just an anonymous Army

The toddler scoffs, a tiny sound that makes Hobi’s chest tighten with affection. "It’s a star cruiser," the boy insists, tapping a plastic fin with a stubby finger. He turns back to his 'vessel,' his brow furrowed in intense concentration as he tries to wedge a stray Lego piece on top. “And this is the laser.”

Hobi leans back, his gaze drifting from the chaos on the rug to where you are fumbling with half assembled “adult” set. He turns the instruction page for you, setting aside what you needed for the next step so you wouldn’t have to hunt.

"He's got your stubbornness," Hobi murmurs, his voice dropping an octave. He reaches out, his thumb grazing your knee in a silent, grounding gesture. "The 'obviously' was crazy. He didn't even blink."

“Yeah, well his sass is all you.” You retort with a knowing smile. “Hear that tone? Sounds just like you.”

He lets out a soft huff, watching his son attempt to 'launch' the ship with a dramatic roar. "Hey, Captain," Hobi calls out, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Does the star cruiser need a pilot?” He assembles one of the little lego people from your kit, offering it. “I think it does.”

“Yeah!” Your son waddles over, taking the figurine and standing it up on top of the creation.

Hobi’s grin widens, a bright, gummy expression. "Alright, takeoff time," he says, scooping the boy up into his arms.

The boy settles, leaning his head against Hobi’s shoulder while still keeping a watchful eye on his masterpiece. "The pilot is ready for takeoff," he declares, his small hand gripping Hobi's shirt.

Hobi looks over at you, his expression softening into something deeply tender. He nudges your foot with his own, a playful, silent invitation to join in. “Watch this,” he says, carefully raising your kid above his head and ‘flying’ the ship around, toddler included.

Hobi mimics the noises his son makes, momentarily turning him upside down, causing the kid to laugh and flail.

“Dad!”

"What?" Hobi asks, his voice low and melodic, directed at both his son and you. "It looks like we might have a landing incoming." He waits, his eyes sparkling with the anticipation of the pretend play that is sure to follow.

“Hobi!” You warn, sitting back as he lowers your son down and ‘crashes’ into the pile of toys on the floor.

“Boom! Crash landing!”

You help your toddler up, fixing his hair. He has never been this excited.

“Again again-“ he reaches for hobi.

“Alright, stop it, I’m going to be late,” he squints, trying not to have an annoyed tone with you as you pull him back in.

“They can wait five minutes,” you protest, not wanting him to go. He would be gone all day, filming, going to interviews…. Who knew when he would get home? Better to have all of the kisses you want now. You tug on his leather jacket.

He leans down, his nose brushing against yours, "five minutes. Thats it," he murmurs against your lips, his breath warm. Yoongi didn’t like saying no to you. Calmly, without protest, he allows this little rendezvous go on longer than he was technically meant to. The pressure of your hands threading in his hair snaps him out of it.

“Baby,” he mumbles against your lips. “There’s…” before he can say theres product in my hair it’s too late. You’ve tussled it.

“Ah,” you realize, pulling your hands back. Your fingers are slightly tacky from whatever was used to texture and style. Sheepish, you shrink. “Sorry.”

Yoongi freezes, his eyes dulling as he feels the sudden, messy tug at his scalp. He lets out a long, strained exhale, his head tilting back slightly as he processes the sensation of his hair being clumped together by your touch. There’s no real bite to it; just the sound of a man resigned to his fate.

He looks down at your hands, seeing the slight sheen of residue on your fingertips, and a lopsided, helpless grin tugs at the corner of his mouth.

"Great," he murmurs, leaning his forehead against yours. "Now the stylists are going to think I took a nap before the set." He huffs a laugh,

You look a little guilty. He presses another kiss to the corner of your mouth. “It’s alright, I can fix it.”

“My hands are already covered let me do it,” you suggest, flattening out what you can. Then it looks too flat. Awkwardly he remains still, watching your concentrated expression as you try to get it back to how it was.

“Alright— I seriously have to go now. Its good enough,”

“No- wait-“ you reach and he stops you. “It’s fine, honey. Don’t worry about it. I love you. Ill be back,”

“Baby it’s just me,” you repeat, trying to soothe him as you take careful steps down the foyer deeper into his house. It was eerily empty, the purple LEDs painting long shadows on the wall.

The silence that followed felt heavy, thick enough to swallow. Every floorboard creak felt too loud. The violet glow from the LED strips caught the edge of a discarded hoodie near the stairs; a piece of him that looked lonely in the dim light.

You hear him at the top of the landing. As you reached the base of the staircase, you saw him. A sliver of shadow moved behind the banister, a pair of dark, wide eyes peering through the gap before darting away again. His knuckles were white where they gripped the railing,

Bam stands up, stretching and padding over to sniff you. He shakes out as soon as you pass over his ears with your hand.

“Hi bammy.” You rub him right above his nose. “Where’s dad, huh?”

“Go away.” You hear him, somewhere. “Go away please, I’ll press charges. You’ll be arrested.”

The command came from the darkness upstairs, sharp and brittle.

As Bam nudged your palm, seeking another scratch, Jungkook emerged, though he didn't fully commit. He lingered halfway, leaning heavily against the bedroom doorframe. His oversized shirt hung loosely off one shoulder, revealing the tense line of his collarbone.

His gaze snapped to yours, scanning the space behind you as if checking for intruders lurking.

"I meant it," he added. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, huddling into himself as if trying to occupy as little space as possible. "Just go back to wherever you came from.”

Your shoulders drop. He was definitely freaking out. Bam trots upstairs into the bedroom. He peeks back out of the doorway, wondering why you’re hesitating to follow.

“Jungkook, honey it’s alright. You’re safe.” Your mind races. He wasn’t thinking clearly, so approaching him may make things worse.

The door shuts with a slam. the faint *click* of a lock turning suggested he had retreated all the way.

Your heart hammered against your ribs. To stay would make his anxiety worse; to leave might feel like abandoning him when he needs you. Just as you considered turning toward the front door, a dull, heavy thud drifted down from the floor above. It sounded like a body collapsing onto the mattress, followed by the frantic, uneven rhythm of someone struggling to catch their breath.

“Jungkook!” You try one last time.

No response on his end. You hear bam whine loudly in the bedroom and decide to face the consequences of finding him.

When you grab the handle it sounds like he’s moving again.

“Please go away.. please, please,” he feels helpless, cornered.

You dig for your keys. It feels wrong to encroach on his space, but he needed you. The latch clicked.

In the dim light, the rapid rise and fall of his shoulders betrayed how hard he was working to breathe. you caught a glimpse of him huddled on the floor beside the bed rather than in it. He was curled tight, knees pulled to his chest, his forehead pressed against the duvet. One hand was buried deep in his hair, gripping the strands so hard his knuckles appeared translucent.

You get down on his level. Bam lays flat on the floor at his feet. Jungkook just barely peeks at you, his eyes shot.

Its safe to assume he’s figured out there’s no real threat.

“I had a feeling you weren’t feeling well by the amount of security outside.” You start, keeping a safe distance from him. “Was there another attempt while I was gone?”

At the mention of the security guards he let out a ragged exhale that sounded… somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

He shifted, his thigh brushing against Bam’s flank as the dog leaned his heavy head against Jungkook’s knee.

“No.” He answers, taking another rapid breath, struggling to do anything other than cry. He hated crying. “They didnt make it to the gate, but…”

“Breathe, baby. You’ve gotta breathe. there was an attempt again.” You conclude; thats why he’s on edge. “I should’ve told you I was coming home so I didn’t catch you off guard. Im sorry.”

“Its not your fault, its… this… stupid problem,” he sounds utterly defeated. “I hear the door or the.. gravel crunching outside when nobody’s supposed to be here and my head starts spinning.”

“What do you need right now?”

He shakes, putting his arms out so you can fit between them. It’s grounding to have someone to hold. Someone who understands. Someone who isn’t parasocial. You sigh, leaning your weight on him since he likes the pressure. He subconsciously rocks, trying to calm his nervous system.

“Im sorry.”

You wipe his tears. “For what? We’re gonna get through this.” You promise. “Nobody’s gonna reach you. You’ve got lots of security, and me- and bam,”

“Bam isn’t going to stop an intruder,” jungkook looks down at his pet, who stands and gets in his face. “He’s too nice- agh-“ he tilts his head away as bam tries to lick him. “Bammy no,”

You smile halfway. It may be annoying but it’s distracting him from feeling bad.

“You should never feel sorry for being scared. This is a scary situation.” You continue, trying to ground him as his breath evens out. “Im always gonna be here for you, okay? Tell me when you feel anxious so I can accommodate you. I don’t want to scare you.” You remind him.

“You should come closer,” he tempts you, as all the boys in this reef have. “The ocean’s warmer in the deep.”

You run your fingers through his wet dark hair. “You know I cant do that, Im not a strong swimmer.”

“And I cant walk,” he reminds you, fingertips grasping at whatever be can. Humans fascinate him. You especially so.

You don’t want to say yes, but you don’t really want to say nothing either. Admiring him, you’re distracted, not noticing he’s leading you to step deeper into the tide.

“Where’s the rest of your choir?”

He splashes with his tail, sending seafoam flying everywhere. “Underwater. They don’t like coming this close to the surface.”

“Scared of being stuck on the beach?” You assume.

“Scared of being seen.“ he answers; when did you get chest deep in the ocean? You look back over your shoulder to the shore far behind you. He’s supporting your weight with his hands.

Turning back to Jimin, you catch a glimpse of another siren tail. A pink one; it’s Jin. You feel fingertips brush against your legs. They’re all circling. Youve never let Jimin pull you this far.

“Don’t you want to be with me?” He coaxes; its not a suggestion.

You take a deep breath, trying to keep your voice from shaking. Your grasp his shoulders tigtly. “Jimin I can’t stand in this—“

“Swim,” he commands you. The word association makes the other siren sing the word all around you. You dig your heels in but the sand is scarily loose.

“Swim,” “swim,”

All of their voices echo on the shore. Icy saltwater splashes against your neck and underside of your chin- you’re nearly in over your head.

“Im okay, actually- please, Jimin- let me go-!” you gasp, trying to warn him but he doesn’t care. Closing your eyes and bracing for impact, you cling to him for safety. A flash of anxiety tells you he’s about to betray your trust.

Submerged in the sea, you try to push away blindly. You’re desperately holding your breath- it’s hard to do in a panicked state.

“You’re safe.” He promises- his voice oddly clear underwater. You turn your head away as you feel the cold press of his nose and lips against your cheek. Fear overtakes your reason.

“You need to breathe,” he tries again, moving with you as you panic and swim. Eventually he takes control by grabbing your face and guiding your mouth to his. He tastes like sea salt and something akin to aloe. It’s a strange sensation- breathing out and then being able to inhale without trouble. Your body still thinks you’re drowning when you open your eyes.

Hesitantly, you speak. “How did you do that- how am I…” you gaze down at the seemingly endless ocean beneath your feet.

“Its temporary.” He reveals, going in again for more. You protest a little less this time. “I just.. wanted you here.” He’s able to see you clearer now in his habitat. “You’re so beautiful.”

“— Im sorry, arent I supposed to be the one captivated by you?” You express your confusion. Jimin is too busy admiring your legs and hips- your face- he reaches out to touch the slope of your nose and arch of your brow.

“You dont have gills… or fins, or scales…”

“I know. Its boring isnt it?”

“It’s perfect.” He confesses. “It’s human.”

How ironic. A siren in love with the person he was supposed to lure. You take in your surroundings as he silently swims around you, carefully observing his new catch. You should be scared, angry even, that he went against your wishes but… he’s gentle- and that.. whatever it was. Was it a kiss if he was helping you breathe? The line in your relationship blurs. Just as he wanted it to.

“Where did the others go?” You ask, pulling your leg back as he curiously brushes against your thigh.

“Yeah but the front door isn’t fun and this was,” he rests his arms on the edge of your bed, head tilted. “I don’t want you to have a bad day all by yourself.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe I want to have a bad day by myself. Ever thought of that?”

“Uh- no.” He pushes himself up, standing. “Sorry, but we don’t do that around here. What’s this?”

“Get out of my stuff….” You groan.

Jungkook flips the toy over in his hands. He pulls the trigger and it whirrs, bubbles floating from it. He laughs, the soft childish sound almost lightening your mood. Almost.

“thats for my little sister. Put that back.”

“Finders keepers. Ill buy her something else.” He suggests, already attached to it. Jungkook aims it at you, bubbles flying all over your bedroom landing in your bed and on your skin.

“Jungkook!” You swat them. “Oh my godddd….”

“Get up.” He demands playfully. “We’re going on a walk you need vitamin d and some water.”

“I hate you.” You fume- both of you know that isnt true.

“I brought you one of my hoodies and your favorite flavor slushie from the gas station on my way here.” He admits, setting down the toy so he could lean out your bedroom window and snag his bookbag that he left outside. The semi-melted drink, too.

“Okay, maybe I don’t hate you.”

“Mmmmmmmwah.” He makes an exaggerated noise as he presses a kiss to your cheek and gives you the cup. “I always love you.”

“You’re annoying.”

“Get your hoodie on and shoes tied let’s go.” He slings his bag over his shoulder, shutting the bedroom window and taking that god forsaken bubble gun with him. He shoots it one last time in your direction, making you wrinkle your nose.

“Let’s go let’s go!” He hollers through your house, already wandering away.

You catch up with him, still struggling to get your shoes on.

“Your boyfriend wants your hand, please,” he teases politely, sticking his hand out and making a grabbing motion as you both make it outside.

You silently take it, trudging along beside him.

“Thats better.”

The walk is long but… begrudgingly he’s right. You needed sunlight and a change of pace. Damn this boy, always making you feel like sunshine and rainbows. He was the perfect opposite for you.

“Im staying the night by the way.” He leads you up the driveway back to your house.

“You didnt ask? I work tomorrow.”

“Okay? ill cuddle you all night and then make you breakfast before you leave.” He shrugs. It was perfect, and sweet, and all these cheesy things you couldnt bother saying to him.

“… I love you.”

“I love you more. More than anything in the world….”

“Jungkook….” You sigh, embarrassed by his sappy words.

“Actually, I love you most.”

“Well we can- here, let me see if the host can get us a different table-“

“No! No,” Jin interjects, awkwardly. He couldn’t tell you why, but the view out here on the balcony was the only way this was going to work. It had to be perfect; it had to.

“… okay?” You smile, thoroughly confused. Jin was never this jittery. “If you want to go blind, love, thats on you.”

“You just look.. perfect right there.” He changes the subject. “It’s doing you favors.”

The distraction works. You’re flattered, rambling away about how happy you were to be taken out somewhere fancy and how it was the perfect excuse to wear something you normally wouldn’t. He can see the photographer arriving behind you in the corner of his eyes.

any minute now. He takes a calming breath, starting to put his plan in motion.

“Did I remember my wallet…” he feels his pocket, intentionally dropping it as subtly as he can. “Oh.”

“I’ve got it, love.” You’re quick to get out of your seat. He stands too- perfect. Jin’s fumbling with the box.

Come on, Jin.

“Here, honey….” You look up, and.. drop the wallet again because he’s waiting for you. With a ring. The sun is kissing his skin just right- that gorgeous smile of his melting your heart.

The shock on your face makes him chuckle. “Ive thought about this for a long time, and.. well, I figured it was about time…”

“Jin!” You whimper- overcome with emotion. Its difficult not to cry; this is all you’ve ever wanted. It’s the ring you wanted, too. You have no clue how he figured that out.

“Will you marry me?” He asks, kneeling to be on your level. In a perfect would you would be standing but- he understands your shock making it hard.

You glance over and realize the rest of the restaurant’s customers have started clapping and cheering. The photographer is busy catching every emotional minute.

“I will. I love you, Jin,” you find your voice, draping your arms around him as he presses a kiss to your forehead. Jin guides your hands so he could fit the ring on.

“I love you too.” He presses a kiss to your knuckes afterward. You’re trying not to sob.

When you both find your footing and stand he can hold you properly.

“Look here for me? Perfect,” the photographer suggests.

“This is perfect.” You compliment him. He rests his head against yours, glancing your way.