Decay of the heart

Forgive me Brother

Jungkook and Taehyung cleared out the building they had to go through to get to the other side of the destroyed city. Dark places like these were infested up under the roof with undead. They didn't liked the sunlight.

Jimin went with them, always watching Taehyung, yet he ignored the warning signals. The weakening strikes, the short breaths... the painful grimace.
When the virus finally broke him, ripping the last light from his eyes, Jungkook's reaction was almost too late when his hyung suddenly attacked. He crouched down to let the other fall over him. With a dull sound Taehyung hit the ground with his head and was immediatley unconcious.

Jungkook stared down at him in shock: "What was that?"
Jimin rushed to Taehyung's side, rolling his jacket into a pillow so his friend could rest his head on it. His hands were shaking hard. Something Jungkook noticed right away.
"... Hyung?"
Wasn't it amazing how people could convey so much with just one word? The tone of the youngest voice told Jimin that he had realized what was going on. There was no need to keep it secret any longer.
"Last week..." Jimin tried to swallow the thick lump that was growing in his throat. "...he got bitten when he walked the parameters around the camp..."
The words laid heavy between them. As long as they had kept it a secret it felt like it might go away. That it was just a nightmare to wake up from, just like everything else. Jimin understood Jungkook's silence as judgement and he couldn't hold back the tears any longer: "I couldn't tell the others! They would have exiled him... Or worse..."
His voice got smaller and the sobbing louder. He didn't wanted to loose his best friend... His brother.
When Taehyung's eyes fluttered open again, Jungkook pulled Jimin away.
Tae looked around, confused and disoriented until his eyes stopped on them: "...Jimini..."
Jimin fought free and rushed back to his side, holding his hand : "Tae, I'm so sorry..."
Taehyung squeezed his hand weakly to reassure him. He never could see anyone of them cry, especially... His gaze moved to the youngest and what he saw was even worse. There were no tears on his face. Just the look he always had when he deemed is own feelings unnecessary... When he decided that the burdens of the others were bigger then his...
Taehyung had always hated this look. Their youngest came first. All of them loved him to no end and spoiled him rotten for the shy little kid he had always been. Being delighted when Jungkook finally broke out of his shell to tease and play with them. Being comfortable enough to show his emotions, good or bad, around them. It had took years to get to this.
It felt like being back to square one and it broke Taehyungs heart just as much as his best friend crying and muttering Teayhung's name and apology's next to him almost like a never ending prayer.
Jimin had always been such a good brother to all of them and was one of the most wonderful people he had ever met. He always cared the most for their well-being so this situation was the most horrible that could ever happen and yet... Taehyung's deep sigh hurt his rotten lungs. You could hear how his body was eaten away by the virus.
Just a few minutes ago he had lost his mind for a moment.
He didn't wanted to experience that again.
Taehyung raised his hand. The cold touch of his fingers felt even worse against Jimin's tear-streaked, soft and warm cheeks.
"Jimini... I have a last request."
His best friend immediatley cried even more: "Don't say 'last'! Please! Don't say it! We'll find a way!"
Jimin was pressing his hand on his. As if he tried to transfer his own lifeforce to him but Taehyung only smiled weakly. There was no such thing.
"I already lost it just now", Jimin shook his head in denial but Taehyung continued, "I can't risk to hurt you guys again."
"No, no, no, no", Jimin was a mess now. The inevitable loss of his friend driving him crazy with sorrow.
Taehyung felt Jimin's pain as his own like they always did but there was no way out of this. He forced his hand away from him and grabbed his wrist as hard as he could in this state to force his attention back to him: "Please... Don't let me become one of these... I want to die as a human." "No." "I want to die as your friend." "No!" "As your brother."
"I can't! Tae, please! I can't do this!"
Jimin's screaming echoed, shrill and painful.
For a while his crying was the only sound until Taehyung gasped for air. The rattling of his failing lungs scratching their ears. Time was running out.
But Jimin still shook his head.
He couldn't do this.
He couldn't shoot his brother and closest friend. It was impossible.
When he heard the gun cocking his head snapped to Jungkook who readied himself. Jimin immediatley crawled over to him, grapping on his jeans. Not to stop him, he knew it needed to be done but he couldn't even raise his head to face Jungkook. How he forced the youngest' hand with his own weakness was unacceptable and a horrid display for an older brother, who should care for him and his well-being and not the other way around.
"Thank... you..." Taehyung's strained voice barely reached their ears before the shot fell, it's sound reverberating loud in the big hall. None of them moved until the last ripple of it faded away.

The way back to the camp was completely silent, since they still were both in shock. Jimin walking behind Jungkook, stealing a glance at his squared up shoulders every now and then. He knew how the youngest clenched his jaw right now without seeing it. How he tried not to think about anything, just like Jimin did.

But when they arrived, it all rushed back. The first to greet them was Hoseok. Asking, still with a smile on his lips, where his Taehyungi was.
While Jimin rung for words, Yoongi and Namjoon also welcomed them back and soon enough Jin teared himself away from the fire as well, where he was cooking their dinner for today.
Yoongi was alarmed first, seeing the tearswollen eyes of Jimin.
"Jimin, what happened."
His voice was not questioning but demanding. Quiet but strong. The kind of voice they all knew was not to be discussed with.
The others went quiet as well, Hoseok's smile faded away.

Jimin's explanation was short, sinking to his knees shortly afterwards.

When he was finished Yoongi was enraged. None of them ever saw him that furious. Yelling at him: Why didn't they told them? Why didn't they asked for help? Weren't they supposed to be a family?!

Namjoon's disappointement was clearly written in his face. The hurt keeping him from saying a word, while Jin stood next to him shocked to his core. His little Taetae? Gone?

Accusations were thrown around, explanations, apologies, judgement.

While they all yelled at each other Hoseok was the only one to notice the one person that didn't said a word since they arrived.

Jungkook stood still at the exact same point.

His eyes completely disconnected from this world.

A terrifying thought crossed Hoseok's mind. Jimin didn't said how Taehyung exactly was killed...

He ran over to Jungkook hugging him so tight like his life depended on it. Hoping his warmth would reach him.
Soon the other voices died down when they realized what was going on, joining in the embrace. Finally allowing themselves to mourn their horrible loss.

They stood like this until the sun set and the rustling outside started again. It was time to get into positions. One after another broke away with a heavy heart. Hoseok was the last to do so. Deep concern written in his face when the youngest left to get to his spot.

Jungkook hadn't hugged them back.