Third person pov
Jungkook stared with wide eyes as Taehyung's shoulders suddenly tensed up, a gasp leaving his lips. The trueblood was shocked when he saw tears welling in the boy's eyes.
He was pushed away abruptly, head hitting the headboard of the bed, making him groan deeply in pain.
"Fuck!" He held his aching head, screwing his eyes shut for a moment as his vision was getting blurry, but it snapped open again when he heard a loud thud followed by a whimper.
"Tae?!" He whisper-yelled- to not startle the already scared boy-- when he saw the omega fallen on the floor, his knees landed on the wooden floor which caused the loud sound.
He was shivering, looking desperately scared and broken.
Jungkook felt really a pang in his chest when he saw his state but didn't understand why he was scared at the moment-- because of the pain or because of being shocked on waking up beside him.
He quickly got off the bed and made his way to the boy who scurried away, his lower lip wobbling.
"N-no!" he yelled when Jungkook didn't stop coming near him. He wrapped his arms around himself-hugging himself as tears started rolling down his moonlit face.
His wet eyelashes fanned over his cheeks, and he gasped, shuddered and recoiled from every touch of Jungkook's.
Jungkook was close to losing his sanity now. The forlorn state of the boy was terrifying him.
Taehyung seemed so broken, scared and disheartened that it made him want to cry to him and tell him that he wants to hold him-- not just to comfort him but also to comfort himself.
It was hurting him because Taehyung didn't trust him and was scared of him.
It hurt so bad, but he knew that his mate was feeling more pain than he is.
He had thought that Taehyung will be fine after his wolf gives him back control, but he was still refusing to be touched by anybody.
"Tae, pup, please don't do this," Jungkook says sweetly when the younger starts sobbing hardly, his body trembling. He didn't want him to worsen his health by sobbing.
He held his shoulder softly, hoping that Taehyung would just let him do it to make himself feel better--
But his hope wasn't fulfilled. Like always.
Taehyung froze before growling and picking up a vase from the nearby bedside table and smashing it on his arm which immediately started bleeding when the glass pierced his skin.
Jungkook yelped, backing away instantly-blood now flowing down his arm, staining his white shirt. Red drops dripped down the shirt which got soaked within seconds.
He winced, pressing down on his arm to stop the bleeding. It was very uncomfortable, but he knew he could take it. All this was nothing for him, he was the owner of a sword-training institution after all.
He looked back at Taehyung with soft eyes and sees the younger's shaking scared eyes looking back at him. He could clearly see the guilt that was hidden behind his tears.
"I-I..." Taehyung stuttered, guilty for hurting him but more scared that Jungkook would hit or worse, thrash him for doing whatever he did.
"It's alright, pup. I know you aren't in the right state of mind," Jungkook uttered in a soothing tone, kneeling down with a safe distance between them-- finally giving up to get closer to him physically.
I wish I could tell you that even I wasn't in the right state of mind when I hurt you-but you wouldn't understand.
Jungkook pushed those thoughts away and focused on the traumatized, broken boy. He bit his lip before asking,
"I-I can call Jimin here-"
He froze when Taehyung shook his head aggressively before perpetuating to sob, whimpers and cries passing his parted lips, face turning red.
"What's wrong?" Jungkook asks desperately, afraid that he said something wrong. He just wanted to bring Jimin here because nothing he did was calming the boy down.
Taehyung shook his head again, burying his face in his knees and continuing to cry.
Taehyung wanted to mindlink Hoseok to go check on his wounded bestfriend, but he couldn't calm the storm of thoughts in his mind down to do that.
He looked at Jungkook and says, "Hoseok h-hyung, Seokie hyung..."
Jungkook immediately understood that he wanted to talk to Hoseok, so he brought out his phone and dialled Hoseok's number before extending his arm towards Taehyung after hearing a ring.
He was ready to do anything to get the boy to stop wailing and calm down.
His hand stung when the bloodied cloth wrapped around it tighter. He bit back a hiss and waited for the omega to take the phone away so he could reduce the pain by bringing back his arm closer to his body.
Taehyung looked at his hand for a while-with fear evident in his eyes as he bit his lower lip. Jungkook sighed and placed it on the table. Taehyung immediately took it into his hand and placed it against his ear.
"Koo--"
"Seokie hyung," Taehyung sobs and immediately heard shuffling from the other end.
"Tae?! You are alright now, right? I knew we would manage to---"
"Hyung, Jiminie..." Taehyung whimpered, cutting him off, clutching the shirt which he was wearing near his heart.
"What happened to him, Tae?" the alpha asks with a concerned voice.
"H-head alpha a-and his warriors b-beat him up," Taehyung sobbed, recollecting his Jimin's wrecked state. He couldn't forget about that scene-- Jimin on the floor, breathing heavily, bleeding and whispering his name while stretching his hand towards him.
Everything hurt so bad. All his nightmares-- his mom dying, Jimin getting hurt, Jungkook ill-treating him-- everything came true.
Could it get any worse?
He heard Hoseok and Jungkook gasp after hearing what he just said.
He looks up at Jungkook with disgust and hatred for a while before turning away and scoffing. Jungkook didn't notice the look that he shot him as he was still shocked at whatever Taehyung just said.
He really hadn't known that Jungho had beaten up Jimin. He didn't see any reason for his father to do that.
"Shit! That bastard- y-you don't worry, Tae. I'll go to his house and make sure he is alright," Hoseok stumbled over his words.
He heard Yoongi's groan, Hoseok whispering something to him before a beeping sound which indicated that the call had ended.
Taehyung placed the phone on the floor, not speaking a word. He had stopped crying now-- didn't have any more tears to shed. He felt as heavy and dejected as ever.
There was an uncomfortable silence for a while before Jungkook cursed under his breath as his rue got stronger.
He had come to his senses too late. If he had just let Hayoon stay at home and gone at once to Jimin's house, maybe he could've done something to lessen the problems they were facing now.
He didn't want Jimin hurt. He did show only dislike towards him, but he truly did care for the alpha too. The fact that Jimin is hurt only made him even more remorseful.
"T-Tae, let's go there? I'll take you th--"
"Stop," Taehyung growled. Jungkook grew confused as his lips promptly sealed shut. He looked at the omega ever so softly, eyebrows furrowing.
Taehyung was furious-- it was clear in his face with his clenched jaw and unamused expression.
Why he was angry? Jungkook didn't know.
"Have you ever cared for anybody else? No. Then why are you doing all this? Why are you pretending to care for my Jiminie? Why did you come and save me and act like a responsible mate? In reality, you hate us, then why are you pretending you be worried for us?!"
And with those words, Jungkook understood why he was exasperated.
It was because he went to save him. It was because he pretended to care for him.
It was because he pretended to be shocked and sad at the news of Jimin's state.
But he really wasn't pretending. He doesn't even know how to pretend. What's in his heart is never hidden, his feelings are always clearly seen through his expressions and actions.
He was genuinely worried. He did really care, and he wanted Taehyung to know that.
"What made you think that my worry for you is fake, Tae? I really do care for you--"
"Shut up, liar! You don't care for me-if you did, you wouldn't ignore me and torment me! Stop acting like you care now!" Taehyung yelled furiously and forced himself to stand on his wobbling legs, glaring down at the elder with bloodshot eyes.
"Taehyung," Jungkook whispers, at a loss of words. He looked away, not able to maintain eye contact.
"Jimin was right when he told me that you aren't any better than your father," Taehyung mumbled, voice calm but clearly vexed. His words made Jungkook's heart break, hurting more than it should have.
It was the truth after all. He knew Taehyung wasn't saying anything wrong. He looked down so his tears don't get noticed by Taehyung.
"J-Jimin always told me that you weren't any better than the head alpha. He told me you wouldn't treat me well, b-but I trusted you even though I didn't know you. It was a mistake-such a big mistake!"
Jungkook just listened. The words pierced his heart, but he knew that after yelling and crying, Taehyung would feel slightly more relieved. The storm of anger would subside once he yells to his heart's content.
"A-all of you are bad," the boy sniffled.
"We scream and cry, but you never care. Just because you are born powerful, you choose to feel pride while hurting the lower ranks and not use the powers for doing good to someone." He sniffles again and looked at the ground.
"You a-are a trueblood...the only one who can fight against a demon wolf. You could've ended the suffering of so many omegas by confronting your father and fighting against him, but you let them suffer. You chose to rather abuse me with those powers."
He looked up at Jungkook who was still kneeling down on the ground with pure hatred and disgust in his eyes, his stomach curling as he really wanted to throw something at the elder to hurt him-- to lessen his own anger.
"It is such a shameful thing for me to say that a useless person like you is my mate!" He spat and Jungkook let out a whimper, feeling the huge rush of dismay in him. He swore he hadn't been this crestfallen before.
"T-Tae..."
"Tell me: what had I done? What had I done for you to hate me so much?! Was being born as an omega my fault or the fact that your ruthless father was so pathetic that he made me his slave?! J-just why couldn't you love me back?!"
Jungkook doesn't dare look at him. He couldn't do it.
This wasn't the right time to explain anything to the omega, he knew. If he'd tell anything now Taehyung wouldn't understand him.
So he kept quiet. That was all he could do.
"Nothing was ever my fault. Me being born an omega, made a slave, hoping for a better, loving my mate, and trusting that you will fall for me one day... none of it was my fault," He muttered through gritted teeth.
"I had only wanted to live a happy life with you..." Jungkook snapped up his head towards him when he heard him sniffle.
He didn't want the younger to cry anymore. He stood up abruptly, wide teary eyes staring at Taehyung who looked close to breaking down again.
"Tae," he said, taking a step forward towards him.
"What? Do you want to hit me now like you threatened to do the other day? Did me saying the truth make you angry?" Taehyung growled. He furiously grabbed a wooden ornament box from the bedside table and threw it at Jungkook's abdomen. Jungkook winced in pain.
The box fell on the ground with a loud thud, breaking open. The ornaments fell out of it.
Taehyung looked at them with a frown, realising that all of them weren't ever used by Jungkook or Hayoon. Bracelets, pendants, chains and rings-- it all belonged to Hyejin.
Just then it dawned on Taehyung that he was in his mate's room. The room was supposed to belong to him and Jungkook, but it didn't belong to him.
It belonged to Hyejin and Jungkook. It belonged to that person he hated-- that person who spoilt his life and dreams.
He wanted to meet her one day and slap her hard across her face and yell at her for making a relationship with someone who wasn't hers.
But he also knew that it wasn't their fault. They had mates, the moon goddess makes sure no one remains lonely, but it wasn't necessary that they love that person.
Feelings weren't under control, he knew, and so he felt like he was the one intruding on their beautiful relationship. He was a problem and threat to their love.
"Pup," Jungkook called softly. It instigated Taehyung, pushed him to the edge of insanity, making him lose every ability to think properly.
Taehyung looked around like a lunatic, desperate to find something. Jungkook eyes wandered to every place he went, vague about Taehyung's action. He gasped when Taehyung grabbed a knife from the table.
He took a step forward instantly, but his actions faltered when Taehyung held the knife near his stomach.
"If you dare come near me, I'll kill myself," He threatened, eyes void of emotion.
Jungkook desperately moved his hands towards him, close to failing to recognise the boy because he hadn't ever seen Taehyung this emotionless before.
"Either me or you will live in this world. If you don't kill yourself, I will."
Taehyung had never imagined that he would do such a thing. He hadn't ever seen suicide as a solution to anything neither had he ever wished for someone else's death.
He couldn't kill himself because he would remember the struggles his mom had gone through to raise him.
The thought of Jimin crying and screaming because he had killed himself terrified him. He didn't want the alpha to cry.
But at the moment, this seemed like it was the best thing he could do.
He didn't want to live with Jungkook but also didn't want the other to end his own life. He knew he couldn't live long without a mate; he would eventually die too.
But his death would cause no harm to Jungkook as he was a trueblood.
There were more advantages of him dying than choosing to continue living. He wanted to end his life.
He could reunite with his mom, Jimin wouldn't be hurt because of him again, and Jungkook wouldn't be forced into this bond.
He just needed to end himself-everyone, including himself, will be happy then.
"Taehyung," Jungkook growled.
He couldn't let this happen. Taehyung wasn't going anywhere. He couldn't die too as he had to live for Hayoon.
Panic took over his system when Taehyung neared the knife to his body.
"Taehyung, stop," he growled again, voice and expression serious. His heart sank at the thought of Taehyung actually hurting himself.
"I-I want to end it all, young master. I can't do this anymore..." He sobbed.
"Tae, there are so many people who love you-- you can't do this to them!" He says, desperately, eyes tearing up, voice cracking in fear. His senses were fully alert now.
"There is no one. I have no family. All I have done is hurt Jimin, and my mate doesn't love me. I-if just I do this now..."
"You can't do it, Tae! You have someone who loves you and needs you, Taehyung. Our Hayoonie-she loves you. She can't lose her mother! Think about her, Tae, please" Jungkook said, sighing, relieved when Taehyung froze.
"Hayoon..." He lets her name pass through his lips and memories of her beautiful smile came to his mind. Warmth spread his sad heart like the faint sunlight of a beautiful morning on a cold desert that lacked in life.
"Yes, Tae. O-our daughter. She loves you so much. You can't do this to her. She was so scared a while ago when Jungho had taken her away-she wanted to be with you and kept telling me that she wanted you close to her," Jungkook sniffled, thinking about his, no, their daughter.
"My H-Hayoon," Taehyung whimpered. He felt anxious knowing that the cruel demon wolf knows about their daughter.
"Y-yes. I had told Jungho that you were at Jimin's because he would've taken Hayoon away otherwise. S-she is safe now, completely safe. I sent her away... that's why I got late to come to you," he says.
She is safe. Taehyung thinks, letting the knife drop from his hand unconsciously. Jungkook smiles softly when he heard the sound of the knife falling on the floor. He was proud because of how much Taehyung loved Hayoon.
"Y-You told head alpha where I was to save Hayoon?"
Jungkook nodded his head and looked down in shame. He regretted it. He felt remorse over his actions now. He could've just done something to save both of them, but he just acted selfishly and made Hayoon his priority.
And Taehyung was glad he acted selfishly. He was glad that Jungkook that he chose to save their daughter.
He was glad that he was the one who went through all of whatever happened. He couldn't imagine how bad he would feel if Hayoon got even a small scratch on her body.
His anger on Jungkook subsided, respect for him increasing a little because of how good of a father he is. He knew Jungkook could've come faster and saved him too but didn't care about it-- for he knew that if he was in the trueblood's place, he would also just sit with his daughter and hold her like there is no tomorrow.
He could've lied about where Taehyung was living too. None of these things came to his mind in his vulnerable state.
It was something every parent would do. Selfish or not, they didn't care; they would just want their child safe.
"She's safe..." He started, looking at Jungkook with weary eyes.
"Yes, Tae, She is safe, and you need to live for her. We need to live for her," He says and Taehyung nods, his head beginning to spin again.
The omega gulped audibly, knees buckling. The world around him was spinning again, his eyes began drooping. He fell unconscious. Jungkook was quick to hold him before he fell and sighed gladly.
He pulled the boy's form flush to himself, nuzzling his nose on his hair.
Until now, I was living only for my daughter-but now I will live for you too.
Give me a chance, Tae. I want to gain your trust again and earn forgiveness. I want you to feel the love of a family again.
---------
The trueblood was still outside the room
After Taehyung had passed out, he had brought him to another room that was as big as his own. He concluded that it wasn't a good idea to keep him in his own room which was filled with Hyejin's things.
He was trying to avoid doing or saying something which might irk Taehyung. That was the first thing he was planning to do as of now. In future, he will try to know about Taehyung's likes and about the things which make him happy.
He intended to make the boy feel better. He wanted him to smile and laugh again. He wanted this mansion to become Taehyung's house.
Hyejin would always stay in his heart, but she wasn't his mate anymore. Taehyung was his mate and he admitted that continuing to love Hyejin was as wrong as forgetting about the love Hyejin showed him-- because he was supposed to love Taehyung now, but Hyejin was the one who had made him happy and had loved him.
It was very confusing, and that's why he found himself puzzled, unsure and frustrated.
He wanted to see Taehyung happy. He wanted Taehyung to feel the love he deserved, but he wasn't ready to live with a guilty conscience-- guilty of breaking a promise he made when he mated and marked Hyejin. He wasn't ready to just forget about everything related to her-- that didn't seem possible to him.
It wasn't anyone other than Taehyung that mattered to him now. He couldn't undo his past mistakes of hurting the omega, but he could make sure he doesn't make more of them.
At the moment, Taehyung was fast asleep on the huge cosy bed. He was hesitant to go in as he didn't want to disrupt Taehyung's peaceful state so he stayed outside the room.
It was late at night, but he didn't want to go to sleep. He wanted to stay here and make sure Taehyung doesn't have any problems. in case Taehyung woke up and gets scared due to being in an unknown place, he wanted to be there to tell the omega that he was safe here.
He knew that his presence would do nothing to calm him down but didn't care anyway.
Whatever happened that day had made him weary, tired, and exhausted, but he still couldn't stop worrying for the omega who had suffered much more than him that day.
He didn't know how long it had been sitting there before he finally fell asleep outside the door. His sleep lasted only for a few minutes though, as he was woken up by the sounds of sniffles and whimpers.
He shot to his feet, quickly opening the door to look inside. He gasped when he saw Taehyung squirming on the bed, twisting and turning in discomfort. A frown rested on his sleeping face, eyebrows furrowed, hand clutching the sheets.
He quickly opened the door fully and walked in with quick steps. He lifted his right knee and set it on the bed before leaning forward to hold the boy and wake him so that his nightmare ends.
He extended his arm without any hesitation and held his shoulder firmly but flinched and removed his hands when Taehyung let out a cry, yelling out a 'stop'
"Tae! Tae, wake up!" He yelled, keeping his hands to himself because he didn't want to scare the boy by touching him.
Taehyung's whimpers got louder and more pained. Jungkook didn't know what to do. If he touched him, the tingles which Taehyung feels would make him more terrified, and he couldn't do anything else without actually making skin contact.
Suddenly, he was reminded of the thing Hyejin used to do to calm him down. She would intervene her little finger with his and tug on it ever so often so he knows that he isn't alone.
It always helped him calm down. He wondered if it would help Taehyung calm down too.
Instead of his little finger, he wrapped a piece of yarn that he got from the bedside table around Taehyung's little finger. He tugged at it faintly. Taehyung flinched a little and turned his head to his side, exhaling deeply.
it did work; he was glad it did. Taehyung's state got better and better until he stopped crying and started breathing properly.
He continued to do it until he was completely fine, and eventually, the omega fell asleep again. Jungkook wiped the sweat and tears off his face delicately, careful to not touch him.
He tucked the boy into the sheets again before going to the couch and deciding to sleep there so he could wake up quickly in case Taehyung has another nightmare.
---------
Jungkook peeked into the room and exhaled deeply when he saw that Taehyung was still sleeping. He had woken up long ago, more like he hadn't even gone to deep sleep.
It was uncomfortable on the couch so he couldn't sleep that well. When it was around seven in the morning, he gave up trying to sleep and made his way downstairs to make food. He didn't know how to make food, he was used to eating outside before Taehyung came here.
But he wanted to impress Taehyung, and he couldn't do that by getting food from outside.
He was glad that Taehyung wasn't awake yet. He quickly went downstairs, scrunching his nose when he smelled the burnt smell of the food he had made before going upstairs to check on Taehyung.
He was going to make of the food again.
He tied his hair in a small bun, rolling up his sleeves which exposed his strong arms. He huffed, breaking his knuckles and got back to work.
"Should I even rely on you?" He asks the recipe book and shook his head in disbelief, knowing it was his fault that the food burnt and not the book's. "A bad workman always blames his tools."
He took a lot of time making radish strip kimchi and salad. He was completely concentrated on making the food, and he didn't look away from the plates and dishes until he heard the sound of small footsteps from upstairs.
He gets excited to have Taehyung eat something he made. He quickly placed the plate of food on the table and walks out of the open kitchen to the living room to greet the omega.
Taehyung sighed, the pain in his limbs increasing as he walks downstairs. He was deep in thought about all that had happened the day before. He huffed out in relief when he finally reached the floor.
He looked up when he felt the presence of someone by the entrance of the kitchen. His eyes turn emotionless when they met Jungkook's.
"I-I made breakfast..." Jungkook said, shyly, ears turning slight pink in colour.
Taehyung frowns, eyebrows furrowing.
"I didn't tell you to make anything for me. I don't want to eat anything," He said, looking forward and attempting to walk to the couch slowly, wincing once in a while in pain. He plopped down on the couch and let his stiff body relax.
Jungkook's shoulders fell and he looks at the ground, lower lip jutted out. He felt bitter that Taehyung hadn't even eaten a little-he had worked so hard to make all of it.
Just then he remembers the way he had bluntly told Taehyung that he didn't want dinner many times. He felt sad when he thinks about the various attempts the boy had made to make him happy.
It was his chance to attempt and get his attention now.
And he hasn't learnt to give up.
He grabs the plate of food and carefully takes it to the living room. He placed the plate on the table and the omega frowned deeply looking at him.
"I just said I don't want to--"
"I'm not going to listen to you," The trueblood says, smiling softly after. He sat down, a safe distance between them.
"Eat," Jungkook said, softly but sternly.
The elder was doing all those things which the people around him didn't do when he was broken and hurt because he knew that when someone suffering said that they didn't need anybody, it meant that they needed them more than anything.
He always told Hoseok and Yoongi that he didn't need them when they tried to be there for him after Hyejin's death, but he actually needed them.
When he said they he was fine and that he didn't need help-it meant that he was in desperate need of help. Hoseok and Yoongi failed to understand, but he wouldn't.
Taehyung turned his head away in frustration as he said, "I won't."
Jungkook presses his lips into a thin line. He shook his head, determination not wavering a bit.
"You should. If you don't, then I will stuff it into your mouth."
"Can you stop this nonsense?" Taehyung snapped, glaring at him and attempting to get up and leave.
"Stop," Jungkook ordered in a soft tone. Taehyung doesn't listen and was about to get back to his feet to walk away, but Jungkook was quick to hold the hem of his shirt, careful to not touch him.
The omega yelped softly and turned around, boring holes into Jungkook with his hard eyes. Jungkook continued to hold him before he picked his phone up and dialled Sana's number.
"Hayoon?" he said and grinned sweetly when he heard the sound of his annoyed yet excited baby girl.
Taehyung eyes widen and he gasped inaudibly. He looked expectantly at Jungkook as he wanted to speak to his daughter.
Jungkook face fell after a while when Hayoon started yelling at him and him that she didn't want to live with Sana and wanted to come back to him. Jungkook just shushed her, muttering a soft, 'It will be alright, you just need to live with Sana for a few days.'
He decided to tell her the reason he had called her for.
"Yoonie, your mommy is here too."
"Mommy?!'' she exclaims, happily, forgetting that she was mad at Jungkook a while ago because he had sent her away.
"Yes, baby, he is here. And you know what? He's acting like a brat by not eating food. Do you want to give him a piece of your mind?" He asks and hears her huff, angry.
"Yes, daddy. I will tell mommy to eat."
Jungkook smiles widely before placing the phone on the table and nodding at Taehyung. The younger quickly grabbed the phone from the table and placed it on his ear.
"Baby..." He whimpers, feeling his heart clench as he missed the girl oh, so much.
"Mommy, I miss you," The girl said, sadly, "but I'm not going to come back if you don't eat food."
Taehyung smiles and huffs.
"I don't feel like--"
"Mommy, whenever I said that I didn't want to eat, you will still make me eat by telling me that I need to to remain healthy. You also need to eat to stay healthy too."
Taehyung shakes his head-the girl was just way too smart.
"Alright, I'll eat, just because you want me to," He smiles widely when she squeals. Jungkook's heart eyes which were staring at him went completely unnoticed by him.
"Bye, mommy. Sana aunty wants her phone back." She said, chuckling when Sana cursed at her for calling her 'aunty'.
"You brat! stop troubling her! And... Take care of yourself, okay? Mommy loves you," He said with longing in his tone.
"Love you too! bye!"
Taehyung sighed and placed the phone on the table after Hayoon cut the call and immediately a spoon was placed close to his lips.
"Eat, for Hayoon," Jungkook said and the omega couldn't say 'no' this time.
Jungkook felt huge satisfaction when he parted his lips and started eating the food. The elder was glad that he didn't make a fuss about not wanting to be fed by him.
After he had eaten completely, he smiled a bright smile at Taehyung who looked away immediately, still bitter about everything.
He didn't know that Jungkook was determined to erase that bitterness from his heart.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x
5232 words.
damn... it took me 3 hours just to edit this shit.