Don't Leave Me Behind || Namjin AU

Chapter Fifty- Two. Hope

Warnings: swearing, mention of physical abuse and blood, etc.

"Namjoon, you really need to get some sleep," Hoseok said as he stood beside Namjoon and placed a hand on the younger's shoulder.

Namjoon simply looked terrible. His eyes were red and puffy from crying that'd stopped, with dark circles underneath, as he kept his gaze fixed on Jin's lying figure on the hospital bed, sitting in a chair in front of him and holding his fragile hand, which had tubes injected into it.

It was a bit later than two in the morning, five hours later after Namjoon had been holding Jin in his arms in the latter's house's kitchen floor and crying his eyes out till the police arrived and the ambulance came to take Jin to the hospital.

Jin's father was unconscious too at that time and was taken to the hospital too under strict security, and would be taken away by the police for investigation once he woke up. This had happened at least two hours ago, and Namjoon was glad about that. He couldn't stand to think that this monster could be in the same place as Jin after what he did to him.

Namjoon had stayed by Jin's side the whole time he was driven to the hospital, and if Jin's life wasn't endangered, he'd have put up a big fight with the nurses and guards to be with him while he was being operated on.

However, he did stay right outside the door waiting for news, crying and hoping silently that Jin would be okay. There was a very nice lady with him in the waiting room, and she'd even given Namjoon something to drink while comforting him after hearing about his story.

Yoongi and Taehyung had met Namjoon moments later in the hospital with the other boys while Jin was being taken care of, all of their faces pale with fear and worry.

The first two had called Jungkook, Jimin and Hoseok right after they'd informed the police about the situation and called the ambulance, because everyone deserved to know what'd happened to their hyung. Even though it was late at night, they'd all wanted to make sure Jin was okay, so Yoongi had driven everyone to the hospital in his van.

Namjoon had told them afterwards what had happened from the beginning to end. He'd started shedding more tears as he'd told them about the injuries Jin had had, and that he needed multiple stitches for the deep cuts on his head, side and hand and how his body had been in a bad condition when he reached him.

Honestly, everyone had started crying in the end because none of them liked to think about how much pain their hard-working and always positive hyung must've been through, and they'd stayed in a group hug to comfort one another for a long time, until Hoseok had brought up the fact that Jin was at least safe now, and his reassurance that their hyung would be all right had given them hope and made them stick to their resolution to be strong.

As they'd waited, Hoseok had called Jin's mother, since she knew him since he was a child and best friend of her son, and let her know about what happened to Jin and that her ex-husband had been arrested. While Yoongi had walked restlessly around the waiting room, Taehyung had called his and Namjoon's uncle to let him know what they were upto, while Jungkook and Jimin had called their parents to inform what'd actually happened since they'd left home in a hurry without proper explanation.

At midnight, after a long time of waiting in the room outside for news about Jin's condition, the doctors had finally come out and told them that he was finally stable. Also that he'd been cleaned, stitched and patched up, given the blood that he'd lost, but still too weak and fragile at the moment to gain consciousness. They'd also said that there weren't any permanent damage, but that Jin would need a lost of rest before he did manage to wake up, and needed to have an IV drip connected to his hand.

The boys were glad that Jin was going to be okay, but they couldn't help but keep saying that their always loving and caring hyung didn't deserve any of what'd happened to him. He deserved all of only the good things.

Everyone had wanted to stay by Jin's side despite knowing that they'd their examinations starting the next day, and had to be forced to leave because not more than two people could stay with the patient. Swearing that they'd visit their hyung right after their exam tomorrow, Yoongi took charge of driving the maknaes home, while Hoseok and Namjoon stayed with Jin.

Hoseok had fallen asleep on one of the spare hospital beds in Jin's cabin at around one in the morning, and when he'd abruptly woken up an hour later, he'd found Namjoon staring at Jin's sleeping figure on the bed in front of him, head patched up after being stitched, his other cuts taken care of and his body covered by a thick blanket.

Hoseok had thought that the couple looked pitiful and their pain was heartbreaking. He himself had been so upset because the boy he'd always loved so much was now in this state, beaten mercilessly upto the point he'd lost consciousness, and was now covered head to foot in bandaged wounds and horrible-looking bruises with ointment applied on them. Such a beautiful person had to go through so much... it was completely unacceptable.

And when Hoseok had seen the love and unwavering care in Namjoon's sleepless and haggard face, he knew that Jin was happier with the purple-haired than he'd ever be with him, so he was at peace. Hoseok knew that Namjoon would always stay by Jin's side when he couldn't.

But right now, the older male was worried about Namjoon too. When he was worried about Jin, he always found himself being worried about the purple-haired as well. He was like a brother to him after all.

He slowly got up and walked quietly to stand beside Namjoon's sitting and still figure, and put a hand on his shoulder as he suggested him to get some sleep.

But Namjoon looked up at him while placing Jin's hand that he'd previously been holding on the side of the bed, and shook his head, dried tear tracks having left dark marks on his cheeks.

"I-I c-can't, Hobi hyung," he croaked, having spoken after so long and after having another long and silent crying session. "I can't when Jin hyung's in this state... I can't stop worrying about him."

"Joon-ah..." Hoseok sighed, reaching to card his fingers through the others purple locks, which was quite comforting. "He's safe, now, so stop worrying. That bastard can never come near him again. You're gonna take good care of him now, won't you?"

"I-I don't know." Namjoon sniffled, eyes watering once again as he looked down at Jin. "I couldn't save him from his father. I'm such a bad boyfriend. I-I couldn't p-protect him, hyung. It's all m-my fault."

Hoseok looked at the younger with sadness as he watched him wipe his tears away.

"Joon, stop blaming yourself," he began firmly. "You know very well that it's not your fault. For fuck's sake, you took care of Jin and shielded him when the rest of us couldn't. Who the hell beat those bullies when they hurt him? Who gave Chanyeol a piece of his mind when he hurt Jin? You. You always took care of him. You replaced his tears with a true happy smile. Whatever that'd happened, you can't change it, Joon-ah. Jin's fate now depends on you. Just make sure you don't stop from always being by his side as before. He needs you. Everything depends on you. So, make sure that that sperm donor can't come near Jin hyung ever again, okay? Keep being strong like this, all right? Fighting."

Namjoon sniffled as he abruptly pulled Hoseok into a hug around the waist, feeling emotional. He cried quietly into his shirt as the latter whispered soothing and hopeful things to him, saying how brave he'd been and was, patting his shoulder in a comforting way.

He needed this moment. He'd needed what Hosoek had said to him. He was glad someone was there to both appreciate his efforts and to acknowledge his care towards Jin as true faithfulness and love. He was grateful that Hoseok had urged and supported his will to take care of Jin. He felt strong by his words of appreciation. Like he could do anything in the world for Jin. That he wasn't useless and unable to be by Jin's side to the fullest. He felt like he'd a great duty to take care of, and he felt so ready to do it.

Hoseok once again was able to pass his hopeful energy to him. His positivity had always been contagious.

In a good way, definitely.

°°°♡ °°°

Words: 1515