stockholm syndrome; k.th

[epilogue pt.2 bonus]

Yoongi presses a brief kiss to the younger's cheek and puts the car into gear, reversing out of the narrow parking spot slowly.

"You ready for dinner? Jimin and Jungkook texted, they're already at the restaurant but they told us to take our time." The elder says.

'Mm, it'll be nice to see them again," Hoseok replies, then chuckles dryly. "Especially since this time I won't be in a hospital with tubes sticking out of all of my orifices."

Yoongi's brows furrow, "Don't joke about that." He scolds, though his tone still calm. "You really scared the shit out of me when that happened, you know."

"I know, I'm sorry."

Yoongi sighs, "I'm just glad you're okay now. I love you— and I'm really proud of you too."

"I love you too, Yoongs." Hoseok smiles brightly, his hand gripping tighter at Yoongi's free one.

The rest of the ride is draped in silence— a comforting silence however. Hoseok watches the buildings whiz pass the window and the slow dreary steps of pedestrians on the sidewalks as they fight the biting cold, he feels the faint touch of Yoongi's thumb brushing his knuckles. He lets his mind wander to visions of ice cold hands and cigarette smoke, mansions and Busan snowstorms, the leather seats of a police car and suddenly he's fallen too deep. Too many images race through his mind, all too overwhelming and he forces himself to breathe.

1, 2, 3, breathe, 3, 2, 1 . . .

Dead bodies on stretchers, one far too familiar yet vandalized by death and left nearly unrecognizable, whipping wind, black, cold eyes frozen in time, snowflakes sitting upon eyelashes, blue veins strained against pale skin—

"Hoseok," Yoongi says, shaking the male's shoulder gingerly.

The younger's eyes peel back, his heart rate returns to normal, Yoongi leans over the console and wraps his arms around Hoseok, pulling him from his nightmare of memories. His hand rubs soothing circles into Hoseok's back and his rosy lips press a kiss to the crook of his neck.

"We're here. You sure you're alright?" 

Hoseok takes a shaking breath, "I'm alright." He confirms.

The two get out of the car and Yoongi wraps an arm loosely around his boyfriend's waist, entering the restaurant and asking for the table reserved under Jimin's name. The waitress gestures for them to follow with a wave of her hand and leads the couple through the maze of dining tables and customers. Her long black hair swings back and forth like a pendulum, Yoongi finding himself hypnotized by the movement.

Jimin, silver hair soft and pushed back from his face, waves and smiles wistfully when he sees the couple arriving at their table. His other arm is wrapped loosely around Jungkook's shoulder, the younger nodding his head in acknowledgment.

Yoongi wonders how they've been, after all, it was Jimin's home that Taehyung and (Y/n) had spent most of their time in. He knows Jimin was torn at the tragic death of his childhood friend and even the young girl as well, but it seems it didn't take him too long to move on. After the funeral, he and Jimin had begun talking again after many years of Yoongi hiding from anything that connected him to Taehyung. It was, in a way, relieving. To not have to hide so much. However, the secret would forever be buried as Yoongi would, under no circumstances, risk Hoseok finding out that he knew about Taehyung all along.