"Okay, this is getting really uncomfortable", Yoongi declared, turning his head away from Jungkook. "Can you please stop just sitting there with that hollow and lifeless expression while water and snot are gushing down your face? You look like an unbothered candle melting away."

Jungkook didn´t react. He continued to let his tears stream as he stared into nothingness.

"I mean I get it you are upset", his second went on. "Having your crush blocked your number isn´t exactly comforting. And regarding Taehyung did this right after you was done with your task and his GPS signal having been very very close to your location might mean he saw something he wasn´t supposed to see so he might be hurt and angry at you but again, this doesn´t mean he automatically hates yo-"

The younger winced and shrieked away like being hit.

"What, I said he probably does not hate-"

Jungkook whimpered and curled into a ball.

"The , don´t you listen, Tae doesn´t hate y-"

He clutched his hands above his head in self-protection and sniffed loudly.

...

"Gosh, can you please go back to your creepy silent self from before?", Yoongi grumbled. "This here is even more strenous. Give me a break."

But his hyung had said 'Taehyung' and 'hate' in the same sentence and Jungkook couldn´t do anything against the pain it awakened. 

"Okay whatever, I´ll uhm... I´ll get new tissues I guess. Or something."

The moment his second closed the door behind himself Jungkook let the last bit of self-restraint fall down and started wheeping. It was ugly and uncontrolled, his whole body shaking and aching from the heavy sobs, the bubbly snot making it hard to breathe and the sounds he made not being human at all. But it hurt. Hurt so much everywhere.

It was like the first time he accidentally had used his Blessing, killing his own moth--- No, don´t think about it! Don´t go down that road again!

But... he held no control anymore. None whatsoever. A mere peck had been enough to end the target, god-dammit! How could he ever get in a ten-feet range to Tae?

And know that gorgeous brunet had seen... he didn´t know how much but he had seen. And shut Jungkook out. Out of his life. Was running away like frightened prey and giving Yoongi a very very hard time to keep track of his location. What if anything happened to him? Because something was always happening. And Tae was a side target, maybe he was being hunted too.

But he had seen Jungkook, had witnessed first-hand what a monster he was. Of course he hated him now from the bottom of his heart, how could his second not get that?

Monster, traitor, liar, monster, monster, monster!

Jungkook wailed louder.

You are a murderer, a heart-breaker, a disgrace. A monster!

With every hiccup and sob a tiny bit of his Blessing left Jungkook´s body. He didn´t particulary care.

Monster. The ammount of Blessing seeping out on its own accord got bigger. He probably looked like a ventilator being switched on and off and on again.

Then he felt it. In panic Jungkook lifted his shirt and right there it was, the old crack in his skin. It got deeper and bigger as he was looking at it. The mark turned an angry red while digging further in his flesh, parting at the ends in more cracks. Another one slowly formed right across Jungkook´s stomach. The Blessing captured inside already dancing in joy and victory as freedom was near. Jungkook´s heart beat impossibly faster as he watched in horror his body falling apart.

"H-Hyung", he croaked. He didn´t want to die.

After what felt like eternity but was only a few seconds Yoongi came back in. Dropping the box of tissues and whatever he held in his other hand on sight.

"Sh*t!"

Jungkook dared lifting his gaze for a moment. With eyes large as plates and skin even paler than usual Yoongi was rushing towards him, muttering curses all over.

"Sh*t Jungkook, what is this?! Tell me- tell me what to do, how to help you, please, sh*t, , oh no this is bad, is... is that blood ?!" Yoongi shrieked, staring at the older and more prominent in-work crack. He was wrong though, there was no blood flowing. Not yet at least.

"Hyung..."

"Shhh, it okay." His second smashed Jungkook´s head against his chest, hugging him tightly. "It´s gonna be alright. I won´t let you- I won´t-"

"Hyung~  I don´t want to die yet. I still need to apologize a-and who knows what happens with my Blessing if I die..." Jungkook mumbled against the elder´s sweater.

"Don´t be silly, nobody´s going to die." Yoongi landed a hard smack against the back of Jungkook´s head. "And now tell me what the I´m supposed to do to help you."

"I don´t know", the younger admitted, shaking.

His second went silent, thinking.

"...How about you try singing a bit while I call that Seokjin-doc of yours, hm?"

"Y-yeah, okay..." With wavering voice Jungkook began singing. Yoongi was speaking in his phone, wandering through the room but always keeping an eye on his dongsaeng. 

The loud shrill of the door bell stopped both in their doing, Yoongi almost tripping and falling down in surprise.

Nobody moved to open the door. Not after the first, not after the second ring. But as the third ring just did not stop the older ran towards the door with a murderous expression.

"What the is your ing problem you er, I´m busy!!!" Yoongi yelled as he opened the door. 

In front of him stood a tall stranger with beanie and slacky clothes, looking down at him with the slightest hint of amusement. Yoongi´s expression darkened even more.

"Who are you" he demanded to know, glaring up to the stranger.

"I´m here to get a certain Jungkook. Does he live here?"

"Who. Are. You."

"Uhm, a taxi driver? So, do I have the right adress?"

Yoongi glowered. Very suspicious. Did that dude not know what taxi drivers were doing in horror movies? He glanced to his Jenny leaning against the wall. Just slightly out of reach. If he made two steps to the right...

"What business do you have with Jungkook?" One more step.

The stranger sighed. "I can´t tell you. Just, I was sent by a friend to bring Jungkook somewhere and hopefully help him."

"That´s the crappiest answer I ever heard" Yoongi retorted, his rifle now in reach. He wanted to say more but got distracted as his phone buzzed.

"No signal" announced a female robot voice. He cursed. The red dot on his phone display was gone.

"Sh*t! Brat, I lost his signal", he shouted through the whole house. In the distance a crashing sound and faint whimpers could be heard. Then Jungkook was stumbling down the hallway, crashing in several surfaces and barely able to keep himself upright.

"What? How could that happen?" the youngest asked with wobbly voice, clasping down on the table.

But the stranger was faster to talk.

"Wow", he whistled. "Jimin-sshi didn´t say you´d be in such a bad condition. You look like... well, I better not say what you remind me of right now."

Jungkook steadied himself enough to meet the stranger´s concerned gaze. "And you are?" he asked as coldly as he could muster. Who was that guy, what did he do here, how did he know Jimin and why did Yoongi loose track of Tae? Too many unanswered questions.

"Oh, right. My name is Kim Namjoon." The stranger extended a hand and smiled, showing his dimples. Jungkook hesitantly shook his hand. "I was told to get here and bring you most likely to Taehyung-sshi."

"Most likely?"

"Ah, it´s a bit complicated", Namjoon admitted, scratching his head.

Jungkook weighed his options. They currently had no idea what had happened to Tae and where exactly he was. He didn´t know that stranger but Namjoon seemed to know Jimin and Tae. His motive wasn´t clear. He could either be serious in helping them  find the brunet.

Or it could be a trap. Maybe he was responsible for the missing signal and Tae had been kidnapped, maybe he tried to kidnap Jungkook right now too and then wanted to beat Jimin´s whereabouts out of him. But even if it was a trap, if it meant Tae was in danger... There was not much to think about.

"I´ll go with you."

"What?", Namjoon blurted, though relieved.

"Really?!", Yoongi now hissed too at the reckless decision.

Jungkook nodded as he held his second´s gaze. "This is the best option we have right now. My decision is final, hyung."

Yoongi narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. It was obvious he didn´t like it but he wouldn´t go against their leader.

"Are you sure though?" Namjoon asked again, pointing at the wet red splotch growing on Jungkook´s white shirt. "Whatever this is it looks rather serious. Should I bring you to a hospital instead?"

"No. No. Tae, please bring me to Tae." He pressed a hand against the now bleeding crack. It must not burst open.

Still a bit unsure Namjoon guided him to his car and helped him get in. Yoongi was on his track and just lunging for the back door´s handle as Namjoon slapped his hands away.

"I´m sorry but you can´t come with me."

"WHAT?!?"

But the stranger didn´t offer an explanation as he got in the driver´s seat and started the machine.

"What was that about?" Jungkook asked weakly, still clutching his side.

"Ah well... my Blessing doesn´t work on two people at the same time."

And indeed the next moment the car was filled with cool wind flowing around Jungkook.

"Wha-what are you doing to me?!" A new wave of panic came crushing down on Jungkook.

Namjoon laughed. "Dude, chill. I´m a Giver, I don´t harm a fly. Well, at least not intentionally. My Blessing is to feel where a person needs to be. In a destiny-like meaning. It´s like I can see a rope coming from the person I´m using my Blessing on. I simply have to follow that rope until the end. And whereever it ends, the person needs to be at all costs right then. In your case it´s pretty certain Taehyung-sshi is standing at the other end. But of course I can´t be 100% sure. That´s why I said 'most likely'."

"...Aaah."

"Yeah. So, what´s your Blessing? I saw some wind on you too earlier."

Jungkook refused to look somewhere else than out of the window. "I don´t want to talk about it."

...

"You are a Taker, right?" Namjoon asked with heart-breaking gentleness in his voice.

Now Jungkook did turn around. "How do you know?"

Still eyes on the road the Giver smiled. "Because everybody else would´ve been gloating about their oh-so-great superpower. Except you´re a Taker. Or an Alterer or Vague with very bad luck. And your answer didn´t sound embarassed but uncomfortable. So I figured you´re what people call an impure Blessed. And as chances for impures to be a Taker are the highest, I thought that´s the answer."

"...Hyung, I hereby declare you cool."

Namjoon just laughed.

"You know this is getting a bit creepy, right?" Jungkook eyed Namjoon from the passenger´s seat.They had left the town behind half an hour ago and driven through fields and forests. Now they were rounding a lake and it didn´t look like the elder would come to a stop soon.

"I can´t help it, okay? He is constantly moving and I don´t wanna drive faster than allow- oh, I think we are here."

Jungkook jumped in his seat, the fact he was bleeding like crazy suddenly forgotten. Indeed, there stood an empty car and a silhouette he would recognize everywhere was heading to the lake. The young Blessed didn´t even wait for the car to come to a halt as he pushed the door open. Face-first he fell in the mud, barely registering a third car parking as he got up and tumbled to the distant figure.

"Tae", he rasped.

The brunet whirled around, his eyes going big as he beheld the sight of a bloody Jungkook scrambling to come closer. Tae shifted on his feet, body leaning here and there as he was torn between helping Jungkook and running away from him. But before he could make a final decision strong arms wrapped around his torso. Trapping him.

"You are going nowhere" a cold voice sneered.

Tae bucked, kicked and pushed against the arms. To no avail. "Who are you, let me go you creep, what the hell!"

"The I will! You are going to stay here until you had a proper talk with Jungkook, do you hear me?" Every word Yoongi hissed into the taller´s ear was dripping with venom. "And now sit on your and listen to the boy."

"Why are you like that?", Tae whimpered as he was pushed to the ground.

"Why?!" Yoongi almost exploded. "Why, you ask? Maybe because you are crying around telling everybody how you are hurting, your heart been ripped out and you´re bleeding oh-so-badly while Jungkook is bleeding to death since weeks! Literally, I mean look at him! All because of you! And you really have the nerve to ask me why I am like that?"

Tae looked down to Jungkook who had fallen down again and was staring up to him with glazed eyes.

"I´m so sorry, Tae", he forced out before his head met the ground with a thud.

Jungkook had no idea how much time had passed as he opened the eyes again. He felt... remarkably good? Confused, he lifted his shirt and touched the flawless skin beneath. How was this possible?

"Am I dead?"

An all too familiar snort came from behind him. "You wish, brat."

He turned around. "Yoongi-hyung?"

There stood his second, arms crossed and features not giving away much. "About time."

But Jungkook didn´t answer as now he saw the brunet sitting between Namjoon and Yoongi on the ground and looking very uncomfortable.

"Tae." It was barely a whisper.

The brunet pouted at him. "Awesome hyung and scary hyung wouldn´t let me go until we talked. So. Let´s talk I guess."

Jungkook was feeling too much for a moment. Confusion because what was his second doing here and what had he meant earlier, more confusion and wonder because where were his wounds gone, affection as Tae looked so damn adorable when he pouted he wanted to squish his cheek and insecurity as he didn´t know how to proceed from here.

"Do you... do you want to go first or shall I?"

"You." Tae jerked his chin at him. "Why were you kissing that woman and what does she mean to you?"

Jungkook sat up properly. Then he began to talk. It was all or nothing. "You know now I am a Blessed. Do you have an idea what kind of Blessed I am?"

The brunet shook his head. Jungkook sighed but kept his eyes locked with Tae´s.

"I´m a Taker. And one of the worse ones. With my Blessing I can kill people with a single kiss. The past years I have lived as a mass murderer. Killing had become my job. It was convenient, I could stay alive by regulary using my Blessing and make money at the same time. Jimin-hyung was just an other victim, a target I was supposed to kill for silencing him. It wasn´t a big deal, just some shy author. Nothing I couldn´t handle. I opted for the role of an enthusiastic fanboy to get what I wanted: a kiss. Nevermind I actually hate kissing because I can´t stand other people´s saliva on and in me. It was a job, well-payed."

Tae´s body had locked up, his face gone blank. The knuckles on his fisted hands were turning white.

Jungkook went on.

"But other than I expected it wasn´t an easy task. Jimin-hyung was giving me a hard time as he wouldn´t open up to me the slightest bit. I was at a loss. Then he brought me to the party and I met you. And as I still wasn´t making any progress with your friend I decided to use you for getting close to him. Frankly speaking I was quite annoyed the job was still not done. So I met up with you occassionally - actually not - and everything went well, you even had the idea with project Jikook.

But then I made a stupid mistake, Hyung used his Blessing on me, I joked I had killed somebody which was true and he ran away screaming as he knew I spoke the truth. Eventually we got close nevertheless for reasons I still don´t know. We became something like friends and I didn´t want to kill Jimin-hyung anymore. Then the one who had given me the task got mad because Hyung was still alive. So we brought him away to a safe place, hiding him from other murderers like me.

And I was glad, so incredibly glad I no longer had to act as if I´m a fool inlove with Jimin. Because somewhere along the way I had fallen in love with you, with your kindness, your sunshine personality, your different view on everything, your big loud laughter, your deep voice, your music, your wonderful eyes, your hands, with everything you did. And it was driving me crazy to stay in my role and court your best friend instead of you."

Tae´s hands were no longer turned to fists. His eyes had gone wide, mouth slightly agape as a new kind of tension was keeping him from leaning back and relaxing.

"At first I was angry, I was mad at you because you had brought down all those walls and defenses I had built, you hade made me feel again. And I didn´t want this, didn´t want to go back to having feelings as they make it so much more difficult to keep my Blessing in check. A part of me hated you for forcing me back to feelings but there was nothing I could do as I was falling for you more and more while my control faded.

As I realized how stupid I had been, I became affraid. Affraid of hurting you in one way or another. Nobody knows how the Blessings are working so I began to fear I might kill you by accident. Which is the least I want to do, I swear! I don´t want to kill! Not you, not Jimin, not anybody else. So I tried, I tried very hard to surpress my Blessing, to not use it and cancel it through Relief. It worked for a while. Then it got bad. So bad I had to take another task.

And that´s what you saw. That woman, I wasn´t making out with her. I was actually killing her, using my Blessing on her so I could stay alive." He took a deep breath.

"And whatever you think of me now, I want you to understand two things:

One, I may be a mass murderer but it´s not like I´m enjoying this. I don´t have much of a choice. Either others die - and in my opinion it´s not the worst kind of death - or I die and I don´t know what happens then.

And two, all those kisses, all the people I made out with... it means nothing to me, in a romantical way."

Jungkook exhaled slowly. "So that´s it. I told my part. Now it´s up to you to decide what happens next."

Tae kept quiet for a moment, drawing patterns in the soil. Jungkook didn´t blame him, it was a lot to digest. As the brunet lifted his head, his gaze was steady though silver rimmed his eyes.

"Then what do I mean to you?"

...

"Everything."

"Hyung..." Jungkook tugged at Yoongi´s sleeve. "Hyung, what should I do?"

After Jungkook had practically confessed to Tae the latter had made him stay and tell him all the details what having feelings meant to his health and how he was involved with it. First Jungkook had tried to leave out the nasty details like his body sporting cracks or the hallucinations but turned out Tae had a sixth sense for pieces of the story missing. So Jungkook had to tell him everything and now Tae was sitting on the soil and crying in compassion.

"Hyuuuuung~", Jungkook whined and tugged at the sleeve again.

"Brat, isn´t that pretty much obvious? Go comfort him."

"What do you mean?"

"Geez, for starters, give him a hug."

Jungkook screeched. "A what ?!?"

"Oh, come-on. Be a man and hug your boy already." That being said Yoongi pushed the flustered maknae to the brunet.

Jungkook awkwardly crouched down and laid his arms around Tae. The brunet instantly scooted closer and snuggled against him. Warmth spread all over him.

"I don´t get it", Jungkook murmured slowly, running his hand through the silken long brown hair. "Why aren´t you affraid of me?"

Tae´s hands clutched the younger´s shirt tightly. "Because I´m even more affraid of losing you", he admitted as quietly.

With a shuddering breath he drew away enough to lock eyes with Jungkook and cup his face in both hands. As he had done so often, he laid their foreheads against each other. But this time it was much more intimate. "Really, I´m so glad that healer noona stopped by to help you. I don´t know what I would´ve done if- I´m just-- I´m so glad you are okay."

"Yeah", Jungkook whispered into the small space between them. "I´m okay now."

"By the way, hyung", Jungkook asked turning towards his second. "What were you doing at the lake?"

"Isn´t that obvious? I followed you guys. As if I let you go with a crazy stranger alone and in that condition."

Jungkook´s lips twitched upwards. "You are such a mom."

"I dare you, brat." Daggers were shooting from the elder´s piercing eyes. Jungkook was fast to lower his head and apologize.

"Oh, and on the ride I had a sweet talk with Jimin. He told me about his conversation with Taehyung yesterday."

"He... did?"

Yoongi snorted. "Kid, I can be quite convincing y´know."

"I don´t doubt it."

Phewwww...