Hoseok pushed the shutter, thus taking a consecutive stream of seven photos. Experience told him that maybe one will be decent, maybe. After being assigned to Yoongi’s column three weeks in a row, Hoseok developed a newfound appreciation for action shots and sports photographers in general. There is an art to anticipating a photo worthy moment. And art that Hoseok had yet to master.

Hoseok preferred the soccer games but Yoongi felt they were too slow. Well, not that they were too slow, it’s just a good game could end with either team not scoring a point. Football games made significantly more touchdowns, but the rules were too complicated for Hoseok.

One of the referees threw a flag on the field. Hoseok snapped another photo.

Too bad football was America’s favorite sport.

Hoseok walked back into the glass case overlooking Mile High stadium, where Yoongi was writing on his yellow notepad. “How much longer?” Hoseok whined.

“Relax, third quarter is almost over,” Yoongi smiled when the crowd cheered, “Once the Broncos pull a comeback we can leave.”

Hoseok looked at the scoreboard. The Steelers had a thirty point lead. “Sure,” Hoseok took a photo of Yoongi overlooking the game. The lighting wasn’t the best, but Yoongi’s smirk was clearly in view. Yoongi may be a at times, but in moments like these he was almost human. With his short frame and hopeful expression, he looked like a child. Hoseok laughed to himself.

“Don’t forget, we’re visiting Nam Joon and Seokjin on our way back,” he said offhandedly.

“Yeah, yeah…” The Steelers scored another touchdown, Yoongi cringed.

Yoongi pouted on the drive, but forced a smile once they reached Seokjin’s temporary room.

“The party don’t start till we walk in,” Yoongi announced his entrance.

“No, just stop,” Nam Joon sighed.

“Blame the radio, they played that song like five times on the way here,” Yoongi retaliated. Hoseok nodded in agreement.

Seokjin smiled. He quickly pulled his shirt back on, but not before Hoseok saw pale skin stretched tightly across visible ribs. Hoseok didn’t remember the in between, there was no time that Seokjin gradually got worst. He was getting better, until a few weeks ago, where Jungkook found him passed out in the kitchen. He had to be hospitalized for three nights, and hasn’t recovered since then.

“What did they do this time?” Hoseok asked.

“Spinal tap,” Seokjin answered.

“Isn’t that what they give pregnant woman?” Yoongi asked.

Seokjin glared, “No, it’s where they stick a giant needle in my back, between the vertebrae, and out the spinal fluid.”

Yoongi visibly paled, “That’s gross.”

“Yeah, it is,” after three weeks of being trapped in the white walls Seokjin would snap at anything. Hoseok didn’t blame him for that.

“What are they looking for?” Hoseok asked.

“A more accurate blood cell count, if the numbers are high enough Seokjin can come home,” Nam Joon wrapped and arm around Seokjin’s shoulders.

“And if they’re not?” Yoongi asked.

“I’ll have to stay for another week,” Seokjin groaned. Nam Joon kissed the top of his head.

“I’m sure the test results will be great,” Hoseok smiled.

“Until then, we got you a present,” Yoongi reached into the plastic bag in his hand.

“You did?”

“He did,” Hoseok corrected, “I said we should have gotten you something from the winning team.”

Yoongi glared, Hoseok smiled. “We were not going to buy Steelers stuff at Mile High stadium. Show some support for your local team, god Hoseok you traitor.”

“What’s Steelers again?” Seokjin asked.

“Football,” Nam Joon answered.

“Please tell me you know the name of this team,” Yoongi pointed at the logo on the navy beanie in his hands.

“Broncos, right?”

“Yes, congratulations you win, here’s your prize. Now you don’t have to wear the same hat every day.”

“Thank you for your concern,” Seokjin mocked. Despite the jest, he put on the beanie and smiled, his first true smile since they arrived. They wouldn’t find out the results for another day, but for now they could pretend that Seokjin was fine. That this was temporary and Jin would be home tomorrow. And could host their next game night. And he would cover up pale skin with red and purple bruises hugging veins.

Yoongi and Hoseok only stayed for an hour, they had work tomorrow, but Nam Joon requested the day off.

When the lab results were processed, Seokjin was confined to the hospital bed for another week.

~~

Kookie slunk into the hospital room with a giant pink bow on her head

“Hey Kookie, how’s my favorite girl?” Seokjin scratched her head.

She sat there, and looked at him with sad eyes.

“We took her to the groomer’s, she wanted to look pretty for you,” Taehyung explained as he walked in balancing a covered tray in his hands.

Kookie turned to him with the same side expression. Taehyung rolled his eyes, “You needed to look good for your mommy’s special day.”

“I’m not her mommy,” Seokjin patted the empty spot on the bed, Seokjin hopped on to it and rested her head on his lap.

“Nam Joon can’t be her mommy, he smells gross.”

“A mother isn’t chosen because she smells better,” Seokjin laughed.

“Then how else are mothers picked?” Taehyung asked.

Seokjin laughed again.

Taehyung smiled. He placed the tray on the bed and lifted the cover.

“Cupcakes, for our birthday!”

“Why didn’t you do this on my birthday, or yours?”

“Nam Joon claimed your birthday,” Taehyung faked a pout.

Seokjin smiled, “Of course he did.”

He grabbed one with blue icing and began peeling the paper, sleeves slipped down to reveal thin wrists.  His movements were slower with each visit.  Each gesture more careful than the last.

“Jungkook wanted to come but he has a fifteen page paper due tomorrow. I made him stay at home and work on it,” Taehyung said.

“Good job, where’s Hoseok?”

“He drove me and Kookie here, he didn’t want to be the awkward third wheel,” Taehyung explained.

Seokjin smiled, “I have trained him well,” he the icing.

“Are you ever going to be nice to him?”

Seokjin paused, he counted down using his fingers, “The doctor said I have five months at most, so maybe on the fourth? If I’m still around.”

“You’re so mean. He’s going to be standing there at your funeral, begging your forgiveness.”

“I can live with that,” Seokjin pushed hugged Kookie’s head when she began sniffing the cupcakes.

Taehyung nibbled on his before asking, “Do you ever think about death?”

“It’s kind of hard not to,” Seokjin hummed, “I like to believe there’s a heaven.”

“What would you do first?”

Seokjin shrugged, “Probably look in a mirror. Hopefully I’ll be healthy when I get up there and not have all of this,” Seokjin gestured at the purple spots on his arm, “Then I don’t know… Maybe watch you guys for a while. See you all living and breathing. And then I’d find a home for Joonie and me, so that we’ll have a place when he gets there. But that’ll take years.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I want to know that, I want to know that he’ll be here, alive and breathing, until old age finally gets to him,” Seokjin sniffed, “He’s not getting an abrupt ending. Not like me. I’ll make sure it”

Seokjin was crying at this point. Taehyung pulled Seokjin to him, rocked him back and forth as tears streaked his face.

He remembered the first time he got yelled at by his boss, and hid in the supply closet to hide his tears. Seokjin found him there, and held him until he stopped crying.

Seokjin would have made a great father, if only he was given the chance.

“I’ll look after him,” Taehyung promised.

Seokjin laughed into his shirt, “You better, or I’ll haunt you.”

“No,” Taehyung mock gasped.

“Yes,” Seokjin tickled his sides, “You’ll be in a courtroom and I’ll tickle you.”

“Stop,” Taehyung laughed.

“They’ll kick you out for disrupting the courtroom,” Seokjin continued, “your reputation will be ruined.”

Seokjin didn’t keep it for long, couldn’t do anything for long, but his smile stayed.

They talked about other things. Seokjin said his aunt and her kids were going to visit next week and his parent were flying to visit next month. Sometime during his explanations, Taehyung had scooted into Seokjin’s cot and was lying down next to him. He had to be careful, he couldn’t sit on the IV drip. And their hands were tangled together. Taehyung poked Seokjin’s cheek. Seokjin smiled and retaliated. His wrists were thin, outlines of bones shaped by taut skin. He was always pale, it was just shocking when compared to the bruises littering his arms. The purplish red spots, like the red wine they used to drink on Saturdays staining the white tablecloth.

Seokjin was asleep in Taehyung’s arms by the time Hoseok arrived. He was frail, felt as if one wrong move and he would collapse into ashes. Taehyung didn’t understand how Nam Joon could sleep at night when Seokjin felt like that.

After a few minutes of coaxing, Taehyung was off the bed.

“It’s like he’s made of glass,” Taehyung sighed.

Hoseok his hair and kissed his temple. They knew. They all knew.

~~

Taehyung began visiting once a week, where he and Jungkook would sit on Seokjin’s bed and play cards. That’s how they spent winter.

On Valentine’s Day, they found a pink bowtie for Kookie and snuck her in with a box of chocolates in . They didn’t stay. That was Nam Joon’s day. He followed Kookie into the room with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

Jungkook tagged along on Taehyung and Hoseok’s date, and drew circles around them on the ice rink. “God damn brat,” Hoseok grumbled.

“Leave him alone Hobi,” Taehyung smiled. He squeezed Hoseok’s gloved hand. Hoseok returned the gesture.

Spring happened and with it came Jimin’s graduation. Hoseok recorded it. They brought a laptop to watch it in Seokjin’s room. Jimin brought his PhD, and copy of his acceptance to Denver hospital.

“Congratulations,” Seokjin said in a quiet voice.

Jimin smiled sheepishly.

Hoseok bought roses and snuck them into Seokjin’s room when he was asleep.

The next day he received a text saying, “You’re approved.”

Hoseok was confused by the message until he read the next one, “You can date Taehyung.”

Hoseok smiled as he typed his reply, “Thanks, mom.”

Nam Joon didn’t want to be too hopeful. Hoseok felt the anxiousness every day when he walked by his cubicle. But on their wedding anniversary Nam Joon wasn’t in the office, and came back the next day with a smile on his face.

But good fortune never lasts.

Two days later, at three in the morning Hoseok got the call from Jungkook.

Seokjin was gone.

In trembling voice, he explained how it happened when there was no one else in the room. The nurse stepped out to get a new IV while Nam Joon was in the bathroom. And Seokjin stopped breathing. The machine beat rapidly. His doctor called it, 2:35 in the morning. Nam Joon handed left the room, didn’t let go of Seokjin, and Jungkook couldn’t stay in that room any longer.

“Can you come get me?” Jungkook asked.

“Sure,” Hoseok answered.

Hoseok didn’t wake Taehyung when he left, but when he came back, Taehyung was pacing across the living room. He started, “Is he-” but he saw Jungkook’s bloodshot eyes and tear streaked face.

The youngest boy shook his head, no. Taehyung bit his lip and ran into Jungkook’s arms.

The next day Nam Joon came over with Kookie on her leash, even she felt the void, and whined as she rubbed herself against Jungkook. Jungkook smiled, briefly, and then cried while holding her. Taehyung joined their group hug on the couch.

Nam Joon called Seokjin’s mother and aunt, and calmly explained how Seokjin left peacefully, he didn’t go out kicking and screaming.

Afterwards, Hoseok asked, “Do you want to go to Tony’s?”

“Sure, Tony’s sounds great.”

The one time Nam Joon willingly goes to the bar and Yoongi refuses to meet them there. Hoseok was left to play babysitter, which was hard when your drinking buddy was red eyed and cursing all of the couples hanging off of each other in the booths. Whenever Hoseok tried changing the conversation, Nam Joon bought them another shot. Hoseok couldn’t say no. And by the time it was dark outside, Hoseok could hardly walk three steps. He called Yoongi, “Can you pick us up?”

“I don’t have a car,” Yoongi reminded him.

“Can you send a cab?”

“Sure.”

To Hoseok’s surprise, Yoongi was in the back seat of the cab.

“Man he’s drunk,” Yoongi said as he helped Nam Joon into the back seat.

“He just went through a tragedy,” Hoseok slurred, “he’s allowed a few night of self-pity.”

Though he was allowed, he didn’t use them. The next day he called the funeral home. He made all of the arrangements, refused all of Hoseok’s offers to help.

“Are you sure?” Hoseok asked.

“Jinnie liked simple things,” Nam Joon said with a red eyed smile.

“He’s right Hobi,” Taehyung played with Hoseok’s fingers, “you go over the top sometimes.”

Hoseok squeezed his hand, “Does that bother you?”

Taheyung nodded, “I like it, but Jin won’t.”

He leaned against Hoseok, Hoseok kissed the top of his head.

Nam Joon held it all together. Even during the ceremony. Stoic and composed, when he got to the apartment that night, he would break a window in frustration but for now he was calm. Taehyung clung onto Hoseok’s sleeve and refused to let go, refused to look up. Refused to move from his seat.

Hoseok saw Seokjin’s family line up in front of Seokjin’s casket. His mother cried into her hands when it was her turn.

“Are you sure you don’t want to see him? One last time?” Hoseok asked.

“That’s not him, that’s just his body,” Taehyung rubbed at his eyes with his jacket sleeve, “Seokjin left a long time ago. That doesn’t even look like him.”

Hoseok agreed. The skeleton with pale skin and prominent veins didn’t resemble the smiling chubby cheeked adult he first met years ago. It was just a poor replacement for a beautiful human being.

After the ceremony, Hoseok asked, “Do you want to come over?”

Taekhyung shook his head, “No, I’ll stay with Jimin.”

“I’ll drive you home,” Hoseok gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Taehyung attempted a smile.

~~

Hoseok got a phone call at ten in the morning.

Thirty minutes later he was standing at the entrance to Nam Joon’s bedroom watching Taehyung sleep under three blankets.

“How long has he been here?” Hoseok asked in a quiet voice.

Nam Joon sighed, “Since noon yesterday, he came over and started crying. First on the couch, then he locked himself in the bathroom, and then he hid under the blankets. He probably cried himself to sleep.”

“You didn’t sleep here?”

Nam Joon’s eyes watered, he shook his head, “Not since…”

Hoseok nodded in understanding.

“Jungkook locked himself in his room when Taehyung started crying,” Nam Joon’s voice cracked as he talked, “He’s actually… I think… he’s been pretty bad lately. And Taehyung really isn’t helping…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get him out,” Hoseok gave a reassuring smile.

Nam Joon attempted a smile, but it was uneven and faded quickly.

Hoseok kissed Taehyung’s temple and ruffled his hair. Taehyung blinked, red eyed, at Hoseok before slowly sitting up right. Hoseok hugged Taehyung, Taehyung clung on to him, secured his arms around Hoseok’s neck. When Hoseok stood up, Taehyung wrapped his legs around his waist. He was carried koala style to Hoseok’s car. He didn’t say a word during the drive though he did cling to Hoseok’s arm the entire way. And when they got to Hoseok’s apartment, Taehyung hugged him and began crying all over again.

"He's gone Hobi," he whispered into Hoseok's shirt.

Hoseok pulled Taehyung closer. "I know," he buried his tears in Taehyung's hair.

AN: Time for a proper author's note.

Sorry this took forever to update, but it was an emotionally draining chapter to write. If you read the firsty story, you'll notice that I skipped over this whole scene. But I feel that it is important for Hoseok and Taehyung's relationship that this actually be described. It still was painful...

Also my laptop needed repairs, so I was without it for five days.

And, the age old tale, school eats up a lot of time. And school does come first. So after this story is finished, I won't have time to finish any large projects. The breaks I have will be spent on the Jungkook story I started forever ago.

Thank you for suffering with me, you all are beautiful ;_;