the teawitch (the tea-series part one)

Secrets

16-04-2023 Hoseoks house

P.O.V. Hoseok

I had been listening for way too long now to the fight when I heard someone stumble in downstairs. I rushed off the stairs to check who and found Rue. She was drinking straight from the bottle in the kitchen and I could see something had happened. She was pale and her hands were trembling.

"Rue...?" I whispered, walking slowly closer. 

She didn't answer, staring absently at the counter while taking sips now and then. 

"Rue, stop it," I turned her around. "Hand me the bottle..."

She shook her head and only now, I noticed her teary eyes. "I need it..." She muttered.

I could hear from her voice and see from how she acted that she had drank more than just this bottle, but I let it for now. "Lovey, you don't... we can fix it in a diffrent way."

Rue shook her head again, hugging the bottle like it was her life. "W-we can't fix it, h-hobi..." She sobbed, collapsing on the ground while drinking even more.

I sighed and pulled it out of her hands before sitting down in front of her, "Look at me... Baby, look at me and tell me what happened..."

"I-I can't... gimme that b-back..." She looked at the bottle I had placed on the counter. 

"It's only an escape for a while, Rue... it won't fix anything... Why can't you tell?"

She sobbed, not answering me as she pulled herself up for as far as she could.

"Don't..."

She kept ignoring me and grabbed the bottle, drinking again.

It hurted seeing her like this, not telling me what the matter was and just drowning herself away with alcohol. So I again took the bottle from her gently. "Talk to me, Rue... Drinking won't solve anything."

"I can't tell... He will- he-," she broke down in tears and rocked herself back and forth.

"Who will do what?" I pulled her on my lap.  "Talk to me, pretty girl..."

"I d-don't wanna be p-pretty... M-maybe he'll l-leave me alone then..."

"Who will...?" I started to get even more worried.

She shook her head. "I can't t-tell..." She leaned against my chest and kept sobbing loudly. "Then D-daisy is dead..."

"Who is Daisy?"

She sobbed, not answering again.

 "Can you tell me anything about what happened?"

Rue curled up on my lap and shrugged. 

"And everything you still say will make that girl die, am I right?"

"y-yeh..."

"Okey..." I kept her close to me as I thought about a solution. She probably didn't want police, just like the first time. The only thing I coulddo was get a little bit of information out of her, but she wanted to protect Daisy. I didn't know who it was, but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that I had a broken girl in my arms that wasn't able to tell me anything about what had had happened and was about to drink herself into coma. I couldn't let that happen. "Right... Who is this about?"

Her eyes traced up to meet mine, het lips silently forming the name 'Rex' before she broke down fully.

Anger raised inside of me, holding her close. Rex... the sucker was back and threatened my girl. He was about to hurt her again. I wouldn't let that happen... Even if it would take someone elses life then... I could stay up whole night if I had to...

P.O.V. Rue

I saw in Hobi's behaviour the hours after that he was planning something. I felt his eyes burn on my back the whole time as I moved through the house. Jungkook helped me prepare dinner, but we both didn't say anything as we did. His dark brown eyes were still a bit red from crying, but I knew that trying to talk with him about it would make it even worser probably. 

I could hide my trembling hands while we had dinner, and even if I wouldn't have been able to, no one would have noticed. Everyone was in their own thoughts about fights and other things. The silence freaked me out more and more till I laid down my cutlery and stood up.

Everyone looked up questioning.

"If you all can excuse me... I am upstairs if you search me..."

"Baby..." Hobi said, trying to make me sit down again with the look in his eyes.

"I don't take part in this drama, and I have my own things to worry about at the moment. You know that as well, Hobi... don't follow me... I need time for myself." I walked upstairs quickly. Once I was there, I decided to take a quick shower. 

It wasn't that quick. It took me more then an hour to get out again and to be dressed again. I had been thinking endless about Rex as I stood under the water and had been staring at my naked body for too long. It would be ruined soon. White lines still stood on my skin. 

I sighed and opened the bathroom door. 

Hobi was waiting for me on the stairs, sitting there with crossed arms. "I won't let you leave, Rue..."

"Like I thought you would..." I muttered, walking downstairs to make tea for both of us. 

He followed me, "why did you leave that sudden?"

"Because... I hate being with people that have a fight, and expecially if I feel the urge to fix it... When I was younger I used to take problems of others on my shoulders till it became too much. I don't want that to happen again..."

"I know... but..." He sighed and let it, watching me making two cups of tea. 

It was half past nine. If I wanted to go to the bridge by foot I had to leave soon.

I handed Hobi a cup with sleeptea, having something calming for myself. 

He lead me to the couch and sat down, pulling me down next to me. Hobi stroked my hair softly as he sipped his tea.

I did the same.

After a while his movements became weaker and he fell asleep in the end. Luckily, his cup was empty so he didn't spill anything over himself. 

I took his phone and sneaked to my teadrawer. I put it under the boxes and closed it again. I was nervous as fuck as I stepped outside, closing the door behind me, but I had to do it. I had to safe Daisy from death and I knew others would follow if I didn't go now. I took a deep breath and started walking to the bridge that he had talked about.