*taekook*

009

Taehyung felt like he'd been hit by a bus.

He woke up at first to another person sitting in the room. Confused and in pain, he tried to speak, only for it to come out as a croak. The person happened to notice and helped him drink some water, mumbling to themselves quietly.

"T-Thank you," Taehyung managed to choke out before going back into his unconscious state.

When he woke again, the person was still there.

"Jeongguk?" Taehyung whispered, the small noise making his head throb. Taehyung shrunk into himself, a hand coming up weakly to push at his temple.

"Hey, no, don't do that," a gruff voice scolded, moving Taehyung's hand away.

"Hurts, Guk," Taehyung whined, tearing up. The person started running their hand through Taehyung's hair soothingly.

"Jeez, kid, don't do that. I don't even know you, stop making me sad," the voice sighed. Taehyung whined again, leaning into their touch.

"'M sorry," he choked out. The voice didn't say anything back.

The next time he woke up, he was in more pain, sweating and shaking, heart beating far too fast.

"J-Jimin," he cried, gasping for breath through the pain. It felt like his stomach was twisting, like somebody was shifting all his insides.

"Hey, baby, shh," Jeongguk's voice soothed, though Taehyung couldn't see him; everything was blurry, odd shapes and bright colours.

"Guk," Taehyung corrected, hand grasping weakly for his. Jeongguk entwined their fingers easily, a thumb stroking over Taehyung's knuckles.

"It's okay, I'm here now," Jeongguk soothed. Taehyung just cried, curling towards Jeongguk's warmth, muttering his name over and over again.

When Taehyung woke up fully, it was because of a nightmare.

He sprang up, a scream on the tip of his tongue, chest heaving.

"Woah, there," the gruff voice said, a black-haired man coming into Taehyung's view.

"W-Where am I? I need to- I need to go, Jimin, he- I had to- Jeongguk," Taehyung stammered, scrambling to get out of the bed, head pounding.

"No, no, that's a bad idea, kid. C'mon, just listen to me, yeah?" the black-haired man tried. Taehyung sat back slightly, still shaking. The black-haired man plopped back into his seat.

"W-What-"

"I'm Jeongguk's friend, Yoongi. You overdosed awhile ago, and Jeongguk brought you here, got you all healed up. Your Jimin friend knows, Jeongguk made sure to tell him everything," Yoongi explained. Some of the tension in Taehyung's body relaxed.

"O-Oh," he gasped out, a hand raising to rub the bridge of his nose. He took a minute to process everything, to realize how much of a burden he must have been.

"I-I'm so, so sorry, for everything- oh, God, this is so fucking embarrassing, shit," Taehyung groaned, slipping off the bed onto his knees, bowing his head. "I can't- I'm so- Fuck, fuck, I'm sorry."

Yoongi could hear the hoarse tone in Taehyung's voice, could tell that he was on the brink of crying. Yoongi awkwardly leaned forward to pat his back.

"Ya, it's cool. You seem like a good guy, I don't blame you," Yoongi comforted. Taehyung laughed, the noise only slightly forced.

"You sound hella uncomfortable," Taehyung said, prompting a chuckle from Yoongi.

"Listen here, I just watched your unconscious body for three days, I'm allowed to be a little bit shaken at finally hearing you talk," Yoongi teased back. Taehyung's smile dropped again.

"Three days?! Shit, shit, I missed so much work! I have bills, I-" Taehyung panicked again. Yoongi put a soothing hand on his head.

"Jeongguk paid your bills for this month, don't worry. You're gonna stay here till you're nice and drug free, yeah?" Yoongi told him. Taehyung froze.

"I-I don't-"

"Yeah, you can," Yoongi interrupted, sensing what Taehyung was going to say. "I've been where you are, Taehyung. I think that's why Jeongguk chose to call me. I was stuck on angel dust for a long ass time."

"Do you think I... I can? It's been- God, it's been so long , I-"

"Trust me. I can help you, if you let me," Yoongi said, making Taehyung clench his jaw to hold back tears. He nodded, unable of saying anything. Yoongi smiled at him, almost proudly. Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Jeongguk can help, too."

"I-I wouldn't want to bother you guys, I-" Taehyung worried, biting his lip. Yoongi shook his head.

"Jeongguk and I are rich out of our minds, kid. We could use something interesting in our lives. Plus, little Jeonggukie has taken quite a liking to you," Yoongi teased. Taehyung blushed, about to retort, when his stomach growled. Embarrassed, he blushed even redder.

"C'mon, let's feed you something," Yoongi laughed quietly, leading Taehyung to the kitchen.