freckles

* chapter one hundred and eight *

"Claudette?" The nurse looked up from the clipboard, seven exhausted men jumping to their feet.

Jimin knocked over the Jenga game he was playing with Jin and Jungkook, falling onto the little pieces of wood. Jin helped him to his feet, his vision dizzy because of all of the fast movements, but that didn't matter.

That was her name.

"Just, the boys." The nurse pointed to the seven of them, Bang, Sejin, and Bada looking a bit sad, but understood. "She didn't say anything about you three."

"We'll wait out here," Bang reassured Namjoon, the boys already following the nurse down the hall. "Go. She's waiting for you."

Namjoon nodded and ran off, chasing after them.

Yoongi knocked gently on the door, the nurse standing off to the side, letting them walk in first. He waited a few seconds and heard her voice.

His knees shook.

Hoseok helped him open the door, out of impatience and because Yoongi needed the help.

Taehyung released his breath once he saw her.

Her curly hair, all in knots and so messy. But it was there. Curls and everything. He never thought he'd be so relieved to see those curls.

Namjoon didn't let her eyes out of his sight. He has always and always will be so fascinated by those bright green meadows she held in her eyes. But now, now that he saw them, it was something entirely different.

Those eyes were his life.

They were his love.

And those goddamn freckles. Jungkook ran forward, hugging his lover as tight as he could before kissing every star on her face. God, he remembers the first time he saw those freckles. She was so innocent and quiet, and he was in so much awe.

How pure was she that she had stars on her face?

When she was taken from his arms, all his fears hit him.

What if he never got to count all of her freckles?

What if he doesn't get to find the hidden constellations woven into them?

What if, her freckles lose their shine?

But they didn't.

Stars never lose their shine.

Claudette never loses her shine.

She laughed weakly as she hugged Jungkook, Taehyung clambering onto the bed and holding her tightly. Her legs were over the side, sat up on her own. Jungkook was completely on her, hugging her, barely supporting himself. He was so concentrated on holding her.

Taehyung gave her a back hug, Hoseok and Jimin latching onto her side.

Yoongi had his hand over his mouth, watching with tears in his eyes. The last time he talked to her, they were fighting. They were on opposite sides of a locked door and anger.

What if he never got to see her again? What if they never got the chance to apologize to each other?

Yoongi didn't know what he would've done with the guilt and pain.

"She's okay." Jin smiled at her, Claudette pulled into Hoseok's lap as the four boys somehow all fit on the bed with her. "She's okay Yoongi."

"I know." Yoongi wiped his tears away, nodding. "I know."

Namjoon walked over and wrapped his arm around Jin's shoulder, watching the other four with Claudette, smiling sadly as he waited for his turn.

"You're alive." Hoseok held her face and kissed her, Jungkook holding her hand tightly. "God it's so nice to kiss you again."