Ashen || k.th.

11

The ghost never felt this alarmed in his 3 years of death.

Apparantly, his favorite human is not yet home and it's already 9 in the evening. She said she'll be home at 6 and Y/N is never the type to leave someone worried. She has never stayed out this late before and to say that Taehyung is worried would be an understatement. He has this sickening feeling in his stomach as he waited for her at the couch.

"Where's your mummy?" Taehyung breathed anxiously to Yeontan who looked at him. His blank orbs shot forward when the front door opened. They aren't greeted with the usual cheerful tone which sets Taehyung's anxiousness even higher. He walked closer to the door and saw her there, her back facing him. The way her shoulders were slumped down shows that something's off.

"Y/N?" He calls out with a frown as he advances towards her. She slowly faced him with swollen eyes and exasperated face. The sight broke Taehyung's heart. He hates it when she cries.

"T-Taehyung." Then she began sobbing. She ran towards him and collapsed in his chest. His arms automatically wrapped around her small frame in a soothing manner as she cries. His body felt heavy as she leans there, clinging on to him as she sobs.

"Kitten, what's wrong?" She cries against his chest as his voice calmed her down quicker than with Jimin. "Shh.. It's alright. You're alright here, Y/N. Calm down."

"T-Tae." She calls out. She doesn't care if she looks shit or sounds like a crybaby. She knows Taehyung will never judge her. He gave her a gentle squeeze to tell her that he's here.

"Calm down, princess. Talk when you're ready. I'm just here." He assured. She took a few breaths and began to calm herself down. He grabbed Taehyung by his cold hands and led him to her room. They both sat in the middle of the bed with him in front of her.

She sighed with a shaky breath and looked at Taehyung again. His doe eyes that stared at her with concern making warmth spread throughout her. "I-I have an ex, Kai. We broke up a couple of months ago. Then lately he started trying to reach out to me again." Her voice breaks as he listens worriedly to her. "I saw.. I saw him at uni earlier. He.. He assaulted me, Taehyung."

She broke down crying again and he felt his jaw clenched. His fist closed in severe anger that he wants nothing but to hit that douche. How dare he touch her like that? He was fuming mad that his body shook with rage.

"I-I.. I called out but no one came. He grabbed me Tae, here," she pointed to her jaw with her trembling hands, "here," she pointed her shoulders, arms, wrist, and waist. "I was so scared."

"Fuck. Come here, kitten." He was so angry he feels like bursting but that doesn't show on the way he hugged her close to him. He is furious but he held her with so much care as if she's a fragile porcelain doll. She told him everything that happened and the ghost just got more and more upset.

First, because she doesn't deserve any of this. Second, he wasn't there to help her out. He can't do anything and he fucking hates it. Every sob that came from her delivers a sharp pinch to his chest. He mentally made a vow never to leave her side anymore. Fuck being around with a lot of people. He wants to be there when she needs him. He wants to protect her. He wants to be the name she first calls when she needs someone. He wants to save her. Just like how she did when he's the one nearly falling apart.

"Shh, kitten. Stop crying, please. I'm here. I'm here now. He can't touch you anymore. You're safe with me, Y/N." He coos as he softly massages her jaw while his other carressed her side, secrectly hoping to erase the memory of his filthy hands on her skin. He wants her to feel as secure as she can be. "You're alright, beautiful. I'll protect you."

Even though aware of how incapable the ghost that's holding her is, she trusted his words. Every single one. She immediately relaxes and melted in his arms.

"Thank you, Tae." She mumbles. He's still not quitting running his clammy hands on her back as he tries to calm himself down too. The gesture almost made Y/N drift off but she compose herself, wanting to savor the feeling of being against him more.

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?" He offered to which she nodded. She threw away her bashfulness at his offer. She knows what she needs and it is the ghost boy that's holding her now. "Stop crying now, okay? I'm going with you at your university from now on." He declared making her eyes widen.

"Taehyung, no. You don't have to do that." She broke off from their hug which almost made Taehyung whimper. He wants to hold her more.

"And I don't want any of this happening again. I want to make sure you're alright and the only way to do that is to be with you." He said confidently. "Unless you don't want me to."

"What? No. Of course I want you to. It's just you're going to be around lots of people and I don't want you to be scared." Y/N pouted making Taehyung's eyes drop on her lips. Those innocent lips were tainted by underserving ones. He couldn't help but wonder if he could erase the feel of someone else's lips on her with his own but he cut off his thoughts. He retreated his eyes immediately before she catches him.

"Scared?" He huffed with a laugh. "Who's scared? I'm the toughest ghost you know." He brags jokingly. Finally, her lips slowly curved into a small smile.

"It's because you're the only ghost I know, silly." She chuckled lightly. It's now his turn to pout.

"Touché."

"Thank you." She giggled.

"But still, you can't stop me from going with you. I'll just go home when Yeontan needs to be fed." Taehyung said. Y/N blushed with so much admiration for the boy who turns out to be her ghost in shining armor. "And don't you ever underestimate my ghostly manliness." He smirked and flexed his muscles which are barely there.

"Thank you so much for doing this, Taehyung." The ghost boy grinned at her as they both lied down together.

The both of them are unaware of the shadow lurking around the corner. Something that will bring nothing but darkness to the bond of connection the human and the ghost began establishing.

A/N: A number of clues are in this chapter, can you figure them out? I can't wait to serve you the plot twist of this story!

Anyways, thank you so much for 500 reads! You nice, keep going. ❤