BTS Kidnapped

Part Forty-One

~oooOooo~

FLASHBACK

When Taehyung returned from his birthday trip, turning on his phone as he sank onto the bed, it was to a barrage of increasingly frustrated texts from his lovers asking where he was, what he was doing, and if he was okay.

'Nevermind', Jimin had finally sent, Taehyung feeling Jimin's frayed emotions in the powerful one word text.

Jimin and Jungkook had returned from their trip to Tokyo earlier that day, both of them eager to get back and talk to Taehyung about the mistakes they had made and what they had learned about each other and the love that they shared for the piece that they missed.

Taehyung had spent the entire ride back thinking of all the things he had done wrong... of all the reasons it was so obvious the two of them didn't want him anymore. Lately Jimin and Jungkook had been sneaking private moments in dark hallways where no one could see. They held hands and laughed and whispered things in each other's ears. Secrets Taehyung thought he would never hear. Maybe they were thinking of ways to let him go, push him aside, snuff his love out. Taehyung had to go to them, had to tell them he was sorry for just leaving and not talking to them - not hearing them out. He had to let them know he wanted the relationship they had with all his heart.

When Taehyung finally realized that Jimin and Jungkook were home, he quietly left his room and snuck to Jungkook's - the one they often shared. He had meant to tell them that he would do better, be better, but then he heard them talking and his whole world shattered. They didn't want him anymore. They were looking for a way to finally push him out.

"How do we get him out of here?" Jimin had asked.

They wanted him gone. The time for apologies and reconciliation was over. Taehyung felt a cramp form in his chest, but pushed it aside, choosing anger instead of sadness at that moment. If they truly didn't want him there, then Taehyung would save them the trouble and leave on his own, no questions asked and no explanation required.

He thought he could do it.

He thought he could walk away from them the way they wanted to walk away from him.

Taehyung didn't make it very far at all, the pain in his chest bringing him to his knees right in front of Yoongi's door - the door to his mini-studio where he spent so many hours - the one safe place where Taehyung had started to hide when everything around him began to fall apart. Before the sob could rip its way from deep within his chest, Taehyung felt Yoongi's strong, warm arms envelop him as the older man pulled him into his studio and gently shut the door, bringing Taehyung to him as he finally let loose of all his pain and grief.

"Taehyungie?" Yoongi had asked in confusion as he sat Taehyung down on his couch. "What happened?"

Taehyung could only shake his head as he curled in on himself, the pain in his chest too much to bear. His greatest joy - the brightest stars in his sky - none of that was meant for him anymore and suddenly he was unbearably alone. He had no idea what to do with the loss he now felt as tears burned down his cheeks like acid rain.

"Taehyung-ah," Yoongi said again, sitting up straighter as he took Taehyung's face in his hands, forcing the younger to look him in the eyes as he spoke.

"They - why do you love me?" Taehyung whispered, his eyes distant as he focused on nothing but the emptiness and pain he now felt.

"What?" Yoongi asked, sounding confused.

"Why do you love me?" Taehyung asked again, sounding slightly more frantic as he searched for an answer to his question. "I know you do, hyung. I can see it when you look at me."