Ataraxia [BTS au | Heroes of Olympus]

11

Jungkook

When his eyes slid past the flying figure of the boy and Pegasus, he noticed Hosoek and someone else running towards the forest. There were shouts and yells and campers stared and approached the site in confusion. He trekked back  to see what the commotion was about. As he neared the forest, he recognised the Ares, Hephaestus and Apollo cabin emerge from within the woods. He caught the sight of the Apollo cabin members carrying someone in a stretcher, a girl.

"Who is that?" Connor who was standing nearby him asked.

"I think it was Irina." Chris Rodriguez, another Hermes cabin member answered, unsure. "Irina Manby."

A lot of whispers broke out around him. He watched the group of campers leading towards the Big house. He hadn't noticed Jimin sliding next to him until he asked what happened.

"Somebody's injured. We need to go see Chiron." Jimin didn't ask why, just followed him.

They were with Chiron, surrounded by other head counselors, some Apollo and Ares cabin members, crowding in the infirmary. It was indeed Irina who was injured. There had been some accident at the bunker 9, with a Hephaestus cabin's tool box. Her leg was broken everyone could tell that.

"There's multiple fractures." Kayla said as Hosoek made Irina drink nectar. "This will take a while to heal. It's best if she don't go on the quest."

"So we need to choose someone to go inste-" before Namjoon could finish Hosoek interrupted in a determined voice.

"I'll go." All the motion in the room ceased, everyone looked at him in disbelief.

Before anyone could say anything else Chiron said. "Why don't we move this to the rec room and let Kayla take care of Ms. Manby. Hosoek, join us will you?" Then Chiron exited the room with others tailing behind him. Many still glanced at Hosoek wide eyed. It was not a secret, the guy hated quests. Taehyung had been still, looking bewildered at Hosoek. Jimin pulled at him and asked Hosoek to come too.

He left the room, leaving behind the three to follow him.

In the rec room it was tense. Mr. D was there too with a can of Diet Coke like always. Even Sherman looked at a loss of words.

"I want to go." Hosoek repeated again.

"No." The answer was from the one whom they all least expected. Taehyung. Hosoek too looked surprised. "We have better fighters. From Ares cabin or Athena cabi-"

"I think I am a fighter good enough". Hosoek snapped back. "I can handle both sword and bow and arrow perfectly. I am a healer. I can take care of myself."

Chiron interrupted Taehyung who had his mouth open to talk back. "We do know that Hosoek, but are you sure you want to do this? Back out now, if you want."

"I want to do this." He might have not known Hosoek for long, but that sounded the most sure he has ever been in his life.

"He can do this." He don't know why he said it out loud, but the thankful smile Hosoek shot him was worth it for, though he could feel the hard stare of Taehyung on him.

Some around the table mumbled 'i agree's.

"I agree with Hades boy too." Mr. D suddenly said startling him and many others. He didn't thought the god was paying any attention. "A quest is not always about fighting skills. Let the boy go."

He was walking out of the Big house alone and he recognised the rushed footsteps towards him as Taehyung's. Taehyung strolled to face him, blocking his path. He looked furious. He expected that. What he did not expect was for Taehyung to shove him back by his hand. He could understand that Taehyung was just being emotional, but he did not like someone shoving at his chest. He didn't like it at all.

"How could you, huh? Who do you think you are?" He shoved him once more. Okay, now it was making him angry. He could feel the air around him turning chill but before Taehyung could touch him again or he did something, Hosoek came in between pushing Taehyung away from him.

The air around him really seemed cold, but it didn't bother him. Maybe he had imagined the sudden darkness around him. He felt a hand on his wrist, not pulling, just holding him in place. He doesn't know how but he knew the hand belonged to Jimin. He was still glaring at Taehyung but the cold and the dark around him receded. He took a deep breath trying to calm himself as he heard Hosoek shouting.

"Don't touch him. I am the one you're angry at so YOU TALK TO ME. You want to punch me? Go ahead, punch me or shout at me. But it is not gonna change the fact that I am going on this quest." Hosoek angrily spat out.

"Why?" Taehyung almost sounded broken. "Why are you doing this to me? Don't drag yourself into this. What has gotten into you? Are you mad?" He asked shaking Hosoek by his collar gripped in his hand.

"I am not mad. I am doing something I want to. You are going away on this quest, my friends are going away. Is it so bad I want to be there and help you?" He couldn't see Hosoek's face. But it sounded like he was crying.

"I AM SCARED OKAY?" Taehyung shouted eyes brimming with tears. "I am scared of something happening to you and not being able to help. I am so scared that you would die and I have to blame myself for it for the rest of my life." Taehyung let go of the other, backing away looking defeated.

There was a short silence. "And you think I am not? You think I won't be destroyed if you die and I don't even get to be near you. You think it won't make me ask myself the question 'what if?' what if I was there?"

"I am not going to die." Taehyung gritted out keeping his eyes on the ground.

"Me neither." Hosoek whispered, making Taehyung look up at again. "Let's get this over together. Let's all look out for each other and make it back. Let's try our best and succeed in this quest. Please.... Trust me. I trust you and if something happens to me it's not your fault. Please...."

Taehyung didn't said anything for a  long moment. Then at last he nodded. "Okay. Okay. Let's do this together." Then Taehyung glanced at him suddenly in panic. "Oh no. Dude I am so sorry. Jungkook. Shit. Fuck. I shouldn't have. Gods-"

He held up a hand shutting him up, then muttered. "Don't worry about it." He didn't said it was okay, because it was not.

"I don't know what got into me. I really shouldn't have done that. Gods I am so stupid. Are-are we okay? Just tell me if not."

He considered it for a few seconds before nodding. "Yeah we are cool." He said sincerely. "Just never do that again."

"I won't. I really won't, I promise." Taehyung shook his head immediately, his expression relaxing. From his periphery of vision he saw Jimin looking at him. He turned to meet his eyes. Jimin was smiling at him. Before he could return a smile he realised the hand was still hanging on his wrist, which he had forgotten about. He looked down at the smaller hand clinging onto his. Jimin must have realised he was still holding his wrist because he immediately let go and turned away, his ears red in embarrassment.

But then he looked at him again now in panic and started stuttering. "Go- od. I- I am so sor-rry. I shouldn't have-"

Jimin as a stuttering mess made him smile. The smile seemed to have startled Jimin because he fell quite, mouth open.

"It's fine." He assured. He meant it.