Taehyung Focus
I opened my eyes and felt someone pulling my hair back and playing with it. I opened my eyes wider and saw I was in Jungkook's room. In his bed. His bed. My head was pounding and I felt like I was on fire, I was burning up so bad. I felt something cold on my forehead and reached up to touch it. It was a cold, wet, washcloth, making my face feel cooler.
"You're awake." Came a voice above me. I looked up and immediately regretted doing so. Pain shot up my neck and my head seared. "What happened?" I asked tiredly. "I'm not sure." The voice said. Don't try to move yet. You have a fever."
The voice moved the washcloth and placed a hand on my forehead. "You're only getting worse. I wish I knew what medicines you need, but you are the only one here who would know. While you were asleep, I checked on Jimin. He won't wake up."
I suddenly remembered the boy I was looking after. Jimin. I thought. I have to check his wound. And see if the poison is doing anything yet. I tried to sit up. The voice above me pushed me back down by my shoulders. "I said don't move." It took me a little while, but I finally realized that the only person who could be here in Jungkook's room with me was Jungkook himself. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
"I told you. Because you're sick. Do you not remember what happened the last time you woke up?"
"No."
"Oh. Well, I guess that's good, honestly."
"What happened?"
"You passed out again."
"Again?"
"Yes, that was the second time." Jungkook stopped playing with my hair and got off the bed. Then he kneeled down next to it so he was level with my face. I turned my head in his direction to see. "I want to know why you were freaking out, but asking about it might make you freak out again. Can I make you promise that you will be calm?" Jungkook asked.
"What was I freaking out about?"
Jungkook ignored the question and just raised his eyebrows at me. I sighed, then coughed. My throat was really sore. "You okay?" Jungkook asked. I nodded slowly. "I promise I won't freak out. Now, what happened?"
"You were terrified because of this. I didn't really say anything. You just jumped to the conclusion without knowing. You thought I would send you to the Tiger Gang." Jungkook explained. He pressed the cloth back to my forehead gently. Some water leaked out and ran over my face. It felt so good.
"Why are you so scared of the Tiger Gang?" Jungkook asked. I closed my eyes, remembering the horrible memories I got from there. For eight years, I was stuck there, wishing for death over anything else.
"Taehyung?" I heard Jungkook's voice and I opened my eyes again. "You're breathing fast again. Are you okay?"
I looked around to find something I could hold onto, like a pillow, but upon doing so, I realized I wasn't wearing a shirt. My eyes went so wide, and I felt the color drain from my face. "Taehyung?" Came Jungkook's voice again. Ignoring my pain, I moved away from him so quickly, to protect myself, pulling my blankets close again. "Taehyung, what's going on? I'm not going to hurt you."
I shook my head wildly. He climbed onto the bed and I felt my heart pound again. "G-Get a-aw-away f-from me!" I shouted. Jungkook didn't even flinch. Instead, he wore a stern frown on his face and he climbed on top of me, trapping my arms to either side of my head. He didn't remove the blanket though.
"Tell me what's going on," Jungkook said sternly. "Every time I bring it up, you get so scared you pass out. If it happens again, I won't know how to avoid it. You're sick because of it. Just tell me what the hell is wrong!"
I flinched under his gaze and shut my eyes tight. Tears fell out of my eyes and I sobbed. "N-No! I-I c-ca-can't!" I said. Jungkook's voice didn't change. It stayed stern and scary. "I won't let you free until you tell me. If you refuse, I will do something worse."
I felt scared out of my mind. What's he going to do to me? I wondered, shaking uncontrollably. I wished I could just pass out again like Jungkook said I kept doing, but I couldn't. Is he going to- I shook my head, hoping he wouldn't remove the blanket and do what the Tiger gang used to do.
"You have three seconds," Jungkook said. I thought about it. Why can't I tell him? I wondered. It would be better than the alternative...
"Three."
I shook my head again. "N-No-No!"
"Two."
I bit my lip. If I told him, he would hate me, and I actually kind of liked his softness. It was rare, yet comforting.
"One."
"Fine! Fine, I'll tell you! Please don't do anything to me!" I shouted. Jungkook was silent. I opened one eye slowly, then the other. Jungkook looked into my eyes expectantly, waiting for my explanation. I hesitated. "Taehyung..." Jungkook said after a moment. I winced. "Why are you so scared of the Tiger gang?"
I took a deep breath. "B-B-Because th-they t-tortured m-me." I said. "Tortured you?" Jungkook repeated. I nodded. "B-But not with p-pain." I said. I shivered. "W-Well, s-so-sometimes w-with p-pa-pain."
"What did they do?"
"Th-They a-abused m-me."
"How?"
"Th-They th-th-thought I w-was ju-just entertainme-ment."
"Entertainment?" Jungkook sounded slightly annoyed like he didn't like how slow I was being. He still didn't really know anything from what I said. I nodded shakily, still crying. "Th-They t-t-touched me." I stuttered. "Everywhere. B-Be-Because th-they th-th-tho-thought it w-was f-fu-fun."
"What do you mean, touched you? How?" Jungkook sounded angry. It scared me. Please don't do anything to me. I pleaded in my head. Tears coursed down my cheeks faster. "Th-They s-s-st-stripped me f-fo-for entert-tainme-ment. Th-Th-They r-raped me. F-For e-e-eight y-ye-years."
Jungkook's gaze didn't soften. He looked like he was thinking for a moment. I squirmed underneath him. "P-P-Please l-let me g-go." I begged. Jungkook blinked and let go of my wrists. He moved off the bed. "That's all you had to say." He said. "Why were you too scared to say it?"
"I-I thought you w-would throw me b-back to th-the closet prison," I admitted. Jungkook shook his head. "Why would I do that?" He asked. I just dug myself deeper under the covers. Jungkook looked at me softly again, but not with pity. Somehow that made me feel better. I didn't want his pity. I hated the looks of pity I got from the gang leader I had last. No, Jungkook looked at me with a different look. Soft, but not pitiful. Stern, but not scary. Soft and stern at the same time. A sure look that made me feel better.
"I'm not going to touch you." He said. "You're not wearing a shirt because the first time you passed out, you were burning up crazily. I didn't want you to get worse, so you needed to cool down." I blinked at his explanation. He was worried about me? I was a hostage. Merely anything. But he was worried. Maybe it's just because I am the only one who can heal Jimin. I thought. Yeah, that's it.
A few moments of silence passed between us before Jungkook finally sat down on the bed next to me. "Hey, I know you're probably still really tired, but you need to get up." He said. "We need to give you a bath. You threw up last time you were conscious, but I couldn't just bathe you myself. That's a big invasion of privacy. I did get what I could though, with a cloth." I blushed. He was polite when it came to stuff like this. I was surprised.
"Do you think you can get up now?" He asked. I shook my head. I still felt gross inside. I was worried I might throw up again. "Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to try." He said. "I'll help you." I pushed myself as far up as I could, then he took over and with an arm around my back, he pushed me up to a sitting position. Pain shot up through my arms and stomach, but I had to try. Jungkook said so.
"Now I'll help you stand up," Jungkook said. "We're going into the bathroom." I nodded and he scooted over to the edge of the bed, pulling me with him. I sat on the edge as he stood up. I remembered I wasn't wearing a shirt and immediately felt shy. I didn't like that he could still see me.
After the Tiger Gang, I was extremely timid. Jungkook grabbed my hands and pulled me up. I felt so weak. My legs wobbled upon standing, but I gained balance again, using Jungkook as support.
"We're gonna walk now, kay?" Jungkook said softly. I nodded. Mostly leaning against him, I moved one foot in front of the other, slowly making progress into the bathroom. We made it, and finally, I got to sit down next to the tub. Jungkook turned it on and grabbed my hand, leading it to the water. "Is this okay?" He asked. I shook my head. "Can you make it colder?" I asked. Jungkook nodded and hanged the water temperature. "Is this better?" He asked. I nodded. It was nice and cool. I didn't want to be freezing cold, but I didn't want anything warm.
"Okay. Rest for now, while I get the tub filled up." I nodded and laid down against the floor, closing my eyes. It felt so nice to be resting. I hoped the tub would fill up slowly.
What felt like ten seconds later, Jungkook shook me awake. "Taehyung, it's ready." I nodded
He helped me to stand up again. "I know you're not going to like this, but I'm going to help you undress. You're too weak to do it yourself." I shook my head wildly and backed up into the wall close by. I covered my chest protectively and kept shaking my head. "N-No I can d-do it." I said. I was too timid for this.
But Jungkook didn't give me a choice.
My legs wobbled and I almost fell, until Jungkook caught me. "I said you're too weak. If it makes you feel better, I will close my eyes. I promise you I will not look." He said. He pointed to the tub. "There are even bubbles to cover you once you're in. I promise." I looked over his shoulder at the tub. As he said, he added bubbles to it. There were mountains of bubbles, and they smelled good.
Slowly, hesitantly, I nodded. Jungkook shut his eyes and held up his hands. I guided them to the waistband of the pajamas I was wearing, and in one swift movement, he pulled them down, along with the boxers, and stood back up again. Eyes shut just as tightly as before. I gasped as the cold air wrapped around my legs and ass. Jungkook held out his arm to help me walk over to the tub. I grabbed his arm, walked along to the edge of the tub and carefully stepped over the edge. Once I was in and sitting down, I slid under the bubbles and sighed. "I-I'm okay now." I said. Jungkook opened his eyes and his gaze stayed on my face, not shifting once, even though there were already bubbles.
Jungkook grabbed a paper cup from his counter and used it to scoop up water and pour it over my hair. I shut my eyes, feeling the cool water over my face. It felt really good. Jungkook worked on my hair with the shampoo and just completely rinsing it. After a few minutes, he finished and threw the cup away. "I told you." He said softly. "I only want to help you." I looked into his eyes, soft and warm. Completely different from the cold, dark ones I saw before, in the prison cell and in Jimin's hospital room.
"I'll leave you now. Call me when you want to get out." Jungkook said. He got up and began to walk away. "Wait, no!" I exclaimed. Jungkook stopped and turned around. "Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone." I said. Jungkook blinked. "I thought you would want me to leave. You know, because-"
"I don't want to be alone."
Jungkook's face softened again and he nodded. He walked over to the edge of the tub and sat down leaning against it so he'd be turned away from me. "Why are you being so nice?" I asked. Jungkook chuckled. "Ha, well, I told you. You're sick."
"No, it's not. You're doing more than anyone would for a sick person. It's just a fever."
"Just a fever? You passed out twice and you are barely strong enough to move. I might not let you go see Jimin until you can at least walk by yourself."
"See what I mean?" I asked. "I didn't think you would say or even think that. You're being nice. I'm a prisoner. Why are you being nice?"
"I can't just be rude to someone who can't-"
"You're a gang leader."
"Still-"
"I think it's for a different reason."
Jungkook sighed. "Will you stop that?" He said.
I shrugged. "Stop what?"
"You keep doing that."
"Doing what?"
"That-That thing." Jungkook said. "You're really perceptive. You're literally just reading my secrets off of me."
"So there's a secret to hide?" I asked. Jungkook groaned and pulled at his hair in frustration. "Stop it!" He said. I smiled, satisfied. "I just want to know why you're being so nice."
"I gave you a reason. Now stop asking."
"A reason, but not the reason. It's funny how a simple question annoys you so much." I said. Jungkook turned around, glaring at me.
"I asked you to stop. Stop it." I looked at him, expressionless. Jungkook turned back around and tucked his knees into his arms and rested his head against them. "Would you like it if I asked you questions like that?" He asked. I blinked. "What question would you have for me? I am a boring, uninteresting hostage."
"How did you get all those scars? You know, if what the Tiger gang did to you had hardly anything to do with pain."
I widened my eyes. "You promised you wouldn't look!"
"And I didn't. When you first passed out and I took your shirt off, I noticed. Now I'm curious. Do you want to answer my question?"
"That's none of your business," I said. I could almost feel Jungkook roll his eyes. "I told you." He said. I folded my arms and scowled at the bubbles. Then an idea sparked in my head. Revenge is sweet. I thought, smirking evilly. I grabbed a handful of the bubbles and without thinking about the consequences, plopped them on top of Jungkook's head.
Jungkook stiffened, and I realized how stupid it was. He slowly turned around, anger clearly evident. He had a deep glare on his face.
And bubbles on his forehead. All I could focus on were the bubbles, and I couldn't help it. I started laughing. He looked so funny, and I couldn't take him seriously. I almost forgot I was naked and he was a gang leader. He could do anything at that moment.
Except, as soon as I started laughing, his face softened. He raised a hand, wiped the bubbles off of himself, and brushed them across my face. I felt around my face and laughed at the beard he gave me. I wiped it off and this time, I grabbed a bigger handful of bubbles and threw them at Jungkook. He dodged and the bubbles landed on the wall behind him, but he didn't get mad. Instead, a smile found its way onto his face.
I stopped laughing for a moment and stared. His smile made him look like a bunny. I didn't hate the leader, but I didn't like him. When he smiled though, I had to admit, it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. "What?" He asked.
I realized I was silent and staring for too long, and blinked. "Nothing," I said. Jungkook's smile disappeared as he crawled back over to his spot and sat facing the wall again. I just sunk deeper into the tub and made sure I was completely covered in the bubbles.
"I know it really isn't my business, but how did you get all those scars?" Jungkook asked. I felt my face heat up. "I did say they sometimes involve pain," I said. Jungkook shook his head.
"That doesn't look like sometimes to me." He said. I shrugged. "I got used to it. All I cared about was escaping the eyes of everyone and hiding, so pain didn't matter." I watched as Jungkook stiffened, and wondered what he was thinking. Oh, the world would be so much easier if I knew what he was thinking. He was a confusing person.
"Now that I answered your question..." I said. "You should-"
"Answer yours? Forget it."
"But you already did."
"No, I didn't."
"So you're admitting that my being sick is not the reason you're being nice?" I asked. Jungkook turned around. "Hey, stop."
"I don't see what the big deal is, I just wanna-"
"The big deal? This is a big deal." Jungkook said. "I'm the leader of a gang. I don't care about anyone. I can't care about anyone. I'm not supposed to be nice. Hell, I wasn't even this nice to Jimin, and he got shot in the leg, then fucking poisoned himself." Jungkook raised his voice in the end. I winced. "So... " I began, choosing whether or not I should say my next words. "You admit that I am different to you than others are?"
Jungkook frowned. Then grabbed at his hair again, annoyed. "What are you doing to me!?" He asked sternly, then got up and headed to the sink. I watched as he turned on the faucet and splashed his face. "I guess I'm ready to get out," I said. I knew if I kept annoying Jungkook, he would leave, and I really didn't want to be alone. Jungkook nodded. "Okay." He said. He grabbed a towel off the counter and brought it over to me.
"Do you need help getting dressed?" Jungkook asked, holding the towel up and closing his eyes. I thought about it. I really was still weak, but I didn't like the idea. I hated it. I was still too timid.
If I can't get out of the tub without a single problem, then I will accept his help. I thought. I stepped out with one foot and placed it on the ground, followed by the other. My legs wobbled and I almost fell, but I caught myself. I pressed my back to the towel and grabbed both edges of it from Jungkook, then wrapped myself in it. "No," I said. "I can do it by myself." All I had to do was get used to how the pain that shot through my body after every movement I made with my sore muscles. Easy peasy.
"Are you sure?" Jungkook asked. "Yes," I said. "Now get out."
"Don't order me around. I'm going."
I smiled with satisfaction and waited for Jungkook to bring me a new set of clothing. When I got them, I put them on and to be honest, they were extremely comfy. An oversized white T-shirt and sweatpants that I had to bunch up at the waist if I didn't want them to fall. Being a prisoner who starved himself and was also unconscious for who knows how long, I was unhealthily skinny.
I walked out of the bathroom after setting the towel in a hamper next to the door. Jungkook laughed at how big the clothes were on me. "Since you seem comfortable enough to walk or change clothes, do you think you can visit Jimin?" He asked. I pursed my lips. "How long did you say I was out for?"
"About a day and a half."
I widened my eyes. "Then let's go! I have to check on him. We'll be extremely lucky if the poison didn't start working yet." I said. Jungkook squinted at me before deciding to take me and ten minutes later, we were in Jimin's room.
I walked to the monitors beside Jimin's bed. "He wouldn't wake up, last time I visited," Jungkook said.
"Which was?"
"This morning."
I shook my head. "He is okay for now, but fading quickly. His vital signs are showing that his heart's pumping and he is breathing normally, but he's sicker than I am and needs a little attention before we leave him." I said. "I need to have his bandage replaced, but I can't do it or my disease will spread to him."
Jungkook nodded and walked swiftly to my side, leaning over the hospital bed. "What do I need to do?" He asked, seriousness in his voice. "I'll walk you through it," I said. I walked to the cabinet at the side of the room and grabbed everything Jungkook would need. I grabbed a pair of gloves myself and put them on before getting the rest of it and bringing it to Jungkook. "Roll up his hospital gown till you find the bandages already there," I said. Jungkook obeyed.
"Now put these gloves on and tear the bandage off, then hand it to me." Jungkook did exactly what I said and once he handed me the old bandage, I examined it. "Bleeding has decreased a lot. I say he won't need new ones quite as often now. Take the rag and get rid of the excess blood." I ordered, throwing the bandage away.
For the next five minutes, Jungkook listened to exactly what I told him to do. Halfway through it, my head started pounding and Jungkook made me sit down in the chair. When he was finished working with Jimin's leg, I told him not to dress the wound. I needed to take a look at it. I scooted my chair closer to the bed and squinted my eyes. Nothing really interesting was going on. The blood wasn't coming out anymore, which was good.
I got up and walked to the cabinet. I grabbed a syringe and headed back to my seat, explaining my plan. "I'm going to take a blood sample. I don't know how long Suga is going to take, but if he doesn't return tomorrow, Jimin is going to need something to keep him alive, if it's possible."
"If it's possible?"
"Yeah. I dunno how bad the poison is. Suga said he took the patch off of Jimin's wound about halfway through its job. I don't know if there is anything I can do. It depends on how much poison is in his system. Once I do get the Himir though, I can make a poultice that will flush it out of his completely." I placed the syringe needle over Jimin's leg, looking for the spot where I could collect the most blood.
HOLY SHIZZLECRISQUITS THIS ENDED UP BEING 3199 WORDS HOLY- WELP, I SAID TRIPLE UPDATE AND THIS WAS THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THE DOC I CAN'T CHANGE IT NOW- when I say that, I mean that I'm already WAY ahead of this chapter. This one ends on page 49 in google docs, but like, I've already written almost 128 pages. ILY THANKS FOR READING MY SHIT!