The Special Ops unit was winding down with training for the day. Hoseok was addressing one of the newer amongst his ranks, and Shae stood hidden between tents, not wanting to draw attention to herself as the members of the special ops unit dispersed in their own directions for their afternoon breaks.

Shae zeroed in on where Jung Hoseok stood under the hot sun. His face glistened with salty sweat, and his red hair was braced back in a thick green headband. He stood with his hands on his hips and, even when he was barking commands she noticed that bright smile still found its way freely to his lips.

She smiled.

"Fascinating." The misty dark voice of a stranger slipped into her thoughts, making the pit of her stomach drop.

"I beg your pardon," she said softly.

Minghao stood before her, his eyes perusing the span of her frame with dark curiosity. "My, my, they said you were a sight to see. For once, they were right."

"You must be Minghao," Shae said, not liking the taste of his name on her tongue one bit.

Somehow, this delighted the mixy man. "I see my reputation precedes me as well. I'm flattered." His rounded dark eyes looked Shae up and down once more.

The thirsty look in his eyes made Shae's stomach turn. "If you'll excuse me, I have business with Jung Hoseok." Shae started to sidestep around the dangerous man in black.

She heard his laughing, dark voice answer in her ear as she passed by, "I'll bet you do."

When she turned around to glare at Minghao, the man had disappeared as if into thin air.

It sent a chill down hers pine and she stood frozen in place. That is, until a much warmer voice washed over her from behind.

"Shae?"

Hoseok wiped at his face with a towel that was draped around his shoulders. He jogged across sand in her direction, and Shae pivoted to see a look of earnest concern curling into his brow and wrinkling his friendly eyes.

"Shae, what are you doing out here? You shouldn't be wandering around by yourself." He stepped close to her, sending threatening glances around at the backs of some of his trainees who were well in retreat and, to Shae, seemed oblivious to their exchange.

"...Hobi?"

He grabbed her firmly by the wrist. Then he pulled her, rougher than she would have expected, out of the blazing sunlight and into a small tent near the arena's edge.

Once inside Shae realized it was a changing tent of sorts. The sight of a few men's garments strewn about the place made her feel warm just as much as the heat.

Hoseok shoved a pile of sweaty clothes from a single chair, and then gestured for her to sit. "Can I get you some water? Are you thirsty?"

"Uh, no. I'm fine." Shae had come with her game face on, but his manhandling-meets-hospitality was giving her whiplash.

Hoseok leaned his back against a central tent pole with his hands now folded behind his back, and he was looking down at her with intent and curious eyes.

Shae sat in the chair, and then fumbled through the words, "I wanted to see you."

That's not what I meant. Oh gosh.

Shae felt her cheeks flush.

Hoseok thought he was going to lose his damn mind at the sight.

"I mean, I wanted to see you about something."

He cleared his throat. "...Yes?"

"About...this Minghao character."

Hoseok's delicate attentiveness shifted as if beneath a dark shadow. "What a fucking coward."

"E-excuse me?" Shae's eyes widened.

Hoseok looked shocked-apologetic. "Oh, no, not you! I don't mean you! I mean... ugh, I wish you'd stay out of this, Shae."

"No one asked me to butt into anything. But I was concerned. This Minghao doesn't seem very...for lack of a better word, good."

"That's because he's not, Shae. But he IS good for our cause, and for my team, and right now that has to be enough."

Shae looked up at Hoseok with hurt and confusion. He crouched down in front of where she sat, and the nearness of him made her blink twice without thinking.

He said carefully, "Shae, please don't go wandering around camp by yourself. There's a reason we stationed you with Vernon and Tae. Always take someone with you, even if it seems like a silly errand."

Shae didn't know that talking to Jung Hoseok could be so dang confusing. "I-I'm a grown woman, Hobi. I don't need a babysitter to deliver inventory to people on a base that's supposed to be full of our allies."

"Shae."

"I can't believe this... This is not what I came here fore, to be lectured by you about... propriety."

She got to her feet, and as a result so did Hoseok. Shae felt even more aggravated whenever he did so, as he became taller than her and his determined eyes bore down over her.

"If this was about propriety then you wouldn't be standing alone in this tent with me right now."

Shae swallowed, her throat feeling a touch drier than before.

Hoseok went on, "This is about your safety."

"If you're worried about my safety, then what is a man like Minghao even doing here in the first place?"

Hoseok tilted his head to one side and let out a heavy sigh. "What do you know about Minghao, Shae?"

She hesitated to answer. "N-nothing. But... all it took was talking to him once to know he's--"

"When did you talk to him?" Hoseok was sharp, on edge again.

"Just now." Shae gestured vaguely towards the door to the changing tent. "And... I don't like him."

"What did he say to you?" Hoseok's mouth was twisting into a strange shape, and Shae couldn't quite read the emotion there.

"It wasn't really what he said but... how he said it. He just felt dangerous. And, no offense, but Ava aside... there's noone here I trust more than Jeon Jungkook. If he says there's something wrong, then I take him at his word. And I think that you should, too."

Shae and Hoseok stood in tense silence, both of them staring earnestly into each other's eyes. Neither of them had anything further to add. Neither was planning on backing down.

"If that's all, then I'll go ahead and walk you back to the storage barracks," he said.

"I'll walk myself," Shae mumbled, hugging her elbows and suddenly feeling ten years younger than she was--but not in a good way.

But Jung Hoseok would have none of that.

Hoseok slipped his hand around Shae's wrist and gave a slight tug. Shae was surprised at the sudden touch, at his strong pull, and at how close his face suddenly was to hers. His eyes weren't smiling like usual.

He growled low, "No. You won't. I don't completely trust all the people here... Minghao included, if you must know... and I don't want you getting hurt."

She said in barely a whisper, "You're hurting me now, Hobi."

His hand slipped...and his fingers slid between hers instead. "Is this better, then?" His hold was secure and yet light.

"You don't have to hold my hand." She answered shyly, her eyes avoiding his gaze.

"What if I want to?"

"Hobi... it feels wrong. Joon is..."

Hoseok's grip tightened just a little at the mention of Kim Namjoon.

"Hoseok, let me go."

He did then. Shae pulled her hand from his and clasped her fists into the front of her chest. "What's wrong with you all of a sudden?!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked grumpily.

"You're... being so mean right now." Her voice was barely audible as she said this.

He sounded genuinely hurt when he asked, "You really think so?"

Her eyes continued avoiding his. Her mouth became small.

Hoseok's voice sounded deflated. He said, "Alright, let's go then. I'll walk you back. Hands to myself."

"Fine."

When they reached the main inventory building, Tae and Jungkook were gone. There stood behind the counter Vernon in a pair of neon green overalls today, with his messy sandy blonde hair falling into his eyes. He was ticking through a list on the counter in front of him whenever Shae and Hoseok entered the facility.

At the sight of Hoseok, Vernon suddenly stood taller. Shae thought she heard his shoes click together as if he were about to salute. It surprised her.

"Hoseok-hyung. How can I help you?" Vernon's normally bright and silly tone was forcing itself into a stiffer mold. Shae found the sound as baffling as his body language.

Hoseok stepped up to the counter and leaned casually over it. "Vernon, you remember our talk yesterday?"

"Yes, sir. I definitely do."

"Well...do you remember the part...where I said you should always make sure Shae has an escort on base?" There was a slight edge to Hoseok's voice, but it was far more playful than it had been when Shae and he had been speaking alone.

Vernon looked confused. "Yeah, sure. I remember that."

"Well...." Hoseok nodded over his shoulder at where Shae stood, by the doorway.

Recognition struck. "Shae, where did you go?! I would have come!"

"So you're all in on this?!" Shae sighed heavily.

She walked up to the countertop and plucked up a slim box of transmitter parts that she'd been IDing earlier. She headed towards the racks of the storage unit to put them away, saying over her shoulder, "I can't believe you guys."

Vernon looked after Shae like a wounded puppy.

Hoseok plopped a heavy hand on the young man's shoulder, making Vernon's attention snap back onto his authority figure and his shoulders straighten again. Hoseok gave an ever-so-slight squeeze of Vernon's shoulder, a slight masculine edge within a paternal gesture. "Don't lose track of her, Vernon. Ok?"

Vernon nodded vigorously, his sandy hair touseling around his angular features. "Definitely. I won't."