After Dark || vmin

chapter 22: on the way

AN: HELLO EVERYONE IM BACK FROM MY HIATUS ♡ IDK WHAT TO SAY SO HERE WE GO

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jimin is doing his best to convince the search party to let him join them.

after taehyung has left so suddenly, having run away without telling anyone where he might be going, they arranged for some of the best knights the kingdom has to offer, to search for the black blooded one.

it's only been a few hours so he can't be that far, jimin thinks to himself and turns to the leader of the search party.

"i don't want to ask a third time", he threatens the man, "either you let me join you, or i'll lose myself." never in his life had jimin have to use such words against his people, but tonight was different. tonight he had to find someone who means the world to him and is putting himself in possibly dangerous situations.

jimin remembers the way taehyung looked when he left, the way his eyes were completely dark and something about him screamed danger, screamed that he's actively losing his humanity.

the former prisoner had told jimin many times about the darkness inside of him and the prince believes it's the darkness what's making taehyung act this way. normally he wouldn't do things like that. normally he would know jimin has come to safe him, to get him back and not to betray him.

jimin sighs and notices the knight in front of him trying to find excuses for the prince not to tag along but one sharp glance in his direction finally seems to be enough to convince the man to let the prince join them.

they all get on their horses and for the first time in his life, jimin is glad to have taken riding lessons. as he gets up on the horse they got for him, he almost falls but catches himself without anyone noticing. he's just nervous, just scared they won't be able to find his love.

"everyone ready?", the leader of the search party yells and everyone makes some sort of noise of agreement.

and then they begin searching for the ex-prisoner. the prince shuddering because how will they know which way to go? how will they be able to find taehyung? right now he can't do anything but believe in them, so he does, trying his best not to get discouraged by how large the world suddenly seems.

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"mother?"

taehyung spins around at the sudden noise he hears behind himself. a small boy, not older than five years is standing in the doorframe and watching him do his dirty work.

the former prisoner finally realizes that he must have killed boy's mother, not feeling much while doing so, all of his empathy having left his body what seems like years ago, when he brutally began murdering this woman.

he looks at the arm he discarded somewhere on the floor and then back to the boy who's now joined by a girl, who looks to be a little older than her brother.

taehyung contemplates killing them for a minute before he decides against it, thinking the trauma of seeing both their parents dead, will be bigger than giving them both the sweet kiss of death.

"what d-did you do to h-her?", the boy asks, his voice shaking so much while he talks, even though it seems like he's trying to be brave.

"oh you don't know me? i'm the one with the black blood", he answers vaguely and notices both of the children flinching away, as he reveals who he truely is. taehyung has to laugh at that, sounding absolutely possessed by his darkness, the sound of it being more creepy than anything these children have ever heard.

"but i'll be kind today, i promise. i'll leave you two alive. your parents had to say good bye but you two can live!", he exclaims happily as if he just announced they won a big prize instead of losing both their parents.

taehyung's face then turns serious again and the steps closer to the doorframe, the children scrambling away as quickly as possible, trying to make room for him, so he can leave.

"i hope you're grateful", he whispers as he looks back over his shoulder, before he exits the house that took him in so lovingly.

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jimin can't believe the news. they found footprints, running towards the south. they could be anybody's really, but the tiny sliver of hope he has, wants to believe they belong to taehyung.

the knights beging following them on their horses and jimin follows them at the end of the search party, not wanting to be in the way of the people who actually know what they are doing.

i'll see you again my love... soon, he thinks to himself and smiles. he knows taehyung is out of it right now but he believes that once the other man sees him, he will be reminded of the times they spent together and everything will turn out okay.

it's a lot he has to believe in right now, but he doesn't want to give up. not now, when taehyung seems so close to him again.

after following the footprints for what seems to be around an hour, they arrive at a house in the middle of the forest. maybe there is a town close by, but jimin has lost all sense of orientation at this point, not knowing where in the world they could be by now.

they stop at the house and after what feels like an eternity someone of the search party finally annouces they have lost the footprints and probably just followed whoever lives here.

all hope leaves jimin's body and he watches everyone as they begin to retreat. he doesn't want this to be true. he doesn't want to leave here yet. what if taehyung is inside the house? what if they never lost the footprints? but since he's just the prince and isn't even supposed to be here in the first place he can't say anything against their opinion.

however, jimin thinks to himself, i can investigate on my own. so he stays behind as everyone else begins following the way back that they came.

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AN: i cant add gifs atm so i'm sorry :(((