Painful Memories

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What's a girl supposed to do at 3 am?

Probably sleep

But who even is that? Idk

And why do that when I can write anyways???

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"Ow! Ow! Not so hard! It hurts!"

Jimin turned bright red from annoyance as he turned to shoot a glare back at Yoongi. The two were secluded to Yoongi's station across from Taehyung's in the far back. Jimin, after a good 10 minutes of resentment, had finally given in, and allowed Yoongi to give him a tattoo. He'd been confident, ready. That is, until he felt the prick of the needle against his skin. He'd recoiled, immediately, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain and giving a small yelp.

"You know, typically when getting a tattoo, you're not supposed to move away like that."

"Shut up, minty"

Yoongi scoffed at the nickname, before settling back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and peering down at the pink haired boy. With his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them as he glared at the tattoo gun, Yoongi couldn't help but offer a tiny smile. Jimin looked too cute not to.

Jimin was shirtless, his toned 6 pack abs on full display, his shirt and jacket discarded on the floor nearby. The tattoo he'd asked Yoongi to give was a Chinese metaphor, Huāyàng niánhuá, which was to run down his ribs in a cluster, ending below the waistline of his pants, and fading to a faint black as it traveled. But him not knowing much about the art of tattoos and blatantly refusing to listen to Yoongi's advice, Jimin had chosen his ribs as the location, also known as, one of the most painful places to have a tattoo done. A fact that made Yoongi want to both smack his head with his palm and smile at Jimin's childishness, contrary to his tattoos.

"You're going to have to let me do it, I've already put the template on and started the tattoo. You'll have to come over here eventually." Yoongi gave Jimin a knowing glance , who gave him another glare, although this one was lessened in ferocity. He ever so slowly inched closer to Yoongi, unwrapping himself from his legs. His eyes were downcast and there was a fragile, timid aura overtaking him, giving Yoongi a glimpse into his true personality. He sighed.

This kid - such a softie

Looking at Jimin, watching as his frightened eyes passed over the tattoo gun and his facade crumbled, Yoongi felt an odd tugging at his heart. Sighing again, he finally spoke.

"If I promise to be gentle, will you relax and lay back down?" Jimin did as he was told, nodding, but the fear never left his iris' The tug on Yoongi's heart grew stronger. He leaned in close to Jimin's ear.

"If you need me to stop, just say so." A pause and a questioning of all his life choices later, he added "-if you need to hold my hand during, just ask."

"You really have a golden bunny tattoo?"

"Yep. It's a great story really, I'll have to tell you sometime. Long story short, my Jin-hyung dared me to do it, some 3 years ago when he was drunk. Me also being drunk, did it." Jungkook chuckled as he lounged further back into the reclining chair, peering down at Taehyung who looked like he was ready to rip Jungkook's shirt off just to get a peak at his tattoos.

Having long abandoned the separate chairs, the two were now comfortably seated on the main chair in the center of the room, each on their backs looking up to the ceiling. The reclining chair was small so, naturally, Taehyung had to lay on Jungkook's arm and halfway on his stomach in order to fit, but neither of them cared. Taehyung was content. So damn well content for once in his life that he didn't care what he was doing. Jungkook was here and he was warm, for once he was going to let himself be happy.

That of course, had to be ruined by a certain mint-haired grump, who strolled into the tattoo station without a care in the world, a stack of papers in his hand, and a pink haired boy following closely behind him.

"Tae, I need you to fill out Jimin's forms. I'd do it but can't stand to be around him and his mouth for another-I'm sorry, were we interrupting something?" Yoongi's once stoic voice turned sour as took in the scene before him; two lovebirds cuddling, Taehyung looking dazed and close to sleep while Jungkook cradled his head and body, rocking gently to the side. He proceeded to shoot a glare towards Jungkook who had twisted to look back at the new entrees. Taehyung, sensing the change in atmosphere too swiveled around in Jungkook's arms, yelped, and shot out of the chair faster than anyone else could say a word. Yoongi raised a brow at him, but discussed the issue no further, only gifting Jungkook one last warning, with blazing eyes and a subtle flipped finger. Jimin peaked out from behind Yoongi, gasped, and charged around the startled older.

"Taehyung? K-kim Taehyung?"

Taehyung jerked, his attention on the paperwork he'd just been handed faltering, as the familiar voice sent shivers down his spine. He closed his eyes wanting to crawl into himself and never resurface.

Please don't let him be who I think it is

Idiot, you knew this would happen eventually

He slowly raised his head, the outline of the still shirtless pink haired male trailing into focus, and the further his head moved, the more the pigment from his face drained, as the all too familiar sharp jawline, pink hair, and leather jacket came into play. Taehyung stumbled seeing the shocked face of Jimin, who was glancing him up and down with his mouth practically touching the floor. Jungkook was there in an instant to steady him, offering a meticulous gaze to the shorter male, who seemed to only be lost in the fact that Taehyung was here.

"Holy shit" Jimin muttered under his breath

"Taehyung...you look...well"

Liar. The dark, circular purple under lids of his and small stature should have been enough to tell Jimin that he was, in fact, not well.

"Jimin" He spoke anxiously, gripping the hand Jungkook held out tightly, afraid that if he left go, he'd pass out on the spot. "It's...nice to see you." Taehyung's forced, quiet voice dropped to a lower octave now, while growing fainter, as his nervousness took over. Jungkook's other hand, not being held in a death grip, which had been hovering behind Taehyung's back moved to encircle his waist, keeping him upright, as Taehyung swayed once more.

"Jimin" Jungkook this time, his gaze trading between Taehyung and Jimin warily. "You two know each other?" Cautious, very cautious, Jungkook felt one wrong move could send the fragile boy in his hold over the edge.

Jimin nodded, still not looking to Jungkook, his eyes were glued to the blonde boy starting to shake in the grasp of Jungkook, his face taunt and eyes haunted.

"We-we went to grade school together. We were best friends...until TaeTae dropped out before our first year of high-school." There was no anger or disappointment in Jimin's voice, only pure concern mixed with curiosity, and maybe a tad it of misbelief thrown into the batter. Now it was Jungkook's turn to look at Taehyung in surprise. Same middle school? Taehyung was full on shaking now, his panicked eyes quivering as he shut them once more and clung to Jungkook's shirt. Wether he knew he was doing it or not, Jungkook was providing comfort and Taehyung took it.

"Cotton." Yoongi interjected, stepping forward to stand between the still wide-eyed Jimin and shaking Taehyung. "Why don't you and I step out. I'll finish your paperwork and then you can catch up with Jeon later." Giving the stunned male no time to respond, he grasped his forearm and led Jimin, still open-mouthed, out of the room, the door swinging shut behind them.

Jungkook turned his attention to the trembling Taehyung, who had yet to take his eyes off the space where Jimin once stood. He couldn't. Jimin was around at the time of his mother's passing, when the abuse started. He'd seen things. Been threatened himself. Seeing Jimin only brought back a wave of fresh painful memories. The fear floating off Taehyung was surrounding Jungkook as well, and he wanted nothing more than to whisk the small boy off his feet, hold him, and tell him everything would be ok. He gently pulled his hand loose from Taehyung's grip, although the blonde did not lower his hand from its position, seeming to almost be in a state of shock. He gently placed one hand on Taehyung's shoulder, and turned him, so that they were facing one another. With his arm still wrapped securely around Taehyung's waist, Jungkook tugged him into his chest. No tricks, no games, just comfort. His chin found its way to the top of Taehyung's head, nuzzling itself in his light blonde hair, while his other hand gave him a tight squeeze. Taehyung, who was still gripping his shirt in his small clutched fingers, suddenly clung to Jungkook, whispering inaudible words, as his shakes increased once more. Jungkook brought his hand up to hold Taehyung by his nape, softly petting the the tips of his hair where they met at the slope of his neck.

"It's ok. It's ok. I'm here. Relax. Please Taehyung, relax, I can't stand to see you this way. Where's that beautiful smile of yours and those sparkling brown eyes?"

The said male pulled back from Jungkook in the slightest to look him in the eyes. Jungkook's heart cracked at what he saw; the painful, resurfacing memories plaguing Taehyung's past swimming in his iris' and consuming his bright persona in one fell swoop. Yet despite all that, Taehyung did his best to give the older a weak smile, tried to be strong for him. Jungkook cooed as he brought Taehyung's head back into his chest.

"I won't ask if you don't want to talk. I'll just be here. I'll be here until you feel better. I promise you I won't leave you until you're better."

Taehyung nodded against Jungkook's shirt, moving to hug him as well. He sniffled, and Jungkook started to draw slow circles on Taehyung's hip bone. Then like a switch being flicked, Taehyung's small delicate hand found it's way to Jungkook's and he pulled him over to the armchair once more, sat down, tugging Jungkook with him. In contrast to their last position, they now sat side by side, hips touching and knees touching, with their hands still clasped atop both their legs. A shaky sigh and Taehyung barely angled himself so that he could see Jungkook clearly.

"J-jiminie and I u-used to be best friends."

"Okay" Jungkook spoke carefully, surprised in himself that Taehyung was actually recounting such painful memories for him.

Not that Taehyung knew why he was sharing his past with Jungkook either. He was baffled as his tongue moved for him, against his mind and against what he wanted. What if Jungkook left after he heard his full past, what if he thought of him the same way every else did? He was sure he would be able to handle it if Jungkook became like one of them. He'd only known the raven head for a short while but he already felt so comfortable around him, in some ways, more comfortable than he felt around Yoongi, Namjoon, and Hoseok.

"It was like he said. We went to the same grade school. We met when we were 6. We were also neighbors. We were inseparable up until 8th grade. I had always been bullied as a young boy, people saw me as an easy target and liked to make fun of me. B-but, in 8th grade, it escalated. The worst of it was when I started to receive death threats. I dropped out of school not long after, and m-my father didn't care to send me to another school. We had to move. I-I never told Jiminie what happened. N-namjoonie hyung and Yoongi hyung tutor me, so that I can get into a g-good college when I turn 18, b-but s-sometimes I wish I could go back to school, to before 8th grade." Taehyung sighed, a heavy, pain filled sigh that touched even Jungkook. He'd left stuff out, the majority of the plot line but there was truth in that. By 8th grade the blond had begun to withdraw from Jimin, hiding away his struggles to protect his one and only friend after his father found out about him. When he was pulled out of school, Taehyung remembered being caught between devastatingly saddened and lonesome missing his firmed and feeling relieved that Jimin would finally be safe. However, now that Jimin was in the same vicinity as him, the rememberence of their friendship was leaking back in through the cracks in Taehyung's walls and he found himself longing for his friend again, he just wasn't sure how; all these years he'd felt as if he'd abandoned Jimin. He couldn't just walk back in like that, especially not if Jimin caused him to drown in his tormenting memories.

Jungkook tried to think of something to say, anything to take some of the sadness off his shoulders, but there was nothing he could say, he felt, that would make this better. He knew there was more to the story, but this was ok. Taehyung trusted him enough to indulge him in a sliver of the whole. That was enough for him. Still, he wished there was something to say, but he understood. People who go through horrific events don't want I'm sorries, they want understanding. So, no words were exchanged. Jungkook merely pulled Taehyung into him once more, smiling slightly when Taehyung nuzzled his head in his shirt.

"You're so brave" Jungkook whispered after a moment, into the musky dark of the back room, running one ringed hand through soft blonde locks. Taehyung sighed contently. He'd fallen asleep some 15 minutes ago, head resting in the crook of Jungkook's arm as he laid back on the armchair gently and hand gripping his shirt as if begging him not to leave. Jungkook wasn't planning on it either. Taehyung's lips were puckered into a cute little pout as he snored ever so slightly and fidgeted, dreaming. Jungkook took the time to observe the sleeping male.

His small body fit perfectly into every curve, bind, and slope of Jungkook's, his fluffy hair was luscious and soft as it scraped against the base of Jungkook's collar. He was beautiful, oh so beautiful, even in the darkness of the tattoo station. Jungkook shifted and Taehyung scrunched his nose up, giving a small whimper of protest. Taehyung then moved closer, wrapping one leg around Jungkook's and using his arms to pull him closer, clinging to Jungkook like a baby koala. Jungkook sighed.

"So brave."

And with that, Jungkook leaned down, placing a gentle yet firm kiss to the top of Taehyung's head, before closing his own eyes, and drifting off into the peace of slumber, holding on to the boy he had grown to care so much for in only a matter of a few days.

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**This chapter has been slightly edited and has an added portion revolving around the Jimin story** :)

Basically 2300 words of nonsense and unimportant moments

Sorry for the late update, and sorry this chapter is both uneventful and boring, I will do better next time:)

So, me being my dummy self, had one loner laptop from my school...yea I broke that...and with that loner laptop, was all my notes for future parts of this story:( - so I will try my best to remember what I can and will try to recover what was lost on the other laptop as well as try not to break anymore laptops, as this is my third:)

Are you all ok with the Yoonmin in this story? I couldn't tell based on the reactions in the last chapter:)

If you want an author Q/A plz leave a question!!

Thank you for 7,000+ you have no idea how happy this makes me and your comments and support truly make my day! I can not wait to write more chapters for you and I hope you will continue this journey with me through this new story! Thank you for being you and thank you for taking the time to read my story!

If you are having trouble, or even if you are not, please, take a moment to take a deep breath. Just breath. Just breath and appreciate everything that you have and that you are here. I know some things can seem tough, impossible even at times, I do, but I also know that everything will get better with time and that you have the power to change whatever it is that is going wrong in your life, because you are strong, ad you are beautiful, and passionate, and independent, and courageous. You can do anything you put your mind to and there is no one that can stand in your way. Speak yourself!<3