It had been a full day since the woman had been captured, and they haven't even gotten a name out of her yet. Jin was sitting on the balcony of his castle, reflecting on how Namjoon had been grilling her for over three hours to no avail. Three hours on that day alone. That was without factoring in yesterday, when Namjoon was with her the entire day. Jin was considering sending in Jungkook, mostly because as a spy, he could deduce the signs of another spy among their ranks. It'd be interesting to get his perspective.

But Namjoon and Jungkook weren't with Jin now. Instead, there was another man who was standing by Jin's chair. His armor shimmered, his helmet on the ground in front of Jin. Jin offered him a seat, but he refused and decided to stand with his hands intertwined in front of him, covering his abdomen. His fingers were gloved and long, and under the fabric laid callouses from years of training with swords. Jin peeked up at Commander Jung Hoseok, and he saw the side profile of a man who was hardened by battle, yet soft at the same time.

"I've been trained to sense your stares, sir," Hoseok said, chuckling before glancing down. "Is there something on my face?"

"Sunlight," Jin replied with a huff, motioning to how the setting sun was making his skin appear brighter than usual. "We should start calling you sunshine."

"Don't ever call me that."

"I don't know, I think it suits you... Sunshine."

"Sir, I will throw you off this balcony and frame it as an accident."

"Doing us both a favor," Jin said, snickering after he said it. Hoseok shot him a playful glance that he was quick to return, the knight going solemn after that. It was strange how fast his mood could shift, but that was the reality of being in the guard let alone the leader of it. Jin nibbled on his lip. Namjoon, Jimin, Jungkook, Taehyung, Hoseok. They were all his friends, but sometimes it felt like he didn't know much about them. Maybe it was time to change that. "How is it?"

"How is what, sir?"

"Drop the formalities. We're on a balcony overlooking our kingdom. Alone. No need to be so formal. We're friends... right?" He asked it with a hint of vulnerability in his tone. A vulnerability he hoped didn't shine through his words. However, Hoseok was as intelligent as ever, and he caught onto the hidden message behind Jin's words.

"I like to think we're best friends. But that doesn't mean I'm a mind reader, Jinnie. How is what?"

Jin leaned back on his seat and pursed his lips, allowing his eyes to stare at the kingdom again. The activity was settling down as time went on, no one daring to stay out late. Jin never implemented a curfew since he didn't think they needed one. They had border patrols and knights stationed everywhere they needed to be. Safety was the top priority, especially now since Jimin punched a rival. Regardless, his people took it upon themselves to stay out of the way of the knights. Jin appreciated that.

"The guard. And I don't mean how are they, I mean... how are you, and how is it being the leader of the guard?"

"I worked my whole life for it. Even though I've been training for this since I could walk, it's still terrifying. Leading my knights into danger. Possibly dying beside them, or watching them die beside me. Sometimes surviving is worse..." Hoseok bit his lip, going over to the edge of the balcony and placing his hands on the railings. Jin was still close enough to hear the shaky breaths Hoseok was taking, and Jin frowned as a result. "When we lost our home, I lost... so many men. More than I can count. I'll never forget their screams. Their begs and pleads for help. For my help." Hoseok broke off, keeping his eyes on the horizon as the light kept dancing across his face. "But I couldn't help them, and I have to live with that."

Jin wasn't sure what he could say to console the man. So, he stood and went over, standing by him. Maybe words weren't the answer. Maybe it was company. He did all he could, hoping his presence was enough to at least soothe the poor commander. Jin hadn't considered how much battle and war Hoseok had seen. One glance over at the man said all it needed to. Hoseok had a scar peeking out from his armor. The pale skin was on his collarbone, leading up to the center of his neck. It was a miracle he survived such an attack like that, but that may have been because the armor was protecting him. Jin didn't know when he got the scar, but he didn't want to bring back bad memories by asking. He did what he always did: kept his mouth shut.

The silence carried on, whispers in the wind the only noises they heard for several minutes. Hoseok had a steady gaze. A focused one. No wonder why he was so qualified to lead an entire army. Jin had little say on the knights. Even if Jin gave an order, Hoseok could override it in a snap. If Jin was having trouble handling the pressure of leading a kingdom, he couldn't imagine what Hoseok was feeling leading his brothers to their deaths. What a burden that would be...

"I love it," Hoseok murmured, Jin motioning with his eyes for him to continue. "Having a home like this. My fellow knights are my family, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm sorry for complaining, I shouldn't have done that."

"Hobi, you don't have to apologize for having emotions. You may have armor, but that doesn't mean your heart is made of steel. In fact, quite the opposite. You're the same person who stands up for the weak ones when they can't. The same person who would rather lay down your life than let any of your friends get hurt. It's what makes you my best friend, and it's what makes you the best commander we could ever ask for. If any problems ever come, there's no one I'd trust more than you to lead your knights into battle. And there's no one I'd have more faith in than you."

Hoseok sniffled, then squeezed the railing in a poor attempt to mask the noise he just made. Jin scooted a bit closer and rubbed the man's shoulder, him leaning into the touch and closing his eyes, letting out a breath. "Thank you, Jin," he said, his voice smooth and melodic. Hoseok was a gorgeous man on the inside and out, and Jin hoped he made him see that at least a little. Even the tiniest amount was more than enough.

"Don't thank me for telling the truth."

The knight and the prince didn't speak after that. There was no need. Seconds ticked away, seconds soaked with silence. By the time they came out of it, Jin hadn't realized how much he needed to do for his kingdom. Find out if there had been a compromise, and why the woman was there. Ensure no one would come back to harm them. Check on the rest of his inner circle. Check on his commoners to see if they were holding up. Yet all those questions got brushed away when Hoseok spoke next.

"Has Jimin come out of his house yet?"

"Not that I know of. I saw Mrs. Park picking up food for him, but she didn't have time to talk. Seems as though neither of them want to talk about it much," Jin replied, Hoseok hanging his head. Jin wanted to give Jimin the time and space he needed, but as much as it pained him to say it, Jimin's presence was vital to their survival. They had a stranger among them, and Jimin's calming self and expertise with words were necessary. Him speaking to the woman could change everything.

"Jimin always tried to make his problems right. He's not a runner. I'm sure he'll come around."

"I know," Jin said, scanning over the view of the kingdom. It was striking from their high altitude. The sun was iridescent, and even the tiniest blades of grass emitted hues of lime that demonstrated they were in their best health of the season. Farmers were hauling their goods into town, and life seemed to begin. One of the families was pregnant. Their first pregnancy since the migration, and that was a fact Jin bathed in. He swirled the thought over and over through the waves of his mind, cherishing each second the words lingered there.

"Permission to speak freely?"

"You don't need to ask to speak to your friend," Jin replied, and Hoseok had his lips twitching between a smile and a frown. Jin wished he could decipher what that meant.

"It was my fault the enemy got so close. I should have been there with all my knights, ready to defend us. I'm sorry for that. And I'll increase security. A few of the commoners have approached, requesting to train to become a knight. We're growing in numbers by the day, and I was thinking we could do self-defense classes to everyone. If we're going to repopulate, we need to make sure we can protect the children."

"I agree... with most of that." Hoseok made a sound that seemed like a sigh, or maybe a huff. Jin didn't bother analyzing it, he only took both of Hoseok's shoulders and swiveled him around. Hoseok met his eyes after a beat of hesitation, and Jin frowned when he saw the grief nestled inside his expression. "We're still standing. No one's gone, and best of all, no one's hurt. Don't blame yourself for this, okay? We love you, Hobi. I hope you can learn to love yourself like we do."

Hoseok didn't answer, but not because the conversation was over. Jin saw the tears welling up in his eyes, and he reached over and wiped them before they could make it fully down his cheeks. The man nodded his thanks, but Jin took it a step further. He pulled Hoseok into a hug, and he gasped before returning it. His arms slipped around Jin's wide shoulders, and the pair embraced in silence. No words were needed. It brought consolation to them both, and Jin shook his head before patting Hoseok's back.

They parted, but Jin stayed near. There was one thing he needed. As much as he didn't want to ask for it, he knew it was the only option. With Namjoon not making any progress, and the rest of the commoners on edge, Jin needed him. But he couldn't get him himself. He had the courage to (mostly), but he had a feeling that if he sent someone else, someone kinder and better with words than Jin, then it would work out better. So, he took a deep breath.

"Commander Jung?" The knight stood at attention, his hands returning to their natural state behind his back. Jin almost chuckled. It was a classic Hobi thing to do. His mannerisms were what made him so admirable, and Jin found himself mentally smiling. He almost didn't want to say it. He almost bit his tongue and let himself have a few more greedy seconds with the commander of his knights. But reality had other plans, for Jin opened his mouth and allowed the words to soar into the air.

"I need you to bring Ambassador Park to me. He has a job to do..."