was something you found yourself almost craving.

“Can’t you take the day off?”  He all but whined at you.  You chuckled at him as you ran your fingers through his black mane of messy hair.

“You know I can’t, Kook.”  

“Why?” He was certainly being persistent.  Truth is, you could take off if you really wanted to, but you needed to let Jungkook have time to himself too.

“The shop is busy on weekends.  You know that.  They need me today.” He was silent as he sighed, his hot breath adding a slightly feel of moisture to your skin, heating it ever so silently.

“I don’t want you out with Jimin.  It makes me uneasy when I can’t see you when you’re outside.”  Your heart skipped.  

“You can’t trust Jimin, you know that.”  

“I do.”

“Then, why all the fuss, huh?” You teased.  He remained silent.  His limp arms that hung at his sides moved and landed on your waist instead.  He gripped almost felt possessive as he tugged your chest closer to his own.  He lifted his head only high enough to lean on it against the side of yours and speak softly into your ear.

“I want to tell you something.  Something important; really important. But-”  He cut himself short as he sighed again.  “Not now.  When you come home.  I’ll-I’ll tell you then. Okay?  So, you have to promise to come home.”  

“Jungkook-”

“Promise me.  Please.”  You nodded as you felt he ease up.

“I promise.”

XXX

Jimin dressed in black.  Jeans with holes scattered everywhere in the fabric and an oversized tan sweater topped with his black framed glasses was practically bouncing at the door waiting for you. He was more excited to go to work than you were, but you could understand him to some extent.

As you drove the two of you to your work, you explained exactly what you did.  Jimin was somehow enthralled the entire time.

The whole day Jungkook was restless.  Namjoon hadn’t given him any work at all.  He fumed over this.  If he had work he’d at least keep his mind preoccupied.  But no.  His mind was thoughtless, workless, only his anxious thought dancing in his head and drilling into his chest.  Were you having a normal day?  Were you having fun with Jimin?  Have you tripped or burnt yourself today like you would do on any other day with him there?  Did you miss him?

Did you miss him like he missed you?

He kept his phone in his lap all day.  The temptation to text you on your break overwhelming.  But he didn’t.  He wanted to so bad, but everytime he opened your messenger, he’d close it with a huff.  You were fine, he had to convince himself that.  He had to.

Yet, despite that, everything rolled forward and the sky turned a cloudy gradient and neither you nor Jimin were home yet.  And without word.  All texts and calls went ignored and unanswered. The fear in Jungkook’s chest inflated his gut as he started messaging you rentleslessly.

Sent xx:xx

Jungkook: Y/N

Jungkook: Where are you?

Jungkook: It’s getting late

Jungkook: Did Jimin drag you somewhere?

Jungkook: Y/N?

Jungkook: Please answer me

Jungkook: Please

Jungkook: You promised

Jungkook: I have something to tell you, remember?

Jungkook: You promised!

Jungkook: Please…

Jungkook: Please answer

Jungkook: I need to know you’re safe…

He practically quarantined himself to his bedroom.  Figuring if he went crazy, better it be in the comfortable solitude of his own private space.  His heart nearly shot straight up his throat and out his mouth when he finally heard his phone notify him of a message he had just received.

The bundle of nerves that sparked him on, began to sting his lungs like acid.  This wasn’t the response he wanted.

Sent xx:xx

Y/N: Let’s play tag

Y/N: You’re it.

Y/N: [Tag.jpg]

The link attached was a picture file.  He clicked and watched as it downloaded and appeared on his screen. He didn’t look at it for more than 3 seconds before he left his room.  Screaming furiously to anyone who would give him the attention he needed.  He burst into Namjoon’s office, pushing his laptop closed.

“Jungkook-!”  The youngest brushed off his rude display to his senior he admired so much.  He threw his phone onto the desk, screen lit to the brightest setting and sitting face up.  Namjoon picked it up and analyzed the photo in a wave of disgusted awe.

“This is what happens when you take me away from her.  Fix it, before I do.”

Jungkook stormed off, leaving his phone with Namjoon.  Namjoon dropped the phone and rubbed at his temples, leaning back in his chair.  He definitely had to push this to top priority.

A photo of you with your nakles in chains and shackled to the wall, not too far from Jimin’s chained body.  Being held god knows where as prisoners before an immediately ignited war.

XXX

Your head was heavy, hazy.  Nothing was clear and your ears rang with an unimaginable noise.  Above that ringing though, was the sound of rattling chains, scuffing around and a voice. A pleading voice, someone calling out to you.  Waking you up.

“Y/N!” Your eyes, which had been open for a thoughtless time, finally started to process sight and register your surrounds, or lack thereof.  You blinked heavily before you twisted your neck to view up towards Jimin.  Jerking on his own chains, only one wrist bound and only one ankle. Giving him limited freedom, almost mockingly.

“Jimin…?”

“Oh, thank god.  You’re alive.”  Your ankles were sore, both enclosed in metal and chain keeping you bound like a rabbed mutt.  However, both arms remained free.

“What…where are we?” He shook his head.  

“I-I don’t know.  I’m sorry.”  You shook your head.  Your shackled had enough give to allow you to crawl close enough to pat at his cheek.  He looked so crestfallen, guilty.  He felt it was his fault he got himself and his best friend into this situation.

“It’s not your fault.  Calm down, Jimin.  The others will find us.  Stay calm.”  You tried your best to reassure him despite the rising panic in your gut.  You were terrified truth be told.  You wanted so many things, so many miracles to happen in the same collective instant.  However, above all else, you wanted to see Jungkook.

Jimin saw the way your eyes misted over.  Felt the tremble in your fingertips as you touched his cheek.  You were trying to keep him together, to keep yourself together.  

“Jungkook’s going to find us,” Jimin declared.  He needed to keep you up, or else he’d eat himself from the inside out in trauma. You offered a watery smile and a simple, weak nod.  He would come.  He had to.

The two of you were interrupted when a small, trap door in the ceiling creaked open and a masked figure jumped down.  Skii cap covering his hair and a full, white mask covering his face.  He brushed himself off before looking at you beside Jimin.  He walked to your chains and yanked on them dragging you away from Jimin, leaving raised cuts on his cheek from your nails.  Your pants were now frayed with holes in the knees from you being dragged on the floor.  The man pushed you onto your back with his foot and began to step on your chest.  Applying more and more pressure onto your chest with each ticking second.

“Get off her!”  The masked man was silent, even through your gasps and Jimin’s demands. He lifted his foot only to move it below your breasts and stomp.  Basically curb stomping into your rib cage, definitely fracturing a few.  Your lack of air only allow a few sounds of strangled sobs to leave you as you kicked your shackled feet.  Your chains ringing in the air as you struggled.  You held at the man’s ankle, trying to push him off you.  He kicked at your hands and only then did he remove his foot from you and replaced it on the hard ground.

“Y/N…!”  Jimin whimpered in a breathy air towards you.  Pleading almost.  Without a single word breathed, the masked man pulled a letter from the ceiling and thusly climbed out.  Not before taking a single picture from above, your face looking up and Jimin’s body pulling towards you, reaching just not enough to reach you.  All before slamming and locking the both of you back into your not-so-silent solitary confinement.

XXX

Jungkook’s phone vibrated at a new message incoming.  It was nearly 5 am now.  JImin and you had been missing for over 12 hours.  Every two hours, Jungkook would get a message from your phone.  Always a picture, always sent by the kidnapper and always captioned YOU’RE IT.

This was picture number six.

With each one, Jungkook’s blood would freeze, then boil over complete.  He was scared, angry, worried and filled with more anxiousness than ever before.  Yours and Jimin’s condition progressively worsened with each photo.  Jungkook was constantly on the tightrope on what would happen if the kidnapper in question sends a picture of one of your dead next.  It kept him on edge and he hated every single second of his own personal torture.

“I got ‘em.”  Yoongi, who had been slaving over his computer for hours, tracing faces, tracking movement and watching camera fee frame by frame for hours, finally caught onto a lead.  “I’m sending the information to everyone’s cell.  Get moving once the directions I’ve sent go through.  I’ll keep at it here, making sure everything goes stable and nothing is overridden.”  Tapping away at his keys, everyone was sent the same interactive information and extensive data.

“Let’s go.”  Namjoon grabbed Jungkook’s shoulder and lead him out, Seokjin and Taehyung following while Hoseok stayed behind to support work with Yoongi.

14 hours you were gone with Jimin.  14 hours is how long it was until you heard something other than the creaking of the trap door above you and the sound of rattling chains. Gunshots, and screaming.  You had no idea where you were, and Jimin was out cold. The last time that masked man came down he had struck Jimin with a crowbar, and he’s been out for the last 20 minutes.  You were conscious, but just barely.  

Maybe the shouting wasn’t good.  Maybe the screams and gunshots were a worse sign than the trap door opening and closing.  Maybe it would a mistake to scream out, to call and try to get someone up above to hear you.  Maybe it was foolish.  But foolish is all you have, so why not be a fool to begin with?

So you shouted.  

You kicked at your feet, rattling your chains vigorously  and screamed.  You didn’t know if you were screaming words, or just sounds, but you knew you were making some sort of noise.  Enough noise to wake up the unconscious Jimin.  Groggy from the hit he took, he saw you thrashing around and feared if you were hurt.  Hurt more than you were now that is. But, then he heard it all too.  The sounds above and soon he was joining you.  

He was pulling on his own restraint and shouting up towards the ceiling.  You don’t know how long you two were at it when the door opened above and a light flashed down.  A flashlight shone into your eyes, making you squint as you winced at the brightness.  You were enclosed in darkness so long, it hurt seeing something to bright.  The light moved from your eyes towards Jimin and soon the body holding the light moved and shouted something to someone.  You couldn’t focus enough to see who it was.

Another body came into the frame of the trap door and without waiting, jumped down.  Followed by another one.  Two more people now with you and Jimin and messing with your locks.  Picking and prodding at the shackles around you, you felt your raw ankles become free as you lay on your back, staring hazily upwards.  Then a face came and hovered over yours.  

“Y/N!”  You couldn’t focus.  “Hey!  Can you hear me!  Hey!”  They tapped at your cheek and you raised your hand to pull lightly on the disheveled bangs that hung on their forehead.  Moving them, you tried to focus on their eyes.  You wanted to recognize them.  They grabbed your hand and pushed it against their cheek, getting closer to you.  “Can you recognize me..?”  They spoke softly now, almost a whisper.  But you could.  

The clearer image of Jungkook hovering above your face was enough to make your fear and panic fade.  Maybe screaming was the right thing to do after all.  He looked tired, scared.  He was out of breath, sweat beading at his forehead and down his neck.  

“I-I.. Jungkook?” You started crying, as he held your hand tighter. He nodded as he looked over to see Namjoon pulling Jimin on his back.  Jungkook then moved and picked you up.  Carefully wrapped his arm under your legs and around your back, he stood and with Taehyung’s and Jin’s help, somehow managed to get you and Jimin up and out of the room.  

You were moving, behind held and passed around from person to person before you were back with Jungkook, him holding you before you finally closed your eyes.  Just for a rest, that’s all.  Just resting.  All while Jungkook begged you to not close your eyes.  

XXX

Beeping.  There was a constantly, repetitive beeping that woke you up.  You were in your room, laying in your bed with your blanket pulled to your waist and your arms by your side, forearm up as IV drips were in your arm.  Looking around, there were personal medical units and machines units at your bedside.  They had basically turned your room into a medical room of a hospital.  You could feel some sort of ointment on your skin, pressed under bandages and you had a rag on your forehead.  Two pillows under your head to keep you slightly elevated.

Using your free hand, without anything poking into your skin, and pulled the rag off you, far too damp to do any good for a fever.  And sat up as easily as you could.  You hurt, that was a given, and you made sure to not bend your arm with the IV, because that would surely set up an alarm signalling you had moved your arm and it needed to be straight for proper treatment.  

Nonetheless of your current state, you were happy you were home.  Your mind drifted to Jimin.  You bet he had the same type of treatment set up in his room down the hall.  You only hoped he was okay.  You coughed as you rubbed at your throat, far too parched and itchy to function.  Some water would do you some good.  

Your phone sat on the side table you always had it at, and you were just barely able to reach it.  Pressing buttons and tapping along the screen, you pulled up Jungkook’s name and called him.  Surely that would get his attention, right?

The line rang only 2 twice Jungkook picked up.  

“Wh- Y/N?”  He sounded surprised.  It wasn’t shocking, you did just call him out of the blue when you were unconscious about 10 minutes ago.  “What?  I mean, just- how?” You shushed him softly as he went silent.  

“Jungkook.  I need some water, please?”  Your voice was scratchy, soft and low.  It was evident you had strained it too much.

“2 minutes.”  He hung up and not too much longer you heard someone running down the halls, only for the steps to come back and then knock onto your door.  They didn’t wait for you to answer, only peaked their head in and stepped inside, shutting the door behind them.  Jungkook stood, slowly coming towards you with a bottle of water.  

He moved slowly, sitting on the edge of your bed and twisting open the new bottle and handing it to you.  

“Here.”  He almost sounded like he isn’t believing something.  Talking like he was uncertain.  You took the bottle and gripped it tightly so you wouldn’t risk dropping it and nodded.

“Thank you.” You took sips, small sips so you didn’t overwhelm yourself.  But the water was so cool, you wanted to chug the entire bottle.  That would only come back as you probably puking it up later.  You closed your eyes in content as you set the bottle in your lap.  Yout felt Jungkook twist the cap back on slightly and before long, his hand touched your cheek.  

You cracked your eyes open.  He was staring right at you.  You couldn’t place the emotion in your eyes though.  There were too many to identify.

“Jungkook?”

“You’re fevers down.  That’s good.”  He moved the bottle from your hands and lap and put it on the bedside table and moved so he put his head on your lap.  He lay on your bed, below your waist and just rested his head on your thighs.  His bangs hid his eyes as he searched for your hand to hold.  You allowed him to grab it and hold it by his face.  He acted like he was broken.  

He was silent.  It was scary, not hearing him talk or nag.  He wasn’t saying anything, not doing anything but laying there with you.  After minutes upon minutes of silence, he finally spoke in a whisper.

“Do you know how long you were sleeping?” You remained silent.  You had no clue.  You didn’t even know what time it was.  Judging from the darkness though, you guess late. “A week.  Jimin woke up about 3 days ago, but you didn’t.  You fuckin’ scared me.”  He curled more into your lap, pushing his cheek into your thigh.  “I thought I was gonna lose you.  I though you were going to die.”

You slowly pulled your hand from his to rack your fingers through his hair.  It was damp you realized.  Perhaps he was taking a late night shower when you called.  Wearing shorts and a hoodie, he very well was. You wanted to apologize, but was it really your fault?  No.  It wasn’t.  It was that masked freaks fault.  It was his fault everyone was worried, why you and Jimin were in this condition.  Why everyone wasn’t happy.  It was his fault.  

“Do you know who took us?”  You asked.  You didn’t want to pry, or bring it up, but you needed answers. Consider it closure on your and Jimin’s behalf.  Jungkook nodded.

“It was some lacky working in a separate mafia unit than ours.  They had been scouting us for months, but we never considered them a real threat. They were all talk and no action.  But, I guess we were wrong.” He shook his head.  “It doesn’t matter who he was anymore.”  

“Was?”

“I killed the bastard.”  Jungkook rolled to where his face was no longer hidden and the back of his head rested on your lap now.  He looked up at you, reached up with his hand to trace the outline of your cheek and down your jaw.  “He almost took you from me.  I had to kill him. There was no other option for him.  His last chance of survival and he wasted it when he took you.”  

“Jungkook, I-”

“I’m in love with you, Y/N.”  He ran his hand down to caress your neck and finally lower it down to himself again.  The path his fingers took, warming your skin where he touched. “I’m in love with you.  That’s what I wanted to tell you that day.  Why I made you promise to come back.  Back home to me.” You kept eye contact with him, almost not believing such strong words.  

“But, I didn’t come back that day.  I didn’t keep out promise.  I.. I broke it.”  He shook his head slightly as he reached his hand back up. His hand was so warm when he touched he, he couldn’t stand how cold it got when he pulled away.  

“You took longer than I wanted you to, but you came back. You’re home now.  You’re with me, right here and you’re safe now.  You didn’t break anything.  The promise was fulfilled and it’s okay.”  You blinked as a tear flicked off your eyelash.  Jungkook pushed himself up and sat next to you, pulling you to his shoulder.  

Your head rested on his shoulder with your nose brushing his neck.  He rubbed your back and held your hand as he pushed his cheek into the top of your head.  He hushed you as you silently, motionlessly let your tears leak one by one out of your eyes.  Jungkook was warm.  He was sometime safe, someone you trusted.  Someone you cherished unconditionally.  He was home.  And you loved him.

“Jungkook?”  You had said his name quite a bit since he entered the room.  It was like your vocabulary had been limited, altered in your confinement. He hummed at you, kissing your hair before he put his chin on your head to rest there.  You closed your eyes in content, wanting to stay by him for a bit longer.  “Can we just stay like his for a while?”  He chuckled lightly, something you wanted to hear for so long now.  

“Of course we can.  I’ll stay until you want me to go.” The thought of you never wanting him to leave at all, stayed just that, a thought.  He was speaking his heart so truthfully, you felt inferior trying to voice your own selfish emotions and thoughts.

You don’t know how much time passed with Jungkook holding you and rubbing your back.  He had quickly taken to talking to you to calm you down.  He talked about the others, how they had been keeping up and how Jimin was slowly recovering.  He talked about himself and how he would go to your work everyday and say that you had been in a car accident.  It was the best excuse he could come up with without actually saying you had been kidnapped and held hostage for endless hours.

Your tears finally stopped and you felt calmer, better.  Tired, but much better than before.  Jungkook and leaned and grabbed your water bottle, twisting the cap again and gently urging to you drink more.  You needed the fluids.  

“You said,” you started, getting his attention as you sat away from him and looked at your hands in your lap.  You fiddled with your thumbs as you felt Jungkook’s gaze on the crown of your head.  “You said that you loved me?”  He nodded, smiling as he like hearing it come out of your mouth.

“I did and I do.  Would you like me to go further into detail?”  He teased.  You grew red as you whined.  “Do you believe that I do?  You don’t think I’m lying?”  You shook your head.  You believed him, you did.  It’s just hard to think he’d be in love with you.  You never saw yourself as desirable, so someone like him feeling like that.  It felt too good to be true.

“No, I believe you.  You’ve never lied to me before, so…”  He smiled as he leaned in and kissed your forehead, and hooked his finger under your chin to lift your face up to his.  He pushed his nose against yours, and scrunched his nose as he smiled.  He really did resemble a rabbit from time to time, even when you knew he could literally stare down the barrel of a gun and laugh about it.  

“You’ve made me wait a long time to say it.  Shouldn’t I get a reward for taking care of you until now?”  You smiled slightly as you rolled your eyes.  You moved and kissed the apple of his cheek. He giggled like a child as he bounced around.  Giddy over a small little kiss on the cheek.  “I liked that.  Do it again?”  You rolled your eyes again as you kissed his other cheek.  

Silence returned as he ran his thumb over your cheeks and stared at your face.  Taking in the points and curves of your cheeks and slope of your nose. The fluttering of your eyelashes and the furrow of your brows when they lowered just the slightest bit.  He smiled at you as he kissed the tip of your nose.  

“y/N?” He asked softly, with a smile just as soft on his lips.  You flicked your gaze up to him.  “Do you love me too?  Is that why your silent?” You nodded slowly as you looked down again.  “Say it.” He dipped his head to catch your gaze and bring it up again.  “Please, say it.  Just once.  It’ll be easier if it’s said once.  Trust me.”  He looked down at your lips.  “I want to hear you say it.”  You took a minuscule breath in .  

“I-”  You shut your mouth. It was harder than you thought.  It wasn’t like he was gonna reject you and kick your knees in.  He obviously wanted you to say it so that he could have a response to his declaration earlier. “I think I love you too.”  He chuckled.

“Think, huh?”  You huffed.  

“No, I just- I do, but- UGH.  This is hard!”  You whined as you pouted.  He laughed as you held your cheeks and finally placed a kiss on your lips like he’s wanted to for ages now.  He pulled away slightly as his eyes fluttered, looking at you.  

“That’s enough.  It’s enough for me.”  He pushed your slightly, making you lay back down on your makeshift hospital bed as he moved and tucked himself under your blanket next to you.  He lay at your side as he held your hand, pressing his nose into your hair and smiling.  “It’s more than enough.”  He got more situated and spoke again.  “I’m staying here for the night.  Don’t argue.”  

“I won’t even if I had the option too.  I want you here.  I feel safer.”  You moved closer to him as much as you could if you limited mobility.  He buried himself closer to you as well, and soon he watched as you fell back asleep.  He pet at your hair.  You were still banged up, but you were awake.  You were alive. And smiled as he also realized, you were finally his.  And only he would go to work with you from today on.  Namjoon’s order’s be damned.  He’d keep you safe, from today on.  No matter what.  

After all, everyone knows now, not the fuck with the mafia that has a princess behind a wall of protectors that wouldn’t hesitate to put a target on their back and shoot without warning.  

He was the watchdog of the princess after all.