"V?" life hadn't changed much for the stripper. After their conversation, the heir had given him the luxury of sitting in the hammock on the balcony. Jeongguk could easily see him through the French doors and windows and was happy as long as he stays away from the glass railings. He lay there peacefully with a book in his hands and sunglasses pushed on top of his head, a pleasant smile rested on his face, a glass of cold orange juice lay on the table next to him as he swung slightly in the breeze allowing the motion to mellow his thoughts. "V?" the male hummed slightly still far away in whatever world he had read into. He was broken from his reverie when something blocked the warm sunlight he had been bathing in, "V you have to answer when I call you," Jeongguk placed his hands on the elder's shoulders effectively caging him in. Taehyung broke the eye contact immediately as he felt a flush warm his cheeks; ever since Jeongguk had held him so close and gently that one time, Taehyung hadn't been able to hold eye contact for longer than three seconds. Neither had spoken about what happened but it remained floating over them like a small dark cloud.

"Sorry, I zoned out," Taehyung still had his head tucked into his chest but he could feel Jeongguk's eyes raking over him, his long legs were on display under the gym shorts he was wearing and his t-shirt had ridden up slightly to show off his soft stomach.

"I need your help with something."

~

The pair sat silently in the back of the car, Taehyung had changed his outfit so that he was wearing a sheer black top that glittered in the sun and some incredibly tight red booty shorts that Jeongguk especially enjoyed staring at. The explanation Jeongguk had given as to where they were going was only brief, Taehyung was to stay next to Jeongguk at all times during a meeting, he was to act coy and sultry but respond only to the other – he was a statement piece tonight.

Taehyung started fidgeting with his fingers and the silver band on his wrist, he kept his head ducked down when he felt the car roll to a stop, a firm palm landed on his thigh, squeezing slightly and warm breathe fluttered over his ear when Jeongguk whispered for him to calm down. It was true, any sign of weakness and he'd be food for the vultures. He straightened his clothing and took a deep breath before begrudgingly accepting Jeongguk's help out of the car (he told himself it was just for show). His long legs emerging first stunningly illuminated by the afternoon sun, once he was stood straight, he curled himself around Jeongguk to make it clear who he belonged to. A small welcome party were waiting to greet the pair and the hungry looks thrown Taehyung's way did not go unnoticed, he welcomed the arm that snuck around his waist like a security blanket but the stripper made sure to smirk and wink at whoever caught his eye.

Everyone settled around a long glass table into rich leather seats, Jeongguk sat at the head of the table with Taehyung securely in his lap, one hand placed on his hip the other playing with the short hair on the nape of his neck. The ultimate image of power. Taehyung's eyes shifted over each man noting how they all wore pressed black suits with white shirts, most seemed to be in their forties except for one man halfway down the table who seemed at least fifteen years younger, closer to him and Jeongguk. This intrigued him, Taehyung also saw how he looked more relaxed with a slight slouch in his posture compared to the others who sat like they had poles down their shirts. He was the only one who had decided to forego a tie and had his top button undone to showcase the beginnings of an intricate pattern inked over his heart.

Taehyung shifted slightly so that his chest was clearly visible to the younger man who, on closer inspection, was not Korean, and started to suckle lightly on his lower lip with his head ducked enough that he could stare through his thick lashes innocently. Jeongguk noticed and clamped down harder on his hip but didn't stop him, they were testing what Taehyung assumed was a new recruit and so far he was holding up well; he had made eye contact but didn't stare, he smiled but not hungrily and when he moved it wasn't seductive in the slightest. The stubby male opposite, however, was not so composed and made no effort to hide the want clouding his gaze and the way his tongue would slip out to wet his thin lips whenever ever Taehyung had the misfortune of making eye contact.

Discussions were taking place, promises made here and there but Taehyung paid no attention, had no reason to. He wasn't supposed to understand what was being said, he was merely there to fish out the weak. His eyes flicked back over to the man whose eyes had barely left Taehyung's body from the moment he sat down. His hands kept drifting to his thighs rubbing back and forth, he would shift every few seconds and unfortunately, the glass table did nothing to hide the slowly growing erection. Taehyung would scoff in any other circumstance, the way the man's stumpy fingers rearranged himself only heightened how small he was, the bulge barely looking like any more than a crease in his trousers. However, the man's smile and lack of attention paid to the on-goings around him left no room for doubt, it was shameless the way he held himself with such self-importance, he sat as if the world lay before his feet and anyone should deem themselves lucky to experience what lay beneath the clothing.

Taehyung could feel Jeongguk's fingers flexing against his hip, well aware of the man's actions. He'd tried to pull the stripper back against his chest multiple times, but Taehyung had pulled away, subtle enough that no one at the table would notice but still sending a message to Jeongguk. The hand on his nape had drifted down to his the top of his thigh at some point and now his thumb lazily stroked the material of his shorts; the young heir leant forward again to reach for a folder that had been passed down to him, his lips brushed Taehyung's shoulder whilst doing so and Taehyung watched as each and every pair of eyes (except for the younger recruit's) locked on to the display. For a moment Taehyung thought the desperate man across the table would see this and return his focus to the meeting, though, much to his dismay, he merely smirked and leant back in his chair, hand clearly over his crotch. The familiar cold sweat began to encompass Taehyung's body, he gulped quietly and attempted to turn away from the offender. Jeongguk caught on and decided enough was enough,

"Mr Jwa," the stubby man perked up, reluctantly removing his eyes from Taehyung's clavicles, "I see you have taken interest in something of mine." Jwa visibly gulped at the young heir's condescending tone, his complexion was paler, and his hands shook with tiny tremors that he tried to still by clenching his fists on his lap. "Do I need to remind you what happens when people try to take something that belongs to me?" shivers travelled down Taehyung's spine accompanied by an inaudible gasp when his hair was tugged so that more of his neck was on display.

"Nuh-no, Sir," the man was stumbling over his words with very little breath to spare, obviously aware of the danger he was in unlike Taehyung, "I apologise for becoming distracted," he stood up and moved around the table to bow deeply before Jeongguk.

Silence hung in the air like undisturbed cobwebs, tension thick and heavy forcing itself down on every person in the room. Jeongguk had pulled the elder closer to his chest subconsciously, the latter held his breath afraid of what may come, he was well aware of how violent Geom-Eun Neugdae could be and after his talk with Seokjin, Taehyung was beginning to feel nervous.

"Come closer Jwa, get a good look," foolishly the man overlooked the sneer in Jeongguk's command and stepped forward eagerly with his hand outstretched to cup Taehyung's jaw. Before he could lay a finger of the dancer's flawless golden kissed skin, Jeongguk grabbed him by the tie and slammed his head onto the table; there was a sickening crack followed by blood gushing out of his nose. The vile stench of copper flooded Taehyung's senses, he couldn't look away from where the man was bent in front of him, his ears locked on to the low groaning rumbling in his gut and when he turned to face Jeongguk the sight was monstrous.

His nose wasn't just broken it looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to his face, his face was completely disfigured with blood smeared everywhere and dripping onto the table to create small red puddles. Taehyung mentally blanked at the raw strength needed to pull off such a manoeuvre with a single hand, the other had remained firmly wrapped around his waist.

Taehyung felt bile creep up the back of his throat though he pushed it down and refrained from turning away. "Baek?" the young man had not moved an inch despite the events, the majority of their company had moved away slightly but not him.

"Yes sir?" he stood and bowed as if there wasn't a man currently covered in blood right next to him,

"This is your first time attending," Baek nodded in affirmation, "I think this is the perfect opportunity to teach you how I run things," once again Baek agreed. "How do you suppose we teach this man his lesson, hmm?" Jeongguk's voice was softer now it was directed elsewhere but his authority still dripped from every word,

"I suggest we remove something precious to him,"

"I like you Baek, a man with a brain is always a nice surprise," his eyes wandered back to the man crumpled on the table, fist still twisted in the blood-soaked tie. He smirked before turning to the rest of the company, "I believe we will need to take a break from this gathering gentlemen, I do apologise but something has come up, if you would excuse us," they all promptly left leaving Taehyung, Jeongguk and Baek with Jwa.

Jeongguk reached into his blazer and retrieved a brown leather sheath, he pulled out a 6-inch shining blade, Taehyung eyed it uncertainly. There was intricate deep red ruby settled snugly into the end of the handle, it glinted intimidatingly as Jeongguk moved it, fear crept up his spine and the back of his throat burned with the need to vomit. Wordlessly, Baek took the knife from Jeongguk and flipped Jwa on his back, he then secured him to the table by looping the man's tie around his calves and the leg of the table, Jeongguk passed over a length of black rope from under his chair that went towards tying a tight knot around the man's wrists before being wrapped around another leg of the table. Baek moved to the man's trousers but he paused and looked to Jeongguk for permission, "You know what to do," and so Jwa's slacks were pulled to his ankles along with his bright green boxers that Jeongguk chuckled at and made some remark about but Taehyung didn't hear, he was too focused on figuring out what he was about to witness.

The knife was brandished and moved closer to the criminal's body; nothing could have prepared Taehyung for the screams. Blood-curdling cries filled the room, so loud Taehyung was sure they would be heard from the street, Jwa writhed around in futile attempts to escape the metal being pressed into him. Taehyung wished he could look away, but his eyes never left the blood cascading over the man's thighs and pooling around him. He watched, transfixed, as it soaked into the bottom of his shirt, forever staining it crimson, he saw as it started to fall off the table and form large pools on the wooden floor, easy clean-up. The cries grew louder, Taehyung's body trembled like a leaf and he welcomed the warmth of Jeongguk's arms securing themselves around his waist, "Make him look," Baek paused his sawing and turned Jwa's head so that he was looking straight into Taehyung's eyes, with one hand he kept his head angled while the other continued working the blade through the thick flesh.

"Jeongguk please," Taehyung whimpered quietly finally turning away from the horrendous image that would forever be burned into his brain. He burrowed into Jeongguk's neck seeking any comfort possible, in that moment it didn't matter who Jeongguk was,

"Shh it's almost over, you're being so brave," he felt fingers card through his hair and along with the soft words whispered into his ear he managed to slow his heart slightly. He heard Baek speaking to Jeongguk and made the mistake of turning back around, in Baek's hand sat the limp muscle that used to be attached to Jwa's groin; the aforementioned man was lying unconscious on the table having passed out from shock. Baek placed the man's penis on the table and bowed before leaving the room. That was when the floodgates opened, tears streamed down Taehyung cheeks with no resistance from his unblinking eyes that were solely focused on the disconnected sex organ sat in front of him, his body shook violently and his breath came out short and sharp until he couldn't get enough air in and started wheezing.

Jeongguk turned him sideways on his lap forcing his eyes away but it did nothing to mask the smell of copper, it was overpowering and filling Taehyung's brain. He vaguely registered Jeongguk's mouth moving but he paid no attention until he was cradled against the younger's firm chest and carried out of a separate door to that which Baek had exited.

"Juh-Jeongguk?"

"Shh... I'm right here, you're safe," Jeongguk pulled Taehyung closer to his chest as he clutched the other's shirt fiercely trying to ground himself. His body was beginning to calm down, but his brain was still on overdrive, replaying the event over and over. He looks at his hands holding Jeongguk's shirt and screamed; he saw blood pooling where his hands were, staining the shirt just like before, he scrambled out of Jeongguk's hold but fell as soon as his feet hit the floor. Still screaming he crawled to the wall and curled in on himself scratching at his hands to rid himself of the blood, "V! There's nothing there," Jeongguk was pulling his hands away but all Taehyung could process was the red on his shirt, wrenching himself away he continued crawling down the hall but Jeongguk was quicker. The heir sat behind the dancer and pulled him into his lap, restricting him from hurting himself or running away again, Jeongguk was silent as he rocked Taehyung in his arms waiting for his brain to come around.

~

In hindsight, he should have let V leave the room, but he was so overwhelmed with anger when he saw Jwa blatantly giving V the once over he couldn't think past giving the man hell. The heir had also neglected the fact that while Taehyung had come from rough circumstances, he wasn't as accustomed to blood as Jeongguk. He knew what Jwa was capable of, what he had done to people much younger than V so the mere thought of Jwa wanting to do such things to V had him seeing red. Jeongguk had never been so happy to see a man lose his cock, his most prized possession, but he knew that not only would he never harm V in any way, he would find it much harder to take advantage of the innocent.

V had stopped screaming and was now pawing at his chest, small whimpers were muffled where he had pressed his face into the crook of Jeongguk's neck, and he looked so vulnerable and adorable depending on Jeongguk like this. His heart ached at the fact that he had scared V this much knowing full well how badly he handled violence, however, it was done now, and he couldn't change that only make sure that the fragile boy in his arms was safe and sound.

Humming quietly, he stood up with V still secured in his arms and carefully moved towards the exit, careful not to jostle the elder too much in fear it would trigger another wave of terror. V seemed distracted by the humming and playing with Jeongguk's silk black tie, so he made sure never to stop the humming even whilst communicating with the driver once he sat comfortably in the back of the car. He held V close trying to radiate as much warmth into him as he could without suffocating him. Never before had he felt so protective over someone, he cared for his parents but if he had found them crying in a corner he wouldn't swoop in and coddle them like he was now with V. This was something different, something he felt inclined to do but wasn't hating it he loved the way V clung to him despite Jeongguk being to blame. Silently, he gazed down to gauge the other's state of mind but he found himself lost in the gentle slope of his nose and how his cheekbones shimmered slightly when they caught the sun, he looked ethereal and Jeongguk wished to be allowed the privilege of seeing this angel forever. One hand slowly came up to stroke V's cheek, he smiled when the boy leaned into the touch like he was craving it all along, Jeongguk was more than happy to give in but he knew there was still a long way for him to go before V would trust him and he was willing to fight bone and nail to keep his dancer safe and happy. Whether that be with or without Jeongguk's presence, well, he could only hope.