Early morning sun nudged its way through a slim crack in the navy-blue curtains. It drew a path from the window, across the beige carpet and crawled up onto the bed. An arm was draped over another's stomach, exposed to the gentle caress of sunlight by the thin sheet pulling away during the night.

Taehyung's eyes fluttered open only to close again when met with the smiling sun, he tried to lift a hand to shield his eyes but found his left arm pinned between his own body and Jeongguk's. The young stripper recognised their compromising position with a jolt. Jeongguk's arm was wrapped around him, clutching at his hip. Below the covers, Taehyung could feel the younger's leg entangled with his own. Warm breath tickled his ear and he turned his head to find the source. In the process, he gently knocked noses with Jeongguk causing the sleeping man to scrunch his nose slightly.

For a moment, the innocence in that bunny-like expression made Taehyung erase everything he knew about the heir and see him in a new light. In that instance, Jeongguk was a young boy lost in this world, a boy that Taehyung wanted to wrap in his arms and hold close for as long as possible.

However, Jeongguk was a murderer. One who thrived on people's pain and the power it gave him. The pleading eyes and haunting words from the night before changed none of that. For, when it all boiled down, Taehyung was only a stripper. A piece of entertainment. Not the fantastical creature Jeongguk seemed to have conjured in his mind. Taehyung feared Jeongguk's infatuation, he tried not to imagine how much Jeongguk would revel in his pain.

Desperate to find some distance, Taehyung pushed Jeongguk away and hurriedly dressed in his simple clothes from the previous day. After brushing his teeth with the speed of a madman, he tiptoed across the room but his toes tangled in something on the floor. Wrapped around his foot was the shirt Jeongguk had given him, admittedly he hadn't worn it for very long but it still gave him pause; Taehyung stood there staring at it remembering the way Jeongguk held him, how his fingers caressed his skin, the warmth and protection Taehyung had felt wearing Jeongguk clothes. Before his mind could wander further Taehyung shook the piece of fabric away and dashed out the room.

He navigated his way back down to the kitchen where he took a seat at the island, a maid he hadn't seen the night before placed a plate of breakfast in front of. Taehyung denied it at first, feeling uncomfortable eating without permission but the woman pushed it closer to him telling him that Jeongguk specifically asked for breakfast to be made for him including the hot chocolate instead of coffee.

He was halfway through the hot drink when Jeongguk appeared in the doorway, he was dressed in his usual all-black day suit, in one hand he held his phone furiously tapping it with his thumb. His brow was creased in frustration until he looked up at Taehyung and his features smoothed out, his top teeth poked out slightly as his lips twitched upwards briefly. For a moment he simply watched Taehyung but then his face hardened again, his eyes flickered back to his phone,

"Tiger we gotta go, now,"

"Tiger?" Taehyung queried but Jeongguk was already walking down the hall towards the front door,

"Hmm?" the heir answered noncommittally,

Taehyung shook his head and placed his mug back on the counter, he hoped this new nickname wouldn't stick despite Jeongguk's fondness for nicknames. He stood up to silently follow Jeongguk down the hall. Taehyung tried to thank the maid for his breakfast but when he turned, he found she'd already left the room. The house was eerily quiet as he moved through it, every footstep like a clap of thunder. Taehyung could hear Jeongguk mumbling under his breath about something,

"V hurry up, we need to be back at the suite," Jeongguk's voice was harsh, however, the cold edge directed towards Song at the party wasn't present. Taehyung caught up with the other, not wanting to annoy him when Jeongguk was so highly strung.

The pair hurriedly pushed their feet into their shoes, leaving the house slippers where they'd found them. Jeongguk's Maybach was waiting outside the front door, the doors were open and the keys in the ignition. Even with the doors open Jeongguk still stood by the passenger door and closed it behind the stripper. Taehyung didn't thank Jeongguk, he simply stared out the front window.

This was the first time he'd seen Jeongguk drive, he handled the car with grace, holding the steering wheel almost as tenderly as you would a baby as he manoeuvred them away from the house, back down the long gravel driveway and out into the woods.

~

Jeongguk agitatedly listened to the ringing of his phone, his leg bounced where he sat stiffly behind his desk. Finally, the tired voice of his hyung filtered through the phone.

"Yoongi hyung, tell me you have something,"

"Why is it that you only call when you want something, eh?" Yoongi teased but Jeongguk stayed silent, "well, as I told you, I know who stole the shipment." Yoongi paused for a moment to allow this to sink in. "Before I say who, I need you to promise to stay calm, at least for V's sake," it struck him as odd that Yoongi would mention V however he committed to the promise anyhow, desperate to finally get an answer.

"It was Yong-ui Bul."

Jeongguk's blood boiled, his leg stilled but his fists clenched. His brow furrowed painfully as he dropped the phone on the desk, neglecting to end the call so he could still hear Yoongi calling his name. He stalked over to the nearest wall and slammed his fist into it as hard as he could. Jeongguk could feel his knuckles split from the impact, he vaguely wondered if V would have heard two floors down. Jeongguk was moving towards the door but stopped when he heard Yoongi call V's name again, he understood now why he'd mentioned the dancer previously. Seeing V in his current state could risk reverting the small amount of progress he'd made with the boy.

The pure rage coursing through his veins was starting to tint his vision red, the pain from his knuckles had numbed only to leave a shaking hand in its wake.

Yong-ui Bul had been Geom-Eun Neugdae's biggest enemy from the beginning. Jeongguk's great-great-grandfather started their now great empire but their rivals never stopped biting at their heels.

With his breathing still coming out in sharp pants and his knuckles remaining white as snow, Jeongguk turned back to the phone.

"Hyung, I want names. Get me anyone who can tell me anything and get them now."

"Things are going to get dangerous soon Guk, think about V,"

~

At exactly nine o'clock the next morning, Taehyung was awoken from his fitful sleep by a chirpy set of knocks. The knock was unfamiliar and immediately put Taehyung on edge but, before he could assess the situation, the door burst open leaving him to blearily blink his eyes up at the intruder.

"Oh my gosh! You're so cute!" a jovial voice called out; Taehyung only saw a flash of bright red as a figure raced to his bedside. Then there were gentle fingers in his hair, making Taehyung freeze in fear, "Hey, shh, it's just me. It's just Jimin."

The terror in his veins depleted slightly once he heard the familiar name, he knew he was safe though he still didn't like the touching. Taehyung pulled away and lay back down, Jimin sat down beside him, shockingly, Taehyung felt comfortable enough to slip back into a light sleep.

Jimin allowed him a few more moments of rest before gently flicking Taehyung on the nose, "Come, on sleepy head. We've got somewhere to be," Jimin said softly. This caught Taehyung's attention so he croakily asked what Jimin meant with a voice still thick with sleep. "Jeongguk wants me to train you Bug, make sure you can defend yourself,"

Taehyung hummed happily at the nickname, he knew he shouldn't be letting his guard down so quickly, this was only his second time meeting Jimin but there was just something so warm about him.

Blinking his eyes to pull himself out of the hazy sleep-filled daze, he watched Jimin perched on the edge of the bed. He held himself with such poise and sophistication yet Taehyung thought he could also snap someone's neck without even blinking. There was an impenetrable wall that Jimin built around himself despite letting his warmth out through tiny windows. This was something Taehyung envied, the ability to control what people saw so specifically.

Reluctance heavy in his bones, Taehyung forced himself out of bed. On his way to the bathroom, he was already reaching to pull off his pyjamas until Jimin coughed behind him.

"I'll wait for you by the front door, don't be too long," he smiled and then left quickly. It took a moment for Taehyung to realise but this was the first someone gifted him privacy in five years.

~

It was a surprise to find Jeongguk also waiting by the door once Taehyung came upstairs, he immediately noticed the tight set of Jeongguk's shoulders. The heir gulped when he took in Taehyung's appearance, tight black yoga leggings and a loose white t-shirt.

"Pick your jaw up, Guk," Jimin taunted and punched him lightly on the arm. Jeongguk spluttered, ears going slightly red until he regained his composure.

"I wanted to give you something, V,"

Taehyung's heart picked up, afraid of what the gift could be. Hopefully, it was simply new lingerie.

"You don't have to train with it today but from now on I want you to bring it with you whenever we go somewhere," Jeongguk explained and Taehyung doesn't think he'd ever sounded so serious. Jeongguk procured a slim, black velvet box longer than his palm from his jacket pocket.

Inside was the most delicate blade Taehyung had laid eyes on, even Jimin gasped quietly once the box was opened. A trio of pearls sat primly at the end of the weapon as its pommel, a large sapphire followed as the handle. The crossguard was an intricate pattern of swirling diamonds with a prominent ruby embedded in its centre all connected by shining gold. The scabbard was attached just below the crossguard by a dainty gold chain interrupted only by more pearls between the links. When Jeongguk removed the scabbard, Taehyung found the blade beneath matched the scabbard's colour, more gold with a slight hue of rose.

The dagger was regal in its design, enough for Taehyung to feel unworthy of wielding such craftsmanship. But Jeongguk placed it in his shaking hand nonetheless, Taehyung could feel its power and deadliness despite the sheer lack of weight.

"I hope this will keep you safe," Jeongguk whispered into the bubble he'd created between them. Taehyung was too dazed to notice how close they were, his eyes flicked to Jimin when he shifted and was shocked to see tears in his eyes though they were soon brushed away.

"Train him well, Jimin. I'll be in meetings all day,"

Jimin nodded and motioned for Taehyung to follow. The stripper did so, cradling his new weapon to his chest.