Gold: Kim Taehyung ✓

Rubellite

So it's been a couple days since I updated BUT

Basically I have been doin work on this book. I wrote out plans for the rest of the book. We got ten more chapters after this and then we complete! Shit's gon get real crazy from here on out so y'all best be prepared ;)

Also holy shit Taehyung in IDOL holy shit GOD

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"Jungkook-ssi..." I didn't really know what to say as he finally removed his hand from my mouth, but maintained a firm grip on my arm. He looked awful. Bruises littered his body, caramel skin turning blueish purple in places, worst of all on his hands. His knuckles were almost black. He was awfully scraped up, clothes wet. He looked like he'd been dragged backwards through a bush. "What... what are you doing here?"

I couldn't help looking around in alarm, scanning for anyone else, prepared to scream as loud as I could for Taehyung if there was anyone. Hell, just Jungkook alone would probably be enough to break me in half like a twig, but surely- surely if he was here to track us down, he wouldn't look like this? It was hard to explain, but... I didn't feel scared of him. Even less so when his face crumpled. "I-...I didn't know where else to go."

"What... what happened?" I breathed quietly, and he seemed confident I wasn't going to run, then, because he let go of me, arm dropping back to his side. His distress was very thinly veiled. It was obvious he was just barely keeping it together.

"I was wrong, I- I ran away, broke out- I have to-" the words that were tumbling from his mouth made the barest of sense. He'd escaped the facility. Something had happened. I didn't know what, but I got the feeling it was bad. "I'm... I'm sorry."

His eyes were almost begging, now. I bit my lip. I wasn't sure what he was apologising for. "Do they know where you are?" He shook his head.

"I... I wasn't followed. They don't have another... like me..." who can track. I finished his sentence in my head. He was choking on his own words. "I... I know, it's a lot to ask, but..."

"You can stay here." The words seemed to slip out of my mouth without me even thinking them. Relief washed over him so visibly that my heart squeezed. "But... wouldn't you prefer the others..? Namjoon-ssi, Yoongi..."

"I... can't. I don't-" he wouldn't look up from his feet. "I... the things I've done, the trouble I've caused... I don't know how I can face them. I betrayed them. How can I go back to them, now?" He gazed at me with a furrowed brow, as if he was looking for answers, but I didn't know what to say. He looked back down, knuckling his lips. "I don't- I don't know why I'm telling you this."

He looked so small, so absurdly fragile for one so strong. I reached my hand out, in comfort, but hesitated, and let it drop to my side. "Taehyung's in there, you know that, right?"

He nodded. "I- I can handle him on his own, just- just... don't make me face them all at once. Please."

The softly uttered final word made it ever more clear exactly what he meant. Don't tell the others I'm here. It was probably irresponsible for me to trust him and not do so. But I didn't see the enemy, standing in front of me. I just saw a boy, one that was confused and scared. One who had had his life stolen and now had no one to turn to. "Okay. We... should go inside. Let me..." I bit my lip, trying to think how would be best to do this. "Let me speak to Taehyung, first."

Again, he just nodded. Sucking in a breath, I started back up the path to the house, Jungkook a short ways behind. I ran my hand back through my hair, opening the door. Was he still asleep, where I'd left him?