Midas Touch ➸ Taekook

- Twenty-ninth -

Taehyung walked slowly through the doors of the Institute, his heavy footsteps echoing in the deserted hall. The subdued light of the night dimly illuminated his features, but it was obvious, even in this half-light, that something was wrong. His reddened eyes betrayed the tears he had tried to hold back, and the sparkle in his eyes had faded, replaced by a dull pain.

Auroro was the first to see him. She moved quickly towards him, her gaze filled with concern, closely followed by Jin who, in turn, became aware of Taehyung's condition. The boy lowered his head, avoiding their gaze. He knew they would realise straight away that something serious had happened, but he didn't have the strength to tell them.

"Taehyung, are you all right? Where's Jungkook? I thought he'd followed you..." murmured Auroro, placing a gentle, comforting hand on his shoulder.

Taehyung was silent for a moment, searching for words. It wasn't that he wanted to hide the truth, but he felt too exhausted to relive what had just happened. The betrayal, the pain, the loss: it was all still too fresh, a gaping wound in his heart. He just wanted to disappear under his duvet and cry, but he knew that wasn't an option. Not now.

"Jungkook's gone." he finally said in a weak, almost strangled voice. "And he's not coming back."

These words, simple yet terribly painful, were enough for Auroro and Jin to understand. They exchanged sad glances, understanding that a painful event had separated the two young men. No one insisted, respecting Taehyung's need for silence, even though questions were racing through their minds. After all, their attraction to each other was so obvious that it was unthinkable that they could have pushed each other away. Even Taehyung, who tended to keep his distance, had finally let his guard down in the face of the Cajun's advances. It was perplexing.

Despite the pain Jungkook had inflicted on him, he had still given him crucial information about their mission. Information they should have had sooner. Just thinking about it made him angry. Why had Jungkook chosen to help these criminals? From what little he'd seen, none of them really wanted him back, and they'd treated him like dirt. So why sink so low, when the X-Men were ready to welcome him with open arms? He'd probably never know the answer to that, and he didn't want to. None of that mattered now.

He inhaled deeply, forcing his voice not to tremble. He had to stay focused, even if his heart had just been broken.

"I've found out who's running the mutant trafficking ring." he announced, his voice calm but betrayed by a hint of rage. "I even know where they are."

Everyone's eyes widened in open surprise at this revelation.

"It's a guild normally based in Louisiana, in New Orleans. But for the traffic, they've set up a HQ in the New York suburbs."

Namjoon frowned, crossing his arms against his chest, looking thoughtful.

"How did you find all this out?" he asked, intrigued but concerned.

He sensed that Taehyung was hiding something darker, and the boy's expression confirmed his suspicions. He turned his tired gaze on his leader, and replied in a dry, resigned tone.

"I saw it in someone's memory."

A heavy silence fell over the room as the X-Men around him processed the information. That was all it took to understand what had happened. And even if they didn't know the whole story, they could understand why Taehyung looked devastated. One way or another, Jungkook was involved with the culprits, and he'd certainly had this information all along. For the poor teenager, betrayal must have been hard to accept.

Especially when everyone had convinced him to open his heart to him.

Auroro nodded gently, looking just as devastated as Taehyung.

"All right, we'll take care of that. You don't have to go through this alone. We'll find them and stop them. But for now, I think everyone should get some rest. This evening... has been very emotional. Especially for you."

She gave him a reassuring smile, but Taehyung looked away, preferring not to dwell on this attention which only added to his sorrow. Right now, he just wanted to concentrate on something concrete, something he could control, unlike the swirling emotions that were assailing him.

"Hm." he murmured, unable to contain his emotions, which raged inside him like a destructive torrent.

Namjoon put a hand on his shoulder, silently expressing his support. The X-Men understood the importance of this moment for Taehyung. Deep down, they had all felt loss or betrayal at some point, a sacrifice imposed by their particular way of life. But watching Taehyung, they knew that this was no ordinary pain.

Taehyung said nothing more and turned towards the staircase leading to the bedrooms, overwhelming fatigue getting the better of him.

He gently closed the door behind him, letting out a long sigh that almost turned into a sob. The darkness of his room comforted him slightly, but it also seemed to oppress him, intensifying the weight of his sorrow. He let himself fall back onto his bed, the tears he had been trying to hold back throughout his return finally flowing freely. Every thought returned to Jungkook, to that smile that had warmed him, to the soft words whispered in the silence of the night. He couldn't understand how it had all been a lie.

Why him? Why had Jungkook chosen to meddle in his life and then ruin everything? Part of him refused to believe that it had all been a manipulation, but the reality of events was cruelly obvious. He had seen the pain in Jungkook's eyes when he had ordered him to leave, that lonely tear on his cheek. Heartbreaking confusion tore at him: had he been sincere at some point, or was it all an illusion? Unable to answer, he let his broken heart speak through his tears.

His sobs were suddenly interrupted by a soft knock on the door. He quickly wiped his tears away, trying to conceal his state. He wasn't ready to talk, let alone explain how he felt. But the door opened before he could give his consent, revealing Logan, his face serious and compassionate.

"Can I come in, kid?" the man asked softly.

Taehyung nodded, unable to say a word. Logan entered, closing the door behind him before sitting down beside him on the bed, his gaze fixed on the wall opposite. He seemed to be searching for the right words, something that might ease Taehyung's obvious suffering. Taehyung felt overwhelmed by a wave of emotions that he could no longer contain.

"I never wanted to... I tried to push him away and yet..." he began, but the words stuck in his throat.

Logan put a comforting hand on his shoulder, encouraging him to continue without rushing him. That was perhaps what he needed most at the moment, a silent presence, someone who wouldn't ask him to justify himself. After a deep breath, Taehyung finally whispered what was eating away at him.

"The target... of the thieves' guild from the start... was me." he said in a trembling voice. "Jungkook is one of them, and he was there to... to deliver me to them."

Logan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Taehyung. The man frowned, but his face showed neither judgement nor surprise, only attentive understanding. Taehyung felt a mixture of relief and shame. The confession had cost him, but in this darkness he felt protected, and Logan seemed to be the only person who could understand the weight of his betrayal.

"That guy," Logan began in a low voice, "may have betrayed you, but that doesn't mean you were a fool to trust him. We all learn the hard way who's with us and who's against us. Maybe he played a part... or maybe he got lost along the way. But if you ask me, his feelings for you were genuine. Take it from a guy who's lived longer than the Professor himself."

Taehyung nodded slowly, listening to Logan's comforting words. Maybe he was right. Maybe he wasn't to blame for the pain. But he didn't know what to believe about Jungkook. He was... completely lost.

"Thank you." he murmured, his voice steadier, but still full of sadness.

Logan nodded and stayed with him for a while, until Taehyung's heartbeat calmed down. Finally, Logan said goodnight, leaving the door ajar behind him. Now more than ever, he didn't have to feel alone.