Free Will

Healing

When Jimin wakes up he decides he really needs to stop thinking he's died every time he passes out. It's starting to get really uncomfortable when he wakes up only to discover he's fine, and had been overreact to whatever had happened.

That being said, he still hurts.

Usually by the time Jimin wakes up from whatever had done him damage, he's completely healed. He doesn't have to worry about bedrest or taking it easy. This time it's different. He can feel the pain in his body, an inexplicably force that bears down on him in an unfamiliar way.

For the first time in Jimin's memory, he can feel the aftereffects of his injuries, and he really wishes he wasn't.

It seems like Taehyung really knows how to cause lasting damage. If he didn't have the ability to heal himself, he would've died moments after Taehyung stabbed him.

Jimin opens his mouth to call out to one of the other boys, but all that comes out is a rasping groan, barely loud enough to reach his own ears. For the first time since he woke up Jimin opens his eyes, only to see that his face is covered by a cloth. He spares just a moment to think about how clothes are usually used to cover the deceased before trying to pull the cloth off of him.

It takes Jimin far too long to work with the material, as his body is still weak from Tae's attack. Eventually he's able to tug it off, and after a moment to catch his breath, Jimin sits up.

The first thing he notices is that he's been moved to a tent. The second thing he notices is that he's completely alone. The third thing he notices is that there has been no attempt made to heal him.

Jimin wonders if the other men think he died when Taehyung unleashed his gift. It would make sense. Any normal human- or just any human would have. The only problem is that Jimin is not human.

If they do think he died, it would explain why they hid his face, why he's alone, and why they didn't try to help him. But if they think he died that means that he stopped breathing. He may not have passed on to the spirit realm, but Jimin had been close.

He scans the tent for food or water, hoping that some form of nourishment will either help him to heal faster or prove that the men hadn't given up on him. Unfortunately, the tent is completely empty. Jimin is alone, stranded in a portable house where no one knows he lives.

Jimin's heart jumps to his throat and he scrambles out of his cot. He cannot be stranded here. If Jimin was truly dead he would not care if they knew of it, but the idea of being alive without anyone's knowledge is too close to the truth for him to allow it.

He claws at the opening to the tent in an attempt to open, and after three tries he succeeds.

The first thing Jimin feels upon the tent door popping open, is the feeling of freezing air biting his skin. For just a moment the silver haired man hesitates in order to pull on some shoes and a winter jacket. Were he to just step outside, he probably would've frozen before he even reached he men.

Jimin steps outside, basking in the fresh, cold air of the far north. He hears a slight crunch under his feet, and realizes for the first time that he is surrounded by snow. Now that Jimin isn't trapped in that tiny tent, surrounded by discarded clothes and the scent of blood, he's able to clear his head. His urge to run to the men and tell them of his survival is not as strong as it had been, but he still knows he has to reach them.

Especially because the wind carries the sound of what may be Tae's crying to him. It's very possible that the younger man is crying. Partially because he's very emotional, and partially because he probably believes he just killed Jimin.

As Jimin rounds the tent he discovers that he was indeed right. Taehyung is crying heavily while Jin tries to wrap him up in blankets. Jungkook sits at his feet, offering the older man a mug. The others sit silently around the fire, there is not a single sound outside out Taehyung's loud cries. Jimin's heart wrenches. The pain his friends feels fills him up and tears him apart, piece by piece.

"Why are you letting Tae cry?" The words are out before he can stop them. They scrape his throat as they escape and rake through the air. For a moment they just hang there on the edge of a precipice. None of the men know how to react.

Later, Jimin will wish he had time to take in each and every one of the men's reactions. Later, Jimin will wish he'd payed closer attention to how different they'd all acted when feeling the same disbelief. But right now all Jimin can see his his friend's guilt ridden, tear stained face as he stares blankly, too many emotions for him to successfully express them.

He doesn't know if the others say anything, doesn't hear a word. In that moment Jimin recognizes nothing but Taehyung. He recognizes nothing but Taehyung flying up from where he sits and finally, finally, hugging Jimin.

For a moment they just stand there, wrapped in each others embrace. Then Taehyung pulls away.

"How?" He asks, the one word carrying more emotion than can be put into words.

Jimin leads the younger man back to the fire "My gift."

At his words Jimin notices that Jin's eyes narrow, but the elder says nothing so he doesn't acknowledge it. Instead Jimin helps Taehyung to sit down again and clings tightly to him. Jungkook passes him the mug he'd been offering to Tae, and when he gets the younger to drink, he doesn't have to ask why Jungkook mouths a soft 'thank you' to him.

Finally the silence is broken as Hoseok speaks. "Your... gift?"

"Healing."

Yoongi snorts. "Sounds useful."

In the moment that the grumpy man utters those words, Jimin freezes. His hand stills on where he'd been petting Taehyung hair to help the younger relax. Every muscle in his body is tense as he stares the men down, terror obvious in his eyes.

The fire user narrows his eyes at Jimin. "Useful for you, not to have to worry about injury, I mean. Cause there's no use in it for other people, right?"

Yoongi isn't subtle, but Jimin finds he doesn't want it to be. "I've known people... friends... They used my gift to gain pity, or to use me as bait." He hesitates but continues. "And before that- before that I was a slave, and my gift was quite desirable."

Yoongi's eyes widen just as Jin's narrow once again. He lets out a string of colorful curses that make the others blush. "You're sticking with us. We're not gonna let people use your gift against you."

Namjoon nods in assent and passes his water skin to Jimin. "We'll be here kid. For as long as you want us, we'll be here."