stockholm syndrome; k.th

[seven]

stay with me

It had been two full days staying in the motel. Two full days of absolute boredom, confusion, and isolation from the outside world. Taehyung had taken her phone, telling her she could have it back when he trusted that she wouldn't try to contact anyone or call for help. And though he hadn't mentioned her attempted escape through the window, she did wake up the following morning to the window nailed shut and locked.

"It's for your own protection," he'd always say. (Y/n) would scoff at him, rolling her eyes. She hadn't even been allowed to leave her room.

The only plus to the situation, was that (Y/n) somewhat trusted that Taehyung wouldn't physically harm her. After all, all he had done these past few days was pamper her and constantly ask if she had everything she needed. He even bought her several new outfits as well to win her forgiveness. Never had he shown anger or been a threat to her - well, besides the fact that he literally had her locked up in a motel bedroom. He even let her have her personal space, and despite being intent on proving to (Y/n) that they belong together, he had even spent his nights sleeping on the couch instead of the bed with her. She had to give him some credit; at least he was courteous . . .

And so, (Y/n) wasn't angry at him - for the most part at least, clearly he had suffered some sort of trauma that made him the psychopath he was - she was more angry with herself.

Because for some ludicrous reason, no matter how much she wanted to hate Taehyung, she couldn't find it in herself to do so. She felt there was something more to him, something that resided deep down within him that meant more then the alcohol she smelt off him in the evenings and the fading bruise on her forehead, remanent of the night in the alley. She was sympathizing with the devil, she genuinely felt bad for him.

A war was being waged in the pit of her stomach as it tried to keep her sputtering heart from falling in love with a monster.

But he's not a monster, her conscience would whisper, he's human just like you. Just a bit more broken . . .

She had not a clue what kind of black magic Taehyung must have used on her to make her not hate him, but to her demise, it was working somehow. Perhaps it was the way he always seemed ashamed with himself, or how constantly he tried to apologize to her. Maybe even the delicate way he treated and cared for her. 

A gentle knock on the bedroom door pulls (Y/n) from her thoughts.

"Can I come in?" Taehyung whispered from the other side of the wood. "I have food too."

She sighs, "Nothing's really stopping you." She points out.

(Y/n) hears the key unlock the door and swing open, revealing the tall brunette in all his glory. He lingers at the door for a second before coming over to the bed where (Y/n) layed on her back, staring at the ceiling with nothing else to do in her lonely room. He sat next to her, a fair distance between them. 

After a moment of silence, (Y/n) speaks, "I want to leave." She whispers, pleadingly.

"No," Taehyung sighs, exasperated. "For the last time, you belong here."

"No, I don't," She buries her face in her hands, "I want to go back home, I want to see Hoseok, I want to go to Seokjin and Joon's coffee shop, I want to go to all my classes at school! I don't want to be caged like your little pet!"

Taehyung almost growls, pouncing onto the girl and pressing her back into the mattress by her shoulders, a small gasp erupting from her lips. A glance into her eyes was all it took for him to realize his anger had gotten the best of him and he had managed to scare her. His expression softens immediately and he takes a deep breath, releasing his hold on her. She sits up immediately, drawing the covers over her body and recoiling into the wall.

"I'm sorry, (Y/n)." He apologizes, moving off the bed. 

"I won't tell the authorities if you let me go home right now, I'll keep everything a secret and - "

"Don't you understand?!" He asks incredulously. "I need you, (Y/n), you're the only one who can heal me, you're all I have left! Please, please just stay with me, I -" his voice breaks as he looks away, his black eyes welling with frustrated tears "I love you, I really do and it's killing me. Stay with me, please."

"What happened to you? Why are you . . . " (Y/n) trails off.

"What? A broken mess? A psychopath? A monster?"

(Y/n) stays silent, looking away. Taehyung paces the floors of the bedroom, attempting to pull himself together before he lost it.

"I spent so much of my life cowering in fear, being hurt, used, tortured by not only others but by my own mind," Taehyung starts.

"When I was very young, my parents divorced because my father was a wretched man. Not once did I see a day where he was sober, the alcohol ran through his system like blood through his veins. He was abusive, verbally and physically. When my mother left, she took my sister and left me with that monster, and not once did she looked back, she never called or even checked if I was still alive - if I was okay. She didn't care. And my father only got worse everyday after she left him. He hurt me, he did the unthinkable to me! He beat me nearly to death, (Y/n), and yet I always tried to please him, make him proud when every night would always end the same in a puddle of my own blood and purple bruises painting my skin. School, of course was no better." Taehyung took a deep breath, wondering if he should continue.

"One day, when I was sixteen or so, my sister came back while I wasn't home. I hadn't seen her in years at that time. She wasn't supposed to be there but I guess she wanted to make amends with us, in the end it didn't work out. I came home to him beating her as she sobbed, yelling in her face; that's when I finally snapped." Taehyung explained. "Do you know what I did, (Y/n)?" He asks, his voice lowering an octave or two.

She was silent.

"I killed him." He whispers, his head tilts back and his eyes close as if in deep thought. (Y/n)'s eyes widen in fear and shock. "And then I ran, I ran as far as I could and I've never been back because I'm terrified of being found out. I'm terrified of going back. I terrified of myself and what I'm becoming. I'm so scared of the darkness that runs through my blood but for some reason, when I'm with you, I feel so different. A good different. You work better than any drug ever could and (Y/n), I'm addicted."

The girl beside him gulped, finally meeting his eyes with an unreadable expression. Was she scared of him now that she knew the truth? Now that everything had become real?

Before she could mutter a single word, the dark haired male turned away, leaving the room with a final shaking breath and locking the bedroom door behind him. 

6/9/18