Commander Park: Can he be trusted?

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓐𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓑𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 ˚｡➶˚┊

There was a knock at his door.

Park stayed quiet. Whoever was outside took it as permission to enter. Park stayed seated on his mattress with his bow, tracing his finger over the carving of the sea. He couldn't take his eyes off it, even when another weight got added to the bed.

"You're acting like a moody teen," Kastor said, Park huffing at that. "Hiding in your room, staring longingly at that bow, no light. Would it kill you to open a window?"

"It might."

"Oh really? Let's find out. Win-win for me," Kastor said as he stood, drawing the curtains back and allowing the evening sky to pour in. Not much light got added to the room, but it was better than before. "See? You're not dead."

"Wonderful," Park said, sarcasm oozing from his voice. "Is there a reason you came in here? I thought you didn't like me."

"I don't, but when someone is staying in my house, I think it's polite to go and visit them."

"So that's what this is. A visit." Park clicked his tongue. "Did Y/n send you?"

"I sent myself. Is that so hard to believe?" Kastor asked, pressing his back on the wall by the window. He got cloaked by the shadows in the room, hiding most of his face except for his piercing eyes. "You don't have many allies, Mr. Park. If someone is treating you fairly, I suggest you take advantage of it."

"You almost kicked me out and called me the Emperor's bitch. That's fair?"

"You killed my sister. And don't lie to yourself, you really are the Emperor's bitch."

Park and Kastor stared at one another, time slipping by. They stared and stared until Park chuckled. It turned into a laugh. Even Kastor cracked a small smile at that, though Park could tell he tried to hide it.

"Alright, old man. You win. Now tell me the real reason you're here. I'm a lot of things, but stupid isn't one of them."

"Well..."

"I'm holding a bow." Park tapped his finger against the quiver leaning against the bed. "You should choose your next words wisely."

"Then I'll get to the point," Kastor said, staying in the corner. "The rebellion needs more momentum. Y/n has a plan to go to the junkyard and gather intel. We have time until the hotel siege, and since that's so big, doing the small things beforehand will give us a big advantage. She needs someone to go with her. Hoseok and Jungkook are too injured, Jin's irreplaceable, and Taehyung's not the best for this kind of mission."

"But because I'm Commander Park, if we get caught, she can use me as a scapegoat."

"Exactly."

Park leaned back, observing the older man. He seemed older than he did the first time they talked. Although the man was pushing his sixties, he appeared even more drained than normal.

"You like the plan," Park said, Kastor keeping quiet. "Let me guess: you're scared you'll die before you see the freedom you've fought your whole life for."

"I've accepted that I'll die before I see it," Kas replied, shaking him off. "But yes, I like the plan. Y/n's not a bad leader, you should listen to her more often."

"You think she'll see the freedom she's fought her whole life for?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"I'm doing math, old man. You're, what, in your late sixties?"

Kastor hung his head. "Sixty-five."

"Your kid must've been in their twenties, maybe thirties. Y/n, Jin, Tae, Jungkook... they're the same age as your kid. You want to see them succeed since your kid can't anymore, right?"

Kastor's eyes shot up to meet Park's, and in that moment, Park realized just how terrible his social skills were.

"What did you just say?" Kastor asked, his voice teetering between a whisper and a scream. There was agony writhing around the man's irises, his wrinkles contorting as his lips turned to a snarl.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"Who told you about my son?"

"Jin mentioned you had a kid. Didn't even say the gender, I'm just guessing based on what I know about you, and what I know about you is you're a grumpy old man who's strangely invested in whether or not the rebellion succeeds. The other elders don't involve themselves with the plans. Instead, they keep up appearances. They made Thermus Boulevard look weak. Why is your role different?"

"I gave you mercy by letting you stay," Kastor said, sucking in a breath through his teeth. "Don't waste that. If you knew what was good for you, you'd get your ass up and go help Y/n." At Park's reluctance to move, Kastor stepped forward. "Do you get off on torturing people?"

Park shrugged. "A little."

Kastor glared, so Park took the hint and stood, keeping his bow over his shoulder. He lifted the quiver and swung it around his body. Next came his sword, which he sheathed. It bounced on his waist, banging off the side of his utility belt. The rest of his armor was the same as always. It shined in the dim sky peeking in through the window. Kastor's face only had a fraction of light on it.

Park went to the door while Kastor stayed put. Kas didn't bother saying anything else, Park hesitating as he placed his hand on the knob. He sighed and turned his head. Kastor didn't bother meeting Park's gaze.

"For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry about your son."

Kastor kept his head hung and his shoulders slumped. "Just go help Y/n," he said, Park nodding once. Then twice. After the third time, he opened the door, but not without giving Kastor one final glance.

"Don't worry, old man. I'll make sure you see the freedom your son dreamed of."

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚˚｡➶˚┊

Thermus Boulevard got destroyed.

Park stepped on the skull of a burn victim, no remnants of a human left on the body. No clothes, no hair, no skin. They burned the people to the bone. Still, it seemed as though bone wasn't good enough for them.

Park ducked behind the remains of one of the wooden houses, the structure turned to dust like the rest of Thermus Boulevard. Y/n stayed behind him. They hadn't spoken since they left to investigate. They managed to travel together without killing one another. Park had a feeling the trip back wouldn't be so miraculous.

"Where's Yoongi?" Y/n asked as they hid behind the ruins.

The entire town had been turned to a junkyard, filled with trash from the Emperor's Castle. Park recognized the howl of the Hellsirs in the distance, meaning guards were nearby. All Park could see were the grays and crimsons of the terrain. The gravel pathways had shards of glass on them, the marketplaces were replaced with piles of junk that reached up to twenty feet high, the buildings were knocked over if not scorched to the ground.

"Not sure, I don't want to find out. Keep your face hidden, don't risk peeking. If we get caught, remember not to panic. Let me do the talking."

She agreed, pulling on her mask to cover more of her face. "Why is he here?"

"He does most of the intelligence for the Emperor. Runs scans, tracks fugitives, takes care of the Hellsirs. He won't hesitate to kill us if he finds out why we're really here," Park said, glancing at the guards not too far away. They were patrolling the ruins in groups of four, swords by their sides. He didn't see any bows or firearms. He paused, sighing. "Yoongi's one of the only ones who knows my name..."

Y/n caught on, giving him a nod. "If it comes to that, I'll pretend I didn't hear anything."

"Thank you," he said before he could stop himself. She hesitated as if amazed by the words. Then, she hummed and changed the subject.

"We need to find him and try to eavesdrop. Search the junkyard for anything we can use against the Emperor. Anything we can get our hands on, we need it to give Jin material for a promo."

"We'll do what we can. Stay close."

Park led the way, weaving between the junk piles while Y/n searched them. Her gloved hands got covered with filth, her eyes narrowing as she attempted to find useful items. Nothing worked. Guards passed by, Park keeping Y/n hidden as they went. They didn't see the duo going through their stuff.

"It's all junk," Y/n mumbled, pulling away from the closest pile.

"Come on, I think I might know where Yoongi is."

Park crept down the pathway and stayed in the shadows. The night sky caused them to blend in with their environment, Park searching for any sign of Yoongi. None of the guards spoke except to bark orders to one another. Some of them were meek, others were overconfident. Park didn't recognize any of them despite training most of them.

"The center of town?" Y/n asked as they approached the circle that used to be a marketplace.

Even when Thermus Boulevard wasn't burned to the ground, the center wasn't bustling with life. It had destroyed shops with no goods. The only bright side was that nature bloomed to take back what the Emperor tried to take away. It seemed as though this time, thanks to the fires, the Emperor succeeded. All the beauty Park once adored got turned to ash. He prayed his brother would never have to see it.

Park didn't reply to her as they approached. This was where most of the junk was. The buildings here weren't as bad as the rest; they still had some structure left, but he could tell the insides had been hollowed out. He took her to one of the closest houses, ducking behind it just as another group of guards stormed by.

"Clear out the City's junk and bring it here," the voice of Min Yoongi said, Park stiffening. Y/n noticed and leaned closer, tuning in. "We have a summit coming up, we can't have anything go wrong. This could determine the fate of New Theon, understood?"

Most of the guards replied with a "Yes sir" that had Park trembling. He moved her down the side of the house to get a better angle, maybe to try and locate where Yoongi was. They pressed their hands against the wood of the one-story house, reaching the corner and peeking out.

That was a mistake. A huge mistake.

Yoongi was right there, his back turned as he spoke to another guard. He had to be ten feet away at most. Park bit back a yelp and grabbed Y/n, pulling her back and pressing her up against the wall. The dirt squished beneath his boots as he moved, the wind brushing by and causing him to wobble for a beat. His heart ran around his throat. Whatever conversation Yoongi was having with the guard, it went silent.

"Who's there?" Yoongi asked, Park's eyes bulging. Y/n's did the same. "Come out now, don't make me go over there." Still, silence. "God dammit, I hate walking."

Park didn't know what else to do. It was too late to run. Thanks to the Emperor's raid, the forest was a shell of what it used to be. The trees were either gone or void of life. No bushes were there to hide them. All they had was the cover of the tiny house they hid behind. Park stared at Y/n, her irises showing her terror. That left no other options.

"Trust me," he whispered, taking off her mask and sliding it under his chestplate. Much to his amazement, she agreed. She even leaned into it. "But don't touch me. Please."

If she had a problem with his request, she didn't voice it. He grabbed her thigh and wrapped her leg around his waist, moving his head to cover most of her face. His breath played with hers, heat rising between them. He didn't have time to think, so he acted. 

Their lips collided, Park shutting his eyes and focusing on kissing her. Her lips were chapped and swollen. So were his. His free hand went around the curve of her back and pushed her up against his chest. With all his strength, he covered her figure with his, cloaking her so she couldn't be identified. It was the last plan he had. His veins stung with adrenaline as it fired through his core, his stomach erupting with a tickle that seemed to overstimulate him. Somehow he had forgotten why he was kissing her. It slipped from his mind, falling away as if it were jumping head-first into an abyss. The kiss became the only thing he had, and he latched onto it without questioning why.

"Who the hell- oh."

Park remembered why he was kissing her, and he jumped from the sudden intrusion. He still covered her, Y/n burying her head against his chest as if embarrassed by getting caught. He placed one hand on the back of her head, grasping a bundle of her hair. Park felt dazed. His eyes were wide and his lungs begging for air.

"I... uh..."

Park couldn't form words as he stared at Min Yoongi. The guard stayed behind the older man, Park swallowing what he could, but it seemed like his face told the story.

"Commander Park," Yoongi said, slowly. "This is a junkyard. You're supposed to be the romantic one, not me."

"Sorry," Park replied, both thrilled and disgusted by how close Y/n was. The feeling of her skin on his brought back memories he wished he could purge. At the same time, he didn't want her to pull away. She was respectful enough not to put her hands on him. All she did was keep her face hidden from the enemy. "Can you cover for me? The Emperor wanted me to come visit to make sure the junkyard was in place, but..."

"We have a summit in one week. Surely this can wait?"

Park froze but didn't show it. The summit got moved up? That wasn't supposed to happen. Why it got moved to only a week from now was beyond him, but he knew he couldn't ask questions without seeming suspicious.

"It'll take fifteen minutes. Please? I'll sneak to the farm and get you a crate of tangerines."

"Deal," Yoongi said without hesitation. "Just make it quick. Oh, and be careful. Please."

Yoongi rolled his eyes before strolling away with the guard. Park clung to Y/n for another greedy second before helping her pull back. She trembled in his grasp, her jumping eyes peering at where Yoongi just was.

Park stared at her. After a beat, she met his gaze. It had his mind numbing and his skin breaking out in goosebumps. His mouth parted to say the words he never thought he would, but they didn't dare dance by his tongue.

"Don't make it awkward, I'm already mad at you," Y/n said, but the quiver in her voice betrayed the confidence she tried to force into her words. "Let's get out of here and never talk about this again."

Just like that, they left.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚˚｡➶˚┊

Park bounced his leg.

His leg shook as he half-listened to the conversation happening next to him. They were in the living room, the leaders of the rebellion gathered to discuss how the summit got moved up. Y/n spearheaded the conversation, planning how they could salvage their heist. The Emperor's hotel had high security. If they went, they had to do it with the best plan possible. Now that they didn't have the months they thought they did, they had to rush. That led them to the argument they were having now. More specifically, Taehyung and Jungkook versus Y/n and Jin while Hoseok tried comforting Seulgi in the corner.

Park kept his finger on his lip as his leg shook. His heel flew off the ground, then on it again. The floorboards creaked because of it. Kastor, who sat by him, didn't bother saying anything. Park didn't have the energy to meet his fierce stare.

Park's index finger traced his lower lip, his other clammy hand remaining on his knee and infecting his pants with moisture. His armor laid on the table before him since it was too heavy to keep on. He got too hot while wearing it. Still, he felt overheated. Like he-

"Commander, are you listening?"

At the sound of Y/n's voice, Park snapped up and cleared his throat. He realized all eyes were on him. Even Hoseok and Seulgi were looking at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, Y/n placing her hand on her head and groaning.

"We have to keep the plan. This is too big of an event. We won't get another chance like this," Y/n said as if appealing to him.

"But we're still recovering from our injuries," Jungkook argued back, but he kept peeping at Park like he was asking for permission. "One week isn't enough. We should abandon the mission and find another plan. Like the farm. We can set fire to the farm."

"And put us and the City at risk? The City gets their food from the farm. It'll hurt the Emperor a lot, sure, but we'll be hurting too many innocent people to make it worth it. I say we focus on recruiting, and to recruit, we need to prove we're strong. Breaking into the Emperor's hotel room will prove how capable we are, help us get information, and get us ready for the next mission. It's risky, but we've been planning this for almost a year now. We'll be okay, it getting moved up doesn't change much."

"Except the fact that we don't have time to heal," Jungkook said, Taehyung agreeing.

"I've already lost Hobi, I can't lose Jungkook too," Tae said, Hoseok glancing up at that.

"I'm right here."

"No you're not. You're Captain Jung." Tae broke off, rubbing his lips together. "Hobi died with his husband. I've accepted that, but I can't accept this."

Seulgi came closer to Hoseok with confusion written on her face, but he brushed her concerns away. "I don't know what you want me to say."

"You never say anything. There's no point in starting now," Taehyung said in a mumble.

Park got up, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. "We'll siege the hotel. Don't be pussies. If you ever want freedom, you have to take risks. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go get drunk and think about my life decisions."

Park stormed away. Silence hung over the group as he went, slamming the door to his room shut. He grabbed strands of his hair and tugged, grunting as he fell face-first onto his mattress. Maybe the Emperor was right. Maybe Park was going through a rebellious teenage phase. He didn't know what it felt like to be a teenager since that part of his life got robbed from him. He wondered if his actions and thoughts were the actions and thoughts of moody teens. Jihyun was still a teen. Park made a mental note to ask him.

A knock sounded off. Park, not wanting to be seen as more pathetic than normal, sat up and dusted himself off. In entered Jungkook, limping his way inside and kicking the door shut.

"I was expecting Y/n or Kastor," Park said, Jungkook snorting.

"Y/n's had enough of you and Kastor wants to kill you."

"He's certainly got personality, doesn't he?"

"That's one word for it," Jungkook said, leaning against the door. "What happened between you and her? And I don't mean before you left, I already know you two were rocky. I mean now. What happened at the junkyard?"

"Nothing."

"Don't bullshit me. She won't tell me either."

"Maybe there's a good reason for that."

"Good lord, you're another Jin," Jungkook muttered, rubbing his temple with his fingers. "Stop being stubborn. That's Jin's job."

"Funny, Y/n said the same thing. You two are sharing sentences now. How cute."

Jungkook came over and sat next to him, Park scooting away. Jungkook scooted closer. Park kept moving, but Jungkook made it clear he couldn't escape this. Park decided to stay put, Jungkook grinning when he got what he wanted.

"I'll be honest, I don't like you," Jungkook said.

"Gee, thanks."

"But my best friend somewhat cares about you. If she cares, that means you can't be that bad. I think I can guess what happened, so you don't need to tell me, I just want you to know that-"

"It's the first time I've ever kissed someone without being forced to," Park whispered, Jungkook freezing at that. They stayed quiet, Jungkook not moving to take his eyes off Park.

"Okay," Jungkook said, standing and going to the door. "Park?" He lifted his head up in time for Jungkook to swing open the entrance to Park's new abode. His bunny-like smile flashed in the dim light. "We have a lot of shit going on. If you want something, you might not be alive long enough to get it. Just go for it. Don't fuck it up."

And then, he left.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓐𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓑𝓸𝓭𝔂 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓢𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮 ˚｡➶˚┊

A/N: I hope you guys still like the story. Every chapter makes me nervous since I want to give you guys the best story possible. I hope you're enjoying, and thanks for reading!