When it came time to get ready for work, Namjoon was confused as to why Yoongi was sleeping on the floor in front of the couch. He had asked, but Yoongi had only shrugged in response. Namjoon expressed the wish to skip work with Yoongi but knew they couldn't. If they both missed work, Hoseok would know something was up. After all, he knew that they were close. Of course, he didn't know exactly how close they were. He knew nothing of their confessions to each other or their kisses, and it would be best to keep it that way. So they both got ready for work, not wanting to do so.

A knock on the front door sent panic through them both, Yoongi more so."Namjoon." Yoongi spoke lowly, not wanting to be heard by whoever was at the door."Who is it? No one from work can know I'm here." He knew that, if it was any of Hoseok's friends, his car would be recognized."I'm in so much trouble."

"It'll be okay, Hyung. I'll see who it is." Namjoon gently pat Yoongi's head."Wait here." Leaving Yoongi in the living room, he went to the front door and opened it, biting his lip when he saw Seokjin."Uh, Hyung, you need something?"

Seokjin, indeed, recognized Yoongi's car, knowing the hated guy was inside."Walk to work with me." he said flatly."You can't go to work with him. You know that."

At first, Namjoon thought the worst, but something else came to mind, a different possibility."Are you giving him an alibi?" If he walked to work with Seokjin, he could pretend Yoongi hadn't spent all afternoon at his house.

"I'm giving you an alibi." Seokjin knew things had to be worded carefully. To let Namjoon know what he was meaning behind his words, he winked.

This was the greatest thing Namjoon could ask from Seokjin in this moment."I have to finish getting ready. Come on in for a minute." He hoped Yoongi wouldn't mind. If Seokjin was on their side now, Yoongi needed to know that he had another ally.

Seokjin didn't think Yoongi liked that though. When he stepped inside, he heard quick foosteps, obvious running. Then, a door closed."I don't think he wants to be near me. That's understandable."

"Have a seat in the living room. I'm ninety-nine percent sure he went to the bathroom. I'll see if I can get him to come out." Namjoon understood why Yoongi wouldn't want to be near Seokjin. Despite Seokjin not doing anything to bother him for the past month, he was still seen as one of Hoseok's friends. That might be different though. If Seokjin was here now and providing an alibi, that meant he finally believed what Namjoon told him, right? Going to the bathroom, Namjoon saw that the door was closed, indicating that Yoongi was in there. So he knocked on the door lightly."Yoongi-hyung, everything's okay. You can come out. Seokjin-hyung isn't going to tell Hoseok."

Yoongi didn't believe that. Sure, he trusted Namjoon, but he didn't trust Seokjin. He didn't respond, just stayed quiet within the bathroom. What was he expected to say? Was he expected to just come out of the bathroom and go to Seokjin? Was he supposed to just put his trust into someone who hadn't proven himself to be trustworthy? He couldn't. He was too scared of Seokjin telling Hoseok. Even if he didn't come out of the bathroom while Seokjin was there, Hoseok could still be told. If that happened, Yoongi would be punished after work.

"Hyung, please." It was silent for another ten seconds before Namjoon was relieved to see the bathroom door open."Hey there." He reached out and used two fingers to stroke Yoongi's cheek."Everything's okay. I promise."

"I'm not here on behalf of Hoseok, Yoongi." Seokjin spoke from behind Namjoon.

Yoongi immediately pulled away from Namjoon and tried to retreat back into the bathroom, but when he tried to close the door, he was met with a groan of discomfort when the door closed on Seokjin's foot, which had been swiftly stuck in the way.

"I'm not going to hurt you or do anything mean, Yoongi." Seokjin knew it would be hard to convince the other, but he wanted to try."Namjoon told me the truth a month ago, you know. Ever since then, I've been watching how you and Hoseok both act at work."

"The truth..." Namjoon caught the way Seokjin said that. By referring to the information Namjoon told him as 'the truth,' that showed that Seokjin definitely believed it now.

"It's so hard to see Hoseok as a bad person after believing so adamantly that he was a sweet, innocent victim. He deceived us all." With his foot still stuck in the door, Seokjin also placed a hand flat against it."I'm sorry, Yoongi. I really am. Hoseok was my friend, and I wanted to believe him. I didn't want to just turn my back on him when I thought he needed me, but...he was using me." That hurt so much. Seokjin felt utterly betrayed."He's still using the others. So I'm asking you on behalf of my friends...Will you let me help you and Namjoon get proof of who Hoseok really is?"

Namjoon hoped Yoongi would accept Seokjin and let him work together with them. He watched as the bathroom door fully opened again."Yoongi-hyung, can Seokjin-hyung help us?"

Yoongi looked at Namjoon, glanced at Seokjin, then returned his gaze to Namjoon. Without a word, not used to speaking around anyone else, he gave a simple nod. If Namjoon trusted Seokjin to help them, it might be okay to let him help. This didn't mean Yoongi trusted him, of course. That was going to take time.

"You should head on out then." Seokjin suggested."I'll walk to work with Namjoon and discuss some things with him."

Not needing to be told twice, Yoongi slipped past the two taller men and made his way to the front door, pulling on his shoes before heading out to his car. He was a bit shaky, nervous about many things. The main things that worried him right now were Seokjin being alone with Namjoon and what sort of things he might endore at work tonight. Since Hoseok spent the whole day at Jungkook's house, Yoongi knew it was a big possibility that Jungkook might do something to him tonight. After that one night that Jungkook had thrown Yoongi in the dumpster, nothing quite that serious had happened again, just smaller things, but Yoongi was scared that Jungkook would manhandle him again. For safety lately, he had begun locking himself in his car until Namjoon would get outside to be with him.

Once Yoongi was gone, Seokjin perked an eyebrow at Namjoon."So, um...Are you two..?" He had noticed the way Namjoon had stroked Yoongi's cheek. That tender gesture meant something."You two are involved, aren't you?"

A dusty shade of pink filled Namjoon's cheeks at that accurate assumption."Yeah." He moved a hand up to nervously scratch the back of his head."Yoongi-hyung and I...We like each other, and we even...kissed today." That was so embarrassing to say out loud."I need to save him from Hoseok, Hyung. I need to. Hoseok hurts him so much, almost daily. The things he's done to Yoongi-hyung will get him locked up if we can prove it."

"What sort of things?" Seokjin needed to know this."Has Hoseok broken any laws?"

"Definitely." Namjoon was certain."Hoseok has threatened to post revenge porn. That's illegal."

Seokjin was appalled to hear that. He had learned that Namjoon was telling the truth about Hoseok being the abuser, but he didn't know exactly how bad it was."That's horrible. That could ruin Yoongi's life. It would be all over the internet."

"That's not the worst." Namjoon lowered his gaze to the floor and gulped."He has...raped Yoongi-hyung. From what I can tell, he does it often. He forces Yoongi-hyung to perform sexual favors for him against his will or consent. Yoongi-hyung came over here today after Hoseok hurt him. He wouldn't tell me what Hoseok did, but I can guess that it was sexual. That seems to be the only time Yoongi-hyung won't tell me. He's probably too disgusted."

"And traumatized." Seokjin could only assume Yoongi suffered trauma from the things Hoseok did to him."I can't believe Hoseok...does that to him. How can he still show up for work and act like nothing's wrong? He still shows up and does his job."

"Because he has to." Namjoon clenched his hands into fists."What do you think Hoseok will do if Yoongi-hyung shows everyone that he's not okay? What would Hoseok do if Yoongi-hyung stopped showing up for work? Yoongi-hyung has no choice."

Seokjin found himself filling with anger. He felt betrayed and backstabbed. Everything he had been told by Hoseok was a lie. That sweet friend he thought he knew was a mask, worn by a wretched demon."He's with Jungkook now, you know. They're together. Hoseok sometimes spends time at his house, and I know they've begun sleeping together too. What if..?" He was scared to think of the possibilities.

But Namjoon knew what Seokjin was thinking."What if Hoseok is grooming Jungkook?"

"He's got to be the one convincing Jungkook and Jimin to be so mean to Yoongi." Seokjin did have something he needed to tell Namjoon though."I learned something else while I was watching everyone's behavior over the past month. Well, I learned a few things actually."

"What did you learn?" Namjoon was hopeful that it was information that could help them.

Seokjin didn't know if this information was very valuable, but he knew some of it could help."Well, for starters, Jimin is a petty bitch. I mean, we already knew that, but it's worse than we thought. Did you know that he was a bully at his high school? I overheard him and Hoseok talk about it briefly."

"That explains why he's so willing to be an ass." Namjoon grumbled."What else?"

"Jungkook doesn't seem as willing to be mean as Jimin does." Seokjin knew that might be a little hard to believe, but he could tell."Jungkook always goes off to be by himself for a bit after he does something mean to Yoongi. He clearly feels guilty, but he keeps doing cruel things, and I bet it's because Hoseok convinces him to do it."

"Manipulates him into being cruel, you mean." Namjoon bit his lip when Seokjin nodded."Did you learn anything else?" Seokjin was already proving himself to be useful to Team Yoongi, mentally dubbed by Namjoon.

Seokjin knew this next piece of information could be helpful to them if they went about it carefully."It's been really subtle, but I think Taehyung has a crush on Jungkook. He won't act on it because he doesn't want his own feelings to come between Jungkook and Hoseok, but if we get him to see the truth, I know he'll help us get Jungkook out of Hoseok's grasp."

"We need to find a way to get Taehyung to see the truth though. He won't listen to me as easily as you did because he hasn't known me for as long as you have." Pursing his lips, Namjoon wondered what they could do.

"Do you have any sort of proof we can show him?" When Namjoon shook his head, Seokjin got an idea."What if we get him and Yoongi to speak to each other?"

Namjoon was quick to reject that."No way. Yoongi-hyung won't talk to him. He's scared of Hoseok's friends. I mean, you saw just before he left that he wouldn't even speak to you. That's out of the question. Let's think of something else."

Seokjin sighed and slumped his shoulders."Alright. We'll think of something else. But we'll have to think on the way to work. If we stand here chatting for much longer, we'll be late."

"Right, right."