Hoseok leaned against the chair and sipped from his tea, leaving a lip mark on the rim of the golden container. The cup was made of glass, gold rims with a pale base and lavender flowers etched into the sides. There were golden vines connecting the flowers together, leading to the handle matching the shade of the vines. Hoseok's fingers were interlocked with the handle, and he lowered it onto the plate underneath it, his eyes flicking up to the woman ahead.

"You know why I'm here," he said, dabbing his lips with the pads of his thumbs. It was rare for his hands to ever be clean, and that was just as true now as it had been on previous days. The backs of his hands had scratches from his daily activities, stains that could have been blood, or maybe dirt, lingering on the edges of his wrists, trickling down his arms. Only his arms weren't visible now.

Hoseok took the courtesy to change into something more presentable before confronting the two he cared deeply for. He had leather grips strapped around his hands. They were from his childhood, back when he sparred with other knights. The grips helped stopped the formation of bruises and cuts on his hands from holding the swords and practice staffs. Jimin and Hoseok sparred once, ages ago. They were teenagers then. If only he could say the same for now.

Raven washed the last plate she had and stretched her arm up. She was short, much shorter than Jimin (hence why he liked her so much), and it showed in the way she struggled to reach the top cabinet. When she did, she slid the dish back in its proper place. Despite how Hoseok had spoken, she remained focused on her task until the very last tick of the clock flew by. She shifted her weight to her heels, her boots creaking the wooden floors as she dusted off her maroon skirt and met his eyes.

No wonder why the people trusted her. She was good at manipulating her emotions. Not a single drop of feeling was residing inside her eyes. Perhaps Jungkook could decipher it, but Hoseok wasn't Jungkook. He was a warrior who slashed at anyone who posed a threat. Raven was no threat, so he allowed her the cushion of safety that was her hiding behind her blank mask.

"I'll go get him, but I'm not sure if he'll come out," she said, her hands playing with the sides of her corset, the black item contrasting her primarily maroon attire. She had burgundy laces sewn into the cuffs of her long sleeves, the sleeves going wider by the time they reached her wrists. They hung off them and dangled by her side, her wedding ring flashing since she wasn't wearing any gloves like Hoseok normally did. It was a tiny difference between them, but it was enough to make Hoseok feel like an outcast.

And with that, the redhead fled the scene. Hoseok was left to observe his surroundings while she turned down the hall. It was a tiny house. The kitchen was their dining room as well, which was surprising considering Jimin was the damn ambassador, and Raven the go-to whenever they needed help with the commoners. They preferred a smaller lifestyle, Hoseok supposed. Jimin and Raven still had their fancy outfits that glowed even when compared to the brightest flames. That was likely what mattered most to them.

There was a hallway mere feet from Hoseok, and it broke off to the left. He guessed it went to their bedroom and bathroom, maybe any additional rooms as well, but he didn't get up to see. It wasn't worth his time. The commander took another sip of his beverage and winced when the hot substance splashed over his tongue a certain way. It was almost a bitter taste, his mouth hissing at him for letting such a feeling enter his body.

Hoseok waited for several minutes. He heard hushed voices from not far away, Hoseok observing the walls and pressing on them. They were thin. No wonder why he could hear their argument. Or, it wasn't an argument. More Raven trying to convince Jimin to come out of his room and do his job, and Jimin was being as stubborn as ever. However, the redhead must have had special powers when it came to handling Jimin, for the man stepped into the room only a minute later.

Although he wasn't anywhere near the castle, Jimin was dressed like he was wandering the halls by Jin's side. His shirt was dark and button-down, long sleeves fitting him perfectly. Two golden chains ran from his right shoulder down to his waist on his left side while a single chain went around his right shoulder only, and it gave him an appearance of elegance.

Jimin sat across from him, facing the rest of the kitchen instead of Hoseok. His legs crossed over one another, and Hoseok resorted to staring at his side profile instead of his dark eyes. Jimin had pants that matched the color of his shirt, dress shoes that were pointed residing on his feet. Hoseok was glad he didn't have to wear shoes like that. They seemed so uncomfortable, especially for those with wider feet.

"You know why I'm here," Hoseok said, Jimin tapping his finger against his chin.

"Jin sent you?"

"He didn't have to. I would've come anyway."

Jimin brought his finger down and finally shifted his head in Hoseok's direction. Their gazes met, and although Hoseok wanted that to happen, now he was regretting it. There were speckles of agony resting inside the dots of Jimin's irises. All the different shades making up his chocolate eyes were splattered with a new emotion. But despite each emotion being unique, they were all in the same category: pain.

"Would you really? Last I checked, you and I aren't exactly friends."

"I'm sorry?"

"I don't know, Hobi. It seems like you're more interested in your job than the people around you."

"What I do keeps us safe," Hoseok said, pushing the tea aside so he could lean on the table with his elbows. He entwined his hands together, tapping his fingers on the top of his skin. "I'm sorry you feel that way, but my job is all day and night long. I don't get any breaks. Now, as much as I'd love to sit here talking about our friendship, you know that you have a duty to uphold in the kingdom. We've given you time and space to sort it out, but we need you back."

"Why? What could I do that Namjoon can't?"

"We have a woman in our kingdom who showed up out of now here. The kingdom's on high alert and our people formed their own curfew without Jin needing to say a word. Namjoon's been trying to get through to her, but nothing's worked. We need you and your charm to get information out of her."

"If Namjoon can't do it, what makes you think the pig can?"

Hoseok winced at that, Jimin tapping his fingers on the table now. Jimin's left hand allowed his fingers to press against the wood, then remove themselves from the surface, then slam back down on it again. It created a melody, almost like it was putting Hoseok to sleep. But he snapped back to his senses and placed his hand over Jimin's, stopping the tapping sounds for mere seconds before Jimin used his right hand to press against his thighs. Somewhere Hoseok couldn't reach.

"Jimin," Hoseok whispered, and Jimin averted his eyes at that. "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now-"

"You're right. You can't." Jimin whipped his gaze back up, and Hoseok sank back in his seat with a slumped demeanor. "I lived my whole life trying to get that label out of my mind, and when I finally managed to do it, someone calls me it again. A king at that. I got reduced to an object once again. Guess what, Hobi? Words hurt. They hurt more than you can imagine. I'm not trying to discredit your hard work, you fought hard for your position, but that doesn't mean you know what it's like to be torn down to nothing just by words. Just by the looks of your peers reminding you that no matter how much you do, no matter how much you change, you'll still never be good enough. We're oil and water, Hoseok. We don't mix no matter how hard you try. And I really do appreciate you trying, but there's some people that can't be fixed by a pep talk."

Hoseok swallowed what was left in his body and pulled away from Jimin completely, standing and brushing off his shirt. "Thank your wife for the tea on my behalf, yeah? Do it when you get back."

Jimin tilted his head. "Get back?" Commander Jung grabbed Jimin by the elbow and hoisted him up, the man yelping and banging against Hobi's body. "Hoseok! What the hell?!"

"If a pep talk won't work, maybe dragging your fat ass to the castle will, how 'bout that?" Jimin grunted, but even he knew there was no getting out of this. He allowed Hoseok to drag him out of the house and through the kingdom. Jungkook was doing rounds with the rest of Hoseok's guards, and he dipped his head as he and Jimin passed. Hoseok returned the gesture, Jimin reluctantly doing the same.

"Can't wait for all the looks I'll get," Jimin mumbled, cursing under his breath afterward.

Hoseok pushed him along and kept one hand on his sword on instinct. He trusted Jimin wouldn't do anything, but a broken man, no matter how kind, could do terrible things. Even the sweetest man in the world, Park Jimin. Even he had a breaking point. And it was reached.

"Are you the oil or the water?" Hoseok asked. At Jimin's stare, Hoseok shrugged. "You be the oil, I'll be the water, okay? So here's how this is going to go. You're going to go in there and perform a miracle by cracking that woman in half. After, we're going to do another miracle and learn how to mix oil and water, how does that sound?"

"Sounds like you want the impossible."

"Jimin, I truly believe we're friends. I do."

"I want to believe that too, but it's hard when it feels like the entire kingdom is against me." As they slowed their pace while they traversed the steep slope up to the castle, Jimin cast his eyes to the ground. "I know we're friends. I'm sorry. Everything's been so crazy between losing our home and a threat coming to the new one, but that's not an excuse. I was being an ass. I'm really sorry."

"For the record, I think you have every reason to be stressed. I'd say that's a pretty good excuse."

Jimin chuckled, the front gates surrounded by knights approaching. From there, Hoseok could locate his brothers donning silver, doing bows to their commander when they saw him. He returned the formality and forced Jimin through the walls of the castle. Jimin pat down his shirt and adjusted the chains on his body, giving Hoseok one last glance.

"I spent my whole life hating myself because of that word. It was the word that was on my mind constantly, the word that I... that I ended up calling myself. I know it's stupid, I know it makes me weak, but I... I..."

"Jimin." He shut up, Hoseok shaking his head. "There are so many words in the world. So many possible sentences I could say, so many languages I could learn. Thousands and thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of words. And yet, even if I knew all of those languages, all of those sentences, and all of those words, I still couldn't string together a sentence to describe how beautiful you are." Jimin froze at that, his body so stiff, Hoseok thought he turned into a statue for a moment. "You're perfect," he added in a whisper, and Jimin's eyes swelled with tears.

He nodded, backing away while pretending he wasn't about to sob. Hoseok turned first, allowing Jimin the time he needed to recover. For once, Hoseok was able to help someone else. Someone he had a fractured relationship with. Hoseok was a self-blamer, there was no denying that, but he truly was at fault for his relationships falling apart. It felt as though he barely had friends anymore. Even with Jin, the one he was around the most. It was all business. All work, no play. Yes they just migrated and lost their old home, yes they were busier than ever, but Hoseok still needed a balance. He needed a life. The question was, how did he get one? Or more accurately - how did he earn one?

When he returned to town, he found Jungkook in a corner speaking to his man. Or, not man. 'Friend'. Very close friend. Hoseok snickered at the thought and tied his hands behind his back, walking by in time for Jungkook to perk his head up. The pair locked eyes, and Jungkook gave Hoseok a half-smile and wave, bidding his goodbyes to his kind of boyfriend before rushing to join Hoseok's side.

"Sorry sir, I didn't mean to get distracted, I just-"

"Don't apologize," Hoseok said, waving him off. "We need a balance in life. If we worked all the time, it wouldn't be worth it to be alive."

Jungkook hesitated, likely contemplating if he should say anything to that. At Hoseok's eyebrows raising up, Jungkook sighed. "But you always work and are doing fine. I should be doing the same thing."

Hobi frowned, his face wrinkling from the weight of it. Jungkook noticed and grimaced, opening his mouth to speak when Hoseok cut him off. "Just because I'm living doesn't mean I'm enjoying it. Jimin and I have a strained relationship, Kook. I fear you and I do too."

"Never. You're one of my best friends. Why are you and Jimin strained? What did you guys do?"

"I wouldn't say we did anything, actually, quite the opposite. We didn't do enough. It's as you said: I work all day. That's it. It's my fault. It seems as though everything is."

"Hobi..."

Hoseok held up his hand. "You have a good relationship with Jimin, don't you?"

"Not as good as Tae and him, but him and Tae are closer than Jimin and his own damn wife at this point. But in general, yeah. Why?" Jungkook knit his brows as Hoseok pressed his lips together until they formed a line, then, he chuckled.

"Come with me. I have a plan."