In The Heart of Darkness

🖤13🖤

After Taehyung left the room Yoongi did the only thing he knew to do next - wash up.  He found a strange comfort in doing the mundane routine when he was perplexed with a problem.  He finished and then changed out of his dress shirt and slacks, slipping into a black turtle neck sweater over some loose gray pants. 

As he slumped back down into his overstuffed chair, he stared out the window and into the darkness.  His expression soured as his mind forced him to relive the events of the evening.  His elbow came to rest on the arm of the chair and he nibbled on his already too short thumbnail.  As he pondered, he continued to gnaw on his thumbnail until a sharp pain yanked him back to reality.  He grumbled to himself and bolted up from the chair, this time choosing to pace the floor rather than sit and stew. 

Who could be after the police chief?  Who could be after both he and Taehyung?  What could they possibly want?  Power?  Money? More widespread control?  He snarled to himself as he determined it all boiled down to greed and quite possibly fear.  The fear of being controlled by another organization or even another person.   He hated that he was an integral part of the institution that fed that desire and fear in people. 

He paused at the long French doors as his mind drifted to the troubled face of the girl who probably wasn't resting in the room across the hall.  He glanced at his door and took a step towards it, but then halted.  He was probably pretty low on her list of people she desired to see at the moment.  She had probably found all the comfort she needed in Taehyung.  His nose curled and he spun back around to the window, resuming his pacing. 

Taehyung stood in his way, in all aspects of the idea.  However, he was an unwilling ally at the moment.  Their two organizations would have to join forces and get rid of the threat if either he or Taehyung were to attempt to resume a normal life. 

His soft laugh sounded bitter in his own ears.  Actually, what was a normal life?  Growing up as a child of the mob? Being the only son of your mob boss father and having the ground you walked on practically worshipped? Watching your mother die slowly right in front of your very eyes while your uncaring father caroused around with who knows how many women? Now he himself was following in his father's footsteps out of duty and because it was expected of him.  Just how normal could any of that be?  

How could he ever expect to live a normal life with a wife, children, maybe a dog or two?  His eyes softened as he imagined it all. He closed his eyes and watched his fantasy play out in his mind for a moment. He was startled from his daydream when the door between he and Hoseok's room opened.

"Hyung, you should rest." Hoseok walked slowly up to his friend with his hands shoved deeply into his pockets. He was restless himself, the worries and what if's plaguing his mind.

"I could say the same for you," sighed Yoongi languidly. "I'm afraid I won't be sleeping much tonight." Yoongi leaned back into his chair and shuffled his hand though his dark hair.

"Did you come up with anything after talking to JK?" Hoseok eased himself down into the matching chair across from Yoongi's. With his arm propped up on the chair, he rested his head into his hand as he studied his boss.

"Just more questions," mumbled Yoongi. "I should probably ask my father but I really want to keep him out of this. He'll just yell at me anyway." The sad, yet bitter tone in Yoongi's voice was not lost on Hoseok.

"I'll do my best to watch your back, hyung," Hoseok murmured softly.

"You always do," said Yoongi, a small smile playing in his lips. He sighed heavily and slapped his knees. "I need a walk or something. My mind is racing and I need to wind it down."