Mercy - Taehyung (BTS)

Chapter 37

Taehyung's hands were cold, as cold as the ground on which I kneeled. His breathing was unsteady as he fought to control himself. The feeling of helplessness controlled me because I knew that there was no way I would be able to get him out of the cell unless I had the key; but by then I would have been too late.

"Why do my dreams continue to haunt me even when I am awake?" He forced out in a strained voice as if it took all of his energy to speak. "Why are you here?" He gripped on to my hand as if he was afraid of letting go and I caressed his cheek, saddened by how hopeless and afraid he looked. He no longer had the strength to pretend to be strong or ruthless and his look of despair coupled with loneliness broke my heart, which no longer belonged to me.

"Tae look at me." I whispered as I looked into his eyes. "I am here to help you and I promise you that I will get you out of here."

He let go of my hands and moved away from the bars, "No. I can't..." he sat on the floor with his face resting on his knees as he whispered more to himself than to me. "I can't leave."

"Tae. Please we need to get you home." I spoke desperately.

"I don't have a home." He spat out. "Everything has been a prison to me, even my own body." He sighed "I cannot leave. Not while I am a danger to you."

"You are not dangerous to me." I whispered loudly as I peered in to his eyes.

"You say that but yet I watched you lie dead in my arms." He choked out "If my life puts yours in danger, then I would rather have death." He walked closer to the barred door and he placed a hand on my shoulder "Please leave, go before any of the guards see you."

"No." I protested as anger began to overtake my thoughts. "I won't..."

"Your brother will be able to leave tomorrow, wait for him in the forest." he cut me off, as if he was in a rush to speak before he changed his mind. He pulled my hand through the bars and placed a chaste kiss on my hand "Eli!" He exclaimed as he held me as close as possible, holding me with despair as he refused to look in to my eyes. "I have hurt many people in my life, including you." he sighed as he moved his hand to wipe the tears from my eyes. "I deserve death but I want to die knowing that you are safe." He pleaded with me to leave him behind and yet that was the last thing I wanted.

"You said you want me to be safe but can you not see how much damage your death will cause." I whispered frightfully "Do you not see how much I care about you? Do you not see how much loosing you will ruin me? I promised you I would help you control your demon and I intend to keep that promise."

"You will only hurt for so long." He spoke as he tried to hide his emotions but I could tell by the pain in his darkened eyes that he wanted to live even if it seemed impossible.

"I only have so long." I spat out as I pulled away from him.

"What do you mean by that?" he stuttered and looked into my eyes. A look of horror painted his tear-stained face as he noticed that my eyes were not my own. "What did you do?" he yelled as he grabbed on to my shoulders, shaking me as what little sanity he had left disintegrated. I was the cause of half of his pain. He wanted to die knowing I was safe, yet he would die seeing me possessed by a demon; one of the very things which had destroyed his life.