Elves III: Real Magic | Vmin Fanfiction

3.

"Remember, you can always come back to us if you feel depressed or alone" The doctor told him as he stood in front of the doors, Taehyung nodding his head, but he wasn't focusing on his words. He was focusing on trying to not freak out about being put back in the enclosure.

Although this 'therapy' stuff hadn't been at all helpful and he felt isolated and alone, at least he didn't have to face his friends who have hated him for the past year.

"Do you feel ready?" Doctor Lee asked, Taehyung taking a deep breath in.
"I may as well get used to it, looks like nothing is changing" He shrugged, the Doctor patting his back assuringly before he opened the door and allowed Taehyung back in.

He missed the small amount of freedom he had in this enclosure, like the area where the keepers would usually find him, huddled amongst the tall trees and refusing to come into view as he just stared at the beautiful green leaves surrounding him.
None of his friends went there, knowing he was there and they learned over time he just didn't want to be bothered and wanted to be alone.
So for the last few months it had been just him and the trees surrounding him.

Taehyung stepped back in and instantly he went to go back to his spot, but a keeper stopped him, pointing over to where all the other wolves were as he sighed.

"Just go and say hi" The keeper told him calmingly as he nodded but it was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't want to see them and they didn't want to see him, it was as simple as that.

Slowly, he walked over to them, keeping his head low and as soon as he came into view he caught everybody's attention.

He looked a mess.

There was no light in his eyes like there used to be. He had the most glum face as his eyes were sad and his mouth could not even bare a small greeting smile. His body language was in no way defensive towards some of the hateful stares he got, like he didn't care anymore.

"What are you doing here?" Yoongi spat at him instantly, but Namjoon grabbed his arm and caught his attention, shaking his head. They had to at least give Taehyung a chance to settle back in.
But Taehyung seemed unbothered by the comment as he didn't even flinch at the harsh tone. He barely spared them a glance, his eyes staying trained on the floor.

"I've been let out to see how I'm doing" Taehyung mumbled in a barely audible voice. There was no happiness like he used to have, like it was sucked out of him.
"They insisted I come and let you know"

Namjoon stepped forward, deciding to take a more relaxed approach compared to the other wolves who still stared with such hateful eyes towards the sad and lonely wolf.

"How have you been doing?" Namjoon asked but Taehyung only shrugged. He knew, but no words could say how he was feeling and Namjoon realised that.
"You should go back, you're clearly not well" Namjoon told him fairly bluntly but it was more now he was looking out for Taehyung.

"What? So you can get rid of me again?" Taehyung asked and Namjoon sighed. He knew why Taehyung had this idea in his head, all the other wolves hating him as he even heard some mutters saying that is exactly what they want.
"I'm looking out for you Tae, you're mind isn't healthy and-"
"I don't care anymore" Taehyung finally made eye contact with him and Namjoon saw for the first time in months the pain he was in.

He could tell his heart was breaking over and over again in his chest and the pain was the same, if not stronger than the last heart break. His mind was in a dark place, way darker than before and he could tell all he thought about was the one who he tried to save and let slip through his fingers. He could tell Taehyung would have rather joined Jimin that day than be living here right now.

The only reason he hadn't done that is the small glimmer of hope that eventually they would find Jimin.

"I don't care if I'm not healthy or happy anymore" Taehyung told him plainly
"You can all hate me as much as you want because nobody hates me as much as I hate myself, your comments mean nothing to me compared to what I tell myself" Taehyung addressed them all before he turned around and began walking away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Namjoon asked, sounding way more aggressive than he meant it.
Taehyung didn't respond as he just kept on walking with his head low, annoying Namjoon he grumbled before he stomped off with Yoongi, the other wolves following.

Hoseok stared at them before he stared after the young wolf who was walking back into the trees, only to be told to stay out in the open by one of the keepers as he watched him sigh before turning away.

He watched as the young wolf kicked a stone on the ground as it was the only thing he could think of doing. He just wanted a distraction and Hoseok began to feel really sorry for him, walking away from his friends who gave him a questioning look.
He walked to Taehyung who barely acknowledged his presence, but he knew he was there from the way he fidgeted slightly.

"I really hope you feel better soon" Hoseok told him in a kind tone, Taehyung looking at him and Hoseok was shocked to see the same broken look that Namjoon saw and just how deep the wound that had been cut was.

"I-I've tried keeping a look out for Jimin everyday, just letting you know" Hoseok told him, hoping that his efforts to look amongst the crowd and hopefully see Jimin was enough to find him, Taehyung glancing once again at Hoseok, but not saying a word. There was nothing he could say as Hoseok gave up, but he didn't want to end it in a sour way like the others.

He slowly approached Taehyung before placing his hand on his shoulder, patting it assuringly.
"I'm always here" he told him with his signature smile and Taehyung forced a tiny one back.
"Thank you" He spoke softly and quietly and Hoseok knew that was all he was going to get from him, but he could also tell Taehyung appreciated the support.

Slowly, he walked back to his friends who enquired what happened, but he didn't say. He didn't want to make it seem like he was some sort of spy so he stayed silent and they all left Taehyung to it who was still kicking stones around.

He did little things like that all day, finding small ways to distract himself like scuffing small stones or sitting picking the grass from underneath him or the leaves from bushes and scrunching them up. He just needed little ways to take his mind off things and that's exactly what he did.

The zoo was long closed, but none of the creatures had been brought inside to sleep yet as Taehyung sat by the glass, allowing himself to be seen as he watched the sun slowly set over the horizon, admiring the orange colour surrounding it in the sky that transitioned into a beautiful dark black, the stars finally coming back as they glimmered.

As he was staring into space, a small movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, looking at it as he saw from the other enclosure, Jin jumping to get his attention.

Jin instantly mouthed to him, thankful that they could both lip read otherwise communicating would be pointless.

"Are you okay?" He mouthed, Taehyung instead of speaking shrugged his shoulders and Jin could tell what his real answer was. After not seeing Taehyung for weeks he got worried and asked one of the keepers what was going on. They were hesitant to say at first, but eventually gave in when they saw how worried he was, telling him he was being kept in the health clinic for a while. Jin knew this whole thing really took a toll on him, especially since everyone taught him to blame himself.

"I'm glad to see you again" he mouthed and Taehyung smiled very slightly, like the one he gave to Hoseok. It was all he could muster up.
"I'm glad to see you too, they all hate me" he nodded his head towards the wolves and Jin sighed.
"They shouldn't, it's not your fault" he told Taehyung who shook his head.
"It is, I just don't like my friends hating me" he shrugged his shoulders before he heard the announcement that all creatures were to go to bed for the night.

"I'll see you tomorrow" Jin mouthed and Taehyung nodded before he got up from where he was sitting, heading over to the place where the wolves slept before he went back to his usual spot in the corner that luckily nobody had taken.

He curled up in a ball there, ignoring some of the mutters and whispers and glares as he closed his eyes and forced himself to sleep.