You woke up with a jolt, blinking away the remnants of a deep sleep.

                Looking around, your head swam with confusion.

                You were quite sure you hadn’t fallen asleep in a dimly lit room, hands tied behind your back.

                You were also quite sure you hadn’t fallen asleep with Jungkook lurking in the corner, watching you with a knife in hand.

                Your eyes widened as the memories of what happened flooded back to you. You looked over at the small child. “K- Kookie…”

                He glared at you, gripping his knife. “Don’t call me that. And just wait.”

                “Kookie, what are you doing? What’s going on? Wh- Where are the others?” You said, ignoring his harsh words.

                He looked away, lower lip trembling. “N- No! Don’t call me that! Just… Shut up and wait!”

                You felt a pang in your chest, looking at him with a soft gaze. Who are you? Where is Kookie?

                You were panicking. You didn’t know where anybody was, didn’t know where you were, and you didn’t know why Jungkook was behaving strangely. Maybe this is some sort of weird training?

                Silence greeted my thoughts as the time passed, an imaginary clock in my head ticking the seconds away. Tick. Tick. Tick.

                Jungkook’s feet shuffled as he watched me. I scowled back at him. If he wasn’t going to be polite to me, I wouldn’t be polite to him.

                He opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it quickly.

                After a moment, he stood up straight and a door creaked open behind you, light casting the silhouette of a woman in front of you. Jungkook’s eyes followed the woman as she came into your line of view.

                Almost everything about her was grey. Her skin, her flowing dress, her eyes. The only white about her was her teeth as she grinned maliciously. “Well,” she said, barely above a murmur. “We finally have the pleasure of meeting, it seems.”

                “Wh- Who are you?” You asked, looking up at her.

                She laughed. “Don’t you know? Isn’t it obvious? Obviously, I’m The Queen.”

                Your eyes widened. The Heiress? “My mom?” In that moment, you understood that this wasn’t a training activity.

                This was real.

                And Jungkook had brought you here.

                Jungkook’s mouth twitched slightly as you cast him a dark look of betrayal. The Queen let out a hearty laugh. “No, that was just a stupid lie. Of course, we needed some leverage to sabotage the Warriors, didn’t we?”

                You looked around, confused. None of it made sense… “But I saw the dead, I talked to them, I- I… Even Interitus thought it was true...” How could any of this be happening?

                Jungkook finally spoke. “But Interitus is under Her Majesty’s control anyways, duh.”

                She nodded, smiling sappily. “And of course, the true Heiress, or Heir, if you will, is Kookie. And he was fortunate enough to get his father’s powers as well; your talking with spirits, your dreams, they were all hallucinations. None of that was actually talking to your friends.”

                Jungkook smiled proudly, wilting slightly as you turned your gaze to him. “I- It wasn’t that hard…”

                You scowled in his direction, your heart in pain. “It looks like it wasn’t hard to betray the people you cared about either.”

                “Don’t listen to him, Jungkook.” She snapped. He nodded quickly, looking down. “She’s just some lucky descendant from a bloodline with the slightest bit of magic, and you inherit this entire Kingdom. Don’t even spare her another thought, okay?”

                He nodded again. “I- I won’t…”

                You snarled under your breath, looking up at the two others in the room darkly. “So, what now? You kill me? You use me for some twisted lab experiment?”

                Jungkook scoffed again. “I thought you were smarter than this, come on!”

                The Queen laughed at Jungkook’s outburst. “No, we’re just using you as bait. I understand that Jimin developed feelings for you. He’s a weak link, always falling for people too soon and too hard.”

                You felt a pang in your chest as it dawned on you. “Y- You’re holding me hostage to kill everybody else?”

                “Finally!” She exclaimed. “You finally understand.” She began walking out, then turned around to face you and Jungkook quickly. “Jungkook, keep an eye on her, will you?”

                He nodded, looking back at you. “I will.”

 

Jungkook’s Story

 

                Jungkook screamed, cowering in the corner of his house. Interitus laughed as he towered over the small boy, his hands aflame.

                “Your mother needs something from you. You won’t understand until you’re older, I’m sure. Don’t worry, you’ll have three years’ time to prepare.”

                He screamed again, clutching his small bunny rabbit. “M- My mommy is dead! And daddy, too!”

                The demon’s smoky tongue flittered as he hissed. “Don’t believe the lies of the weak, or you’ll fall and become just as weak.”

                Jungkook’s eyes were filled with tears. He curled up as far as he could into the corner, screaming.

                Interitus continued to laugh, relishing the boy’s pain.

                A sound caught the monster’s attention. He turned back to Jungkook, hissing his last words before disappearing. “You will do what your mother wants, whether you like it or not. Follow what she says, she will contact you.”

                A boy rushed in, weapon drawn. Jungkook stood up and ran over quickly, crying into his shirt. “H- Help m- me, please!”

                The warrior patted Jungkook’s back softly. “Don’t worry, it’ll be okay. Hey, I’m Hoseok, who are you?”

                “J- Jungkook…”

                “What a pretty name!” He exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood. “I want to call you Kookie, okay?”

                The boy nodded numbly, continuing to clutch onto his stuffed animal with one hand as the other was taken into Hoseok’s grasp.

                “Kookie, I have a lot of friends waiting for you, do you want to meet them?”

 

                He hadn’t slept in a week.

                When Interitus said that his mother would contact him, she meant contacting him through dreams.

                He didn’t want to.

                Hoseok was the first to notice, as he always was. He came into Jungkook’s room at night and wordlessly enveloped him in a hug.

                Jungkook’s eyes filled with tears again as he was nestled against Hoseok’s chest.

                “Hey, Kookie…”  He whispered, rubbing his back softly. “How’re you doing?”

                He sobbed quietly, shaking his head.

                “Why don’t you talk anymore, Kookie? Your voice is so nice, can’t you talk to me?”

                He shook his head again. Jungkook didn’t want to tell Hoseok what was happening.

 

                “Jungkookie~” Hoseok cooed, ruffling the boy’s hair softly. “Happy 10th birthday, Kookie! It’s today, right?”

                The boy nodded softly, looking down at the cake in awe.

                Hoseok set down the pastry and gave Jungkook a hug, grinning. “You’ve changed so much, Kookie!” He laughed, ruffling his hair again, and whispering a bit quieter. “I miss when you talked…”

                Jungkook hugged Hoseok back, pulling him closer.

                He didn’t want to listen to his mom.

                He didn’t want to hurt Hoseok.

                He loved Hoseok, and he didn’t want anything to happen to him.

                “I- I…” He stuttered, looking up at Hoseok.

                He beamed, yelling excitedly. “You’re talking!”

                Jungkook blushed. “F- For you.”

                Hoseok smiled, squealing and hugging Jungkook again. “Yay!”

 

                Jungkook pressed a kiss onto Hoseok’s cheek quickly, looking away with his face flushed red. “I- I like you, Hoseok…”

                Hoseok looked at Jungkook, eyes widened slightly. “Jungkook…”

                He stepped away from Hoseok, staring at the floor. “I’ll go now.”

                “No!” Hoseok yelled. “I mean, please stay. Jungkook, I like you, too.”

                Jungkook’s mouth quirked into a small smile, looking up at Hoseok. “R- Really?”

                Hoseok nodded slowly. He leaned down and hesitantly kissed Jungkook, a sweet collision of lips against lips, with both of their faces flushing red.

                Jungkook closed his eyes and leaned into Hoseok’s kiss, wrapping his arms around the older boy.

                Hoseok pulled back, smiling awkwardly.

                “Y- You look pretty when you smile…”

 

                “Jungkookie, I’m proud of you,” Hoseok said, cuddling the younger as they slowly drifted off to sleep.

                Jungkook rested his head against Hoseok’s bare chest, kissing his shoulder hesitantly. “Y- You are?”

                He nodded, smiling. “Of course! You talked with everybody, and you’re finally willing to train. You’ll be great, Kookie!”

                Jungkook’s face flushed as he moved closer to Hoseok, absorbing his body’s warmth. “Thank you…”

                Hoseok smiled, peppering Jungkook with quick kisses as he drifted off to sleep.

                “I love you, Kookie…”

                …

                Jungkook screamed, bolting up and looking around frantically. Hoseok opened his eyes and didn’t hesitate to grab Jungkook’s hands reassuringly. “What is it, Kookie?”

                Jungkook shook his head, shaking. “N- No…”

                It was back.

                She was back.

                The monster he hated to call his mother was plaguing his dreams again, with threats of hurting Hoseok if he didn’t help her with her plan.

                He sobbed, curling up into a ball and moving away from Hoseok. “G- Go away, I can’t…”

                “Can’t what? Kookie, please talk to me…”

                He shook his head violently, moving further away. “No. No, I can’t. G- Go away!”

                “If it’s what you want…” He said dejectedly. “I’ll go away, Kookie.”

                He pressed one last kiss on top of Jungkook’s forehead before leaving the younger.

 

                “Jungkook, aren’t you coming to say goodbye?” Jin called, approaching his room slowly.

                Jungkook nodded numbly. It had only been a few nights ago that he had been given threats of hurting Hoseok. He didn’t know how the mission would turn out, and he didn’t want to find out.

                He walked out to find Hoseok giving reassurance to Jimin that, yes, the girl he saw was The Heiress, and Jimin preparing weapons for the both of them.

“I’m sure of it, Jimin! Didn’t you see it?”

“You mean while I was visiting you at the job you illegally got?”

“Yah, I may be 14, but I’m still smarter than everybody else! Plus, everybody there thinks I’m 18 anyways…”

Jimin laughed, slapping Hoseok on the side of the head playfully before darting off towards the garage and calling after Namjoon.

Jungkook never talked to Jimin much. His eyes always seemed so sad, despite his obvious smiles. He didn’t want to hear anything more depressing than his own thoughts, so he never bothered to ask.

The others gave them quick goodbyes and left quickly, confident that they would succeed.

                Hoseok looked up and at Jungkook, a pained expression flitting over his face. “Kookie…”

                Jungkook looked down, collapsing into Hoseok’s welcoming arms and resting his head on his chest, in the same position that felt so familiar to him, yet so different now.

                Hoseok’s eyes filled with tears slightly. “Kookie, I’m sorry. I- I don’t know what I did, but I’m sorry. When I come back, can we talk?”

                Jungkook nodded, giving Hoseok a quick smile. “I- I love you… Be safe… Please.”

                Hoseok looked slightly confused, and even more so as Jungkook’s lips crashed into his, with a passion and desperation that was new to him.

                He looked back at Jungkook, his hands resting on Jungkook’s arms. “Kookie, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

                Jungkook shook his head, falling silent again.

                Hoseok smiled slowly and leaned in for another kiss. Jungkook pressed back the tears forming in his eyes along with the feeling that Hoseok wouldn’t be coming back.

                “Come back to me…” Jungkook whispered against Hoseok’s lips.

 

                “Kookie…”

                I shook my head.

                “He’s dead, Kookie. I know he and you were friends, but you can’t just sulk constantly!”

                No.

                Jin sighed and wrapped me in a quick hug. His arms were too strong, and his shoulders too broad to be comfortable for me.

                It wasn’t Hoseok’s embrace.

                It wasn’t right.

                “I’ll give you a little bit more time, but you’re eating with us today, okay?”

                I didn’t move, just watched as he got up and closed the door slowly.

                I collapsed back down onto my bed, burying my face in my already tear-stained pillows.

                When sleep came, so did the monster that took my Hoseok. She smiled wryly. “Jungkook.”

                “M- Mom…”

                “You want to see Hoseok again, don’t you?”

                I nodded.

                She laughed. “Well, aren’t you in luck, hmm?” She moved aside, and I saw it.

                Hoseok.

                I wanted to run to him, but I was frozen in place. “Hoseok!” I screamed, trying to move.

                She laughed again. “You can’t do anything, Jungkook. Not yet. Do as I ask, and you might be able to, okay?”

                Jungkook’s hands trembled as he looked up. Hoseok’s face looked so peaceful, despite his wounds.

                He wanted to see Hoseok, just one more time.

                “Wh- Why can’t I talk to him yet? If I’m your son…”

                “Once you inherit my crown, you will be able to see him as much as you’d like, Jungkook. So, what’s your answer? Will you do as I say, now?”

                He glanced at Hoseok, then back to his mother.

                He felt tears streaming down his face, yet felt nothing at the same time.

                And he nodded.