Jimin sat on Jungkook's kitchen table as Jungkook pressed disinfectant on Jimin's wounds. He hissed from the sting; no matter how many times Jimin had to put alcohol on open cuts, he could never get used to the burning sensation.

They'd gotten back from the chaos of the gala a couple hours ago, listening to the news covering how the ambulances had gotten there on time to help, but more than a third of the guests required hospitalization. Luckily, the death toll remained low. There were only three casualties: Hwasa, the violinist, and one of the photographer's allowed in. Both Jades were gone from the scene by the time the cops arrived, nowhere in the reports. If one of the siblings murdered the other, the body wasn't found yet. Jungkook and Jimin decided to shut the tv off after that, sitting in silence while Jungkook took off Jimin's shirt and started to wash the blood off of him.

Jimin closed his eyes and tilted his head back. He could feel the exhaustion pushing behind his eyes. His head pounded and his body felt heavy as he fought to stay awake. His chest looked worse now that time past and with the adrenaline gone, each breath was getting harder to push out.

"You were rjght." Jungkook said after a long moment. He put the towel and the disinfectant down by Jimin's side. "About the wine. I should have listened to you."

Jimin opened his eyes and dipped his chin so his face was level with Jungkook's kitchen stool. The mafia leader was pulling on his lip ring, his round eyes focused on a part of the room behind Jimin. Jimin reached hand and put it over Jungkook's, taking it away from Jimin's bruises and down by his side.

"We're alive. That's what matters." Jimin said. "Your dad is okay, too."

Jungkook nodded, but he didn't look up at Jimin.

"It wasn't your fault, Jungkook." Jimin tried again. "The drive, the wine; none of it was your fault."

"I'm the one who brought that drug into Seoul." Jungkook said. "I almost got my entire gang thrown in jail; almost got my dad killed too. Can you imagine if The Jades succeed? Everything would have been over - and I'm the one who pushed for The Kim deal in the first place."

"If you want to play that game, then I'm the one who is technically responsible for The Drive." Jimin said. Jungkook frowned. "Taehyung only spread it into Seoul to get me out of Busan so I could spy on you here while you distributed it. If it wasn't for me, no one in that room would have ever been in danger. Our gang never would have been."

Jungkook clenched his jaw, still staring off into space. Jimin scratched the back of Jungkook's neck gently, filtering it through his soft hair.

"You said The Kims spoke with you tonight. What did they want?" Jungkook asked. Jimin smiled sadly.

"To say goodbye, I think." Jimin answered. "Hoseok and Taehyung told me that The Don wanted me back, but they asked me to run instead."

Jungkook blinked, finally looking up at Jimin. He frowned and Jimin's finger's paused their movements.

"You're holding back." Jungkook said and Jimin shook his head.

"You should have seen it, Jungkook. When I lived in Busan, Taehyung and Hoseok looked like these giants that had everything put together. Tonight was the first time I really noticed the way they're so controlled by The Don. They're ghosts, Jungkook. Pawns. They're not - people. I've never seen it that way until I saw how they couldn't breathe until The Don left. Even when Hoseok was following the Don's orders...it was like I could see the prison he was in behind his eyes. Like he was screaming in his mind to stop but his body would never be able to do it. It made me wonder if I used to look the same way." Jimin huffed. "They love each other too, apparently. Hoseok and Taehyung."

Jungkook only nodded and Jimin pursed his lips.

"You knew."

"I was waiting to bring it up." Jungkook said and Jimin looked back up at the ceiling. "We thought you knew, too." He brought the back of his hand to his cheek, wiping some stray tears that had fallen down them.

"When I first saw the way they gravitated towards each other, I thought about cutting their throats." Jimin said bluntly. "I would make them watch too. Have them face each other as I did it."

"Dark. What stopped you?" Jungkook asked, wiping Jimin's tears with his calloused hands.

"For one that would be a lot of blood to hand wash out of this suit." Jimin joked, wrapping his hand around Jungkook's wrist and turning to kiss the inside of it where Jungkook's pulse raced.

"Are you angry?" Jungkook asked, stringing his fingers with Jimin's and squeezing his palm. Jimin could feel the quiet rage pounding through Jungkook's muscles at the thought of The Kim's hurting Jimin in any way, but Jimin appreciated how Jungkook waited for Jimin to decide how he felt about it first before jumping the gun to kill them all. It made Jimin love him even more.

"I was. I am. In the moment I thought I'd murder both of them but - wouldn't that make me exactly what The Kims want? A thoughtless killer? I don't know, I feel complicated about it. Taehyung never should have slept with me but at the same time I wonder what I would have become without that connection. Like - did I ever love him? Or was I using him too? I was so disconnected to everything in Busan that I don't think Taehyung was entirely wrong saying that I would have killed anyone in The Kims with enough of a mental push. You're the first person to make me feel human, Jungkook. Genuinely. I don't mean that in a metaphorical way, I mean that literally. But seeing them tonight also put into perspective just how inhuman I was before."

Jungkook pushed his thumb into Jimin's palm, dark eyes cycling through all of Jimin's thoughts.

"I could kill them for you instead." Jungkook said. His voice was low, his body tense and his shoulders rolled back with intent. Shadows danced across his sharp face and in that moment Jimin saw the mafia leader instead of the kid doing his best. Jungkook meant it. He would fight The Kims even if it meant a gang war that ended The Jeons. Jimin smiled. It was small and warm, a smile that only the safety of home could ever bring to someone so heavily traumatized.

"You're warm, Jungkook." Jimin said and Jungkook blinked at him, confused. "I feel warm around you. I feel warm in Seoul. You, you are warm. What if we both go to Busan, kill everyone, then never get that warmth back? What if I go, and instead of feeling vindicated, what if I'm just hollow forever? What if you go and Yoongi or Seokjin die in the process? The Kims would never stop trying to make the attack even, either. I've been so cold for so long." Jimin said, surprising that his voice cracked and that tears were pooling from his eyes. "I don't want to go back to that. Let's be warm, Jungkook. Let's move on. We can open a flower shop or something, I don't know. It doesn't have to only be only death anymore."

"A flower shop?" Jungkook raised a brow and Jimin snorted.

"You're Jeons ever think about franchising?"

Jungkook laughed and Jimin's soul sang at the sound.

"Mafia during the morning and planting gardens at night?" Jungkook said.

"Shouldn't that be flipped?" Jimin teased back.

"You don't know the half of bureaucracy I do during the day, love." Jungkook said, kissing Jimin on the forehead and Jimin smiled again.

"Call me that more often." Jimin said, blushing. Jungkook laughed again and Jimin wanted to wrap his body up in it. Happiness truly felt violent, the feeling was so raw in his chest that even the bruises couldn't stop him from wanting to jump into Jungkook's arms and stay there forever.

"Stay with me tonight." Jungkook offered, lifting Jimin's chin. "I don't want you alone in your apartment. Not if The Kim's could find you so easily today. And...I need you here."

Jimin brought his lips to Jungkook's and locked them. The kiss was slow; it was sweet.

"What happened with your dad?" Jimin asked, pulling away. "We didn't have time to talk about that yet. How are you feeling?"

Jungkook kissed Jimin's forehead again. "Complicated, too. I'm furious he left The Jeons but at the same time I never thought he might die. And I don't think I ever took the time to try and understand him, either. I never wanted to, really, and a part of me still doesn't. But maybe there's a life out there that doesn't involve guns and drugs and blood and a hundred people almost dying that had nothing to do with the mafia. Maybe losing mom meant he didn't have anything left to keep him in this life; but wouldn't that mean I wasn't reason enough either? Fuck, I'm probably just exhausted." Jungkook said. "But, I also think that saving him can help me move on, in a way. Like that was the final push to just - cut ties. I'm lucky that you're here, Jimin. You're not the only one who needed someone to pull them out of a spiral."

Jimin sighed, leaning back. "We should probably go to sleep. I know you're tired too." He laughed. Jungkook sighed and Jimin rubbed the back of his neck. "Jungkook, I know this might be too soon to say and we still have a lot to learn about each other, but seeing as you might get thrown in jail soon if Soyeon's plan somehow still works out then I want to be the one to say it first."

Jungkook's eyes went wide and despite the exhaustion and the pain, bewilderment danced in them. Jimin cupped Jungkook's cheek again and leaned in, kissing him before pulling away and resting his forehead against Jungkook's.

"I love you. You don't have to say it back, I won't look too deep into it if you don't, really I understand this is too soon so don't feel pressured-"

Jungkook cut off and pulled Jimin into a deeper kiss. "You never stop surprising me. I always thought I'd be the one to say it first." Jungkook laughed and Jimin punched him lightly in the shoulder, a dumb but equally happy smile plastered across his face. "I love you too. Whatever happens tomorrow, if they track the drug back to us or not, I'm happier than I've ever been and it's ride or die between us. Flower shop or drug deals, we're in it together. I love you, Jimin."

* * *

The next two days, Jungkook and Jimin holed up in Jungkook's apartment waiting for any news on the gala. The media was going wild over the story, but there was still no word on what/who the cops have determined as the cause. So the boys did what Jimin always did when he was freaking out: they watched trashy TV. This time the show was the UK's Love Island which Jungkook somehow loved and hated more than The Ultimatum Queer Love.

On the third day there was a knock on their door and the boys opened it to find Yoongi, Seokjin, and Kim Namjoon standing on the other side of it.

"Alright love birds." Yoongi said as he let himself inside. "Time to talk."

Jungkook and Jimin were standing in shock, staring at The Jade who was just - you know - at their apartment.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. I picked up another stray. Seriously have a terrible habit of doing that." Yoongi said referring to Namjoon. Yoongi opened Jimin and Jungkook's fridge, taking out a beer. He found a beer opener and flipped the top off, leaning against the counter. "No comment this time Seokjin? Usually this is where you yell at me for collecting street rats. I thought you'd like this one though, he knows how to use a gun and I'm pretty sure he's in love with you." Yoongi said with a wink and Seokjin paled. "Where are your manners Jungkook? Invite them in."

Jungkook was gaping but after a second he stepped out of the way so his head of intel and the Jade Don could make their way inside. The five of them awkwardly made their way to Jungkook's kitchen table and Jimin paused Love Island as they all sat down.

"Um. Explain." Jungkook said, looking at both Seokjin and Yoongi.

"Namjoon saved you." Seokjin said. He then looked over at Jimin and his eyes softened. "Both of you."

"Well we know that." Jimin said but Seokjin shook his head. Namjoon put a hand on Seokjin's back. It was subtle but it was like the touch alone transferred Namjoon's strength into Seokjin. Seokjin sat up straighter. Yoongi took a sip of his beer, leaning back in his chair with an amused grin.

"The Kims are taking the blame for The Gala." Seokjin said. "The media is calling it an attack on Seoul and since the drug is manufactured by The Kims, they're taking the fall. The Jeons were ruled innocent since you two called the ambulance. It gave the cops enough to work with to look the other way since the call was recorded and you two saved Jungkook's dad whose got this city climbing up his ass."

"You were still a part of it though." Jungkook said, staring at Namjoon. "Why not stop it earlier?"

"My sister was working on the wine plan behind my back with The Parks for months. Once I caught wind of it, I went straight to Seokjin to try and find a way we could stop it without revealing that we were seeing each other. Soyeon wouldn't understand and Jin was worried you'd feel betrayed or think he was leaving The Jeons if you found out."

Jungkook looked at Jin who paled.

"Once I found out The Kims made Drive and not you, it seemed like an easy out to switch the narrative of The Gala. If Seokjin was there I could have maneuvered around her easier, but when we found out you weren't taking him I had to solo it. Seokjin offered that my sister and I still go through with the plan partially instead of stopping it all together. We hoped that The Kims would take the fall and Jimin could be free of them if it threw their Don in jail. It um, well the plan obviously worked. They arrested The Don this morning. He still has a trail but the case has so much media attention that it should go through."

Jimin gaped at Seokjin. "You planned this?"

Seokjin blushed. "Well no, Namjoon came up with all the details. I just offered we try to spin it in a way to help you."

"But you don't like me." Jimin said.

Seokjin blushed further. He tilted his chin up and looked up at the ceiling corner. "You're one of us, Jimin. Of course I was going to protect you."

"He's been working to find a way to free you from The Kim's since he learned about you working as their whore." Namjoon said, rubbing Seokjin's leg. "He's just too proud to admit he worried about you after giving you such a hard time."

Jungkook was still gaping. "Sorry, I just can't get over the fact that I have a Jade in my living room rubbing the leg of one of my best friends."

Namjoon stopped his hand, blushing like he hadn't realized he was doing it.

"Why help us?" Jimin asked. "I understand Jin, but why you?"

"Because of Jin. I love him and he loves all of you." Namjoon said.

"When? When did you two-" Jungkook started.

"Remember when we fought the Jades and you and Yoongi ran after his shoulder got shot?" Seokjin said slowly. Yoongi rolled his shoulder back and Jungkook clenched his jaw. "Namjoon found me and instead of shooting me, he helped me hide from the rest of The Jades. Took me to a safe house and helped me heal up, then let me go. It sort of just spiraled from there."

"What about the letter?" Jimin asked. "Was that what you meant by don't interfere? As in, make sure everyone drinks the wine because you were going to save them after? That the Kim's would take the blame?"

"What letter?" Namjoon said, scrunching his brows. Seokjin looked equally confused.

"Don't Interfere. It was left at my doorstep the night before The Gala. How did you get in? Our apartments are deep within Jeon territory."

Yoongi raised his hand. "Right, sorry. That was me."

"What?" Jimin said and Jungkook looked equally as shocked. Yoongi took a casual sip of his beer as he looked around the table.

"Seokjin didn't trust you but I did. So I wanted to see what you'd do with a vague Kim order, that's all. If you were still loyal to the Kims or not. I didn't know about the whole wine plot going on, that's Seokjin's world, but I guessed something would go down that night. I wanted to see how you'd react if you thought The Kims were reaching out to you and telling you to stay down. Obviously, I was right that you're on our side. Now no one has any right to question your loyalty again. You're family, Jimin."

"Okay. We have that solved, I guess." He said, staring at Yoongi. "But why are you here?" Jimin said and Namjoon coughed. Jimin blushed. "Sorry, I didn't mean that to sound so blunt."

"Look, I did my best to protect you guys at The Gala, but my sister saw it as a betrayal. She's already put hitmen on me and honestly I can't beat her. I'm a strategist, not a fighter."

"What are you suggesting?" Jungkook asked, cocking a brow up at Yoongi who was grinning like a kid on Christmas.

"Let him join us." Seokjin said. "Every gala you took me to, I somehow ended up talking with Namjoon and we slowly just started to fall for each other. I love him. I get it, I know he's from The Jades but he's got a really good heart and the only real tie he has left to them is a sister who wants to kill him. He could have let you die at The Gala, could have let Jimin die, but he risked everything to save a gang he isn't even a part of. That has to prove something."

"The Jades kill deserters." Jungkook said. "There is no leaving them."

"But he's a Don." Jimin said, looking at Namjoon. "Like your dad. He's one of the only ones who could leave."

"Wouldn't your sister come after you?" Jungkook asked. "My priority is for Seoul to be peaceful again."

"She's always wanted sole power. I think she would have tried to kill me sooner or later. Honestly, I think it would be a relief to her ambition if I left."

"You vouch for him?" Jungkook asked Seokjin, crossing his arms.

"Yes. Please Jungkook, I love him. You don't understand, he once broke sunglasses just by putting them on and cuts onions holding the knife upside down. He'll die on his own."

"Thanks for the faith, babe." Namjoon said and Seokjin waved him off. The one moment caused everyone at the table to stare. It was like the two of them had a rhythm with each other only years of being together could achieve.

"You don't have to beg, Seokjin. I was going to say yes the minute you said you love him." Jungkook said, ignoring Yoongi's beam. "Besides, we could use another smart one in the group. Yoongi's really been dragging us down."

Yoongi's smile dropped and Jimin laughed. Yoongi flicked the beer cap at Jimin for laughing and it was like a spell broke. All tension dissolved in the air. All five mafia men found themselves drinking Yoongi's gross beer in a couple minutes after, sitting on Jungkook and Jimin's couch, ordering take out, and finishing an entire season of Love Island.

* * *

Jimin was fixing a bouquet of roses at the flower shop he opened with Jungkook. It was in the center of Seoul, a bit off of The Jeon territory and in a neutral zone between the gangs. Two years have passed since The Gala. The shop only operated on Tuesdays and Thursdays from morning until about two in the afternoon, but Jimin loved it. The shop was theirs and theirs alone. All profits went to help feed the starving in Seoul and towards helping the strays The Jeons continued to pick up.

"Hello Beautiful." Jungkook said as he walked in from the backroom, a green apron on his chest that reminded Jimin of a barista in Busan a lifetime away. Jimin grinned, tilting his cheek up so his boyfriend could kiss it. The two of them decided to take things slow, wanting to learn about each other without the pressure of a big label. The love they felt for each other was too intense to just call it dating, but the simplification allowed both of them to explore each other's lives without any unnecessary stress. They lived together too, Jimin had moved in with Jungkook and gotten an official title with in the Jungkook's right-hand. Wherever Jungkook went, Jimin followed.

"Movie night's at nine tonight." Jungkook said as he took the apron off and hung it, moving to wash his hands. "So I was thinking we get dinner at five?"

"Why so early?"

"So we have time for dessert after." Jungkook said and his eyes gleamed. Jimin rolled his eyes, shoving Jungkook's shoulders with his own as he started to arrange the roses on a table. Jungkook laughed, pulling Jimin in so he could kiss his temple again and Jimin warmed.

"New cologne?" Jimin asked and Jungkook grinned. Jimin had learned fast that Jungkook liked it when Jimin noticed little changes he made like using a different shampoo or switching out his necklaces. For some reason telling him his hair was impressively soft still made him beam the most.

"Namjoon bought it as a gift. He keeps buying me things to thank us for welcoming him into The Jeons and I don't know how or refuse him."

"You mean you don't want to." Jimin clarified. "You light up each time he gets you something."

"Because it's free! Each time!"

Jimin laughed, shaking his head. "You heading out?"

"Yea, there's a new gang stirring trouble along our south border so I'm going to go calm it down real quick with Yoongi. I'll make it back in time for dinner. Want to go to that ddukboki restaurant we tried out last week?"

"Definitely. Just don't show up with blood on you this time."

"That's what I usually say to you, love." Jungkook said, grabbing his hoodie and throwing it over his chest. "I'm the one who has to keep explaining to servers it's just ketchup while you clean it off in the bathroom."

"Not my fault Yoongi and I get carried away." He said and Jungkook just grinned. He leaned in to kiss Jimin over the counter and Jimin melted into the kiss. No matter how often they kissed, Jimin never got bored of it. It tasted like home and felt like music. Jungkook waved, walking out and Jimin listened to the chimes ring as the door swung closed.

A few minutes later, Jimin heard the door bells chime again.

"Forgot your car keys again?" Jimin laughed, looking up but saw two men walked into the small space instead of his boyfriend. The shop has white tile floors with yellow painted walls. The color was hidden behind hanging plants and walls of bouquets of every type of flower someone could hope for. The two men were dressed in torn black clothes with blood on their skin greatly contrasted with the shop's aesthetic.

Jimin dropped roses he was holding. He ran to the door, locked it and flipped the open sign to closed, before shoving the blinds shut.

"What the hell are you two doing here." He said as Kim Taehyung and Jung Hoseok stood in the middle of his shop, bleeding onto his white tiles.

"Please, Jimin. We left The Kims. We left them." Taehyung said and Jimin froze.

"You what?" He said, gaping.

Taehyung licked his lips. "You were right. I never stopped my dad. Never did anything against him. But I was just so terrified. He abused me too, Jimin. He would mentally fuck with me. Made me watch while he hurt you or Hoseok and would make the punishments worse whenever I pushed back. I was just so fucking terrified of him." Taehyung said. "But then they threw him behind bars and it took two years for his control to slip in Busan. The whole town is at war with each other. Everyone is after us when I refused to step up as Don. Not just the new gangs, The Kims too. They think we betrayed them. They'll hunt us if we stay in Busan." Taehyung said, clutching his side where a rushed bandage was soaked red in blood. He was holding onto Hoseok to stay standing who was also covered in blood and bruises, masking his pain to keep Taehyung standing. Wherever they'd come from, it was one hell of a fight.

"I know you have no reason to help us. Really, we understand if you tell us to fuck off, but we didn't know where else to go." Hoseok said, swallowing.

"We were just trying to survive as best as we could in Busan." Taehyung said, slipping in Hoseok's grasp. He was losing a lot of blood. "But I was willing to look the other way when they abused you because it made it easier on me and God Jimin I'm so sorry. I'm sorry it took me this long to see it. I'm sorry I took advantage of you, too. We both should have helped you from the start. I just didn't know how to, but I should have tried harder. I could have been better to you and I'm so sorry that I wasn't. I'm sorry I used you like that when you just needed a friend. You don't have to accept this apology, seriously it's okay if you tell us to leave, we'll never bother you again if you do, but I wanted to make sure we apologized before we find somewhere else to go hide."

Jimin sighed, knowing the blood stain was going to be a bitch to clean. He looked at the two men in front of him, bloody and broken and traumatized, and thought of Yoongi who was always accepted strays. Thought of Namjoon who was now like an older brother, the two of them navigating their new gang together. He thought of Seokjin who was still subtly trying to help Jimin by leaving him food at the door or buying him new clothes. Lastly, he thought of Jungkook. Jungkook who loved him because of everything Jimin had endured and not despite it. Who had given him a second chance and a second life. Jimin wanted to be like his family, wanted to love and believe in people. He was determined to be better than what Busan had defined him as all those years ago. Maybe they could become better, too.

"Come on, I'll vouch for you both." Jimin said, closing the shop early and helping Hoseok carry Taehyung into the back room where they could clean him up. "We've got a movie night tonight around nine, I'll introduce you to everyone there. You can stay in my old apartment until then so you can shower and eat. You'll be safe there, it's the same building Yoongi and most of our fighters live in."

Taehyung sobbed a sigh of relief and Hoseok was staring at Jimin dumbfounded. Jimin wiped his hands on his pants before stretching a hand out of the only other people in the world who knew what it was to survive Busan.

"Welcome to the family." Jimin said with a grin and the last string holding Jimin back finally loosened in his heart.

His past was his past, there was only the future to look forward to now. He lived with the love of his life, had a family that loved him, and life couldn't feel more human.

_______
A/N:
I'm so sorry for the delay! Lots happened behind the scenes but I hope the extra length made up for it 🫶
- Violette