Engima | bts mafia au

15.

Everything is overwhelmingly bright, the kind of sudden brightness that contorts one's whole face at the harsh sting it brings. Taehyung's eyes remain shut as his brain processes the light from beyond his closed eyelids. As he finally opens his eyes, his hand instinctively raises to block the source of light.

"Be careful stretching that side of your body. You had a bullet in you, you know."

Jimin's gentle voice accompanies the sound of medical instruments clinking against one another. Taehyung's brows are furrowed as he examines the room he's in.

"Where are we?" The answer is displayed in the various posters, notices and items in the room. Jimin sets down a small container of cotton swabs and moves along the counter to tinker with a Kleenex box.

"A hospital, Tae." The gruff scoff that comes from Taehyung resonates in the empty room. He knows full well they're in a hospital room. Jimin's eyes glint playfully and he takes a seat by Taehyung's bed. The room is vacant aside from the two men, the short breaths of the younger, and the curious tinkering of the older. "Jungkook came to see you."

"Oh." The simple expression was all Taehyung could manage to say with the amount of emotion running through his veins. The initial gratitude fades slowly into surprise. How could Jungkook even face Taehyung after what he did? That string of thought lights a flame of anger that boils his blood. The anger isn't directed at Jungkook, but at himself.

"He's upset."

"Well, no shit. He could've fucking died."

"Hongjoong is crazy, but I doubt he's that crazy." The younger holds his tongue. There was no doubt Hongjoong wasn't in his right mind, but that is exactly what leads Taehyung to believe he could have killed Jungkook. "Why did you do it, Tae?"

Jimin's question is loaded. So many reasons, excuses, and factors flood into Taehyung's brain. Once again, he was a tiger forced back into his cage: no real way out aside from force. Maybe that's the reason behind what I did. No way out. No one would believe him if he said he was lured into a trap. Thankfully, he didn't need to articulate a response because the door to his room opened.

Taehyung's gaze locks on the figure in the doorway. The figure seems to have second thoughts about opening the door as he shifts his weight to his back leg, wanting to leave.

"...Jungkook," Taehyung mumbles, his eyes darting between Jimin and the youngest. "Wh... are you okay?"

Jungkook stays rooted in his spot as his eyes search around the room. They meet Jimin's, silently begging for support, not knowing what he should do. The older gives him a small nod of encouragement and Jungkook shuffles his way to the bed.

"I'm fine. I'm okay. Thanks to you."

Thanks? Taehyung struggles to formulate a response as the younger crosses the room, standing by the corner of the foot of the bed. "Thanks...?"

"I shouldn't be saying thank you. You got us into this mess, but I'll give credit where credit is due. You saved me." Taehyung moves his feet away from Jungkook, allowing the younger to sit at the end of his bed.

"I..."

"I'm not looking for an explanation yet. You need to heal. I need to... figure out what the hell is going on. And what drugs Hongjoong was on." He gives the older man a slight grin and Taehyung returns it.  The two sit in a heavy silence as Jimin fades into the background of their attention.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not looking for an apology, either."

"No. I know." Taehyung places his hand on top of Jungkook's. Jungkook's eyes hesitate, finding the blank wall behind the bed far more interesting than Taehyung's gaze. "I'm sorry about your parents. I'm sorry about you getting dragged into this. I'm... sorry for hurting you."

Jungkook's breath catches high in his throat in that moment. He tries to cough it away but the tears are too fast. Taehyung finally allows himself to feel remorse for this boy and he holds his hand tighter. Without a sound, Jimin crosses the room with the box of Kleenex he was inspecting earlier.

The youngest lets out a light laugh when he sees it and thanks Jimin. "I'm... tired. I just want to go home. I just... want my parents."

"I know, Kook. I know." Taehyung takes another breath to say something more assuring but is cut off as the door once again opens.

Yoongi is the first to come through the door and beelines straight for Jimin. The pink haired male is happily whisked back away from the bed into the arms of his lover, leaning his back against Yoongi's chest with Yoongi's arms around him. Then Namjoon and Seokjin's faces are illuminated by the stark hospital lights.

As much as Taehyung wants to feel grateful to see everyone, the lump in his throat grows seven times its size.

"We aren't here to lecture you, Tae. We're here to take you home." Namjoon's voice is the smooth honey that eases Taehyung's throat and the man can swallow again. He searches each of his friends' faces with words and apologies threatening to spill from his lips. He can only manage two words.

"Where's Hoseok?"