Broken Glass - Taekook

22

When I wake up, everything hurts for a second. The bruises on my arms, on my legs, they all smart like the moment my wounds were made. And then I force myself to take a deep breath, through aching lungs, and take stock of the world around me.

The first thing I realise is that I'm not in the street anymore. Four walls, made of a mix of clay-type bricks and mismatched stone, surround me, and I find myself laying on a blanket that seems to be covering some straw. The ground below is hard stone, so I'm grateful that even the slightest thought about my comfort has been considered.

As I continue to look around, I notice my friends, in various states of consciousness, in the same room. I can't see any chains or bonds, so I can only assume that we're safe. Hoseok and Jimin are cuddling in their sleep in one corner of the room, both hiding their own personal quirks. I don't understand how Jimin can fold his wings away and be comfortable, but I guess he must have been too exhausted to care about something like that.

Seokjin is sitting up, slowly whittling down a stick in his hand to a structure that suits whatever he plans to use it for. His face is pale, and streaked with blood and tears, but he offers me a smile when he realises that I'm also awake. Yoongi's eyes are closed, and he's leaning against his partner, his head resting on the other man's shoulder.

Taehyung is sleeping propped up on his butt, right beside his brother's bedside. He's paler than usual, almost completely still and worryingly limp, but when I look closer I can just about see his chest moving with every breath. He's alive. Just.

Namjoon lies on a raised bed, on more straw than any of us, but I don't raise my voice in complaint. I know he needs it more than any of us. He's bloody and still unconscious, but I can only hope that he's still okay. I can't see him well enough to tell if he's breathing from here.

When I turn to look properly at him, Seokjin's voice breaks through the silence. "He's alive," he whispers, his smile growing when I jolt round to look at him. "I know it's unbelievable, but I promise. Tae wouldn't be asleep if he wasn't." I nod in understanding.
"That's true." There's a pause, and Seokjin returns to his carving for a moment. "Where are we?" He pauses, sets down the stick beside him, and focuses properly on the conversation.

"Do you remember the woman who helped you and Tae get Joon patched up?" After a moment, I nod, and he gestures around at the walls. "This is her house. She's let us stay for a day or so to recover a little." My eyes widen.

"Wait, really?" He shrugs, the idea not seeming that surprising to him. At the confusion on my face, he elaborates slightly.
"We got rid of a problem for them, they'll solve a problem for us. It's all about give and take. Or at least, that's how it used to be in Eithyr. The world's changed a bit, but some people still remember those basic ideas. We're lucky these people do."

When I don't respond, he picks up the stick and the little knife, turning back to his carving. I look around me, take a deep breath, and lay back down again. There's not much I can really do, and I'm exhausted. We all need rest. Every single one of us is nearly beaten down to the core. We just need time to breathe, time we don't really have.

What feels like a split second later, there's a knock on the door. I jolt upright instinctively, and immediately become aware of a hunger that's nagging at the corner of my consciousness, calling for my attention with every moment. I meet Seokjin's eyes, and realise that more time must have passed than I thought. His carving is completed, left discarded on the floor beside him. He's as dazed as I am, now.

"Must've fallen asleep," I hear him mutter to himself, as he stands up, carefully moving Yoongi from his shoulder before he goes. The other male lets out a hum of confusion and tiredness, his eyes blinking open as Seokjin walks to the door and opens it slightly so that he can inspect the exterior of the room. A sliver of light enters the room, and someone else grunts as the light nearly wakes them up. There's a moment of silence, and then the door opening widens, and Jimin shifts in his sleep as more light comes through.