ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴘᴜʀᴘʟᴇ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ || ᴋ.ᴛʜ + ᴊ.ᴊᴋ ✔️

twenty-seven: bittersweet

Taehyung had been asleep when Jungkook got back from picking Yoongi and Jimin up from the hospital - the sound of the door closing shook him awake. Lifting his head from his pillow, Taehyung threw aside the covers Jungkook had draped over him and rushed out of his bedroom, completely disregarding earlier admonishments to 'take it easy'. Somehow he knew immediately who was at the door and nothing else mattered to him.

"Yoongi-!"

He expected to see Yoongi - and he did, but what he didn't expect was to see Jimin lying in Yoongi's arms, soon to be carried gingerly over to the empty couch. Taehyung was tempted to call out the blond's name as well but held back.

"He'll be fine," Yoongi said before Tae could ask. "In fact, he's not even asleep right now. Should be, but isn't."

"They didn't do anything to him, did they??"

"No, Tiger, so stop stressing."

A massive wave of relief washed over Taehyung in that moment, and he stopped to breathe deeply before making his way over his friend who was gesturing him to do so. Jungkook watched the boy's steps intently in case he should stumble.

"You feel okay, Tae?" He asked him. Taehyung nodded firmly and lowered himself to the floor beside the couch.

"Fine."

It was just as Yoongi had said, Tae soon discovered. Jimin wasn't sleeping. His eyes were open, only slightly, but open noticeably enough. A cast over his left arm, a few minor bruises but he knew it could have been a lot worse - although, he did recall the nurse mentioning about a broken rib, but of course that wasn't something he could see with his eyes so it wasn't as vividly on his mind.

"Jimin."

At the mention of his name, the blond ever so slowly tilted his head so that he could meet Taehyung's gaze - and straightaway anyone could tell the way it affected him. No doubt, having gone from the boy's severe stares of betrayal and demanding questions to a soft whisper and look of genuine concern...it was a bit much to process.

"Does it hurt for him to talk, Yoongi?" Tae asked, glancing at his friend over his shoulder.

"He said it didn't."

"It's fine," Jimin uttered quietly. The boy sitting in front of the couch turned to him suddenly. "I'm fine, Taetae, I'm sorry..."

"You were hit by a car. Why are you apologizing??"

"For hurting you."

Taehyung drew in a deep breath through his nostrils, letting it out a second later. "If I could understand why, I could forgive you without a problem." He scanned the blond's face. "I just don't understand anything that's going on, Jimin, I just want to understand. What were those photos? Why were Yoongi and I in those photos?"

"Don't overwhelm him with questions," Yoongi warned. There was a hint of panic in his voice. "With his broken rib, it's best he remains as calm as possible."

"Right. Of course." Taehyung shook his head so as to dismiss the urge to let out all his questions at once. It was as Yoongi had said to him earlier - he needed to breathe just as much as Jimin did. So he paused to let the air become quiet again, to sort through his thoughts, to breathe. His eyes caught sight of those photographs lying on the floor. He had dropped them there before recklessly running after Jimin that morning.

He took them in hand with care. Holding them like artifacts, precious artifacts that if not handled properly, would turn to ashes and slip through his fingertips.

His heart felt compressed between the walls of his ribcage as he stared at them. An indescribable pain that made his eyes water without his realizing.