last hope

Chapter 3

Hoseok has to carry Taehyung home. The group stumble out of the bar as the sun begins to rise, and the light catches the puddles on the street, making them glimmer.

'He's usually not such a lightweight,' Yoongi observes, pushing Taehyung's hair out of his eyes as his head rests against Hoseok's shoulder.

'Still, ten shots in two hours,' Hoseok shrugs. 'I doubt they had dinner before they came out.'

Yoongi shakes his head, a mixture of disappointment and amusement turning the corner of his mouth up.

Hoseok shifts Taehyung on his back. He thinks back to Yoongi's earlier comment. No, he definitely hadn't signed up for this.

As they reach the corner, Seokjin and Namjoon mumble their goodbyes before they head off towards their apartment. Jimin skips off behind them, until Yoongi's hand closes around his wrist, pulling him back.

'What do you think you're doing?' Yoongi raises an eyebrow.

Jimin shrugs. 'Going home?'

'I don't think so,' Yoongi shakes his head, and drags Jimin in the other direction. Hoseok doesn't stop to watch the exchange. Taehyung is snoring now, a dead weight against his back.

'Hyung!' Jimin whines, dragging his feet. 'I want my own bed.'

'You can sleep on the sofa,' Hoseok grumbles as they catch up, and Yoongi stops behind him.

'Jungkook?' Yoongi turns, thankful to see Jungkook following, albeit half asleep. 'Take Jimin for me.'

'I don't need a babysitter, hyung, I'm fine!' Jimin snatches his hand away, crossing his arms and stomping off towards Hoseok and Yoongi's apartment.

Jungkook rolls his eyes, scurrying after him.

'Give him here,' Yoongi turns to Hoseok, motioning at Taehyung's sleeping form. He crouches beside him, and Hoseok carefully shifts Taehyung onto his friend's back. He stands, stretching from side to side in a desperate attempt to regain feeling in his shoulders.

'I bet they'd been there all afternoon,' Hoseok winces as he starts to follow Yoongi back to the apartment. 'They've probably been drinking way more than Jimin said.'

Yoongi grunts in agreement, shifting Taehyung. 'We can fit two of them on the sofa, but someone's going to have to sleep on the floor.'

'I can sleep on the floor,' Hoseok shrugs. 'Let Jungkook sleep in my bed.'

'Jimin will be sleeping on the floor,' Yoongi shakes his head as they reach the apartment building and head for the lift. 'It's his fault we're in this mess.'

'Don't be so hard on him,' Hoseok nudges his friend as he pulls his keys from his back pocket. They shuffle into the lift, waiting until the doors open and lead them out onto the third floor. 'He doesn't mean to cause trouble.'

'Right,' Yoongi nods, 'trouble just seems to follow him.'

They head down the corridor, Hoseok ahead, key ready to unlock the door. He's getting tired and irritable, despite his soft words. Turning the corner, he stops in his tracks, and Yoongi swears as he crashes into him.

Jungkook lies crushed under Jimin's sleeping form. He shrugs, smirking. 'I tried.'

*

Hoseok wrestles the door open and flicks on the lights. Thankfully, the new part in the heater seems to be doing its job, and the apartment is blissfully warm.

This peaceful moment of enjoying the sudden warmth after the chill autumn air is broken when Yoongi shuffles past to dump Taehyung unceremoniously on the sofa. A few moments later, Jungkook drops Jimin beside him.