Free Will

Worthy

There's something different in the air today. It's crackling with some sort of energy, making every movement tense and every interaction feel dangerous. It's been a long time since Jimin's felt this level of new magic in one area and he almost forgot how uncomfortable and foul it feels in comparison to old magic.

Jimin's sure Jin recognizes this feeling as well; after all, he'd been near the gods far more recently than Jimin has. If he says that Jimin's diagnosing it wrong then he'll believe the elder, no questions asked.

He takes the stairs down from his room slow, frightened that any movement too fast will cause magical sparks and curse the building. In the main room of the inn there at no one speaks, they all just sit staring at their food or mead in a silence that's thick in a way not unlike syrup. Their movements, and even thoughts, are slow today. Jimin moves passed this room as quickly as he dares, determined to find Jin.

Luckily enough the other men are always in the courtyard, using it too practice their battle skills as Taehyung reads from foreign books, likely butchering the languages. He won't be participating in any fighting unless they've all died- although Jimin's hoping his plan will ensure there's no fighting at all. Today is no different from the past in that they're all in the courtyard, but they're all just sitting there, barely even speaking to each other.

Jin leans against Namjoon, the younger's arm wrapped around him. Jimin beelines towards him and drops into a squat in front of the couple. "They're here?"

"Only some. The over prepared ones- the competitive ones- the ones who wanna take the opportunity to be worshiped."

Jimin raises his eyebrows. "So? All of them?"

"All but your father... there's a distinct lack of the feeling of war."

Hobi snorts from a couple feet away. "Cute little Jiminie's dad it the god of war?"

"And my mother is the minor goddess Pestilence. Can we move on?" His tone is short, but he justifies it by reminding himself just how awful his parents are. "Is it just the originals or the whole pantheon?"

Jin sits up slightly and sticks his tongue out, giving off the impression that he's tasting the air. "Originals. They're at the temple in the middle of the city."

"Was that a locator spell?" Jungkook asks, awed.

"No," Jin says, "It was just common sense, ya dweeb."

Namjoon chuckles at his apparently 'mature' response and Jimin takes the moment to think things over. They don't have long before the last god arrive. His father always likes a dramatic entrance, after all. If they want to get there in time they'll have to leave now, no delays.

"It's time."

Jimin's thankful for the men's level of preparation. Each of them has their weapon on them and Tae carries the first aid kit, ready to jump to their sides with medical care should need be. Jimin is also ready. He carries the knife Namjoon gave him back when they'd visited the town where Taehyungs gift had been active. He also carries the vial around his neck. If Jimin plays his cards right none of them will need their weapons.

They get up without question, and Jimin can't help but smile as he watches Taehyung pull Jungkook up. Still cautious, but much more willing to touch the younger than he was before their little quest. To be fair to the youngests, it seems like they weren't the only ones to be brought together. Jin and Namjoon have been more than obvious that they've finally admitted to being in love. And while Jimin and Yoongi have been much more subdued, they also connected deeply during their side quest. Not for the first time, Jimin feels sympathy for Hobi, he promises himself that once this is all over he'll help the red haired man find a girlfriend if he wants one. If not then the least he can do is try to make sure he doesn't take up too much of Yoongi's time- after all - they're best friends.

For a moment Jimin feels stupid for thinking about something as inconsequential as their love lives before he remembers what Namjoon had said at dinner the other night. 'Living for nothing is not living at all, humans are creatures that want and crave- be it materials or something more abstract. We live for that, we live for the promise of something better.'

Jimin had thought about what he said a lot and he decided that although he may not have been born human, nor ever truly been human even when he was cast out, now, being a full fledged god and a wielder of old magic, Jimin felt more human than ever before. Before he had nothing, now he has everything worth fighting for.

But that means he has to fight. Be it weapons, words, or even magic, Jimin cannot sit by and let humanity become mindless drones once again.

So here they stand, in front of the temple to the gods. Haverami war originally a monastery type place, where they spend their whole lives devoted to all the gods, and it shows in the size and beauty of the building. In Jimin's long life he's seen a lot of temples, none quite as grandiose as the one before him.

"Figures they'd want to meet here," He says, causing a laugh from Jin. "Alright, We're going in. Don't pull your weapons at first- they were human once, maybe they can see reason."

"That's likely." Tae says. He starts walking before the rest can even react to his sarcasm, treating walking into the masterpiece of architecture before him as if it were nothing more than a dilapidated barn.

Jimin smiles to himself, each and every moment of Taehyung is worth fighting for.

The rest walk more carefully, trying to seem respectful so they don't seem out of place despite their weapons- but Yoongi stays behind with Jimin for a moment. He reaches his hand out to the silver haired male, heat bubbling under his skin, ready to be let out in case of emergency. Jimin takes the offered hand and draws him in closer, so that their bodies are nothing but a hairsbreadth away from each other.

"Stay safe." Jimin says.

Yoongi chuckles "That's my line..." He touches Jimin's cheek. "Don't let the old magic consume you- it has a mind of its own."

"Yes, but it also has a heart of its own. It protects those worthy- I just have to hope I'm still worthy."

"You are," He says it so lowly that it they weren't less than an inch apart Jimin wouldn't have heard it. He's not meant to hear it, probably.

This moment, this kindness this- Yoongi... they're worth fighting for, worth living for.

Hi ARMY's!

I can't excuse my absence, it was absolutely abhorrent and I promise I'm working on improving my mental health so that I'm able to update more often instead of getting panic attacks or lack of motivation to even eat much less write. Somehow, writing a fic is mildly better than depression and anxiety, but only mildly.

I hope you enjoyed this update, we're nearing the end!