Requested by Anonymous

TW: Child Abuse

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"We aren't sure who the last member will be yet, we still have a few potential trainees." Was what the current members of BTS kept hearing. The band had Jin, Yoongi, Hobi, Namjoon, Jimin, and Taehyung. They'd been together for a few months to train already, living together and rehearsing together before debut. They were constantly told they'd be getting a 7th member and they were getting impatient. The company mentioned that one of the trainees was only 15, and Taehyung instantly wanted him because he wanted his own dongsaeng.

The night finally came when staff members made their decision. The members heard a knock on their door and ran to it, and there stood a staff member next to a young teenager with huge bambi eyes.

"Everyone, this is Jeon Jungkook. He's the youngest, he's 15. He'll be joining you. You guys are officially complete."

"Ohhhh he's so cute!" Hobi made a warm, welcoming expression towards Jungkook. The shy boy stood there without saying a word. But then he panicked thinking he wasn't being polite, so he bowed and said hello with a nervous voice.

"I get a dongsaeng!" Taehyung cheered happily. Everyone paused when they noticed Jungkook had some bruises on his face. They all wondered if a staff member did something to him while training, but they decided to discuss that later. Right now they got to meet their new maknae!

The staff member finished dropping Jungkook off and left.

"Just call me hyung!" Yoongi told Jungkook. Jungkook nodded silently. "You can just call us all hyung!" The members introduced themselves one by one. Jin couldn't stop staring at Jungkook's giant eyes. The first thought he had was that he'd do anything to protect him. The second he met him he already felt like a protective big brother.

"I'll show you around!" Jimin said happily. He went to take Jungkook's hand in his but Jungkook took a step backwards, out of reach. Jimin looked to the others unsure of how to respond, but figured Jungkook was just being shy and he'd warm up to them eventually.

"It's okay, Jungkook, go have a look around," Hobi said with a reassuring tone. While Jimin guided Jungkook around the dorm, the others quietly talked about how insanely quiet the little guy was. He'd only spoken maybe two words to them.

"Well, obviously his main talents are singing and dancing," Hobi chuckled.

The two came back and the members offered to help Jungkook unpack and get comfortable. At first he politely declined the help saying he could do it himself, but they didn't really listen and began to help anyway. He didn't have much. Some clothes, some toiletries, and some painkillers.

"What are these for?" Namjoon asked as he held up the pain killers. Jungkook stared at him without saying anything.

Namjoon paused for a moment. "I guess you don't really have to tell me. I'll put them in the medicine cabinet for you."

Yoongi looked at Jungkook and couldn't shake his curiosity. "May I ask how you got those bruises on your face?"

Again, Jungkook silently stared at him. His eyes shifted. This time his expression showed a hint of fear in it.

"Did someone do that to you?" Yoongi asked, "I'm just saying if you've been with staff training and someone did that you, you tell us and we'll handle it."

"I fell. I'm fine! I just fell," Jungkook said in a panic. Yoongi walked over to give Jungkook a lighthearted pat on the shoulder, but Jungkook flinched away again.

So the kid hates being touched. Okay.

The members thought Jungkook would open up more the longer he was living with them, but he didn't. They tried asking him questions about his life but he didn't have much of anything to say. His answers were vague and blunt. All they found out about him was that he dropped out of highschool a while ago and that he had a mom and dad. The members tried asking questions about his parents and all he ever did was shrug his shoulders. He clearly didn't want to talk about them, or himself.

Everyone noticed that Jungkook was painfully shy and he always seemed incredibly nervous. He never wanted to be touched and would flinch or back away whenever someone came too close to him. This was hard for Jimin and Taehyung because having Jungkook be their fellow maknae made them really want to hug and cuddle up but the youngest refused. He was also insanely polite whenever he did speak. It made the members feel out of place because they themselves acted like unruly children around eachother. Jin would try to scold the others for their behavior sometimes, and whenever he did it seemed like the only one actually affected was Jungkook even though he wasn't the one being yelled at. He would hide away on his bed or in the closet. One time Hobi saw Jungkook crying and when he asked why, all the youngest did was cry harder. Hobi tried hugging him and the boy panicked and just kept repeating "No. Please no," while shoving Hobi away from him.

One night, Jungkook had gone to bed early. He wasn't feeling well, claiming to have a headache. Yoongi told him he needed to eat dinner but the maknae stood there and started crying, which made Yoongi feel terrible so he told him he could go to bed if he really wanted to. He brought some snacks to him and left them on Jungkook's nightstand in the meantime.

"He's not opening up to us," Jimin said frowning before shoving his face full of rice at the dinner table.

"I think it's safe to say by now that he has some kind of trauma," Namjoon suggested.

"You think so?" Jin asked. He wondered what Jungkook could have possibly been through that made him so anxiety-ridden all the time.

"I'd say we could ask him, but the kid never wants to tell us anything. What if a staff member really did hurt him while training?" Hobi wondered.

"I don't think that's it. It seems deeper than that with him," Namjoon replied.

"Well he doesn't ever want to talk about his childhood or his past at all." Taehyung realized it was absolutely impossible to learn about the maknae.

"Maybe there's a reason he doesn't want to," Jin said. Something bad probably happened to him.

"Well whatever the reason, I hope he at least knows he's safe and loved here," Yoongi said. Although he had no clue what Jungkook's past was like, he knew it was over now. Yoongi also felt a deep sense of protection over all of his members, and especially the youngest.

"He'll learn that in time," Hobi said. Hopefully. Hobi thought about how his stage name after debut was going to be J-Hope, and he chuckled to himself.

The members continued to do everything they could to make their maknae feel safe and secure living with them. They'd already given him a ton of cute nicknames too. To their surprise, the youngest was a completely different person when singing and dancing. He was full of passion and life, yet whenever practice was over, it seemed like he crawled back inside his little shell.

Things started to come to light the evening Jimin, Jin, and Jungkook were home alone together while the others were still at practice. Jimin and Jungkook were helping Jin cook dinner. Jin and Jimin were having a great time fooling around while cooking and Jungkook felt his heart beating fast, anxiously awaiting to get in trouble. He didn't know why or what for, he just felt it was coming. He started to tremble uncontrollably as his anxiety took over, and as he went to hand Jin a measuring cup full of milk, it slipped out of his hand and spilled all over Jin.

"Aish," Jin said in a low tone as he tried stepping away from the splash but didn't make it in time.

Jungkook's heart practically stopped. His breath got stuck in his throat. He stared at Jin with pure terror in his eyes. Jimin and Jin noticed Jungkook's panicked state.

"Hey it's alright, no worries, stuff gets spi-" Jin started, but before he could finish Jungkook began to hyperventilate uncontrollably and then turned and sprinted down the hall and into his room.

Jin and Jimin looked at eachother with concern.

"I'll go check on him," Jimin offered. Jin nodded as he began to clean up the milk. Jimin made his way into Jungkook's room and heard crying coming from in the closet. Jimin sighed with sadness. He didn't understand why his maknae was so scared and sad all of the time. He made his way over and opened the closet door to find Jungkook curled up in the back corner of the closet with his face buried into his knees as he cried. Jimin crawled down to him.

"Kookie, it's okay. Haven't you ever heard that phrase? Don't cry over spilled milk?" Jimin said softly. Jungkook didn't look up as he continued to sob. Jimin went to wrap his arms around Jungkook but he tensely tried pulling away. Except this time Jimin wasn't going to let him. He was going to hug Jungkook whether the boy wanted it or not. He felt like he needed a hug more than he let on. He continued to wrap his arms around him and felt how insanely tensed up his body was.

"It's really okay, Jungkookie. Jin hyung isn't mad or anything, if that's what you're worried about." Jimin started to gently rub Jungkook's back. His maknae finally looked up at him, "H-he's not m-mad?"

"Of course not, bunny. It was an accident. Even if he was mad, who cares." Jimin started to chuckle, "It's not like we listen to him half the time anyway." For the first time since they'd met, Jimin finally got a small laugh out of Jungkook. However his expression quickly turned back to one of sadness and fear. Jimin remembered the bruises on Jungkook's face when they had first met.

"Are you afraid of people when they get mad at you?" Jimin wondered. Although Jungkook seemed to be afraid of everyone all the time, mad or not. "I just mean...has someone hurt you before, because of being mad at you? Because Jin hyung would never ever hurt you. None of us are like that. You don't have to worry about anything like that." Jimin waited for a reply as he continued to gently hug and rub Jungkook's back. Jungkook completely broke down, his body relaxed and he buried his face into Jimin's chest as he wailed. Jimin didn't know what he'd said that made this happen, but he felt terrible seeing the youngest so incredibly upset.

"Maknae I promise he's not upset with you, please don't be so worried," Jimin frowned.

"M-my parents," Jungkook sniffled.

"Your parents?" Jimin asked confused. He wondered what Jungkook's parents had to do with anything.

And he learned quickly, because Jungkook completely broke down. Somehow Jimin knocked down all the protective walls the youngest had put up as he started talking about his parents.

How his parents would hit him, beat him, whip him, choke him, slam him into walls, throw him outside in the cold, starve him, scream at him. Over absolutely everything. The smallest, most mundane things. He told Jimin how he'd spilled something by accident once and his dad put him in the hospital for it after breaking his fingers and slamming his head into the wall. He told Jimin the profanities his parents would bark at him day and night.

Jimin was sobbing now too. He couldn't believe how anyone could do something so terrible to anyone, let alone their own child. Jimin hugged Jungkook a lot tighter, saying over and over how sorry he was and reminding him that that was all over now because "hyungs would never ever hurt you." His heart broke over and over again for his maknae as everything started to make sense to him now. He understood why he was so quiet and shy. He understood why he hated being touched.

Jungkook told him how he discovered the company and saw it as a way out. But while training he was still with his parents and they were constantly still beating on him, which is why he'd shown up with bruises on his face. In the end, his parents told him to leave and get out of their lives because they hated him anyways and he was a pathetic excuse of a son. He said once he signed the contract and was told he'd be moving he thought everything would change, he didn't know he'd still be traumatized and anxious all the time and he hated it. He hated being so scared.

"I knew hyungs were nice but I can't help it," Jungkook cried. "All I still see and feel is them hurting me."

"They're never going to hurt you again. I'll make sure of that my damn self," Jimin said angrily. Every part of him wanted to go find Jungkook's parents and beat them up with no remorse, but he knew he couldn't.

The two sat there for a while, hugging eachother and crying. Jimin planted small kisses on Jungkook's forehead as he repeated how much they all loved and cared about him. Jungkook didn't know how to even respond because he'd never felt love like that before. He felt protection and warmth he didn't know existed. Anxiety coursed through him when he heard Jin enter the room, but again he was somewhat confused when Jin simply asked if everything was okay and also reassured him that he wasn't angry at all.

Jin asked why Jimin was so upset now too and Jimin looked to Jungkook. "You should tell hyungs what you've told me. We all want to help you."

So Jungkook did. They had a little meeting in the living room later that night and Jungkook completely opened up about his past. The members were in fits of tears, swearing up and down over Jungkook's parents and constantly telling him they'd never do anything like that to him. Namjoon said he thinks it'd be best Jungkook started therapy to help him through his trauma and the maknae agreed to at least try it. The hyungs were ecstatic that Jungkook finally opened up, although it broke their hearts, they felt like they could now help him have a happy and bright future. Hobi thanked Jimin "for whatever it is you did to get him to tell us what happened to him." Jimin shrugged, he still didn't quite know himself.

Maybe it was giving him a hug. Something he'd never gotten.

As the weeks went on, Jungkook's personality completely shifted. He was growing to be a lot more care free and happy. He started to trust his hyungs completely and never worried about them being angry. He opened up about his feelings more, started to actually play more, and was overall a lot happier. He was going to therapy regularly which was also really helping him out. He was learning to process his trauma well and more often than not found himself not even thinking of his past anymore, only his future. He became more cuddly with everyone and to everyone's surprise would even play wrestle his hyungs. He was becoming a whole new person and the members absolutely loved that for him. One of the biggest issues he was still working to overcome was night terrors. There were nights he'd wake up screaming and crying, but someone was always right there to comfort and hug him until he fell back asleep. It was a work in progress, but the members knew he'd get there.

While everyone was hanging out at home one afternoon, Jin heard someone knocking on the door. He opened it and was met with a random man and woman.

"Uh...hello?" Jin asked confused. He had no clue who they were.

"Hello, we are here for Jeon Jungkook," the woman said. Jin gave her a dirty look, "And...who might you be?" he asked confused. He didn't know anything about his maknae expecting visitors. He heard Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook playing and yelling at eachother. He heard them come running down the hallway.

"Jin hyung! Jin hyung!" Jungkook was laughing about something as he entered the room. "Jin hyungie! Jin hyungie look at what Tae-" Jungkook froze when he saw who was at the door. Instant trembling and tears.

"Hello, son. We're here to bring you home," Jungkook's dad said from the doorway.

Fear and dread shot through everyone. All of the members were in the room now. Taehyung shoved Jungkook behind him and stood there blocking him protectively, "You're his parents?" Taehyung asked.

"Yes, and we are here to bring him home," his dad said. Jungkook was frozen in place but he was a crying mess. He saw spots in his vision. No no no no. Not them. Please , please not them.

"Well if you're his parents, then fuck both of you. You can't have him back," Yoongi spat. Namjoon and Hobi's eyes went wide with fear over what Yoongi said, but at the same time they both felt a sense of admiration.

"Excuse me?" Jungkook's mom crossed her arms.

"He sounded pretty clear to me," Jimin replied.

"But if you really need me to repeat myself, I said you can't have him back," Yoongi said.

Jungkook's parents started yelling about how they had parental rights to their son.

"You gave that up the moment you began hurting him. We know what you've done," Jin said angrily.

Jungkook thought for a second. The first time he actually remembered them hurting him was when he was two, but he was sure it started even way sooner than that. Jungkook tugged on the back of Taehyung's shirt. "P-please no," he whispered to his hyung. Taehyung held back his tears as he turned to Jungkook's parents. "He's under a contract so he has to stay with us."

"Fuck your contract, he's our son, and we're taking him home!" his dad screamed and shoved his way inside their dorm. Everyone immediately jumped in front of Jungkook to block him.

"We're not giving him back to you! You didn't even want him!!" Hobi screamed. He had started crying. He was seeing how intimidating Jungkook's parents could be and his heart broke all over again for his maknae. He couldn't imagine growing up being this scared all the time.

"Don't make me call the police," his mom threatened.

"Go ahead and call them. While they're here, you can explain to them how abusive you guys are. I'm sure they'd love to hear that," Yoongi spat.

Jungkook's parents claimed that Jungkook was lying and "making up his stories again" because he's always had "quite the imagination."

To everyone's surprise, Jungkook stepped out from behind them. "I'm not lying and you both know that!" he cried. His parents took a step closer to him and he immediately ran back behind his hyungs. His mom actually pulled out her phone and called the police, claiming that some 'thugs' were trying to kidnap her son. They continued to fight until the cops got there.

When the cops arrived, they tried concluding that Jungkook needed to go to his parents and that the members had no right having custody of him. They fought with the police saying they wanted to press abuse charges and that Jungkook can't be released to them, but the police said they'd have to go to the station and file an official report, and then present evidence.

"Isn't him telling us they're abusive enough evidence?! You can't just ignore that!" Taehyung yelled, "He showed up here with bruises! If we're claiming an abuse case you can't just shove him back with them, don't you have to investigate or something?!"

Jungkook felt like he was going to pass out as he watched his hyungs fight for him. The police insisted that there was no evidence that Jungkook needed to be removed from his parents.

"Well it'll be too late by the time they hurt him again!" Namjoon screamed. Jungkook completely broke down at that. He needed to stay with his hyungies.

Jungkook's parents continued to claim that the boy was making up his silly stories. Jungkook started screaming that he was telling the truth and began begging the cop not to send him home. He turned and screamed at his parents about how they didn't want him anyway so he didn't understand why they were even there to take him back.

"We will discuss it at home," his dad said.

"No! I'm not going home with you! Stay away from me!" Jungkook screamed and then pushed his body up against Namjoon for protection. His leader wrapped him in a hug. The police called in back up and soon a ton of cops were there, and they began to forcefully take Jungkook. They grabbed him and started pulling him away. He started screaming as he panicked. "No! Let me go! Let me go!" he pleaded. His hyungs were screaming and crying too. They were chasing after them and watched their maknae get dragged away to be with his parents. Their hearts shattered seeing him panic.

"What don't you dumbass cops understand?! They're going to hurt him!" Jin screamed, "He doesn't belong with them! He belongs with us!"

The cop told Jin to 'shove it' and screamed at them all to respect their authority. They continued to scream at him and they screamed at Jungkook saying they would save him and to try and be brave until then.

Jungkook disappeared with no trace for days. The members were reeling with guilt and dread thinking of all the bad things that might be happening to him. They blamed themselves for not protecting him better. They were angry that he was starting to make so much progress and this would ruin it all. They were trying to figure out ways to save Jungkook when they got a call from their manager that he was in the hospital. They were all too terrified to ask why, but their manager informed them his parents had been caught, in public, hurting him. They all started crying and sped to the hospital.

They met up with him in his hospital room and felt sick to their stomachs when they saw him. He had a black eye and bruises around his neck and a busted lip. He reached his arms out to them as he burst into tears. They were honestly shocked that he even wanted a hug.

"Oh our little bunny!" Hobi cried as they all ran to him and hugged him. Everyone was drenched in tears. Jungkook went on and on about the days with his parents and how bad they'd been. He begged and begged to not go back, just like before.

"I can't do it anymore. Please hyungies I can't," Jungkook cried.

"You won't," Namjoon said. This time he would do anything, absolutely anything, to make sure that boy did not go back to his parents. They cradled him in their arms and kissed his head as he continued to cry.

This time around things actually began to work out in their favor, because witnesses actually saw Jungkook's parents hurting him. They had real evidence now. Thankfully the case was handed to new cops, who said Jungkook was to be removed from the home immediately. He mentioned foster care.

"No no no no," Jin said, "Us. With us. I'll be his legal guardian. I'll adopt him myself if I have to, but he's not being taken from us again."

This new cop agreed to have Jungkook stay with his hyungs while they worked something out. Social workers mentioned Jungkook being placed with family members and his hyungs insisted they were family. Jin kept telling them he'd take Jungkook, "I'll sign whatever papers I need to just give him to me." Jungkook also begged to stay with his hyungs forever if he could.

Jungkook went back to the dorm with them and to his hyungs surprise, was doing well rather quickly. They thought he'd be traumatized all over again and they'd have to start from the beginning but he was very much acting like his happy self. He knew he wasn't going back to his parents, but there was still anxiety over where he'd end up.

What he didn't know was that while he was practicing alone at the studio one day, the rest of the hyungs snuck off to a meeting where Jin signed a bunch of legal papers.

Jin was granted full guardianship of Jungkook until he turned 18. The members cheered and cried together and tried to come up with ways to surprise him. They were able to get someone from the company to go to his parents house and gather up the rest of his things to be brought to the dorm.

When they got home that night, Jungkook was showering as they decorated a cake and laid the paperwork out on the kitchen table. He came out into the kitchen and saw the cake and papers and balloons. They didn't have to tell him what was going on because he knew what had happened as soon as he read the balloons and message on the cake.

He burst into tears and the members hugged him as he sobbed. For the first time, they were happy tears. He couldn't stop reading the message.

"Welcome Home, Jungkookie."

[The End]