Got my claws in you

Chapter 18- small steps but we'll get there

JIMIN POV:

It's as we're settling in for the night that an abrupt knock comes on the bedroom door, starkly different to any of the personalities of our packmates. Nothing like the playful boisterousness of Tae, nothing like Yoongi hyung's observant, sweet silent ways, nothing like Hobi hyung's playful giddy taps. And if it's not them, it still doesn't fit with the others. Not like Jin hyung's playful gentleness and nor like Jungkookie's endearingly shy ways.

I exchange a glance with Joon hyung who'd been leaning against the headboard with a book open, arm wrapped around my side that slides away as he sits up- head cocked and ears perked up.

"I'll get it hyung." I murmur, sliding off the bed and padding towards the door, pulling the door open and stopping in surprise when I see Hobi hyung on the other side.

He always announced his presence with an energetic flail of limbs, some elaborate body movement or a loud sound effect, always the sweet heart-shaped smile that accompanied it and neither of them were present now. There was something stiff and uncomfortable about the way he was standing, scent calm and gentle- the sweet light tones of caramel, nothing about his pheromones gave away that he was bothered about something but his posture was too stiff, his smile didn't quite reach his eyes and when he spoke he was terse.

"We need to talk...please." He whispers at the end, a sense of fragility in his words, a desperation and need.

I silently step aside to let him in, smiling and reaching out to grip his arm.

"Of course we can." I murmur, guiding him back to the bed, shutting the door behind him as I move to usher him to sit down.

Joon hyung no longer has the book in his hands, having set it aside and now looks earnestly towards our packmate.

And invitingly opens the blanket, lifting it up in silent offer and invitation- face earnest and open as he looks towards Hobi hyung. 

Though Hobi hyung silently takes the offer, a small tentative smile on his face as he slides into the middle of the bed, he fiddles with the blanket, doesn't draw it over him and looks towards me, tilting his head to the side, waiting for me to get in beside him.

"Is something the matter Hobi?" Joon hyung asks.

He takes in a deep breath, as if bracing himself, preparing himself to say what it is he needs to say and rather than his head remaining bent, it rises, stiffly poised in a silent show of dominance and control as he turns to face us.

"I need to know everything I can do to help   (Y/N). About the officers at the centre, what the traffickers have been doing...just everything. I can't stand there and watch her hurt and still be in the dark, still be ignorant." Hobi hyung says. But alongside the firmness, the determined need to know, there's also a fragility to his strongly said words. Comes across in the way his neck stiffens and his eyes drift away from us to glare obstinately at the opposite wall, throat bobbing as he swallows heavily.

"Hobi hyung..." I breathe.

Feeling the ache in his words, feeling it in the way his body is stiff and rigid between the two of us and how his hands have fisted into the blanket, clutching at it and torn whether to push it away from him and reject the comfort it brings or to draw it close and hide.

And lean in close slowly, grateful and relieved that he doesn't lean away but sighs when I lean against his side, wrap an arm across his waist as I hug him.

I tentatively lean forward to nose against his jaw, sad that Hobi hyung is hurting, that our packmate is suffering because he can't take care of (Y/N), of someone he considers his own. That for all that he was trying to be strong, trying to remain calm and in control of the situation, he couldn't hide the fact it was bothering him. Enough that he'd approached to try and ease those restless thoughts.