VxBTS-Voices

Part 43

"You're where?"

"I'm at Yoongi's," he had calmed slightly, after sitting down and taking a few small sips of water.

"You're joking, right?"

"No Jimin, I'm not joking. What did you need?"

Taehyung heard Jimin sigh on the other line, and he shrunk in his seat, "I was just calling to ask how your morning was. I was also going to ask if you wanted to grab lunch with me in a bit."

"I would like that."

"Are you sure? We don't have to my love, you're probably really stressed right now, and I don't know if going to eat in public would be the best idea."

"We can eat at yours?"

"Sounds good." Jimin quieted for a second, "Are you okay? Is he hurting you?"

"I'm not...okay. But I'm fine? Like physically."

"That's good. Want me to pick you up in a bit?"

"I'll text you."

"Of course. See you in a bit munchkin."

"Love you, dork."

"Love you more."

Yoongi coughed into his hand a bit, still shifting uncomfortably, "You um...you going to see Jimin?"

"Jimin's going to pick me up for lunch. Not that it's any of your business."

"Right, s-sorry."

"Yoongi. I...don't want to be here. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to even look at you."

Yoongi looked down at his hands for a second, "Then why are you here?"

"Because you asked me to be. Because I gave the others a chance."

"That's stupid, no offense. I fucked up real bad, fair or not, I don't deserve a second chance."

Taehyung shrugged, "Then think of it as me paying you back. For giving me a place to live for a while."

"That's not....something I want payment for. Of any kind. I let you stay here for free because you were a homeless kid without anyone to care for you. I let you keep staying with me for free because I love-" Yoongi paused, almost not noticeable, "-loved you, and I wasn't about to let you struggle."

Taehyung sniffed, and brought a hand up to play with the necklace hidden under his shirt, "You're um...going to therapy now? Anger management?"

"Yeah. Guy's kind of a dick, though."

"Oh?"

"Condescending. To say the least. But that's...not important."

"You should um...try to keep going still. It helps a lot of people."

Taehyung stood back up, and took another quick look around the house, "And you should care about your body, you know...your lungs and liver specifically."

"I don't smoke or drink, if that's what you're implying."

"You do. You've got an ash tray outside and inside. Bottles and cans overflowing in the recycling. I don't want to tell you how to live, Yoongi. And I don't particularly care right now, about you. But that stuff is permanent."

He cleared his throat and opened the front door, "Just-just think about it, please."

-

Jimin handed him a spoon with a frown, "You walked half a mile before you texted me."

"I did."

"You didn't tell me you were even going to his."

"I didn't."

"You almost got yourself killed in a car accident, Taehyung. What the hell?"

Taehyung shakily breathed in, "He's smoking, and drinking."

"Oh. Baby-"

"He-he didn't smell like it though. That's good. That's good."

Jimin grabbed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile, "He may be an idiot, but he's a self absorbed one. He cares too much about himself to permanently damage himself."

"He um...he never said he was sorry. Just that he felt guilty."

"It's something though, right? I'll be honest, I didn't think he would even reach out."

Taehyung bit his lip, knee bouncing up and down quickly, "He was smoking. And drinking. I don't-I thought he-"

"He's a different guy, my love. I also don't think he ever though that you'd be around to see it. He didn't think you'd find out."

"I told him-I told him what happened and he-"

Jimin sighed, pulling Taehyung pretty much into his lap. He didn't say anything, he let Taehyung curl into him and squeeze as hard as he could.

"They died and I told him-"

Jimin shushed him, and pulled him closer, "It's okay baby, it's okay. Yoongi's still here. He's not going anywhere."

"B-but-"

"He's responsible. He won't get into the drivers seat drunk."

Eventually, Jimin had to pry Taehyung's hands off of his, his own becoming almost numb.

"How ahout that lunch?" Jimin asked quietly, "It's getting cold."

Taehyung took a deep breath, "Yeah. Lunch."

While they ate, Jimin often looked over to make sure he was alright. Taehyung didn't like to talk about what happened before he was placed in a foster home. But he told them once.

He told them about how even though his mother drank, and she drank a lot, she was loving. Even though his father smoked, and went out to parties a lot, he was wonderful.

He told them about how he survived the crash and his mother didn't.

He told them about how his father died of lung cancer. He said he didn't remember much about his dad, other then going to visit him the last few months he could.

He told them that he loved his parents, even if they weren't the best out there.

"Jimin?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss them."

"I know baby, I know."

Taehyung sighed, sinking down in his seat, "I don't understand. How people can just do that to themselves. Its very common knowledge that it kills. I dont get it, how could you do that to yourself?"

Jimin shrugged, "Coping mechanism? I used to smoke."

"You were a fucking idiot."

"Mhm. I only stopped because of Jungkook, he didn't like it either. Thought it smelled gross. The kid wouldn't come near me unless I showered first, because he was scared I smelled like cigarettes."

Taehyung sighed heavily, "What should I do Jiminie?"

"I can't help you there. I'd like to tell you to tell Yoongi to fuck off and die. But I don't think you'd take that very well."

He pulled Jimin's arm hair lightly, "You're right I wouldn't. I just-does he not remember? Or does he not care?"

Jimin didn't answer, only pulled him closer.

It was enough, for now. Jimin's comfort was more than enough.

-

1058 words.