Jung Hoseok and Angry Animagi
Hoseok sat down rather roughly, gaining attention from every Slytherin at the table. Jungkook quietly sat next to him, keeping his eyes down to avoid the nasty glares being sent their way. Yoongi sat across from them, shock on his face. He probably never expected them to sit at the Slytherin table, but Hoseok had been serious. He wasn’t going to let Yoongi out of his sight until the supposed murderer was caught.
The Hufflepuff stared Yoongi down for a few seconds, then began eating breakfast silently. He wanted Yoongi to feel mad, sad, shocked, confused, hell, Hoseok just wanted him to feel something. They were his friends and he pushed them away like nobodies. He had to know behavior like that wasn’t going to fly. He was better than that, and Hoseok wanted him to realize that.
Even if it meant annoying Yoongi to death.
“You shouldn’t sit here,” Was all the fifth year said, watching them with no judgment behind long black bangs. Something in Hoseok told him to reach across the table and push the hair from Yoongi’s eyes, but he pushed the thought away in favor of belligerence.
“Really? Feels rather welcoming. Safe even. Actually, probably the safest in the entire castle, you know, as a group.”
Hoseok paused eating his toast, giving Yoongi a pointed look.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why didn’t you sit with Jungkook and I this morning?”
“. . . I didn’t think you wanted me around.”
“Not really, but we’re friends. I won’t run or hide just because you won’t like something,” Hoseok replied. Yoongi watched him closely, his face giving nothing away. Hoseok wondered if he’d ever learn how to read Yoongi’s expressions, or if he’d be just as blind as the rest of the world for forever.
After a few more tense moments, Hoseok returned to his toast. They ate in silence, until Jungkook’s hand lightly tugged at Hoseok’s robes.
“Hyung?”
“What Kook?”
“I uh. . . I don’t think they want me here.”
“What? Nonsense-” Hoseok started saying, but looked around. Jungkook might be right. He had never seen such an angry group at eight in the morning. All the green and black robes bristled in anger, and it was clear Jungkook had about two minutes before someone jumped him. Hoseok could’ve sworn a third year a few seats down just pocketed a knife, and was reaching for another one. “-oh.”
“Hyung, please, can we go?”
“Kook, you go I’ll-” Jungkook ran from the table as soon as Hoseok said the word. “Oh. I’ll catch up with you later!”
Hoseok shook his head, turning back to the table where the daily mail was just being delivered. Owls dropped letters and paper, hitting the benches, tables, students, and food. He noticed Yoongi had his eyes trained to the ceiling, no doubt looking for a certain Great Horned Owl.
“Why aren't they mad at me being here?” Hoseok asked quietly, realizing the mood at the table was significantly better. No glares, mumbles, or knives.
“Hufflepuff. Not Gryffindor.”
“It’s as stupid as that?”
“. . . Fear and misunderstanding,” Yoongi said quietly. “It’s hard to. . . open up to something new.”
Hoseok’s eyes fluttered up to Yoongi’s, and he realized Yoongi was apologizing. Or something close to it.
“Are you. . . gonna keep being scared and having misunderstandings?” Hoseok heard himself asking. He expected the classic no, no never. The lying answer everyone said just to make him feel better.
Which is exactly why he felt his eyes widen when Yoongi quietly said Yes.
“. . . what?”
“Yes, I’m still going to keep secrets, shy away, hide from you all. Being open about this shit isn’t me.”
“You just have to talk to us, let us help you.”
“I don’t want to have this conversation here,” Yoongi responded, visibly shutting down.
“No, I want to have this conversation here. We need to discuss this, because I can’t protect you if-”
“I don’t need you to protect me.” The line was delivered monotone and slow, so composed, like he practiced saying it in the mirror. It slapped Hoseok in the face, stung him and his soul that was buried under his skin. It went against everything he believed in, and the stubborn part of his mind told him Yoongi was just lashing out. He was in foreign waters and didn’t know how to swim. Cornered animal.
“I’m trying to help.”
“I don’t want your help.”
“We’re friends, so-”
“Stop saying that.”
“What? What are you-”
“I said, stop saying we’re friends.” Yoongi set his fork down, a dark look in his eyes. “I don’t even know you. Just because we’ve played Quidditch together means nothing.”
“You’re . . . wrong.”
“No, I’m right. Don’t get a savior complex just because you learned about my shitty family when we were drinking. You don’t know me.”
“I don’t have a savior complex I just-”
“What more do I have to say!” Yoongi finally raised his voice, just slightly. “How many ways can I say that I don’t want your help! Quit following me and lying to yourself.”
“I don’t lie.” Hoseok barked, hurt and anger rising in his chest.
“You just did.”
Hoseok felt the eyes of the entire Great Hall on him, burning holes in his confidence and drive. His cause and care was melting, dripping like hot wax. It was too bright, he couldn’t keep his façade.
“You can push me away, but you’re just afraid. You’re compensating for a brother you can’t hide and a past you wanna run from. But surprise! You can run from everything and everyone except that. You can’t change who you are, or who you’re related to.” Hoseok knew it was low, bringing up his brother. But he felt his armor weaken, and he needed Yoongi to hurt. To feel what he felt, know how real this was to him.
“Get out.”
“. . . wh-”
“I said, get the fuck away from my table.”
Hoseok took a long, hard, and very real look at Yoongi. He finally saw emotion in the ice prince. It was hidden in the lines around his mouth. The way his eyebrows were scrunched together. How his black eyes were darker than ever, framed in sharp eyelashes. No color rested in his pale skin, and the only way Hoseok really could tell he was living was from his quickly rising and falling chest.
Hoseok stood, a burning sensation in his eyes and throat. This was worse than rejection, it was a public execution. Hot, greedy shame and anger followed Hoseok as he stormed out of the Great Hall. He heard Jungkook’s steps following him, and white hot anger took the reins. He was on autopilot, burning alive in the cockpit.
Yoongi didn’t know what he was talking about. He was lashing out from a place of fear and uncertainty. No doubt he had little experience with positive relationships in the past, but he was not exempt from common courtesy. Friends tell each other when they’re being hunted by a killer. Friends mention their brothers are murderers. Friends tell each other when they can turn into animals. Friends tell each other when they pretend to be your emotional support pet cat for a week.
His feet carried him to the dungeons, closer to the potions storage room. He didn’t even bother checking if Professor Slughorn was around, he didn’t care. He slammed the door open, roughly pushing boxes aside and barely reading labels.
“H-Hyung? What are you-” Jungkook started, but stopped when he saw Hoseok throwing bags of special leaves to the ground carelessly.
“Please Hyung, I know you’re mad but, uh, really he’s just hurt, he’ll come back around, there’s no need-”
“He needs to know I’m serious. He can’t just say what he wants, when he wants, without consequence.”
“He never-”
“He’s a selfish, stubborn, prick with mommy and daddy issues, and I’m tired of everyone acting like that’s okay! DAMMIT! WHERE IS IT!”
“HOSEOK! PLEASE!” Jungkook yelled, snapping the Hufflepuff out of his trance. “Please! He’s our friend!”
“I know! That’s why I’m doing this! He needs to know we care!”
“Poisoning him won’t get the message across!”
“Poisoning him? Bloody hell Kook, you think I’m going to kill him?”
Jungkook paused and lightly shrugged. He motioned his hand around the room, at all the fallen boxes.
“I mean. . . you stormed into a potions storage room in anger, destroying everything in your hunt to find something.”
“Fuck, no, Kook. I’m mad but-” Hoseok sighed, coming down from his storm. He ran his fingers through his brown locks, taking deep breaths. “I don’t want to kill him. That won’t teach him a lesson.”
“I dunno, that’s kinda like, the biggest lesson you can learn-”
“No, I’m going to become an animagus.”
“What.”
“You heard me.”
“Y-you can’t! You must be confused, I know muggle-born wizards don’t get it as well, but this isn’t a little one and done thing! This is illegal. And incredibly dangerous-”
“I know. I read about it last night.”
“YOU JUST LOOKED IT UP?!”
“Duh,” Hoseok turned back to the supplies, looking again. “I wanted to know how and why he did it. I only got the how answered, then we fought. If he thinks he’s seriously untouchable and above my help, then I’ll become something he can’t lose. Besides-” Hoseok found the box of mandrake leaves, dragging it into the light. “If a killer is on the loose, I want to be able to fight. I’m no good with a hex, I can only fly and get decent grades in Muggle studies. This is my best weapon.”
“But there’s so many ways it can go wrong. You could be stuck half an animal, or worse-”
“And it’s something I’m willing to risk. Yoongi doesn’t want me to risk my life, but I know he’s risking his life by pushing us away. He thinks he can control this, but he’s wrong. I refuse to leave him alone in this.”
“Hoseok, just stop and think. Put aside the loyalty and pride-”
“You can’t ask me to forget my morals. I’m doing this.”
Hoseok grabbed a single leaf from the box, and immediately put it in his mouth. Jungkook gasped and tried to grab it from his fingers, but was too slow.
“NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! GET IT OUT, NOW!” Jungkook lunged for Hoseok, ready to pry it from his mouth. Under the dim light Jungkook chased the fourth year down, knocking over boxes and vials.
“SPIT IT OUT RIGHT NOW! HOSEOK THAT’S DISGUSTING! YOU ARE SO NASTY, YOU CAN’T! FUCK, IF YOUR PARENTS KNEW, MERLIN’S BEARD IF MY PARENTS KNEW! SPIT IT OUT RIGHT NOW!”
Jungkook crashed into Hoseok and they fell into a pile on the floor, wrestling with Jungkook’s hands all over his face.
“Uhhhh-”
The two boys froze, a first year in the doorway. She looked scared and shocked, confused to find the two boys in a. . . very intimate position in the dark room.
The first year squeaked and ran away.
“Fuck.”
While Jungkook was distracted, Hoseok took the chance to charm the leaf to the roof of his mouth. When it was sealed in place, he cheered and stood up.
“Double fuck,” Jungkook groaned from his place on the floor.
“Now it’s settled. I’ll help Yoongi.”
“Triple fuck.”
“What?” Hoseok turned to ask what was wrong now, but Jungkook was already reaching into the mandrake leaf box. He picked a fresh leaf and put it in his mouth, recoiling at the taste. Jumping into action, Hoseok charmed it for him, and he smacked his lips in thought.
“Kook, why’d you do that?” Hoseok asked gently, fixing Jungkook’s hair for him.
“I couldn’t leave you to do it all on your own, you’d probably get yourself stuck as half dog or something. Plus, might as well.”
“But I thought it was dangerous.”
“I’m a Gryffindor,” Jungkook said sternly. “I live for danger.”
“Well, it also is about to seem that you live for gay sex in storage closets, because I’m 100% sure that first year is gonna tell everyone. Get ready for the roughest month ever.”