Paradise in You | sope

paradise lost | three

tw // mentions of conversion therapy

"Yoongi, my poor, poor baby!"

As soon as Yoongi had stepped foot into his home, his mother had wrapped her arms around him fiercely, brushing her fingers over his head in a protective manner. Yoongi stayed perfectly still, letting his mother drag him into the house in that state, the door closing loudly behind him. After what seemed like forever, his mom sat him down in the living room, letting him go only a bit, before looking at his father, who wore a stern look on his face.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" his mother asked, cupping Yoongi's cheeks. "Do you need anything? You're not hurt, are you? Any place where it hurts?"

"I'm fine."

That didn't stop Yoongi's mother from checking Yoongi's face to ensure that he wasn't lying. She yelped as she saw Yoongi's bandages, rushing immediately to go get some ice and the first aid.

"We heard, Yoongi, that there's been an unwanted addition to the cross country team you are a captain of," his dad began, crossing his arms. "Can you tell us anything about that, son?"

Yoongi shook his head, trying his best to be as calm as possible. "Coach deemed it best for Hoseok to return. He wants to win state wide. As captain, I can't do anything but accept what the Coach says."

"But Yoongi, does your Coach not realize he's putting you and every other boy there in danger?" his mom asked, worry clear as day on her face. "You know we can't have you—anyone around that bad influence. Think of what that would do to our wonderful school!"

"Mom, it's out of my hands," Yoongi sighed. "I can't do anything about it. It is what it is."

His mother frowned. "There is always something that can be done. Did you all complain to the Coach?"

There was no point in lying.

"I supported the Coach's decision," Yoongi answered. "As my superior, I did not want to go against his rules. I told the other members of the team not to make a fuss about it either."

Yoongi's parents looked horrified at the statement, looking at Yoongi in shock.

"We've told you to stay away from that boy," she said, "And now you want him to stay on your team? Unbelievable! Yoongi, I thought you had learned better than this. I thought we taught you better than that. God teaches us to face our temptations, but that does not mean that you should be inviting temptation into you."

Yoongi could tell his mother was getting angrier by the second. His father only looked at him skeptically, clearly displeased that Yoongi was letting Hoseok remain on the team. He knew that his parents had a point. Hoseok and Yoongi had history. They used to be extremely close back in the day, and his parents from then on had decreed that Hoseok was a bad influence. They were just trying to protect him from the evil that they saw in Hoseok.

He understood their apprehension and worry. If he were in his parents' shoes, he wouldn't want himself subject to temptation as big as Hoseok. Hoseok was the black sheep of their little town, one that threatened anything that was considered normal. Yoongi doubted his parents knew Hoseok's sexuality for sure, but that still didn't mean that they should be trying to limit Hoseok's opportunities on the team.

It was only for a couple of practices. Once the season was officially over, Yoongi and Hoseok won't have to interact anymore. All his parents had to do was be patient with the Coach and the team. They had to trust Yoongi. Yoongi wouldn't let himself fall to temptation. He had God by his side. If anything arose, then he could pray to God, and God could help him see things clearer. Nothing has changed in Yoongi.