Despite knowing that he should get Namjoon out of the situation they were in as fast as possible, Taehyung still had no clue how to do that.

One day after it had been announced that the guard who had stopped the intruder had been transferred to the other commune, the people in this commune were getting served breakfast, which consisted of oatmeal and some fruits. After receiving his bowl, Taehyung searched for Namjoon to sit next to him while they ate, but he saw Namjoon sitting and eating next to Jungkook.

               T: Damn it, Jeon-Kim Jungkook, that’s my spot!

However, Taehyung didn’t do anything to reclaim it. Instead, he inconspicuously went and sat behind them, without them noticing him there, and tried to listen in on what they could be talking about because he was curious and it might reveal unexpected things.

J: “So now that things have settled down again, we’re gonna go on the field work trip that got postponed. We’re setting off tomorrow morning and I’ll be away for 4 or 5 days. Are there any kinds of medicinal herbs we don’t have here that you might need? Maybe I can find some along the way and bring them to you.”

N: “Well… Thyme, Echinacea, Marigold and Sage if you come across some.”

J: “Okay. Got it.”

               T: Really? You can identify all those plants, Mr. Engineer? I don’t buy it.

Because something seemed off to Taehyung, he followed after Jungkook after they finished eating, in a way in which neither Namjoon nor Jungkook would noticed him, and when Jungkook entered an outdoor stall, Taehyung went behind it to look inside through a crack between the wooden boards. If he got to see parts of Jungkook that weren’t usually covered, that would be good too, but Taehyung suspected there would be something more interesting to witness and he was right. Jungkook pulled out a sheet of paper from his underwear and his eyes scanned it as he faintly talked to himself:

J: “So… antiseptic, insulin, Amoxicillin and… Thyme, thyme… Ah, Zebeta… ! So many… And I’m almost out of money…”

Taehyung leaned in and touched the wooden board just a bit, creating the faintest of sounds, but Jungkook immediately became alert and came out of the stall, looking everywhere around for what could’ve caused that noise, just in case it was a person. Taehyung swiftly and silently hid inside another stall, feeling like he had just barely managed to escape being attacked by a hawk. He didn’t even breathe till he saw through the cracks of the stall he was in that Jungkook had given up his search, but not after glaring at each stall in his proximity.

               T: And I thought I was the ninja wannabe…

After Jungkook left, Taehyung got out of the stall, closed the door, leaned with his back on it and let himself slide down till he was sitting on the ground and let out a relieved sigh along the way. Then he saw Jungkook come out from behind the wall of a nearby shack, where he had hidden to see who would come out of a stall and might have overheard. It looked like Jungkook was annoyed, but still relieved that it had been Taehyung who had probably spied on him, so he turned and walked away.

T: So you’re like this and you smuggle in medicine while using your own money and taking so many risks, probably just because there are people who need it…

Taehyung pressed his hand against his chest because there was a warm ache there that usually didn’t appear whenever Namjoon was not concerned and it annoyed him beyond belief.

T: Fine! Okay! I get it! I’ll admit you’re a kind and impressive person. And that I may have a mild obsession with you… Alright, Jeon-Kim Jungkook. I’ll give trusting you a shot.

So that night, Taehyung climbed down the drainage pipe and reached for Jungkook’s open window till he had both feet on the window sill and was ready to step inside the room. However, he froze in place and moved only his gaze to see Jungkook holding the pointier end of a screwdriver very close to Taehyung’s left eyeball.

J: “What are you doing here?”

Even though Jungkook spoke in a barely audible voice, Taehyung could still feel the anger and fear within it and, considering that people were planning on killing Jungkook, he felt relieved that this was Jungkook’s reaction to someone entering through his window because it meant that Jungkook couldn’t easily be attacked during the night. Even though Taehyung knew he had been as silent as a cockroach, just like he had been when he snuck into a guard’s room undetected, Jungkook’s instincts still picked up on something coming towards him.

T: “I came to talk.” Taehyung said, also in a barely audible voice.

J: “What about?”

T: “Could you maybe let me move away from the window before that so a patrolling guard won’t end up seeing me?”

Still holding the screwdriver directed at Taehyung, Jungkook backed away just enough for Taehyung to enter the room so that he won’t be seen at the window.

J: “Start talking.”

T: “Why do you recruit ex-convicts?”

J: “Is that seriously why you came he…”

T: “Just answer the question. I have a personal need to know.”

J: “Cause the chances of successful conversion are…”

T: “Not the official bull reasons. I can figure those out myself.” Taehyung said and Jungkook hesitated a bit before he let out:

J: “Look – If I have to bring people to this hellhole, isn’t it a bit better if I bring them instead of completely innocent people?”

Of course Jungkook would have a reason like this that would have never occurred to Taehyung. Well, at least Taehyung received confirmation for what he thought – at its core, Jungkook’s motivation for anything was good.

J: “So you put us both at risk by coming here just to ask that?”

T: “No. I came to make a deal with you.” Taehyung said with a smirk as he pulled out a bill that was worth a lot.

J: “How did you get that in here? Was it in your underwear?”

T: “Actually, this and other such bills were inside a knotted I shoved up my . I figured they wouldn’t check us THAT thoroughly. Don’t worry though. The bills are clean. I don’t intend to make your hands dirty in this kind of way as well. Unless you’re into that, of course.”

J: “…”

T: “Alright, down to business – I want you to use this money to get me some things from whichever city you’ll be going to for recruiting. Afterwards, there will be enough money left to cover the meds Joon wants you to smuggle in and you can also get yourself something nice if you want.”

J: “What do you need?”

Taehyung listed the things he wanted Jungkook to get him and the latter responded with:

J: “Hell no! You’re gonna use those to cause more trouble, won’t you? You already caused a fire and got a guard killed.”

T: “I did not get him killed. I framed him and got him in trouble, but it was not my decision to have him killed. Also, how did you know it was me?”

J: “I didn’t. I just had a gut feeling, but you just confirmed it.”

T: “And you just confirmed that the guard’s dead instead of transferred, except for maybe transferred into our digestive tracts.” Taehyung said to see how Jungkook would react but, since Jungkook just looked away with grief and anger, it confirmed to Taehyung that his theory had been right and that Jungkook knew about it.

Then, Taehyung lifted up the bill between his fingers like he was showing it off as he continued:

T: “So, when I heard you talk to yourself in the stall, it sounded like your funds are running out… Insulin is something you need a regular supply of, right? But can a person who needs it die if they don’t get it on time?” Taehyung asked, faking concern but having a smirk on his face while waving the bill in the air, and that smirk grew even bigger when Jungkook frowned at him before he took the bill and said:

J: “I’ll do my best. But, depending on the circumstances, I might not be able to get everything you said and smuggle it in.”

T: “Just do what you can. Also, get a bar of white chocolate with raspberry filling.”

J: “What?! You’re gonna waste money on that in these circumstances?! I know you have cravings, but…”

T: “Trust me – the strongest craving I have is for money. So I wouldn’t waste it senselessly. The choco is for Joon. It’s his favorite snack and he hasn’t had any in months, so I want him to have some. You can give it directly to him if it’s easier.”

J: “Just… what kind of person are you?! You cause trouble and put people in danger with no remorse, but you can also do something sweet like this… I don’t get you at all!”

T: “I don’t know why you’re even saying such things when I already clearly told you – I’m trouble.”

Jungkook silently face-palmed and he shook his head, then asked:

J: “Is there anything else you need?”

T: “Just one more thing.” Taehyung said, before he suddenly hugged Jungkook making the latter freeze.

T: Alright. Let’s see how you react. If you instantly push me away or if you cause a big fuss, you’re too impulsive for me to trust… Okay, so you’re not impulsive, but this is taking a while. Aren’t you gonna do or say anything?

When Jungkook stopped being frozen by the unexpected action and his conflicting inner reactions to it, he dropped his head on Taehyung’s shoulder and hugged him back, letting himself go into the embrace.

               T: Hold on, what is this? Is… Ah, right, I get now…

Taehyung remembered that most humans need affection, including physical affection, and being deprived of that was similar to being deprived of sleep, but way less intense. Jungkook had been in that cult for nearly a year at that point, struggling in many ways and being under all sorts of pressure. The stronger he maintained himself, the more his vulnerability subconsciously grew.

T: When’s the last time someone hugged you, Jungkook… or even had a genuine and lighthearted conversation with you…

Taehyung couldn’t really relate, but he understood. When he had been stretched out so thin that he would either break or harm someone, Namjoon’s affection and kindness saved him and helped him turn that state into flexibility. Of course, that didn’t compel Taehyung to spread kindness and affection in the least. So the feelings he was having at that moment were very unfamiliar to him. He felt like he really wanted to soothe Jungkook and give him a lot of affection, so he hugged him tighter and he started very slowly caressing the back of Jungkook’s head with one hand.

A couple of minutes passed by just like that. Taehyung held Jungkook like he was loved and he stopped thinking a while ago because the warm ache in his chest made it too hard to concentrate.

They pulled back slowly and, as their eyes clearly saw each other in the darkness, Taehyung’s hand glided over the side of Jungkook’s head. Then Taehyung closed the distance again and they kissed with slow movements but a lot of pressure.

This was also unfamiliar territory for Taehyung – kissing in a way in which you wanted to give something to the other person instead of wanting to get something from them.

As they kissed with more and more passion, Taehyung’s hands and arms went behind Jungkook and pulled him closer to Taehyung with a lot of strength but still gentle in how they glided over Jungkook’s back and head. Jungkook had been hesitant in the beginning, but he had been completely open and now his hands were pushing against and gliding over Taehyung’s back with the same strength and emotion.

When they parted and looked at each other, Taehyung’s eyes suddenly betrayed that he was slightly freaking out on the inside and then his voice also betrayed that as he said:

T: “Uhm, I… I should get going.”

Taehyung backed away a bit, intending to leave, but Jungkook held his hand so Taehyung stopped for a second, then went right back in with even more passion. He could tell himself later on that a combination of lust and a long period of abstinence had gotten the better of him, but that would not justify how lovingly he was kissing and touching Jungkook and neither would it explain why he felt some strange type of bliss from Jungkook feeling everything so deeply.

There were no condoms, lotions or even napkins available and it was very risky making any noises louder than a breath, so they just kissed, touched and finished the other off with their mouths. When they were done, Taehyung gave Jungkook the deepest and longest kiss of that night but, when that also ended, he whispered:

T: “I really have to go now.”

As he walked towards the window, he suddenly stopped, stood still and silent for a moment, then turned and said:

T: “Stay safe, Jungkook.”

After Taehyung reached from the window to the drainage pipe and started climbing on it, Jungkook went to the window to check if Taehyung got to his room safely and if there was anyone outside to see him do that. Since all seemed well, Jungkook went back into his room, sat on the bed, let out a light laugh and said:

J: “Stay out of trouble, Taehyung… was what I wanted to say to you… But it would be senseless, wouldn’t it?”

Then Jungkook lowered his head into his hands and let out a series of quiet laughs with a set of very contradictory emotions and thoughts behind it.

Two days had passed since Jungkook left the commune to do recruiting work and Taehyung wanted to kick himself in the balls for the situation he had gotten himself into. Before he hugged Jungkook, Taehyung would’ve cared about Jungkook getting caught trying to smuggle stuff in only because it could’ve negatively impacted him. Now he was worried he had made Jungkook take too many risks at once, that Jungkook might get killed and never return, that both of them became weak and unfocused after indulging in carnal and emotional pleasures etc. If he had just stopped hugging Jungkook before things spiraled in another direction, things would’ve been much chiller right now.

Because of what was going on in his mind, Taehyung was continuously stomping his foot on the ground while he ate lunch next to Namjoon and the latter was confused out of his mind, thinking initially that Taehyung was trying to tell him something through their secret way of communicating but was just throwing letters together without any sense.

N: “Are you okay?” Namjoon eventually asked him out loud.

T: “Huh? Uh, yeah. Sorry…”

T: Worrying is not gonna do anything but make me waste valuable time… I should do something with this time…

Taehyung remembered that both Jungkook and Namjoon were here because they worried over somebody, so he settled on using this opportunity to communicate something to Namjoon by tapping the bowl in his hands with his finger. What he said to Namjoon was: Seokjin escaped. Namjoon chocked when he heard and Taehyung concluded that Namjoon had had no idea what happened to Seokjin.

T: “You okay?”

Namjoon lifted his head back up, took in a deep breath of air and let it out smiling as he replied:

N: “Yeah.”

Namjoon didn’t even think of doubting Taehyung and he looked relieved to hear that, even though that meant he had gotten himself stuck in such a ty situation for nothing. There was no limit to Namjoon’s nobleness. Taehyung was glad about that, but it made him wonder again why Jungkook flat out rejected the idea that his cousin/brother had escaped, so he thought he would ask him that after Jungkook returned.

But Taehyung could simply not sit still waiting for Jungkook to return, so he snuck out one night and made many hard to notice holes in the roof of the factory for water to come in through them and ruin the product they were working on whenever it would rain. The factory was basically a very large shack made out of wood and the roof had only some foam isolation to protect it from the rain.

Taehyung didn’t know when it would rain again or how much damage this stunt would cause, but he needed to let out some pent up frustration because he just couldn’t figure out what to do now that he had two people he wanted to rescue and still no clue how.

Five days had passed since Jungkook left and, that morning, Taehyung was almost shaking on his way to the public square because he feared the leader would announce that Jungkook had been transferred to the other commune. When he got to the public square however, he saw a group of new members and, beside them, was Jungkook. Taehyung exhaled so much tension that his body wobbled.

This was the fourth time Taehyung had witnessed a group of new members go through the ritual of passage since he had gone through it himself, so he knew that he had to be part of the crowd that gave reactions according to a set of unwritten rules. But he didn’t care in the least.

Every new group of people usually meant that one person from that group would get toilet duty. The woman Taehyung had initially been on toilet duty with had been relieved of this duty, but Taehyung hadn’t. However, he now only had to do it for half the week.

Jungkook and the other recruiters had come with a group of new members, so that meant they would spend the whole day giving guidance, then they would have to go give individual reports to the leader.

Every new group of people also usually meant one or two of those new members getting transferred to the other commune, most likely because they realized what a hellhole they had come to and tried escaping, which consequently meant a few of the following meals would include meat from wild animals the hunters have hunted. Because, apparently, anyone going against the leader, was a wild animal and was to be treated as such.

T: Maybe I could make a bunch of these new members try to escape at the same time. If it turns chaotic, the hunters and the guards will have their hands full and the three of us could escape… Not that Joon or Jungkook would ever agree to using other people like that, but I could just knock both of them out, put them in the wheelbarrow and push them out of here with all the force I’ve gained from the amount of physical labor they’ve made me do so far…

Taehyung wanted to scratch his eyes out. Even if he could make himself ignore the moral principles of the people he wanted to save, he would never be able to make himself hit Namjoon and, in Jungkook’s case, it might actually be impossible because Jungkook could go from hawk to wild herbivore with amazing self-preservation instincts, so not even a wannabe ninja like Taehyung could knock him out.

At night, he waited in his room, continuously peeking outside the window to see when Jungkook would return. He saw him come towards the building and their eyes locked for a moment before Jungkook continued on his way to get inside. Then Taehyung kept fidgeting because he needed it to be late into the night before he would climb down to Jungkook’s room, or else there would be too much risk of being discovered.

It had been dark for several hours when Taehyung stood up and thought it might be a good time to go. Then he heard a knock on his floor, so it meant Jungkook also thought it was a good time for Taehyung to come in case he was planning to.

After Taehyung entered through the window, they just looked at each other. Then, Jungkook said:

J: “I managed to get most of the stuff you said…”

Jungkook didn’t get to finish what he had to say because Taehyung nearly teleported in front of him and enveloped him in a bone-crunching hug. Taehyung didn’t say anything, but it was pretty clear what he was feeling. Jungkook hugged back as he let out an awkward laugh and said:

J: “Missed me?”

Taehyung suddenly pulled away, startling Jungkook, then he kissed him very eagerly for a couple of minutes till he suddenly stopped that action as well.

T: “Wait. You’ve been on the bus last night and had to do guidance today, which means you barely slept in the last 30 hours.”

J: “Uh, yeah. So?”

T: “Go to bed. We’ll do this some other time.” Taehyung said as he pushed Jungkook towards his bed while he turned and headed towards the window.

J: “Hang on.” Jungkook whisper-shouted as he grabbed Taehyung’s hand, making him turn back around, and placed several small bags and paper packages in his hand. “Here’s the stuff you wanted.”

Taehyung used his free hand to gently pull Jungkook by the back of his head and kiss him in one strong motion. Then he pulled away, smiled and, still holding onto the back of Jungkook’s head, said:

T: “Hope you also got yourself something nice.”

J: “I think I may have.”

T: “Oh? What’d you get?”

J: “A person.”

T: “Huh?”

J: “I think I may have gotten myself a nice person.” Jungkook said and suddenly Taehyung frowned.

T: “Listen – I don’t care if you have other lovers in every city you go to, but don’t rub it in my face while I’m here with a lot of pent up frustration towards hundreds of other things. Okay? Now go to sleep.”

Jungkook didn’t get to say anything else because Taehyung was already out the window and climbing the drainage pipe towards his room.

J: “I meant you, you idiot…” Jungkook quietly muttered to himself before he went to bed.