'Are you nervous?' Jimin asked as he pressed the button on the elevator to get them to the ground floor where Yoongi was waiting for them in his office. The way Jimin kept looking at him with a knowing smirk made Taehyung feel uneasy but he had to appear strong and not frightened of the small novice or his boss.

'Not really.' The blond cleared his throat in a nonchalant manner as he ran his fingers through his hair to arrange it a little, even though it was perfectly fine. 'I just want to get this over with.'  He said right before the bell rang, notifying them that they arrived at their destination. 

Jimin gave him a slight nod, ushering him towards the empty lobby and up the small row of stairs that led to the west wing of the building. Taehyung frowned at the change of path because he didn't remember having to climb any stairs the first and only time he visited the devil's lair, as Taehyung liked to call him.

The door was closed this time, making the blond male's tummy tighten in nervousness. Jimin stopped in front of the door, bringing one finger to his lips to motion for Taehyung to be quiet as he knocked three consecutive times on the wooden surface. After they heard the approval to step into the room, Jimin opened the door widely, moving aside to let the blond meet the Master's sharp appearance.

The older man was sitting behind his desk, looking through a thick notebook with a pen nestled between his thumb and index, looking at the new intruders of his privacy through his round glasses. 

'Master, I brought you the prisoner as you wished.' Jimin bowed, almost folding himself in half and Taehyung wanted to laugh because Wow, he's extra obvious. 

'Thank you, Jimin. You may leave now. I have some important things to discuss with Mr. Kim here.' Yoongi put the pen in the notebook, leaving it as a bookmark as he closed book. He stood up from his chair and pointed towards the door for Jimin to follow the order.

Without another word said, the novice bowed again and turned on his heel, leaving the two alone in the room. Taehyung felt his heart pounding out of his chest as he saw the other male walking around the table to get to his side.

Yoongi leaned back against the table, palms gripping the edge of the desk to support his weight as he eyed the prisoner cautiously. There were a few seconds of staring down one another before Yoongi broke it, clearing his throat.

'Hello, Taehyung. It's good to see you again. Do you enjoy your stay at our headquarters?' Yoongi asked in a calm voice. Almost too calm that it had Taehyung's nerves on fire.

'Yes, it's lovely.' The blond rushed to answer, avoiding eye contact. He still saw from his peripheral vision the slow nod Yoongi provided.

'Is Jeongguk taking good care of you?' He asked, monitoring every move the prisoner made to read his body language even though he knew the answer all too well after the numerous hours of watching the couple in their every day - what they think it is - private life.  Taehyung only provided a simple nod as he fixed his eyes on the foot of the desk, playing with the ring on his left hand to try and get rid of the nervousness that was eating him alive.

'I want to thank you for cooperating with us and giving up the names of those bastards.' Yoongi continued with a sincere nod of his head, surprising Taehyung as he looked up at the assassin with wide eyes. His heart felt more relieved about the way the conversation headed in a safe direction. 

'Of course. I hate those assholes. I would do anything to help you get to them.' Taehyung's voice was wavering a little but that was the anxiousness of having to speak to someone so superior to him. 

'What made you change your mind about them? I remember you clearly wanted to take their side when you first came here.' Yoongi asked, genuinely curious about what events made him rethink his decision.

'Well, while I sat there alone with my thoughts, I realized that it's not worth covering for them when they treated me like shit.' Taehyung answered, honesty audible in his voice as he fidgeted anxiously. 

'Weren't you their boss?' Yoongi asked, the slightest of sympathy in his voice made the younger's head snap back up to look him in his eyes.

'Not really. I was a substitute for my uncle. They couldn't care less about me.' The blond lowered his head again, sadness filling up his heart.

'Why did your uncle put you up for this?' The Master felt a little guilty for making the conversation sound like an interrogation but it partly was that too. 

'I don't know...' Taehyung swallowed the lump in his throat as he felt his eyes sting; a sign of the incoming tears.

'Do you know what goes on in that company, Taehyung?' Yoongi asked, pushing himself off the table to get back to his seat behind the desk and pull out the second drawer from where he pulled a blue file, tagged Kim Industries. 'I think you should take a look at this.' He slid the file towards Taehyung and the younger leaned over to take it and flip through the pages and inculpatory pictures to find the familiar faces and information that Jeongguk had told him a few days ago as well.

'Jeongguk told me about it a few days ago. I didn't know he was mixing drugs with the medications, otherwise, I would've never even considered talking to him at all after what happened to my mom.' Taehyung's voice trailed off as he got lost in his thoughts again, thinking back to his mother's overdose.

'I have the assassins looking for your uncle's associates but I need to know that what you told us is true.' Yoongi's gaze made the young blond shift uncomfortably in his chair as his gaze was locked with the Master's cold eyes.

'It is, sir. I'm done covering up for their asses. I want to help you with all I can.' The younger said, puppy eyes on display for full effect even though his sincerity could be heard from the hurt in his voice. He wanted to be clear.

'Jeongguk mentioned to me that you'd like to join our creed. Is that true?' Yoongi studied his features carefully.

'If it means I'll help you put an end to all the bad things that happen in this world, of course, it is. I know this is not the best way to ask but I believe in this cause.' Taehyung spoke so sincerely that he surprised himself as well. He wanted to convince the man that he wasn't going to trick them but he didn't expect to be so interested in the job.

'Alright. I'll consider your proposal.' Yoongi nodded, lacing his fingers on the desk. 'Now, tell me.' He started, lowering his voice as if what he was about to say next shouldn't be heard by anyone even though they were alone in the soundproof office. 'How are you and Jeongguk getting along?' The question took the blond by surprise and he knew it was some kind of tricky question. He swallowed the lump in his throat as discreetly as he could, though Yoongi had eyes like a hawk and noticed immediately.

'We get along well.' His eyes found the scenery outside very interesting suddenly. A breathy chuckle left Yoongi's lips as he saw the nervousness creep onto Taehyung.

'Taehyung, if you want to become an assassin you need to work on perfecting the skill of lying.' He said and by the look of confusion on the younger's face, he took the liberty to continue. 'I know about you two. And I'm really thinking about sentencing Jeongguk since he broke the tenants. For the second time.' Yoongi's voice was serious, convincing even though he didn't mean it. He had to test the man to see if he was to be trusted. He wouldn't punish Jeongguk for the world. The young assassin was like a son to him.

'No, please. He didn't do anything wrong. I came on to him. I should be the one to pay for my mistakes.' He rushed to defend his boyfriend like his life depended on it.

'But he shouldn't have fallen for your tricks. That is the most important asset in the life of an assassin.' Yoongi held his gaze as Taehyung panicked internally in search for a convincing excuse.

'Please, sir.' He begged, his voice low as he felt the familiar sting in his eyes, doing his best to change the other's mind. 'I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something were to happen to him because of my doing.' He was close to crying and Yoongi decided to take pity on him, deeming him trustworthy, until proven guilty.

'Alright. Please, tell Jeongguk to drop by my office when he has the time.' He commanded in a sarcastic manner. 'Jiminie, please escort Mr. Kim back to his quarter.' He spoke into the microphone positioned next to him on the desk. 

At the sound of the nickname, Taehyung's eyes widened, the little wheels in his brain making sense of what was happening and he was startled when Yoongi cleared his throat rather loudly since he was staring incredulously at the older man but was saved from an embarrassing situation by Jimin entering through the door with a dumb smile on his face.

'Yoongie.' He saluted, turning his eyes to Taehyung who was smirking discreetly, careful so Yoongi couldn't see him. 'C'mon Taehyung. Let's get you back to Jeonggukie before he kills me.' He chuckled and Taehyung could see Yoongi shaking his head as a small smile formed on his face.

~

'So... You aimed for the boss, I see.' Taehyung smirked at a red-faced Jimin while they waited to get to the floor where Jeongguk was waiting for them. The shorter male stayed quiet, avoiding eye contact as he watched the floor numbers above the doors light up with each floor.

Without any other words, they found themselves at the door of his shared apartment, Jimin knocking softly on the wood as he tidied himself up to look as professional as he could to his mentor.

A couple of moments pass before the door opens to reveal an angry Jeongguk, eyes flaring as he stared Jimin up and down, looking past him to his lover and wordlessly ordering him to get inside as he shoved the shorter male aside to clear the path for his boyfriend. 

'Um... I'm gonna go..' Jimin mumbled as he stepped away because he didn't want to be near an angry Jeongguk especially after their latest bickerings.

Taehyung entered the flat quietly, the young assassin closing the door behind him with a loud thud, making the blond jump from the sudden loud noise. He turned around to see Jeongguk fuming, chest heaving from the anger.

'Gukkie?' Taehyung asked in a small voice, wavering from the fear of saying something wrong that might trigger the younger more.

'Shut up.' Jeongguk ordered in an alarmingly calm voice, making Taehyung swallow the lump in his throat as he watched his boyfriend closing the space between them with large steps. 

In an instant, he felt Jeongguk's lips smash onto his as his hand held his hip painfully tight while the other held his cheek too tenderly giving his current mood. The kiss was passionate and rushed as the younger tried to taste as much of the blond as possible, pulling him closer until he was safely -possessively- smushed against his chest. Hands traveling down the older's back, reaching his waist as he pulled it closer, their hips one against the other.

'Promise me you're only mine, Taehyung.' Jeongguk rested their foreheads together, voice almost a whisper, trembling from the powerful emotions that were possessing his body. 

'Of course, Jeongguk. I'm only yours, baby.' Taehyung responded voice filled with worry as he felt Jeongguk's arms hugging him tightly, head falling in the crook of the blond male's neck as a small sob left his mouth and Taehyung could only return the hug as he shushed him quietly, waiting for the younger to calm down before he could ask any questions about his odd outburst.

~

***

'Take a seat, Jeonggukie. I need to tell you something very important.' Yoongi said as soon as Jeongguk entered his office.

'What is it?' The young man said, taking the seat across from the blond male.

'This is gonna be difficult for me to tell you but there is no other way. I cannot keep this from you.' Yoongi sighed as he fidgeted with the papers on the desk, trying not to look the younger in the eyes.

'Yoongi, what is it? You're scaring me now.' Jeongguk moved to the edge of his seat, anxious and impatient to hear the news.

'It's about your mother.' Yoongi hesitated. 'We found her body in the courtyard... there was no pulse. I'm so sorry.'

'What?' Jeongguk was taken aback. 'How could this happen? Wasn't there anyone around her? You have thousands of fucking assassins and there was no one to watch her?' The young man started yelling. He was in a state of shock.

'Jeongguk... I'm really - '

'Where is she now?' The raven-haired male got up so abruptly that dizziness clouded his vision.

For a few seconds, the image before his eyes distorted and turned to look like he was back in his room, having a heated argument with his mother but he couldn't remember it ever happening.

'Jeongguk, don't be fooled by his kindness. That's all bullshit. He knew your dad was gonna get killed on that mission and he still made him go. Now, trust me and let's get out of here!' Suji growled at her son's stubbornness.

'I can't just go mom! I have to find out who did this to us. Can't you understand?'

'You're just like him. That's what's gonna get you killed as well. But I'm not just gonna stay here and watch you do this to yourself.' Tears were pooling in her eyes as she watched her son choose the order and revenge over her. 'If you ever change your mind,  I'll be over at your grandma's. I love you, baby.' She kissed his forehead gently before she hugged him tightly.

'I love you too, mom. I promise I'll come back to you after I find out who did this.' Jeongguk's voice wavered. He didn't want to leave his mom but he couldn't accept the way his dad passed away. He had to get his revenge.

It all happened so quickly that it made his head spin. A sharp pain struck his head and it didn't seem to be a coincidence anymore.

'Jeongguk, are you okay?' Yoongi asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

'Yes. I'm fine. I just need some fresh air.' And with that, the younger left to take a walk and process what he just found out.

***