BLOOD MONEY || bts mafia au

ten.

Jungkook's mouth twisted unhappily, coming to a rest somewhere between a frown and a scowl. He ran his finger down the barrel of his gun slowly. The simple movement soothed him. Or maybe it was the image of finally blowing Yoongi into oblivion that calmed his fraying edges.

The Cobra that stood in front of him shifted uneasily as he awaited his answer, sensing the shift in the boss's mood.

"You can tell Yoongi to shove it up his ass," Jungkook said at last, a lethal smile playing across his face. "If he wants the thumb drive, he's going to have to come pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Yoongi's soldier's eyes widened as the realization that he'd have to return to the Arsonist with nothing hit him with the force of a train. "Vice, please-"

Jungkook froze. "What was that?"

The soldier, wisely, remained silent.

"Did you just say 'please'?" Jungkook asked, dipping his head to meet the soldier's eyes. The Cobra swallowed hard but refused to break. "Is that what Yoongi's been teaching you in your little daycare, huh? Manners?"

He scoffed at the thought of Yoongi swaddling babies in blankets and rocking them to sleep. And this was the gang that was threatening his reputation. After how hard he'd worked to make a name for himself, to become someone worth being proud of, all of it was in jeopardy from a group that would more likely point their gun the wrong way and shoot themselves in the head than hit a motionless target a foot away from them if Yoongi wasn't standing over their shoulder the entire time.

"But what about the-" the soldier started.

Jungkook had to give it to him, at least he had determination.

But maybe that was just the fear talking.

"I won't give you the information that will get me thirty billion won just because you asked nicely," Jungkook spat. "Now get the fuck off my territory." He was fed up with playing allies with the Cobras already and they had barely even exchanged a passing glance in the last four days. When this was over, he was going to enjoy bashing his nemesis's head against a rock.

Knowing if he lingered any longer he wouldn't have the option of leaving fully intact, the Cobra dipped into a curt bow and scurried into the shadows before Jungkook could change his mind about letting him go.

Jungkook sighed as he ran his fingers through his dark hair, messing it up even further. He quirked an eyebrow at the figure waiting for him in the silhouette of the den's entrance. "How long have you been standing there?" he murmured as they fell into line down the hallway.

"Long enough," Jimin replied. The elder gnawed on the edge of his bottom lip, trapping it between his teeth anxiously. "What did Yoongi want?"

The other boy laughed humorlessly. "The thumb drive, if you can believe it. That little shit really thought I would just hand over the one thing that possesses all knowledge of the mission so he can go for the money without us."

Jimin frowned as they turned the corner, crossing his arms over his chest. "Why don't you? Go for the money yourself, I mean."

Jungkook clenched his jaw until the muscles ached. Because I can't do it by myself. Because I need his help. The words swirled around in the air between them, but he couldn't bring himself to make them tangible. If he did... That'd mean they were true.

"I see," Jimin mumbled. He pulled the younger to a stop just before the corridor opened up into the main room, his grip on his arm growing more insistent with every word that poured from his mouth to cement their meaning. "I know you need all of us for this to work, but please be careful with what you ask of Taehyung. He will push himself beyond the limits of what he's capable of without even realizing if you allow it. Just... keep him safe."