A/N: Thank you for 200+ reads!
Jeongguk's mind sunk into the deepest realms of his soul. He wasn't sure how to tell Taehyung that he would have to conceal him again.
He carefully sat up, their hands still intertwined. He left a small kiss on his bruised knuckles, pulling him up in the process.
"Wha's wrong?" Taehyung's voice sounded tired, exhaustion apparent in the way his eyes fluttered. Jeongguk shook his head, a dry laugh escaping his throat.
"Tae, I promise I won't leave you. But there's something I have to do to keep you safe." Taehyung's blood ran cold, almost detecting what Jeongguk was about to say.
"You..you're gonna have to stay here. In the house. Until I make enough money to take us someplace else, there's really no other option..I'm sorry." Jeongguk felt relief for a second, but only for a second.
Taehyung harshly pulled away from Jeongguk, pacing back and forth and aggressively biting his nails. He started crying again, and turned away from Jeongguk. He couldn't bare to even look at his face right now.
Jeongguk slowly stood up, silently trudging over to the back door.
clang.
Taehyung stood over Jeongguk's unconscious body, shovel in hand. He had hit him as hard as he could, knocking him out cold. He threw the shovel next to the heap of dirt where his mother lay, a dead expression on his face.
He began to drag Jeongguk into the house, down the hard stone steps. There was a large pole with a chain around it and scattered tools and taxidermy animals piled up in a corner.
Taehyung wrapped a shackle around Jeongguk's ankle, clasping it and locking it with a key found on a nearby wooden table. There were copious amounts of claw marks and indentations on it from when he used to be locked down there, attempting to scratch his way out.
He sat directly in front of Jeongguk's unconscious body for hours, waiting for him to wake up. He noticed a large gash on his forehead from where the shovel hit him, and he jumped up to find a first aid kit.
Once he found one in the bathroom upstairs, he trotted back down to the basement only to be met with the teary eyes of Jeongguk. He pulled at the chains, yelping when he noticed the chain bound tightly around his ankle.
Taehyung said nothing, simply crouching down and beginning to pour rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. "'S gonna hurt, okay?" His voice was soft, but Jeongguk was terrified.
When the alcohol came in contact with his large gash, he let out a gasp then a pained yell. Taehyung cringed, taking a dry cotton ball and wiping the excess blood off.
He then pulled out a needle and thread, staring into Jeongguk's eyes. His eyes were almost coal-colored; they were dark and seemed to have no life left in them.
Without warning, he jabbed Jeongguk's skin with the needle and began to sew his cut closed. Jeongguk screamed in pain, at least being grateful that he wasn't being tortured. After Taehyung was done stitching, he placed a large bandaid on his forehead, kissing it gently.
He closed the first aid kid, sliding it underneath the wooden table on the far side of the basement. Jeongguk looked in the direction of the first aid kid, sneaking a single glance at Taehyung who stared at him like he was the most exquisite piece of jewelry he'd ever seen.
"Why'd you chain me up? Did I do somethin' wrong?" Jeongguk's voice was practically dripping with fear, the viscosity of it threatening to suffocate Taehyung.
"You said you was gonna lock me up, Ggukie. Why would'ya say somethin' like that to me?" Jeongguk was confused by the child-like mannerisms of Taehyung in such a serious situation like this one.
"Y're stressin' me out.." Taehyung giggled a bit, lunging forward and latching his arms around Jeongguk's unsuspecting neck. He snuggled into his neck, babbling a bunch of made up words in his ear.
Jeongguk realized something in that moment; Taehyung was completely fucked up. His brain was sending so many mixed and confusing signals that Taehyung tapped out with no intention of returning.
He also realized that with Taehyung in this child-like state, there would be no way of him ever getting out of his chains.
a/n: no, i'm not talking about little space. he's regressing because he's so stressed out and messed up inside that he regressed to the age where he felt the most happy- age 5.
Jeongguk figured if he changed his tone, Taehyung would somehow understand and comply with him. "Hey bub. Can you find a key for me? If you do, I'll buy you a treat and we'll get some candy, okay?"
Taehyung pulled away from Jeongguk, cocking his head to the side and placing his forefinger between his lips.
"D'you mean it? Can I get strawberry ice cream? Pretty please?" His voice had morphed into that of a little kid's and Jeongguk knew he had to get him serious help and fast.
"Sure doll. You can get strawberry." Taehyung clapped his hands happily, finding the key and handing it to Jeongguk.
Jeongguk tore the shackle off, standing up and preparing to run out the door. But Taehyung stared at him patiently, his eyes twinkling with excitement.
"Let's go get the ice cream, okay? Take my hand." Taehyung wrapped his small hand around Jeongguk's large one, guiding him upstairs. "Wait here! I'll find my mommy's keys!"
He waltzed upstairs, a few clattering sounds being heard from downstairs. Taehyung emerged, jingling the keys in his hand and tossing them to Jeongguk.
Jeongguk pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a deep sigh and waiting for Taehyung to accompany him.
They ventured outside, sliding into Taehyung's mothers car and driving to the local ice cream shop. Surprisingly, they were still open despite it being almost 3 in the morning. Jeongguk parked the car in the empty lot, beckoning for Taehyung to come with him.
They exited the car, ordering their ice cream and getting back in. Taehyung ended up falling asleep midway through his ice cream and Jeongguk took it from him and threw it out the window.
He tapped Taehyung lightly, making sure he was really asleep. He got out of the car, pulling his phone out and dialing his hyung's number.
"Namjoon-hyung? I need your help. There's someone I need to commit to a hospital."
"Okay."
"Thanks, hyung."
