Walk These City Streets With Me (#wattys2017)(Complete)

14

To an outsider, the scene presenting itself was about as confusing as it gets. To Jimin, well, he predicted this was coming- all criminals have a backstory, painful or not, and eventually a person will shatter from the weight they carry. Yoongi's weight, Jimin guessed, was a bigger burden than anything he'd ever seen.

The pair were sitting on the floor in the living room, with Yoongi bundled in Jimin's lap, silently crying and clutching Jimin's shirt. Jimin rubbed circles on his back, and ran his hand through Yoongi's hair, clutching the older and calming him down. In the past hour, Yoongi told Jimin everything- almost. He told him what his life was like as a child.

Yoongi had quite the tragic backstory. His parents and sister died when he was four, and he lived in the alleys, sometimes scoring a place to sleep from a sympathetic family. More often than not, though, he was left to waste away. He would walk the entire city, trying to memorize every detail of every building- just in case he needed it. One day, when he was 13, he stumbled across what seemed like a makeshift shelter in an alley on the outskirts of the city. He bent down to grab some food, and was tackled by three other kids, who turned out to be part of the gang living there. V, Hoseok, and Jungkook, they called themselves. They kept Yoongi with them until the leader came back that night. He offered Yoongi a position in the gang, ensuring that he would always be fed and taken care of. How could he refuse that offer? He agreed, and he began working with Hoseok, V, and Jungkook, pulling robberies and carrying out orders from the boss. They grew up together, and to Yoongi, this was the only kind of family he knew. Three years later and Yoongi himself was one of the prized possessions of the gang, and a renowned criminal throughout the city. He had not a care in the world- no morality, no sympathy, no feelings at all. Until the night he fatefully met Jimin. Leading up to that night, Yoongi was beginning to gain a little morality, and realized what he was doing was wrong. Everything was wrong. He wanted to change. The leader came home one night, and held a younger teenager in tow. He discovered Yoongi's feelings towards their lifestyle, and decided to make him pay. The leader chained the little teen to the wall, and pushed him to the ground. He placed a whip in Yoongi's hand, and curled Yoongi's other hand into a fist. "He stole from us. You must make him pay." Yoongi took one look at the younger, and feverishly shook his head. "No." At this, a harsh blow came to the back of Yoongi's head. "I said, make. him. pay." His hands tightened, and he whispered and apology as he began to hit the teen. Despite the younger's cries, he kept going, causing both of them to start crying. When the leader told him to stop, the teen was almost unrecognizable. Yoongi was pulled aside as V, Hoseok, and Jungkook continued to pound on their victim. Yoongi was told to strip, and he listened. His bare abdomen met the force of a leather whip. Little by little, his abdomen was stained with blood, scratches, and bruises. "Defy me again." the leader threatened, as he left Yoongi lying on the ground, trying to stop himself from bleeding. A shadowy figure came out of the darkness towards Yoongi, and threw a necklace down at him- a little silver charm hanging from a chain. He never knew which of the members it was that gave him the jewelry. He picked it up, and placed it around his neck, promising to one day find the owner and make up for what he did.

For the next few years, Yoongi planned his escape, and tried to find the kid he had hurt. He scoured all the roads for that redhead. Then, when he was 20, he saw two officers walk into the police station. One with black hair, and one with fire engine red hair. That's him. That has to be him. Jimin had grown- not that much though- but looked a lot older, due to the long and sad face he displayed. Over the course of another few years, he came close to letting Jimin take him- he figured he deserves what he'd get- but he always backed out and ran away at the last second. Until the gang hung Yoongi out to dry and turned him in. Yoongi didn't show it, but he was actually very thankful to get away from the gang. He decided to cooperate, and let his walls down for Jimin.

He also made a split second decision, after spilling his life story, that in the morning, he would tell Jimin about the oath, and try to save the both of them. Please, please don't hurt him...

Hours had passed, and both Yoongi and Jimin fell asleep on the floor, Jimin crying as well, but never letting go of Yoongi. He didn't ever want to let go.