NightShades || Taekook

Chapter Seven: Trauma

˚✧₊⁎❝᷀ົཽ≀ˍ̮ ❝᷀ົཽ⁎⁺˳✧༚

⚠️ Sensitive Content Ahead ⚠️

"Hmm.. is your offer of friendship still available?" Taehyung asked fearfully, feeling vulnerable for putting himself out like that after a long line of rejection and ridicule from his past friendship endeavours.

It all took that one sentence for a lifelong friendship to forge. While Taehyung protected Jimin from the horrid bullies, Jimin provided Taehyung with something that he never had before, a sense of belonging. Taehyung didn't feel alone anymore, he had Jimin by his side. The two peers were the perfect complement to each other. Taehyung's boldness and not-give-a-damn attitude helped Jimin come out of his shell and embrace the qualities of self-worth. While, Jimin's level-headedness helped Taehyung tame his ballistic anger and hot-headedness. So much so, that he had stopped running into trouble with the orphanage and its director.

Another five years passed under the atrocities of Gwi Nam and his gang. The now fifteen-year-olds were a closely knitted group of best friends. Their relationship had evolved into a brotherly relationship. Gwi Nam was obviously not happy with this development. He didn't care much about Taehyung's deviance. What bothered him was Jimin. Jimin was his target, his prey. Over the years Gwi Nam had come to develop an unhealthy obsession over the sweet, innocent and pretty Omega. Hence, he didn't like Taehyung befriending him and snatching his one and only favourite Omega away from him.

What was even more frustrating was the fact that no matter how many times he tried teaching that insolent omega a lesson, the omega would stand tall, and take the hits without showing an ounce of pain or regret. The constant deviance of the omega was lowkey threatening his position as the most powerful wolf of the orphanage. These are enough reasons to conclude that Taehyung was getting under Gwi Nam's skin for all the wrong reasons.

"Hiss... ah Minnie! Easy~" Taehyung hissed in pain as his bestie pressed a cold compress on the giant black-blue bruise at his lower jaw.

"Good! As it should," Jimin chided, giving a glare to the hissing omega. The glare was not all threatening, rather cute making the hissing omega break into a series of annoying coos. "Aww~ Minnie~ You are so cute! Even your glare is cute," spoke Taehyung pinching the chubby cheeks of Jimin.

Jimin whined annoyed. "Ugh! Leave it! I'm being serious right now," said Jimin with an angry pout. Taehyung comically puckered his lips in an 'o' shape. He then raised his hands in surrender but instantly regretted it. He hissed at the wave of pain he felt in his shoulders due to his recent battle wounds. At the painful expressions of the other Jimin's heart sank. Depreciative thoughts started hollowing Jimin from within. This was all his fault. If only he was strong enough to defend himself, Taehyung wouldn't have to fight for him or suffer these wounds.

Pressing the cold compress on Taehyung's shoulder and receiving a small thanks, Jimin hefted a sigh. "Why? Why do you protect me so much? Maybe you should just let them have their way with me. I'm not even worth saving," He croaked out in a heavy voice and tears in his eyes.

At the self-loathing words of the other, Taehyung sighed. Shrugging the ache in his limbs, Taehyung pulled the melancholic Omega to his chest and wrapped his arms around him. Patting the back reassuringly he uttered, "Not this again, Minnie. I told you that you deserve all the best in this world, didn't I? I won't ever let them scratch your skin let alone have their way with you. Never! Not on my watch! You hear me!" He broke the hug to stare at the tearful omega and further affirm his statement.

"But for how long? I don't like seeing you in pain because of me," Cried Jimin. Taehyung wiped the ugly tears off his cheeks and mumbled while caressing his cheek, "Not for long! We made it this far we just have to strive for another three years. We'll be eighteen and we wouldn't have to fend off this shitty place. We'll be out in the wild and far away from this place. Just you and me against the world!" Taehyung optimistically aspired with his shiny chestnut-brown eyes.