Free // BTS AU //

Chapter Thirty Five

Hye returned with a black eye and a busted lip as she found the boys in the clearing, their evening fire nothing more than embers glowing warmly in the stone circle, alongside the moonlight it barely provided enough light for her to see through the one eye she could currently see out of.

She most definitely couldn't see when her face landed in the mud as she tripped over a sleeping body on the ground.

"What the-" A sleepy voice broke the eerie silence the field held this night. "Hye?" She felt her legs move as he sat up. Her arms trembled slightly with exhaustion as she pushed herself up and into a sitting position on the grass.

"Sorry, I couldn't see." She spoke softly. "Go back to sleep." Hye began to push herself up to move to an open area to try and get some sleep.

"Where have you been?" It took Hye a second to realise who she had tripped over, and for her right now, it couldn't have been anyone worse.

"I went for a walk, listen I'm really tired. We can talk about this tomorrow-" Hye began and Taehyung leaned forwards.

"Why are you bruised and beaten?" His voice was low, but there was no denying the bubbling anger flowing through his words. "Hye what happened?"

"I got into a fight. I gave worse than what I got." Hye froze when Taehyung's thumb gently brushed against her lip. The silence was painful around them and Hye didn't know what to do.

"We should wake up Yoongi, get him to help take the swelling down and start the healing process." Taehyung was bypassing the fact that Hye probably was still angry from earlier on in the day, too concerned about her to care about any anger which may suddenly explode on him. He had felt the split in the skin of her lip, and he could just about see her eye barely remaining open as it was swelling shut.

Hye shook her head. "I'll be fine for the few hours until he wakes up... Thank you though. You should get back to sleep though Taehyung, I'm sorry for waking you up." She smiled slightly. Taehyung sighed.

"Hye, please... Yoongi won't be upset about you waking him up." He began to reason with her. "I-"

"You what Taehyung?" The one remaining eye that she could see out of pierced his eyes. "I thought we established that you view me no differently than if I was to be sat in a castle, so don't pretend like you care-"

"I'm not pretending like I care." Taehyung began. "I care about you Hye, I know I may not have acted like it earlier. But I do genuinely care about you." He didn't back down from the eye contact she offered. "I am really sorry for how I spoke earlier-"

"I understand you're having a heart-to-heart but it's still the middle of the night. Can you guys go elsewhere to have this conversation?" A deep voice came from somebody who was half asleep by the fire. Taehyung peeled back his blanket and stood up, offering his hand out to Hye. Hye was exhausted after her day, but something was nagging her to take Taehyung's hand and continue this conversation.

Her fingers brushed against his palm before she took ahold of his hand and used the help he offered to get off the floor.

It wasn't long before they had managed to walk far away enough that they wouldn't disturb any of the boys that were trying to sleep. "I didn't mean to-" Taehyung began, his voice a little bit louder before Hye shook her head and parted her lips.

"I think I am the one who needs to apologise." Hye spoke quietly, her eyes unable to bring themselves to meet Taehyung's who stood in front of her under the moonlight, partially because she felt ashamed for storming off and upsetting him earlier and the other part of her knew that if she looked up at him and saw how the moonlight was highlighting his features and making him look truly ethereal before her that she probably wouldn't hesitate to kiss him again. "I shouldn't have blown up on you the way that I did..." Hye took a deep breath as Taehyung's hand rested on her shoulder, she raised her eyes, or rather the one eye she could see out of to look at Taehyung.

She was right. The moonlight had caught his features perfectly.

"Hye..." Taehyung whispered softly, his features were soft compared to when he had raised his voice earlier in the day. Hye shook her head and he closed his mouth to continue to let her speak.

"I shouldn't have told you that we needed to keep that kiss as a secret. It caused unnecessary tension between everyone and most of all unnecessary tension between us both." Hye winced as a small smile came to her lips. "It took me too long to realise it but I think I love you Taehyung."

Taehyung wished he had a chance to respond before pain coursed through his entire body.

"T... Taehyung?" Hye's voice wobbled with anxiety, she thought then that she shouldn't have said that last part. Her heart pounded in her chest until Taehyung dropped to his knees, clawing at his collar as he gasped for breath. Hye realised then that something else was the matter. "Taehyung?" Her eyes widened. Her eyes darted back to where they had come from the camp, realising that they may have walked a bit too far away. She dropped to her knee's in front of him and cupped the man's cheeks, his eyes wide with fear as he still ragged at his collar.

Her hands fumbled with the bottom of his shirt, soon pulling it off and over his head. Taehyung's hands then began to claw at the skin on his neck. Hye's eyes landed on the skin where Taehyung was clawing at the skin. She could almost throw up at the sound that was being produced, almost like the sound of skin burning.

"I... I don't know what to do-" She admitted, panicking herself now. The markings were fading slightly on the further points of the marking and leaving a scar tissue texture behind. Hye looked around hoping that magically one of the boys would appear and maybe have some knowledge on what to do, but no sign of anyone. Her eye, however, landed on the lake that was just past the denser trees. "Lean on me." She spoke with authority, groaning with effort as her muscles ached to pull Taehyung back onto his feet. His body slumped against her back as he panted through the pain. Hye began taking slow but steady steps to gauge how Taehyung was faring toward the lake.

Hye swore that the water began to steam when she half dragged Taehyung into the cooler water of the lake and a shaky sigh of relief left Taehyung's lips when he was submerged up to his shoulders. "I've got you..." Hye whispered comfortingly as she held him against her, stroking his hair out of his face. "Deep breaths Taehyung."

"I..." He gulped down air, tilting his head back as he did so. Hye almost cursed at the sight in front of her but reminded herself that this really wasn't the moment. "I love you too Hye." He looked back down at her, his arms wrapping around her as he finally felt his body relax. Hye's eyes widened at his confession, and her heart began pounding in her chest. "I love you too." He chuckled softly and pulled her close, an overwhelming amount of joy filling his entire being.

Hye's hand left Taehyung for a moment as she blinked, both her eyes opening on the last blink. "I- I can see?" She laughed softly.

"Well you managed to bring me back from death, so I'm not really surprised." His chuckle developed into a laugh, and both their eyes met again. Both felt their hearts beating against the ribcage and there was a silence that fell between them. Both of them now feeling the chill in their bones from the water surrounding them.

"Kiss me again..." Hye almost demanded in a whisper. Taehyung took no hesitation in connecting their lips, and the chill from the lake was soon forgotten.