starboy. kth x myg / taegi

whispers

taehyung wriggled the doorknob of his bedroom door, sighing softly and letting himself slump back into his bed once he found that it was still locked. his stomach throbbed with a numb hunger and his throat felt dry from dehydration and crying and screaming the night before. he could vaguely remember the slap that had reverberated through the living room with a cruel whisper, and then the throb in his now bruised cheek when he had been shoved against the wall.

his phone rang then, just as his head hit the pillow with a soft thud. he stretched his arm over his stomach and felt his fingers wrap around his phone.

the caller id surprised him, and he almost couldn't remember who it was.

min yoongi.

and taehyung thanked whatever deity out there in the world that his drinking habits didn't include forgetting everything that happened whilst he was drunk.

he put the phone to his ear.

"hello?"

"hey, starboy. you sound exhausted."

"i am exhausted."

"but are you alright?"

i've been locked in my room for eighteen hours.

"i'm alive, aren't i?"

the lock clicked and the door opened slowly, the sound agonizing.

"taehyung, make dinner."

his mother left immediately after, her voice stiff even as she spoke those three words.

"i have to go, yoongi. i'll see you later."

"okay, stay safe, starboy."

taehyung hung up and scoffed.

stay safe, starboy.

safe?

safety didn't exist to taehyung.

* * *

taehyung stumbled into the diner, thin, weak legs trembling with a cold ripple.

"tae?"

jimin watched as taehyung fell into a booth, waving a hand hello helplessly.

"oh my god, you look terrible."

"are you implying that i'm ugly?"

"no, tae, have you been sleeping at all? you look like you're dying, shit, have you even been eating?"

jimin sat down beside him, round, golden eyes seeming to glint with concern that taehyung didn't deserve.

"i'm just tired, jimin."

"is your mom alright?"

taehyung merely smiled, lips whispering happy but eyes screaming otherwise.

"did she hit you again?"

and then taehyung looked away, smile falling even farther.

"taehyung..."

"just forget it, okay?"

and jimin hated how vulnerable taehyung sounded choking out those words. he hated how taehyung's eyes filled with tears that went away as quickly as they had come, and he hated how taehyung looked away when jimin flashed him a look of concern.