"I said leave, Kook," Jimin repeated and shut the door to the cupboard harshly.

"I can't leave, okay. I need to safely escort you to your family and that will be the end of my duty," Jungkook explained.

"Well, guess what? This Mimi doesn't have a family nor does he expect one. Now fuck off!" Jimin retorted with a pissed off face.

The one I had doesn't need me, anymore.

"Could you please calm down and sit beside me-"

"I do not wish to sit beside you! I am better off alone. I was always alone. It doesn't matter anymore. You don't make a difference either way," Jimin cried with his lips trembling to speak further.

Jungkook gulped back the lump in his throat and stepped toward the male, "Hey, you aren't alone. We just need to find your family-"

Jimin pushed the male away and stepped back, "Which part of my sentence did you not understand? I don't have a family! I do not wish to have one either. So just leave me alone like everybody else!" He screamed and let the warm tears fill his lids.

Why does Jungkook care if doesn't want any relationship with him?

It irked Jimin to know that Jungkook was trying his best but the male was too lost. He didn't want Jungkook to leave. He didn't want to stay alone.

He pushes people away when things get heated. It was one of Jimin's attitudes that always kept Taehyung worried about the former.

He badly wanted to tell Jungkook to stay but his conscience couldn't convince him enough.

Again, why would a stranger wish to take you home? On what basis?

Jimin's internal battles were hard enough. He didn't want to complicate it further by speaking out. It wasn't in his power to make Jungkook stay. It was the latter's will to stay if he wanted.

By the looks of the situation, Jimin's wishes were just castles built-in air.

How hard Jimin wished for Jungkook to stay but his lips didn't dare to beg one last time. He couldn't find the courage in himself to tell the guy that he...likes him.

The day he pulled the mask off Jungkook's face, his heart skipped a beat. It was just a liking toward the younger.

A fleeting emotion that could die as days passed.

But the time proved it wrong and his emotions only grew stronger for the latter. It wasn't the time that they spent together but Jimin had connected to Jungkook on a deeper level.

The boy was too similar to Jimin when he first joined the Base Station. He had the same fire and zeal toward his duty. The man had the same form of emotions toward Namjoon when he saved him.

After spending years in service, Jimin felt the need to lean on someone for the first time after he met Jungkook.

He wanted to train Jungkook, himself but the circumstances didn't favour that.

How naive of a confession did Jimin make up in his head for the latter before leaving for catching Zhu.

It was all in vain.

Jungkook isn't a person that would reciprocate your feelings after you confess to him. He wasn't in a position to do so after witnessing such a traumatic past.

Jimin let the last drop of tear trickle down his cheek as he watched Jungkook retreat. He walked past the doors and didn't dare to look back at Jimin.

Of course, he wouldn't stay.

He must not stay if he wishes to survive. Jimin thought to himself.

Jimin dragged his body towards the bed and dropped himself over it. A deep sigh escaped past Jimin's lips as he fluttered his eyes shut.

______

Jungkook pushed open the door to Jimin's room. It was past midnight and Jungkook had successfully finished Jimin's discharge papers. He was here to inform the elder that he didn't have to stay in the hospital anymore.

"Hey, Mim-" Jungkook's words got caught in his throat as he witnessed the scene before him.

Jimin slept there with his hands pulling the sheets below him harshly. His legs kept kicking in the air as he shuffled from side to side. His eyes were shut tightly with teeth piercing his bottom lip hard to suppress a cry that might escape past his lips.

He was having a nightmare.

Jungkook immediately rushed towards the bed and tried to wake the boy up by tapping his cheek, "Mimi, please wake up."

Jimin felt like he was welded to the bed. His heart hammered against his chest at a fast pace. He was stuck in the dungeons of his nightmares with no way out.

Jungkook got on the bed beside the boy to shrug him, "Mimi! Do you hear me? Please, wake up."

"L...let me go!" Jimin stuttered with his eyes still shut tight, his hands trying to find support to clutch onto.

"It's a nightmare, Mimi. It isn't real! Please wake up." Jungkook leaned over to tap the boy's cheek to wake him up.

"St..stop. I will behave...please stop," Jimin croaked a voice as he dug his nails into Jungkook's back. The latter scrunched his face to suppress the pain building over his back.

"I...don't want to live. Please kill me, it was my fault," Jimin choked a sob as he let out a shaky breath. Jungkook's heart sunk to the bottom as he heard the elder's words. It was painful to watch Jimin in this state.

"Mimi, I want you to live. I want you to fight. It wasn't your fault. You were just a victim and you can't blame yourself for that. If someone needs to die, then it's him. If someone needs to be punished then it's him. I will make sure to rip him into the half when he is alive and let him taste hell at his service. I promise to keep you safe, Mimi," Jungkook cupped Jimin's cheeks and leaned over to unite their foreheads together, "I won't let anyone touch you ever again. So, please wake up."

Jimin scratched Jungkook's back as he screamed incoherent words. It was painful to experience that excruciating pain in his back but it was more devastating to watch Jimin cripple in his arms.

"I thought a lot about it and I couldn't bring myself to leave you alone. My heart doesn't allow me to do it. A person once trusted in me when the entire world betrayed me to learn the truth behind my acts. He cut those dark deep roots to set me free. I couldn't thank him enough for his deed. I would like to repay it by providing you with the comfort, Mimi." Jungkook muttered against Jimin's ear as he buried his face in the crook of his neck.

Jungkook's back was numb by the amount of pressure Jimin had put to hold onto him. The time was stuck like a bitch and Jimin didn't dare to wake up from the horridness of the dreams.

Yet, Jungkook didn't give up and kept tapping softly over the male's cheek.

To let him know that he isn't alone.

To let him know that he has someone by his side.

To let him know that he doesn't have to suffer anymore.

To let him know that he isn't a victim anymore.

That he is allowed to live like a human again.

To find peace and joy in his life too.

Jimin's short quick breaths turned into much calmer until he finally stabilized. He let his hands rest over Jungkook's back and slowly opened his eyes to accommodate the surrounding he was confined to.

"Mimi, I might be a fool to say this but I don't want to leave you alone. No matter how many suspicions Yoongi has over you. I want to stick by your side." Jungkook kept mumbling like a kid as his hand tapped weakly over Jimin's cheek.

"D...don't go." Jimin managed to speak up as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks.

Jungkook slowly lifted his head to look at the boy who was completely drenched in sweat and fear. He brought his trembling hands to hold his face and snuggled his nose up to Jimin's, "I am not! So, stay assured."

Jimin let his eyes shut close and his hands wrap around Jungkook's neck to pull him closer, "How can I repay...you?" He stuttered as the heaviness built in his chest.

"By staying happy and by living for yourself," Jungkook whispered and placed a soft kiss over the latter's forehead.

Jimin gripped onto the back of the male's collar as he tried to move apart. Jungkook stopped in his tracks and looked at the elder who gazed at him with pleading eyes, "Mimi, do you want me to sleep with you?"

Jungkook offered to provide comfort to the elder. It wasn't sexual but rather intimate. But was sufficient to let Jimin have a warmth around him. He looked into Jungkook's orbs for the confirmation that his heart wanted.

If letting this man into his life was a good choice.

Jimin's heart couldn't ask for more when the man only waited for minutes longer without budging to know his answer.

His consent for something so trivial yet so important for Jimin. He softly nodded a 'yes' and Jungkook placed himself beside the male and scooped him into his arms.

He pulled Jimin close to his chest and circled his arms around the boy's waist and rested his chin over his head. He softly patted Jimin's back until he felt the nervousness shed out of his system.

It was comforting.

It was truly assuring.

Jimin felt the warmth that he craved for years. He felt safe in Jungkook's arms.

Jungkook was the suture to his punctured heart.

A/n:- I am so sorry for the late update kids!

I have no questions for today.

I will be attending a conference for the next three days and might not be able to update you for the following days. But don't worry kids, I will spam u with updates on Monday.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

And thank you so much for the lovely comments and votes you guys leave. They truly kept me motivated to write this far.

Hope you liked the chapter.

Meet you on Monday.

Love you, babies!

Maddie🙂❤