CONTAINS FLUFF, MINOR ANGST, MENTION OF PYSCH WARD & DRUGS
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While the others celebrated their victory downstairs, I stood in the center of my empty bedroom contemplating every decision I'd ever made. How could Yura think to show up so soon after Rachel had hurt Jungkook, let alone arrive at her court appearance? Why wouldn't he show? I thought bitterly to myself. The two of them have always been buddy-buddy with each other. Of course, he'd show up. Was Yura only appearing now to taunt me? That would seem like something he'd pull, but another part of me began to panic at the thought of him and Rachel targeting one of the others. The brunette had said I'd need to worry over one of the others now, not just Jungkook. I stumbled back against my bed with my hands plastered to my dampening face, unsure what or who to believe as my thoughts began to spiral out of control.
Maybe I should give in before it's too late. The idea of throwing in the towel now and handing myself over to my abuser was more comforting than it should've been, but streaks of frigid fear still raced down my backside. I didn't want to go back to Yura, ever, even if it meant keeping everyone else safe. I remembered Kiana's words from right before the court case that morning; she hadn't been invited to appear to testify as a witness but had offered her best wishes over the phone instead.
"Kiana, I can't do this anymore. It's killing me," I'd sighed, dabbing gently at my wet lashes so as to not smear my makeup.
"I know how smart you are, kid. You're gonna get through this, okay? Just don't make any rash decisions. You'll regret them in the future."
"I regret everything already," I grumbled, roughly scrubbing the tears from my tanned skin. There was no doubt that I wouldn't stop fighting until Yura got what he deserved, but I wished Jungkook would leave me to settle things of my own accord. I had plans, ones that would more than likely end up with me in Rachel's position and him being poised at my side to help only got in the way. If only I could continue without suffering legal consequences. A smirk played at my salty lips at the thought, ideas running rampant in my head as I thought of all the ways I wanted to torture Yura just so he knew what it was like to be in my shoes.
I doubted he'd survive a week.
While everyone else drowned out their stress with laughter from beneath me, I couldn't seem to find a distraction sufficient enough to smother my own. Sighing to myself as a frown tugged at my bottom lip, I forced myself to my feet with the decision to join them downstairs. The least I could do was reside in their company. The idea of basking in their gazes as we shared a bottle of wine in celebration of Rachel's charges found guilty made me simper to myself; this was one step in the right direction, but we still had a long while to go before it was all over. All I could do was wait things out and face them when they arose.
Each step I took downstairs, the more nervous I became. If I entered the room, would all eyes be trained on me; after all, I was the reason for both Jungkook's trauma and Rachel's arrest. I envisioned images in my head of Jimin running to me with arms outstretched for a hug, all the while the others gathered in the corner of the living room to eye me like an irritable insect. My heart slowly sunk to my stomach, making me more and more upset as I tried to keep my tears from falling. Tonight was a night of celebration, and yet all I wished to do was throw myself at my pillows and cry because I couldn't figure out how to right my wrongs. No matter what they said, I would always blame myself for the other's mishaps that involved Yura and Rachel. My inability to control them still brought about their presence simply because I existed in the other's lives.
If only you'd have let me leave.
When I stepped out into the open, lit-up room, what I found was almost relieving. Jimin and Jungkook were slipping about the carpeted floor with grins spread across their overly-red faces. The empty glasses on the coffee table answered my ponders as to if they were drinking; as the youngest stumbled back towards the sliding glass doors, his hyung fell against his chest, both sharing airy giggles as Jungkook's arms circled around the blonde's waist. I smiled at the sight, surprised to find them so carefree as they rubbed up against each other. They hadn't noticed my arrival and I took that as a chance to slip around the front of the couch towards Seokjin.
The oldest lounged with his arms draped over the back of the sofa, one hand holding a quarter empty water bottle with condensation gripping to the outer plastic. His gaze watched protectively over the other two as they whispered into each other's ears before bursting out in laughter. Jimin fell to the floor and his eldest hyung let out a comedic sniff as he eyed them over. I stood awkwardly before all of them, wondering if I should move off to the side and sit alone or join the brunet in watching over the drunken children.
Jin seemed to notice my lingering, turning his head up to face me with his bottom lip jutted out slightly in a pout. "You alright, Yumin?" he asked, leaning forward to drop his water bottle atop the table. He lowered his voice an octave as he came closer. "You look like you've been crying."
I continued to stare, twiddling my fingers against my abdomen as I tried to find the words to reassure him. He leaned back into his seat and draped his arms back over the edge of the couch, his hazel eyes never leaving mine. They seemed to pry into my soul, searching and reaching for something that I refused to let loose. After a moment's hesitation, my teeth biting into my bottom lip, I opened my mouth to divert his words elsewhere.
"Can I sit next to you?" I gestured to the open space between him and the arm of the couch.
Jin inclined his head in a friendly nod and I stepped forward to sit stiffly beside him. I was careful to leave a gap between our legs; the thought of lying so close up against him made me feel warm and fluid, but after being home for a month, his switch-up in behavior towards me was very confusing. One moment he was so concerned and easy-going, the next he was stern and rude as he barked at whoever had him agitated. Other times, there was a look in his eye that sent butterflies flitting through my stomach and made me weak in the knees. It made me feel almost filthy, but no one had ever voiced concern over it so I'd always kept my mouth shut.
"You're so tense."
The brunet's gentle voice shook from my own head; I looked up at him as I awkwardly slipped my hands between my bared thighs. I wasn't cold, not in the slightest, but being so close to him made me nervous. I had so many things I wanted to apologize for but doubted I'd muster up the courage. Not awaiting a reply, Seokjin moved his arm forward from behind the couch so that it rested on my shoulders. His touch was feather-light and it almost felt as if he weren't touching me at all. It was as if he had the intention of comforting me, the thought making me flush; I leaned back into his touch, careful to keep my head from off of his muscled bicep.
"I'll be alright," I finally sighed. Seokjin's eyes lingered on me for a moment longer as he offered an accepting smile. Such a sight was one I'd almost forgotten; it had been a while since I'd seen him flash an expression that wasn't full of either concern or rage.
"I hope so... you need a break from all of this and I don't want you to worry."
"I'm not worried..."
"You and I both know that's not true, angel."
Angel. I blinked up at the brunet, but he'd turned away to check up on Jungkook and Jimin, the latter sitting on the floor as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes while his boyfriend stumbled to lay beside him. Both had drunken well above their limit and had not one care in the world as they basked in each other's drunken stupor. I was more than glad to see Jungkook enjoying himself after two months of pure and utter hell, but there were still more matters to tend to before I could be in his position.
"I know you're thinking about Yura."
The mention of my ex made me run cold. My eyes flitted from the youngest to the eldest in a split second as I felt my body curl in on itself from the inside. Just thinking of Min Yura made me unsettled, but hearing his name aloud rendered me paralyzed in terror.
"How did you-"
"I was there with you when Rachel said she leaked our address; I know he knows, and you know too. Despite being a master manipulator, I doubt she'd lie about that."
"Jin..."
"If you don't run away this time-" He leaned closer, face mere inches from mine as he mumbled under his breath. "If you don't leave us, we can help you get rid of him too."
Things would be so much simpler if I had never met Yura at all. I blamed myself for everything, including befriending the abusive man at my university back home; he was tall, respectful, and handsome, and I'd fallen for every lie he'd ever spouted. Somehow, somehow, the idea of Yura behind bars made me want to cry. Not out of relief but out of anger. I thought that somewhere deep inside of him, he was still the same man I'd fallen in love with, yet there were so many signs over the years that proved me wrong.
"He needs to be arrested, but I-"
Seokjin waited for me to finish, but I sealed my lips shut before I could. Hearing that I wanted to keep Yura free would only make things worse for everyone, including myself, so my only hope was to drown myself out until he really was locked up. It would be the best thing to do, for them and for him. Between his abusive nature, Yura also took drugs and drank well beyond his limit. He'd been doing it for years and I'd been able to see the effects they took on him firsthand. The withdrawals, the overdoses; waking up in the middle of the night to find him unconscious and burning red on our bathroom floor. Taking drugs gave him another outlet to take all of his stress out on other than me, but I hated everything that they did to him. I was surprised he wasn't dead yet.
"Yura needs help," I whispered instead. "He needs serious help; we can't just lock him up without at least trying to get him better."
"I'm sure if we just talk to someone, he can be transferred to a psych ward where they'll take care of him."
The brunet's voice was gentler than I expected and it made me all the more glad to have him in my life. I settled down against the sofa and leaned into his arm for comfort, feeling his hand slip down around my upper arm to tug me towards him. Leaning into his chest, I let my eyes flutter closed as I fought off the waves of mental exhaustion that had started to catch up with me throughout the day. At the last second, my head throbbed with the fading image of Yura walking away from the courtroom. His sickening, yellow, cigarette_stained teeth flashed just before he ducked out of view. I debated whether I should tell Seokjin about it, my tongue drying out the longer I waited.
I had to start doing things right from now on; it was the only way I could keep myself and everyone else safe.
Glancing up, I noticed Seokjin's attention was once more entrapped by Jungkook and Jimin's energetic behavior. His eyes darted back and forth between the two as he watched over them carefully so that they wouldn't stumble or end up getting hurt. They'd been caught up in each other's giggles and youthful movements until they doubled over with laughter. The youngest lay sprawled out on the floor with his limbs tossed out beside his body. Jimin sat rubbing irritably at his eyes before leaning forward to rest against Jungkook's toned stomach, cuddling into his side as they finally settled down from their high.
Soft footsteps sounded atop the carpeted floor from the entrance to the kitchen; I offered a glance over my shoulder to find Taehyung wandering into the living room with his eyes deadset on the couple on the floor. He held fresh bottles of water in both hands and handed them over to the men on the floor despite their closed eyes. They must've sensed his presence because they blindly reached out, fingers fumbling in the air until they gripped the slick bottles and brought them down to the floor.
"How much does this make it?" Taehyung mumbled with a smirk.
"Five," slurred the blonde. He blinked up at his younger boyfriend with his eyebrows tilted in a funny expression, face burnt as his blood ran hot beneath his skin.
Jungkook threw up four bony fingers before dropping his head back down atop the carpeted floor. He looked exhausted, but a soft smile still tugged at his pink lips.
With the satisfied incline of his head, Taehyung stood to his full height and made his way back into the kitchen. From the sounds of sizzling food and the clicking of the stove nozzles, I could only assume Yoongi was the one manning everything while the younger stepped out to check on his boyfriends. That left Jungkook and Jimin to rest on the floor with the shaky rise and fall of their chests, and me and Seokjin leaning into each other's warmth. Once I was sure Taehyung had completely left the room, I turned further against the brunet's chest and slipped my arm up behind his neck.
My touch wasn't expected, but Seokjin loosened up as I pressed my lips up against his ear. His hand fell from my arm to my waist and squeezed gently and ask I spoke his fingertips gripped harder into my skin.
"Yura was at Rachel's court appearance this morning."
"You saw him?"
"He was watching me before we left."
"Are you sure it was him?"
"Positive. He took his mask off and smiled at me. I..." A sigh escaped me as I realized how little time we had left. "It's him, I'm sure of it."
"Then that means we have to move a little quicker."
I nodded, dropping my gaze to the floor as I finally pulled away. Seokjin's gaze wandered aimlessly about the living room as he became momentarily lost in his own head while I contemplated roping Taehyung, Yoongi, Jimin, and Jungkook into this mess. The maknae already promised to stay by my side and help me bring Yura into custody, but after all he'd already been through, I wished he would settle down and leave everything to me.
While my eyes swelled up with tears, I felt Seokjin tug me even closer to him, my legs slipping atop his thighs. Eventually, he'd completely pulled me onto his lap and circled my waist with his arms, gently caressing my side with his large hands until I melted into his touch. I curled close to the dip between his neck and collar with a sigh, wanting nothing but to fall asleep in his embrace until I felt better. Beneath me, Jin situated himself, pushing away from the couch until my rear dropped down between his legs and lowered me down to his chest.
Hand gently cupping the side of my neck, his touch sent shivers running down my spine as I stretched out along his toned body. It was strange having Seokjin so close to me, but I wasn't one to complain when offered affection. "You must be tired," he whispered. His lips brushed delicately against my forehead. "Try and rest a little before we eat."
I didn't argue, taking the brunet's words with silent gratitude and letting my eyes fall shut. The steady rise and fall of his chest threatened to lure me to sleep in an instant, but after a couple of minutes, I couldn't help but listen to the others begin to stir on the floor.
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A few minutes ticked by before Yumin's breath became shallow and slow, indicating that she'd taken his offer of a nice nap before dinner. Seokjin cuddled the brunette close to his chest while stroking her bared thigh. He was careful not to let his fingers slip too low on her prominent hip bones, one hand picking absently at the material of her sweatshirt close to the underside of her arm. She shifted once to curl closer into the dip of his collar as her hand slipped around the nape of his neck to thread through his slightly damp hair.
Behind him, Jungkook and Jimin gathered themselves amongst the sound of their rustling clothes until one's breath ran hot down his neck. He turned back to catch Jimin's widened gaze as he stared curiously down at the lounging pair, his fingers working anxiously into the pelt of the sofa as a knowing smile crept along his plump lips.
"So," he grinned, "Are you guys dating yet?"
The question took Seokjin off-guard; he watched as Jimin's smile grew at the sight of making his hyung flush.
"Min-ah, we're not together. Why're you asking?"
"Because!"
Jungkook leaned up against the back of the couch to Jin's right, leaving him trapped between the two younger men as they began bombarding him with their excited energy. "You have kissed her, hyung."
"What're you, the dating police? I've kissed several people that I haven't been in a relationship with; including you."
"Well, we're dating now, and have been for nearly six years. How is Yumin any different?"
Seokjin kept his mouth sealed shut as he glanced down at the dozing brunette in his arms. The way her lips parted slightly with each breath, hands anxiously gripping his shirt whenever her hand began to fall away. The feel of her breath was hot on his neck as she curled ever closer to his chest. All of it made him feel fluid and fuzzy and there wasn't a second to complain about it because he truly enjoyed her company. Even more, he loved having her pressed up against him; the idea of holding her in any way made him feel such a way that all he could do was offer a dozy smirk.
"Hyungie's in love!" Jimin called out, startling the brunet from his thoughts.
From the kitchen, Taehyung leaned out to stare out into the kitchen, eyes scanning over the four bodies in the room before going back to preparing their meal. He looked unphased, but Seokjin was sure there were several thoughts running about his head at his hyung's words.
"Keep your voice down," Jin hissed as he draped a hand lightly over Yumin's ears. "You'll wake her."
"You're so cute when you're protective," Jungkook slurred. He bent down to press a kiss against Seokjin's rosy cheek, his lips wet and glistening from the alcohol. "Does Yumin-ah know how you feel about her?"
"No."
"So you do feel some type of way?"
"I never said that I did!"
Jin felt himself grow more than defensive as the younger man continued questioning him. Yumin shifted in his lap and he began to panic about whether she could overhear their conversation on accident. She might even be eavesdropping as they spoke and he would never be able to tell. How could he say flat out with everyone within earshot that over the past two months, he'd developed an attachment to the brunette in his lap, one that was full of affection and lust. Each feeling swirled in at different times, but the main one he felt with her in his lap was protective. Both over her and himself.
"Both of you stop asking questions and sit down. You need to hydrate; you've had too much to drink."
Jungkook scrunched his nose in defeat before waddling over to Yoongi's love couch. He plopped down on the creaky chair with his bottle pressed close to his lips, each gulp of the refreshing water bringing an obnoxious gust of air from his nose. Behind them, Jimin leaned close to Seokjin's right ear, sending shivers down the brunet's spine as his nearness grew unnerving.
"You know it's okay for you to like her, Seokjinnie. Yumin's a great person to have around."
With that, the blonde disappeared into the kitchen, most likely to pester the others while they tried to finish up everyone's meals before nightfall. His words left Seokjin slightly rattled, but he couldn't help but agree with him. Yumin was almost too perfect to include in his life; after seeing her risk her entire being just to protect him and the others, he was willing to let her in his life in any way he possibly could. He wanted to hold her close and protect her from everything, Rachel, Yura, lay her down and praise her as she clung to him with all her might. The idea was oddly comforting and he snuggled closer against Yumin's warmth as he let his eyes flutter closed, not caring that Jungkook still sat a few feet away with his eyes trained warmly on both partners.
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Back with another update before school starts back up again tomorrow. I have so many fucking exams I have to take until the second week of May, I'm gonna be so tired. I'll try and update any chance I get. Forgive me for not having a proper updating schedule anymore. I'll get back to it if I can manage to update regularly again.
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