Hoseok awakes to...not Yoongi's scent, but Namjoon's. His chest doesn't seem to hurt as much anymore, and he shifts a little, surprising Namjoon to the point that Namjoon nearly falls.

"What the...that's fast," Namjoon comments, chuckling, causing the other four to look in their direction, Taehyung's eyes widening. "Jimin said you'd have another two or three days before you'd wake up." 

"Where...the...h*ll am I?" Hoseok asks, eyes searching for one person amongst the group.

"We're making our way back to the airship, and the Onion Knight's safe with Tae," says Namjoon as he continues piggybacking Hoseok.

Hoseok nods against his shoulder as the airship comes into view. He tries to turn his head to look around him, but he still doesn't see that one person. As the group approaches the airship, they find Cid standing at the bottom of the platform, smoking a pipe. He nods towards them as they arrive, and he seems to be looking for someone.

"Where's Min?"

Hoseok's heart skips a beat. Isn't Min Yoongi's surname?

Jimin doesn't answer, and instead, pushes past Cid and walks up the gangplank-platform thing. Cid shoots him a bemused look as Jungkook apologizes on his behalf, before running up after Jimin. Seokjin and Namjoon nod to Cid in greeting as Tae gives Cid a lengthy explanation on what happened.

Hoseok feels himself being laid gently onto a bed, his limbs too tired to do anything as Namjoon pulls the curtains together and after confirming that Hoseok doesn't need anything, walks out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Hoseok finds himself staring at the droning fan spinning...and spinning...and spinning. He looks over at the bed beside his. Yoongi's bed. He can simply imagine Yoongi complaning about the day's events and throwing himself down on the bed, before falling asleep in a matter of seconds.

But that isn't going to happen tonight. Where's Min? The questions floats into Hoseok's head, and he tries to forget about it, burying his face in the pillow by moving his body through sheer willpower. The only thing that Hoseok remembers about the battle is that he had a hole in his chest, from one of Yoongi's light blasts and was choking on blood.

Hoseok looks over at the bed. Yoongi would get up after ten minutes of dozing off and throw his dirty clothes into the basket, unaware that Hoseok is watching half the time. (Hoseok wouldn't admit it because he'd sound like a dirty ert but damn, Yoongi is hot), and he'd roll back into bed with just his boxers on...or plus a sweater if it was cold.

Hoseok has no idea how long he's been lying there, facing the wall, until the door opens with a creak and someone's footsteps reach his ears. Hoseok turns over and finds Taehyung walking in.

"Hey, Hobi, are you okay?"

"Where's Yoongi?" Hoseok asks, attempting to sit up, but his arms have no strength left in them.

"He..." Taehyung finds it hard to answer, biting his lip instead.

"Where is he, Tae?"

"He left," Taehyung sighs, sitting at the edge of Hoseok's bed. 

"Left? As in?"

"Far away from there," says Taehyung. "Exact words."

"Why?" Hoseok's voice is breathless, as if he can barely get the words out, disbelieving of everything around him. 

"I don't know," Taehyung shakes his head. "I only know that...he needs you. This sounds cheesy, but it's true. He needs you more than he thinks he does."

"And this is coming from someone younger than both me and Yoongi," Hoseok laughs a little, body shuddering.

"You could say that," Taehyung nods, smiling a little, before becoming serious again. "You have to go to him, Hobi."

"And how can I do that? I don't even know where he i--" Hoseok stops short as an idea permeates his brain cells. There is something that can help him find Yoongi. "Tae, do you have a Pathfinder?"

"Pathfinder...I guess so?" Taehyung rummages through his pockets and finds the small bug machine, handing it to Hoseok. "Here."

Hoseok takes the Pathfinder, and whispers Yoongi's name, seeing Taehyung's eyes go wide. The Pathfinder's antenna shoots into the air, tip blinking with yellow light as it takes off, slamming into the curtains and into the glass of the windows. Thump. Thump. Thump. He looks over at Taehyung, before finding renewed strength and hoisting himself out of the bed, much to Taehyung's amazement.

"If Jimin asks, tell him I'm on a journey."

With that, he opens the window, and lets the Pathfinder out. The Pathfinder flies downwards, closer to the ground, when Hoseok swings himself out of the window, leaving a gaping Taehyung behind.

*****************************************************************************

"Jiminnie?"

Jungkook emerges from the bath, in only boxers. He walks out to find Jimin curled up in a blanket burrito. Jimin doesn't even look up when Jungkook sits down next to him, but Jungkook knows he's awake. Jimin buries his face further into the blanket. Jungkook slips in under the covers behind Jimin, wrapping an arm around him, ignoring the biting pain of his wound as he stretches the skin, wrapping a leg around Jimin's.

Jungkook nuzzles his face into Jimin's neck, breathing in his scent, when Jimin begins to shake, trembling in Jungkook's hold. Jungkook tightens his embrace as Jimin turns to face him.

Jungkook's heart clenches when he sees the tears in Jimin's eyes, and he quickly wipes them away with the pads of his fingers as Jimin buries his face into Jungkook's bare chest, head fitting under Jungkook's neck perfectly, as if it's made to be there. Jungkook knows full well what he feels for Jimin, but he's scared.

Scared that Jimin doesn't feel the same way.

So he just holds onto him, trying to piece his heart back together, only failing once again when he hears the tiny sniffles coming from Jimin.

"What did I do...Kookie?"

Jungkook is appalled at that one question, almost inaudible, and Jimin's cracked voice resounds in his head. Jungkook could say that Jimin didn't do anything wrong, but Jungkook doesn't want to lie. 

"It's okay...I'm sure Yoongi understands."

"He won't," Jimin sobs, clutching tighter to Jungkook's shirt. "He won't understand. What would you do when your friend points a weapon at you when you wake up, and you don't even know what the h*ll you did wrong?!"

Jungkook remains silent, not knowing how to respond.

"Just apologize. Absolutely sure that Yoongi will understand."

Jimin doesn't say anything, and Jungkook whispers, "Sleep."

*****************************************************************************

The Pathfinder is fast, but Hoseok is faster. Using an ancient spell he learnt from some book in the Guados' Archives, Aeroga brings him as fast as the Pathfinder, the Pathfinder's legs nearly touching the water of the sea and Hoseok has never seen anything so beautiful. The sea in the early mornings. He smiles as he watches the sun rising from the horizon, casting a pink glow against the waters and the seagulls are flying overhead, wings barely flapping as they ride the winds, feathers fluttering. 

If only Yoongi was here. Right beside him.

Hoseok remembers so vividly the experiences. Especially the one when his and Yoongi's lips almost touched, in Bikanel Desert. It wasn't the most romantic of places, but then again, it was really accidental.

Hoseok watches as the Pathfinder takes another turn, leading him directly to...

Calm Lands? The Pathfinder zips left and right as Hoseok struggles to follow it, at least, until it starts flying in a straight line again, aimed directly for his target. Hoseok manages to see that mop of blonde hair (quite prominent against the green grasses) and he grasps the Pathfinder.

Yoongi's back is to him, and he's facing the sunrise instead, a slight breeze tousling his hair as he watches the sunrise. Hoseok lands lightly on the ground, dismissing the wind and he approaches Yoongi from behind.

Hoseok discovers he's really good at being stealthy, because Yoongi jumps when Hoseok wraps his arms around him from the back, nuzzling his face into his neck. He sees Yoongi snapping his head around to look at Hoseok, and Yoongi's eyes widen, and he tries to break free from Hoseok's grasp, which he does successfully, and he scrambles far away, nearer and nearer the edge of the cliff.

"W-What are you doing?!" Yoongi's panting heavily. Too much even for just a little bit of scuffling.

Hoseok can smell it. Smell his emotions. Yoongi's fear and a hint of relief.

"Yoongi..." Hoseok approaches Yoongi, the latter looking almost like a scared animal. His eyes are glazed over, and Hoseok can tell he's reliving some unwanted memories.

"S-Stop there...stop it," Yoongi holds up his hand, as if trying to repel Hoseok. "Don't come closer..."

"Why?" Hoseok feels a little hurt, watching as Yoongi stands up on shaky legs, moving closer and closer to the cliff edge, and for half a second Hoseok is scared that he actually wants to do it. To fall of and plummet to his-- Hoseok shakes his head, not wanting to think about it.

"I don't want to...hurt you again."

The words are so sincere that it startles Hoseok, as the emotion in Yoongi's eyes turn to a pained and anguished one. Hoseok wants to reach out to touch Yoongi, to hold him, to absorb all those negative emotions. It's not Yoongi's fault. It's not. It was the demon inside of that claw that possessed Yoongi and made him do it.

Besides, Yoongi's main goal was to protect him anyways.

"Please..." Yoongi's voice is more akin to a quiet sob now, his head lowered, unable to face Hoseok as he edges nearer the cliff, Hoseok making his way towards Yoongi, half-afraid that Yoongi's going to throw himself off.

But Yoongi doesn't, and allows Hoseok to embrace him tight, pulling him away from the cliff, slowly but surely, gently, the tension subsiding the further Yoongi is from that cliff. 

Hoseok lets Yoongi cry into his chest, arms wrapped tight around Yoongi's shivering form as Yoongi cries, fingers clutched onto the material of the front of Hoseok's shirt, where it had been stained with blood. The hole had closed up, thanks to Jimin's magic, but still, Yoongi felt the guilt as he touches the place where Hoseok had been shot. He swallows, fighting down the sting of the rising tears.

"Better?" Hoseok asks, turning Yoongi around to face the sunrise, while one of his hands remains on Yoongi's arm, squeezing lightly. Yoongi doesn't answer. Instead, he watches the sunrise, the sun radiating heat, presenting to Spira one of the world's only beauties left amidst the death and destruction.

He feels Yoongi reach up to grasp his fingers, head bowed.

"Please forgive me..."

"Hey, I'm not going to forgive you."

He hears Yoongi's breath stutter, and he can smell the uncertainty and a rising fear in his heart so he adds quickly, "There's nothing to forgive you for."

The fear is instantly replaced by surprise and he turns over to Hoseok, angling his head back so that he can face him and Hoseok makes his move. He needs to prove it. To prove that Yoongi didn't do anything wrong. He dips his head, molding his lips to Yoongi's, kissing him fervently as Yoongi kisses back, Hoseok's grip tightening on Yoongi.

Hoseok doesn't know when, but he tastes something salty, something that he feels shouldn't be there. He breaks away for a moment, panting, as he looks back at Yoongi, lips parted, eyes closed, but clear, crystal-like droplets weaving spidery trails down his cheeks, and Hoseok feels the need to brush them away.

He does, all while bringing his lips back to Yoongi's. Hoseok has had no idea how long they've stayed like that, basking in the sunlight, after they've parted. It's a comfortable silence, with Yoongi pressed against his front, head leaned back into the crook of his neck.

Yoongi falls asleep at some point, his breathing stable and his tears cease. Hoseok kisses his hair, before resting his head in the crook of Yoonig's neck.

Yoongi looks like an absolute angel.

*****************************************************************

"That was reckless!" Namjoon hisses, pointing at both Hoseok and Yoongi. Hoseok smiles sheepishly, with one arm wrapped tight around Yoongi, who looks like he was just woken from a nap. They're now landed in the middle of Calm Lands, thanks to the Pathfinder that Cid owns leading them there.

"Anywho, your next part of your training is here," Cid cuts off the conversation with a furious Namjoon and the other two. He tosses the Onion Knight to Hoseok. "Get your butts out there and train."

"Huh?" Hoseok looks over at Cid with a confused look. 

"Your other runts are already out there giving their all," Cid says. "H*ck, even Trema says that they're good. Come on, if you were well enough to look for your lover, you're well enough to train." 

Hoseok and Yoongi's faces heat up and Namjoon smirks as Seokjin comes in, and the two head out together.

"You gonna stand there or what?" Cid calls. Yoongi dips his head and walks out, not even waiting for Hoseok. The Guado watches as Yoongi disappears out into the Calm Lands.

******************************************************************

"Right! Just there!" Jimin yells, as Jungkook dodges the Sand Worm's attack, almost getting swallowed up by the giant fiend. Although the worm has no eyes, it has the precision of a...of a...

"JUNGKOOK!" Taehyung pulls Jungkook away just as the Sand Worm spits venomous saliva on him. Taehyung huffs as Jungkook clutches onto his knees, already tired, but the Sand Worm isn't giving up. There is a blast of magic, hitting the Sand Worm's mouth. The Sand Worm screeches as it falls onto its side, unable to get up, drool spilling out of its mouth.

The trio looks towards the source of the magic, and they find Hoseok standing there, waving, along with Yoongi, blitzball in his hand, getting ready to fire. Despite his seemingly cold gaze, Jungkook can tell that he's hiding a little more than what he's showing. Especially when takes a step back at Jimin's own stare. 

Jimin looks forlorn and he isn't taking his eyes off Yoongi's. Jungkook jogs over, placing a hand on Jimin's shoulder, trying to send him a signal that it's fine. That Yoongi would understand.

Jimin continues walking towards Yoongi, and Yoongi remains where he is, head lowered and feigning interest in his shoes.

"I'm--"

The two look up at once, since they were speaking in unison, meeting each other's gaze.

"You first," Yoongi says, and Jimin nods, swallowing.

"I-I guess I'm sorry," Jimin says, bowing his head. "I...we were supposed to be friends, but I...I pointed that weapon in your face and I..."

"I'm sorry too, I guess," Yoongi nods. "I know how important...y'know, he is for you." At the word 'he', Yoongi lowers his voice, and Jimin's cheeks heat up, staining a bright crimson that he prays no one else can see.

"Alright, the heartwarming moment is over," a sudden obnoxious voice yells from behind them and Yoongi jumps as Cid slams his hand down on his shoulder.

"You've all got training to do."

**************************************************************

"Right, that's the last of it," Seokjin wipes sweat from his forehead as he turns to Taehyung, who's been fighting alongside him along with Namjoon.

Taehyung nods, continuing to stare as Seokjin walks towards Namjoon, giving him a high-five and a fist bump. He walks back towards the airship behind them, an unexplainable feeling boiling up in Taehyung's heart. He watches as Namjoon opens the door for Seokjin, how the two walk into the airship, completely oblivious of the other's feelings.

Taehyung keeps his head down as he walks past the robots in the corridor, before entering his own room and plopping down on it. Taehuyng sighs as he throws an arm over his eye, heart racing as he thinks back to the fight with the faux Sinscales, how they were training under Trema's guidance, to beat every single fiend that came their way, starting from how to deal with the flying bugs to bigger enemies like the Sinspawns and Sinscales.

He turns to his side, allowing himself to close his eyes and sink into a deep slumber. Tomorrow, they're setting off again, more powerful, especially with the Celestial Weapons that strengthen their entire beings.

Tomorrow, to Mount Gagazet, just up the path...and Jungkook's homeland.

**************************************************

I'm so sorry I dragged it out for so long. I'm gonna continue soon. Every chapter is a step towards Zanarkand!