As promised, Hoseok carried Yoongi on his back to their room, an action that Yoongi extremely enjoyed and despite grumbling about it, could tell Hoseok enjoyed it too. Yoongi took the opportunity to nuzzle his face into Hoseok's shoulders, occasionally giving him kisses now and then.
Jimin and Jungkook had followed them, mostly because they were used to seeing the twin' faces every few hours. As they entered the room, Yoongi was surprised to see his room, not a complete mess. Hoseok set him down carefully, putting Yoongi's arm around his shoulder so that he could practice walking. Yoongi still didn't have full control over his limbs yet, so he ended up clinging to Hoseok completely. Hoseok found the action adorable, teasing Yoongi and calling him a koala. At the teasing Yoongi stuck his tongue out, pretending to look cross before diverting his attention to the twins.
To his relief they were wide awake, their eyes staring all around the room. It struck Yoongi how they were already over a month old, feeling displeasure that he wasn't present for most of the month. Fortunately for him, at the feeling of his hands, they recognized him, immediately ceasing any noise. Hoseok watched as Yoongi's eyes lit up at the sight of them, his arms gently picking up twin A, who made a throaty sound once picked up.
"Hey, baby." Yoongi murmured, rocking the baby in his arms."I've missed you. I'll be here from now on for the both of you."
"If you're not then I'll take them for you." Jungkook joked, smiling at them."I love them."
"You did a good job with them." Hoseok complimented."You and Jimin."
"Of course we did." Jimin scoffed."Did you expect something different? Although now, Jungkook won't shut up about wanting kids."
"What's wrong with kids?" Yoongi questioned as he continued to rock A.
"Jungkook's a kid himself!" Jimin exasperated."He's seventeen."
"If Jungkook wants a kid, he can have one." Yoongi smiled brightly."Not mine though." He looked at A more, studying the features he knew was there before it struck him."Reuben."
"What?"
"His name. Min-Jung Reuben." Yoongi stated once more."That should be his name. Can it?"
Hoseok paused, before nodding once, the realization hitting him."I see what you did there. Jungkook, Jimin, what do you think?"
Jungkook smiled."I think it's a lovely name. If it's what you want." Jimin nodded at the statement, agreeing as well. Hoseok turned to Yoongi once more.
"Since when did we agree to hyphenate our names?" he mused."Their last name should be my last name." Yoongi scrunched his nose at the thought.
"It's more powerful with both of our last names." he responded lightly."Jungkook. Do you think it's okay if we were to call B, Aaliyah? If it weren't for your sister, Hoseok and I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't want to name my first girl any other name."
"Of course." Jungkook picked her up from her crib."It would be an honor, wouldn't it be Aaliyah?" The baby squirmed in response."I think she likes it."
"Well then." Hoseok grinned."Reuben and Aaliyah, it is."
Hoseok walked Yoongi carefully to their bed, taking soft steps in attempts to make sure Yoongi could waddle himself now that he couldn't walk. Hoseok sat Yoongi down who was cooing at Reuben. Jimin couldn't help but smile at the sight, his heart overflowing with happiness. He looked at Jungkook whose eyes were still red from crying. But with the baby in his arms, it was different. All his attention was focused on her needs. From what Jimin could tell, taking care of a child seemed to distract Jungkook momentarily from the burdens of his reality.
Jimin couldn't fully grasp that Ruby was completely gone. He remembered when she first came into the compound, confused, scared, but relieved all the same. He was the first one to introduce himself to her and he and Hoseok had shown her around before helping her to fully adjust to her new life. At the time, the number of runaways had gone down so having new people being integrated into their life was a big deal. Jimin and Hoseok had been with Ruby every step of the way, and she had made herself a big part of their lives. They depended on each other a lot, coordinated with each other. To have her gone, just like that, was surreal. He had never lost anyone that close to him like that before, he didn't know how to process it. Not even his developments could aid him in the process of grief.
Now that Ruby was fully out of the picture, Jimin knew how much more dangerous their situation had become. Taehyung and Ruby were a Perfect Match, meaning that now that Ruby was gone, Taehyung would lose all of his emotions and consciousness. The things that helped keep him at bay would no longer be there. Now, Taehyung would no longer feel guilt and do things that he wants to do, regardless if it hurts people or not. The thought of that frightened Jimin over anything.
It only took about twenty-four hours for the Perfect Match mark to deactivate itself after a passing, taking every strand of emotion with them. He took a look around the room, locking eyes with Hoseok who seemed to be just as conflicted as he was. Jimin gave a slight nod, motioning for Hoseok to step out of the room. Hoseok, noticing the nod, stood up, smiling at Yoongi. He whispered something in Yoongi's ear before kissing him on the cheek.
"We'll be back." Hoseok smiled."Feel free to sit Jungkook."
"Where are you two going?" Jungkook asked, curiosity lighting in his expression. Jimin smiled hastily at Jungkook.
"Oh don't mind us. We just need to follow up on some things." Jimin responded, casually."It won't take long, I promise."
Jungkook nodded, his attention zoning back on Aaliyah, who upon the realization that attention was no longer on her, began to squirm in his hold. Jimin chuckled softly at the action of the baby, before walking out with Hoseok. As soon as the door closed, Hoseok pointed to the end of the hallway. Jimin nodded, both of them walking at a quick pace to Namjoon's room, where he no doubt was with Seokjin. As they neared closer, they could hear a heated conversation coming from there. Hoseok raised an eyebrow. Were Seokjin and Namjoon fighting?
The thought wasn't too far off. After Namjoon and Seokjin had retreated to Namjoon's room, Namjoon turned towards Jin, a conflicted expression in his face. Seokjin cocked his head to the side, looking at Namjoon in mild confusion. Namjoon stayed silent for a few moments, before finally looking at Jin.
"You've been distancing yourself." he stated briefly."I can feel it. Why?"
"Namjoon, it's nothing." Jin replied."You're just overreacting."
"Am I?" Namjoon raised an eyebrow."You know, a few hours ago, I talked with Aaliyah. She was at the Jeon home, and she was about to make her debut with Taehyung."
"Which didn't happen." Jin exasperated."We all saw it. He pretty much killed her. Her body has probably been taken away at this point, probably to be cremated or something."
Namjoon shook his head."That's not what I'm talking about."
"If you talked to her, why didn't you stop her from attempting to kill Taehyung?" Jin realized, starting to feel anger."You could have helped avoid all of this if you had managed to convince Aaliyah not to pull the trigger. She used your gun. I can recognize that weapon anywhere. Did you give it to her? Direct her where to get it?"
"I told her not to." Namjoon snapped."It is not my fault that she decided not to listen to me. Since when does that have to do with me. In any case, we aren't discussing the causes of Aaliyah's death. She made her choices, no matter how stubborn and dumb they may have been. That is beyond me. What I want to talk about was something she told me." Namjoon walked closer to Jin."See, when she communicated with me, she asked me about Yoongi. What was interesting about it was that she didn't ask me if he was alive. She asked me his current state."
Seokjin froze, panic beginning to stir inside him. If Namjoon noticed the sudden change he didn't comment on it. Instead, he continued."So I asked her, how could she know anything about Yoongi, given that she was taken by Taehyung and lost all communication with us. That's when she told me something very unsettling but interesting nonetheless. Do you know what she told me?"
Without waiting for a response, Namjoon continued. "She told me Taehyung had been keeping her updated on Yoongi's condition. Taehyung doesn't know anything about this place. Taehyung doesn't have any known contact here. So it made me wonder. How could Taehyung know how Yoongi was doing? Sure, he could have been making guesses on how he was, but would Taehyung lie to Aaliyah?"
"He's more than capable to lie to her," Seokjin said flatly."How is this alarming? He could have been making guesses, just to keep Aaliyah by his sad. Namjoon, his main tactic is manipulation. It's the one thing he excels at. Of course, he would lie to her. He was trying to get her back. That's the only logical explanation for this. Do you think Taehyung would have kidnapped her only to kill her in front of everyone? You could tell from the broadcast that they had feelings going on. Did Aaliyah tell you she had feelings for him when she talked to you?"
Namjoon frowned."Well, yes."
"Exactly! He was trying to win her heart. She betrayed him and boom, she died." Seokjin scoffed, looking at Namjoon."What were you trying to insinuate, hm?"
Namjoon's facial expressions remained stoic as he said flatly, "I think you know what my suspicions are. You know, ever since we've been here, all I've felt you do is become more isolated. Yes, you've been helping me and have been by my side. But, something's off for me. It's not the same. What exactly happened when you were in the facility? You don't talk about it at all."
Seokjin's jaw clenched."I don't want to talk about it. You don't have to know everything, Namjoon."
"You're hiding something." Namjoon accused."I know you are. We've been matched for over ten years. I know you, Jin. I can read you like the back of my hand. What are you hiding?"
"Look, I don't want to burden you with what I suffered, okay?" Jin nearly shouted. "Why can't you understand that I'm just trying to protect you? I know you too. You're going to feel guilty. I apologize for making sure that you don't drown yourself. I love you. I love you a lot. I can't let the person I love the most hurt because of me."
Namjoon gritted his teeth, not looking fully convinced."I love you too, Jin, but I can't help but be suspicious—"
"Joonie. Joonie. Baby. There's nothing wrong with me." Jin lied smoothly."Everything's fine. Stop worrying so much."
Before Namjoon could respond, there was a knock on the door. Seokjin and Namjoon immediately pulled back, plastering a calm expression on their faces before opening the door. Jimin and Hoseok came in, looking at both of them with uncertainty.
"Were you guys fighting?" Jimin asked."We could hear shouts as we were walking here."
"Don't worry about it." Jin snapped, harsher than intended. He gave Jimin an apologetic glance."What can we do for you guys?"
"Well, for one, the twins have names now." Hoseok smiled wanly."Aaliyah and Reuben."
"Oh, that's great. I'm sure Ruby would have loved those names." Namjoon said enthusiastically."It is definitely a good way to keep her memory alive."
"Should we hold a proper funeral for her?" Jimin asked, hesitant."Everyone here loved her. It would be wrong to not do something for her."
"We'll probably do something for her in the next few days." Namjoon paused."We don't have the body, so we can't arrange anything just yet. Anything else you need?"
"I was thinking. We have less than twenty-four hours before Taehyung loses his ability to feel, completely." Jimin stated, pursing his lips."Once that happens, wouldn't that liberate him to do everything he feels like, without feeling guilt over the consequences?"
Namjoon nodded slowly, his eyes looking at Seokjin briefly."We should be prepared just in case."
"We don't know what Taehyung is really capable of." Hoseok said."The only person that could have let us know is dead. We should be taking the necessary precautions to ensure everyone's safety."
"I completely agree. We should definitely be prepared." Jin responded."What precautions do you think we should take?"
"What should we expect?" Hoseok asked back, eyeing Seokjin."You've been with him the longest. What do you think he's capable of?"
Seokjin grimaced."When someone has no emotions, they have the will to do anything. They can't feel remorse or guilt. They're capable of anything and everything, regardless of how many people they hurt to do something. People like that, they're the most dangerous people of all. Taehyung could watch the world burn and not flinch at the fact. In other words, there's no telling what he's capable of because he is capable of everything."
Unbeknownst to the others, Seokjin knew exactly what Taehyung was planning to do. It was his backup plan if Aaliyah ultimately didn't accept him. The plan that Seokjin himself had helped Taehyung plot. The plan, once executed, would destroy everything that was built throughout the decades.
The one Seokjin had already started executing.
a/n: ya'll telling me that i'm going to be able to watch concerts via youtube on the 18th and 19th. i get to see house of cards live, tony montana (ft jimin), and relive the concerts as if they were my own. um yes, sign me up. only three chapters left (officially, includes epilogue as well). can't believe we've gotten this far, i really do feel like crying.