┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 ˚｡➶˚┊

Jimin hated his life.

He found himself thinking that more and more every day, but it was especially true now, while he was staring down the City. Valor and two other men were by Jimin's side, waiting to infiltrate the horrid place. Even with the mask, Jimin could smell the rotten beans and puke that soaked the dirty concrete beneath his feet. It didn't help that most of the people had ragged clothes, or none at all. He didn't bother glancing at all the bare bodies hiding in the alleyways and getting high off drugs the Emperor legalized years ago. Maybe that was why the City was full of loyalists: it was the drug capital of New Theon, and the Emperor endorsed it.

The buildings stretched up and blocked off the night sky. That prevented much of the wind from hitting him. As grateful as he was, he also wanted to tear down each and every structure the City had. It was a constant reminder of the Emperor. At least in Flerry, there were no loyalists and propaganda. Here, statues of the Emperor were normal, same with posters hanging off the tall apartments and hotels. They always depicted the Emperor in a positive light despite how people were living on the streets and eating their own toenails for breakfast.

"We're close," Valor said.

To prevent them from looking too suspicious, only two of them wore disguises. The other two, twins named Jani and Flaurel, wore basic attire. They made sure it was rundown to fit in with the theme of the City. Seeing as Jimin had the recognizable face while the other three didn't, it made sense for the twins to show themselves. Even then, Valor didn't have as elaborate a disguise. He had a mask, but no hood to hide his long locks and dark eyes. He had a star-shaped birthmark near his ear, the mask covering only half of it.

Jimin followed Valor, strolling down the streets. He saw marketplaces that had "fresh" products. They didn't seem fresh. Apparently they had Mimos meat, but upon closer inspection, they were discolored. Likely expired due to never selling. No one had the money for meat nowadays. It was safer and smarter to hunt instead of buy.

There were demonstrations in the streets. Loyalists raised their fists and cheered, praising the Emperor. There were some who passed by with an eye roll while others returned the cheers. Jimin and the fellow rebels didn't bother glancing at any of it.

"Up here, he's in a tent by the hotel," Valor whispered, Jimin nodding.

He saw the familiar hotel and tried his best not to have memories plague his mind. He didn't want to think about it. Despite how it had been several months since the hotel heist, he wasn't over it. The fear he felt wondering if Y/n got out okay. Was that how she was feeling now?

They approached the tent. It was round and tan, tied to the ground with rusty nails that looked like they'd burst at any second. The twins went inside first, presumably to hack the cameras. A minute later, they motioned for Jimin and Valor to come inside.

Jimin walked in and saw the face of Commander Shawman staring back. The tent was tiny with only enough room for a desk and bed. Jimin didn't want to know where his bathroom was.

"Take off your mask," Commander Shawman said, digging his boots into the dirt making up the floor. Jimin did as he was told, taking off his disguise. "The rebellion listened to me, how charming. I am Commander Shawman, do you remember me?"

"You're hard to forget."

"As are you, Commander Park. Moros has been keeping peace with New Theon for now, but it's all a lie. An illusion. Angelica reported to me what the Emperor did to you. I'm so sorry for all you've had to go through."

"I've been through worse," Jimin said, dismissing his concerns. "We have bigger priorities. How much time do we have?"

"Not much," Jani replied, his voice covered by a thick accent. "Two minutes until the cameras play again."

"Whatever you're offering me, you better say it fast," Jimin said, the Commander agreeing.

"I am offering you an official alliance. You now have access to Mount Moros, whenever you need it. In exchange, I want you to lead the war."

"Me?" Jimin asked, not hiding the shock in his tone.

"I asked to speak with you for a reason, Commander Park. Most of what I've said could've been given to you by a messenger, but you... you're different. I saw it the first time we met, and I see it even more now. You hate the Emperor. You want to kill him with your bare hands."

"Death is mercy for a monster like him. I'd rather torture him for months."

Commander Shawman smiled. "We're going to get along very well, Mr. Park. I have an offer for you. I want you to come to Moros with me next week. We'll meet here, and I'll take you to my home. You can bring other higher-ups, if you'd like. Together, we'll plan the next step of the rebellion. We don't have enough time to do it now, but with your help, we can free New Theon."

"I understand. I'll talk to my boss about it."

"Very well. Do you agree to my terms?" Commander Shawman asked, holding up his hand.

Jimin shook it. "I'll lead the war as long as you give us military backing and a safehouse. New Theon will be free soon."

"It will. Now go, before the guards come. We've already pushed our luck. Get back safely, and thank you for risking so much to get here."

Jimin agreed, thanking him before putting his disguise back on and leaving with Valor and the twins. However, as soon as they stepped out of the tent, they walked into a group of six guards waiting for them. They had swords drawn, amazement written on their faces as they pointed their weapons at the intruders.

"Identify yourselves!" one asked. Luckily, Jimin didn't see Namjoon.

"Moros representatives, checking in with Commander Shaw," Valor said, keeping his hands raised. "I'm Baas, this is Katai. The twins are Haina and Gerte. All from Mount Moros."

"Take off your masks and hoods."

Valor took off his mask. "Sorry to say Katai can't. Air is dangerous for him, he needs to filter it at all times. He's vulnerable to Yukaset, and with all the germs and people in the City, I think it's best he keeps it on at all times. Don't want to risk death."

"Take off his hood. Now!" Jimin did, his hair springing free. The guards narrowed their eyes. "Tell him to hold his breath and take down the mask for a second. We need to see his face."

Oh fuck it.

Jimin put his hood back on and drew his bow. In less than a second, a guard was dead. By the time the guards charged, Valor was already tackling another to the ground. The twins teamed up on three of them, which left one for Jimin to deal with. The poor guard was no match for Commander Park. With one hit from his bow, the man went crashing to the ground, Jimin taking his time to load an arrow. Then, he let it fly, shooting the soldier in the head.

One of the twins got injured, but soon enough, the men attacking them were dead. Valor took off with Jimin following suit. He didn't check to see if the twins were behind him.

"Come on! We need to get to the forest, we can lose them there!" Valor shouted. However, his journey was cut short when an arrow went through his neck. Blood squirted out, covering the pavement in a sea of scarlet that swirled until it reached Jimin's shoes. He staggered back, turning to see Kim Namjoon there.

"Park Jimin!" Namjoon yelled, loading another arrow.

Namjoon was anything but a fool. He didn't need to see Jimin's face to know who it was, and Jimin knew that. So, he loaded an arrow and prepared to fire. Namjoon was faster.

The arrow landed in Jimin's shoulder, sending him flying back. He looked for the twins, but they got decapitated by a squad of guards coming from behind him. Jimin crawled back, panting as the realization hit him.

He was alone.

Knowing he had no time, Jimin got up and ran in a zig-zag line, throwing any civilians he could behind him. That threw off Namjoon's aim, causing him to miss. Jimin didn't bother with the arrow in his shoulder. He went behind the hotel, and the guards lost sight of him. He dashed into the forest from there. He could do what he did last time and get a Bassa, but the odds of that working were slim to none. First he'd have to find a Bassa, then he'd have to run directly into enemy fire in order to get it to the guards. Jimin decided against it, instead going deeper into the woods and doing his best not to run into any trees.

Jimin ended up tripping over a large log, falling into a mud pit and groaning when it hit his face. He wiped himself off, got up, and prepared to run again. That was when he stopped. He heard it. Twigs snapping, likely from guards approaching. But that wasn't what concerned him.

Something was growling.

Jimin threw his bow over his good shoulder, knowing it'd be no use. He took out his sword and got rid of his cloak. He heard the growling getting closer. The guards were getting closer, too. He was boxed in.

He saw the wing floating behind the tree. It had an elegant maroon hue that faded into a bright lapis that glowed like a Misma. The body of the beast slowly revealed itself, baring its sharp fangs while its claws dug into the ground. Its four legs set, its black fur blending in with the night sky. It had cyan feathers poking out of its neck and face, its snout pointed in Jimin's direction.

Jimin gulped and held his sword toward the unmistakable figure of a Hellsir. Jimin could run, but the Hellsir would tear him apart. That meant he had to take down the Hellsir while injured. Not only that, but he had to do it before the guards came. If they came before he beat it, well, he didn't want to think about that.

The Hellsir pounced. Jimin rolled to the side, the back of the arrow in his shoulder snapping. He took his sword and charged. The Hellsir charged back. Its wing, that didn't actually make it fly, glowed until it blinded him. He yelled from the sudden lack of vision. That was when the Hellsir made its attack.

Even while blind, fighting in an abyss of whiteness, Jimin could hear. The Hellsir snarled. The earth shook. Jimin jumped back and swung with all his might. The Hellsir whimpered, the whiteness fading. Jimin did it. He cut off the Hellsir's wing.

Still, he had to cut off its head, and the guards were in shouting distance now. Jimin stepped up his game. He took out his knives and threw them at the beast. The creature had to jump to dodge, striking Jimin with a devastating blow that caused him to hit the tree behind him. If it weren't for his chestplate, he'd be dead.

He panted. Oxygen didn't want to enter his lungs. He forced it to, throwing one more knife. This time, he aimed it at the Hellsir's paw. It sank into the thing's fur, black blood oozing out. The Hellsir cried. Jimin took it as a sign to strike, and it was. He slashed the beast's throat, its head coming clean off. He didn't have time to process the kill; he had to move.

With a limp, Jimin sprinted through the forest. The adrenaline masked the pain. He had cuts on his face, neck, and arms. His gloves were torn. His chestplate was turned to ash. His cloak was gone. He had nothing but his weapons and his will to survive.

"Jimin!" Namjoon's voice shouted. Jimin slowed down, pressing himself against a tree. He hid there. Not only did he have to lose them, but he had to circle around to ensure they weren't tracking him with more Hellsirs. He'd have to hide his scent using nature. And, most likely, get rid of half of his clothes as bait. He had a thick tunic on that would do the job. His undershirt would protect him from the environment, but it was thin enough that it didn't hold a strong scent.

Jimin, obviously, didn't answer Namjoon. Not that he had a chance to. The man was close. Far too close. If Jimin kept running, snapped twigs and rushed breaths would have given him away. He stayed still, keeping himself quiet.

"Jimin," Namjoon said. Jimin almost jumped.

Namjoon was right behind him.

The man was in the small clearing behind Jimin. There were Mismas flying there, bringing light to the otherwise dark forest. More guards came, whispering orders to one another.

"We lost him. Get a pack of Hellsirs, have them sniff the cloak he left near the dead one," Namjoon said with a grunt. "I want him found, dead or alive. If he's dead, make sure it's in the most brutal way possible." Well, so much for their friendship. "Stay safe. I won't let him kill any of us."

Jimin waited until they vacated the area, presumably to get a Hellsir pack. That meant he had to move fast. He took off his tunic and threw it in the clearing. Then, he covered himself in mud, rubbed dirt and grass on him, and took off his utility belt. It went with the tunic. Two items should be enough. Now, Jimin smelled like mud, grass, and bugs.

He ran away. As a precaution, he went as far away from Flerry as he could. He went toward the ocean, which was north. When he was near it, he bathed. Jimin had time. The arrow, although bent with the back half snapped off, was still inside his shoulder and preventing the blood from pouring out. He disinfected what he could, but the water wasn't the best for disinfections. When he was done, he was clean, meaning there was no way the Hellsirs would sniff him out.

But, just to be safe, he climbed a tree and waited anyway.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚˚｡➶˚┊

Jimin didn't get back until the afternoon.

He knew he'd get a beating from Y/n, Kastor, and probably Jin, but he didn't have a choice. Namjoon spent the entire night and morning searching. He passed by Jimin's tree twice. Luckily, Jimin was high enough that no one could see him. He stayed awake and alert for almost six hours before deciding to hike back to Flerry. Then, he circled around and made sure no one followed him. To be safe, he built multiple traps in the forest leading to Flerry. He'd take them down the next day, before any rebels wandered into them by accident.

Jimin approached the house and entered without knocking, noticing how no one was in the living room. He heard crying in the distance, and his heart plummeted.

It sounded like Y/n.

Jimin sprinted to her room only to find she wasn't there. It was coming from his space, the space he considered theirs. He went inside, Y/n snapping her head up at that. Her eyes were puffy, her lips were swollen, and her face was covered with tears. The tears stopped as soon as she saw him.

"Jimin?" she asked, hopping up and rushing over. He had the arrow pointing out of his shoulder, cuts covering most of his face, and blood all over his body. Still, he nodded. "You came back."

He only knit his brows together. "You told me to."

She pulled him inside and slammed the door shut, embracing him and breaking down. He shushed her, kissing the top of her head as if that'd calm her. For the next five minutes, she cried. She said unintelligible words until he parted from her, resting a hand on her cheek.

"I'm sorry. We ran into some complications in the City," he said.

"No shit!"

"Okay, remind me not to tell an angry woman 'I'm sorry' or 'calm down'."

"What the hell is wrong with you?! I thought you were dead!" she yelled, breaking down more.

"I'm okay, I promise. I need medical care soon, but I'm here. Why are you still crying?"

"Did you hear me?! I thought you were dead!"

"But I'm not, I'm right here. I still don't understand why you're crying-"

"Because I love you!" she interrupted, her body trembling as she said it.

He froze, as did she. They peered at one another, no words exchanged. A minute passed. Two. He didn't know if he should reply. He didn't know what to reply with.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her face.

He tilted her chin up. "You love me?"

"Of course I do," she murmured. "Why are you so surprised?"

It was his turn to tear up as a sad smile graced his lips. "No one's ever said that to me before."

She instantly grabbed his hands and gazed at him. "I love you," she repeated, louder than before. It had him shaking as the moisture spewed from his eyes. "I love you, Park Jimin."

"Thank you," he whispered with a crack in his voice. She kissed him, and he accepted it. They ended up falling on his bed, her on top of him and refusing to get up. He had to force them to part. "I have to get treated, I don't want to leave my wounds like this."

"I'll get Jin. And Kastor. He was worried about you, even though he didn't say it."

"I wouldn't expect anything less," Jimin said. Y/n agreed and went to the door. "Y/n?" She stopped, her hand hovering over the knob as she glanced back at him. He gave her a soft smile. "I love you too."

She grinned, pretending she wasn't about to laugh. Then, she left him alone with his thoughts. And the physical pain his shoulder and body was in. He got to reflect on what just happened: she loved him. He thought he loved her too, not that he was ever taught what healthy love was. If Jimin were to guess, this was his fairytale. This was the fairytale-like, obnoxious love story Jimin dreamed of as a kid. It shouldn't be real. He didn't deserve it.

Despite how it seemed, Y/n was the only one who wasn't terrified of him. The other rebels had always been terrified since the day Commander Park showed up. Kastor had a side of him that was full of fear, and Jimin didn't blame him; he killed Kastor's sister. Then there were the Emperor's loyalists. Jimin was the most dangerous man in New Theon. With all his training, he scared everyone. And Jihyun? He was too immature to realize how he felt about his big brother. Jihyun never expressed fear around Jimin, but Jimin was sure he knew the things his brother did and didn't know what to feel. Part of Jimin didn't want to find out.

Y/n wasn't afraid. When he challenged her, she challenged him too. They pushed each other, both metaphorically and physically. He particularly liked the physically, though.

Y/n came back in with Jin and Kastor, interrupting his thoughts. Kastor ran over and tilted Jimin's head up, inspecting the injuries Jimin had.

"Kid, you look like you went to war by yourself," Kas said, but even though the words were sarcastic, Jimin could hear the worry in his tone.

"I did. I'm the only survivor from the squad that took me there. We met Shawman, and he wants to help us and offer us sanctuary at Moros whenever we need it."

"Then we should pack up and go," Y/n said. "As soon as possible. We can't risk Flerry any longer. If we have a new potential home, we should take it. The Emperor can't hurt us there."

"Not to mention we'd be closer to the Emperor's Flagship," Jin said, a soft smile on his face. "We could flank it. Take it out easier. They'd never see us coming."

"Not you, you're benched," Jimin pointed out, mostly because he felt like being an asshole.

Jin scoffed. "Obviously! My pretty face is too precious for scars!"

"You have one on your thigh," Y/n said in a blank tone that had Jimin snorting.

"Uh oh, he's suffering from blood loss," Jin said as he knelt to scan over him. Kastor backed off to give the two space. "You're laughing at jokes? Since when?"

"Unlike the rest of you, Y/n's funny."

"Not true," Kastor said. "You once told me Jin's puns are hilarious."

Jimin groaned. "Don't tell him that, it'll boost his ego. It's the only ego in New Theon that rivals mine."

"Bigger than yours," Jin corrected, pulling out the arrow. Jimin slapped him on instinct. "Ow! My face! Y/n! Get your boy toy under control!"

"Oh no, I'm enjoying this," she replied with an innocent smile.

"That's my girl," Jimin replied, preparing to slap Jin again.

"Hello, I'm the doctor! You need me!" Jin shouted, snapping at Kastor. "Get me my supplies. Now, before he bleeds all over the new carpets." Kastor agreed, Jimin placing his dirty boots on the carpet just to be petty. Jin cursed him out for it, Y/n taking off his shoes and getting a wet rag for his face.

When Kastor came back, Jin healed all of Jimin's wounds. His shoulder would be stiff for weeks if not months. Jin advised him not to do any heavy-lifting. Beyond that, Jimin couldn't use his bow. He adored it, even as he put it on the ground with the rest of his weapons. After that, Jin left. Kastor stayed, hesitating by the door.

"Old man," Jimin said, the man nodding. "I don't bite. You can hug me."

"I miss when you were the Emperor's bitch," Kas mumbled, huffing as he came over and did as Jimin said. They did a small embrace, but Jimin could tell it hurt Kastor's pride. "Don't do that to us again or else, got it?"

"I pissed my pants."

"I'll shave your head."

Jimin gulped. "I won't do it again. I promise."

Kas pulled back and ruffled Jimin's hair. "See you around, kid." Then, he turned to Y/n and pointed at her. "I don't want to hear any noises. He's injured-"

"Kastor."

"I'm just saying-"

"Kastor," Y/n repeated, motioning to the door. "Get out. And just for that, you're hearing loud noises."

Kastor grumbled curses to himself as he left. Now, Y/n and Jimin were alone. She came over and sat on his lap, holding the wet rag she got not long ago. Wordlessly, she dabbed down his face and made sure none of the cuts were bleeding. Her eyes were narrowed. Focused. She didn't let a single spot go unnoticed.

"So," Jimin said as she fixed him up. "Were you serious about the noises? Cause shit, injured or not, I can-"

"If you really want sex, then I suggest you shut up."

He immediately closed his mouth. He shut his eyes and let her work. Two minutes later, she finished, tossing the rag by his discarded weapons. She wrapped her arms around his neck and came a bit closer.

"Are you okay? Be honest," she said.

"Namjoon was hunting me. I may be okay now, but if he tracks us down, he'll kill me. He doesn't care if the Emperor wants me alive."

"Then it's a good thing we won't let him hurt you."

"Are you sure?" he asked, her shushing him.

"If I kissed you, would you believe me more?"

"Honestly, I think I'd believe you a lot more if you took your clothes off-"

"I hate you."

She kissed him. He accepted it, grabbing her ass and squeezing it. He ended up hitting the mattress with her on top of him again. They made out on his bed, his hands exploring her back while hers stayed on his chest. She pulled back and took off her shirt. He did the same. Together, they fumbled their way out of their clothes, laying down with each other.

She placed her hands on the bedsheets, but he grabbed them and forced them closer to him. "Touch me," he whispered, and her eyes jumped before she nodded.

Y/n's hands slowly went to his face. Her fingers traced over every detail of him. He closed his eyes and focused on feeling it. She rubbed her finger over his plump lower lip, then, she went to his hair and tugged on the strands. Her hands ended up buried there, lost in his long locks.

He opened his eyes, meeting her gaze. "What?" he asked in a soft voice.

"You're beautiful," she murmured, almost as if she didn't mean to say it. "You're so beautiful."

"Don't say that, I have a praise kink-"

"Jimin," she interrupted, and her serious tone got him to listen. "Tell me you know you're beautiful." He never thought about it before. Although he made jokes and loved his hair, he never stopped to think about who he was. The first step was beauty, apparently. The first step was admitting things about himself he had never thought about before. So, he smiled.

"I'm beautiful."

And then, for the rest of the night, they were tangled up on his bed.

┊ ˚➶ ｡˚𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 ˚｡➶˚┊