Rise Of The Fallen || KTH FF

Chapter 8: Doubt

Later that evening, you found yourself sitting on a dusty crate in the dimly lit storage room. Your mind was a storm of worries—everything from today's near-miss to tomorrow's impossible mission swirled in your thoughts. The group seemed so composed, so ready for action. But you? You felt like an impostor, just barely keeping it together.

You sighed heavily, letting your gaze drift to the cracked ceiling. That's when you heard quiet footsteps, and Taehyung appeared by your side, settling down beside you without a word. His silent presence alone made you feel a little less overwhelmed.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, as if sensing the turmoil in your mind.

You bit your lip, shrugging. "Not really. I mean... what am I even doing here? You guys are all so experienced. I don't know how to fight, I don't know how to sneak into a lab, and I definitely don't know how to not screw everything up tomorrow."

Taehyung turned to you, his brow furrowed. "You've been handling everything fine so far, Y/N. You're doing better than you think."

You let out a bitter laugh, shaking your head. "I don't know, Tae. I feel like I should be handing out snacks and moral support, not joining a covert mission. What am I supposed to do? Throw rocks at the guards?"

Before Taehyung could answer, you both noticed Yoongi walking by, muttering to himself as he fidgeted with his equipment for the thousandth time. His eyes were narrowed in intense concentration, like he was mentally rehearsing a thousand different ways things could go wrong.

Unable to resist, you nudged Taehyung, pointing discreetly at Yoongi. "Okay, but at least I'm not Yoongi. Look at him—he's acting like we're storming Area 51 tomorrow. I'm starting to feel like he's more worried than I am."

Taehyung followed your gaze and chuckled softly. "He's just... thorough. Overthinks everything. But yeah, you're right—he's probably mapped out every possible disaster in his head by now."

You leaned back against the wall, smiling despite the anxiety still swirling inside you. "If I follow him tomorrow, I'll probably look like a seasoned pro by comparison. Maybe I should just stick close to Yoongi and let him take all the stress."

"Good strategy," Taehyung said with a grin. "Let him soak up all the worry so you can look like the calm, collected one."

You chuckled, the tension in your chest easing just a little. "I'll let him do all the heavy thinking. If anything goes wrong, I can just say, 'Hey, Yoongi planned this!'"

Taehyung laughed, and it was the first time you'd seen him genuinely amused all day. "Honestly, that's not a bad plan. Yoongi's been pacing around like he's already living the worst-case scenario."

You both watched Yoongi for a moment, now obsessively tightening the straps on his backpack for what had to be the tenth time.

"Seriously," you continued, shaking your head. "He looks like he's prepping for a final exam he didn't study for. Maybe I should take notes—if Yoongi's this stressed, maybe I should be more worried."

Taehyung leaned in slightly, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Between us? He always gets like this before a big mission. But when it comes down to it, he'll pull through. He always does."

"I sure hope so," you said, still smiling. "If not, at least we'll know who to blame. 'Most Stressed Out Award' goes to Yoongi for sure."

"Without a doubt," Taehyung agreed, shaking his head fondly. "But don't worry about him. He'll get his head in the game when it matters."

You sighed, the humor helping to lift some of the weight off your shoulders. "I'm trying, Tae. I really am. I just... don't want to let everyone down."

"You won't," Taehyung said firmly. "You've already proven yourself more than you know. And if you need to lean on someone, lean on me. We've got this."

You gave him a grateful nod, feeling reassured. Then, glancing back at Yoongi one last time, you couldn't resist adding, "But maybe I'll lean on Yoongi a little, too—just to keep things interesting."

Taehyung laughed again, the sound warming your heart as you stood up. "Good idea," he said. "Just don't let him drive you too crazy."

"Can't make any promises," you replied with a grin, the heavy tension finally giving way to a lighter mood.