Worst Behavior

32. one more night

Every part of him feels numb. He doesn't know when he started to feel numb but he is. He feels nothing: not the dull thump of his heart, his blood rushing through his veins, nor his lungs struggling against the crippling heaviness pressing against his chest. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

He is nothing, after all.

"What Jeon? Can't speak?" Jason grabs him by the collar, gripping onto the fabric tightly his knuckles are white. Jeongguk can see them shaking, but he says nothing. He is nothing.

"Leave him alone!" Someone screams. Jeongguk turns his head to where it comes from, and to his surprise, it's Grace. Grace and Taehyung.

They're rushing towards them, though he notices Grace has to keep a hand out for Taehyung. He tries to hide the pain in his eyes but Jeongguk can see him wincing. He clutches his side, trying hard to run despite how injured he is.

Jeongguk can't stand it. He looks away, begging silently for Taehyung to give up on him. As much as everything hurts so bad, Jeongguk's heart hasn't been affected until now. Each second he looks at Taehyung it's a blow to his fragile heart, destroying it chunk by chunk.

Heartbreak is worse than any kind of physical pain.

"Just drop the act Jason," Grace says, desperation in her voice. "Please, you've hurt him enough." He hasn't seen Grace this defeated, though he supposes everyone has their limits.

"You can't tell me shit Gracie," Jason says, his words like daggers. Grace, however, doesn't back down. She opens her mouth to speak, but Taehyung's faster. He lunges forward and shoves Jason away from Jeongguk.

Jason's body crashes against the lockers, his eyes widening. Taehyung's breathing heavily, obviously not yet recovered. Jeongguk wants to scream at him to stop as Taehyung grabs fistfuls of his shirt and slams him into the locker, but his voice is trapped in his throat.

"Leave him the fuck alone and stop causing a scene," Taehyung says, nearly growling and eyes glowing a faint red. Jeongguk's never seen him this enraged, this violent before. But as Taehyung tries to speak, he notices him wincing visibly.

Jeongguk swallows, watching helplessly as Jason shoves him off. Taehyung gasps for air, holding onto his side as he struggles to breath properly. Grace is screaming at someone to get the nurse but nobody is moving.

Nobody cares. They just want to see the gay kids get beaten up. They deserve it more than a rapist does.

"How cute. Protecting your boyfriend aren't you? Jason says, bitterness coating his words thickly it burns Jeongguk as though he's touched poison.

Taehyung grits his teeth, a muscle jumping on the curve of his jaw and fingers curling into tight balls. Jeongguk's trembling in his spot, feeling himself beginning to burst. He can't stand this. He can't watch this anymore because he knows the longer he does, the more broken and useless he'll feel.

"Taehyung stop."

It comes out softly, a mere whisper but it's there. Taehyung's tensed shoulders relax, and soon his eyes fall on him. His gaze softens, only for Jeongguk, and his lips mouth something Jeongguk's blurring vision can't see. Tears pool in his eyes and he tries to withhold them back. He has to be strong even though every ounce of him feels weak.