Chapter Text
IIA(International Intelligence Agency) - Mexico branch
The hall outside the glass-paneled cabin was a haze of confusion concealed by business accuracy. The sound of hurried footsteps filled the room as some employees ran between departments while clutching classified files, while others were frantically whispering into their earpieces. Screens lit with networking, tracking sites, red alerts. Phones rang off the hook as informers were giving updates on the other end in hushed tones. The whole atmosphere felt like a tight choke on one’s lungs, making everyone hold onto their breaths - from how anxious and unpredictable every second was in the profession they worked.
Inside the cabin, many senior officers sat around a long mahogany table, dominating the room. A high-stakes presentation played on the large screen - depicting the images of the North Port in an icy Russian region, satellite views, suspicious container scans and tracking anomalies.
“...... England’s last shipment vanished five hours ago from the waters without a trace,” the presenter said, voice steady and focus clear - a beta, young, in his early thirties - standing at the head of the table in front of a room full of alphas. His hands clasped nervously, though his eyes held calm. He advanced the slide, “We believe it was rerouted to unauthorized coordinates, and this time too this seems to be the work of the same person.”
On the projector screen behind him, satellite data blinked in angry red and amber. Port logs. Craned. Cargo manifests. Status, then timestamp blinking, 3:06 AM.
At the far right end of the table, a senior Alpha in a tailored navy suit leant forward with his elbows as he asked, “How long are we going to let him do this?” his sharp and controlled voice cutting through the murmurs, “Do we wait until he has compromised every critical port across the countries? Or we would finally act before it’s damn too late?”
The presenter swallowed, as he had no answer to that. A few others shifted in their seats feeling conflicted about the whole thing. One Alpha delegate, an older woman in her mid fifties with clipped silver hair and rectangular glasses - perched low on her nose - spoke with a confliction, “Even after all these years we still don’t know who he is,” she said dryly, “No face, no name. He has hidden himself in his own labyrinth.”
“That’s not good then,” the man in the navy suit snapped, hands coming down on the table with a thud, “This is not some petty smuggling. It's a systematic and strategic planned attack. If this keeps up, then we’re not talking about some small grain loss - we’re talking war.”
“We need to end this before it blows up into a diplomatic crisis.”
A silence fell over the room like a heavy blanket, suffocating the stillness and tranquility.
Then from the other far end of the room, a hoarse voice broke through, “There’s a way he can be stopped, more like someone who can do so.”
Heads turned to the source of the voice. The man in navy suit frowned at the statement, and even the presenter paused looking at the person who spoke, only to be shocked to see that there was another beta present in the room.
A man in his early twenties. Rumpled gray suit, loose tie. Looking every bit of overworking undercompensated workers. Yet his eyes held such conviction, sitting among all highly respected senior Alpha officials. His scent was muted almost nonexistent, yet he seemed unaffected from the heavy anxious pheromones of the Alphas in the room, which even had the presenter sweat in his place.
Someone asked, “who?”
The beta said cautiously, “Ian.”
The name was enough to bring forth a bunch of shocked gasps, a pen clattered to the floor, some inhaled sharp as they muttered under their breath in disbelief. The older woman’s brows shot up in confusion.
“Ian?? You mean the assassin who has been off-grid for god knows how - what eight years?”
The man in the navy suit grumbled, “Are you talking about the same person who dismantled more than half of our assets in Eastern Europe during an undercover mission?”
When the beta stayed silent. The senior officer scoffed, saying “He can’t be our solution. He’s the reason why we had to rebuild the cover network of our agents from the ground up.”
There’s a herd of murmurs followed.
“He’s out of his mind.”
“Ian is a security risk to the whole international agency.”
But the beta didn’t look even a bit affected by the quibbles. “I know Ian was never loyal to anyone. He only followed money. But he was the best player of this game out there, we haven’t seen anyone with instincts like him in the field since he went mia,”
He said with a persuasion, “If anyone can dig out that mafia boss from the closet, it’s him. He has done it before too.”
The senior alpha asked, finally sounding curious and intrigued, “What do you mean he has done it before?”
The beta leant forward to look the alpha in the eye while answering, “Ian’s last mission was to kill this guy. He was the last resort when no one else could find that mafia boss. He was the only one who ever got close enough to take the shot. He found the target’s location within three weeks of being briefed.”
The elder woman called out, “The said mission was also his only mission that he failed. I hope so, you know that.”
”Actually, he hadn’t failed. The day the target was supposed to be neutralized he went mia. We believe he had backed out” the beta claimed with confidence, “But if anyone can find him again….it’s him.”
Everyone sat in their place with faces bordering on uncertainity. A different alpha leaned back in his chair, with arms folded as he questioned, “Even if we believe Ian is still out there. Then what makes you think he’d help us now? When you said he’s not loyal to anyone.”
The beta’s voice quietened but unwavering, “We can only tell so once we get a chance to get hold of him. If his loyalty is still to money. Then a right price..a right number might make him listen to us.”
Another prolonged silence fell. Eyes darted around the room, but no one dared to comment anything. Finally the senior alpha exhaled as his eyes locked onto the beta, “Can you find him?”
The beta nodded once, “I have an old contact. He has informers, and could find someone Ian owes. It’s a long shot…but if Ian’s had kept his old connection active. We’ll find him.”
The alpha stood up as he looked across the room, in the eyes of each person present in the room. A silent agreement was passed and then he said, “Do it. Find Ian and get him on board. No matter the cost, do whatever it takes.”
The room exploded into murmurs again, and the tension abruptly snapped back into motion with a new objective in mind. Somewhere, in the world's shadows, a name that had been dormant for years had just recently come back to life.
The legendary ghost of a person, Ian.
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
A small city Gwangmyeong, wrapped in winter’s crisp winds and the streets blanketed with white sheets of snow, welcomed the first steady snowfall of the season. Townsfolk huddled in pairs for warmth, as they walked down the roads to their stop. Amidst the buzzing market, stood a cozy multicuisine restaurant. Through its frost fogged windows, warm yellow light hit the streets. The fresh aroma of grilled meat, and simmering stews carried itself in the air around the area, calling for the onlookers.
Inside, the space was alive with a clank of pans and utensils, the low chatter of customers. Waiters moving around with hot pots in the trays in their hands. Mouthwatering aroma of rich broth and sizzling platters filling up the hungry stomach of people calling for orders left and right.
Behind the counter, in the kitchen, an Alpha moved with perfect precision. His quick hands moved through the preparation of dishes, sleeves rolled up and a thin sheen of heat on his forehead. He plated a dish - perfectly steamed bibimbap, egg yolk decorated in the centre - and set it on the counter, ringing the bell sharply.
“Order up!” he called.
A waiter waiting nearby for the order to be ready took the dish with a quick bow and disappeared into the hall - that was a maze of tables. The Alpha’s gaze drifted to the window by the entrance, catching the falling sunset hue on the streets. The sun had begun to set down behind the mountains - that canopied the whole town - painting the sky with violet, orange streaks.
He frowned as he checked the time on his phone, it was past the evening time. Just as his thumb hovered over a contact name, a waiter rushed into the kitchen, looking unsure.
“Uh… Chef Jungkook,” a young beta called, shifting in his place from foot to foot, “There’s a customer who wants to talk to you. I asked them what it was about. But they said they’ll only talk to you.”
Jungkook - the alpha head chef and the owner of the restaurant - looked at the water in confusion, his brows drew together. His curiosity piqued thinking what could they have wanted. But then as he glanced at the phone in his hand, more so at the wallpaper, something clicked in his mind as he smiled with a shake of his head. His expression softened into a knowing smile and he asked the waiter, “you’re new here, right?”
“Yes, I joined today,” the beta answered, a little anxious as he believed he did something wrong.
But Jungkook patted his back with a smile, telling, “So listen new boy. If you plan to stick here for longer, then here’s a tip - if that customer ever asks for me again, come to me straight away. Got it?”
The beta nodded in a daze, not able to understand what’s going on. Still he replied baffled, “Yes, chef.”
Jungkook stepped into the hall, moving through between the tables, looking around until his eyes fell on the table at the far right corner of the hall - right by the giant chef doll. Like he had guessed.
He walked over with a fond smile on his face as he watched the customer pouting and grumbling to the person sitting in front of them, but as he neared them, it morphed into a polite professional smile. He stood by their table and asked as he bowed, “How can I help you?”
At the table of two, sat a little girl - no more than six years old - looking up at the chef with a deep frown that didn’t match her cute features. She was dressed up in a pale pink bunny onesie, long ears flopped over her shoulders. Jungkook held down his urge to squish those cheeks, the girl was too cute for her own good.
She pointed at the dish in front of her and declared firmly, “This doesn’t have enough cheese. I like lots of cheese,” and put her hands on her hips for emphasis. The pout was so big, it made her whole face puffed up like a cute bear. And again Jungkook held himself back from taking her away.
The person sitting across from her couldn't hold back their laughter, as a muffled giggle followed her declaration. Jungkook looked at the person with a twinkle in his eyes. A beautiful male omega sat in front of the girl, bundled up in a fluffy peach sweater, looking far too cozy for an outing in a busy restaurant. His hair slightly ruffled with pecks of snow in it - that Jungkook pats away softly - making the omega smile at him with eyes crinkling in amusement. His cheeks dusted pink from the cold, making the Alpha want to hold them between his palms to warm them up to their natural glow.
Taehyung. The omega raised his eyebrows, pointing at the little girl with his eyes. Jungkook’s lips twitched into a grin before he apologetically bowed, “Ah sorry for my mistake miss. I’ll fix it right away.. Is there anything else you’d like?”
The girl perked up in her chair excitedly, “Yes a strawberry milkshake with lots of ice cream.”
Jungkook’s eyebrows narrowed, his tone turned serious with a playful glint in his eyes, “Now..now. I remember someone is off ice cream for this week.”
The girl gasped in shock, looking betrayed, “You weren’t supposed to know that,”
This time, the omega laughed wholeheartedly. Taehyung leaned on his elbows and looked at the alpha with a fond amusement, “Well she’s correct. The chef is not supposed to know that,”
Jungkook hummed in thought, a smile fighting off his face, “Ah, so it means I am to pretend I don’t know it and get her a shake with lots of ice cream?”
The girl clapped her hands excitedly, “Exactly.”
Jungkook then gave up as he laughed and picked up the girl in his arms, swinging her around as she squealed. He told her with a happy tilt to his voice, “Well Sohl, I think our little act ends here. No way, you’re getting away with that.”
“You cheated, Dadda!” she accused between giggles. “You didn’t play till the end!”
“And you are getting smarter day by day but sorry. No ice cream,” Jungkook teased her, as he tickled her sides, bringing out happy giggles from her which he adored with his whole heart, “You just got over being sick. Remember what appa said?”
The girl sighed but smiled, “That if I behave like a good girl for the week, then he’ll make me my favourite cheesecake.”
Jungkook bumped their heads gently, “Exactly So listen to him, okay?”
“Yes, dadda.” She agreed easily, already forgetting about the whole thing. Just an innocent heart. Happy in small things.
It was then Taehyung rose from his seat, coming to stand beside the two. An endeared smile on his face, as he circled his one arm around Jungkook’s waist in a hug, and the other hand brushing the hair off his daughter’s face.
Jungkook with a quieter voice, meant for just the two, asked, “How was your day, love?”
Taehyung nuzzled his neck into the Alpha’s neck, breathing in the faint scent of musk and sandalwood masked under the aroma of spices. “Busy..but we both missed you.”
Jungkook’s alpha thrummed in content as his omega scented him, he leaned back to hold the back of Taehyung neck to press a kiss to his forehead, “I missed you too,” he said with warmth dripping down in his voice, “How about we watch a movie together tonight? I’ll tell Hyung to take over the restaurant tomorrow morning so I can sleep in with you two.”
Taehyung’s lips curved into a small smile, eyes warm. “I’d like that.”
Their daughter squirmed between them, already demanding to know if the film could have "a princess and a dragon," and Jungkook smiled, leaning over to plant a swift kiss on Taehyung's mouth before placing the little girl back in her seat.
“As you wish. Now sit as I bring your extra cheese noodles princess,” he pulled onto her bunny ears and bopped her nose, then running back to the kitchen.
When the restaurant finally had its shutters down, the lights had dimmed on the streets, streets outside had gone silent. Snowfall had long ago stopped. The family of three walked down on the way to home - which was just a couple blocks away from the restaurant, the cold winds making them huddle closer. Sohl walked in between them. Her boots crunching over the ice as they walked on pavement. Jungkook bent down to cover Sohl better with the scarf around her neck, “Let’s stay warm okay?” he assured as he tightened the knot and patted her head. His spare arm drew Taehyung in by the shoulders.
The evening was quiet save for the gentle whisper of the winds. Jungkook looked sideways at Taehyung, gently stroking his nape as he said, "Why were you late today, hmm?"
Sohl heard him too as she braked and swung around in readiness to say something, but Taehyung quietly knelt down to lift her up, quieting her before she could say a word. And then looked at Jungkook, his eyes flickering - just a small shift - but enough for Jungkook to get suspicious.
Taehyung smiled a little too much as he said, “Nothing..just met Jimin on the way. And you know how it is with him.” he gave a small laugh, casual but maybe a little too casual,”Didn’t realise the time as we got caught up with gossiping,”
Jungkook didn’t look convinced but he let it go “Hmm, okay” - not pressing the matter further - yet. Taehyung continued to gaze at Jungkook with a confidence, his smile bright, "Don't worry, it was nothing."
Jungkook turned his head to his daughter, who was now pouting against her appa's shoulder, it only made his suspicion grow.
At home the snow had already begun to fall in those slow shiny flakes. Each one caught the pale orange glow from the streetlights right outside their place. The lawn turned into a clean white sheet. It stayed spotless except for the light tracks from Sohl's boots and the happy circle of her laughter cutting through the cold air.
Sohl shouted “Appa, it's so fluffy.” She scooped up a bunch of snow and tossed it high. She watched it drift down like fine sugar powder. Her mittens got soaked quickly but that big smile on her face just would not quit.
Taehyung let out a soft chuckle. His breath came out in foggy puffs ahead of him. “Be careful princess,” he said. “You might turn into a snowball yourself.”
Jungkook stepped out from the porch then. He had his gloved hands tucked in his pockets. His scarf hung loose around his neck. “Or before you throw one at me again,” he teased.
Sohl glared at him-then promptly scooped up another handful of snow and threw it directly at him. It hit him square on the chest. “Oops,” she squeaked. She ducked quickly behind Taehyung's legs.
Jungkook made a big show of gasping. “Oh so it's war now,” he said. He crouched down and packed a snowball tight. His eyes narrowed like he meant business even if it was all pretend.
Taehyung quickly raised his hands. “Wait, wait-don’t involve me! She started it!”
But Jungkook was already grinning, taking aim. “You’re part of her team, love. Guilt by association.”
Sohl shrieked as Jungkook launched the snowball. Taehyung yelped when it smacked his shoulder. “Jungkook,” he called out. Laughter mixed right into his words as he leaned over to grab some snow of his own. “You are going to regret that one.”
“Oh no, he’s making one!” Sohl warned dramatically, ducking behind the car. “Get him, Appa!”
Things turned into total chaos just like that. Snowballs flew everywhere. Giggles echoed all through the frosty winter night. Taehyung chased Jungkook back and forth over the yard. His scarf trailed out behind him. His cheeks stayed flushed red from the laughs and the bite of the cold. Jungkook weaved adeptly, scooping and sending back, while Sohl cheered on in play-by-play from behind her makeshift hideout.
Finally flushed out and half-buried in snow, Taehyung doubled over, laughing uncontrollably. "Okay, okay, truce-”
Jungkook didn't purchase it. He sprang forward, scooping up both husband and daughter in a single motion, arms wrapping around them as the three of them fell into the snow. Sohl shrieked as she fell on top, Taehyung beneath her, Jungkook's arms embracing them in a heat heap.
"Gotcha." Jungkook said, his grin wide.
"You cheated!" Taehyung laughed until he could hardly catch his breath. Snowflakes stuck frozen in his hair.
“All’s fair in love and snowball fights.” Jungkook said quietly. He leaned in closer with that smirk of his.
Taehyung's face got even redder. It was not just the chill anymore. “You are impossible,” he muttered. He half laughed while trying to push him off. But Jungkook just held on tighter. He planted a fast kiss on his temple. Then he dropped back into the snow.
Sohl flopped beside them dramatically. “Let’s make snow fairies!” she shouted.
Jungkook chuckled, spreading his arms and legs. “You heard the boss.”
They lay there side by side. They moved their arms around to make snow angels. The snow crunched under them as they shaped three right next to each other. Taehyung turned his head. He met Jungkook’s gaze. Their daughter started humming soft on one side. Their breaths hung misty in the cold space between them. It felt warm and close even with the freeze all around.
After a while, Sohl sat up, proud. “Look! My fairy’s the prettiest!”
"She's right," Jungkook said, grinning. "But mine appears to have been run over by a truck."
Taehyung snorted.
They rolled snowballs for the next few minutes, making a snowman at the porch. Sohl named the snowman ‘Mr Frosty’. She said he needed a real hat. Taehyung dug out one of Jungkook's old beanies. He set it on the snowman's head. Jungkook stood back with his hands on his hips watching them.
"Looks familiar," Jungkook taunted. “Short, round, and cute.”
Sohl giggled. “He’s like Appa!”
Taehyung gasped dramatically. "Excuse me?! Short?!"
Jungkook attempted-and succeeded-usually-and failed to conceal his smile. "Only a little."
Taehyung packed his hands full of snow. He hurled it at Jungkook’s chest. Then he spun around to run off laughing. Jungkook dodged it easy. He grabbed Taehyung’s wrist right before he could slip away.
"Gotcha again," he whispered.
“Let me go, people are watching!” Taehyung whispered, glancing toward the neighbor’s yard.
Jungkook smiled, leaning close. "Then stop blushing so hard, or they won't be able to guess anything."
Taehyung's breath caught. "Jungkook-"
Jungkook took a kiss anyway. It was soft and quick and warm against the icy air. Taehyung went still for a moment. His eyes went wide. Then his cheeks burned hot red. He shoved at Jungkook’s chest. That sent him tumbling back into the snow.
“You’re ridiculous!” Taehyung shouted through a laugh.
Behind him, Jungkook lay laughing, brushing snow off his jacket. “Worth it!” he called out, voice full of fondness.
Sohl looked out from where she was hiding behind the car, laughing maniacally. "Dadda's in trouble again!"
"Tell Appa I regret nothing!" Jungkook got up with a smile. It only widened when Taehyung glanced back. Taehyung crouched there in front of Sohl. He fixed her scarf. He tried to look mad. But he failed badly because a smile crept onto his face anyway.
The three of them remained like that for a moment. They just breathed and watched the light snowflakes fall from the sky. Jungkook's eyes softened as he gazed at them. Sohl's laughter and Taehyung's smile warmed up the cold evening in a real way.
But when Sohl's nose started to pink up Jungkook frowned a little. “Alright angel“, he whispered. He rubbed her nose gently with his thumb. “Time to head back in. It;s cold for you now.”
Taehyung stood and took her hand. The little family of three headed back inside.
The house's warmth hit them right away. The fireplace crackled soft in the corner. Taehyung helped Sohl out of her coat. Jungkook tossed his gloves on the counter. The smell of cocoa hung in the air.
As promised, the three were curled up on the couch together, blankets thrown over the legs. Sohl sat in the middle with the popcorn bowl kept on her lap. Her small hands diving in without keeping her eyes off the screen. She was completely hooked by the movie playing - her wide eyed eyes watching with fascination, feet tucked under her.
Jungkook next to her leaned back on the couch, resting his head on hand with the support of elbow. His eyes though were drifting sideways. Not to the movie - no, his attention was drawn to the figure sitting on the other side of Sohl.
Taehyung.
The warm soft light from the fireplace cast a golden hue over his face, highlighting his features even more. Even after all these years, Jungkook still finds himself speechless. And stared. Because how had he gotten this lucky? To get to have such beauty, call his husband.
Those long, damp eyelashes-still holding traces of the earlier snow when they’d come in-blinked slowly at the screen. The pink curve of those lips, naturally plush, made his chest ache. And the moles… God, those perfect little beauty marks he’d memorized like a secret map.
He wanted to lean in and kiss each one. But he had something more gruelling and concerning on his mind tonight.
Taehyung, feeling Jungkook's gaze upon him, swiveled his head to glance at him. But the alpha's intense look made him turn away due to shyness. The edge of his lip curving upwards with a faint smile, his cheeks flushing pink. He attempted to keep his eyes on the screen, his lashes fanning as he tried to become tiny in his seat. Jungkook couldn't prevent himself from laughing. His fingers extended across Sohl to encompass Taehyung's hand in his own. He raised it to his lips softly, pressing a gentle kiss on the knuckles. His thumb traced a path between the soft skin of the upper hand. With his other hand, he ruffled Sohl’s hair fondly that drew her attention from the screen.
“Come on princess, it’s late now,” Jungkook said to her softly, coaxing and warm, “time to go to bed.”
“But, it's the best part now,” Sohl whined, trying to convince her dadda with her puppy eyes.
“No, Sohl. The princess is still gonna be there tomorrow. But remember no cheesecake if..” Jungkook said with a doting smile, “So now hurry up.”
The little girl begrudgingly gets down from the bed, wrapping herself in the blanket that fully consumes her. Taehyung got up too, moving to take Sohl to the bed, but Jungkook’s hand shot up to stop him.
“I’ll put her to bed tonight,” Jungkook assured him, caressing his hand soothingly, “You look tired - take a warm bath and rest.”
Taehyung's shoulders sag in relief, with a grateful smile he nodded and bent down to peck his daughter’s forehead, wishing her good night before brushing his lips against Jungkook’s in passing.
“Come to bed soon,” Taehyung whispered against his lips,
Jungkook nodded, after leaving another peck to the lips, “I will.”
Taehyung then left for their bedroom. While Jungkook picked up his daughter in his arms with a grin, “Now who’s ready for the bed?”
Sohl squirmed and squealed as Jungkook tickled her on the way to the room. He laid her down gently on the bed and tucked her in, covering her with the blanket till the chin. After checking that Taehyung wasn't close by looking towards the hallway, he lowered his voice.
“Angel… remember how dadda and Sohl have no secrets?”
Sohl blinked at him, hugging her bunny plush tighter. “Mm-hm.”
“Then,” Jungkook said gently, brushing her hair back, “will you tell me why you and Appa were really late today? Did you really meet Uncle Jimin?”
Sohl bit her lip, hesitating. Her silence stretched, so Jungkook leaned closer. “You know dadda loves you and Appa more than anything, right? Won’t you tell me what happened?”
Her little brow furrowed before she finally whispered, “Appa fought with a bad guy.”
Jungkook’s hand stilled. “…A bad guy?”
She nodded solemnly. “The bad guy who steals things. He tried to hurt Appa, but Appa made him run away. But…” Her voice dropped even lower. “The bad guy said he’ll be back again. He looked angry.”
Jungkook’s chest tightened. He remembered Taehyung mentioning last week about the robberies around Sohl’s school.
It was one of those slow afternoons at the restaurant. Jungkook took the afternoon off to pick Sohl up from the school with Taehyung.
“‘Dadda!!” Sohl called out as she ran out the building towards him. Jungkook picked her up easily and she giggled in his ear.
Alpha looked behind him to see Taehyung talking to one of Sohl’s friend’s parents. The woman looked concerned and her words seemed urgent, even Taehyung looked worried.
Jungkook waited until the woman walked away, before approaching the omega, who looked stressed. He asked, running down his hands behind his back, “What happened?”
Taehyung gave him a quick glance while maintaining her distressed expression ” It seems that some robberies have been reported in the vicinity of the school in recent days. According to her, one occurred just a few blocks away last night.”
Jungkook’s mouth clenched, “That’s too close. We need to talk to the principal tomorrow. They need to increase the security, how can they take chances with kid’s safety.”
Taehyung huffed in irritation, “I swear if I see those guys, I am gonna beat them up so good. They won't even think of messing here.”
Despite the worry, Jungkook’s lips quirked fondly, from how adorable Taehyung looked - when trying to be intimidating. He gripped Taehyung’s shoulder, “Love, no one’s gonna beat anyone. Just ask for assistance or call the police if it ever occurs. Let them have what they desire. Please, no violence.”
Taehyung looked reluctant to agree, but in the end he nodded apprehensively, “Alright, I just wish I don’t come across them.”
Jungkook had been worried then, but now he was deeply disturbed.
He leaned down, kissing his daughter's forehead, with a gentle smile on his face for her sake, “Princess don’t worry. Everything will be fine. Dadda will handle it.”
Her expression instantly brightened. “I know dadda’s the best.”
Jungkook grinned and raised his hand. “High five?”
Her small palm slapped against his, and she giggled before snuggling into her pillow. “Goodnight dadda!!”
He stayed by her side, until she fell asleep, her breathing evening out. With a final whisper, “Goodnight princess”, Jungkook left the room, closing the door behind him softly. Now ready to hear the whole story from his husband.
Back in the bedroom, the bathroom door opened with a creak. The scent of camomile and vanilla filled the room, with a stream of hot steam breaking into the darkened room. Taehyung walked out, draped in a fluffy white bathrobe, hanging loose over his shoulders - smooth milky collarbones view teasing through the folds. His honey brown hair damp as he dried them with a towel.
When he saw Jungkook sitting on the edge of the bed with his head hung down, he moved to go to his side with a smile but his feet stopped as he caught onto the sharp anxious Alpha pheromones emitting from Jungkook. His smile wavered once he felt the change in Jungkook’s mood.
Taehyung, still with a convincing smile, stepped forward, asking in a cautious tone, “Hey, is Sohl asleep?”
Jungkook’s head rose slowly, and the dark storming look in his eyes made Taehyung’s chest constrict with worry.
“Yes,” Jungkook said gruffly, "She also explained to me the reason for your tardiness."
Taehyung froze mid-step, fingers tightening around the towel. “…Kook-”
“You promised me.”Jungkook’s voice was quiet but heavy. “I told you-no violence. If something happens, you call for help. You keep yourself safe first. But instead…” He trailed off, his jaw flexing hard. “…you went after a robber. Alone.”
Taehyung’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I didn’t plan to-”
“You should have called me,” Jungkook cut in.
“I didn’t have time!” Taehyung’s voice rose before he forced it softer, his brows knitting together. He stepped forward until he was right in front of Jungkook, “You weren’t there, Kook. He threatened Sohl.”
When he heard her name, Jungkook's face changed in some way; his shoulders stiffened and his eyes darkened.
Taehyung went on, his voice now shaky, "I know you hate violence. You want me to be safe, I know that. However, as soon as he said her name”- water dripping from his hair, he shook his head. “I couldn’t think of anything else. I didn’t care if I got hurt. I just had to make sure he didn’t approach her.”
In two long strides, Jungkook stood in front of Taehyung, closing the distance between them. He moved to grab his shoulders - not to hurt Taehyung but to ground himself, to make sure he’s fine now. “What if he had a weapon? What if you hadn’t come home?” His voice cracked at the edges, the thought alone burning through him. “What if you never came back to me, Tae?”
Taehyung’s eyes softened as he raised one hand to cup Jungkook’s cheek, stroking the light stubble with his thumb. He assured him, “But I am here. And so is Sohl. She is safe kook, that’s all matters.”
Jungkook rebuked, “No..that’s not what all matters to me,” he joined their foreheads, breathing in the minuscule space between them, "Tae, you are important too. You are everything to me, not just Sohl's father. If anything happened to you…” Instead of finishing, he gathered Taehyung in a tight embrace as his voice broke into a closed sob.
Taehyung wrapped his arms around Jungkook’s neck, his fingers playing with the hair back of the nape, “I am sorry kook. Next time, I promise I’ll call you first.”
Jungkook, though, processed the words in his mind differently. He held his husband closer and nuzzled his face into his neck, scenting him exhaustively.
There won’t be any next time
When he stepped back, his eyes softened into a calm smile. His hands splayed protectively over Taehyung’s waist, lifting his chin he planted a slow lingering kiss on his lips. While promising to himself.
I’ll make sure no one dares to touch my family again
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
When the apartment fell into a quietness, the sky outside was darker than any night. It was well past midnight. The heater hummed low in the silence, filling the room with a steady warmth. Beside Jungkook, Taehyung slept soundly. With his one leg hooked with the alpha’s, one arm draped over his waist caging him. After every fight - though a rarity - Taehyung always would become extra clingy with his husband. Taehyung’s omega hated when they fought with their alpha, and whenever it happened, he seemed to hold Jungkook closer.
Like it would keep any distance from ever forming again.
Jungkook’s eyes were open in the dark. He hadn't even slept. He had been lying motionless, acting as though he was asleep when in reality he was waiting for Taehyung's steady breathing to signal that his omega had fallen into a deep sleep.
He continued to listen for another minute. Taehyung's breathing sounds. The building creaked faintly in the cold. He quickly checked for any sounds from Sohl’s room too, when heard nothing, except the steady rhythm of her breathing - he set into motion.
Jungkook shifted a little in his place, making Taehyung squirm against him and mutter something under his breath, but didn’t wake up. Then, Jungkook carefully untangled Taehyung’s arm and leg from around him, and replaced a pillow instead. He lingered for a second, removing a stray hair from Taehyung’s face and admiring his peaceful beauty, but then stood up, leaving the room quietly.
The living room was bathed in a dim orange glow from the street lighting. He walked to the guest room, going inside and making his way to the cupboard. His fingers slid the door open, reaching past neatly stacked blankets to the far end where a black coat hung, heavier than the rest .The kind that became shadowy under darkness.
Pulling the hood low over his head, he put it on.
With his thumb pressed firmly against the inner edge of the wood, he crouched and pulled open the bottom drawer until a soft click came. A metallic object rested inside a concealed compartment that slid open. He picked it up, feeling the familiar weight, balance and cold, in his hands.
He tightened his jaw. The metal then disappeared under the fabric as he slipped it into the waistband at the back of his coat.
He slipped back to the hallway. A glance toward the bedroom-Taehyung still curled under the blanket, breathing slow. He knew this hour-past two a.m.-was when his omega husband slept the deepest. Jungkook then checked inside Sohl’s room, the little girl was sleeping with her stuffed bunny held close to her chest. Once assured that all was okay, he finally stepped out of the house, locking the door behind.
As soon as he stepped into the walkway, cold chill winds swept his face. Exhaling a puffy mist into the winter night, he lowered the hood and made his way to the bus stop. On the way he unlocked his phone and began searching for local robbery reports. Within seconds, several headlines lit up the screen, each with grainy CCTV stills. One in particular caught his attention-a face tied to incidents near Sohl’s school.
“Found you,” he murmured under his breath.
His thumb flew across the screen, cross-referencing the locations of previous attacks, plotting them on a map. A pattern emerged. He knew where to find them.
Pocketing his phone back, he got into a bus that led him to the outskirts of the town. The ride for most was silent, if not for the occasional engine’s rumble and brake hiss. Jungkook was sitting at the very back, hood covering his face well, the window reflecting the streaks of snow inside and a brewing storm in his eyes - cold, calculating.
When his stop came, he got off and put his hands in the pocket of the coat, looking around himself. The streets were all but dead. Streetlamps flickered, almost dying, throwing very thin light to uncover the darkness.
The slump alleyways stenched of liquor and damp mud. Here, the snow was grey from the city's filth, fences drooped with rot, and rusted container houses leant at uneven angles.
Here, the streets were deserted. Jungkook moved around the area without any sound, cutting through the narrow alleys until he spotted a group lurking around a dark corner - smell of smoke and hunger evident. A faint clink of bottles followed a low chutter.
Jungkook stepped into the alley and stopped just far enough for them to notice him. One of the men looked up, frowning. “Who the hell are you?”
Jungkook didn’t answer. Instead, his voice came low and dangerous. “Which one of you went after an omega and a kid near the school today?”
They looked at each other. Then one of them with a scar running down his face stood up. In an instant Jungkook’s eyes darkened but he held himself back - eyes locked onto them like a predator waiting for his prey.
The man with the scar swayed in his place, trying to stay still as he asked in his sluggish tone, "What does it mean to you? Are you here to die this evening?”
It’s then Jungkook pulled out the knife from behind his back and very fluidly twirled it between his fingers as the blade shone under the dim light, a cruel sinister smile hanging off his lips. “Are you sure that it’s me who’s gonna die tonight?”
It was enough for the men to make an agitated move. Together they charged at him, but Jungkook was faster as he ducked under a swing aimed to punch at his face. He instead elbowed the person in the face as they staggered in front. Using the wall as leverage Jungkook toppled over a second attacker. His movements, attacks were precise, deadly. He didn;t use the weapon in his hand, he himself was a weapon. He fought like someone who had training for years to end a one way fight like this in seconds.
A man lunged at him with a rusted pipe. Jungkook sidestepped, grabbed the weapon mid-swing, and slammed the man’s shoulder into the brick wall hard enough to make him grunt and drop it. Another tried to grab him from behind, but Jungkook bent forward, flipping the man clean over his shoulder.
Another came from behind, arms locking around Jungkook’s torso. Bad choice. Jungkook bent forward and rolled his hips sharply, flipping the man clean over his shoulder to the ground. The thud rattled the ice beneath them.
The alpha had barely time to catch breath when from behind a knife almost grazed his cheek, as he swiftly moved away on time. He spun on his heels, his own blade striking against the steel, knocking the knife out of the attacker's hand. Leaving a cut - not deep but enough to make the man scream as it burned. The attacker backed off, clutching onto his bleeding hand like a wounded animal.
Within minutes, the alley was littered with bodies. Some groaning, some spitting curses through split lips. Blood dotted the snow where one man’s mouth had split; another cradled his arm, fingers trembling. None of them were dead. But all of them were hurting. Good.
One of the goons glared at Jungkook, holding onto his waist in pain, “What the hell do you want?” he asked in a gruff pained voice, eyes flickering to his comrades who were too injured to even move.
Jungkook stepped forward in front of him, crouching low until he was on the eye level with the man. When he spoke - his voice held anger and warning, “What I want is for you to get the hell out of this town,” he said slowly to get his words across, leaving no space for argument, “If you even breathe in the direction of my family again-” his hand shifted, the knife glinting faintly in the streetlight “-I will kill you. And I won’t wait until night to do it.”
The man with the scar spat blood on the ground, his eyes held venom and anger as he taunted, “You think we will be scared of you?”, though his voice was already faltering with each step Jungkook took towards him,
The knife’s tip grazed his neck lightly - a pressure just enough to leave a hint that nothing can stop Jungkook from digging it deeper. The man froze in his place, the earlier bravery gone.
“I don’t care if you're afraid or not,” Jungkook reminded, “All I care is if you understand who’s here at the cost of their life or not?”
The only noise was the patter of melting snow from above. And then the man finally nodded his head.
Jungkook stood up, keeping the knife back under his coat. He looked them over - each of them crumpled in a corner, holding their wounds - and let the moment settle before warning them again, “If I wake up tomorrow and find you all still lurking around here, then even the bright daylight can’t stop me from sending you to the hell you deserve,”
“Prepare for the worst,”
With a final glare, he left the alley not even bothering to look behind. He didn't have to. He knew none of them would follow.
₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
The sky was still dark and the living room was still quiet when Jungkook stepped back inside the house. He found comfort in the warmth inside - from the chilly winds outside. Removing his coat, he made his way to the guest room and hung it back at the far corner of the cupboard. He took out the knife, the red blotches stained the blade. He went to the kitchen and turned on the faucet, washing the corner carefully, Not leaving a single stain. And then kept the knife back inside the hidden compartment.
He looked at his knuckles, the rough edge grazed and reddened with shallow cuts. He fetched the first-aid kit from under the counter, cleaned the skin with antiseptic, and flexed his fingers once the sting subsided. The faint burn was gone almost as quickly as it came, his alpha healing already knitting the skin. There’d be no signs of any cuts by the morning.
Once satisfied with it all, he decided to retire back to the bedroom, already craving to slump into the embrace of his husband, the imaginary sight of Taehyung curled into the blankets making him want to rush back to him. But a small sound from behind stopped him.
“Dadda!”
Jungkook turned back to see his daughter standing outside her bedroom, eyes teary and puffy. Holding her bunny tightly between her arms. Her tiny toes curled against the cold floor. Seeing her daughter like that, his heart squeezed painfully. He knelt in front of her and gently coaxed her, “Hey… what happened, angel?”
Her bunny’s ear was squished between her small fingers as she rubbed her eyes.
“The bad guy came… in my dream,” she whispered. “I’m scared.”
Jungkook's hands tightened into a fist, those bastards. He picked her up without hesitation, Sohl melting into his arms right away, her arms locking around his neck.
“I got you princess” he said, his one hand cupping the back of her head, caressing it, “Dadda’s here now, You’re safe.”
He carried her inside the bedroom. The door opened with a soft squeak. Taehyung laid on his side, still deep in sleep that Jungkook had been thankful for nights like this. His hair falling over his face, breathing slow and even.
Jungkook lowered Sohl next to him, and the little girl quickly snuggled closer to her appa. Almost instinctively Taehyung wrapped his arms around the small frame, bringing her closer to him. As if even in sleep he knew his daughter needed his scent and warmth. The familiar scent of her appa, made Sohl relax as her small hands clutched onto his shirt. Jungkook covered both of them with the blanket before getting inside it too.
The air was crisp with their mixed scents - Taehyung’s homely sweetness and Soh’l innocent comfort. It soothed the burn in Jungkook’s chest that had been tingling inside him since he found out about the robbery incident.
He slid into bed behind them, his arm wrapping around both. Pressing a soft kiss to the crown of Sohl’s head, he felt her shift slightly toward him.
“Dadda…” her voice was barely a breath. “…did you chase the monsters away?”
Jungkook’s lip lifted up in a knowing smile, he answered quietly as if it’s their little secret, “They’re gone princess. Always will be.”
She moved her small hand toward him, pinky extended.
“Secret safe?”
Jungkook intertwined his pinky finger with hers, bumping their heads gently, “Secret safe.”
If anyone in his life knew the truth of what he did when the world was sleeping, it was her. She didn’t know the blood or the fear-only that her father was her safe place. Her hero.
Instantly her eyes fluttered shut as Jungkook let out his calming pheromones, the worry melting away from her face. Within seconds her breathing evened out, matching a rhythm with her appa’s steady breathing. Jungkook too with a smile closed his eyes, arms tightening around his family. His muscles loosened.
The city outside could keep its shadows.
He was home. And nothing was getting past him.