The White Butterfly

Five

Perhaps Namjoon has the same thought, because when Jungkook wakes up six days later they've handcuffed his ankle to the bed. The second Jungkook sits up Jimin is at his side, and Jungkook knows they'll all be on edge, waiting for him to make an attempt.

He doesn't like it. These people have powers like his, and he's already tangled with two of them. If he tries to run, what other things will they do to him? How is he supposed to stay alive if around every corner is a dead end?

Jimin takes off the bandages and lets Jungkook put on a shirt, but Jungkook still feels nothing but resentment. The first thing he'll do when he gets out, he decides, is throw away these clothes. They're bound to have trackers in them.

He wants to disappear without a trace when he goes.

Namjoon appears at the door right as Jimin unlocks Jungkook's ankle, and the resentment inside him thickens. Why are they so set on keeping him here when he doesn't want to be? What stakes do they have in this? It's not like he's got telepathy or something else obvious. He's just extra sensitive, extra strong, extra fast. A good athlete could be the same way with a couple years of effort. Jungkook could pass for normal on his own.

Jungkook knows he's wrong. He's done a terrible job of keeping his head down and his mark covered, and this is the best option he's got if he wants to live a normal life. Still, he wishes they hadn't dragged him in without an explanation. And when he sees the guards standing at the stairs he took to the exit, he scowls, folding his arms and choosing to focus on his feet instead of engaging in conversation with Namjoon or Jimin, who seem content to leave him out either way.

Jungkook already feels isolated and unwelcome. The looks he receives from Yoongi and Taehyung when he enters the training room leaves him wondering how long it will be before they let down their guard and let him go.

"You'll be working with Taehyung," Namjoon said. "It's pretty clear that you need to work on not bolting at things that would hardly startle normal people."

Jungkook barely registers it, distracted by the scowl on Taehyung's face. He clearly isn't interested in wasting his time. Maybe he'll abandon Jungkook early and give him a chance to escape. So Jungkook nods, keeping his arms crossed as Namjoon runs through rules and vague encouragements that he can't find it in himself to care about.

He just wants out of here. That's all. And as soon as Taehyung gives him an opening, he'll take it. Get himself out of their hair.

Better to be alone outside with Jongdae than here.

"Yoongi will be here to make sure you can't panic your way out our front doors again," Namjoon says, and Jungkook doesn't bother hiding the glare he shot at him. Oh, he won't panic out the front doors. He'll fucking strut his way out of the facility and never come back.

Silence. Namjoon clears his throat, looking away from Jungkook. "Well then," he says. "We'll see you at lunch in a couple hours."

No you won't, Jungkook thinks. Because if there's one thing he knows, it's that he has no desire to spend any more time with these people than they make him. And he won't just cave. Especially not when the one person he was starting to think he could trust is looking at him like he's planning to murder a few puppies and just called him a few choice names.

What a waste of time and energy.

Namjoon leaves the room, and Jungkook stays where he is, watching Yoongi and Taehyung. Taehyung stops scowling, but he still frowns, mirroring Jungkook's posture as Yoongi looks between them.

"Alright, bunny," Taehyung says. "Spit it out. You've looked murderous the entire time Namjoon was talking."
Jungkook grits his teeth and shakes his head. He already feels fidgety. He curses his body as he shifts his weight back and forth, trying to be subtle about shaking off the energy building up inside him. He just wants out of here. Preferably forever.