✔ || Distract Me

Chapter 11

Dream-Taehyung was waiting for Jeongguk when he opened his eyes. With a sad smile, Taehyung held out a hand. Jeongguk took it, confused, and Taehyung explained, "I'm going to show you a memory. I can't tell you what I am, but I don't think it's technically against any rules to show you. Is that okay?"

Jeongguk nodded, "Yes, hyung."

He didn't understand what Taehyung was talking about, but he knew he'd find out eventually. Better to stay quiet and let his hyung do what he needed to do. Taehyung sighed gravely and circled to Jeongguk's back. The maknae moved to follow him, but Taehyung said, "No. I need you to be absolutely still."

Jeongguk obeyed, fixing his focus on the white abyss of the dreamscape. Suddenly, Taehyung's hands were over his eyes and Jeongguk froze.

Taehyung knelt in the middle of a dark hall, surrounded by beings that glowed and shimmered and were difficult for Jeongguk to look at. He wore only red trousers, and two massive black wings fanned out behind him on the ground. Jeongguk's eyes widened.

Wings. Taehyung literally had wings.

Taehyung's head was lowered, his entire body as still as the first time Jeongguk had seen him in his dream. His wings gleamed where the light from the beings struck them, and Jeongguk found that they were the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

One of the beings stepped forward, but Taehyung barely lifted his head. "Look at me," the being ordered.

"Fuck off," Taehyung responded, a dark, grimacing smile plaguing his otherworldly features.

The being reached forward and Taehyung tilted his head away. The being ignored the motion, though, and cupped what Jeongguk guessed to be a hand around Taehyung's jaw. "You brought this on yourself."

"Then I guess there's nothing else to say, Raphael," Taehyung said tiredly.

Two beings came forward from behind Taehyung and Raphael held up his free hand. "Let us hear repentance, Taehyung."

"Wouldn't you love that satisfaction," Taehyung spat. "Just fucking do it already."

Raphael dropped his hand and stepped back, nodding. The two beings simultaneously finished crossing to Taehyung and picked up one wing each. Now that they were stretched to their full length, Jeongguk guessed that Taehyung's wingspan was at least four meters long. He was in such awe at the boy's ethereal beauty that he didn't completely realize what was happening until Taehyung started screaming.

The circle of beings watched silently as the two beings holding onto Taehyung's wings began to pull. Taehyung's head snapped back, an depraved shriek erupting from his throat. Jeongguk started forward, reaching out towards his hyung. Why isn't he moving? Why isn't he running away?

It was then that Jeongguk realized Taehyung's wrists and ankles were bolted to the ground. The boy screamed as his wings started to slowly pull away from his body. Jeongguk tried to look away, to clap his hands over his ears, but he could only stare helplessly as the tendons in Taehyung's wings stretched and then popped apart. His skin groaned as it tore as easily as if it were paper. Next were the muscles, which were able to stretch farther before ripping apart with a sickening squelch. Jeongguk sobbed, dropping to his knees as the beautiful wings were torn from his Taehyung's body. The bones were the worst - the ligaments attaching them to his shoulder blades refused to break at first. Taehyung arched his spine, eyes rolling to the back of his skull, as a broken scream echoed out of his hollow chest. Once the bones were free, though, the rest of the muscles and tendons quickly snapped apart with a spray of dark blood. Bile rose in Jeongguk's throat at the sight and he gagged, tears burning his eyes.