Were Dripping In It

We’re Dripping In It

Chapter 11: Tear

By the time Namjoon and Jungkook had made it to the living room, the light atmosphere from the private study had been completely replaced by a united force of seriousness. Jungkook walked next to Namjoon with sure steps, his lips still tingling from the kiss, but his mind focused on the silhouette of his brother’s wide shoulders in front of the fireplace.

The rest of Namjoon’s Inner Circle sat around on the couches inside, the body guards stationed at the doorway nodded to the pair as they entered and closed the doors behind them. Seokjin turned at the sound, his eyes widening at the sight of Jungkook, his mouth and hands still bound.

“We can take those off him now,” Namjoon states coldly, folding his hands behind his back as he stares at Seokjin. “This is going to be a two sided conversation after all.”

Yoongi nods and stands to remove them, both sets of ropes are cut with a long knife from his side sheath and tossed to the floor. Seokjin rubs his wrists and flexes his jaw as Yoongi takes his seat next to his husband.

“What the hell are you doing here, Jungkook!” Jin barked, twisting his wrists to ease the pain. “You’re supposed to be at school! Not…”

“And you were supposed to just be on vacation not trying to infiltrate a foreign gang, hyung!” Jungkook countered angrily, crossing his arms across his chest. “I guess neither of us are men of our word. Mother would have been ashamed.”

“Of you or of me,” Jin spat coldly. “The woman wasn’t exactly a saint either, but we both know who her favorite was.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, “I wasn’t her favorite, hyung, that was you. But we’re not having this argument again, let her rest in peace. We have other things to discuss. Like what the hell were you thinking? Why did you even go to Morocco, it clearly wasn’t for the mountain view.”

Jin scoffed, “Like you’re any better, what the hell are you doing with Kim Namjoon of all people? Do you even know who he is, who he truly is!? What he’s done to our family?”

“Who? Him?” Jungkook asked, jutting a thumb at Namjoon who stood impassively next to him. He tossed a dismissive hand, “Picked him up in an alleyway and he’s stuck to me like glue ever since.”

“This is no joking matter, Jungkook!” Jin shouted, stomping his foot in anger. “That man is dangerous! He’s a liar and a killer! He killed our father in cold blood!”

Jungkook stared at his brother as he panted in anger, he tilted his head and placed his hands behind his back as he contemplated his words, “How exactly did he kill our father in cold blood?”

Jin looked triumphant for a moment before launching into his rant, “He forced our father to go on a mission the day he was supposed to be leaving this life. He promised that it was going to be safe, that it was just a diplomatic mission, but it wasn’t. It was a set up, I know it was! Namjoon didn’t want any competition in the long run of taking over his father’s company, so he had to eliminate anyone he saw as a threat. What better way then have a rival company do it and blame his death on them! He only went on his revenge plot against them to cover up the secret, getting their territory was an added bonus.”

Jungkook listened to his brother's words impassively, glancing at the furious looks of his hyungs sitting around the living room. Many looked like they wanted to pounce on Jin to take back his cruel words about their Leader. Only Hobi’s face looked sad instead of angry. He shifted on his feet to glance at Namjoon, not surprised to see the man wearing a blank look on his face but Jungkook could see a glimpse of a fist being clenched.

“He’s probably told you so many lies about how our father was his mentor and how he mourned his death, but it's all part of his nasty lies! He’s trying to trick you! Turn you against me and have you on his side!” Jin added, taking a step towards Jungkook as he spoke.

“How exactly would he benefit from having a college student on his side, hyung?” Jungkook asked incredulously, raising his brow at him. It didn’t seem to deter Jin for a moment, he was on a roll.

“He can shape you and mold you into the perfect weapon for him. Why do you think I’ve spent all these years hiding you from him! Ever since you were a kid you’ve been talented, you would have taken to this world like a duck to water. You’d be better than everyone in this room in a month, the ultimate weapon!” Jin didn’t stop, even when Jungkook flinched at the passionate words being said.

“I’ve encouraged anything in your life that would keep you away from this world, but I wanted you to be strong too, capable of putting up a fight if you needed to. But I had to keep you away, once you got a taste,” Jin shook his head sadly, “it's in our blood. Our father, mother, me. We thrive in this world, I didn’t want it to taint you too.”

“And your best idea for keeping me out of it was to leave me unattended and run off to Morocco to fight another gang?” Jungkook countered, trying to see his brother’s logic.

“Not fight them!” Jin countered immediately, “And not to join them either, I was gathering blackmail on them. If I could get them in the palm of my hand then I could shut down the trade between them and Namjoon. Then I’d move onto the next company on the Bulletproof Company’s payroll until I had all of them. Then I’d be able to cut Namjoon completely off from the outside world! Without those trades he would crumble, the empire would fall and I would finally be able to complete my revenge for my father!”

Silence followed Jin’s passionate shout, Jungkook stared at him blankly. A beat passed, then someone clapped slowly. Yoongi stood clapping his large hands, but he wasn’t looking at Jin, no, he was looking at Jungkook with a proud look on his face.

“Well done, Jungkook,” he praised, smirking at Jin’s confused face. “That wasn’t even planned and he played you like a violin. We would have never gotten that from you, no matter how long we tortured you. So thank you for falling for it.”

Jungkook gave a mock bow to the room, his eyes never leaving his brother’s face as he smirked. Internally, he was thankful to his hyung. There was a tremble in his hands from his brother’s harsh words, but he could feel his control coming back to himself after Yoongi stood at his side.

“What…?” Jin gasped, looking around in confusion, eyes wide with shock and hurt. “Jungkook-ah…”

“Sorry hyung,” Jungkook shrugged, feeling Namjoon step close behind him placing a hand on his lower back. “Namjoon beat you to the punch, despite what you may think, our father did not die in some evil plot. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to convince you of that, but it’s the truth, you just refuse to see it. I understand that you’re grieving our father’s passing, but that’s no reason to try and take down the largest gang in South Korea.”

“No, no, Jungkook, he's lied to you, he’s…” Jin started to protest, shaking his head violently in denial. “How can you believe him over your brother? Your own flesh and blood.”

Jungook gave his brother a hard look, “If there’s anyone that’s lied to me in this room, it's you hyung. You lied to me about who and what my father was. You lied to me about how he died. You lied to me about why you were leaving the country! All you’ve ever done in my life is a lie! So, yes, I believe Namjoon over you, because never once has he lied to me.”

Jungkook felt another hand being placed on his back and saw out of the corner of his eye Taehyung beginning to stand from his seat.

“You can’t know that for sure!” Jin yelled back, clenching his fists. “You’ve always been too trusting Jungkook-ah and I’m telling you right now, this won’t end how you think it will! You can’t just dismiss our father’s death so easily!”

Jungkook sighed looking at his brother in pity, “I’m not going to argue with you, hyung. Our father is dead, no amount of revenge or anger is going to bring him back. We need to move on.”

“That’s easy for you to say!” Jin barked, a tear falling from his eye. “You never knew him, not like I did! Not like mom did! You were too young, you barely have any memories of him, but I do! And I can’t let go so easily!”

Jungkook scowled in anger, “I don’t have clear memories of him because he was never in my life hyung! Not like he was for you! I spent my entire childhood being angry at his absence but I refuse to allow that anger taint my adulthood. And you can’t let your grief taint yours, you need to let it go.”

Jin scoffed and turned away from him, crossing his arms over his chest. Jungkook sniffed and tried to ignore the tears running down his face, his anger fading from his body as he shook his head and turned away to leave. Taehyung stood behind him and moved to pull him to his chest, but a hand yanked his arm roughly and pulled him away from the small huddle the four of them had made. He looked at Jin in shock as Yoongi and Taehyung’s expressions turned deadly.

“If I have to drag you out of this place kicking and screaming, I will!” He growled right in Jungkook’s face. “I don’t care whose body I have to step over, I am not leaving you here with him!”

Jungkook yanked his arm out of Jin’s grip and took a step back, “We have no intention of letting you leave at all, hyung. You’ve already proved yourself a danger to us to be out on your own, you won’t be leaving this house at all.”

Jin growled and moved to grab Jungkook again but he side stepped him. He waved a small hand at his hyungs as he allowed Jin to chase him around the room, getting increasingly more frustrated as he dodged his hands.

“Jin-hyung this is childish,” Jungkook sighed, side stepping out of his way again. “Give it a rest before I put an end to it.”

Jin scoffed and stopped his movement to roll his eyes at his younger brother, “This isn’t like our night fights Jungkook, you have no chance of beating me.”

Jungkook clenched his jaw, “I’ll take that as a challenge then, bring it on hyung.”

Jin started to scoff but was cut off by Jungkook throwing a punch dead center in his chest, making him wheeze and stumble backwards at the force. He stared at Jungkook in shock, rubbing his chest, as Jungkook placed himself into a boxing stance. He raised his eyebrow challengingly at his hyung, making the man growl and charge at him. This time Jungkook met him head on, dodging his punches and throwing his own at any part of Jin’s body that he could.

He stood his ground throughout the exchanged punches, grunting lightly when Jin managed to land one or two on his shoulder or ribs. Slowly he started to back Jin up, trying to corner him between the walls. Jin glanced at this and quickly maneuvered away from the tight spot Jungkook was backing him towards. Jungkook continued to pursue around the room, blocking Jin’s fists with his forearms.

Jungkook’s gaze is locked on Jin’s frantic movements and when the opportunity to grip onto his hyung’s arm comes, he takes it. With two firm hands he gripped Jin’s arm, shifted his weight, planted his feet, then tossed his hyung over his head bringing him down on the ground with a loud smack. Jin wheezed and coughed as the wind was knocked out of him, curling around himself in pain. Jungkook took a step back, not relaxing his stance as he stared down at Jin’s whimpering body. It was well timed because Jin jumped to his feet and tried to pounce on Jungkook, only to be twisted around until Jungkook had him in a headlock.

Jin clawed at his arms, kicked his legs trying to get his shins, but Jungkook widened his stance to avoid the kicks. He barely flinched as Jin’s nails dug into his skin. He kept squeezing until Jin’s fight against him became weaker and weaker, not letting up even when Jin’s smacks against his arms were just light taps.

“Tap the fuck out.” Jungkook growled into his ear, only getting a small shake of the head in response.

“And you call me competitive.” He scoffed as Jin’s breaths became choked. He waited a beat or two, until Jin’s body was becoming limp in his arms before dropping him to the ground. His heart pounding in his ears and his breaths coming out as pants.

He stared down at his brother’s limp body, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw Jin’s chest rise up with a breath.

“There’s been enough death in our family, hyung.” He muttered to him sadly. “Please don’t make me add you to that list.”

Jungkook backed away as Jimin and Hobi came over to check over him, his back knocked straight into a warm embrace as he watched his hyungs call their men into the room to take Jin away.

“Good job, baby, you’re okay. He’s okay, you just knocked him out. Our doctors will take care of him now.” Namjoon whispered in his ear, his words melting Jungkook into his embrace. “There we go, little one, you did so well.”

Jungkook took a shaky breath as he gripped one of Namjoon’s arms in his shaking hands, he tilted his head to the side as Namjoon placed a kiss on the side of his head. “I’ve never… I’ve never choked him out before. He always tapped out before I could.”

Namjoon shushed him as he tightened his arms around his body, “Enough of that, you did what you had to. He wouldn’t have stopped, it was the only way. We can try and talk to him again later, we’ll try again.”

Jungkook sighed as Namjoon’s words washed over him, he twisted around in his arms to face him and looped his arms around his waist, placing his head against his chest. “I’m tired, Namjoon, take me to bed.”

Namjoon bent down and scooped him into his arms. Jungkook moved his arms around his neck, his legs coming around his waist, and kept his head buried into Namjoon’s neck as he was carried out of the room. Taehyung moved forward and placed a soothing hand down Jungkook’s back, placing a kiss onto his hairline before letting Namjoon leave.

“We’ll debrief in the morning,” Namjoon murmured as he passed Yoongi, who ran a hand through Jungkook’s hair and opened the door for them to leave the room. Namjoon didn’t break his stride as he climbed the stairs and made his way down the halls.

“This house really is too damn big.” He groaned, pushing his door open and placing Jungkook on the bed.

Jungkook rolled to the center of the bed, wriggling to get under the covers. Once he was comfortable he made grabby hands at Namjoon, who chuckled and pulled off his suit jacket.

“Are you patient enough to let me change my clothes?” Namjoon asked, moving to hang his jacket inside his closet. He chuckled at the low whine Jungkook gave in response, but continued to remove his suit from his body.

Jungkook stopped his whining as he watched Namjoon strip in front of him, the closet in full view from the bed. Namjoon pulled his belt off next, hung it, then untucked his white dress shirt. He unbuttons the shirt from the bottom to the top, pulling it off his bare shoulders without a care. Jungkook’s eyes drink in the expanse of honeyed skin, watching with a watering mouth as Namjoon’s back flexes as he slipped the shirt on a hanger and placed it on a rack.

His abs constricted as he bent slightly to unbutton his pants, dropping them quickly and kicking them aside before grabbing a pair of sweatpants. His thick thighs flexed, making Jungkook almost moan out loud, as he stepped into them and pulled them up to his waist. The long drawstring of the pants dangled suggestfully between his legs.

Namjoon pulled a loose shirt from a hanger and pulled it over his head as he walked towards the bed. Jungkook stared at the defined pecs and flexing abs until they disappeared under the shirt and Namjoon’s smirking face popped out.

“You did that on purpose,” he accuses breathlessly, as Namjoon crawls onto the bed and slides next to him. “You’re trying to distract me.”

Namjoon chuckles as he pulls Jungkook into his arms, “Did it work?”

Jungkook hummed, pretending to think, “I don’t know, I think I need a second viewing just to be sure.”

Namjoon tapped the tip of his nose playfully, “I see how it is, you just want me for my body.”

“Yes,” Jungkook answers cheerfully, giggling at Namjoon’s offended gasp. “And your money, I have student loans you know.”

“Got it,” Namjoon said with a mock serious nod. “Body and money, I’m basically your escort.”

Jungkook bursts into laughter at Namjoon’s serious but pleased face at this statement. He laughs even harder as Namjoon clutches him tight to his chest and rolls them so that Jungkook is on top of him. He lifts his face and places a kiss under Jungkook’s bottom lip, square on the mole where they matched. Jungkook hums happily as Namjoon continues to trail kisses down his jaw as his giggles die down.

“Hi,” Jungkook greets as Namjoon pulls back, his face breaking out in a big smile.

“Hi baby,” Namjoon chuckles, grinning widely back at him.

Jungkook hums happily, crossing his arms over Namjoon’s chest and resting his chin on top of them. His legs spread to lay on either side of Namjoon’s hips as he gets completely comfortable laying across his body. “I think I remember you saying that you needed to discuss something else with me, but we got interrupted.”

Namjoon hums in agreement, moving one of his hands behind his head while the other rests on Jungkook’s lower back. “I did, are you alright to talk about it now? You’ve had a long day.”

Jungkook shrugged, “It can’t be any worse then what I’ve already heard.”

Namjoon nodded, “We’ll have it now then, I don’t think you should go back to your apartment. What I mean is,” when Jungkook scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, “I don’t think it's safe for you to live there anymore. The Stray Kids Gang picked you up from there. Being my boyfriend means that you’ll catch the eye of several of my enemies, I’d rather have you somewhere safer.”

“Namjoon,” Jungkook started with a scolding tone, making the man’s eyes widen and hurry to continue.

“I don’t mean live with me, Jungkook, I know it's too soon for that.” He said quickly, running a soothing hand up and down Jungkook’s back. “The apartment under Yoongi-hyung and Taehyung’s is vacant, I was going to suggest that you move there.”

“Lead with that next time, you bastard.” Jungkook huffed, smacking Namjoon’s chest in protest, Namjoon huffed and rolled his eyes. “I don’t think I can afford the rent though.”

“He probably won’t even charge you for it,” Namjoon assured him with a shrug. “We own the building anyway, he only rents the apartments out because Tae thinks it's ‘fun’ to be a landlord.”

“I couldn’t ask him to let me live there for free,” Jungkook protests with a pout. “Plus how do you even know I’ll like that apartment anyway, I could find a better one somewhere else.”

Namjoon scoffed, “At your income, doubtful. Better pay then when you were a bartender, but not nearly enough for a college student in the middle of Seoul.”

“You should have him pay us more then,” Jungkook argued, poking Namjoon’s cheek right in his dimple. “Or is the Rap Monster of Ilsan scared of our hyung?”

Namjoon groaned as he tilted his head back in agony, “Please don’t tease me about that name, I chose it when I was like thirteen, I thought it was cool. And for your information, everyone else in that club is employed with both Yoongi and I, they’re getting a dual income.”

Jungkook blinked, “Please don’t tell me you own my college campus as well. Because I seriously cannot deal with that on top of everything else.”

“Alright then, I won’t tell you.” Namjoon teased, laughing at Jungkook’s indigent squawk. “But no, I do not own that college.”

Jungkook groaned and let his head drop down onto Namjoon’s chest, “What drama do I now live in?”

“One with a happy ending I hope,” Namjoon sighed, running a hand through Jungkook’s hair.

Jungkook hummed as his eyes closed to the sensation of Namjoon’s nails against his scalp, “Just have to avoid miscommunications, I hate those tropes.” He yawned and snuggled deeper into Namjoon’s chest.

“Do we need to have a weekly debriefing of our troubles and challenges as a couple?” Namjoon asked, sounding only half serious. He only got a weak hum in reply making him laugh softly as he continued to pet Jungkook’s hair as he slowly fell asleep in his arms.

??????? (for @jung-koook ♡)

I saw a meme, one we probably all know, about writing a scene we’re really excited about but having to write the scenes that make it make sense first. And some advice came to my mind.

Write the scene.

Just write the scene you are so excited to write, right now.

You can make it make sense later, but if you put it off then you won’t be as excited to write that scene cause you wrote the “boring” stuff first.

Nobody said that writing had to be linear, you can fix it later.

Write the scene 💜

We’re Dripping In It

Chapter 14: Respect

On the morning that Jin was set to move to the new location, Jungkook insisted on being in the car with him. Namjoon had tried to protest the necessity of it but a firm look from Jungkook shut him up.

“You didn’t have to come with me, you know.” Jungkook murmured, side eyeing his boyfriend as he tapped away at his phone while his brother glared hotly at him from the seat across.

Namjoon shrugged, unbothered by Jin's angry eyes on him. “I needed to be at the apartment today anyway.”

Jin scoffed with an eye roll, “He just couldn’t bear you leaving his sight. Get used to it Jungkook-ah, this one’s got a possessive streak a mile wide.”

“Why did you need to be at the apartment today?” Jungkook asked, ignoring his brother completely.

Namjoon hummed, “I always check after the cleaning crews when we move to a new base. Adjustments sometimes need to happen and I’d rather not find out while I’m living there.”

“Oh, like what? Too many dust bunnies under the couch?” Jungkook snickered, giggling when Namjoon poked his side at his teasing. Jin rolled his eyes at them, muttering under his breath as he glared out the window.

“More like wiretaps and hidden cameras,” Namjoon corrected with an easy smile, still tapping away at his phone like he hadn’t just shocked Jungkook once again.

“See what you’ll have to live with Jungkook,” Jin sneered, glaring coldly at Namjoon before turning his gaze to his brother. “You really want to live with that for the rest of your life?”

Jungkook huffed and finally met his brother’s gaze, “How exactly do you expect me to move on in my life after everything I’ve learned already, Jin-hyung? Unlike what you may think, I wouldn’t just be leaving Namjoon if I decided to walk away. I would be leaving all of my hyungs too and for what? For you to boss me around again? No thank you.”

“How the hell did you even end up being friends with all of them? Without me even knowing?” Jin muttered in confusion, scrunching his brows.

Jungkook rolled his eyes, “That’s what happens when you stay out of your brother’s life for the past four years, he makes friends.”

Jin opened his mouth to retort but Jungkook cut him off.

“After I moved to Seoul for my last year of high school, I got a job at Yoongi-hyung’s club. Him and Taehyung-hyung basically took me in until I was able to afford a place of my own. Then I met Jimin-hyung when I started at Hybe University. And I met Hobi-hyung when I started his dance class.” Jungkook said with a shrug, ignoring Jin's gaping face.

“You’ve been living with them for four years!” Jin gasped, staring at Jungkook with wide eyes.

“Technically I only lived with them for three years,” Jungkook corrected, ignoring Jin’s squawk of ‘that doesn’t make it any better!’ “I wanted to live closer to the campus at the time, so I moved to the only apartment I could afford while also paying for my tuition.”

Jin scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, “Our parents left us a ton of money Jungkook, your tuition should have been covered. I was sending you envelopes of cash every month!”

“No you weren’t,” Jungkook countered, equally as confused as his brother. “I never received any money from you.”

“I mailed them every month!” Jin insisted passionately. “I’ve had one sent on the first of every month, it would have covered your rent, food, and tuition for the semester.”

“Where the hell did you send them then?” Jungkook blurted. “And why did you send envelopes of cash! Why didn’t you put the money in a bank account? Then you could have sent it directly to my account!”

Jin rolled his eyes, “There’s not exactly a central banking system for all companies. Most of the means of getting money shouldn’t have a trail for the government to follow, which is why most transactions are in cash.”

Jungkook blinked at him and nodded his head, “That… that makes sense. So where, pray tell, have you been sending all this money? Because I obviously haven’t been receiving it.”

“The Stray Kids Gang has been taking them,” Namjoon cut in, making the brothers look at him. He looks up from his phone and smiles at their gaping faces. “I noticed an increase in the company’s funds over the years, it was too consistent to be a heist or robbery, but I could never find the source. You sent money to Jungkook as soon as he started college, correct?”

“So the PO box I was sending them to was compromised,” Jin muttered, ignoring Jungkook’s indigent ‘you didn’t even tell me to go to a PO box, what kind of brother are you?’ He glances over at Namjoon with raised brows, “Do I even want to know what they’ve been doing with the money?”

“Probably not,” Namjoon answered with a smile, then raised his phone back to his face, “We’ll cover the lost funds, since it was technically stolen right under your nose.”

“Oh Namjoon, you don’t have to do that!” Jungkook interjected, waving his hands frantically at him.

Namjoon laid a hand on Jungkook’s shoulder, “The money is yours Jungkook-ah, besides most of it will be returned to you anyway. Yoongi-hyung told me this morning that the Stray Kids Gang has been dealt with, along with all their assets. So really the money is just coming back to you from them.”

Jungkook blinked and started counting on his fingers, “But it's only been two days!”

Namjoon smirked and patted his shoulder without saying another word as he returned to his phone. Jungkook stared at him in shock then turned to his brother who rolled his eyes at the pair.

“Yah Namjoon-ah, aren’t you showing off a bit too much there?” Jin scolded with an incredulous look. “Did you burn down their homebase too?

Namjoon glanced briefly at him, “No, we needed that building. And says the man with the company title of WWH, standing for World Wide Handsome.”

“Seriously hyung,” Jungkook snickered, making Jin scowl but it looked more like a pout.

“Still a better alias then Rap Monster,” Jin scoffed with a wheezy laugh.

“I go by RM now,” Namjoon corrected, his eyes not leaving his phone but Jungkook could see the light blush on the tips of his ears. Jungkook tried to hide his giggles but he was unsuccessful, he got louder as Namjoon side eyes him playfully.

Jin eyed the pair of them, “How long has this,” he gestures between the two of them, “been going on? Since you’ve known the rest of the crew so long, I assume you met through them.”

Jungkook shook his head, “I wasn’t lying when I said I picked him up in an alleyway. I bumped into him on my way to class while he was beating up a gang member.”

Jin blinks, twice, “And you decided he’s the one you wanted to date?”

Jungkook raised his hand to place it under Namjoon’s chin, showcasing it to Jin. “Have you seen how hot he is? Of course.”

Jin rolled his eyes, “You’re avoiding my question, Jungkook-ah. How long have you been seeing him?”

Jungkook gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his neck, “Two… no, three weeks I think.”

“What the f…” Jin’s exclamation was cut off by the car pulling to a stop and Namjoon opening the door for them.

Jungkook followed swiftly behind Namjoon as they exited the car and entered the tall apartment building. Trying to escape his brother’s scolding as quickly as possible. Jin huffed as he shuffled behind them, two black suited guards following close behind his broad shoulders as they entered the elevator.

“We are not done with this conversation.” Jin hissed in Jungkook’s ear as they rose up the ticking floors. Jungkook rolled his eyes, pouting as he skirted to Namjoon’s other side to avoid him. Scooting up close to his boyfriend as he peered around him to stick his tongue out at his glaring older brother.

Namjoon peered down at him from the edge of his phone as Jungkook wrapped his arms around his waist and continued to make faces at his brother. He chuckled lowly in his chest as he placed an arm around Jungkook’s shoulders. The elevator dinged and Namjoon ushered Jungkook into the apartment space.

“Wow,” Jungkook gasps as he steps into the large penthouse. He can see right away why this place was Namjoon’s favorite.

The wide windows overlooking the bustling streets of Seoul gave a natural light to the expanse of the penthouse. Everything from the kitchen, the living room, and the balcony of the second floor was tastefully arranged like Namjoon’s room at his huge house. There were wooden accents, books, and, of course, plants everywhere.

“Please take Seokjin to his room,” Namjoon says to one of the guards that came with them. The guard nodded and Jungkook watched as he walked his brother up the stairs, onto the balcony and into a door above the living room.

“How exactly is he safer here than back at the house?” Jungkook asked, following Namjoon into the kitchen and looking over the shiny appliances with interest.

“The Voyage House has always been a last resort for me to use,” Namjoon explained, handing Jungkook a bottle of water from the fridge before taking one out for himself. “It’s so large that I mainly allow my men to use it as a second home in between missions. In the midst of all the chaos, Seokjin could easily slip away right under our noses. Here I can keep a personal eye on him.”

Jungkook moved about the room, sipping on his water, as Namjoon spoke. “What’s your plan with Jin-hyung? Obviously he can’t ever go out on his own, he knows too much, but he can’t stay locked up in your house for the rest of his life either.”

Namjoon hummed in agreement and sat down on the long leather couch. Watching as Jungkook drifted between his book shelves that lined the walls and the windows that overlooked the outside balcony.

“I would ultimately hope to have Seokjin back on our side, but that’s going to take time. For now, just having him here will be enough.” Namjoon said, chuckling as Jungkook ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ at the various art pieces on his walls. “Baby, come sit down. You can explore the house later, I need to talk to you about something.”

Jungkook groaned and made his way over to the couch, “I feel like half of our relationship has been nothing but these ‘we need to talk’ conversations.”

Namjoon gave him a look as he sat down on the cushion next to him, “These talks are important, you know. If you want to avoid miscommunication then we’re going to have to communicate.”

“Oh really, who would’ve thought?” Jungkook sassed rolling his eyes, yelping when Namjoon flicks his forehead.

“Sassy,” Namjoon tsks, but smirks despite himself as Jungkook rubs his offended forehead. “I want to talk about our boundaries and deal breakers in our relationship going forward.”

“Ah,” Jungkook hums, nodding his head. “Yeah that sounds like an important one to have.”

Namjoon chuckled and looked at him expectantly, clearly thinking Jungkook should start them off. He leaned back against the couch and thought about it for a moment.

“I don’t think I could handle you lying to me. Even if you think the truth could hurt me, I don’t want you to lie about anything.” Jungkook states quietly, fiddling with his fingers.

Namjoon sighs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he stares off into the room, “I expected that, but unfortunately I can’t always promise to be honest with you.” He turns his head to look at Jungkook. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you Jungkook, my life has been nothing but giving people lies. The world I occupy is built on lies, it keeps us safe, it keeps us hidden. What I can promise you is that I’ll be as honest where it concerns you.”

“I don’t expect you to tell me everything about your work Namjoon,” Jungkook cuts in, taking one of Namjoon’s hands in his. “That’s not what I mean when I say I want you to be honest with me. I want you to be honest about our relationship. I want you to be honest about things that happen to my brother.”

“I want to be honest about everything with you,” Namjoon whispers, threading their fingers together. “But I know I can’t, not until you’ve gone through the proper training. Not until my men can see you as an equal and not as a security risk.”

Jungkook nodded, “I understand that, but can we at least have some sort of way of letting me know when you can’t tell me something, instead of lying about it.”

“Like a code word?” Namjoon asks, looking amused when Jungkook nods seriously.

“I’ll drop the subject immediately, no questions asked.” Jungkook states, then points his finger in Namjoon’s face, leveling a very stern look at him. “Which means you can’t just use it willy-nilly. It's reserved for the moments when you honestly can’t tell me anything about what is going on.”

Namjoon nods in agreement, “I understand, hmm… how does the word ‘Moonlight’ sound to you?”

Jungkook scrunched his brows, “Where did you pull that word from?”

Namjoon chuckles and pulls out a small notebook from his pocket. Jungkook recognizes it immediately, it’s the little black book of lyrics he had found in his leather jacket. Namjoon opens it to a page and hands it over to Jungkook to read. “This is a song I wrote a few years ago. I remember a line from your song ‘Stay Alive’ that you worked on with Yoongi-hyung. That word, ‘Moonlight’, is in both of them.”

Jungkook looks over the scratchy handwriting, “We were born in the Moonlight.” He murmurs aloud, running his finger over the line across the soft paper.

“Hide in the Moonlight, that’s the line from your song.” Namjoon murmurs back, taking the notebook as Jungkook hands it back to him and places it back into his jacket. “It’s a word that has significance to both of us, in different ways. And it’s something you don’t just say in regular conversation.”

“I like it,” Jungkook says softly, smiling as Namjoon looks over at him. “We’ll use that as our code word for when you need me not to ask any questions.”

“I hope I don’t have to use it. Does it bother you that your hyungs lied to you? Yoongi-hyung and Taehyung I mean, since you’ve known them the longest.” Namjoon asked, looking shocked when Jungkook shakes his head.

“My hyungs lying to me is different from my brother.” Jungkook starts to explain, fiddling with his fingers. “They’ve always been cryptic about things since I met them but they always reassured me it was for my good. And, I don’t know, I just trusted them. They took me off the street when no one else would, I didn’t see it as any of my business to pry into what they didn’t want me to know.”

Namjoon hesitates looking over at Jungkook’s fidgeting form, “Would it be too much of me to ask about your time before coming to D-Town?”

Jungkook sighs, biting down on his lip ring. “It’s never an easy conversation to have, Namjoon. But you can ask.”

Namjoon takes both of Jungkook’s hands in his, “Before I do, I want you to know that there’s nothing you can tell me that will make me think differently about you. All of us know what it’s like to experience something horrible in our lives and have had to do horrible things to survive it. There’s nothing you can say that’ll scare me away.”

Jungkook looks at him for a moment, taking in his sincere face and the tight grip on his hands before nodding. “I believe you, Namjoon. It probably isn’t as bad as I think it is, compared to what you guys have gone through.”

Namjoon shrugged, “That’ll depend on everyone’s perspective, for you this was your darkest time. It’s as bad as you feel it is.”

Jungkook nods, taking a deep breath before he starts pouring his heart out to Namjoon. “Jin-hyung had disappeared again, he said he would only be gone for a few days but it was longer than that. And he didn’t answer any of my calls or text messages, my mother became erratic the longer he was gone. I started staying away from the house more, only checking in to see if hyung had come back. After two weeks with nothing, my mom had enough. She said if I wasn’t coming home anyway, I shouldn’t come back at all. She didn’t even let me pack or leave a letter for Jin-hyung. The only things I had were my school books and some extra clothes in my backpack, she took my phone too.”

Jungkook clenched his fist to keep himself from touching the scar over his right cheek bone, he was not quite ready to tell Namjoon exactly how he got it.

“I had enough money to get to Seoul, I knew I needed to stay in school and I hoped I would find some sort of job or place to stay while I was here. Nobody would like twice at me, I was too young to hire anywhere and nobody cared that I didn’t have a place to stay. I slept in any alleyway that seemed safe, I was honestly starting to give up before I heard about D-Town’s opening. Yoongi-hyung was the only person that didn’t immediately send me away and he took me to meet Taehyung-hyung right after having me sign a contract. They let me live with them, fed me, clothed me, gave me a phone, and drove me to school everyday. I was supposed to start working for them after I turned eighteen but they wanted me to finish school first.”

Jungkook rubbed his arm as he thought over his memories, “I started having outbursts and fights at school when I got in contact with Jin-hyung again. He wouldn’t even let me explain, just jumped to the conclusion that I had run away and left mom alone. I took it out on Yoongi-hyung and Taehyung-hyung, even though they had been nothing but nice to me. I think they understood that I wasn’t angry with them, I just didn’t know how to express the hurt I was feeling. But it was when I threw a chair at Yoongi-hyung that they sat me down and made me talk it all out. Hyung told me that they didn’t know that the brother I was talking about was the Jeon Seokjin they knew. Otherwise they would have been honest with me from that point on.”

“After I was able to get all that hurt out into words, they helped put the pieces of me back together. I don’t think they’ve realized how much they’ve acted more like my parents than my biological ones ever did. They joke sometimes about getting adoption papers for me, even if I am twenty-three, but sometimes I wish they were serious. Especially after I learned that they had papers for Jimin-hyung, I moved out of their apartment after that. It hurt to think they didn’t actually want me like that.”

“I don’t think that was ever their intention,” Namjoon says softly, wiping the tears from Jungkook’s face. “They probably didn’t think it was their right to offer you something like that. Jimin asked for it, that’s all I know about their situation. You should talk to them about it, I’m sure they never meant to hurt you.”

Jungkook nods, swallowing down the lump in his throat. “I started to realize that after I saw that Tae hadn’t made my room into an art studio. It was as if they didn’t want to fill the space I had left behind.”

“That’s probably exactly it, baby.” Namjoon says softly, placing a kiss against his forehead. “You occupy such a large space in their hearts. They probably wouldn’t even think twice about giving you their name, if you wanted it.”

Jungkook hums, “Do you understand a little better why I don’t want you to lie to me?”

“Yes baby, I do,” Namjoon says softly, pulling back to look at him properly. “I want you to know that I don’t want to hide anything from you. It’s just necessary for now.”

“I understand Namjoon, I won’t hold it against you.” Jungkook assured him softly, then leveled a stern look at him. “I make no promises though, for after I’ve passed all my training. After that, there should be nothing that you can hide from me.”

Namjoon chuckled, smirking at him as the air around them lightened, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I still can’t believe you’re making me finish college before I start training,” Jungkook huffed, crossing his arms over his chest again. “I can do both!”

“Can you?” Namjoon challenged leaning back against the couch. “Can you balance your grades, go through vigorous training that will leave your body quaking, and your performances at D-Town?”

Jungkook pursed his lips before sighing in defeat, “Fine, you might have a point there.”

Namjoon nodded, trying not to look smug about it. “I only want you to finish this semester, you can decide after if you want to start your training or finish your degree. Either way, it’ll be your choice to become a part of my crew or not.”

Jungkook didn’t want to fight with Namjoon after the hard conversation they had already had, so he simply nodded in response. After a moment, Namjoon speaks again.

“I’ve noticed, since the night that I rescued you from the Stray Kids Gang, you’ve been much more… physically affectionate with me.” He murmured, his posture completely relaxed against the couch cushions.

“Does it bother you?” Jungkook asked, trying to sound nonchalant but internally reeling from the possibility of needing to hold back his more affectionate side from his boyfriend.

Namjoon shook his head with a light chuckle, “No it doesn’t, that's not why I’m bringing it up, baby. I’m just… curious about what’s changed since then. You used to be so hesitant before.”

“Ah,” Jungkook hummed, internally sighing in relief as he tucked himself against Namjoon’s side. “Are you gonna start claiming I have Stockholm Syndrome if I say that you rescuing me that night was really hot?”

Namjoon snorted as he laid his arm over Jungkook’s shoulders, “No I won’t, that’s not how Stockholm Syndrome works. I only have to worry about your brother possibly having that.”

Jungkook snickered at the thought, but highly doubted that would happen to Jin-hyung. “To be honest, after I learned the truth about you all the hesitation I had before just vanished. I was really confused after I met you in that alleyway and then started meeting you more afterwards. I couldn’t quite understand the kind of man you were, everything you did just confused me.”

“Looking at it from your perspective, I suppose I would be very confusing to you,” Namjoon mused, fiddling with one of Jungkook’s hands. “What made you want to learn more? If you knew I was holding back, why did you continue to see me?”

Jungkook chuckled as he enjoyed the feeling of Namjoon’s calloused fingers against his palm, “You obviously don’t have much experience in the dating world, babe, but that’s kinda how you start a relationship. Discovering new things about each other, taking time revealing your true self to the other person, and, yes, even holding some things back until you feel like you can trust them.”

Namjoon hummed, “I bet you don’t usually meet potential partners in back alleys beating some dude to a pulp though, so what was it about me that made you want to take that chance? I could’ve been a serial killer for all you knew.”

“I can’t pinpoint to exactly one thing,” Jungkook murmured, linking their fingers together, running his thumb across Namjoon’s knuckles. “It was just a collection of little things that told me there was more to you then met the eye. Your notebook of songs in your jacket. Giving me your jacket because you were worried I'd be cold. Coming to nearly every performance at D-Town. Meeting me in the VIP section, even if we were only able to talk for five minutes. Just all those little things, I could probably name even more.”

“I think I understand,” Namjoon said softly, placing a kiss against Jungkook’s forehead.

“Do you?” Jungkook asked, tilting his head to look at him. Namjoon nods wordlessly, smiling softly at him. Jungkook smiles back as he leans forward and places a gentle peck on the man’s soft lips.

“Good,” he murmurs, inches away from Namjoon’s mouth. The man leans forward and captures Jungkook’s lips into another sweet kiss. There’s nothing heated about this one, unlike their first, just gentle caresses and sighs as they glide against each other.

namjoon when he's finally free

Ended up writing my own fic based on my own dialogue prompt 😂

Dialogue prompt:

Character A: I would never put bruises on your knees like he does, sweetheart.

Character B, with a confused look on his or her face: I work in a dog kennel, these bruises aren’t for anybody!

Character A stares in disbelief before shuffling off awkwardly.