Fall (Bangtan Sonyeondan BTS Alternate Universe)

40. Setback

**** There are more {milder - mostly talk of pain and banter} scenes of torture, separated by ---- , skip if you'll be uncomfortable! ****

It only took me a month to rise in command. I let it get to my head, of course; it was all part of the act, the plan.

Genuine acts to execute the plan.

I was the leader of the robbery branch of the gang.

I prefer the term chief thief. But for reasons I can't understand, people refused to call me that.

I was almost a lieutenant to Seung-Jae. I was so close, so close.

And then some loudmouth lowlife underling had to open their damn mouth, and my plan was put on halt. Indefinitely. I could practically feel myself crumble apart from this major setback.

I felt trapped in the act now, and I couldn't break it after all this time.

It was like I was in a drama that was constantly being filmed, all day and night. I couldn't break character, or I would be killed.

It was easy to pretend that this was a game, but the reality was that I was playing with far more experienced members, and my life was on the line. I could die, they could kill me at any moment. I couldn't fight all of them.

So I had to execute my character flawlessly, and that was getting harder, as I was growing tired of this. I wanted someone that was safe around me. I wanted a friend.

I wanted Bangtan.

But they were precisely the problem.

Bobby, the bitch boy that Seung-Jae dumped on me to babysit was not fond of me - the feeling most definitely mutual - so he sent some kid to look up dirt on me.

Apparently, he found out that Bangtan was looking for me, and he went right to Seung-Jae. All of my work was ruined. Everything I did for him - for me, really - was forgotten in an instant.

And that's why I found myself back in the goddamn chair, hands tied to the arms, legs tied to the chair legs.

Lovely.

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"What happened to, 'oh, Bangtan didn't care about me, I was just another recruit. They won't bother with us' ?"

I rolled my eyes at B-Free's obnoxious imitation of me.

"Well, did you ever consider that maybe, just maybe, that little shit is lying? He probably doesn't even know what he's saying."

B-Free let out a little 'hmph'; typical drama queen B.

"Besides, since when do you listen to the little people of the gang? I mean, this kids, what, 14? He just runs a few minor, I mean severely minor, drugs, that's hardly a trustworthy member. His heart isn't into it, it's not a home, a life for him. Like, I've done more for this gang than some of the superiors even, and I'm getting this treatment, again? Tsk tsk. I might just get mad."

B-Free snorted, giving me a condescending look-over, less than impressed.

Oh, how I'd love to show him just how scary I can be.

"Well, what are you gonna do? You gonna glare daggers at me? You're tied to a chair, I'd say you're pretty much helpless. I could kill you easily."

"I don't think dear Seung-Jae would appreciate that. You see, I think he's grown to like me. I'd like to think it's because of my refreshingly spectacular humour, killer good looks, and un-paralleled skills."

I gave B-Free a cheesy grin, ignoring the blood spilling out of my mouth when I opened it.

I should probably shut up.

Yeah, that was so not going to happen.

I would have winked at him, but my eyelid was swelled shut.

He leaned onto my chair, slamming his hands on my arms, sneering in my face.

"Ever heard of the term, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer?"

Oh, if only you knew, you dimwit.

Though, it's better if you don't.

You'll live longer that way.

I pretended to think deeply, allowing B-Free to let his guard down as he simply pushed through my obnoxious, insulting attitude.

"Ever heard of this?" I pulled my head back and slammed it against his. "Eat shit."

I couldn't really enjoy the sight of B-Free cradling his head as he sat on the ground, because my head was pounding and the blood was rushing too fast, and the cuts stung, god they stung.

My vision was swimming, so I didn't see his hand, but I felt it, I definitely felt it as his palm smacked against my cheek with enough force to make me lose control and spew bloody saliva across the floor.

I hope I got some on his damn shoes.

Usually movies use slaps to be something only girls do, as if it's a weaker form of violence.

Anyone who's been slapped by someone that hated them should know that's definitely not the case.

It hurts like a bitch. The area of impact being the whole hand instead of the knuckles and half of the fingers like a punch, made the pain spread out worse than a punch.

It was a harsh, resonating pain, and as soon as the slap hit, the skin was tingling, screaming from the stinging sensation of a flyswatter multiplied by a thousand.

Come on now, you can't let a slap be the last blow, that's pathetic. It hurts, but you've done worse to yourself, even on accident before.

"Is that all you've got?"

Even as I spoke, I felt how weak I was; I couldn't take much more, and I knew it.

So did B-Free, and he smirked.

But though my arrogance was an act, his was a mistake.

He leaned down close to me, clenching my neck to keep me still, hence avoiding another headbutt.

His grip was dangerously tight, so I struggled to breathe.

Still, I forced myself to get words out.

I'm so getting myself killed from this one day.

"Man, I'm not really into breath play. I know you're kinky, but - "

"One more smart-ass comment, please, please say one more smart-ass comment so I can end your pathetic, poser existence."

I really, really wanted to speak, just to piss him off, but his grip was too tight - I couldn't breathe, nonetheless speak.

He smirked as if I had conceded to him, and let go of my neck.

"I'm not done toying with you, so go ahead and recover so I can beat your ass all over again."

I tried really hard to speak, but hours of yelling obscenities at him while he did his worst to me had taken its toll on my voice.

The choking didn't help.