Thicker Than Blood

Ch.4-Rivals

RM had pushed me to the ground and thrown his body on top of mine as the sound of gunshots echoed from somewhere in the mansion. His actions indicated to me that those sounds weren't normal, even in a house full of gangsters. My eyes were squeezed shut and my hands trembled as they gripped the fabric of his shirt.

There was a pause in shots and RM grabbed my shoulders tightly pulling me up into a kneeling position. His eyes stared into mine with determination. "get under the bed and do not move, or make a sound, you can breathe quietly and that's it. Stay put until me or one of the boys you've met comes to get you. If someone else finds you. scream. As loud as you can. Understand?" He spoke quickly, but his words were clear, calm, and full of authority.

My heart raced against my rib cage. "I-I" my mouth stuttered trying to find words.

"Charlotte", his grip on my shoulders tightened, "do you understand?"

I nodded. "yes"

He helped me crawl under the bed, it was a tight fit but I pressed myself as far back, against the side that was touching the wall, as I could. He adjusted the bed skirt leaving me in the dark. The sound of his footsteps faded away. I thought I got scared every time he walked into a room, but now that he's just left I'm more worried then I've been. I tried to keep my breaths as quiet as possible but they sounded like hurricane force winds to my terrified ears.

I counted the seconds trying to slow my pulse.

one Mississippi

two Mississippi

three missi- bang bang 

I jumped, closing my eyes and continuing to count. Not knowing what was happening made everything so much worse. I prayed RM or Jimin- hell I'd even take Jungkook - would come to get me soon and tell me everything was fine.

***

I gave up somewhere around four hundred. My panic had subsided into boredom. At this point I wasn't even scared, I just wanted to know what in the world was happening out there. Several times I contemplated going downstairs and seeing for myself. But ultimately I was too afraid of what I might find. Images of walking in on a room of bleeding bodies crossed my mind. What if something had happened to them and that's why they haven't returned for me yet?

Would I be sad if my recently acquired criminal acquaintances where hurt? The pang in my chest answered that question. It's only because I'm a nice person, I told myself, anyone would be sad if they witnessed a death no matter who it was. 

My thoughts were cut off by the sound of the bedroom door slowly creaking open. Heavy footsteps ambled into the room. I held my breathe when they stopped next to the bed. Wouldn't the boys have said something when they came in, like 'aye, it's me' or 'you can come out now'? 

The bed-skirt was pulled up and hands reached out to grab me. I was yanked up off the ground into a standing position. The face looking down at me was unfamiliar. Remembering RM"s instructions, I screamed. The horrible sound that came from my mouth could have won an Oscar in a horror movie, it could have shattered glass, and I'm pretty sure it did shatter the eardrums of the man who was gripping my biceps.

"what the hell?!" his hands immediately left my skin and went to cover his ears.

I seized the opportunity to run, but first I kicked him in the shin making him drop to his knees. I hobbled out the door, trying to avoid the pain that still came from my sprained left ankle. I turned around to see if I was being chased, my body collided with a solid surface and I fell back onto my butt.

When I looked up J-Hope was staring down at me with a concerned look. Then his eyes moved to the man on his knees behind me and he smiled. "so, Suga" he sounded amused, "I see you met, Lottie"

***

I pulled the blanket higher up over my body. After refusing to tell me what happened while I was hiding, J-Hope had let me shower and been so kind as to give me one of his T-shirts and pair of sweatpants. It's amazing how much just being clean can relax you. Everything was fine up until Jin took me into the living room to watch a movie and ice my ankle, per V's orders. Suga had been there as well and he was sat across from me staring with an intensity that made me extremely self-conscious. 

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "can I help you?" I asked.

Jin gave me a look as if to say 'don't'.

Suga blinked and ran his tongue over the inside of his cheek. "you said you were adopted?"

"Yeah," I sighed. Here we go again.

"did you... have any siblings?" he leaned forward.

I blinked. Nobody had ever asked that before. "uh, no. Not that I know of"

"Suga, leave it" now he was the one getting the warning from Jin.

Suga disregarded his friend, "you're sure?" he tilted his head, "no sisters?"

"no, my parents would have gotten that information from the agency and they would have told me" I frowned. "are you asking this because I look like that girl Mania?" The two boys looked at each other with an unreadable expression. They want to ask me a million questions, but no one wants to answer any of mine. "if I'm stuck here shouldn't I at least get to know what's going on?" Neither of them opened their mouths, Jin looked down at the ground. "Who is she? What did she do?" I was getting more frustrated by their refusing to speak. "what could someone do that is so bad not only do you guys want to kill her, but you can't even tell me? What?! Did she knock you out and steal your kidney? or kill someone?" I threw my arms up. 

Suga was on me, pinning me to the back of the couch with a hand on either side of my head and his face so close our breaths mingled. His eyes were like staring into two endless black holes. "you don't have the right to know anything".

I sat there, stunned and wide-eyed as he stormed off. 

After a few seconds of silence I spoke, "great, now two people in this house hate me"

Jin sighed. "he doesn't hate you. And please don't hate him" I met his eyes, behind that neutral mask he always wears he looked sad, "he's been through more than most people could handle"

"I just want answers" I whispered. "I'm tired of being scared. I'm tired of being threatened. My ankle hurts. And I'm just plain tired" without my permission, emotions overwhelmed me and wet tears rolled down my cheeks.

"oh no, come here, dear", I was shocked when Jin took me into his arms and thumbed my tears away. "I'm not going to lie and say it will get easier" he spoke softly, "to be honest with you, it's only going to get harder" my face was buried in his neck and his hand rubbed my back in soothing circles, a lot like how my mom would when I was younger. "people are capable of surviving much more than seems possible, you just have to hold on to whatever gives you strength" 

"what if nothing gives me strength?" I sniffled.

"then you'd be dead already" he replied. "everyone has something. A loved one, a passion, a goal they won't stop until they've achieved." 

"what's your strength, Jin?"

He hummed and thought it over. "my need to make sure these boys stay safe...and sane"

I smiled a little and then pulled back so I could look at his face, "isn't that RM's job? Isn't it the leader who is supposed to look after all the members?"

His lips tilted up ever so slightly at the corners, "yes, but then who will look after him?" 

Jin's words made me feel better. He now seems like a different person from when I first met him in the basement. I couldn't help but wonder, if I was here long enough would all the boys surprise me like that? And would that actually be a good thing, seeing as I'm leaving as soon as I can?




{A/N}

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