Chapter Text
Jungkook sniffles, trudging through the snow with his head down as his ears steadily turn red from the cold wind. He tries his hardest not to think about Taehyung’s words, instead staring blankly at the streetlamps reflecting off tiny shards of ice until they turn orange.
He thinks he should have seen this coming a long time ago, but after a whole blissful month with Tae, he’d begun to think that maybe he’d finally found someone that would stay .
Clearly Jungkook had been wrong.
“I’m sorry, it just isn’t safe.”
Jungkook squeezes his eyes shut, cold tears dripping into his scarf.
“Just leave, Jungkook-ah. Forget about all of this. You’ll be happier in the end.”
He huffs, stopping for breath and giving an ugly sniff. Gosh, he’s acting really pathetic right now, but he can’t really bring himself to pick up the pieces.
The only light available is from the street lamps now, and as Jungkook stares he can make out snowflakes drifting in and out of the rays of artificial light.
He passes by an alleyway, and that's when he hears it.
The crunching of snow, several sets of footsteps. Jungkook whips around just in time to see 4 men appear under the light of the nearest street lamp. They're dressed in all black and eyeing Jungkook up like he's a piece of meat.
“So this is the one the big bad V keeps as a pet, hmm? He's pretty, I'll give him that.”
“W-who are you?” Jungkook stutters, backing away one step with a crunch of snow.
The men step closer, encircling him. Jungkook's breaths quicken and he presses the small button on the bracelet Tae gifted him just a week ago without much thought.
“Just some friends of your beloved V,” one of them sneers. “I wonder why you’re out here by yourself. Pretty thing like you,” he steps closer until he’s right up in Jungkook’s face, his breaths puffing out in mist. Jungkook holds his own breath. “Don’t you know anyone would love to come up and snatch you?”
“We could make V give us anything if we take him,” another man pipes up. He’s tall but built, hair buzzed, and Jungkook spots a flash of metal on his fingers. Rings? Or maybe even–
Jungkook swallows. He’s only seen brass knuckles in person once, on the hands of an unconscious, bloodied woman Taehyung had had dragged out of Jungkook’s sight before distracting him with kisses and promising to take him on a beach date.
“Can’t hurt to have some fun of our own first, though,” the one in front of Jungkook breathes, tracing a finger along his jawline.
Jungkook flinches away. “Don’t touch me.” His voice sounds tremulous even to his own ears.
“Oh, we’ll be touching you plenty,” the man says, and Jungkook shudders, panic truly building now. “But not out here. Come with us, baby.” And then there’s a hand on his arm, gripping tightly, and Jungkook doesn’t think; he curls his hand into a fist, draws it back, and smashes it into the man’s jaw.
“You fucker–” Jungkook is already wrenching out of his grip, running as fast as he can back the way he came. He doesn’t make it far.
Something collides into his back and he stumbles, trying to stay upright but ultimately rolling to the floor with his assailant. Before he can even think he’s on his back and he braces himself for a heavy blow. Instead, he receives a harsh slap to the side of his face and he gasps, struggling to free his arms from where they’re pressed into the snow by the man’s knees. There are laughs at the demeaning action, and Jungkook wants to throw up.
“Do it again!” someone jeers, and there’s a slap to the other side of Jungkook’s face. The man tips his head back with a roar of a laugh, and Jungkook uses his momentum to finally free one arm, punching his side and kicking his legs, somehow managing to push him off. He’s back in the snow just half a second later, though, and there’s a weight on his limbs, a hand on his chest, a kick to his side.
He manages to struggle away again only to be pushed back down and struck over and over. Half of the strikes don’t do much damage, serving more to humiliate than anything else, but they still hurt. It’s clear they’re playing with him, a little mouse running between the four men, squeaking every time he’s intercepted.
Finally two of the men pin him down together, and Jungkook’s too tired to push them off. “Let’s finish it, we don’t want anyone to see us. A nice strike to the head should—”
There’s a loud bang, then screams, and suddenly the weight over Jungkook’s hips is gone, and with another bang and more screaming, his arms are free.
He squeezes his eyes shut when he spots a flash of red seeping into the snow beside his head, curling into himself with a whine of pain and relief.
Everything buzzes around Jungkook in a blur, screams and splatters and blows and bangs he tries to tune out. Then there’s a moment of silence, an absence of breath. Jungkook wonders if those four men are ever going to draw another one again.
Then there are warm, familiar arms scooping him up, a rush of air and movement as he’s carried a couple streets over and tucked into the darkness of an alley just as sirens start wailing.
“Kook, it’s alright, you’re safe now,” Taehyung’s voice mutters above him, and Jungkook opens his eyes. There’s a splash of red on Taehyung’s shoulder, seeping into his gray sweater. It’s that mark of violence that finally allows Jungkook to break.
Taehyung makes a soft noise as Jungkook starts to cry again, tucking his face into the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I won’t let it happen again, I promise.”
“Wasn’t your fault,” Jungkook whispers at the guilt in his voice.
“I shouldn’t have sent you away like that. I can’t keep you safe if you’re not by my side, Kookie. I really should’ve known. Somebody must have seen us together by now; I’ve dragged you into this world and now I don’t think you can leave.” Taehyung pulls back and traces his finger along a bruise on Jungkook’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Jungkook closes his eyes, leaning into the touch. “Didn’t want to leave anyway.”
He feels warm lips press against the tip of his nose. “I know, darling. I didn’t want you to either.”