trouble ➳ bangtan boys

TEN

"V, you can tell me," I say softly and he sits on the edge of my bed as I stand beside my wardrobe. "I won't tell a soul."

"I can't." He whispers.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say. I should even be here, I'm sorry-" He rushes and stands, about to leave but I catch his wrist.

"Please stay." I say quietly and he nods slowly.

I lead him towards my bed and sit him down opposite me. I sit cross legged and look sadly into his eyes.

"I'm worried about you." I admit quietly.

"Don't be."

"I would be a bad friend if I wasn't."

"So we're friends now?" He asks, forcing a smile.

"Only if you want us to be."

He nods. "I'd like that."

I smile softly. He looks so tired, and the darkening bruise forming underneath his eye just adds to his ragged appearance.

"Is somebody hurting you?" I ask quietly and his smile disappears.

I immediately regret asking him the question; he looks too tired and upset to even talk.

"It's alright," I say before he even as the opportunity to respond. "You don't need to tell me."

He stays silent and for some reason, I have an overwhelming urge to just lean forward and hug him as tight as I can. I resist the urge and outstretch my arm instead, resting my hand over his.

"Everything will be fine." I whisper and he shakes his head.

He looks up at me, his eyes large and sad with his lips slightly parted.

"I don't know what to do, Violet."

"You can stay here, for as long as you need to." I tell him, not thinking through my words.

"I don't want to be a burden to you and your mother." He responds softly. 

"You're not a burden, V, I don't want you to get hurt again." 

"I'll only stay for a few days." He tells me and I nod slowly. 

"That's fine. You should get some rest, you look tired." 

He agrees and follows me to the spare room where he stayed not too long ago. He sits on the edge of the bed looking exhausted and I rest my hand onto his shoulder. 

"Good night, V." I whisper and he looks up at me again with the same emotion-filled eyes.

"Please stay with me." He pleads gently and my eyes widen but I nod nevertheless. 

I surprise myself by lifting up the cover and lying beside him. At first, there's a fair distance between us but he gradually moves closer until our hips are touching. 

He lies on his side so he's now facing me, his eyes shut and short breathes coming from his mouth. I whisper his name and when he doesn't respond, I know that he's asleep. 

I gently lift my arm and move my hand closer to his face. Before I can stop myself, I softly begin to trace my finger along his face, his soft skin feeling cold underneath my touch. I move it towards his bruise, barely scraping the surface of his skin as I examine it under the dim lighting. 

I wonder who's doing this to him. I hate the thought that this person is doing this to him consistently.

I finally fall tired and close my eyes, allowing the sleep to overwhelm me. 

...

My eyes slowly flutter open and immediately I'm shocked at the sight in front of me. I see V's eyes staring into my own, a small, content smile on his face. Memories of last night rush back and numerous emotions flow through me. 

"Morning." He whispers in his morning voice which is surprisingly deeper than his usual one. 

"What time is it?" I ask, sitting up and stretching. 

"It's early, your mum is still asleep so don't worry." He chuckles. 

"We have school today." I sigh. 

"We should take the day off." He grins and I shake my head.

"No way, Kim Taehyung, I am not ditching school to hang out with you. Come on, we'll need to leave soon so we're not late." 

He sighs. "Fine." 

I quickly change clothes inside my room when V's in the bathroom washing. I tie up my hair and add makeup before sorting my school bag. I leave my room and shut the door behind me, seeing V standing in the hallway with his messy hair brushed and his bruise impossibly more prominent.

"I don't want to go to school with this on my face." He points to his bruise and an idea clicks inside my hair. 

"You don't need to." I smirk and grab his hand before pulling him to my room. 

I reach for my makeup bag and pull out my lightest foundation. My skin is a lot darker than his so I'm surprised that it matches his tone when I gently press it to his skin. I use my brush to blend it in and luckily, the bruise becomes practically invisible. 

I grab my mirror and hold it up in front of his face. "Better?" 

"Wow," he chuckles. "It's like it's not even there." 

"Sorted. Come on, we need to leave now." 

To say people found it strange that Taehyung and I walked into school together would be an understatement. We received sceptical, confused, and even jealous glares. But we both ignored them all. 

I sit beside V in my first lesson with Mr Park, and also Eunki. She's already at the desk when I enter and she looks shocked when she lays eyes on us. 

"Why are you walking together?" She asks once I sit beside her.

I shrug. "We're friends." 

"You are?" She quirks an eyebrow. I nod and she chuckles in disbelief. "Okay, then." 

"I never thanked you." V says quietly into my ear so only I can hear him. 

"You don't need to thank me, V." 

"Yes I do," he grins. "Thank you. For everything."