Stigma Love's Algorithm [ A BTS x Reader Poly ]

Chapter 39: Drowning in Absence ⚠️

And then-
A sound tears from his throat, something raw and helpless.
"I can't do this."

My chest tightens painfully. "Baby-"

"I can't," he rasps. "I can't keep waiting for him to come back, keep pretending everything is fine when it's not."

I sit beside him, pressing my forehead against his shoulder. "I know."

His hands clench into fists.

His body trembles.

And then, suddenly, he moves.

Turns.

Grabs me-pulling me onto his lap, burying his face into my shoulder.

And finally-finally-he breaks.

A shuddering inhale.

A quiet, wrecked exhale.

His arms wrap around me, holding me so tightly it almost hurts.

Like if he lets go, even for a second, everything will slip away.

Like we will slip away.

"I love him so much," he chokes out.

My breath catches.

My fingers slide into his hair, holding him as close as I can. "I know, baby."

"I love him, Y/N." His voice is shaking, desperate. "I love him so fucking much it hurts."

Tears sting my eyes.

Because I understand.

God, I understand.

I press a kiss to the side of his head. "I love him too."

His body tenses.

Then, slowly, he exhales-like hearing me say it makes it real. Like he needed to know he wasn't alone in this.

I tighten my arms around him, pressing my lips to his temple, to his cheek, anywhere I can reach. "We'll get him back."

Yoongi swallows hard, fingers digging into my waist.

And then-
He pulls back slightly, just enough to look at me.

His eyes are wrecked. Red-rimmed, glassy, dark with something I can't name.

And his voice is barely a whisper when he says-
"I love you."

My breath hitches.

"I love you so much, Y/N," he says again, voice rough, breaking. "I love you and I love him and I-"

He stops himself, inhaling sharply. "I'm scared."

I cup his face gently, my thumbs brushing against his cheeks. "Scared of what?"

His hands tighten around me. "Scared of losing you. Scared of losing him."

I feel my heart squeeze in my chest.

He exhales shakily, his forehead pressing against mine. "I don't know what I'd do if-"

"You won't."
My voice is firm. "You won't lose us."

His fingers tighten. "How do you know?"

I hesitate.

Because I don't.

Because I'm scared too.

Because I feel just as vulnerable, just as helpless.

But I won't let him drown in this.