Healer

Time

"Here you are again," Yoongi said, crouching beside Jimin. "Too noisy?"

"Mmh," Jimin sat back on his heels, closing his eyes and inhaling the smell of wet earth around him. A dull pain throbbed in the base of his neck and radiated from his ankles, but otherwise he was remarkably pain-free. His wet hair hung in his eyes, tickling his eyelids, but he didn't mind.

It felt beautiful.

"How's your throat?"

Jimin shrugged.

"Don't give me that," Yoongi grumbled, reaching out to tap Jimin's throat. "I thought we were past this?"

"We were," Jimin said softly.

"Then what happened?" Yoongi was suddenly alert. Jimin opened his eyes and saw him perking up, eyebrows meeting in the center of his forehead. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"No," Jimin lied, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm just... I don't know."

"Okay," Yoongi sat down, crossing his legs and leaning forward. "You know, you've been here for months now. Do you want to walk around, head down to the village?"

"Why?" Jimin asked, turning in surprise. "Wouldn't you be...?"

"I guess one of us would have to hang out with you," Yoongi said, shrugging, "But it'd be that way no matter what, right? You've never been down there before."

"Oh," Jimin looked down at his feet. "I... I guess..."

"Don't feel pressured," Yoongi sighed. "Jungkook and Taehyung head down there all the time, all you have to do is ask. You wouldn't be bothering anyone."

Jimin was silent, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding Yoongi's eyes. What was he supposed to do? He didn't want to leave. Walking around the perimeter of the house with Yeontan was all the movement he needed. The pain always crept in somewhere around the third rotation, chasing him back inside.

And if he went outside...

"Is it the people?" Yoongi asked softly.

Jimin's eyes widened. A shiver crawled over his skin, bringing faded images with it. The door to his memories began to slide open, and he slammed it shut, clenching his hands into fists. He couldn't think about that. He couldn't let himself fall back into it. He couldn't let himself be hurt again.

"I just don't want to," he snapped, standing. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

Yoongi stood with him, scowling. Jimin tried to shove past him, but the healer caught his arm, turning him around. Jimin's shoulder screamed in protest, and Jimin let out a cry of pain, wrenching his arm away.

"Is this all I can do?" Yoongi asked, his voice throbbing with an emotion Jimin had never heard before. "Is that all I am? Someone who hurts you?"

"I--"

"I'm trying not to push you," Yoongi said, throwing his arms out. "I'm trying! What is it that keeps scaring you away?"

Jimin's memories fought for space in the front of his mind, screaming and howling. He pressed one hand to his shoulder, closing his eyes, and shook his head, the other arm coming up to wrap around his other side.

"This," Yoongi said, stepping forward and putting his hands over Jimin's. "Do you know what you're doing? I'm supposed to be helping you, but you always..."

"I heard you up last night. Crying."

Jimin shuddered. "It's not you," he blurted. "It's not you. It's not you, I promise, I--"

"You're panicking," Yoongi mumbled.

One more step. That was all it took. Jimin was wrapped in Yoongi's arms, surrounded by a sudden warmth, his face buried in the healer's shoulder. He took a shuddering breath and pressed himself closer, swallowing his tears in an effort to speak.

"It's not your fault, hyung."

"Don't say that," Yoongi said, tightening his hold. "Don't say that. I should have fought harder for you. Taken another train. Dyed your hair."

"You cannot just abuse someone like this and expect them to survive!"

Jimin couldn't hold his sob in. "You didn't know he'd do it," he protested, slipping his arms around Yoongi. "You c-came anyway..."

Yoongi laughed shakily, burying his head in Jimin's shoulder. "Two years too late," the healer mumbled.

Jimin tightened his grip and didn't answer.

"When I--when I found you," Yoongi said. "That day... it was probably the best and worst day of my life."

Jimin swallowed. He tried to push the memories away, but it didn't help. The cold ground. The ratty blanket, barely large enough to cover his legs. The pain, screaming from every part of his body at once. His hands shook, and he leaned into Yoongi, taking a deep breath.

"You came," he said stubbornly, gripping the back of Yoongi's jacket. "You came."

"Yeah," Yoongi said softly. "I did." 

Louis L'Amour writes some great betrayals. Well-founded in backstory, exactly the person who would do it, exactly the reactions you'd expect, but no feeling of being told the same thing a billion times over. Amazing.