Cherub|Vminkook

1

*warning, talk of suicide*

It was late at night, maybe ten or eleven, and their breaths smelled of cheap Chinese takeout and beer. Taehyung squeezed the smaller hand in his and smoothed his thumb over the skin. Jimin looked up at him, eyes lidded and cheeks rosy from the alcohol, and he smiled at the taller boy. These were always Taehyung's favorite moments, their monthly date nights. Scraping together their money, leaving late at night after work, sitting down at a cheap restaurant with poor lighting that somehow made the whole thing all the more romantic. It was something Taehyung always anticipated, something that never failed to make his heart soar and double(maybe triple)the love he felt for his boyfriend.

"Hey,"

Taehyung pulled himself out of his thoughts and noticed that Jimin had stopped walking, staring at something worriedly.

"What? What is it?" Taehyung followed Jimin's gaze and before the boy could respond he had already discovered the reason for their stopping.

It was a boy, a young boy, sitting on the railing of the bridge. He was more like hanging, teetering on the very edge of the metal with his hands barely held him in place. If anything it looked like they were ready to push him off at any second.

"Do you think he's going to jump?" Jimin whispered, eyes still trained on the boy.

'Of course' was what Taehyung wanted to say but the words left a bitter taste on his tongue, as if speaking them would cause the boy to let go, so he hummed softly and nodded. Jimin gripped his hand harder, palm becoming sweaty, and he turned to him. His once lidded eyes now wide and shaking with fear and worry. Taehyung sighed and couldn't believe what they were doing as they hurried over to the teetering kid.

Jimin approached first, like the kind hearted person he was, but kept his distance. Opting to rest gently on the railing a few feet from the shivering boy. Taehyung followed and draped his arm over his boyfriend, leaning forward slightly to try and catch a glimpse of the boy's face. He was wearing a black hoodie, the clothing oversized and practically swallowing him whole, but somehow Taehyung could still see his shoulders shake with quiet sobs.

"I'm Jimin and this is Taehyung," Jimin spoke softly but the kid gave no reaction. He wasn't even moving, save for the shake of his shoulders.
"We know this might be weird, since we're complete strangers, but if you'd like to talk we're all ears."

If it was Taehyung up on that railing he would've talked to Jimin, would've poured his heart and soul out to the boy, because Jimin just had that aura to him. That aura that made everyone who met him fall into blissful comfort and safety. Except he wasn't the one up there and the boy only seemed to grip the railing harder, if the way his arms shook was any indication.

"What's your name?" Taehyung asked, hoping that a simple question would coax the kid into talking.

The boy bowed his head lower, bangs falling from his hood and casting a shadow of sadness over his face. "Jungkook...my name is Jungkook."

Jimin practically vibrated with happiness in Taehyung's hold and he couldn't help but smile at the pure response.

"I like that name, it's cute," Jimin said but still the boy gave no reaction. "How old are you?"

"Six-" Jungkook was cut off by a sob and Jimin nearly grabbed his hoodie when the boy jerked closer to the edge-"sixteen."

Too young was all Taehyung could think at the moment. Too young to be so sad. Too young to be filled with such hatred towards the world or yourself. Too young to want to leave so soon, so violently.

"Oh...you're so young," Jimin whispered and at that the boy finally turned towards them.

They both fell silent, because Taehyung wasn't expecting what he saw and neither was Jimin. The kid had a black eye, the skin swollen and badly bruised. A trail of blood from his nose to his lips had dried to a dark color, almost black, and a cut on his lip left a smear of blood on his chin. He looked like he had been hit by a car and Taehyung wondered if maybe that was the poor kids first failed attempt.

"So what if I'm young?" He snapped, his arms shaking violently by how hard he was gripping the railing. "Age doesn't fucking matter apparently."

Taehyung had seen and heard enough. He moved Jimin to the side and grabbed the boy's sleeve, praying he wouldn't shove him away. The boy flinched, his lip quivered and more tears fell from his red rimmed eyes, but he didn't pull away and Taehyung counted that as progress.

"How bout you come down and we'll walk you home?" Taehyung suggested, still holding the boy to earth.

The boy's chest heaved, faster and faster, until he was practically choking on sobs and labored breaths. He started to topple forward, towards the icy water below them, but Taehyung yanked him back and the kid collapsed into his arms.

"Oh god..Taehyung," Jimin's voice sounded far away, distant. "He was going to fall..he almost..jesus christ."

Taehyung sunk to his knees with the kid and held him, tight, wrapped securely in his arms as the boy came undone. Breaking in his arms with every sob and whimper and tremor. It was all too much, outside was too cold, the sound of traffic rushing by them was too loud, and Taehyung looked up to meet his boyfriends teary eyes.

"I think he's having a panic attack." Jimin whispered and crouched down next to them to pet the kid's now exposed hair. "Maybe we should take him back to our place?"

Taehyung looked down at the trembling boy in his arms, the sound of his quick and labored breaths still managing to reach his ears over the rush of cars. The kid definitely wasn't in any condition to be left alone, bloody and beaten and broken, but what if he didn't want their help? Except Taehyung knew deep down it wasn't true, especially with how tight the kid was holding onto him, a complete stranger nonetheless.

"Yeah." Taehyung maneuvered the kid in his arms and stood, surprised and concerned at how light he was. "Let's take him home."