𝐞-𝐛𝐨𝐲. ↬ k. taehyung

-. .xxviii.

Bloodied and bruised, that was his best friend. 

Taehyung felt winded, the air pushed right out of him like a kick to the stomach. Scratches and puckered marks scattered across the younger man's face like a violent constellation, his outgrown dark hair stuck together in twisted talons from dried blood. Even though it was dark and his eyes were closed, it was obvious one was swollen from how the skin bloated around his lashes. 

Soojin tilted her head to look up at Taehyung, her own body trembling, "He's still breathing, but his pulse his weak." 

Taehyung linked his fingers at the back of his head as he exhaled shakily, feeling his eyes begin to sting, "W-What about Hoseok? Is... Have you found him?" 

Soojin shook her head, running her hand over her forehead.

"I think I know where he might be," Taehyung murmured, not taking his eyes off of his friend, "I remember, Yoongi lived near here growing up. His old home has been abandoned for years, if he's anywhere, it's there."

"Do you remember the address?" Soojin looked up at him, desperation seeping into her tone as her mind ran with a thousand images of Hoseok looking as broken as Jungkook.

"I remember where it is," Taehyung affirmed, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Something feels off about this, Soojin. The way Jungkook has been placed here, it feels like a trap."

"I agree," She nodded, "But I can't leave him, and I can't wait for help. Give me the directions and I'll go, you need to get Jungkook to a hospital and fast." She quickly held up her hand before Taehyung could protest, "He's your best friend, and he needs your help more than I do. Come on, I've already done a whole list of stupid shit since you've known me, do you really think I'm afraid to add one more thing to the list? I need to go to Hoseok. I'll be okay and I'll be alert."

"No," Taehyung frowned, his voice unusually hard, "Why would I even agree to something so stupid? You think I told you about all this, risked everything just for you to die anyway?"

"... That's pretty dramatic."

"Now isn't the time for jokes, Soojin," Taehyung scowled, standing directly in front of her, "This is real, and it's serious. Yoongi has been playing mind games for years, do you really think you'd be able to go in and beat him? Even if you manage to get Hoseok, do you really think he's going to make it easy for you to leave? You haven't slept properly in days, you haven't eaten anything and you're still injured, what sort of idiot do you take me for? There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight."

"Hoseo--"

"-- We're getting back to the main road and we're calling Yoonmin, we can't leave Jungkook and you're not going on your own. There's no need to continue this discussion because it's not happening," Taehyung's tone was deep and left little room for argument. Soojin clenched her jaw, before sighing with a reluctant nod. 

Between them, they hooked Jungkooks arms over each of their shoulders and lifted him up, his head lolling against his chest and the tips of his boots scuffing along the ground as they started walking. Taehyung seemed to manage the man's dead weight better than Soojin, her legs shaking beneath the extra pressure, but by some miracle, they managed to make it out of the courtyard and back onto the street.

"Do you... know Yoonmin's number?"

"I do," Soojin declared, "He's one of those that try to keep the same number because his memory is awful." 

"I'll hold onto Jungkook, do you have enough change to use the phone box?" 

Pulling the change from her back pocket, she counted it before nodding her head. With that, she released the unconscious male and entered the phone booth, punching in the number belonging to her friend after feeding it her coins. As she waited, she glanced up at the local map pinned above the phone box. It didn't even reach the third ring before Yoonmin picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi," She started with a nervous laugh, preparing herself for a parental scolding, "It's Soojin."

"What... Soojin," There was a strain in Yoonmin's voice like he was trying his best to not lose his temper, "Soojin. Why the fuck are you calling me from an undisclosed number. Where are you?"

"I don't have time to explain and then have you yell at me, I need you to get over to this address as soon as you can and I need an ambulance to where I am right now. We've found Jungkook and he's in pretty bad shape and Hoseok... Yoongi still has him."

"After this is done, I'm going to beat ten bells of shit out of you. What's the address?" 

Soojin relayed the address of both where she was and where he needed to go before hanging up.  Once outside, she joined Taehyung on the bench, who had Jungkook's form slouched against his shoulder. Soojin pursed her lips, "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"He's survived worse," Taehyung replied, "He's a literal cockroach."

She snorted, looking down at his hands, "Hoseok is the same. I'm pretty sure that man has nine lives." 

Taehyung reached out and clutched her hand softly. She looked up at him and he offered her his best comforting smile, which looked more like a grimace since his bottom lip was split, "He'll be okay. This is the right thing, it wouldn't be right for us to go in guns blazing when we're already at a disadvantage."

"I know, you're right." 

"Soojin," Taehyung started slowly, shifting his shoulders slightly so he was facing towards her without disturbing Jungkook, "I meant what I said earlier. I really don't want anything to happen to you, and I know it's rich coming from someone who put you in danger, but... you mean a lot to me. It sounds stupid, right? But it's true. I don't ever want you in harm's way if there's a way for me to protect you. Too many of the people I hold close have been hurt because of me, I don't want the same for you, and I know it's a little too late to start but--"

His words were interrupted by Soojin's lips pressing against his own. At first, he stiffened, eyes wide and unmoving. Her hand cupped his cheek softly, all too aware of the wounds on his face and he snapped out of his moment of shock, squeezing his eyes closed as his own hands went to the back of her head, bringing her closer as he kissed her back. It would be a lie if he said he hadn't thought about kissing her, but he never imagined it would be so soon. 

He tasted like iron, Soojin noted, but his lips were surprisingly soft. His touch was moreish, but she pulled away with bated breath and bit the inside of her lips to stop herself from smiling. He looked confused, but there was a softness in his eyes.

"Thank you, Tae," She breathed, sitting further back to create some space, "Really."

Before he had a chance to respond, Soojin watched as flashing red and blue illuminated Taehyung's features. Gasping, they looked up to see an ambulance pull up to their side, the paramedics hopping out of the car, and immediately asking Taehyung what had happened, helping him lay Jungkook on a gurney. 

Soojin took a small step back, surveying the scene cautiously. Taehyung was too busy talking to the paramedic he didn't see her back away until she could run without being caught. I'm sorry, Soojin apologized internally stopping at the top of a road, remembering the route to where Yoongi was supposed to be from the map above the phone box, but I can't wait.