Hoseok was tired of Yoongi playing the avoiding game.

But this time it wasn’t like the other times, he was genuinely not looking at him.

The man stuck to Namjoon and Seokjin if they were all together and would be the first one to leave during meals. Hoseok would have liked a venomous glare at least, something to show he existed to him.

 Yoongi had gotten into the habit of bringing him water every night, so that night after the incident, Hoseok waited patiently for him.

And he never showed.

Instead Taehyung appeared with a soft smile.

“Where’s Yoongi?”

“He told me to bring you water.”

“Oh.”

“You disappointed?” Taehyung caught his crestfallen expression.

“Of course not!” Hoseok protested with the shake of his head. “I just needed to tell him something, but I’ll catch him later.”

Taehyung, ever the sweet boy simply smiled and handed him his water.

Hoseok couldn’t help feeling a small ounce of regret that Taehyung had kissed him where Yoongi could see. He should have stopped him or maybe he shouldn’t have let him do it in the first place. Hoseok recalled the flash of hurt in Yoongi’s eyes.

Could Yoongi actually like him…?

I need to talk to him. Hoseok thought determined. If Yoongi isn’t going to come to me, I’ll have to go to him.

Hoseok grabbed at Yoongi in the hallway the next day.

“Yoongi.”

“Can’t talk.”

Hoseok held him tightly by the arm and dragged him to the bathroom. He shut it then leaned against the door, to block any escape.

“What the ?!” Yoongi tried to shove him away, but Hoseok stood firm.

“Talk to me.”

“There’s nothing left to say.” Yoongi muttered, looking down at the ground.

“You’re only doing this to yourself! Since the first time you kissed me, you haven’t been clear!”

“It wasn’t clear?!” Yoongi demanded, outraged.

“No!”

“How much clearer do you want it?”

“I want you to talk to me.” Hoseok’s expression softened as he gazed at the man, who still kept his eyes on the blue bath rug.

“Fine.” Yoongi took a seat on the toilet lid. He met Hoseok’s eyes. “Let’s talk.”

Hoseok pulled away from the door and stood in front of him. “You first.”

Yoongi sighed. “That time I kissed you, I got worried. I didn’t know if you felt what I did. And then in the hallway, I don’t know what happened. You were wet and , that towel was barely hanging onto your waist--god your waist--”

Hoseok was burning red now. He fanned frantically at his face.

Yoongi laughed, his cheeks pink. “Sorry. It’s been a while you know.”

“It’s alright, maybe I should just change in the bathroom. For your sanity.”

“It’s fine. I mean you shouldn’t expose yourself to anyone but--”

“You?” Hoseok smiled.

“Yeah.” Yoongi glanced up at him and his heart began racing as he saw all the honesty and emotion flash in Yoongi’s dark eyes. He wiped his sweaty palms against his jeans as the man spoke again. “Hoseok, I think I like you.”  

“Well...um…”

Could Hoseok also do it?

Yoongi stared at him, expectant.

“I...uh…”

The man raised his eyebrows.

“Uh…”

“I take it confessions don’t come easy for you?”

Hoseok shook his head.

“Do you feel the same way then?”

Hoseok nodded then covered his face. Yoongi laughed and pried his hands off. He placed Hoseok’s warm cheeks on his cool hands and kissed him softly.

The excitement was back once again. Though he could grow used to the languid feeling Taehyung gave him, he didn’t know if it would ever compare to the rush he got from Yoongi.

He kissed him back harder and Yoongi nearly toppled over the toilet.

“Whoa there.” Yoongi breathed, a big smile on his face.

It was similar to the first one he had shown Hoseok after he had helped him remove the fang from his side. He felt the same flutter in his chest and now he knew that it had been the beginning of his feelings for Yoongi.

Had they always been there and he had thought of it as something else?

“I thought you hated me.”

Yoongi shook his head. “I can’t, believe me I tried.”

“Well it was pretty believable, you would always glare at me!” Hoseok laughed.

“I was just angry at myself for feeling this way, I didn’t want to like you.”

“Why not?” Hoseok pulled back a little offended.

“Because you’re leaving.”

That’s right…

Hoseok had been so wrapped up in his feelings he had failed to notice the week was up.

“I don’t know that for sure.”

“What?” Yoongi raised his eyebrows.

“I...I think I want to stay.” Hoseok admitted.

“What are you saying?” Yoongi demanded standing up.

“That I want to stay.”

Yoongi shook his head in disbelief. “No. You don’t.”

“Yes I do.” Hoseok insisted.

“No you don’t!” Yoongi snapped.

Hoseok flinched.“Why are you so mad?!”

“Because you’re being an idiot!”

“If I’m an idiot, so are you!” Hoseok retorted. He thought Yoongi would be overjoyed. Didn’t he want to be with Hoseok? Had he not just confessed?

“Yes I am! I’m the biggest idiot of all. For staying and for saying I like you!”

“I’m staying Yoongi.”

“You don’t belong here Hoseok.” Yoongi’s eyes were starting to water. “You have dancing and...a family .”

“But…” Hoseok reached out for Yoongi, but the man moved away.

“Are you doing this because of me?”

Hoseok wanted to say no. But he couldn’t deny the thought of leaving Yoongi so soon--after admitting his feelings for him, hunting along side him, and kissing him--was heartbreaking .

“Yeah. Partly.”

“Well don’t! You’re not like the rest of us. We had nothing to lose.” Yoongi glared at him, tears in his eyes. “I had nothing. My parents kicked me out at the age of 18 for dropping out of school to rap in dirty clubs by the subway. Drugs and alcohol were my only friends. I lay dying in the street one night from an overdose when Namjoon saw me and took me in. We stayed together and fought off our vices, but we lived in a crappy apartment in an awful neighborhood. Every day there was a risk of getting mugged or or shot or all three. Music became everything for me. Then Bang came along and I suddenly had to give up the one thing that had become my salvation. He said I could still keep my hobby when I joined. My hobby ...”

“I’m so sorry,Yoongi.” He’d never expected to hear the story of how Yoongi got there from the man himself. He’d never thought Yoongi would be so open with him.

“That was everything I had, now I have nothing...”

“You have me.” Hoseok reassured, wanting to reach out and hold him.

“I can’t have you.”

“Why Yoongi?” Hoseok grabbed his hand.

“I want you to leave.” Yoongi said firmly, yanking his hand away. “I’m not going to be the reason you give up everything. I like you, but I don’t love you Hoseok. It’s not enough, it’s not an excuse.”

Hoseok felt tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted Yoongi to be the reason he stayed, but he was right.

What they had wasn’t enough.

He wiped at his eyes. “Guess that confession of yours was a waste of time then, huh?”

“Guess it was.” Yoongi replied.

Hoseok wanted to be angry, but all he could feel was an ache in his heart as Yoongi left out the door.

He doesn’t love me and I don’t love him…

So why does it feel so bad?

“Hyung you okay?” Jimin knocked at his door in the evening before poking his head in.

Hoseok sniffed and pulled the covers off of his head. “Y-yeah I’m fine.”

“Why didn’t you come eat with us?” Jimin asked.

“Wasn’t hungry.”

Truth was, he was starving. But he couldn’t face Yoongi. What he had said worked, all Hoseok wanted to do was get out of the house as soon as possible. And hopefully never see Yoongi’s face again.

“But it was fried chicken!” Jimin exclaimed with wide eyes. “Yoongi hyung said you would have to be crazy to deny fried chicken!”

“Yoongi hyung can go choke on a chicken bone.” Hoseok muttered.

“Whoa, Hoseok hyung is feisty.” Taehyung stuck his head in and laughed.

“I’m just done caring about what he says.” Or caring about him in general.

“But he’s a pro.” Jimin said frowning. “A senior pro.”

“We’re pros too.” Taehyung interjected. “And one day we’ll have seniority.”

“When you do, I hope you keep your kindness.” Hoseok smiled.

“When you become a rookie I hope you keep your funniness hyung.” Jimin smiled.

Hoseok’s smile faltered.

Taehyung pushed past Jimin and came to sit by the bed. “Hyung…?”

Hoseok began sobbing. He grabbed onto Taehyung and buried his face into his shoulder.

“Oh hyung, don’t cry.” Jimin said softly coming to sit on his other side and hugging him from behind. Hoseok sat up and wiped at his eyes.

“I have to go. I can’t stay here.”

“We understand.” Jimin nodded. He looked at Taehyung.

The poor boy had confessed his feelings to Hoseok recently and he must have felt a little betrayed. He saw the sadness and hurt in his eyes before he looked away.

“Yeah.”

Did Taehyung think he was enough for Hoseok to stay? Could he be? Taehyung had been his helper, his friend when he needed it. The boy had also taken him out, even when it was breaking the rules. His relationship with Taehyung wasn’t all a jumble of hate and lust and anger like it was with Yoongi. They genuinely liked each other.

But could Hoseok stay for Taehyung’s admiration and friendship?

No , he decided sadly. He didn’t want to stay in a place so close to Yoongi and he didn’t want to lead him on any longer. Hoseok liked Taehyung, but he liked-- or had liked --Yoongi more.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright hyung.” Jimin patted his back.

“Hyung, if you’re really leaving then we should do one last mission.” Taehyung spoke up.

“But he’s not a pro, not even a rookie!”

“But he passed the assessment with Yoongi hyung.” Taehyung explained. “He shouldn’t leave without at least doing one last mission with us--the ones who trained him.”

“Taehyung’s right.” Hoseok said, turning to look at Jimin. “I want to do one last mission with you guys, my mentors.”

“You really think the hyungs are going to be okay with it?” Jimin asked.

“They won’t have to know.” Hoseok said staring at Taehyung.

The boy smiled mischievously. “That’s true.”

Jimin gaped from Taehyung to Hoseok.

“But, hyung!”

“It’s better if they don’t. They might say no.”

“But…”

“You want to do this or not?” Taehyung demanded.

“I do…” Jimin bit his lower lip.

“Go tell Jungkook.” Taehyung ordered.

“I’ll doubt he’ll say yes, but fine.” Jimin grumbled then left.

Taehyung then stood up. “I’ll go get the quest.”

“For tonight?” Hoseok asked.

Taehyung nodded. “You’re leaving tomorrow so it has to be tonight.”

Hoseok nodded. He hadn’t expected it to be so soon, but he didn’t have much to lose now. “Okay.”

Taehyung smiled. “Meet you in the living room at midnight.”

Hoseok smiled back. “It’s a date.”

Midnight came and Hoseok found himself in living room fiddling with his gun. He should have returned it by then, but Seokjin had yet to ask for it back and he was grateful. He would have had to come up with a good reason to hold onto it longer and he was in no mood to lie.

“Hyung?” Jimin’s quiet voice called into the room followed by three figures.

“I’m here.” Hoseok replied.

The figures came up to him and Hoseok stared surprised at the sight of the third person, Jungkook.

Jimin noticed his expression and smiled as he motioned to Jungkook. “Maknae’s got a rebellious side to him after all.”

Jungkook frowned. “It’s a tribute to Hoseok hyung.”

Hoseok smiled. “Thanks Jungkook.”

“It’s also been a while since I hunted werewolves.” The youngest boy added.

“Are you ready?” Taehyung asked Hoseok, his eyes bright with excitement.

Hoseok nodded.

“Let’s go then.”

They took the van and drove for what felt like hours until they came to a woodland area. Taehyung parked the van on the side of the road and jumped out followed by the others.

“I’m nervous.” Jimin whispered as they loaded their guns with silver bullets.

Jungkook placed a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. “Don’t worry hyung. I’ll protect you.”

Hoseok smiled at the younger boy’s endearment while Jimin rolled his eyes and shouldered him off.

“How many are there anyway Tae?” Jimin turned to Taehyung who was packing his shoulder bag with silver spears.

“About eight.”

“Eight?!” Jimin and Jungkook exclaimed, their eyes going wide.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow. “What’s the problem?”

“The problem is there is four of us not eight!” Jimin snapped. “We’re outnumbered!”

“You can’t take two each?”

“How is Hoseok supposed to take two each?!” Jimin demanded, hands on his hips. “How is Jungkook? He wasn’t made a pro too long ago, you know this!”

“Fine I’ll handle six of them and you manage the other two.” Taehyung retorted, cocking his gun and walking away.

“ Six?! ” Jimin sputtered, walking after him. “You’re insane! I don’t know what you think you’re trying to prove to Hoseok hyung, but this is too far.”

“ What? ” Taehyung turned to glare at Jimin.

Jungkook and Hoseok exchanged uneasy glances.

“I know you like him, but getting us all killed isn’t exactly going to impress him.” Jimin said.

“I’m not trying to do either.” Taehyung growled. “This is just a simple mission to say goodbye.”

“No simple is one werewolf! Simple is an abandoned nest of spiders. Simple is a damn farewell cake!”

“Hyung you really shouldn’t have taken this quest.” Jungkook spoke up.

Taehyung glared between the two. “It’s too late. We’re already here. You know what cancelling means.”

“You’re an idiot.” Jimin shook his head. “A love sick idiot.”

He walked on ahead motioning to Jungkook to follow him.

Taehyung stared after them in frustration before ducking his head down as Hoseok approached.

“Sorry I got you into this hyung.”

Hoseok ruffled his hair. “It’s okay. I know you wanted me to go out with a bang. So let’s just do our best okay?”

Taehyung looked up and smiled. He grabbed Hoseok’s hand from his head and intertwined their fingers. “Okay.”

They caught up with the other two who were peering on the floor.

“What is it?” Hoseok asked.

“They are looking for tracks.” Taehyung explained.

“Found tracks and feces.” Jungkook called from in between two trees.

They walked over and Hoseok saw the huge paw prints embedded in the dirt. They were like dog ones but much larger. His nose scrunched as he smelled the feces, spotting the big pile of dung by a berry bush.

“They sure know how to mark territory.” Hoseok commented.

Taehyung nodded, his nose plugged by his fingers.

“The prints head east.” Jimin reported.

“Let’s go that way then.” Taehyung decided.

“And what are we supposed to do when we catch up to them?” Jimin raised his eyebrows.

“We’re going to bait them with this.” Taehyung pulled out a bag of bloody steaks from his bag.

“Where did you get those from?” Jungkook asked.

“The fridge.”

“Jin hyung’s going to be furious.” Jungkook shook his head.

“Yeah Jungkook, that’s what’s going to get him mad.” Jimin said sarcastically. “Not the fact that we’re hunting werewolves without authorization from the senior pros, not to mention violating the code of responsibility that clearly states that one pro per wolf ratio must be abided with the exception of--”

“Jimin.” Taehyung held a hand up. “Enough.”

Jimin huffed and spun around to stalk ahead.

“Wow, he sure knows a lot.” Hoseok said as they all walked after Jimin.

“He studied hard as a rookie.” Jungkook stated.

“He should have studied how to keep his cool.” Taehyung joked.

Jungkook shook his head for the second time.

They came to an open area that was surrounded by trees. Taehyung ran towards the center of the clearing and opened the bag dumping the bloody steaks to the floor. He then ran back to them with a smirk.

“They’ll definitely come for that.”

“Quick we should get up to the trees.” Jimin ordered.

They split up Taehyung and Hoseok going to one side and Jimin and Jungkook going to another.

They climbed up the trees and waited patiently.

Taehyung slipped his hand through Hoseok’s. The man could feel it clammy and cold, he glanced at Taehyung and saw him shaking slightly.

Was he scared? Hoseok had thought Taehyung would be ecstatic at the prospect of hunting werewolves. Maybe he had thought over what Jimin had said, about them being severely outnumbered.

Hoseok had thought about it too, but seeing the determination on Taehyung’s face had reassured him.

Now he found himself uneasy again.

“Hey are you okay?”

Taehyung stared at him, but before he could answer the sound of thundering paws rang through the forest. Hoseok held his breath as he heard the howls and trampling of fallen leaves.

The tension rose as the noise got louder.

And louder.

And louder.

Until...

Eight werewolves, appeared in the middle of the clearing. They were huge, bigger than any dog Hoseok had ever seen.

The biggest one was the one at the front, black as night.

That must be the alpha, Hoseok guessed.

The others were slightly smaller and in different shades of greys and browns. One was even white.

Taehyung’s phone buzzed and he quickly answered it.

“Wait for my signal Tae. We can shoot them from the trees.” Jimin spoke.

“O-okay.” Taehyung swallowed hard. Hoseok held his hand tighter.

The alpha sniffed at the bloody steaks before sniffing the air. It seemed to realize that it was suspicious to have a pile of steaks in the ground. The others remained clueless, fighting to grab a piece amongst themselves.

The alpha sniffed the ground around the steaks before its ears perked up and it let out a howl.

“Now!” Jimin commanded.

Hoseok and Taehyung fired at the werewolves. The alpha roared as the others howled and looked around madly trying to see where the shots were coming from. Two had been brought down, letting out pained howls as they shrank into the form of a woman and a man.

Hoseok gaped at the human forms. He hadn’t known they would turn back into human beings.

“Two down, six more to go!” Jimin cheered through the phone. “We’re going down!”

“Alright us too.” Taehyung said before hanging up.

Hoseok followed him down and Taehyung shot him a grin before racing across to confront the remaining werewolves. Hoseok watched as Jimin and Jungkook ran across from the other side. Already Jungkook had managed to shoot down another one. Jimin and Jungkook then took on two leaving Taehyung against three including the alpha.

Hoseok could see Taehyung shooting at two, but where was the third? He scanned around before realizing the third was circling him.

“Taehyung!” Hoseok shouted, running toward the younger man.

The werewolf was already rearing up, ready to pounce.

Hoseok aimed at it's head, attempting to steady his shaking hands. Just like before, his vision grew blurry, his heart was pounding in his ears, but the adrenaline coursed through him like hot fire. Now or never.

He breathed out.

He shot.

It went down with a squeal nearly landing on top of Taehyung. He rolled out of the way in time and Hoseok then shot at the ones he had been fighting.

Taehyung turned and smiled gratefully. Just as he did the alpha reached out, Hoseok acting quickly, shoved him away as claws raked across his shoulder.

“!”

Hot, burning pain stabbed at him causing him to fly back and land on the floor.

“Hyung!” Taehyung cried.

He tried to get up but the alpha male walked toward him. His teeth gleaming with saliva.

His eyes amber and ravenous. Hoseok froze in terror, pinned down by those eyes.

He was so close when suddenly, he turned around with a roar.

Jungkook was behind him, firing at the werewolf.

Taehyung came up to Hoseok and examined the wound. “Hyung are you okay?”

Hoseok nodded and spoke through clenched teeth. “Help Jungkook finish it off.”

“Go back to the trees, hyung.” Taehyung ordered over his shoulder as he hurried to Jungkook’s side.

The alpha was weakening. Already it was full of bullets and it limped to claw at Jungkook who weaved out of the way swiftly.

Taehyung aimed at its head and the bullet whizzed out, piercing the large black head of the werewolf.  The monster crashed down to the ground, dead. One last muffled howl of pain escaping it.

The werewolf quickly shrank back to the form of a man with unruly black hair, blood oozing out of the back of his head.

“We did it…” Jungkook murmured, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Hoseok couldn’t believe it either, it had seemed as if the werewolves would have overpowered them. Especially that huge alpha with the menacing yellow eyes.

Hoseok shivered as he recalled the look the werewolf had given him, so hungry. As if it never could be satisfied.

“Where’s Jimin?”

“He left after one of them.”

“Then it’s not over.” Taehyung told him. He looked around the clearing. “Which way did he go?”

Jungkook pointed towards the right, past the trees they had been hiding in.

Taehyung ran towards that direction until the trees swallowed him up.

“Should we follow?” Hoseok asked Jungkook.

“Your arm doesn’t look too good. We should just wait here.” Jungkook advised. The man took a seat on the ground, wiping the sweat out of his forehead with the arm of his jacket. Hoseok sat beside him.

 They sat in silence for awhile, the only sound was the insects chirping and the rustling of leaves from the wind. Hoseok gazed down at the wound that had ripped open his jacket. His arm was caked with dirt and blood, four long gashes slashed across his arm diagonally. A fear suddenly crossed his mind.

“I’m not going to turn into a werewolf am I?”

Jungkook smiled at the sight of Hoseok’s frightened face. “Nah, at most maybe you’ll like steak a little more.”

Hoseok felt his fear dissipate and he chuckled. The act caused his shoulder to shake and he winced, grabbing at his arm.

“Try not to move.”

Hoseok nodded.

He glanced around instead at the human forms lying in the grass. His stomach clenched.

“They were human once...” He spoke up.

“Yeah…”

“Giant spiders are one thing, but…”

“Humanoid creatures are very hard to kill, but you have to think of the greater good hyung.” Jungkook said, his face grave.

The greater good?

Wasn’t this like murder though? Hoseok thought. Dead human bodies scattered across the field, looked like murder.

Does that make me a murderer?

“At least that’s what Yoongi hyung always told me.”

Hoseok was pulled back from his thoughts.

“Yoongi hyung?” Hoseok glanced at the young man in surprise. “Was Yoongi hyung your mentor?”

Jungkook smiled. “Yeah.”

“How did--”

“JUNGKOOK! HOSEOK HYUNG!”

The two turned and stared across the field at Jimin limping with a body beside him.

“Oh no.”

Hoseok felt his stomach flop and his heart race. Was that…?

Jungkook sped over and Hoseok raced after him.

As Jimin came into view, it was clear who the body belonged to. Jimin was crying painfully as he held onto him with all his might. Blood was soaking his clothes, dripping down to the earth floor. Jungkook’s eyes widened in shock.

Hoseok couldn’t breathe.

This couldn’t be happening.

No .

It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t right...

“Taehyung.”