Inside and Out | Seventeen Fanfiction

Fear

"Is he going to be okay?" Jeonghan asked Hoshi, who was checking on Vernon every now and again.

"He's still breathing, and he's in good condition. He'll be out soon"

Jeonghan sighed with relief.

"How's Joshua doing?" Hoshi asked.

Jeonghan's face dropped.

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The Mission

"VERNON!" Joshua screamed, not hesitating to kneel beside the body. Panic rushing through his body like an adrenaline rush.

Once the other members had arrived, Joshua was in more of a state than before.

"Help him you idiots! Why are you standing there?! Help him!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face like waterfalls.

Everyone thought they were dreaming.

"Joshua? Are you o-"

"Stop asking damn questions and help him! He's going to die!"

Hoshi and Wonwoo ran towards the unconscious Vernon and picked him up. Dino had some bandages and patches which could contain the blood until they arrived home.

Joshua couldn't stop crying.

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Present Day

"He hasn't slept for days, he's been walking up and down outside this room. It's like he's lost his mind" Jeonghan sighed.

"If someone took a bullet for you I think you'd be in a state too" Hoshi said as he took his gloves off. "At least he's getting better"

Hoshi walked out of the medical room, and there Joshua was. His eyes were red, he had black craters under his eyes and he lost quite a bit of weight.

"Is he okay?" Joshua sniffed.

Hoshi nodded and smiled warmly, "we've said countless times, he's okay. He's healing now"

Joshua sighed in relief, "I know...I just need to make sure"

"Are you okay? You look very...unwell"

"I honestly don't know. I've been feeling a mixture of things" he looked down at the floor while scratching the back of his neck.

Hoshi patted Joshua's back reassuringly before making his way downstairs, Joshua stopped him.

"Why did he do that for me Hoshi?"

Hoshi sighed,"wouldn't you do the same for him in that situation?"

Joshua nodded.

"Well, there you go then. Everything's going to be okay, remember that". He nodded again.

———————
Several more days passed, Vernon was wide awake and Hoshi said he was allowed to get out of bed. The pain in his stomach was excruciating, but that didn't stop him from stepping out the medical room to meet his friends.

He took one steady step after the other, and he was finally at the bottom of the stairs. The members didn't notice his presence until he cleared his throat. Ten heads snapped in his direction, and screams immediately followed behind.

Vernon cringed, "do you guys have to be so loud?"

"WELCOME BACK VERNON!" Woozi shouted with excitement. Some members got up from their spots and carefully embraced him in a small hug, being careful not to touch his wound.

"How are you feeling Vernon?" S.Coups patted his back, smiling warmly. "It hurts, but I'm better than I was"

Cheers echoed through the room, making Vernon cringe at the noise again.

Once everyone had calmed down, Vernon realised there was someone missing.

He gasped, "Joshua? Is he okay?"

The room suddenly went silent, then eyes directed to behind Vernon. Smiles could be seen on all the member's faces.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Jeonghan said, pointing behind Vernon.

Vernon turned around to see Joshua, puffy eyed and pale. He looked...awful.
"Joshu-"

Vernon's words were cut off when Joshua embraced him in a VERY tight hug, he starting sobbing into Vernon's shoulder. Making the member's jaws drop once again.

Joshua really was a mess.

"Wha-"

"Don't you ever do that again!"

Vernon's eyes widened at those words.

"Don't you ever take a bullet for me every again, do you understand?" Joshua pulled away from Vernon and looked him dead in the eyes.
"Do you promise me?"

"I can't promise you that"

More tears started to fall, "why not?"

"Because I can't let you be in this position, or even die. Same goes to the rest of the members"

The rest of the member's eyes widened, but then some nodded, "we'd all do the same, Joshua"

At this point, Joshua was very confused with everything he was feeling. Sadness, fear and anger all at once. It was making his head and eyes hurt a lot.

"I don't understand why you would do something like this..."

"Because we care" Vernon responded with no hesitation. He need to let Joshua know he wasn't an object, nor an asset. He was a human like everyone else.

"Are you trying to make me cry?" Joshua wilted his eyes with his sleeves. "No ones said that to me before...it's strange"

Vernon walked forward towards Joshua, and did what he thought was right. He hugged him.

Joshua didn't push him nor curse, he let the moment happen. Every other member joined in, forming a massive group hug.

"I think...things are going to get better now" Vernon concluded.

Joshua nodded into his shoulder.

"Things are going to get better"