Taehyung didn't forget the conversation they had that lunch break, but he never asked more about it either. There were a few things from that conversation that Taehyung had wanted to know though. One of them being who Jungkook really was.
Jungkook had said him something about Taehyung not knowing who he really was and it had sparked Taehyung's curiosity ever since. Who was his cell mate and why did he laugh about the fact that Taehyung didn't know him? Taehyung had no idea how but he wanted to find out who he was actually sharing a cell with. He decided to let it rest for now but one day he would find out.
Another thing that had sparked his curiosity was the fact that Jungkook had told him that he wouldn't be here for much longer. He had no idea what the younger had meant by that. Was he getting released? Was he getting transferred? Was he trying to kill himself? What was is that the younger had in mind and that Taehyung couldn't wrap his head around. Of course he was also shocked by all the things Jungkook had done to get in here but he wasn't surprised. The younger took hit after hit like it was nothing so his life outside of this prison had to be pretty bad too. A normal person could never do what Jungkook did.
With a soft sigh Taehyung had finished their laundry for that day. He folded and put away every piece by himself while Jungkook had just been looking at him with a huge smirk on his face the whole time. At dinner Jungkook once again shared his food with Taehyung, the blonde boy more than happy that he could eat something good for a second time that day. He was thankful Jungkook decided to share his food every time with him and if Taehyung could guess right it had something to do with the fact that Taehyung did Jungkook's job in the laundry. Ever since he started to do that Jungkook had started to share his food with him and Taehyung would keep doing what he did right now, not wanting to take the risk of losing the good food again. Good food was rare in the prison and he would do everything to keep it like it was now.
Dinner ended pretty soon and all of the inmates were instructed to get back to their cells for the evening routine again. All the men lined up outside their cells like they did every night, hands in front of them and heads down. Alle of them except Jungkook. Taehyung hated it with every bone is his body. He knew that it was coming every night, but he still hated it. It was something that Jungkook had to do, something that he wouldn't give up and Taehyung just had to deal with it every time he decided to do it. Little did he know that this time would be completely different than all the other beatings he had seen up until now.
"Everybody in formation!" The guard yelled and he started to walk passed all of them to see if they did as they were asked. Taehyung's heart started to beat faster and his breaths were becoming heavier with every step the guard set. Anxiety filled his veins once again and he closed his eyes, not ready for the beating Jungkook was going to recieve. He heard how the guard stepped in front of the two young boys and halted his step right in front of Jungkook.
"JEON! Why are you disobeying the routine once again?" The guard yelled at Jungkook. Taehyung shut his eyes from the heavy yelling in front of him and his muscles tensed up. If he could go back in his cell right now and wrap himself up inside his way too small blanket he would. Jungkook never gave the guard an answer and it was clear that it pissed the man off even more.
"I'm so fucking done with this kid." The man grumbled low. "Maybe this will teach you that you should obey me Jeon!" The man yelled right in Jungkook's face. He grabbed Jungkook by his arm and shoved him forcefully in front of Taehyung. Taehyung had slowly opened his eyes to get a glimpse of all the commotion going on but he wished he had kept them closed.
"OFFICER LEE, CAN I GET SOME HELP OVER HERE!?" The guard yelled at his colleague that was probably one floor below them. Taehyung heard how the the other man finished up his rounds below them and with quick steps he jogged up the stairs and walked over to the guard and Jungkook.
"Jeon again?" The man Taehyung now knew as officer Lee asked and the other guard gave him a quick nod.
"We need to teach him what listening exactly is 'cause Jeon here has clearly never heard of it." The guard laughed and he gave Jungkook a harsh push forward so he collided against the bars of the railing.
"Let this be a lesson to all of you! This is what happens if you keep disobeying the rules!" Officer Lee yelled at the other inmates and with a harsh shove he brings Jungkook back in front of him. Without any warning the officers baton collided with Jungkook's ribcage at full force. With a huge smirk the other guard looked at them and grabbed his own baton, swinging it at full force at Jungkook's back. With a harsh push Jungkook collided with the bars once again, followed by two new hits aimed at his chest and his shoulders. The first few hits were easy for Jungkook, he could handle them but his body was still sore from the beating at the laundry earlier this week. Normally he would have been able to take the hits but he knew this time it was gonna be a challenge. One guard he could handle, but two was a whole different story.
Another swing of the baton hit him in his stomach and low grumbles started to come out of his mouth. He hated to show any form of weakness but he couldn't stop it, not this time. Another blow at his knees sent him straight to the ground, his legs giving out on him. His knees hit the ground, and another hit on his back forces Jungkook to put his hands on the ground in front of him so he wouldn't fall over. Jungkook now on his hands and knees on the ground grumbles softly from the repeating blows that keep hitting his body.
"Look at me Jeon, I wanna see the misery on your face." The guard laughs at Jungkook and he gives Jungkook a hard slap across his face. Jungkook's head snaps to the left, making him look at Taehyung's knees in an instant. He slowly lifted his eyes, meeting Taehyung's fearful ones. The blonde boy was shaking all over the place while he tried to keep in position. Jungkook could see that Taehyung was on the verge of crying but he had his own problems right now. Another blow in his face snapped his head back to the front, breaking his eye contact with Taehyung. Two more hits against his ribcage were enough to sent Jungkook now fully to the ground. His knees and arms had given up on him and his body felt like it had been run over by a truck. This didn't stop the hits though, Jungkook didn't know how many more hits he got but he knew that it had to be at least ten. His whole upper body was in pain, his breathing heavy and his eyes were struggling to stay open. He wasn't gonna pass out though, no Jeon Jungkook was not gonna pass out. He would not let them win.
Both guards started to laugh at Jungkook and before he knew it he was thrown inside his cell with a lot of force. He heard how all the other cells were also being closed and he tried to get up. The ground was hard and cold and it didn't help at all with his sore body. He felt how a rush of wind walked passed his head and a soft hand was placed on his back. Jungkook immediately flinched away from the hand and tried to sit up a second time, falling miserably again.
"Jungkook let me help you." Taehyung's soft voice whispered from above him. Jungkook gave him a soft grumble of disapproval and tried a third time to sit up by himself.
"Jungkook please, you need my help. If you want it or not." Taehyung's voice spoke again.
"I..don't...need...your...fucking...help...." Jungkook struggled to say but again his arms couldn't hold him up and he fell back on the floor.
"You clearly do need my help, don't be an idiot and let me help you." Taehyung said now with a little more force. He wasn't afraid of him right now. There wasn't much Jungkook could do to him in his current state so he had no reason to be afraid of him at this moment.
Taehyung softly wrapped his arms around Jungkook's shoulders and helped him up into a sitting position. Soft grumbles of pain left Jungkook's mouth but that didn't stop Taehyung from lifting the younger up and sitting him down on the edge of the mattress. He felt how Jungkook tried to push him away but Taehyung didn't give him any room to do so.
"Jungkook please, I can help you. I was a nursing student before I got in here, let me help you." Taehyung pleaded with the boy in front of him. It was more than clear that Jungkook was in pain and the sweet and caring boy Taehyung was wanted to help him all he could. It was just how Taehyung was, always helping people who needed it.
Taehyung felt how Jungkook stopped his soft struggles and the two of them gave each other a quick look. With a soft sigh Jungkook admits his defeat and he gives Taehyung a soft nod, approving the blonde boy that he was allowed to help him. Jungkook knew he needed help right now and clearly Taehyung was the only person who could offer him that help at the moment. Taehyung's eyes light up at the little nod Jungkook just gave him and his eyes dart through to the room to find something he can help the younger with. His brain now in full nursing modus fell on his own blanket and the cold water from the toilet and before he could fully register what he was doing he had already drenched his blanket in the cold water from the toilet.
"Put your hands above your head, we need to get rid of your shirt and cool the bruises. That way they won't be as bad tomorrow. They will still be bad, but not as bad as they could have been." Taehyung rambled and with great care he removed Jungkook's shirt. Bruises were already forming on his whole upper body, covering the ones that were already there from previous beating. He couldn't ignore the fact that Jungkook's body looked really pretty. Heavy muscles lined his whole upper body and the light tan complemented them all in the most perfect way. Taehyung shook his head a little, trying to focus back on the task at hand. That wasn't the only thing that Taehyung noticed though. Jungkook's body was littered in scars and old wounds. Whatever this boy did outside of this prison, it wasn't good. Taehyung softly pushed the cold wet cloth against Jungkook's chest, earning him a disapproving grumble from the boy in front of him.
"I'm sorry, I need to add a little-...." Taehyung started but got cut off by Jungkook mid sentence.
"Just do it, don't think. Do what you have to do for fucks sake!" Jungkook ordered him while he shuts his eyes. With a soft sigh Taehyung got on with cooling the bruises one by one. Being as carefully as he could be. He didn't wanna hurt the younger, but he also knew that he had no choice if he wanted to help him. Everytime he added or released pressure on one of the bruises Jungkook would grumble in discomfort but he never told him to stop. He let Taehyung do what he had to do and soon he did indeed feel the soreness decreasing a little bit. It still hurt like a bitch, but the coolness of the blanket was a nice touch to the warmth of the bruises. Jungkook didn't know for how long Taehyung kept cooling his bruises but he knew he hated it as soon as he stopped with it.
"Please try to avoid any beatings for the following week. Your body can't take them anymore Jungkook." Taehyung pleaded with him while he threw the wet towel in a corner of their cell. "I can't help you properly in here and you're gonna need more than just a wet blanket if you keep this up."
Jungkook didn't answer him, he knew Taehyung was right but he would never tell him that he was. Jungkook saw how Taehyung started to climb up into his own bed but with a quick snatch of his arm he had grabbed the blonde boys wrist. The sudden movement hurt him way more than he wanted to let on but he knew Taehyung couldn't be fooled.
"Stay, you don't have a blanket anymore. It's gonna freeze tonight. It's the least I can do for you right now." Jungkook mumbled almost inaudible. He saw how Taehyung's eyes grew big and for a second he saw doubt in them. Without giving Taehyung a chance to think Jungkook started to lie down, keeping a firm hold on Taehyung's wrist.
"Come on, I won't bite Tae. We both need the warmth tonight." Jungkook said while he turned on his side. With great hesitation Taehyung climbed inside the way too small bed beside Jungkook. Both boys now laying face to face with a way too small blanket wrapped around them. Taehyung didn't know how he got himself in this position but he was way too scared to get out of it now. Jungkook was still holding his wrist in a tight grip and had already closed his eyes. It wasn't much later that Jungkook had fallen into a peaceful slumber and Taehyung was still awake. He couldn't ignore that the younger looked way less scary when he was asleep and he even found the boy almost cute. He also couldn't ignore that the younger had called him Tae for the first time since he had been here. Jungkook had always called him Kid or Cinderella but never by his own name. He didn't know why Jungkook did it though, but he liked it. A soft smile crept on Taehyung's face and it didn't take him much longer to fall in a peaceful slumber beside Jungkook.
He could only hope that the next day Jungkook wouldn't regret his offer of sharing his bed.