Making sure Jungkook was staying focused was becoming increasingly harder for Seokjin as he stood off to the side and listened to Chaerin speak to the prisoners from numerous other worlds, the last remaining ones of their vastly different kinds. These prisoners had seen the carnage Jungkook had caused in the fight that had taken place against other incubi in the dungeon earlier. Some of them snarled in Jungkook's direction, others seeming to fear the young incubus.

As Chaerin spoke clearly about her plans to take over Szarvoun and turn it into a better place, her tall mate translated, as did others, in what was essentially a strange game of telephone. There were many creatures making taps, clicks, hums, gestures, anything that they had come to use to communicate with each other throughout the many years they'd been kept as Minseok's collection.

"A war will be beginning shortly," Chaerin stated strongly."We may need your help. All of you who are willing to fight alongside us will be welcomed as brothers in arms. Any of you who do not wish to fight will not be forced to do so. Please remain in safety until the fight is over. There is no shame in that."

The lanky creature at her side did his best to translate her words, though maybe paraphrasing to get the point across. It seemed to be going well. He could see a majority of his fellow prisoners turn to each other and give various forms of confirmation that they'd be fighting. Not many appeared to want to remain in safety during the war.

"Are you still with me, warrior?" Seokjin asked Jungkook quietly. He placed a hand onto Jungkook's shoulder, standing directly in front of him. Then, he snapped the fingers of his other hand near his own face to make Jungkook look at him."Pay attention. Are you still with me?" Repeating the question, he was pleased to see Jungkook's expression toughen. The young incubus was still intoxicated by the fueler, but it was starting to wear off."We need to get you refueled." With a sigh, Seokjin knew that would be risky, but they would need Jungkook in the war."I'll get a fueler boost as well."

For the first time since before his fueler usage, Jungkook was able to speak a full sentence, but it was a little slurred."Where is Namjoon?" His mind couldn't keep a grasp on certain bits of information, but he could remember what Hoseok said about Namjoon earlier. His team captain was dead. He needed to see him though. He wanted to see the state in which his captain and friend was left. It would give him the anger he would need to go with another fueler boost for maximum rage.

Seokjin didn't think it would be a good idea for either of them to see Namjoon. He knew it would stir up emotions that they should keep held down for the war. It may enrage Jungkook, but Seokjin knew it would be a weakness for himself."We'll find him later."

---

"Where are the others?" That was the first question that came from Yoongi's lips after he had woken up and come to terms with his surroundings. None of this was a nightmare from which he could just awaken. It was real. He'd lost his ability to function earlier, thinking he was about to die. Yet, here he was, alive, still surprisingly unharmed. Well, mostly unharmed.

Hoseok didn't know what to do with himself. Now that Yoongi was awake, the human no longer needed to be held securely. So the halfling was pacing, though quite slowly, back and forth across the dim room."Jungkook and Seokjin are with Lady Chaerin," he answered, wishing he could be with them as well. He wanted to be included in the plans. Despite being injured, he wanted to fight.

"And Namjoon? Is he with them too?" All Yoongi wanted was for all of his friends to be able to return home safely. He could see that Hoseok was hurt, and he didn't want anyone else to get hurt as well. He'd seen enough violence to last him a lifetime, and seeing any of his other friends in pain was something he never wanted to witness.

"Taehyung and Jimin are on the ship." Hoseok tried to ignore Yoongi's inquiry about Namjoon. It was painful; he wanted to hide it from the human for a little longer."We told them to stay home, but they stowed away."

Yoongi rose to his feet and hesitated to step closer to Hoseok."What about Namjoon?" he asked again. Not getting an answer the first time he asked gave him a really bad feeling.

"We should get you to the ship with them." Hoseok looked away from Yoongi, trying not to lose his composure, what little composure he had left."None of us want you or them to be here during the fight that's about to start. If we can get you back to the ship, I can probably get Seokjin or Jungkook to take you all back home."

"Hoseok, answer me." Yoongi sterned his tone."Where is Namjoon? Is he okay?" Stepping over to Hoseok, Yoongi reached out and touched his wrist, wanting to grab but also not wanting to accidentally cause alarm.

Jerking his wrist away from Yoongi's touch, Hoseok finally looked at him."No, Yoongi, he's not okay," he snapped."He's not even close to being okay. He's dead. He's fucking dead."

Those words hit Yoongi like a freight train."No. No, he can't be." He didn't want to believe that."He can't be dead. We're all going home together. All of us. He can't just...He can't be..."

"Well, he is." Hoseok felt angry, but he knew it wasn't real anger. He wasn't mad at Yoongi for asking about Namjoon. It was the grief. The man he'd loved for a majority of his life was gone, and he couldn't deny it. The denial stage of grief was not a luxury Hoseok could have right now. So he was pushed into the anger of it.

Shakily, struggling to hold himself together, Yoongi reached out again, loosely grabbing Hoseok's hand this time."You...You, uh...should be the one to take us home." He wished they could all go home together, but he already grasped that it wasn't going to happen that way. As much as he wanted to be with Jungkook, he had to push his own wants aside."You're obviously hurt. Jungkook and Seokjin can defend themselves and fight much more easily." Just saying that caused a strong pain in Yoongi's chest. It was awful to try to choose one of his friends to go home safely while his other friend and lover would both be left behind to fight.

"No, I'm not going home until the fight is over." Finally returning the grasp on Yoongi's hand, Hoseok managed to also get a grasp on his anger."I have to make sure they don't dispose of Namjoon the same way they dispose of all other...corpses. He deserves a proper burial at the very least." Lowering his gaze to peer down at the floor, Hoseok had his own personal mission he'd decided upon while he'd been waiting for Yoongi to wake up."I'll remain here for a while. I'll teach them some of the ways of humans. Burial, respect for the dead, family concepts. They'll need someone who knows about these things to help them start a more pleasant way of life after the war."

With tears forming in his eyes, Yoongi did his best to blink them away, holding them back."But when will you return to Earth? You can't just leave Taehyung alone forever. He needs you. He's lost Namjoon. Don't make him lose you too."

This was a tough decision for Hoseok to make, but he knew what was right in his mind."I wish nothing but happiness for Taehyung. It'll take him some time, but he'll be happy again eventually. I can't just return to him and leave everyone here in Szarvoun with no knowledge of how to live better lives. Lady Chaerin will be able to give them a start, the hope to do better, but she's never seen a peaceful world before. She'll need guidance, not just from her mate. Once they're on the right track for better lives and structure, I will return to Earth. But Taehyung...God, I love him so much, but I just can't go back and ignore all the help I can give here."

"Is there any way I can change your mind?" It was worth a shot of asking, but Yoongi already knew the answer. He could hear it in Hoseok's tone. There was no room for sway in his conviction.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me." Yoongi swallowed the desire to cry."I'm not the one who needs it."