Healer

People Who Care

There was a collective gasp. Jungkook's hands shifted, cradling Jimin's head, and Yoongi began to withdraw his hands.

"Please," Jimin gasped, opening his eyes. "Please. Don't."

"What are we supposed to do, then?" Jungkook asked softly. "No matter what we do, you're in pain--"

"Stop," Jimin groaned. "Don't want it."

"Why not?"

Pain rocketed up Jimin's spine, and he was rendered breathless, staring wide-eyed into space. Namjoon's grip on his hand was tight enough to restrict circulation.

"Jimin?"

"Don't look at me like that," Jimin mumbled, tears filling his eyes. " I c-can handle it. I just need..."

A tear hit his face, and he gasped, blinking. Jungkook let out a soft sob, leaning toward him and massaging the back of his neck. Jimin shifted, trying to sit up, and failed to hold in the cry of pain that burst out of him.

Why did it always have to be this way?

Yoongi sat at the foot of the bed. One of his hands rested on Jimin's foot, tracing the tips of his toes. He sighed, pressing his thumb into the arch of Jimin's foot, and Jimin gasped, pulling it away.

"I just need a few seconds," he said, forcing himself to steady his words.

"What you need," Yoongi said, "is to let us help you."

"Jimin?"

Jimin looked up, panting. His legs sprawled useless behind him, shaking from the effort of walking all over the city in search of someplace to hide. The guards would find him again. They would take him away, torture him, kill him. In their eyes, it was his fault their commander had died.

He couldn't bring himself to deny their claims.

Taehyung crouched at the mouth of the alleyway, eyes cautious. "...Is it really you?" he asked softly, scooting closer. "I thought the emperor took you away."

Jimin opened his mouth, but instead of sound, pain exploded in his throat, and he choked, coughing. His lungs still burned.

"What did they do to you?" Taehyung mumbled, moving closer.

Shame crashed over Jimin, and he began to cry, shrinking away from his friend and wrapping his arms around his head. Taehyung ran a hand through his hair, hissing in surprise, and shifted.

"I need to get you out of here. Can you walk?"

"Jimin!"

Jimin gasped, eyes flying open.

"What's wrong?" Taehyung said, taking his hand. Jimin stared wide-eyed at Yoongi, chest heaving, then looked away, closing his eyes when he couldn't find someone who wasn't looking at him.

"Please, Jimin," Yoongi said. "You're hurting, aren't you?"

Jimin sucked in a breath. "Please... don't be mad."

"I'm not mad at you," Yoongi said, "I'm mad at the sick idiots who did this to you."

"How in the world did you get him out of there?!"

"No time to talk. Drive!"

Jimin gasped, shuddering as Yoongi began to press his fingers into the soles of his feet. Small shoots of heat trailed into his ankle, then up his leg. Jimin took a shaky breath, opening his eyes, and let out a cry of pain.

"Hyung--" Namjoon began.

"He doesn't have to keep doing it," Yoongi snapped. "But if he wants to be able to move again, he'll have to work with us."

Jimin swallowed. Yoongi's hands were working over his foot, gently rotating his ankle, sending flashes of heat further and further up his body. Jimin heard someone sniffle overhead--Jungkook?--but had no time to think about it. The pain burned into his soul, and he opened his mouth, crying out again.

"You can do it," Yoongi muttered. "Trust me. You can do it."

Jimin knew he was wrong. His lungs shrank more every second, air barely slipping into them. He couldn't think. The pain was everything. Yoongi's hands moved up one leg, then switched to the other. Jungkook lifted him into his arms, wrapping him in a tight embrace as he cried, and Jimin felt his chest heaving, their two heartbeats slamming together. The heat from Yoongi's hands blossomed from every point of contact, reaching through him to loosen sore muscles.

It was terrifying. And painful. But it felt... right.

Slowly, Jimin relaxed, blinking down at Yoongi. The healer glanced up at him, perhaps sensing the tension draining away, and Jimin saw his lip twitch.

"There we go," he said, so softly Jimin barely heard him. "Told you."

He moved closer, pressing a hand to Jimin's stomach, and Jimin closed his eyes again, swallowing harder. Yoongi slowed down, pressing out the cramps and twists in Jimin's muscles, his touch so light Jimin barely noticed it. In fact, Jimin barely noticed anything. The pain had faded to a slight twinge in the back of his mind, and in the rush of warmth and relief replacing it he felt his eyelids drooping, his head falling against Jungkook's chest as the last of the tears dripped past his eyelids.

Why did I wait so long? 

Why do we all, Jimin?