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

Chapter 43: The Truth That Breaks Us ⚠️

But now-
As he leans into us, his breaths steadier, his grip on his teddy bear looser-
Something shifts.
Something softens.

His fingers trace over the fabric of his bear absently, like it's grounding him.
Like we're grounding him.

And then-
He speaks.

"Ever since I met you two..."
His voice is quiet. Uncertain.

Like he's reaching for something fragile.
He hesitates.

Then, barely above a whisper-
"I was happy."

Yoongi and I smile, gentle and achingly fond.

Taehyung looks down at our hands, fingers tightening slightly in my grasp.

"I never knew I could feel that way," he admits. "Not really."

Yoongi swallows hard. "Tae..."

But Taehyung isn't done.
He takes a slow, steadying breath.

"Jiwon's family... they loved me. And I loved them. I always will."

His eyes shine as he looks between us, his lips trembling.
"But you two..."

A pause.
A breath.

"You were something else entirely."

The first time he heard
Yoongi laugh.

Not just a small chuckle.
Not a quiet exhale.
But a real, full-bodied laugh.

Taehyung had stared, breath
caught in his throat-
Feeling something
inside him shift.

The first time I held his hand
Without hesitation.
Without thought.
just reached for him-

Like it was the most natural
thing in the world.
Like he deserved it.

The first time we said his name
with so much affection-
Like it meant something.
Like he meant something.

Taehyung exhales, a breathless, almost disbelieving laugh slipping from his lips.
"I looked forward to waking up."

Yoongi's grip tightens on his knee.

"I looked forward to seeing you, talking to you, just... existing with you."
He shakes his head, laughing softly.

"I never felt that before. Not like this."

I wipe my tears away, pressing my forehead to his shoulder.
"Oh, baby..."

And then-
"I didn't want to die anymore."

Yoongi shudders.
His breath catches so violently, I feel it shake through him.

Taehyung turns his gaze toward him, smiling softly.
"I wanted to live."

Yoongi lets out a sharp, staggered exhale.
His fingers curl into Taehyung's sleeve, gripping it tightly.

Taehyung squeezes his hand back.

"I was so happy," he whispers, voice thick with emotion.

"So happy that I told Jiwon about you."

I blink, caught off guard.
"You did?"