CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE - TRAGIC TRUTHS AND SLOW HEALING

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↻ ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʜᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ↺

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ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʜᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ

The feeling of fingers threading softly through his hair is what causes Jimin to stir from his sleep. With his eyes slowly opening, a soft smile breaks onto his face as soon as he sees Taehyung smiling down at him sympathetically.

"How are you feeling?" the man asks, and Jimin shrugs tenderly, unsure of what to say during times like these. He hasn't seen Taehyung for so long and now he's sitting at his bedside as if he never even really left. Like he hasn't been gone for as long as he has.

"What are you doing here?" Jimin asks hoarsely and Taehyung's softly upturned lips curl into a small frown. The gentle furrow of his brows follow in suit and he peers to his right.

"They needed help carrying him in from outside," he says and Jimin turns his head, face falling as soon as he sees Jeongguk sleeping on his stomach lacking a shirt. His torso is wrapped securely in the area where he had been stabbed and the teenager feels something build up in his throat at the heart breaking image of Starling so powerless and vulnerable.

"Is it okay if I talk to him by myself?" Jimin asks, slowly rising from his laying position on his bed.

"You shouldn't be getting up," Taehyung warns with his hands pressing benignly to the the teenager's shoulders, encouraging him to lay back down. But to no avail.

"I'm fine, Tae-"

"Are you really? You've been through hell and fucking back, Jimin. You keep getting shit thrown at you left and right. I'm surprised you're still going. You're stong as hell, but everyone breaks eventually," the man says and Jimin looks at Taehyung closely.

"Really. I'm okay. I just need some time alone to clear my head. That's all," he replies and the lilac haired male sighs quietly, tucking some of Jimin's soft brown hair behind his ear.

"If that's what you really want, then okay. I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be free. Probably only until Starling wakes up. Just come find me if you need anything, okay?" Taehyung advises affably and Jimin nods his head, flashing the genial man a thankful smile. A soft kiss is pressed to his forehead and he looks down timidly as the man walks away.

Soon the door closes and the mellow, quiet sound of Jeongguk's breathing fills Jimin's ears. He swings his legs over the bed, standing up a little too quick seeing as he goes lightheaded for a moment. He rubs at his eyes and shakes his head, walking over to the taller man's bedside.

He pulls up a chair and sits down, immediately feeling better. He looks at Jeongguk's still face with sad eyes, reaching his small hand forward to brush the man's hair out of his eyes. He does so with tender ease as he frowns deeply, staring at his chapped lips. Leaning forward, he aligns Jeongguk's mouth with his ear, allowing his breaking heart to mend slowly as the soft puffs of air brushing his skin allows him to exhale softly in relief.

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