Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate.
━
The Art of War
Sun Tzu

≣

One hour before the payment on the room was up, Taehyung opened his eyes to take in the cracked ceiling above him. 

For that rare moment upon waking when he had no thoughts, he simply let himself lay there. Every part of his body was stiff and sore, though marginally better than it was at the start of the week. A flex of his feet revealed tightened muscles, but oddly enough, Taehyung enjoyed the burn.

And his mind, which was normally hyperactive and busy assessing every single sound, was blissfully calm and at ease. No troubles or concerns weighed him down. There was this false illusion that he was safe.

Then everything came rushing back, the impact so fierce and blinding it almost stole his breath away. Everything Taehyung worked so hard to suppress flooded every thought and feeling, giving him unwelcome and harrowing memories.

A stranger asking him for directions.

Unfamiliar, bickering voices.

Threatening screams.

Gunshots.

Blood.

Fear.

And worst of all, the guilt. The all-consuming, body-immobilizing guilt that locked Taehyung's muscles and rendered him useless.

That's what he was. Useless.

When the opportunity to practice everything he'd been taught presented itself, Taehyung froze. All the lessons and years of training suddenly meant nothing. His instincts - the very ones crafted to protect himself and others - became corrupted and he failed at doing the one thing that would've changed it all.

And now he was here, wishing he could go back and right his wrongs. Wishing he didn't hesitate. Wishing he wasn't a pacifist like Jungkook correctly pegged him.

How ironic was it that Taehyung, after being trained for years on how to take down an opponent, still couldn't bring himself to kill another? In every other form of self-defense, there was no hesitation on his part. Knocking out someone? Easy. But making the killing blow . . . 

Impossible.

And for that reason, he was useless. For that reason, people were dead.

Taehyung was fucking useless.

Tearing his eyes from the ceiling, he propped himself up against the headboard and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Usually, he'd spend hours attempting to shut off his mind, overthinking until the sun began to rise. But somehow he was able to get five or so hours of sleep, the best night's rest he had in days. That was quite comical since he was on the run, in a shoddy motel, and sharing a bed with a cocky asshole.

At that, his eyes reluctantly scanned over a still sleeping Jungkook. The boy's ebony hair fell in tangles over his face, hiding everything except parted lips. 

Fuck, that mouth annoyed Taehyung. Ever since he met the boy, that mouth just loved talking back and irritating him. It was wonderful that no words were forming on Jungkook's tongue now; quiet was not a state Taehyung thought the younger possessed.

A tattooed hand rested on Jungkook's stomach, splayed out and relaxed in his vulnerable condition. Taehyung briefly recalled seeing more inky designs that covered the boy's entire arm, though the sleeve of a sweatshirt hid them at the moment. And while he never had a desire to get a tattoo himself, Taehyung had to admit how well they suited his arrogant and reckless companion.

His charge.

How the fuck did Taehyung find his way into such a mess, now responsible for someone like Jungkook? Was this some twisted form of karma? It had to be; there was no other plausible explanation. And sure, Taehyung inadvertently put this on himself by marching into Yoongi's office and interviewing. But if he knew this was the scenario that would play out, he would have run very far away and never looked back.

But there was nowhere to run to now. As much as he hated to admit it, his sole task and responsibility were to keep Jungkook safe. If he was wise, he would've ditched the kid as soon as he learned how much trouble he'd cause Taehyung. But that wasn't an option any longer; Taehyung felt like he owed this to Kim Namjoon, to Jungkook's half-brother.

He knew without hesitation that he could never be as brave and heroic as the man who came before him. But he had to try. At the very least, he could protect Jungkook until he figured out a better game plan.

And there had to be a better game plan than just this. Once he secured their position, Taehyung would call Yoongi for next steps.

Maybe . . . maybe . . . He would also come clean about the events that brought him to that interview in the first place.

Resolutely, Taehyung placed a hand on Jungkook's shoulder and shook him. The boy didn't budge. He barely looked affected at all. 

"Wake up," Taehyung said sternly, shaking him with more vigor than before. "I swear to god I will dump water on your face."

Jungkook remained still, so Taehyung threw off the blankets and prepared to stand. He was about to head into the bathroom to make good on his word when that tattooed hand snaked around his wrist. 

"Threaten me one more time. I dare you," Jungkook murmured sleepily, his voice weak but his grip unrelenting.

"Do I need to remind you of who has the guns here?" Taehyung retorted as he tried to dislodge his wrist.

A dark chuckle sounded from the younger, though he still refused to open his eyes. "And do I need to remind you of who seems unable to use said guns?"

"How can you be so argumentative so early in the morning?" Taehyung groaned, giving up his attempt to break free. "How is that possible?"

"It's just a part of my charm," Jungkook intoned, finally opening his eyes. They immediately went to Taehyung's bare chest. "Hm. I forgot you were barely clothed. Professionalism at its finest, right?"

Patience. Someone out there needed to bestow Taehyung with a hefty dose of patience unless he was going to lose it. In all his life, no one ticked him off quite as much as Jungkook, and he barely even knew the kid.

"Just let go of me already. We need to get going so we can put a plan in place." Taehying glared at the younger, knowing full well how intimidating he could be if he wanted.

The expression he pasted on his face did the trick, and soon enough, his wrist was free once more. Taehyung rolled off of the bed, feeling Jungkook's eyes burning into his skin.

Taehyung peered over his shoulder, catching the younger's gaze locked on him. "If you're going to check me out, at least try and be subtle about it."

"So you're a briefs type of guy," Jungkook reflected out of nowhere, a smirk twisting up his lips. "Well, they do wonders for your ass. Why don't you turn around so I can -?"

"Fuck off," Taehyung said, flipping up his middle finger as he strode into the bathroom.

He heard Jungkook mimic him, but he didn't care enough to stick around and trade insults. There was a litany of things he needed to do this morning, and he wasn't about to waste precious time arguing with a pretentious brat.

Moving efficiently, Taehyung took a quick shower to wake himself up fully. There were tiny bottles of soap - a rare commodity in a motel like this - so he was able to feel fresh and clean by the end of his washing. He toweled down his body, wiping away water droplets as he remembered his clothes were in the other room. With an aggregated sigh, he wiggled on his briefs and went in search of his shirt and pants. 

Back in the main part of the room, Jungkook was sitting against the bed's headboard, legs folded like a pretzel. And laying over his knee was a pile of clothing - Taehyung's clothing.

"I thought you might be looking for these," the younger smiled up at him, fingers smoothing over the fabric of Taehyung's shirt. "Pity you left them out here."

Taehyung walked closer to him and extended his hand expectantly, waiting for the clothing to be handed over. "Just give me my damn clothes, Jungkook."

"Now, why would I do that? I find you much more tolerable this way." Jungkook's gaze roamed up and down his body unabashedly, though there was a faint coloring to his cheeks. 

"If you prefer your balls still attached to your body, Jungkook, I suggest you give me what's mine."

The boy had the audacity to roll his eyes, crossing his arms smugly over his chest. "Please. I know you're just all talk and no - what the fuck?"

In an instant, Taehyung had his hand wedged in between Jungkook's legs, cupping him in a rather intimate manner. His other hand rested against the headboard, allowing him to lean in close to Jungkook so that their breaths mingled. The boy looked up at him with shocked eyes, losing all trace of his prior cockiness.

"You were saying?" Taehyung replied sweetly, the corners of his mouth twitching upwards. He squeezed slightly, letting the kid know who was in charge here.

"Fuck you."

Taehyung snatched his clothes from Jungkook's lap and released his grip. "You'd enjoy that, I'm sure."

After getting dressed and using some of the toothpaste Jungkook left on the counter, he rejoined the younger and began pulling on his shoes. Jungkook watched him warily, still sitting with crossed arms on the bed. 

Taehyung pushed aside his annoyance with the younger and turned to face him head on. "I'm going to go reserve the room for a while longer. While I'm gone, wash up and get dressed."

Jungkook didn't show any sign of acknowledgment, so Taehyung kept going.

"We'll stay here while we can. I'll have to go out and find a new car for us, then find a payphone so I can call for help."

At that, Jungkook finally spoke again. "Why do we need a new car?"

Taehyung located the room key and tucked it into his pocket. "We have no idea how well those attackers saw your car. Think of it as a disguise."

He looked at a pouting Jungkook, who was twirling a long strand of hair between his fingers. The kid would need some sort of disguise as well. Looking like this, with his edgy, I-don't-give-a-shit vibe, he was too unmistakable.

"Take a shower," he said before leaving the boy alone.

Taehyung made his way back to the front desk, moving carefully as he scanned his surroundings. No suspicious people or vehicles were loitering around, for which he was immensely thankful. He hadn't caught a break in a while, so something as small as this counted as a big blessing.

The same woman from earlier in the morning occupied the desk, so Taehyung masked his face with a flirtatious smirk. She was smiling at him as soon as he edged nearer, pushing her hair off her forehead and fluffing it around her shoulders.

"Hello, again," she beamed, sitting a little taller. "Did you enjoy your stay?"

"Very much so," he replied, propping his elbows up on the counter of her desk. "The accommodations were quite pleasurable."

A deep blush colored her cheeks as she picked up on his meaning.

"I'd actually like to extend our stay a little longer," Taehyung added, his lips spreading to reveal his teeth. "I'll pay for three more hours."

The woman nodded, letting him know the new rate and accepting his wad of cash. Before he turned to leave, she quickly informed him about the motel's complimentary continental breakfast, saying Taehyung could take as much food as he wanted. He rewarded her with a genuine grin as his stomach timely grumbled. He was starved.

Taehyung grabbed a few items for Jungkook and him to eat now, as well as some snacks for later. He was just about to head back to the room when he remembered one last thing.

He went back to the desk, smiling again at the woman as he balanced the food in his hands. "You wouldn't happen to have a pair of scissors, would you?"

A few minutes later and he was back in the room, relieved to hear the shower on. While he had some peace and quiet, Taehyung scarfed down a muffin and drank some juice, feeling a little more alive than he had before. He then reorganized his supplies, making sure his ammo and cash were still in place in his backpack.

The shower shut off a little while later, and soon enough, the bathroom door flung open. A wall of steam leaked out into the room, with a foggy image of Jungkook reappearing.

"Oh, great. You're back," the younger drawled, eyeing the mediocre spread of food and instantly grabbing two muffins. "At least you were useful enough to get food."

Taehyung inhaled deeply, swallowing his retort and remembering his purpose in all of this. He had his reasons why he needed to put up with Jungkook.

For now.

"Back in the bathroom," Taehyung said, nodding in the direction the younger just came.

"What? Why?" Jungkook mumbled around a mouthful of food, his words jumbled together.

Taehyung didn't respond; he simply grabbed the boy by the wrist and pulled him into the steamy room. Luckily Jungkook didn't put up too much of a fight, so it was easy to make him sit on the toilet seat. Once he was confident that the younger wouldn't move, he pulled out the scissors from his back pocket. 

"Hold up, Edward Scissorhands," Jungkook choked out, nervously following the metal tool with his eyes. "Take a step back."

"Your long hair is too recognizable. When our attackers describe what we look like, they are going to paint you as a guy with long hair and tattoos. I'm doing what I can so you don't match that description as well."

A nervous laugh slipped past the younger's lips, eyes finally meeting Taehyung's. "Are you going to cut off my tattoos too? Is this some sick form of payback?"

Taehyung moved closer to the boy, picking up a wet lock of his hair. "Believe it or not, Jungkook, but I am trying to help you. And I do have experience with all of this shit. So unless you want to make it easier to be tracked down and killed, I'll kindly ask you to shut up."

Surprisingly, Jungkook didn't have any response to that. He just sat there, waiting obediently for Taehyung to do whatever he needed to do.

That was a pleasant change of pace.

With a sure grip, Taehyung slid the lock of hair between his fingers, stopping right above Jungkook's eye. He angled the scissors below his index finger, snipping smoothly and in a clean line. This wasn't his first rodeo; no, he'd been cutting his own hair for years now. It wasn't so different cutting someone else's.

He worked his way around Jungkook's head, making everything as even as possible. And while it would be easy to leave the boy with a crappy haircut, he didn't have it in him. His styling was rather fashionable and trendy, all things considered, and looked nice on Jungkook. Plus, Taehyung knew he'd never hear the end of it if he didn't leave the brat with a passable cut.

When he finished, he stepped away to assess his work. Honestly, it wasn't bad at all. Jungkook's hair now fell just below his eyebrows, with maybe five or so inches gone. The look made the younger all the more handsome, highlighting his defined jaw and sharp cheekbones.

"Well, am I hideous?" Jungkook asked, brushing the excess hair off of his shoulders. 

Taehyung didn't answer. He stepped back so the younger could stand, watching him as he appraised himself in the mirror.

Jungkook's eyes were unreadable as he fingered through his new style, arranging it in a way he liked. By this point, Taehyung had expected some snotty piece of feedback, a dig on his skills as a barber.

But there was nothing. Just a period of silence while Jungkook studied his appearance.

"My mother hated my long hair," Jungkook revealed after a moment, voice low in a rare display of transparency. "It hasn't been this short in ten years." 

It was the first time Jungkook opened up about his family outside of Namjoon. The boy's tone was a mix between regret, anger, and remorse, and his expression conveyed that as well. Clearly, talking about his mother was a touchy subject.

The moment of vulnerability was gone as quickly as it came, however, and suddenly Jungkook was facing Taehyung.

"Alright," the boy said, holding out his hand. "Your turn for a cut."

Taehyung reflexively clutched the scissors to his chest, nose scrunching as he backed away from Jungkook. "You will not touch my hair."

But Jungkook wasn't deterred. He closed in on Taehyung, walking him up against the bathroom wall. "Oh, yes, I will. I need to repay the favor. And don't we want to show the world those pretty eyes of yours?"

The younger dared to sweep Taehyung's hair out of his face, fingertips grazing his forehead. "After you touched me so inappropriately this morning, I think you owe me at least this. Don't you agree?"

And despite his annoyance right now, Taehyung knew Jungkook had a point. He was in the wrong for handling the boy as he had. If Jungkook had touched him like that, he would have been at the kid's throat. 

So he swallowed his pride and allowed himself to admit he was wrong. "Jungkook, I'm -"

"I don't want to hear any apologies from you," the younger interrupted, smiling deviously at Taehyung. "So instead, you'll make it up to me. You will sit and let me cut your hair."

Taehyung nodded solemnly, sparing his messy, curly hair one last glance in the mirror. "Fine."

"That's the spirit," Jungkook beamed, pushing off of the wall and watching as Taehyung sat down. "Don't worry. By the time I'm done with you, you'll be even better looking than you are now."

Taehyung arched an eyebrow, unable to hide the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "You think I'm good looking? Here I was, believing you thought nothing of me at all."

"I don't have to like you to think you're hot," Jungkook smirked, running a hand through Taehyung's hair. 

His nails slightly grazed Taehyung's scalp, the feeling oddly pleasurable to Taehyung. He bit his tongue to suppress a contented murmur, knowing Jungkook would never let him live it down if he showed how much he enjoyed this. So he simply handed over the scissors, making no sound whatsoever when the boy yanked his head back by his hair.

"I called you hot," Jungkook said, fingers still gripping his head firmly in an attempt to be intimidating. "You have no come back to that?"

"Why does everything have to have a come back with you?" Taehyung voiced, looking up at the younger who hovered inches above him. "Can't we just let a topic drop?"

"Whatever," Jungkook mumbled, eyes narrowing in concentration as he started working through Taehyung's hair.

Fifteen minutes went by, the room silent except for the snipping of the scissors. Taehyung honestly wouldn't be shocked if Jungkook left him with a shitty cut, but he was far from caring about hairstyles at this point. The need to look glamorous or handsome was long gone.

"I'm done," Jungkook murmured, placing the scissors on the counter. "I think it's best if I leave the room, that way if you hate it, you're not tempted to strangle me. Or whatever it is you do as a pacifist."

"I never said I'm a pacifist," Taehyung argued, but the younger had already left him alone.

With a small groan, he stood and faced his reflection. He sported a very similar cut to Jungkook, his hair just brushing the tips of his eyelashes. The edges were even and feathered, creating a very pleasing effect. For some reason, he didn't think the kid would take it seriously, but apparently, he did.

Taehyung exited the bathroom to find Jungkook lounging on the bed, another muffin half-eaten in his hand. The boy looked up at him, chewing slowly as he waited for a reaction.

"I don't have a sob story for why I kept my hair long," Taehyung smirked, unable to voice the kind thank you that would have been socially acceptable for the situation.

"Asshole," Jungkook said softly, looking anywhere but Taehyung.

And yeah, maybe he was an inconsiderate asshole. But if Taehyung was an asshole, then Jungkook was a hypocrite. 

A quick look at an alarm clock showed it was just before eleven in the morning, so Taehyung went over to his backpack and flung it over his shoulders. He found Jungkook's car keys on the nightstand and slid those into his pocket, before eyeing the two bags the younger brought with him. 

"Is all your stuff in there?" He asked, scanning the room for any other personal belongings. 

"Why?"

"I saw a used car lot down the road. I'm going to go sell yours and get something different," Taehyung explained, going into the bathroom and retrieving the toothpaste. "For your safety, you're staying here."

Jungkook eyed him as he came back into the room, watching as he put away the toothpaste. "And you need my stuff to do that because . . .?"

Hooking the boy's bags on either arm, Taehyung shot him a glance. Jungkook had this uneasy look upon his face, like he almost thought Taehyung was going to leave him here, alone and stranded.

"I'm not ditching you," he said, even though the thought of leaving the kid behind was appealing. "I'm actually considering the alternative possibility."

Jungkook understood what he was getting at and rolled his eyes. "You really think I'd run off somewhere?"

Taehyung readjusted the bags on his arms, the weight of everything pressing down on his limbs uncomfortably. "Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised. I don't know you. But I've already learned that you're impulsive. So who the hell knows whether or not you'd try to hitchhike somewhere."

The younger stood and marched up to Taehyung, not stopping until he was in his personal bubble. "Let me clear any misconceptions for you, Taehyung. I know I can't protect myself. I know my best shot of making it out of this mess is sticking with you. But I hate it. I absolutely fucking hate it. This was not what I envisioned for my life. Being stuck with you is as much a hell for me as it is for you."

The honesty took Taehyung aback. Sure, he knew the kid didn't like him. And he, too, felt the same way. But what surprised Taehyung was the level of animosity in which Jungkook spoke. 

If anyone should hate anyone here, it was Taehyung. He had every right to despise Jungkook and for the role he played in this madness. But here the younger was, angry with him. 

"Be happy you're stuck with me, Jungkook. Be happy I feel obligated to help you."

And with that, Taehyung left Jungkook in the room, too pissed off to spare him a parting glance. Heat flushed through his body as he climbed into the younger's car, grinding his teeth while pulling out of the motel parking lot. He tried not to fume too much over the whole ordeal, though he was failing miserably.

But that was okay; he welcomed his anger wholeheartedly. If he focused on that emotion alone, he didn't have to feel any of the other emotions fighting to break through the cage Taehyung kept them in. 

Taehyung remained livid throughout the five minute drive to the car lot, remained infuriated as he greeted an unsuspecting salesman and demanded to see his most durable - yet cheap - cars. The man was a stuttering fool as he nervously showed Taehyung the best cars that he had, not even attempting to oversell him on any particular vehicle. 

After thirty or so minutes, they came upon a nondescript car with good mileage that was just what Taehyung wanted. The salesman didn't dare to barter much; he named a fair price for both Jungkook's car and the used one, allowing Taehyung to make a nice profit. When their business together was complete, the man looked relieved to wave Taehyung off. 

Taehyung gratefully tucked the excess cash into his backpack before securing all of their belongings into the trunk. Then, instead of heading back to the motel right away, he allowed himself a few minutes of silence. He rested his forehead against the steering wheel, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.

Above all, he just wanted to go home. He wanted to be with his father, mother, and friends again.

But that would never happen. The home he once knew was no longer in existence. 

A sharp knocking on his window interrupted his thoughts, making him alert in an instant. What - or who - he saw instantly replaced the oncoming sadness with fury.

Taehyung pushed open the door and stood nose to nose with Jungkook. "Are my orders a joke to you? Do you think this is funny? We're in a life or death situation, Jungkook. This isn't some silly game of Overwatch."

"You left your fucking gun behind," Jungkook said in a deadly calm tone, one that was uncharacteristic for him. "I thought that you should have it."

And sure enough, judging by the barrel of his Sig Sauer sticking out of Jungkook's front pocket, he really did leave one of his guns behind. His anger had clouded his vision; he slipped up.

Carefully, Taehyung extracted the gun from Jungkook's pants, wrapping his fingers around the barrel. "The safety wasn't on."

"I don't know what that means."

"If you somehow engaged the trigger, you would have fired the gun," he told the younger, putting the safety mechanism back into place. He rotated the gun so it was barrel down, then slid it into Jungkook's back pocket.

Jungkook's eyebrows narrowed as he pressed his palm against the back of his pants. "You're giving me your gun?"

Taehyung lowered himself into their new car, cocking his head towards the passenger seat. "I'm letting you hold onto it for now. Now, get in."

The younger rounded the car, sliding into the seat. He wore a baggy short-sleeved shirt, one that showcased the black designs over his arm. Again, they caught Taehyung's eye, though this time he had more light to take them in thoroughly. 

Simply put, they were gorgeous. Whereas some might see tattoos as a threatening or dangerous addition to one's persona, Taehyung thought the opposite. When someone was dedicated enough to put a piece of art on their body for forever . . . That was commitment. 

"Thank you for bringing me my gun," Taehyung said, starting the car and pulling out of the lot. "But next time, please listen to me when I give you an order. I do have your best interest in mind, Jungkook. At any point on your way here, someone could have seen you. And wearing a shirt like that, your tattoos on display, you would have been very easy to describe to others."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Jungkook asked incredulously, an irritated tone coloring his voice. "Wear long sleeves in June?"

"That'll keep you the safest, so yes."

"Whatever," the younger huffed, remaining silent for the rest of the trip back to the motel.

They arrived just a couple of minutes later, parking far away from their room. Taehyung looked forward to getting back inside, eager to get something to eat. After that, he'd find the nearest payphone and place a call to Yoongi.

For the first time in the last twelve hours, Taehyung felt confident. 

That was, of course, until Jungkook reached out and pointed in front of them. "I know I had our door shut before I left."

Taehyung reached for his Glock as soon as he saw their motel room's door open, the light brightening the inside. He shoved Jungkook behind him, searching their surroundings for any sign of people.

"Back in the car," he breathed, walking backward with the younger in tow.

They moved quickly, with Taehyung not letting his guard down for a moment. Thankfully, no one engaged with them as they climbed back into the vehicle, with Taehyung once again taking the driver's seat. He maneuvered out of the parking lot, instructing Jungkook to watch for any cars behind them.

No other car appeared to be trailing them.

Yet.

And because his charge was Jungkook, a person who couldn't keep his mouth shut, their tense silence was broken by the younger's need to run his mouth.

"It's a good thing I didn't listen to you."

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

Yeah, I think we all knew JK was stupid for sending that text . . .

Also, I don't think I've ever written as much Taekook banter as I have in this story. And we've only had like 3 or 4 full chapters with them both in it! I love them bickering so much haha.

T H E O R I E S ↴