Traumatised

Two: weak

Jimin played with his sweater paws out of nerves and anxiety. He sat in the car while Tae drove, taking them to his brothers house where it was free from his torment. Jimin wasn't in the mood to talk, not in the mood for anything but to lay in bed and cry his heart out. Cruel snippets kept invading his mind, causing him to wince at the haunting memory.

Why wouldn't it stop? Why was his mind forcing him to relive it when he never wanted to go back there.

"You okay Chim? Is there anything you need? Want? You hungry?" Tae asked in concern, reaching out to touch him only for Jimin to flinch and shuffle away in instinct.

"I'm fine. I don't want to eat, I just want to forget about what happened. Pretend it never happened and that everything's fine." Jimin bundles his hands into his sleeves, keeping the resting on his thighs.

Tae didn't reply, wasn't sure what to say when he knew he couldn't give Jimin any of that. Couldn't change what happened. Couldn't go back and stop that man from ever laying a finger on him. It wasn't how life worked.

"I'm sorry Chim, I'm really sorry." Tae chokes up on his words, gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white.

Jimin nods his head subtly, jaw quivering as he fights to hold back his tears. Nothing anyone said brought him comfort, took away the pain burning a hole in his heart. Nothing could stop the aching but finding the man who did this. Only then would he feel safe, like he could breath again. Maybe when the man was caught his nightmares would fade, the haunting memories would stop though he knew they never would.

"We're here Chim." Tae pulls up to an apartment complex.

Jimin glances up, blinking as he didn't even notice they had arrived. He gingerly gets out the car, tugging his hands deeper into his sleeves. The banging of the door shutting startles him, making him flinch. His head twitches to see Tae walking around, smiling at him with sadness.

"I haven't told him what happened, you don't have to if you don't want to." Tae tries again to touch him, Jimin immediately cowls away.

Jimin starts walking, feeling unsafe standing out in the open like this. With shaky steps he makes his way up the stairs, Tae close behind him. When they reach the top, Tae knocks on his door. Tae keeps a close eye on Jimin, feeling his gut wrench at how vulnerable and weak he looks.

"Tae!" The door swung open, revealing his brother who looks at him then Jimin with worried eyes.

"Namjoon." Tae embraces his brother, squeezing him tight in a secure hole.

Namjoon pats his back, unaware of the true nature of why they've asked to stay. He turns to Jimin, frowning slightly at seeing him so broken.

"Hey Chim? You okay?" Namjoon goes to touch him but Jimin tenses up and starts to shake.

"Let's go inside, it's freezing out here." Tae suggests, Namjoon nods and lets them in.

Jimin waffles inside, tugging on his sleeves out of nerves. He shuffles around awkwardly, unsure what to do with himself. Tae gestures for him to take a seat on the couch, which he immediately does. Tae plants their bag on the kitchen counter, Namjoon stands in the kitchen making some tea while he stares at Jimin who glumly sat in the living room.

"Thanks for this, it's really appreciated." Tae leans on the counter, sighing as he runs a sweaty hand through his hair.

"Sure thing, can I ask why you need to stay? What's wrong with Chim?" Namjoon made sure to whisper, his eyes still lingering on the trembling boy.

Tae doesn't answer, simply biting his lip as he flicks to Jimin. It wasn't his place to say. If Jimin wanted him to know he'd tell him.

"Something really fucked up happened and we can't stay at our apartment right now." Is all Tae could come up with, when Jimin was ready he'd talk.