Midas Touch ➸ Taekook

- Fourteenth -

When Taehyung arrived at the hangar where the X-Men jet was located, after changing, he saw that everyone was already there. Jungkook had also swapped his simple clothes for his long brown trench coat, and seemed to be wearing some kind of bullet-proof protection underneath. Taehyung hurried to join the group, but he could see from their faces that bad news had arrived in the meantime.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes," replied Namjoon. "Jungkook got a message from his informant..."

The man looked suspiciously at Jungkook. Everyone was wondering: where did this informant come from, who was he, and how did he manage to get information on a subject that even the CIA didn't know about?

"They moved the hostages from the warehouse he was guarding."

"And where are they now?"

Everyone tensed, alarming Taehyung even more. Even Jungkook, usually relaxed, didn't look completely serene.

"The port of Houston." Jungkook sighed.

Taehyung frowned, before the realisation hit him hard. They were going to get them out of the country. And once they crossed the border, the hostages would be lost. No, all they had to do was get on a boat and the whole thing would be over. The X-Men will never be able to catch them on the open sea.

"We've got to stop them..."

"Exactly." Said Namjoon. "So everyone on the jet, and quick. We don't know exactly when they plan to leave, but they'll want to leave as soon as possible. Keeping the hostages in such an exposed place is too dangerous for them."

They all agreed, and were quick to board the jet. Taehyung wasn't surprised when Jungkook came and sat down next to him. Honestly, he'd been expecting it. The man seemed to have developed a strong interest in him, unlike the rest of the X-Men to whom he didn't even glance. But what frustrated Taehyung the most was that he seemed so powerfully attracted to the Cajun that his fear of rejection was multiplied tenfold. He knew that Jungkook's interest in him was almost certainly curiosity, which would eventually fade. Then the man would disappear. Taehyung wasn't ready for that. He doubted that the attraction he felt for Jungkook was mutual.

They remained silent for a long time, like the rest of the passengers on the jet. Taehyung absently watched the clouds roll by through the window to his left, trying to look calm and composed on the outside, while he was literally panicking on the inside. However, the regular, frantic tapping of his fingers against the armrest quickly betrayed his inner turmoil.

"You look worried."

The teenager turned his head towards Jungkook, who was staring at him with his black and red eyes. Taehyung didn't think he'd ever get used to that look. It was intense and hypnotising.

"You don't look any better." he replied simply, in a whisper.

Jungkook gave an amused smile, the first of the evening.

"Is it that obvious?"

Yes, Taehyung thought, and perhaps that was what was stressing him out even more. Seeing Jungkook so serious, his eyes looking agitated and his body rigid. If the most nonchalant man on Earth was stressed, then Taehyung had every reason to be too.

"Why?" the teenager finally asked.

Jungkook's smile disappeared for a moment, simply letting his gaze wander into Taehyung's innocent one, as if he were trying to tell him something. Then he turned away.

"This is an important mission. Lives are at stake."

"This doesn't look like your first rodeo." Taehyung joked. "You've got an informant, a combat suit and you obviously know how to fight, even though I've never really seen you in action. You're clearly suspicious."