Faltering Steps • J-Hope

v.

Hobi went to his physical therapy sessions, dropped off and picked up by a company driver. He worked himself hard, trying to get back up to speed.

The practices he did go to, he wasn't allowed to dance. But he watched and memorized, and when everyone left, he practiced by himself, stopping frequently and giving himself breaks.

Everything was going back to normal.

"No, you're doing it wrong," Jungkook said, laughing.

"What's going on?" Hobi asked, smiling as he entered the living room.

Jin looked up from the floor. "Apparently I'm doing the new set wrong."

"It's your right foot that goes under," Jungkook said, demonstrating.

"I haven't seen this one before," Hobi said, curious.

"That's because they taught it to us on Thursday when you weren't there."

"Oh. Right." Hobi grinned sheepishly, but he felt guilty inside.

They're all working so hard, but I can't do anything...

Still, he asked Jungkook to perform the whole movement, and he tried to memorize it.

Hobi waited until everyone had gone to sleep before he left the room he shared with Jimin and V and walked to the practice room instead, letting himself in and turning on the lights.

"How did it go...?" he murmured to himself, thinking back to what he'd seen Jungkook demonstrate. "Right foot under..." He started to move but stopped himself. He felt off-balance.

"Stupid leg," he muttered, ignoring the feeling and trying again. He successfully completed the move and grinned. "All right! That's not so hard!"

He tried running the whole sequence and ended up tripping and falling.

Right onto his bad leg.

He screamed before clamping his hand over his mouth. The pain was so intense, worse than any he could recall feeling before. He didn't see any blood, but something just felt wrong.

And another problem.

He couldn't move.

***

Yoongi rolled over, pissed. "Who the hell is calling me at 3 AM?" He ignored the first call but picked it up the second time. "WHAT. I hope you realize who-"

"Y-Yoongi?"

Yoongi frowned. Something about his voice sounded wrong. "Hobi? What's wrong? You know I was sleeping-"

"I know, I'm sorry, can you come get me? Please, Yoongi."

"Get you? Where are you?"

"The practice room. I- Just- Look if you're not busy please-"

"I am busy. Trying to sleep."

"Please, Yoongi..."

***

Yoongi grumbled all the way to the practice room. "What is he thinking, waking me up...why'd he leave in the middle of the night in the first place? What, did he lock himself in?"

But when he got inside, he stopped talking.

"Yoongi," Hobi said, his face tight with pain form where he had crumpled on the floor. "You came."

"What happened."

"I was practicing and-"

"You know you're not supposed to practice!" Yoongi yelled.

"I know but I'm holding everyone back! I hate it! I can't do anything! I'm falling behind!" Hobi yelled back before looking down. "Look, can you just help me get up and back to the dorms? I can't...I can't move. My leg..."

Yoongi froze. "Damn it, Hobi, this is an emergency. Why didn't you say so?!"

"I didn't want you to-"

"SHUT UP." Yoongi called a driver and waited for him to arrive before silently helping Hobi up and carrying him into the car.

"Yoongi-"

Yoongi ignored Hobi, staring out the window instead.

How stupid is this kid?! Practicing alone? He could have gotten seriously hurt! Maybe he did!

"Yoongi-"

"What," he snapped.

"I'm sorry."

"Tell that to your doctor."