fiendish heart [1]

8 。loving sacrifice

Taehyung pressed himself up against the cold wood that supported his worn body and aching muscles. Tremors ran through his nerves, fingers clenched his shirt to keep the heavy trembles from becoming noticeable. The wall that separated him from those inside did nothing to block out the screams that spilled from Jimin's strained throat. He felt guilt ridden, listening to the boy be whipped and punished. Yet he did nothing, he let Jimin be tortured. Because if he did try to step in it would only lead to his downfall. Jimin had done wrong, there was no denying that. Kook sought punishment, expressing it through beatings. It was a sensation Taehyung was all too familiar with. Not once, but twice had Kook beaten him and he had shown no mercy. It left scars. Scars that wouldn't heal. However, his victims weren't the only ones to be punished.

Taehyung refused to look up when he heard slow steps evident beside him, too heavy to be Kook. They stepped slowly, doubled over as they held themselves and cried. "Do not trust him," Jimin spluttered, knees buckling as he fell to the surface of the ledge. Taehyung looked towards him in alarm, scrambling up and pulling him closer. He held him gently as he coughed and sobbed. Cuts and bruises littered his bare skin, blood soaking the roots of his once soft hair, now matted and rough.

„Shhh... Hey, it's okay, I'm here." Taehyung whispered, pulling Jimin up as his body shook, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes.

„I'm so sorry Taehyung, I didn't mean to h - hurt you." Taehyung didn't give a response. He could have died at Jimin's hands, of course he was angry. But he couldn't be so cold towards Jimin, when he was struggling, and always had been.

„Don't speak, alright? I need to go get Seokjin." A weak nod was made out by him, head lowered to his chest. Taehyung smiled gently, pulling Jimin over to where he once sat. He immediately curled up, shivering from the wind against his bare skin. Taehyung looked towards the hut, hesitating for a moment before heading for the entrance.

Before he could make it over the terrace line he was shoved with an alarming force, knuckles scraping against the hard wood to try and keep himself from stumbling. Instinctively he lunged out to take ahold of Kook, pulling him back before he could jump off the ledge. When he looked at the boy Taehyung was taken aback to see tears pooling in his midnight eyes, lip bitten back as he tried not to cry. Before Taehyung could even begin to ask, he pulled himself away and dove right off the edge.

Taehyung's eyes widened as he ran up to the ledge, looking over in panic, the rush simmering down when Kook was safely secured on a branch, making his way gracefully down the trunk. A reflective object shone in the moonlight and Taehyung tried to get a glimpse of what it was. Roughly he made out a blade of some sort. His hand immediately went to his pocket in worry. The dagger was still secured in his jeans, out of harms way in the prussian blue pouch. „What are you up to..." he murmured beneath his breath, looking back to see Jimin watching him quietly. Realising he'd gotten sidetracked, he turned to the hut, strolling inside and lifting up the woolen blanket covering the wooden bed frame.

Jimin complained. It was understandable, the wool was rough against his injuries and irritated them. But it was precautions, Taehyung had already gotten to the brink of hypothermia, he didn't want Jimin to go through that too.

„Taehyung..." Jimin whispered as he went to get up. „Did you ever write that book you wanted to write when we were friends?" Taehyung smiled awkwardly, shifting his gaze away to try and remember what the other was talking about.