It was Friday night and there was nothing else to do. At least that's what Yoongi told himself as he walked through the carnival, his hands shoved deep into his hoodie pocket to ward off the October chill. Around him vender stalls were set up, some selling popcorn and Carmel apples, while others displayed stuffed toys to be won by shooting fake guns and arrows at targets. There were even some venders offering prizes for apple bobbing.

Everything was Halloween themed, from the various consumes worn by everyone around the carnival, to the tiny costumes on the stuffed prizes and the obscene amounts of candies and sweets. Although he would never admit it, Yoongi loved Halloween, he always had. There was something about the spooky atmosphere and the anticipation leading up to the holiday that always made him more excited then someone his age should be. Of course, all the candy floating around tended to fuel his enjoyment a lot.

But as for tonight, he had honestly just wanted to get out of his house and see the town’s annual Halloween carnival. It took place every single year in the town square and every year it was exactly the same as it had been every single year before. Yoongi hadn't been for several years, but it looked exactly the same, just like it always did, and he loved it.

One of the haunted hay rides was already in session, Yoongi could hear the delighted shrieks of the passengers in the distance, so to kill time before the next one left he made his way to the end of the square where the haunted house sat.

The haunted house was really just an huge old shed that had been there for as long as anyone could remember. But once a year it was transformed into a homemade house of nightmares for several weeks leading up to Halloween.

Yoongi stood in line, waiting behind little groups of giggling high schoolers and children clinging to their parents hands while trying their best to not look afraid. A boy dressed in a very convincing knight costume was standing outside the shed door ushering groups in one at a time.

Yoongi sighed, shifting his wight while trying to tune out everyone around him, which was a difficult task since the group of high schoolers in front of him was noisy and very hard to ignore. Two of them, one with dark hair and the other with purple hair, were holding hands as the purple haired boy bounced up and down in excitement on the soles of his feet. The third boy, shorter than the other two and bundled up in a thick, puffy coat, looked less than thrilled at being there.

"Tae, Kookie, you know I hate scary stuff," he mumbled, just loud enough for Yoongi to hear.

The purple haired boy bumped his shoulder cheerfully against the smaller boy's. "Awww it'll be fun, Jiminie! Just like an adventure!"

Before the boy could reply, they were being ushered forward through the door by the knight. Yoongi felt a pang of sympathy for the small boy as he trailed behind his enthusiastic friends, turning back to glance behind himself once, as if it were the last time he was ever going to see the outside world.

As the boy disappeared through the door, Yoongi stepped up next to the knight who grinned at him.

"Yoongi-hyung, I didn't know you were back! How's college?"

Yoongi shoved his hands further into his pocket as a cool breeze blew across the lot. "Hey, Hoseok," he greeted, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. "It was kind of a last minute thing. How's school?"

Hoseok shrugged cheerfully. "Not bad. Just a few more months and high school will be but a distant, fond memory that I will think back on and wonder why the hell I didn't appreciate it at the time."

Yoongi laughed, ignoring the scandalized look they were getting from the parents of a small, oblivious child nearby.

"Yeah, enjoy being a kid while it lasts," he said. "Just wait until you actually have to make decisions about your life."

Hoseok jokingly shuttered before dramatically ushering Yoongi toward the door. "Try not to scream too loud," he said, grinning at the disgusted look Yoongi shot him as he stepped inside the shed, ducking to miss some fake spider webs that hung in the doorway.

As far as haunted houses went, the one at the carnival had always been sadly lacking. In a small town it was hard to get scared when the person jumping out at you in bad zombie makeup was your middle school math teacher, but they had added new wailing sound effects to the speaker system, so that was pretty cool.

He made his way past the fake graveyard, sidestepping the unimpressive zombies who were pawing at him while making noises that sounded more like indigestion rather than moans of the undead.

The next room was the witches layer where several women, who looked suspiciously like the evil queen from Snow White (yes, Yoongi watched Disney movies, all real men watch Disney movies), and who were all cackling as they hovered over a huge cauldron that was belching out dry ice. They hobbled after Yoongi, screeching and crackling at him as he walked through the room, sidestepping fake toadstool and ghosts made from empty plastic milk jugs.

Ahead of him he could hear screams and even some kids crying, but he ignored it as he pushed open a heavy door labeled The Hallway to Hades in red paint made to look like fake blood.

This corridor had always been his favorite. There were never actually any people working there to scare you, but the walls had been painted blood red, with warped mirrors on the walls and ceiling to make the entire place seem disproportional. More dry ice was being blown down the hall, so thick that it obscured Yoongi's feet from view, and the wails over the speakers was now joined with the recorded rattling of chains.

Yoongi walked slowly, watching his appearance change in each of the warped mirrors, going from short, to long, to wide. If he hadn't been watching the mirrors it's entirely possibly that he may not have seen the tiny figure huddled in the fetal position in a small alcove that housed a fire alarm and fire extinguisher (which didn't entirely break the mood of the room since someone had seen fit to drape fake spider webs over them).

Yoongi stopped and squinted at the figure, wondering if it was a new addition to the room. But then he heard some sniffling from the figure and with a jolt recognized him as the scared boy in the line in front of him. Only now his friends were nowhere to be seen and the boy was trembling as he rocked back and forth slightly, his hands clamped over his ears to block out the sounds from the speakers.

He usually didn't like talking to strangers, but the poor kid looked like he was about to have a heart attack, so Yoongi stepped forward and placed a hand hesitantly on the boy's shoulder.

He really should have seen the boy's reaction coming, but still, the piercing shriek that he let out as he jumped about three feet in the air made Yoongi let out a surprised yelp in return as he stumbled backward, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Whoa kid, easy!"

He held up his hands like he was trying to calm a scared animal down as the boy stared at him, wide eyed and breathing heavy.

"Y-you're not a witch? Or a zombie?" the boy asked, his voice trembling.

"Not even close, I've never been a witch and I only turn into a zombie on finals week."

Yoongi had thought that maybe the poor excuse for a joke would make the kid smile, but instead he let out a wail and launched himself at Yoongi, latching his arms around his waist as he began to sob into the front of Yoongi's shirt.

"Please don't leave me!" he wailed, his voice muffled by fabric.

Yoongi stood frozen, his hands raised up part way, unsure what to do with a sobbing high school boy who had lached onto him like a barnacle. This had never happened before.

"Um. . .  There, there?" he tried, awkwardly patting the boy's back. "Didn't you have friends with you earlier? A kid with purple hair glomped onto another kid?"

The boy nodded, sniffing loudly but making no move to let go of Yoongi. "I had to stop to tie my shoe and I guess they didn't hear me asking them to stop because next thing I know I look up and their gone." The boy's lip started quivering again and Yoongi hastily began patting his back again before he was drowned in another waterfall.

In truth, he was starting to feel a strange pull of protectiveness toward the kid. He was only a little bit shorter than Yoongi, but he seemed so much tinier as he clung to Yoongi, shivering and sniffling. He didn't even know the kid but he was starting to get pissed at his friends for leaving behind someone so helpless and- god help him- adorable.

"What's your name?" Yoongi asked, hoping to distract him a little. It worked as he boy blinked away a few tears, looking slightly surprised by the change of subject.

"Park Jimin," he answered. "What's yours?"

"Yoongi."

Yoongi was immediately floored by the unexpected grin that spread over Jimin's face. "Nice to meet you, Yoongi-hyung."

Yoongi didn't know what to say, he was too distracted by the kid's cute little nose, and the laugh lines around his eyes, and the way his front teeth were just a tiny bit crooked in the most painfully endearing way Yoongi had ever seen. Luckily, he was saved the embarrassment of stammering out something along the lines of, "Why the are you so ing adorable?" by an earsplitting scream that crackled over the speakers.

Jimin's answering scream of terror was ever louder than the one played on the speakers, snapping Yoongi out of his fogged mind just in time to catch Jimin as the boy stumbled backwards, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Whoa, steady!" Yoongi said, pulling him upright as Jimin latched back onto him again, wailing, "We're going to die!"

"No, we're not," Yoongi said. "It's all fake, none of this is real. You probably even know half the people working in here."

Jimin was past listening as he started sobbing into the front of Yoongi's shirt again, which Yoongi was starting to think was going to be soaked by the end of the night.

"Okay, listen Jimin." Yoongi gripped the top of Jimin's arms and pulled him back, gently but firmly, so he could look into the younger boy's eyes. "I know you're scared, but hyung is going to get you out of here, okay?"

"You are?" Jimin asked, blinking tears out of his eyes and sniffing loudly. Yoongi had to resist the urge to gently wipe away some of his tears as he nodded.

"Yeah, I promise. There's only three more rooms left anyway, so we're half way there. We'll be out before you know it and then you can make your friends get you some hot chocolate as an apology for being air headed and leaving you here."

Jimin frowned slightly. "Taetae and Kookie aren't . Although some people say Taehyung can be a bit of an airhead sometimes, but I just think he's unique."

Yoongi ignored the tangent in favor of releasing Jimin's arms and holding out his hand. "How does that sound, kid?"

Jimin didn't even hesitate as he slid his warm hand into Yoongi's and locked their fingers together tightly. "Thank you, hyung," he whispered.

Yoongi nodded and started pulling Jimin toward the far door. Right as they reached it, Jimin jumped back slightly, pressing up against Yoongi's side and curling his free hand around his arm. Yoongi could still feel him trembling.

"Do you want to close your eyes?" he asked. "I can guide you through."

Jimin shook his head. "It's worst when I can hear it but can't see it." He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Let's just do it," he said, gritting his teeth.

Yoongi nodded and tried to step forward again, but just like the last time, Jimin held him back.

"Jimin, to get outside we're going to have to leave this room eventually."

"I know," Jimin mumbled. Yoongi couldn't tell exactly because of the strange lighting in the hall, but it looked very much like Jimin was blushing. "It's just that I was wondering-" Jimin broke off and took a deep breath. "I was wondering if you'd go with me- us- to get hot chocolate when we get out," he finished in a rush without looking at Yoongi.

There was a beat of silence and then Yoongi smiled. How was it possible for this kid to keep getting more and more adorable? "I would love to," he said gently.

Jimin looked up at him then, another sunshine smile lightly up his face.

"Are you ready now?" Yoongi asked.

Jimin nodded, still smiling at him, and Yoongi couldn't help the tingle of pleasure that ran through him at the unconcealed adoration in the younger boy's face.

Jimin's distraction of Yoongi lasted exactly three seconds into the next room before he was screaming and clinging to Yoongi again. The room was the one themed as a mad scientists lab, complete with fake bloodstains and an old hospital bed.

Yoongi had never walked so fast before in his life, towing Jimin behind him as he pushed past the cackling mad scientist, who he was fairly certain was the pastor at his mother's church, before pulling Jimin into the next room.

They entered another graveyard themed room, this one darker than the last as dry ice and careful lighting gave the impression that the shadows on the wall were writhing creatures. Several 'ghosts' screeched and batted at them as they hurried by, making Jimin shriek, cowering against Yoongi. Without even thinking about it, Yoongi moved his arm and wrapped it protectively around the younger boy's shoulder, pulling him into the final room.

Yoongi had always found this room to be unnecessary and tacky, but apparently to Jimin it was just as scary as the rest. It was a cheesy replica of Dracula's lair, with plastic bats hanging from the ceiling and a fake coffin near the door leading to outside and freedom.

They were almost to the door when the coffin lib burst open and Yoongi's first grade math teacher sat up, wrapped in a poorly made black cloak and snarling through fake fangs.

Jimin jumped backwards, screaming even louder than he had before. Yoongi yanked him forward, shooting a venomous look at the math teacher-turned fake vampire, before pulling Jimin out the door and back into the cool night air.

They stood in silence for a few minutes as Jimin continued to shiver at Yoongi's side. Yoongi's arm was still around his shoulder, but neither made a move to make it drop.

"We made it," Jimin finally said, his voice quivering slightly.

Yoongi couldn't help smiling at the boy's wonder, never mind the fact that they had been in a completely controlled environment. "You did good, Jiminie," Yoongi said.

Jimin looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you, Yoongi-hyung," he whispered.

Before Yoongi could form a reply around his brain short-circuiting over the cuteness of Jimin, the silence was broken by an earsplitting wail that was almost as loud as Jimin's terrified shrieks had been.

"CHIMCHIM, YOU'RE ALIVE!"

They turned just in time for the purple haired boy, Taehyung, Yoongi was assuming, to barrel into Jimin and latch onto him tightly. The dark haired boy, Jungkook, was close behind, eyeing Yoongi and his arm around Jimin closely as Taehyung babbled to Jimin.

"I saw a real ghost, so I pulled Kookie forward and I thought you were right behind, but then I looked back and you were gone and I was sure you had been eaten by zombies and want to go find a gun and come back and rescue you, but Kookie said we should wait a few minutes and he was right!" Taehyung stopped and took a deep breath since he hasn't stopped for air.

"I'm fine, Tae," Jimin smiled, patting his friend comfortingly. "Yoongi-hyung got me out."

Taehyung turned to Yoongi in surprising, obviously just noticing his presence. He blinked and then suddenly yelled, "The stars and planets have aligned this evening to bring about this union of two souls!"

Yoongi blinked. "What?"

For the first time, Jungkook spoke, stepping forward to take Taehyung's hand. "It means he thinks you and Jimin are cute together."

Yoongi blinked again as Jimin giggled nervously. "See what I mean about the uniqueness?" he asked Yoongi.

"I require hot chocolate," Taehyung said suddenly, turning on his heel and dragging Jungkook after him. "Keep up, my short little friends!" he called back over his shoulder.

"Who're you calling short, you brat?!" Yoongi called back in irritation. However, his irritation was short lived as he noticed Jimin start laughing again. "Well, you did say you'd get hot chocolate with us," he grinned.

Yoongi smiled back and took Jimin's hand, lacing the fingers together. "Lead the way, Jimin."