Sempiternal: •D.E.A(live).D• || BOOK 4#

27. Genuine appreciation

"BAM...!"

The dog almost knocks him over from how hard it comes down on him. The animal gasps with its tongue hanging out. It's funny, because it feels fatter than it did last time? Two months? Three? Since he saw Bam. Jungkook kisses it on the face and caresses it lovingly. Sitting on the ground, indifferent to the snow wetting him, he takes Bam by the face.

"Did you bring something?"

Bam squeals and shifts restlessly, putting his right paw on Jungkook's thigh. The man pouts and kisses him again. "It's okay, it's okay... Let's eat, you must be very tired.

He makes an effort to carry him. Bam thinks he is an easy puppy to carry and not a Doberman about to turn a year old.

~ * * * ~

"Since when shit there's a mirror in the third floor bathroom."

"I hardly ever wash my hands in that bathroom because the pipe gets clogged, it's the same reason I don't use the bathroom in general "excuses Jungkook and in his defense, it's very true. That is why there is a line for the toilets in general. There are four in total, but with so many people, it's almost impossible not to accidentally overlap. "The point is not that, the point now is to do something for Yoongi," he says.

"Other than locking him back in his asylum room." says Jin with a tense gesture and Namjoon drops his arms. What else were they supposed to do? Yoongi needs to be in a place where he can't get hurt, plus they had tied him up and covered his hands with gloves and thus prevented him from removing the bandage on his face.

The scar looked pretty bad, which was to be expected. Chaewoon had to get stitches and there is hardly any hope that area will regenerate enough for Yoongi's teeth not to be exposed through the cheek.

"Being condescending isn't going to help," Namjoon says with a shake of his head. "Maybe all it takes is pretending nothing is wrong."

"What do you mean by that? And knowing whether to hit you or not. I'm beginning to think that so much sun trying to make the panels work, burned out several of your brain cells." retorts Jin grumpily. Namjoon exhales, somewhat exhausted.

"What I mean is, let's pretend there's really no problem. What's bothering him is that we treat him like a sick person, like someone who needs different care. He never liked it to begin with," Namjoon expounds and Hoseok nods. It makes perfect sense. Emphasizing his poor condition doesn't help, it only makes it worse. He's not critical to the point that they should be his caregivers. He needs different support than what he's been given so far. "As soon as he calms down enough, we'll go back to the way we've always been-

"but more depressed."

"And more unbearable."

"Indeed." Namjoon agrees and there is a general nod. It is, oddly enough, the first time they have come so quickly to a conclusion that satisfies them all.

~ * * * ~

"I'm going to assume the stupidity went away from you and I can take this from you."

Jin unmoors Yoongi, who does nothing even while free. He opens and closes his mouth, his mind elsewhere. Jin puts his hands on his waist and gives a slight snort.

"You understand that you don't leave us much choice but to leave you in here right?"

"Are you my parents now...?"

"Until you behave like an adult who doesn't need to be in here, yes, we will be" the older one informs and Yoongi averts his gaze. "You can come out if you promise not to hurt yourself again."