#42 - “I’m not doing it on purpose, I swear.”

TaeGi

Word Count: 1414

It was one thing to be a soldier, to give your all for your country. Min Yoongi was okay with that. He was okay with pushing himself to the limit to be a protector. It had after all been his dream after his father had gone MIA, serving his duty to his country. To little Yoongi, he had always idolized his father and now wasn’t much different. He had a pocketwatch that had been passed down for generations, it was only right that he came into possession of it after his older brother had run off. They didn’t talk about. Not Yoongi, not his mother and if you knew better neither would you.

The pocket watch though, that heirloom was his most prized possession. Unfortunately, his father wasn’t able to pass it down to him directly but his mother had and she had upgraded it. She inserted a picture of his father, in uniform on the lid of the pocketwatch. Yoongi had only been twelve when he had passed away and he wasn’t ashamed then or now that he had shed tears when he clicked open that pocketwatch for the first time. Now, it was always next to his heart. Every day of every year and it always would be.

However, these were all good things about serving his country, he got to follow in his father's footsteps, he got to protect the world that he loved so much, he got to step up and be the man his father would want him to be, to take care of his mother, to be the man his brother couldn’t be when he had gotten drafted, to be Min Yoongi. The bad though, well, Yoongi just couldn’t understand all these advances in the military. He knew that going in things had been changing since the last decade. You always had a partner. This was assigned after a series of skill tests each new recruit underwent. That wasn’t new. What was new, was the psych evaluation that was more than just your personal psychological evaluation but examined and determined who would be the best partner for you and your psyche.

This was what Yoongi hated. He didn’t like people probing his brain. He knew how to think for himself, he knew how to follow orders, he knew when and how to speak up. Why did someone need to go inside his brain and try to figure him out? Why did he have to share a connection with someone else? Let alone a connection with a person he barely knew and one he didn’t get to choose.

It was no surprise that after the selection had been made, the process for their minds to be linked for some bull optimal soldier speel, that Yoongi wasn’t being very warm to his partner. It took him time as it was to become friends with the rest of the rookies. He was always one of the last people in a group to talk more and joke around. He couldn’t explain why but it just seemed to be his demeanor to be a little quieter, a little more standoffish but he wasn’t hesitant. No, when there was a job to do, he was on it. Yoongi was at the top of his class, the focus he had couldn’t be matched let alone his skill.

Sleeping in the barracks used to be good, it was relaxing, the guys could be loud every now and then but it was easy for Yoongi to tune out. He’d lay down on his cot, raven hair all messed up from the way he ran his fingers through it prior to relaxing. Now, though…

He let out a sigh as it happened again.

“Can you stop, for once, just freaking stop?”

The words left his lips and the other four boys in the barrack didn’t pay any mind to it. Every night was the same since they had all received their mind links and new barrack assignment. Once linked all partners would share the same barrack. It was supposed to create bonding but for Yoongi it just created grief.

“I’m not doing it on purpose I swear.”

Another voice, albeit guiltily one rang out. It made Yoongi huff as he his side to turn his back on all the men. It was only about 15 minutes until lights out anyway. He just wanted some peace and quiet, to mellow out. Be by himself essentially. As much as one could be in the infantry. Instead he got a partner who had a brain that wouldn’t stop. The kid was thinking nonstop and it was about the stupidest things. Their minds were linked and while it was kind of cool to be able to talk to your partner at any moment no matter where you were, without anyone around you being able to hear, it also was a royal pain in his .

When you first got linked it wasn’t easy, the two of you had to find ways to set up barriers so that way you weren’t spilling all.

“Kim Taehyung!”

He, still hadn’t figured it out and it had been months since they had become linked. Yoongi had, had enough. He had already complained to his Lieutenant to see if things could change but they both knew better and he just got a steely gaze which made him tug on his hair in frustration, mutter a few curse words, apologize and stomp off on his way.

I swear to go if you think about Pororo in a banana suit one more time I will come up there and strangle you in your sleep.

Normally, he refused to use their link unless it was for training purposes or in the future when they have a mission. Tonight was an exception only because he didn’t feel that he should have a witness to him threatening the life of his very own partner.

But isn’t it better than the maid costum-

Kim Taehyung! Never again. We don’t speak of -

Yoongi could hear the giggles and he knew it was from his word choice and he wanted to grumble about it but instead just took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Never again. I don’t care how you do it but find a way to build that barrier. I’ve gotten five hours of sleep total this week. Five!

I promise I’ll try… but hyung…

What?

This is the first time you’ve actively used our link. It’s kind of nice…

Dropping the connection, Yoongi stared daggers into the bunk above him that his partner resided in. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew how much the younger had wanted them to bond. It was written all over his face, every time he said good morning, which Taehyung did without fail, every morning. It was also very evident in the kids thoughts that Yoongi couldn’t escape. Sometimes he felt bad but really, he was just so annoyed. He needed sleep and the rookie days were the time to get some because once they started on missions, who knew when they were going to be able to get peaceful night’s sleep.

Hyung?

He still didn’t reply and after about five minutes a head popped over the edge of the bed above him. Taehyung was checking if the man was sleeping, he wasn’t. Their eyes met and slowly the kid’s lips spread into a boxy grin. If Yoongi was being completely honest, he liked Taehyung’s smile. He wasn’t sure how anyone couldn’t. It was the brightest thing he had ever laid eyes on but he’d never tell the kid that.

Yeah, kinda. Go to bed kid. Lights out in five.

Right after that, they got the warning about lights out in five. It made Taehyung laugh before he settled back into his cot once more.

Let’s do this more hyung. I’ll try my hardest to work on that barrier. Sleep well.

Yoongi didn’t respond, he dropped the link and just grunted, Taehyung heard and his smile could still be felt from that far away. Slipping under the covers, he pulled the rough blanket up to his chin and settled in. If there was even a twitch of his lips in a smile, Yoongi would never admit. Maybe the kid would get it someday. Hopefully, soon. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep sooner than expected but that wasn’t the hard part. The hard part was staying asleep.

Kim Taehyung, you better find that barrier.