bloom | BTS

Empty Shell

Jungkook threw up in the parking garage. Twice.

Upon entering the van, he dropped into full sub-space.

He curled up in Taehyung's arms and cried for the entirety of the two hour drive. His body shook with the violent sobs and the car flooded with distressed pheromones. Every once and a while he dry heaved, his stomach unable to actually empty.

Hoseok just sat there.

His face was void of all emotion. His tear tracks ran dry on his cheeks as his eyes dulled. After the initial breakdown, he had turned into an emotionless statue. He reacted only once, when Namjoon had tried to carefully check the bruises on his jaw. A few scratches had been left by the assailant's rings.

The moment the dominant's fingers brushed over the skin, Hoseok had flinched away jerkily. His arms came up to shield his face as a hoarse "N-no!" tore from his throat. Visible shivers wracked his frame as he curled into his seat.

On the other side of Hoseok, Yoongi swallowed thickly. Sorrow creeped into his heart as he watched two of the people he cared most for suffer.

"Hoseok," he spoke softly. "Sunshine? Do you see my hands?" He held his hands out flat, palms up, being careful to not invade the switch's space.

Hoseok slowly lowered his arms and glanced at the dominant's hands. He nodded silently.

"And do you see Namjoon's hands?" Namjoon quickly held his own hands up in the same manner, not sure where his hyung was going. In one palm, the bottle of medicated cream laid open.

Hoseok nodded again.

"These hands will never hurt you." Yoongi spoke gently, but solemnly. "I promise they will never touch you in places you don't want to be touched. And I swear on my life that these hands will always protect you."

Hoseok nodded silently again.

But this time a bit of light returned to his eyes. He unfurled one of his own fists, slowly slipping it into Yoongi's hand. The latter entwined their fingers and rubbed small circles on the back of the switch's hand.

Hoseok's other hand found Namjoon's. The one with the medical cream. Hoseok tilted his head slightly, and lead the hand to his jaw. He flinched slightly when the hand met his skin softly, but swallowed and resumed stillness.

"Are you sur-" Namjoon was cut off by a determined nod. "I'll be gentle, I promise." He moved slowly, spreading the cream on the bruises and cuts, but not prolonging the skin contact. He could tell Hoseok was growing slightly panicked by the time he was finishing on the last scrape.

He pulled his hand away. Instead entwining it with Hoseok's trembling fingers. The switched exhaled shakily and leaned back into his seat. His face remained emotionless, but his eyelids slowly fluttered shut as he drifted into sleep.

Namjoon and Yoongi held his hands the whole way.

Taehyung's throat tightened as he held back his tears. He was releasing calming pheromones, as all the other dominants also were, and just holding Jungkook. He was scared to let go. Scared that Jungkook would fall into a pit of despair, self-loathing, and trauma.

Maybe, he thought. Just maybe... If I hold him close enough, he won't be swallowed by the darkness.

So he did.

He held Jungkook to his chest for the entire drive back to their dorms. He carried Jungkook into the house. He brought Jungkook to bed and kept him wrapped in his arms as they both fell into a fitful sleep.

Namjoon carried Hoseok into the house as he slept. He tucked him into his bed as Jimin walked in.

"I was thinking that we could take turns watching him. To make sure he's okay. Taehyung is with Jungkook."