Deadlock || ᴠᴍɪɴ

Chapter 11

Content warning: Rape

Jimin's fever continued to run high the next day. It took him until the third day until he was finally able to get up from his bed, but his fever still hadn't come down completely. Unable to stand by and watch any longer, V invited Jimin to the infirmary to get checked out by a doctor.

Normally, you had to first talk to a guard and get permission, then sit patiently in front of the infirmary until your turn came around. But thanks to V's connections, Jimin was able to be seen by a doctor outside normal examination hours.

As they left Block A together and were walking down the hall, they coincidentally crossed paths with Neto.

"Jimin, you aren't looking too well," Neto said. "You sick?"

"He's been running a fever. I'm taking him to the infirmary," V answered. Neto looked concerned as he pressed a hand to Jimin's neck.

"Solitary must have been rough on you. You better get it checked out properly."

"Thanks, Neto, I will," Jimin nodded.

Just then, they heard a sharp whistle behind them. Jimin turned around to see BB standing there with his fellow gang members. Jimin felt his heart sink wearily. BB was the last guy he wanted to see right now.

"Hey, Libera, that's my bitch. Who said you could touch him?"

"Quit the bullshit, BB." Neto retorted. Jimin is my friend. Don't think you can order me around."

The men from the Black Soldiers and Locos Hermanos faced off against each other, flanking their leaders. The hostility practically radiated off of them; you could almost see the sparks. The air was tense, like things could explode at any moment. However, the mood was soon broken up by Whistle, a guard who was passing by.

"What are you doing here?" Whistle snapped as he brandished his baton. "No stopping in the hallway! Get moving!"

BB ignored the guard completely. He continued to glare furiously at Neto, and spat at the man in disgust.

"Libera, you're not getting off easy for this. You best be prepared to face the consequences. Jimin, you too."

The swarm of Black Soldiers disappeared. Neto wore a severe expression as he warned Jimin to be cautious. He then left along with the Locos Hermanos members.

"You're like Helen of Schelger Prison," remarked V when they were alone again.

"Helen? You mean like Helen of Troy?"

"Yeah. BB and Libera staring each other down like that, and you standing between them... you're starting to look a lot like the beauty who reduced a country to ruins. With Helen it was Troy. With you, I feel like you're planting the seeds of conflict in this prison."

"Stop making things up to blame it on me," Jimin shot back. "The gangs have always been in conflict with each other. Besides, Neto's just a friend. BB is another matter."

V cocked an eyebrow sceptically at him, but resumed walking without saying anything. Jimin sighed inwardly. V had been so gentle when he was sick in bed, but now that he'd improved somewhat, he was back to his aloof self. He was a man of two faces.

Back when Jimin was sick in his cell, V had sneaked out of work many times to see how he was doing. He would give Jimin medicine that he had brought from the infirmary, bring his meals to his bed, and help Jimin change out of his damp, sweaty shirt. V cared for him so devotedly that it made Jimin feel almost guilty.

But as Jimin recovered, V returned to his usual brusque self. Is this the same man that fed me water from his own mouth? Jimin thought, feeling an anger that he knew was completely unjustified.