prompt: sometimes jaebum isn't as confident as he seems.

He scoffed, emotions fading into faint amusement as he watched his group. It went unnoticeable in the air, the others fixated on the conversation as he dug his arms into the pockets of his jacket. It was dark, darker than before and Jaebum could see the cloud of breaths escape from the mouths of his friends. Perhaps they should get on with their discussion --- put it into action, before one of them catches the cold; which almost always ends with Jaebum nursing the fools back to health.

He took a second, allowing the youngest to take the last say and defend his position in the entire mission before he took charge. "I'll do it."

His words caught their attention, six pairs of eyes daggering right into his soul. "We just need to apologize to them, right? I can do that." Jaebum continued. He understood how careless he probably sounded, it was risky and fool-proof. But because it was fool-proof, Jaebum couldn't let the allows take on that burden. He was in charge, the leader of their gang and with that came responsibilities that he needed to accept.

Protecting s was just an essential one.

Jackson kept his focus on the other, somehow displeased with himself for not being surprised with the older's words. "No. It's just as dangerous for you as it is for us." His voice dropped, transiting from his usual playful tone and the others could tell he was serious.

But Jaebum wasn't backing down. "Jackson. I have decided on it."

---

He glanced at the wound on his right hand, the line engraved by the knife evident against his palm and a scowl rose his face. It was a permanent scar of his failure. If only he was more prepared. A sigh rose from his lips, the white puff of smoke indicating him how colder the night was getting. He should hurry up and finish this.

A few minutes passed and Jaebum pushed open the door to the warehouse. There was no time for considerations and hesitations and as eyes fell onto the familiar thugs, Jaebum watched silently as their guards rose. Bald men stood from their relaxed positions, stiff like animals being caught as eyes wandered for the nearest weapons. "Did you come back to receive another cut?" One of them spoke, his face full of smugness.

That hit the leader's pride --- if only he wasn't here for a resolution. "I came to apologize."

There was evident shock that spread from face to face, the men on the older side suggesting the possibility of it being a prank. "I heard it was my kids who started the fight first, we have morals and I take my responsibilities. So, on the behalf of those punks, I'd like to formally apologize." Jaebum continued. He kept his face stern, not truly interested in a depth conversation. It took a few seconds however, the thugs progressing the events of things before a familiar voice interrupted.

"So you come back, slash a member of my gang, and then return once more to apologize? Is that how you apologize?" A man, more intimidating than the rest of his crew stepped forward. He looked as unpleasant as Jaebum and the leader cocked an eyebrow, a bit confused. "Slash?" He mumbled and eyed over the remaining thugs to only notice a messy bandage wrapped around one of the guys --- the one that slashed Jaebum from the beginning.

The leader stayed silent, putting the pieces together. He didn't remember giving the other that during their fight.

And then it hit him.

A faint smile rested on his lips as he retreated his attention on the bigger male. "Alongside apologizing, our crew has a thing for returning things. We're not fans of being in debt." He continued. "But we do wish to close off things between us. It's about time we let go of this grudge."

---

Jaebum threw this arms in the air, heaving out a lousy stretch as he finally exited the warehouse. The darkness was still evident outside and the male was almost annoyed that he didn't bring his car. A walk, however, might be good for his clustered brain.

But a few steps down the stoned pathway, the leader quirked an eyebrow once he noticed a blur of figures straight ahead. He blinked, keeping his pace as he easily realized it was his team. Yugyeom and Bambam's tall bodies quite easy to pick out in a crowd. But what where they doing here? Helplessly, a smile played on his face and Jaebum shook his head once he reached his crew. "You idiots were supposed to be at home."

"Hyuuung." Yugyeom called out happily. It was nice, that look of relief in his eyes.

"Oh, you survived." Mark chipped in afterwards and still Jaebum kept his smile.

They were waiting for him, it was obvious. "How did it go?" Jinyoung questioned a few seconds in, asking what the others were curious about and the leader shrugged, eyeing s for a few more seconds. "They accepted it. Took it pretty well, actually." He responded and despite the want to stay netural and calm, Jaebum knew his face was filled with utter smugness and pride.

"Told you so, now let's go get ice cream or something." Bambam responded equally confident as the older just resisted the urge to flick the boy. Bambam ran a few steps ahead, eyes running across the pathway before Jaebum could hear his faint words to the sky above, "thanks for keeping him safe." And the leader knew the younger was referring to a prayer he had done before hand. 

It was quick after that for the members to start walking, most of the group in front, followed by a dramatic race between Yugyeom and Youngjae and Jaebum kept his smile. His eyes focused on the back of his crew and somehow it was nice. He knew they were waiting for him, getting prepared in case something were to have happened because obviously they couldn't let their leader go off on his own (no matter how much they pretended) and Jaebum knew he was lucky to have them.

It was then his eyes glanced at the happy Jackson, who slowed down to match the pace of his leader.

Jaebum reached over to kick him from behind and snorted when he heard the loud confused "what?" coming from the male. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Jackson stayed confused.

"That slashed that guy's hand." Jaebum explained and seeing the surprised, and almost startled expression wash in the other's eyes, Jaebum knew his answer was found. There was a shake of his head and the leader didn't know if he should start lecturing or question the younger's well-being. But the thing was he knew Jackson and he knew the other wouldn't do something so dangerously stupid. So, he went with a more obvious question, "why did you do it?"

Jackson smiled at that, pleased there was no lectures spouting out of the other's mouth. "Because ..." he spoke, eyeing the leader and then the night sky, "I'm supposed to be your right-hand." And that was the answer that took Jaebum by surprised as he glanced down to scan the faded scar on his right hand.

That cheeky brat.

He chuckled, following the younger's gaze to the sky.

"You don't need to always pretend to be confident." Jackson then suddenly started, a sigh escaping through his words, "we're supposed to be a family, remember?"

"Who said I wasn't confident?" Jaebum bantered back, playfully.

But the other looked back sharply, grabbing the attention of his leader, "you were scared, weren't you?"

The elder couldn't find his words. It was a weird question, no one really asked him that question. As a leader ... that wasn't supposed to be a trait, you see. He was supposed to be strong in order for s to be strong ... and, he could feel the twitch of his lips before helplessly nodding. "I was." Jaebum could easily recall the moment he got cut, the tremble of his hand and the flash of crimson blood. He was scared, frightened even. It was unpredictable being a leader of a gang. Nothing was ever planned.

Though, it was embarrassing, almost as if he was confessing a dark secret but all that drowned the moment he felt warmth rest against his side and glancing down, Jaebum noticed how Jackson grabbed his hand. A sudden, silent moment of action and the leader was taken by surprise. "... Going even though you knew you were scared," the younger paused, fingers running through his hair, "how cool."

Cool? Was it? Jaebum would never have thought it like that, more like stupid or dumb. But his eyes glanced over at the members that unknowingly bickered up ahead: Bambam was mocking Yugyeom, as Youngjae stood as the hyped man and Mark and Jinyoung did their jobs to keep everything under control while occasionally taking sides in whatever childish argument that put a kiddish grumble on Yugyeom's face. Was that perhaps how he looked in the eyes of s?

A smile rested on his face once more.

Unknowingly to him, it was.

just a quick update. its short and theres probably a lack of details between the gangs but aksbgis;; enjoy? i didn't know how fluffy to get with jackson/jaebum. cx also if anyhow has any requests? leave it in the comments and i just might do it?