Vipers in the Lake | BTS Gang x Reader

23. My Friend Death

Hoseok helped you over the fence as your anger grew and sweltered and pulsed. The men on the other side of the gate were all watching, gazes rapt, and some made no attempt to hide their laughter at all. Jin, at least, gave you the common decency of looking a bit pitiful.

"Wow, Y/n," Jungkook snickered beside Jimin, whose head was thrown back as he shook with the force of his amusement. "No need to show us all up here."

"Shut it," you hissed through gritted teeth, feet scrambling around beneath the swathes of your dress' fabric as they tried to find purchase on the thick rope. Your fingers trembled, knuckles white, as you gripped above your head with all your strength. Hoseok watched from below, occasionally giving instructions. You let out an extremely unattractive sound as you tensed your biceps, pulling your form upward.

"Good! Now just grab the top of the gate," Hoseok said, a smile evident in his tone. Footsteps from beneath told you he was ambling toward the other grappling rope, preparing for his own upward climb. Your hand slammed into the gate's warm metal. You looked beside you to see Hoseok shuffling upward with at least 5x as much speed as you had exhibited. 

"What," you groaned, muscles barking in protest. "What now? The top of the gate isn't thick enough for me to climb onto." To your left, Hoseok had already reached the top, and was sliding his legs over in preparation for the jump to the ground. 

"Pull yourself up," Namjoon commanded coolly from the back of the van. "As funny as I'm finding this, we probably have a little over a minute before more of your Father's men arrive. I don't know about you," he gave you a bored look from beneath lowered lashes, one eyebrow raised as your entire body shook with exertion, "but I'd quite like to be out of here by then."

"Okay," you wheezed, resignation and determination settling in. "Okay." 

Mustering up a short burst of energy, you simultaneously yanked upward on the gate as your leg slid upward, heels clanking off the gate's bars. Taehyung cheered on, Jungkook laughing quietly in the background, as you finally made it on top of the fence. You faced Hoseok, straddling the plank in the same way he did, and he shot you a quick grin before swiping his other leg over. 

He landed on the ground with grace of a large cat, landing feet first and immediately winding up the grappling hook. He tossed it into the back of the van and clambered in after it. 

The ground looked up at you, mocking. Maybe it was the height, or the adrenaline, but you could have sworn that the grass leered and morphed before your very eyes. Namjoon said your name, only once. A warning - of the time you had taken and the time you were losing.

Ever cheerful, Jimin swept his arms swept upward. "I'll catch you Y/n!" He laughed, adding a wink for good measure as he stepped forward. At the exact moment you threw caution to the wind and half-slid half-fell off the gate. 

Something soft cushioned your fall when you hit the ground, puffy layers of tulle flying up comically. 

You sighed, thankful to still be alive. Thankful for the softness of the grass. 

You didn't notice, not straight away, the way everyone broke down, clutching at their sides as they belly-laughed. Even Namjoon cracked up, shaking his head and bringing a palm over his mouth. 

Everyone was laughing. 

Everyone.

Except Jimin.

"Ow," a voice came from somewhere beneath you. Muffled. You watched in horror as hands came around the cloud of your dress and pushed downward. Jimin's face, partly furious, partly bashful, stared up at you from the ground. Your jaw dropped as something bubbled up in your chest. It was wild, untamed, and before long you were laughing along with the others, tears falling from the corners of your eyes.