Chapter 8

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Just for once Taehyung would have hoped that he was wrong. That there wasn't something going on with Jungkook he had no idea about.

But of course he was right. How else could it be?

When he entered his part of Jungkook's room he knew something was wrong right away. The monitor tracking Jungkook's heart rate was beeping loudly. Just one look at it told Taehyung Jungkook's heart rate was way too irregular, spiking before dropping to inhumanly low levels. And then he saw Jungkook.

The boy was lying on his back, his hands buried in the front of his t-shirt, gasping for air. Just one look at him and Taehyung could tell he was in a lot of pain. Too much pain. This had never happened before. By the time Jungkook came back to himself his heart rate had always steadied itself again.

And then Jungkook turned his head in Taehyung's direction, relief flashing over his features. And Taehyung understood. The reason Jungkook had started acting so weirdly the day before.

His question. The vulnerability. Jungkook was about to die. Not one of his many temporary deaths. This was it. His last life. If it weren't he probably would have switched onto a new one already.

And Taehyung panicked. He couldn't let Jungkook die. This wasn't the way this should end. Taehyung didn't care what happened as long as Jungkook lived. He had to get the doctor.

Before his brain could properly process it he was already outside in the hallway, yelling at the security guard that always stood in front of the door to unlock Jungkook's room. Taehyung had to get to him. He had to keep Jungkook awake until actual help came. A doctor... anything.

Probably confused by Taehyung's panic the guy followed him back inside, undoing the electric lock that sealed the door shut. Taehyung's hands were twitching. He couldn't let this happen. Jungkook couldn't die just like that. Not after all their conversations... not after they had finally gotten this close.

Taehyung couldn't let that happen.

He could still hear Jungkook gasping as he writhed around in pain on the other side of the glass.

"Now call the doctor!" Still clearly a little confused by the suddenness of the situation the security guard nodded, but Taehyung didn't even notice that anymore. He was already opening the door to Jungkook's cell, falling onto his knees next to Jungkook, pulling the boy onto his lap.

With horror, Taehyung realized Jungkook's eyes were closed. They couldn't be closed. Jungkook was strong. He had to keep himself together.

Without much thought to whether this was the right thing to do Taehyung started shaking Jungkook. "Wake up! You have to stay awake!"

Finally, Jungkook seemed to startle back into consciousness, his eyes fluttering open... and then he just stared at Taehyung. Like he couldn't believe they were this close. Taehyung then realized it too... this was the first time their bodies were actually touching.

He felt Jungkook's weight on him. Could feel the fabric of his clothes against his fingers where he was gripping it painfully tight. Could feel the weak lifting of Jungkook's chest.

"You have to keep yourself together. You can't fucking die on me, Jungkook, okay? Don't you dare." Taehyung whispered, quickly moving to cup Jungkook's face. "You hear me? Stay awake!"

Jungkook blinked tiredly, his chest still lifting with harsh wheezes. Taehyung could directly feel the irregularity of Jungkook's heartbeat now. But Jungkook could do this! He was strong.

But then... "I'm sorry." And Taehyung could feel Jungkook's hand against his cheek. "I'm glad we had the chance to be friends..."

"No... no, Jungkook, don't you dare! If you die I'll fucking kill you!"

Jungkook chuckled, but his eyes turned a little glassy.

This couldn't happen. Jungkook couldn't die. That wasn't right. Taehyung could feel a knot forming in his throat. When was that fucking doctor going to show up?

"Stay awake!" He shook Jungkook's body again and while he could tell that Jungkook was trying, was fighting the urge to close his eyes, his wheezing breaths were getting weaker.

Jungkook was dying in his arms and Taehyung couldn't do anything.

"Thank you, Taehyung..." Could Jungkook please save his breath and stop saying goodbye?

"Tell me that alive and well. I won't accept it right now." Taehyung tried. "Please don't talk. Just focus on staying alive, Jungkook... please..." Taehyung hadn't even noticed the tears gathering in his eyes that were now spilling over.

But instead of listening to him, Jungkook reached his hand out again, brushing it through Taehyung's hair before giggling. "It's soft."

The security guard stepped into the cell too.

And then a few things happened a lot quicker than Taehyung could process.

"I called the doctor. He should be here in a few minutes." Taehyung didn't even have the time to panic over the fact that it would take him a few minutes because Jungkook's gaze changed. His eyes fixating on the security guard that had just entered.

And then Taehyung heard a thud behind him. When he turned around the security guard was just lying there on the floor, completely lifeless. And at the same time, Jungkook's wheezing breaths stopped.

The first thought that went through Taehyung's brain was that Jungkook's weakened body had finally given up, but when he turned back around he found Jungkook looking right back at him. His expression not quite readable.

There were too many emotions in there to decipher all of them. But then he reached his hand out, carefully tracing Taehyung's jaw... and Taehyung didn't dare to move. Because just like that Jungkook was back again. Just like that, he was strong again.

No... he had been able to kill that security guard... he'd had the strength to kill him the entire time. But now Jungkook was back to full strength... and back in his right mind, Taehyung had no idea what Jungkook was going to do.

If he wanted to he could easily kill Taehyung. Just like he had threatened so many times.

But Jungkook just looked at him with that unreadable gaze. And then one emotion pushed to the front and it made a cold shiver run down Taehyung's spine. Anger.

"I'll be right back." And then the room turned darker. As if the light had been dimmed and just like ash carried away by the wind, Jungkook's body turned into smoke.

One second Taehyung was holding Jungkook and the next he was gone. And Taehyung was left behind with the dead security guard, his heart racing. So much had happened in a minute and now Jungkook had disappeared...

He realized where Jungkook must have gone. A threat. A very familiar threat came back to his mind. With wobbly knees and sick to his stomach he got up to his feet, stumbling to the door. The dead security guard looked like he was just sleeping, but Taehyung knew he was dead. His chest wasn't moving anymore... and if Jungkook was standing then that meant he had to be dead.

If Jungkook had been able to kill so effortlessly even in that state... why hadn't he killed Taehyung? It would have been so easy. Taehyung had been so immersed in trying to help Jungkook that the thought that it could be dangerous hadn't even crossed his mind.

He'd just seen his friend in pain and dying right in front of his eyes.

But now, as he walked towards the door leading into the hallway, he realized that just like he had done to the security guard Jungkook could have killed him. Just like that... no movement, no nothing, and Taehyung would have dropped dead.

It would have been the safer choice. Jungkook couldn't have known the security guard would come. And even then he had left Taehyung's life.

Taehyung carefully opened the door and he immediately felt like throwing up. This part of the hallway was clean, but further down he could already see red... and a body. There was another body lying on the floor.

Even with his wobbly legs Taehyung picked up his pace. He had to stop Jungkook. He couldn't kill everyone here.

Taehyung tried not to look as he stepped over the bloodied and mangled body of one of the female doctors working here. He felt the strong urge to puke but he fought it back. He had to get in there. Warn everyone before Jungkook got to them.

But the farther he ran into the laboratory the more bodies he found. They were everywhere. He guessed there were probably about thirty people working in this part of the building and Taehyung was certain he had already spotted half of them. Taehyung's jog turned into a sprint. At least he knew his way around here... he had one little advantage on Jungkook.

He almost got a heart attack when a hand came out of nowhere, pulling him into one of the staff rooms. When he looked up he came eye to eye with wide, worried eyes. It was one of the guys who had initially shown him around this place and vaguely explained what they were doing.

Taehyung had never been too fond of his character, but now that he was looking at that horrified expression he couldn't help but feel bad. He had to get him out of there.

"What is happening out there? We got a call that Jungkook's vitals were all over the place but..." He didn't get any further because suddenly there was that dark smoke again. All over the room behind the guy. Taehyung wanted to yell at him to run. To run as quickly as he could, but before he could even open his mouth Jungkook appeared out of the smoke.

He didn't look like himself. His eyes were a dark, glowing shade of yellow, the same Taehyung had seen on his first day here. His fingers ended in long, dark claws and the black color seemed to stretch over his whole arm. It wasn't just his skin though... Jungkook's hands were covered in blood.

Just like the new bloodstains on his clothing and smeared lines of blood on his cheek.

But what made the whole thing so much scarier was the fact that the smoke still seemed to cling to him, following his every move. Moving along as Jungkook lifted his arm and slit the unsuspecting man's throat in one easy, swift motion.

And Taehyung could only stare as the man's eyes widened before he dropped to his knees and fell to his side. Jungkook's eyes followed him too, but then he simply stepped over the body like it was nothing.

Taehyung's heart was racing in his chest. He was scared. This was not the Jungkook he had gotten to know over the last year. This Jungkook was scary and dangerous... Taehyung had to run before he could kill him too. He had to...

But he didn't. He didn't know what made him reach his hand out forJungkook. Maybe he was searching for some sort of reassurance. Reassurance that this Jungkook was still the same Jungkook. That he wouldn't do anything to Taehyung.

And Jungkook just looked at him. His gaze burning and intense... but Taehyung forced himself not to look away. He had to know if this was his Jungkook.

And then Jungkook moved. Taehyung didn't even get the chance to react before he felt Jungkook's arms around him... and Jungkook pulled him into a hug.

And even though Jungkook was bloody and Taehyung's heart was racing, even though his knees were wobbly and his stomach close to getting rid of all its content, Taehyung still returned the hug. This was fucked up. This whole situation was fucked up, but Jungkook... was still the same Jungkook.

Taehyung could trust him. Even when he had gone around and killed everyone here Taehyung knew he wouldn't do the same thing to him.

"Finally, that awful glass screen is gone..." Jungkook chuckled, his arms tightening around Taehyung.

"I'm glad but... you killed everyone here..." Was all Taehyung got out, moving back a little to stare at the body on the floor.

"Are you scared?" Jungkook asked. And while his appearance was scary Taehyung wasn't scared. He knew Jungkook wouldn't do anything. His expression was more normal again now.

"No... but I feel like throwing up and I feel like I'm not even properly processing what just happened yet... so I think you fucked up my sleep for quite some time with this... not going to lie." Taehyung stared at the body at his feet. Yeah... his brain wasn't properly registering it.

When he looked back up Jungkook was staring at the body too, looking a little apologetic. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to drag you into this, but they were going to start running soon and I didn't know their faces... and I was angry. You saw what they did to me." Once again there was a spark of anger in Jungkook's eyes and Taehyung wanted to take it away. He didn't want to see Jungkook angry. He wanted to see him smile.

"I know... I saw you." Without really thinking about it Taehyung reached out to cup Jungkook's face again. Jungkook let him.

"Are you better now? You were about to die back there, weren't you? About to really die..."

Taehyung's heart felt heavy when Jungkook nodded even though it was over already. Jungkook was already safe. He wouldn't die now.

"Why didn't you try to kill me? If you could kill the security guard just like that you could have killed me too..." Taehyung half whispered. He wanted to hear the answer from Jungkook. He wanted that last bit of reassurance. Because his legs still felt like pudding.

"I didn't want to. You ran in there because you were trying to help me... I'm a monster, not a dick." Jungkook took a deep breath before leaning in closer. "And I like you. Didn't like the thought of losing you to my own selfishness."

Before Taehyung could say anything to that, although he wasn't even sure what he would have said if he had been given the chance, Jungkook leaned down and pressed his lips against Taehyung's.

Almost on instinct, Taehyung closed his eyes, his hands moving up to Jungkook's chest just to realize he was touching Jungkook's bloodied clothing. He was about to pull back when Jungkook wrapped his hands around his, holding them in place.

Taehyung could feel one of the claws resting against one of his fingers, but Jungkook was careful. Didn't hold Taehyung too tightly. If he had wanted to he probably could have pulled away but Taehyung didn't want to.

Instead, he kissed Jungkook back because it felt right. Even in the middle of all of this mess. Even though Taehyung's body still felt like it could fold into itself at any second. Even with the body right behind Jungkook...

Kissing Jungkook still felt right. When Jungkook finally ended up moving back Taehyung quickly was pulled back into the harsh reality of everything going on around them. Especially with Jungkook letting go of his hands to cup his jaw before muttering a soft. "I have to go now... but I'll come find you again... just as I promised I would."

Jungkook's eyes glinted, then he leaned down to press another kiss to Taehyung's lips... and then he was just gone. Just disappeared into the smoke again.

And Taehyung was left to stare into nothing, wondering when Jungkook was going to come search for him. But he... looked forward to it. Even with all the trauma and nightmares, he'd probably have after this given how much he was dissociating right now.

Jungkook was worth it.

A/N

Epilogue still coming but what do you guys think?😖💕

I had a lot of fun writing this💜

Also I'm just going to say that the way Taehyung reaccted to the corpses is because of shock. Everyone copes with shock differently. Someone that means a lot almost died and then killed the whole laboratory.

His brain is practically filtering out the fact that so many people died because he was not able to properly work through the thought of that right now. He's just glad Jungkook didn't die.

Let's meet again in the epilogue😖💜