Warnings: swearing, mention of past abuse, violence and blood, attempt of murder, etc.
"Now, go get some sleep, yeah?" Hoseok said, once Namjoon's crying had ceased and he'd taken the seat across him.
"I don't want to," Namjoon answered with a childish huff and a pout, getting a sharp jab in the shoulder in return. "Oww! Hyung, what was that for?!"
"For not going to sleep," Hoseok said sternly as he folded his arms. "Seriously, Joon, you look terrible. Jin won't be happy if he knows that you're not taking care of yourself because of him. So do as I say. He'll let us have it for not stopping you from neglecting yourself like this when he wakes up."
"Y'all are just worried about getting buried alive, huh?" Namjoon said with a small smile, mocking hurt.
Hoseok rolled his eyes, but when he smiled at the younger, the affection in his eyes was sincere.
"You already know that it's more than that, Joon-ah," he said softly, ruffling the other's hair with an older-brotherly kind of affection.
"I know." Namjoon sighed, looking down at Jin, who looked so peaceful now. "I'm thinking of curling up next to him."
"Boy, you're gonna crush him in your sleep." Hoseok said, looking at the other with a judgemental expression.
"I just can't imagine how I'll manage to fall asleep without holding Jin."
"You managed just fine before you two started sleeping together."
"That's... different." Namjoon looked quite lonely as he leaned forward to play with Jin's delicate fingers. "Now that I have him, I can't imagine anything without Jin in it."
"You're gonna get cramps if you sleep on the chair," Hoseok said, slowly standing up. "How about I pull one of the spare beds here so you can at least be next to hyung?"
"Sounds great." Namjoon smiled, looking up at him while softly placing Jin's hand back on his side on top of the blanket. "I'll help."
"You don't have to," Hoseok said quickly, pushing the other back onto his seat when he tried to get up as well. "Besides, you could really destroy the bed, y'know?"
"Really?! Not funny, Hobi hyung!" Namjoon scoffed, it being his turn to roll his eyes as Hoseok grinned.
"It is, though."
Namjoon gave up trying to look unamused as the smile forced it's way back to his lips again. Suddenly, just then, a thought came across his mind, making him frown up at the older male in front of him.
"Hyung... knowing Jinnie, he would be angry if we skip the exams for him... But who's gonna stay with him when we've to leave? I don't want him to be alone. What if he wakes up and gets scared when he finds himself alone in here? The other boys have exams tomorrow, too. Besides, the nurses won't look after him all day."
"Don't worry, I've asked my eomma to look after Jin hyung when we're away," Hoseok assured, patting the other's shoulder before he leaned forward to carress the unconscious male's hand too. "She's adored him since we were kids. She's ready to look after him all day if she has to-"
Hoseok was interrupted by a loud and anxious knock on the door, and he quickly got up to see who it was before Namjoon could. Holding onto Jin's hand, he turned around in his chair to see who it was, coming there so late.
"Soojin-ssi," Hoseok said, sounding surprised, but relieved too, as he stepped away from the open door. "Yeah, he's okay right now, but still unconscious."
Namjoon watched as a beautiful woman in black winter clothes stepped in, and his eyes widened in realization when he found how similar her dark hair, brown eyes and plump lips were with Jin's. It was Jin's mother. Namjoon had heard from Jin that she was about forty, but her skin was still so perfect for her age that she looked quite youthful.
Jin looked so much alike his mother that Namjoon almost saw him in her pale and scared face. This made his heart crush into smaller pieces when he knew that Jin was definitely more helpless and terrified than she was, left all alone with that monster, never knowing when he'd be saved. This made Namjoon feel like the worst.
He stood up and watched Jin's mother run to her son's side, staring at nothing but his fragile figure, sleeping so peacefully in bed, as if he'd merely fallen asleep as usual. His face looked nothing like that bloody mess with dried tears when Namjoon found him. He looked like a sleeping angel.
Ms Soojin, Jin's mother, burst into tears all of a sudden, falling onto her knees on the floor as she dropped her bag and started caressing her son's bruised cheek with the utmost care.
"My poor baby," she sobbed, leaning down to press a kiss on Jin's forehead. "Eomma is so sorry she couldn't p-protect you. Y-you went through so much without even t-telling m-me!"
She buried her face in Jin's hand as she clutched onto it, crying her eyes out. Namjoon and Hoseok looked at each other, heartbreak in their eyes. Jin's eomma must be feeling so helpless as a mother for not being able to protect her child from such a disaster.
The two boys stood where they were because they knew that Ms Soojin needed this moment alone with Jin. They watched her in silence till she finally calmed down and slowly went to sit on the bed beside Jin's head, still fondling his face as her eyes were only on him. Namjoon and Hoseok slowly went to sit back in their chairs again near her.
Still sniffling and hiccuping occasionally, Jin's eomma unbuttoned one button at the front of his hospital gown to make him comfortable. That was when for the first time, Namjoon noticed the several dark bruises around Jin's once smooth neck from fingerprints, and both anger and pain rose in his chest when he realized that that monster had tried to strangle Jin.
Trying not to cry again, Namjoon thought about how brave his love had been, how strong and fearless. Now, it was his duty to make sure that his painful fight for survival was worth it by making sure he never felt pain ever again. All that Jin would have in his life was love and happiness. Namjoon was going to fight for him now.
"You're Namjoon, aren't you?" Ms Soojin's sudden question brought Namjoon back to reality.
The purple-haired faced his boyfriend's mother, and he felt nervous. He'd imagined meeting her in so many ways, but not like this. As he looked at her, he suddenly felt safe, which was rather strange, but he couldn't help it because Ms Soojin looked so calm and gentle.
Was it what a mother was supposed to be like? Namjoon had no idea... He couldn’t remember any kind of motherly love in his whole life... He didn’t even have a mother figure.
"Y-yes, ma'am," he said with a stammer, Hoseok watching the two with anticipation.
"Just call me Soojin," Jin's mother said, giving Namjoon a beautiful smile. She didn't look like a person who'd just been crying if it wasn't for her puffy red eyes. "'Eomma' is more preferable, though. You're my son's boyfriend after all."
Namjoon blushed, suddenly feeling shy. "O-okay, eomma." It felt so nice to say that word, and the fact that he couldn't remember calling someone by that made it more special.
Ms Soojin continued to smile softly, though her eyes were still very sorrowful as she looked around at both of the boys, addressing both.
"I left my meeting as soon as I got Hoseok's call and caught the next flight to Bangtan. I didn't know what'd actually happened other than that that my ex- husband tried to k-kill Jin, and that he was in t-the h-h-hospital."
Tears filled the woman's eyes again, and Namjoon quickly held her hand to support her, ignoring how his own eyes burned, feeling like this gesture was a natural instinct that'd been in him from the time he'd started existing, even though he'd never met Jin's mother before. They were the two closest people to Jin, and maybe that was why they were meant to be each other's support and confidant when he was hurt.
Namjoon and Hoseok had told her everything without breaking into tears again, though it felt just as awful to recount all the horrific incidents that'd taken place last night. In the end, both were a little worried because Jin's mother looked so serious, but in pain at the same time.
"My Jinnie's been through so much," she said in a cracked voice. "First the divorce, now this. I-I thought he'd be happy with that- that lame excuse of a human. Jin himself had wanted to stay with him instead of moving away with me when he was given the choice."
"What?" Hoseok looked shocked. His eyes alone said it.
"Yes." Ms Soojin looked extremely dejected as she placed another loving kiss on Jin's forehead. "My baby loved his father a lot. And I-I thought he loved his son too. They were closer back then than Jin was to me. Even though that bastard had started abusing me, he always fulfilled his duties as a father. Now I can see that it'd all been an act to gain Jin's trust."
"I think it's more than just that," Namjoon said, thinking hard so that a frown formed on his face. "Jin hyung's hiding something else."
"I can feel that too," Hoseok added. "Jin hyung's always been smart enough to see through fakeness."
"Being his mother, I know that you're right," Ms Soojin said quietly, her pretty ageless face showing deep sadness. "But we can't talk about it till my baby's awake and all right. I don't want to pressurize him with anything. I want him to be safe and happy first."
"You're not going to take him away with you once he recovers and your ex- husband's case is taken care of, right?" Namjoon said, his voice choked with fear at the possibility of what he said happening.
He couldn't stand thinking about Jin being so far away from him. He couldn't live without him. He couldn't. He'd go crazy if he was separated from Jin. And he also knew that the boys would feel shattered without their hyung too, just by the look in Hoseok's face, so scared and pitiful.
If one from the seven of them wasn't there, they were nothing. They'd be nothing but incomplete.
"I don't think there will be any other choices," Ms Soojin said grimly, confirming Namjoon's worst fears. "My Jinnie's been through enough. And he's got no relatives to stay with. I'm his only living guardian who can take care of him now."
"He's got me!" Namjoon said quickly, squeezing the woman's hand in his in a persuading way, his eyes extremely desperate. "Please, please don't take him away from me. He can live with me. Please. He can move in with me."
"You really want to take him in?"
Ms Soojin looked surprised at the honest sincerity in the young man's eyes, but deep inside, she was glad that Jin was truly loved by someone. She knew from the very moment, when she heard about how Namjoon had protected and loved and cared for Jin from his very mouth, that this purple-haired male was the one for her son.
And she was once again confirmed about how great this young man was, and how true, when she heard about how he'd been by Jin's side since the start from Hoseok. Namjoon's handsome features and physique, that could defeat the one of a Greek god's, was a plus point. He was just perfect for her Jinnie.
"Yes, I've always wanted him to move in with me since I first found out that bastard hurt him," Namjoon said firmly, looking earnestly into his Jin's mother's. "I wanted to give him time. I-I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything to protect him. But please, give me a chance. Please. I can't live with him so far away from me."
Ms Soojin felt her heart crack at how Namjoon's eyes were welled up with tears of fear, his voice begging for a chance though he'd done nothing wrong. He was just respecting Jin's decisions though it was so hard to do so. This was a trait of a true gentleman and a good person.
"I trust you with my son, Namjoon," Jin's mother said gently. "And I'll gladly leave him under your care. However, I want to know what he really wants first. It's Jin's decision to make. Not mine."
The consolation that she trusted him was enough for Namjoon, and he took the woman's hand to his lips to give it a grateful kiss.
"Thank you so much, m-ma'am-"
"Eomma," Ms Soojin corrected with a fond smile.
Namjoon chuckled softly. "Sorry. Thank you, eomma. I promise that I'll always love Jin no matter what. I can't think of a life without him. He's my everything."
"You better keep your word then, son." Ms Soojin patted his head in a motherly way that Namjoon couldn't remember having ever experienced, having lost his mother at a tender age.
"I will," he said strongly, and he knew that he was going to be true to his promise.
After all, who could stop loving and caring for a sweet and beautiful heart like the one Jin had?
"I think you should sleep now," Hoseok said, watching the interaction of the two with a smile, glad that his best friend's mother and boyfriend already got along so well, as if they'd known one another for ages. "It's been a long day, and we've got an exam tomorrow. You've had a tiring journey, Soojin-ssi. You need to rest too."
"I told you to call me 'eomma' too, for like billions of times for years, kid" Soojin frowned at Hoseok, though not very seriously. "And don't worry about me. I'm not leaving my baby's side, but you two should go home and get rest. You can't get a decent amount of sleep over here and give an exam tomorrow."
"But-"
"No," Ms Soojin said firmly, this time looking actually serious as she interrupted Namjoon. "Jin would've wanted that too. Besides, his mommy's going to be here. So, there's absolutely no worry about him getting hurt in your absence, is there?"
Namjoon was quiet for a while, and he realized that the woman was right. As much reluctant as he was, he really should sleep properly and not neglect the important day at school tomorrow. At least for Jin if not for himself.
So, he turned to Hoseok, and said, "Wait for me outside, hyung. I'll join you a moment later."
The older nodded before reaching forward to peck Jin's forehead, saying a quiet good night to him though he couldn't hear him, and bidding Ms Soojin a goodbye and a good night too before heading out of the room.
Once he was gone, Namjoon sat down beside Mrs Soojin as he looked down at his unconscious love with the softest and most loving eyes.
He forgot that Jin's mother was right beside him as he got lost in Jin's peaceful sleeping face, his beauty so unwavering despite looking so pale and weak, patched up and covered in multiple cuts and bruises. He'd always be the most beautiful in his eyes.
Namjoon remembered the past months since he'd started talking to him, the progress of their relationship from annoyance to friendship to crush to lovers, though he'd loved Jin the whole time. He remembered how happy and contented and so deeply in love they were, and swore to himself that once Jin was awake, those were all he would feel.
Namjoon leaned down closer, his eyes on Jin's resting forehead without a wrinkle of discomfort on it, dark eyebrows, closed eyelids, his long eyelashes touching his pale cheekbones, his prominent dark circles, his chubby cheeks abused to the point their healthy redness was replaced with yellow and purple bruises, his perfect nose and his plump lips that were chapped. So beautiful despite the imperfections that'd hopefully fade away one day and never leave a scar in Jin's heart.
Namjoon closed his eyes and the gap between them, pressing his lips softly to the sleeping male's. He remembered all their kisses, specially the first one, and all their intimate moments, and he tried hard not to cry. He knew that he just had to wait for him to wake up, but he already missed Jin so much.
He held both of Jin's hands in his, entwining their fingers extra gently, specially the one stitched and wrapped up in bandages. He was going to miss how those long delicate fingers used to squeeze his hand back, even though this unresponsive behavior was only for a short time.
Namjoon couldn't hold back the tears that sparkled in his eyes as he went to softly kiss Jin's cheeks, his nose, his eyelids, and lastly his forehead, before pulling away and looking down at the unconscious male his heart was owned by.
"Good night, my Prince. Have a nice rest, hmm? I-I l-love you so much, and I'll be waiting for you to finally wake up, show me your gorgeous eyes and smile, and say it back to me like everyday, all right? I-I'll be waiting for you. Always."
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