Blood In The Water / Mafia / Kim Taehyung

~ 5

"There you are. What are you doing?" Namjoon questioned as Jungkook leaves the room. "Nothing," I answer to which Namjoon narrows his eyes. He doesn't seem to believe me but has no reason to question me either so instead beckons me to follow after him to Taehyung's room. When we arrive, Taehyung is laying in bed, head propped up by a couple of pillows and groaning quietly.

"I'm not restitching that if you rip it open," Jin warns as he finished stitching up the last wound. He looked much better now, the blood had been washed from his skin and wounds cared for. Taehyung notices my presence in the doorway, he smiles weakly, hair falling over his eyes, "come here," he mumbles patting the empty space beside him. I'm hesitant to approach him but I know I have no choice under his watchful eye. I slowly step over to the side of the bed, still remaining out of Taehyung's reach.

"You can take a seat." Taehyung flicks over the duvet allowing me to easily slip in beside him. He hisses slightly as he does so, the sudden arm movement causing a sharp pain to travel up his forearm. Taehyung's smile falls a little from his face when I make no attempt to sit beside him. There's a tension between us, almost as if we were both waiting for the other one to give up. Perhaps we did share some similarities, we were both too stubborn for our own good. "What are you scared of?" Taehyung questions, a single eyebrow raised as he studies me.

His question shouldn't intimidate me, but it does. He was trying to get me to admit weakness, or get anything he could use against me. I'm suddenly very aware of how vulnerable I feel. Stood in the far side of the room is Jin and Namjoon who were clearing away the bandages and treatment that had been used on Taehyung's wounds. Despite looking busy I knew they were listening in on our conversation, it was impossible not to. I look away from them to realise Taehyung is now also watching them intently. "You two can leave now," he calls over to them. They both look up simultaneously, wide eyed in surprise. Immediately, they nod their heads, gathering up anything that still had to be packed away before stepping quickly out of the room.

"Feel less threatened now?" Taehyung asks, shuffling further down in his bed. He'd been able to read me like a book. "You know, when we first met, you weren't afraid of me. I was surprised, you were stronger and braver than I had expected you to be. So what changed?" I want to respond, but I don't know how to. It was normal, inevitable in fact, that I'd be afraid of Taehyung and the others but I couldn't admit that. He already knew I was scared, but until I confessed I was, he couldn't use it against me. Without realising it, I'd began to sit down on the edge of the bed. There's still a distance between us, but Taehyung was now in arms reach.

"Talk to me Hanna," he continued to try and get my attention, taking hold of my hand, stroking it lightly in circles with his thumb. He tugs my arm so I roll into his body and before I could get up he had pinned me into an embrace so my face was squished into his side.

"I have nothing to say to you," I spoke into the soft material of his shirt so it came out as more of a mumble. Taehyung didn't say much else and it wasn't long before I could hear his light snores. Even when sleeping his embrace was incredibly strong. I lay awake waiting until I knew he was in a deep sleep. I couldn't take it any longer. As I calculated my escape plan, I slowly and carefully lift by body from the bed, feeling the springs creak inside the mattress. I keep my eyes trained down on Taehyung making sure my movements didn't wake him. Without a second thought I scurry across the bedroom floor and slip into the dimly lit corridor. I knew I was taking a huge risk, but so was staying here.

I try retracing my steps from the earlier afternoon, nothing but the slight scuff of my feet echoing through the halls. In the distance I recognise a familiar set of stairs. I make a dash for it, almost falling headfirst down the stairs but I'm caught by a pair of strong hands. Freezing like a deer in headlights I come face to face with Jimin. "What are you doing Hanna?" He questions with narrowed eyes. I push past him and run out the front door I had spotted in the corner of my eye. The cold air bites at my face as I disappear into the darkness of the night. The muscles in my legs burn but I urge myself forwards. My feet ache as they pound along the damp grass, soaking through the thin material of my socks. Shouts and gunshots ricochet through the night as I reach the tall, iron fencing. I place my foot on the iron railings but before I can even begin my ascent I'm dragged down roughly on to the floor.