Don't Come Inside • Jungkook

vii.

"We're just going to go there-"

"Right."

"-and tell him, you know, well, I'll tell him sorry," Namjoon continued, rambling as they stepped into the elevator. They normally didn't take elevators, as their manager had reminded them that stairs were a good workout, but they'd worked hard this past week (and honestly, Namjoon wasn't sure they'd make it all the way up if they took the stairs). "But just that we're thinking about him and want to know how he's doing and everything."

"Right," Jin repeated, less nervous than Namjoon about the whole thing because he didn't have anything to apologize for. Yoongi and Taehyung stood by silently, leaving Jin to calm Namjoon down because he was best at it. "And we aren't going to force him into doing anything he's not comfortable with," Jin reminded sternly, and Namjoon nodded twice in quick succession.

"Right," Namjoon said. "We won't pressure him. We're just going to talk-" Namjoon paused as the elevator's doors opened. "-and we'll-" He stopped again right outside the elevator to stare at what looked to be a bundle of clothing at the end of the hall. But then the bundle moved slightly, and Namjoon startled, stepping back against the wall and pressing a hand against his chest. "Um, excuse me?" Namjoon called out.

"Just leave him alone," Yoongi mumbled under his breath, and Taehyung frowned. "Jungkook's apartment is the last door on the left, let's just go there and leave this guy alone."

"You two are idiots," Jin hissed, pushing past them to kneel down beside the trembling figure. "Jungkook? Jungkook, it's me, Jin, are you okay?"

Namjoon's eyes widened and Yoongi opened his mouth, shocked, but neither of them said anything. Taehyung took a few steps closer but didn't want to crowd Jungkook and make it worse.

"Jin," Jungkook whispered, his eyes tearful as they peeked out from a scarf that had been wrapped around his face, and for once, Jin didn't bug him about dropping the hyung.

"Let's get you back to your apartment, okay," Jin said, helping Jungkook up and practically dragging him down to the correct room. Jungkook fumbled in his pockets before pulling out a key and disengaging the multiple locks, and then the door was open and Jin followed Jungkook inside.

Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung hovered by the door, not wanting to come in without being invited, but Jin was waving them in impatiently, so they entered. Jungkook immediately locked the door before turning around, his chest pumping from fear and adrenaline as he slowly began taking off all the bulky layers he was wearing.

"I thought you weren't leaving your apartment," Taehyung said, and Jungkook shook his head, finally down to a t-shirt and jeans as he walked toward the kitchen. The others followed, Taehyung hopping up on a counter and watching as Jungkook poured himself a glass of water with shaky hands, water lapping up the sides of the glass and spilling over the rim.

Jin gently took the glass from his hands and guided Jungkook into a chair, setting the glass down on the table before rifling through the cupboards and dropping a straw in so Jungkook could drink.

"I wasn't," Jungkook said after a moment, taking a few more sips of water and breathing to calm himself down. "But- I've been trying lately. To go outside. That's as far...that's as far as I've made it. I can't get in the elevator."

"But still," Jin said with a smile. "That's progress, Jungkook. You've been working really hard, that's great."

Jungkook bobbed his head before looking over at Namjoon and biting his lip.

"I'm sorry," Namjoon said once their eyes met, the words flying off his chest. "About me and Hoseok, what we did. Dragging you out of your apartment, trying to force you back out into the world. That was wrong."