It wasn't that Taehyung didn't notice Jungkook and his brother’s tension, it was just he didn't want to make any assumptions before knowing all the facts. But something in the way Jungkook’s entire persona changed when his brother was mentioned worried Taehyung. Was there a larger reason for Taehyung being asked by Jungkook to come over. Was Jungkook trying to reach out to Taehyung. Many thoughts raced through his mind. There were so many possibilities. Taehyung just had to hope for the best.

Jungkook walked with his head down. “What do you want hyung?” Wonso slammed whatever was in his hands down on to the kitchen counter. “I would like to know what the hell a stranger is doing in this house with you?” Jungkook didn't answer and kept his eyes glued to the floor.  Jungkook heard Wonso coming closer and closer. He didn't dare to look up. “You think you could get away from me that easily.” Wonso lifted Jungkook’s head with two fingers. “That kid may be in this house but there are more than a few ways to hurt someone while keeping them silent.” Wonso lightly tapped Jungkook's cheek. Jungkook, forced to, looked into his brother’s eyes. They were dark and filled with bloodlust. Wonso’s hand down to his side clenched into a fist but he walked back to the kitchen. 

Jungkook watched his brother turned around with a smirk on his face. Wonso opened a drawer and pulled a long piece of cloth out. “Either you promise to be quiet or I make you?” Jungkook knew what was coming and even though his brother knew Jungkook would shut his mouth, you could never be too careful. Jungkook just watched and stood still as his brother tied the cloth around his mouth. Jungkook was completely defenseless against his brother or anyone for that matter. He thought it was inevitable and just let it happen. Wonso hit Jungkook hard on the back of the head to signal that he was ready to have some fun with the younger. 

Jungkook had been beaten before but it has been a long time since he has seen his brother. Wonso must have missed hitting Jungkook because he made the most of it. Wonso punched a Jungkook hard in the gut and en kicked him in the same place. Jungkook fell to his knees. Wonso picked him up by the neck, choking him slightly. Jungkook tried to pull off Wonso’s hands but to no prevail. His grip became tighter and smile wider. Jungkook’s feet were dangling in the air and then Wonso dropped him into the hard ground. Jungkook tried to crawl into a fetal possession before being kicked repeatedly in the stomach. Jungkook reached to his stomach trying to hold in the pain. The cloth in his mouth was painted red. His eyes red from the endless tears. His brother shoved him against the wall and punched Jungkook in the face. Blood tricked down Jungkook’s face. Everything hurt that's when Wonso walked away or so Jungkook thought.

Jungkook tried to pull himself up against the the wall when his brother came back. “I have present for you.” Wonso held up a glass trophy that Jungkook had won in a competition as a child. It was one of the things he held dearly. Jungkook's eyes went wide at the sight of the trophy. Wonso stood up and dropped it, shattering it into a million pieces. There was glass everywhere. Wonso took Jungkook's hands and forced them open. Then he pressed them into the shattered pieces of glass. Jungkook's hands were cut and bleeding everywhere. Blood. It was everywhere and all Jungkook could do was stare. His mind was exploding from the inside while his body ached in pain.

Wonso picked up a fairly large piece of glass and brought it up to Jungkook’s face. He waved the glass in front of Jungkook's face. Jungkook's eyes followed the glass and as it pierced his skin he did not feel pleasure. He did not feel happy or enthralled. He felt in pain. For once he wanted the cutting to stop, he wanted everything to stop. Wonso dropped the glass and walked out of the house feeling very satisfied with himself. But of course like all douches he had to go and spit on Jungkook. Jungkook curled up into a ball and hugged himself. He could have untied the cloth around his mouth but he didn't. He could have screamed for help but didn't. He could have fought back but didn't. He let it happen and it his fault. Well that is at least what Jungkook thinks.

Taehyung was anxiously waiting for Jungkook's return but it had already been 10 minutes. Taehyung was tapping his foot and then started to pace the room. He heard movement downstairs and assumed that whatever was happening didn't want to be interrupted. Taehyung the remembered his suspicions about Jungkook's brother and decided to give Jungkook five more minutes before he went downstairs. Taehyung started to smell something fowl. Like iron or blood. That's when Taehyung remembered seeing something on the texts messages between Wonso and Jungkook. The screen scrolled to fast but Taehyung could make out one word. Beat. Taehyung pushed open the door slamming it behind him as he ran to find Jungkook. What he saw was mortifying. Blood was all of the floor it looked as if a dead body was dragged across the floor. There was glass everywhere. Jungkook lied on the the floor curled into a ball. His face was bleeding as well as the rest of him.

Taehyung put a hand over his mouth. Jungkook had been gagged and beaten. Jungkook heard footsteps, he looked to see who it was. Taehyung was standing there mouth open wide. Jungkook started to cry even more. Now the only person he knew was to scared to come near him. Jungkook and Taehyung made eye contact. Taehyung stared into Jungkook's eyes. Jungkook just closed them, as he laid his head on the floor. Taehyung rushed to the kitchen to get a rag. He wet it and ran to Jungkook. Taehyung placed Jungkook's head in his lap and started to pat at the wounds on his face. Jungkook finally opened his eyes to see Taehyung wiping the blood away. Like he had done to Jungkook before. Jungkook saw that Taehyung was crying. Jungkook hated it when other cried especially when it was caused by him. Jungkook, although in pain, lifted his bloody palms to Taehyung face and wiped away the tears. Leaving a trail of blood behind. 

Taehyung noticed movement from Jungkook. He watched as the beaten and in pain boy wiped away his tears. Although his hand were bloody the simple touch made his heart race. Taehyung grabbed Jungkook's hand before he laid it back down by his side. He faced it palm up and started to wipe away the blood and tears. Taehyung proped Jungkook up against a wall as he went to look for a first aid kit. Taehyung came back with bandages, neosporin, some cream to help bruises, and more rags to clean up all the blood. Taehyung sat next to Jungkook and reached for his hands. He wrapped them tightly and the moved on to putting band-aids on the cuts on his face. Jungkook flinched as Taehyung applied a band-aid to one of the cuts. Taehyung knew that Jungkook must have been hurt in other places. He noticed that Jungkook had been holding his stomach so he reached for Jungkook's shirt. 

Using all of his strength pushed Taehyung's hand away. “I have to apply bandages to your stomach or else you will continue to bleed.” Taehyung said softly. When Taehyung reached for his shirt again, Jungkook still pushed it away. Taehyung now agitated with the way Jungkook was acting through the bandages at Jungkook. “Fine do it yourself!” Taehyung stormed off. When Jungkook knew Taehyung had left, he lifted up his shirt. His shirt was stained with blood and his skin was covered in black. Jungkook wasn't shy about showing his body he just didn't want Taehyung to see the bruises and scars. Jungkook tried to apply the bandages himself but couldn't reach around his back. As Jungkook tried one more time he dropped the roll of bandages and sighed. Jungkook just closed his eyes and laid his head back onto the wall.

Taehyung felt guilty for leaving Jungkook alone on the floor. He had overreacted about Jungkook’s hesitation. There could be a million reasons why Jungkook didn't want Taehyung to see his stomach so Taehyung shouldn't have acted like that. Taehyung punched the wall for acting so stupidly. There he was putting his short temper, over a boy who had just been beaten by his brother. I am such an idiot, he thought. But then it occurred to Taehyung that even though Jungkook had been badly injured he still wiped away Taehyung's tears. Taehyung thought Jungkook was crazy or maybe just extremely adorable. But why was he still arguing, he needed to get down to Jungkook and apologize. 

Jungkook decided that if the only person that could help gave up on him then he might as well to. Jungkook crawled over to the kitchen, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He tried to pull himself up the counter but only cried out in pain. He looked back to the floor but still tried to tried to get back up. All of his movements was probably causing his wounds to bleed even more. He finally managed to prop himself up and reached for the kitchen knives. He grabbed the largest one and fell back to the floor. He hovered the knife over his heart and was prepared to do it but someone stopped him. 

Taehyung ran to Jungkook and jerked his arm. He pulled the knife out of his hand and kept him from trying to kill himself. Jungkook broke down crying lifting his cut hands up to his eyes. Taehyung watched the boy before him, broken beyond fixing. Taehyung pulled Jungkook into a hug and let him cry. He sat there for half an hour and Taehyung just listened to the cries of the younger boy. Jungkook wanted Taehyung to take the knife and do it for him. Jungkook tried to hand him the knife but Taehyung just pushed it away. He looked up into taehyung's eyes and saw one thing. Understanding. “It's not worth it. Trust me. I know.” And then Jungkook saw it. Behind all of the perfection and innocence, there was pain. Lots of pain. Carefully hidden behind a boxy smile and crescent eyes. But Jungkook had seen it, even if just for a second. 

Jungkook had never thought someone could understand but somehow Taehyung did. He understood what it meant to be in pain and end it all but the question was how did he know his pain. Jungkook stared into his eyes to see if he could uncover anything but it was hidden behind that smile. He replayed Taehyung's words in his head. “It's not worth it. Trust me. I know.” How did he know? Jungkook couldn’t imagine the perfect boy in front of him ever try to end his life. Jungkook could no longer think. Too much had happened that day and his head hurt. Taehyung was still holding him in his lap with his hands tightly around Jungkook’s waist. Jungkook laid his head on Taehyung's shoulder and fell asleep. 

Taehyung noticed as Jungkook drifted to sleep. Taehyung did not really know what to do. His only thought was to pick Jungkook up bridal style and bring him to his room. As Taehyung picked him, Jungkook moaned out in pain. Taehyung had touched where Jungkook had been stabbed. Once Taehyung positioned his hands so he wasn't hurting Jungkook. It was a challenge getting up the stairs but Taehyung made the long trip. Taehyung kicked the door open and walked towards Jungkook's bed. Taehyung adjusted Jungkook so he would be comfortable. He pulled the covers over Jungkook and took the time to appreciate the younger's beautiful features.

It was dark out and Taehyung had not left Jungkook's house yet. Taehyung didn't want to leave the younger's side after what happened and he sure as heck wouldn't let Jungkook hurt himself any more. Jungkook needed him, whether he would like to admit it or not. The older was tired and didn't really care if it would be awkward to sleep in the same bed as Jungkook. He just did it. He nestled into the covers, snuggling up next to Jungkook. The radiating warmth from their bodies could melt both of their ice cold hearts.