▶ Falling ~ Trevor Daniel
"Don't move, Jungkook," Tae whispered. He was trembling from head to toe.
Jungkook's mind was racing. He looked at the lanterns and the basket which had the meat sandwiches. He pushed Taehyung away who screamed in terror.
"Run Taehyung!"
The leopard snarled and pounced, claws flailing.
"Jungkook!"
Jungkook landed on his back and blocked the beast with the basket in the nick of time. It snarled dangerously close to his face.
Jungkook pushed it away with all of his strength, narrowly dodging the swipe of claws on his stomach.
The basket rolled away and its contents spilled out, the smell of the ham distracting the leopard.
Taehyung was trembling.
"Jungkook, run!" he screamed, reaching the steps.
But the ravenette didn't listen. He kicked the lantern towards the leopard and the glass broke. The candle rolled out. The mat caught fire.
"Jungkook, what are you doing, get away from there!" Taehyung yelled, beside himself with worry. He looked around frantically, searching for something weapon-like.
The leopard growled, snatching the sandwiches.
It lunged towards Jungkook.
He flinched and fell back, eyes shutting tight.
This is the end.
"Hey beast! Over here!" Taehyung yelled, pelting rocks at the massive feline.
It roared and jumped towards him. He dived behind a boulder, screaming.
Heart thundering but saved by the distraction, Jungkook grabbed a stick and stuck it in the fire.
He ran towards the leopard with the burning log. The leopard snarled and hissed. It swiped with his claws and caught Jungkook's leg.
He yelled in pain and whacked the burning stick on the creature. It yelped and ran back into the darkness.
Jungkook hurriedly threw a waterbottle and doused the fire before it caught the blanket, leaving them in pitch dark.
"Taehyung!" He yelled.
Fear gripped his heart. He couldn't see anything.
"Jungkook!"
Tae ran to him, almost falling over his own feet. Jungkook was so relieved to hear him, he fell to his knees, clutching his racing heart.
Tae kneeled and threw his arms around him. Jungkook hugged him tighter, burying his face in his neck.
Tae is safe, he is okay - was the only thought in Jungkook's mind.
"Fuck, fuck Kookie, are you okay?"
"I'm - I'm fine, we should leave - before it comes back."
His breaths were coming in short spurts and he was shaking. He could have lost Tae. He himself could have been killed. The adrenaline was still coursing in his veins as he hurriedly packed the stuff. The basket was broken, it took all the impact of the leopard's weight.
Tae stuffed the blanket in it leaving the burnt mat there.
They reached their car in half the time they took to come up, silenced and sobered by their terrifying encounter.
Jungkook almost fell in relief on seeing the bright lights of the parking. He was feeling dizzy.
"Kookie?"
"Huh?"
"Fuck, Jungkook, you're hurt!" Tae yelled, seeing the giant gash on Jungkook's shin.
Jungkook looked down. He felt weird, seeing the wound. It wasn't even hurting that much but the amount of blood said otherwise. He staggered.
Taehyung was blurry. The last thing he saw was his tear streaked face before everything went black.
*****
Taehyung paced the corridors of the hospital, his mind a wreck. It was all his fucking fault. He shouldn't have taken Jungkook there. He had his exams!
He... saved him. From a fucking wild animal.
Taehyung felt like the worry and guilt would drown him.
He owed Jungkook his life.
He had Jungkook's phone and he dialed every name he recognised. It was almost midnight and he doubted anyone would come but in ten minutes, all of Jungkook's family showed up, including Jimin's dad.
"What happened?" Namjoon asked, distressed. Jin and him both were in their pajamas, having left the second Taehyung called.
Taehyung narrated the whole incident. Jimin wrapped him in his arms as he broke down towards the end. He sobbed, the weight of the occurrence hitting him completely.
Jimin held him close, his own eyes filling up.
"Don't worry Tae, Jungkook is strong. It's just a leg wound, yeah?"
"Jimin, you don't understand. We both could have been dead! Do you realise that... I'm here and he's in there?! It is all my fault! He doesn't deserve to be there!"
"Taehyung, calm down. Here, have some water," Seokjin said, soothingly patting his hair.
Taehyung's body felt like lead and he wanted to throw up.
"Jin, I'm so sorry! I was stupid. He only came because I insisted. I just thought... I could cheer him up because he was so worried about his exams. I'm sorry, I put him in danger!"
Jin sighed, pulling Taehyung against him. The poor boy was shaking and it made Jin's heart clench.
"Taehyung. He'll be okay. Calm down, we're not mad at you."
Taehyung's sobs eventually turned to hiccups.
The doctor came out of the room. Jimin's dad and Namjoon went to him.
"He's fine. He needed ten stitches and it would hurt to walk for a while but I recommend not to until the sutures completely come out. It would take about eight days. He needs to be in here for the night to monitor but you can take him home first thing in the morning. He's lucky he escaped with just that wound, one of the bravest people I've seen."
Everyone collectively heaved a sigh of relief.
"He'll wake in a while. You can see him but only one of you should stay."
With that the doctor left.
"I'll stay," Tae said immediately.
"No Tae, go home. You're shaken up, you could use the sleep," Namjoon said gently.
"No please. Let me. I won't be able to sleep anyway."
Taehyung just wanted to be near him, his Kookie. There was no way he was going to leave him alone.
"Taehyung..." Jimin sighed.
"Jimin."
He looked up at the silver haired guy with tearful eyes. Eventually they agreed to let him be.
"Did you eat son?" Jimin's dad asked.
"Yeah we did."
Namjoon told to call him if anything changed and they all left him alone, saying they would see Kook tomorrow when he was awake and better.
Taehyung trudged in the overnight care room.
He almost cried again, seeing him. He had tiny cuts on his arms and his leg was propped up. He looked angelic asleep, a thin sheen of sweat covering him.
Taehyung sighed, running his fingers through the soft raven hair.
He went to the washroom and washed his face and hands, exhaustion seeping in. He took some wipes and cleaned Jungkook's face with them, taking care to sanitize his hands first.
Taehyung settled in the sofa and was knocked out like a light.
*****
He shot upright, jolted with a nightmare.
"Jungkook!" he screamed but it came out as a mere whisper.
He looked around and realised he was in the hospital. Jungkook was still asleep. The clock showed it was one am. He would be waking soon.
Taehyung sighed, rubbing his face. That was an awful dream and this time, it was his Kookie being taken away from him. He looked at the sleeping figure and sat on the chair beside him.
"How insanely brave are you?" Tae thought, caressing Jungkook's cheek.
"It was a wild animal Kook, not a stuffed bunny. Yet not for one second you hesitated to push me aside from harm's way?"
"You almost gave me a heart attack when you passed out like that. I thought you were hurt worse than that leg wound. Dumbass."
Taehyung sniffled, rubbing his nose with his sleeve.
"I don't know how I can ever repay you for this, Kook. There is no way. I wish I could tell you this when your beautiful star filled eyes are open but I would end up insulting you again or teasing you. I'm not good with words."
"Just... please remember that no one else in this world will ever take your place in my heart. Not after what you did for me today. So, if you decide to leave, or we drift apart after I move, no matter what, I'll always run back to you."
Tae sighed, resting his head against Jungkook's hand, their fingers entwined.
"I told you that I wouldn't fall for anyone ever, didn't I? Well, life has a funny way of proving me wrong. I will never say this to you because I'm... scared Jungkook. People leave and today I almost lost you before I even had a chance to call you mine."
He tightened his grip on his hand, listening to his slow breaths and before long, sleep overtook him again.
*****
Jungkook looked at the precious figure sleeping soundly beside him. He had been awake for a while now, the memories of the night repeating themselves.
The gash on his leg was a giant witness. He was tempted to laugh at his situation.
Never in his life had he thought he'd be foolish enough to take on a 200 pound animal on his own.
But the instinct to keep Taehyung safe was so strong, he didn't even have to think. He would do it again in a heartbeat if it meant Tae would be beside him, unharmed.
Tae stirred and yawned, rolling his stiff shoulder.
"Good morning," Jungkook said softly, startling him.
"Kookie, you're up!"
Much to his surprise, Tae started crying, resting his head on Jungkook's stomach. He patted his hair gently.
"It's okay, I'm okay. I'm here right Tae?"
"I'm sorry! Wait, I'll call the nurse first."
"Yeah that'd be great cuz I really need to pee."
The nurse came in immediately and helped him to the loo. He came back out looking significantly awake and better. She took his vitals and removed the empty IV bag.
She said the doctor would be here any minute as he was doing his morning rounds.
Tae held his hand, sniffling. Jungkook just smiled.
"I'm sorry Kookie, for making you come there. I'm sorry. It was my fault."
"Tae, don't blame yourself. There was no way you could have known a f*cking leopard would be hiding up there! It's a popular trek spot and people visit all the time. Our visit...
was just a little more adventurous."
Jungkook chuckled. Adventurous, my leg.
"Also, what idiot tackles a full grown hungry ass animal with a plastic picnic basket!" Taehyung asked, voice rising. "His nails could have cut your face through that thing!"
"But it didn't!"
"It could have! What if it had jumped higher and managed to claw your chest or neck than your leg?!"
"But it didn't!"
"You were so reckless, so stupid! You pushed me away so fast I went rolling! I couldn't do shit to help you!"
"You distracted him with the stones. It brought me some time to light the fire."
"But you fought the damn thing off! Jungkook, what if you'd have been seriously injured? Do you think your brothers and your friends would have ever forgiven me in this life?!"
"They'd have thought me stupid enough to take on a leopard."
"Jungkook stop laughing! This is serious! I was so scared!"
"It doesn't matter Tae. All that matters is you're here, with me, safe."
Taehyung stopped talking, looking straight at Jungkook who gave him the most adorable bunny smile.
"When I saw you trembling, all I knew was I had to keep you safe. My brain was only showing me your face and the ways to get you out of there. There was no way I was going to let anything hurt you."
"Jungkook, when people say I'd take a bullet for you, it doesn't mean literally!" Taehyung said loudly, annoyed.
"For you, I would do it all over again."
"Why?"
"Because you're my person. You're part of my family now, Taehyung. And nobody gets forgotten or left behind or hurt in a family."
Taehyung's heart squeezed in pure love.
He almost said it then, but the doctor came in, distracting Jungkook.
Some other time then.