JIN POV:

It seems like an infinity passes in those few moments, still silence as we wait for her response, internally I'm pleading to hear a yes, to see a nod. Because some deeply rooted part of me shudders and revolts at the thought of leaving her alone to deal with handling a grown man- with having to struggle helping him.

But it seems like there's some part of the story we don't know, that gives us an incomplete picture because I've never seen any of the boys even at their most drunk seem to struggle as much as Habaek. And given his taller frame, it should mean his tolerance is higher, that in a very basic way he shouldn't be so affected. They don't look like they've gone to the club for the first time.

Not with the tantalising display the three of them had made, that Habaek and (Y/N) had made together- a confidence and self-assurance that came with knowing just how to move, just how to have fun.

She nods, slowly and almost as if she looks scared that we'll suddenly retract the offer. The clock on the wall ticks away, already showing that it's way past midnight.

And when she gently unwinds herself from around Habaek, straightening up- I see just how much she trembles, just how she's trying to keep herself together for his sake.

And again her reaction isn't one to someone who's drunk. There's something that doesn't quite fit. And when she looks sadly at my expression, tapping out a text- I open it to find my blood freeze, to feel shock, disgust, and fear course through my veins.

Date-rape drugs.

He'd been drugged.

And know the situation Hobi had outlined to me makes my blood slowly trudge through my body, slow and thick and liquid ice. He said he'd found her being grabbed by a man, that he'd been pulling her towards him.

It makes me fear just what it was he'd walked into seeing, what it was that had been happening.

But my eyes fall to Habaek, at how disoriented and sluggish his movements are, just how much difficulty he seems to have in processing the fact that she's moved away.

And realise that whilst she'd been lucky, it was clear he hadn't.

And I can only imagine how much pain and hurt and anger must be coursing through her, at seeing her loved one like this. God knows if someone had dared to do that with one of the boys, I would've raised hell.

I find myself harried with the need to do something, finding that a part of me crumbles with sorrow and hurt with the way (Y/N) seems to look both lost and yet determined to do something, at the way I can see the pain seeping out of her eyes.

I stand up.

"Did you eat?" I ask, rewarded with a small shake of the head.

Great. A task I can focus on rather than feeling hopeless.

"I'll make some food." I say, shaking my hands to expel the nervous restless energy, and I notice a small frown on her face as she nods, eyes alit with something akin to understanding.

And as I busy myself with rummaging around their kitchen, I find myself distantly marvelling at the state-of-the-art equipment, the fully stocked fridge and pantry which on another day would've made me giddy. But right now, my hands move with an urgency. A need to be productive and help in the small silent ways.

And when the hangover soup is simmering away at the stove, the equipment is washed and put away and the ingredients have been returned to their rightful places, only then I return to the living room- seeming to catch Hobi and (Y/N) in a heated discussion about something; but both of them look far away from backing out and conceding to the other.

"Hyung tell her to get comfortable, she just won't cooperate." Hobi turns to me, a mixture of worried exasperation and concern in his voice.

But I note that there's a fiery gleam in her eyes, that silently dares Hobi to suggest it and actually win this argument. But she hadn't factored in being tag teamed by the two of us.

She should go make herself comfortable, we're not going to vanish in the time it takes for her to get changed. And Habaek....ah.

"(Y/N) sweetie, nothing will happen to Habaek. The two of us will sit here and wait until you come back, we won't move an inch." I say to reassure her, seeing how constantly her eyes seem to dart back worriedly at his still and barely moving figure.

She hesitates, biting her lip- torn at the suggestion.

"Pinky promise." I say, holding out my finger towards her.

She cracks a small smile, still tight at the corner of her lips and her glossy eyes slide to me, silently trying to gauge whether I'm being serious.

But a few moments later she reaches out with her own pinky, the size difference momentarily distracting as I coo over it in my head and then the feel of her pinky intertwining with mine.

And yet what shatters the small sweet moment is that her movement had caused her hair to tumble down and when she straightens up- I find my eyes widening at the discolouration to her jaw, visible in this angle and the small red marks on her shoulder. The light casts a glow onto her other cheek, which is darkening, a red imprint left behind and small scratches on her cheek.

I bite the inside of my cheek to stifle the curses that want to spill past my lips and I don't know how on earth I didn't notice before that very clearly she was hurt and injured, didn't bother to ask whether she was physically fine too.

Hobi has no such restrictions, wincing as a swear word slips past his lips and his eyes darken as he glowers at the sight.

But his hands are careful as they move forward, silently searching her eyes for some permission before they gently cup her cheeks, angling her face carefully so he can see the damage done. Her left cheek when fully turned reveals a slight swelling to it, the cuts should be disinfected and treated and the imprint of a large hand makes my stomach churn, bubble with bile. And then he angles her head back a bit, her head easily falling back- almost a bit too suddenly, to reveal a dark purpling mark on her jaw, the colour creeping onto the edge of her cheek too.

"(Y/N)..." Hobi breathes.

She shakes her head, her face lolling in his hold as she tries to smile- the spread of her lips loose and slightly sluggish looking. Maybe the night's getting to her, her eyes droop slightly, making her face relax with a look of grogginess. She must be exhausted.

"Go get changed and then let's go from there." He says.

She nods and Hobi's hands slowly retreat- I know the sight of her bruised face is doing just as much harm on his tender heart. That he's feeling the urge to keep her close and dote on her, take care of her. I know it because I'm feeling that need to.

She slowly gets to her feet, stumbling slightly and looking at Habaek with a look of concern, hand brushing tenderly across his face before she steps out of the room. There's the sound of her slowly making her way up, feet padding softly before the sound of a door is heard.

And then I release the sigh I'd been holding, a wavery breath that empties itself into the silent room.

"Hobi, how could anyone harm her? She's so sweet, so kind...just why?" I ask, unable to process the fact that someone had taken a look at her sweet face and struck her. That someone had hit her.

And left marks.

It made me livid.

"I don't know hyung but it wasn't one person, it was two. And oh god—if I hadn't reached hyung, hyung if I hadn't reached in time, the man was trying to drag her away." Hobi confesses with a shocked, pained tone.

Only adding to my silently bubbling rage.

That what had happened tonight to her had been a crime, physical assault, and an attempt at sexual assault.

It sickens me that Habaek had been drugged for that reason too. That the two of them had come close to experiencing something no-one should have to experience.

It's a few minutes later that (Y/N) re-enters, looking slightly lost in the large sweater she's changed into, bare legs hurrying forward with some folded clothes in her hands. I jerk forward when she stumbles slightly, my hand shooting out to steady her.

"Careful (Y/N)..." I say, smiling sadly at how she's being negligent to her own self in favour of hastening to Habaek.

The clothes she's carrying are pyjamas and a folded towel on top. And she sets it down on the corner to go move out again, returning moments later with the towel slightly damp.

She looks at us.

I blink back at her.

She gestures to first Habaek and then to the door, plucking at the mesh top from the neck to suggest that she's going to change him. She signals five minutes with her hands.

And though Hobi and I nod and step up to leave the room, I can't help thinking whether she'll need help, wonder where that sense of discomfort comes from at the idea of her stripping his clothes off and dressing him- at the intimacy and trust and comfortability with each other to do that.

"It's been five minutes." Hobi says quickly, glancing at his phone- having been replying to the messages on the groupchat, brows furrowed as his fingers tap away- letting the others know.

And when I gingerly enter the room, eyes hesitantly falling to the couch, I note that she's somehow managed to handle him whilst changing him, his clothes being folded by her as he groans, mumbling incoherently as he tries to lean into her, body swaying dangerously.

She shakes her head fondly at him, trying to get him to lean back and silently sighing when he refuses to cooperate, arms possessive as they wrap around her and tug her onto him, the sudden force of the act causing her to splay across his top, jumper inching up to reveal more of the skin at the back of her thighs. My ears burn as I slide my eyes away hastily- instead, noting how intimately close their faces have become, but she seems perfectly content at the closeness, unaffected by the sudden close proximity, hair falling like a curtain- a glossy wavy curtain that hides their faces from sight until she moves back up, neck of the jumper low to reveal her collarbones.

"Cherub stay..." Habaek says, voice low and slightly rough and teary sounding.

She softens, from where she'd been leaning back, fingers wiping away the tears that suddenly bead at his eyes and watch as he seems to melt under her, body loosening and relaxing when she leans into him.

"Food. Let's get some food in you. And let's get a closer look at your injuries too." I say suddenly when silence descends onto the living room again.

And for some reason it feels like those words spilled out for reasons beyond concern, trying to overlook how my gut had twisted at the sight of her body splayed on top of him with an intimate casual grace.

And I try to occupy my mind with other thoughts.

Because my mind had wandered traitorously of how cuddling her so closely, of holding her like that would be something I wanted to indulge in, how I couldn't bear seeing her upset and wanted to make her smile.

Because somehow and guiltily enough it felt like I was seeing her as something slightly more than a friend.

And I wanted to push that shameful thought aside.

(Y/N) POV:

I feel guilty for keeping Hoseok and Seokjin here. Feel guilty for feeling safe and secure and sane because of their presences. Feel guilty that they had offered and I had been overwhelmed and grateful for their words- for their reassuring presences in a house that would otherwise have overflowed with my worries and panics and fretting over oppa's hazy state.

And feel my cheeks warm when I feel the jumper edge up, trying to lean back enough to fix the hem.

And when Seokjin makes a suggestion for food, I try not to feel touched at the soft concern as he ushers me into the kitchen.

I gently nudge the two of them towards the table, lifting the lid carefully to put some soup into bowls and rice into other ones before bringing it to them, setting it down in front of them.

Seokjin looks at me in confusion, a disgruntled pout on his lips when he realises that I have no intention of joining them...not yet.

First Habaek oppa, then myself. And I'm not hungover- the small sip I'd taken doesn't count for much, even if my veins feel like they're buzzing.

I cross my arms and then mime drinking, and watch as their eyes light up with understanding.

For some reason, these small gestures of knowing I'm being understood, that I can communicate without having to talk makes me feel happy. Especially when I know it's them.

And I carefully carry a tray of the same food to go feed oppa, maybe having some sustenance in him will help. It's wishful thinking that as the night goes then maybe he'll become more coherent but if anything, every touch to his face, to his throat has only given me further evidence of his drugged, deteriorated state with his frighteningly slow heartbeat and the clammy stickiness to his skin- which I'd carefully dabbed away with a warm towel, sponging away the sheen to his chest, his arms and neck and face.

I walk out of the kitchen with a small smile but my pace quickens to reach Habaek oppa, carefully setting it down on a small table that I draw up, kneeling beside it.

I silently try to tug him up.

I lean forward to whisper in his ear.

"Oppa please. Come on up you get." I murmur almost inaudibly.

He groggily blinks at me, trying to respond to the urgency in my tone, shifting and trying to straighten up.

"Hurry." He mumbles, responding to my expression and hurried words.

I nod, trying to get him to sit up.

He leans heavily into the arm of the sofa as he sinks backwards, back resting against it.

That'll do for now.

I mix the two for him, making it easier for me to feed him and bring the bowl into my hands, bringing a spoon to his lips.

I mime an open mouth to him, a silent 'ahhhh' and he copies- mirroring me and allowing me to slip in the food.

His mouth closes around it when I take the spoon back, chewing slowly.

Eating slowly is better than hurrying and choking.

So I slowly feed him spoon by spoon, relaxing when he takes each mouthful without complaint.

I bring the glass of water to his lips, gently tilting his head back slightly and smiling when he trustingly and easily opens his mouth, taking small sips- eyes trained onto me, regardless of how dilated and unfocused they are.

I don't really get a chance to take care of him or Mi-sun unnie, but I hate the situation that have brought me to this.

Thinking about Mi-sun unnie makes a flash of guilt to sear through me, thinking back to the message that had appeared on my phone at some point at the club.

A message that she wouldn't be back tonight with a wink face emoji.

I didn't have the heart to tell her, but more than that I didn't have the courage. I knew I'd face her wrath when she did find out though.

As I'm about to head back, his hand captures my wrist.

"Stay please." He mumbles, voice sounding so raw and scared that I don't hesitate, setting the glass down and letting him capture both my wrists to draw me onto his lap.

I carefully straddle him, resting my head onto his shoulder.

"I was so, so scared oppa." I murmur, words soaking into his skin.

His hands fractionally tighten, words seeming to process to him.

"So, so scared." He echoes.

And it's seconds later that Hoseok and Seokjin appear, Seokjin bearing a first-aid kit.

"I had to do a bit of rifling, sorry." He grimaces apologetically, walking in to set it down on the table, Hoseok disappearing to remove the tray and appearing quickly again.

And then he shifts onto the space next to Habaek oppa, looking at me with a gentleness.

"This might hurt." he warns, fingers busily soaking a cotton ball with some antiseptic cream, face hovering close. One of his hands gently cradle my cheek, drawing my head at an angle upwards as he moves close- biting his lip tightly as he dabs at the small cuts, cleaning them out. It causes a stinging sensation that has me biting down harshly on a wince, sharply on the inside of my cheek because I can't let out a sound, I can't.

He winces when he sees my face, at whatever I'm silently expressing.

"I'm sorry it hurts, just a bit longer." He murmurs, before removing the cotton ball and eyes focusing on the cuts, head angled and turned so he can examine it.

"A plaster should do it." He states, head dipping as his hand rummages in the first aid-kit to draw out a bright Disney sticker, smiling at it.

He gently covers the scratches, patting my cheek lightly.

"All done, maybe I'll have to get you to ice the cheek if the swelling doesn't go down. It's a vicious mark. Maybe it might slightly bruise." He says, smiling sympathetically.

I nod.

And then he frowns when his eyes fall onto my jaw.

"We can't really do much for bruises, Jiminie has this ointment that does wonders for them." He softly murmurs.

I shrug my shoulders, it's fine.

Can't do anything about them. And they're a small price I had to pay for helping Habaek oppa.

I'd do it again in less than a heartbeat.

He glances at my skin of my shoulder, where there's small marks- silently tending to the small scratches though they don't even throb or hurt.

I silently take his fussing because it makes me feel warm, makes me feel like I'm wrapped up in a hug, in an embrace that comes with having someone look over me.

I grip his sleeve before he can turn away.

Thank you I mouth to him. And then to Hoseok.

He shakes his head just as Hoseok says it's fine.

And as I focus on Hoseok's reassuring comforting smile my eyes stray to the clock, eyes widening.

It's so late.

There's no way I can let them go back home in the dead of the night, nearly approaching to 3. And as cautious and careful I'll have to be in my own home, it's the least I can do for them.

But before anyone can say anything, a splitting pain makes my head throb and my vision momentarily whiten. And I can't stop the pained whimper that bubbles out my throat, even as my hands go to clamp over my mouth to stifle it.

Habaek oppa's hands tighten around me in response and the other two balk in alarm, panic filling their eyes again.

And despite the late hour, it seems like the night is far from over.

(ANOTHER SOUND. SOME VERY COMPROMISING POSITIONS. AND HALLELUJAH JINNIE IS THE FIRST ONE TO ACTUALLY ACCEPT THAT THE FEELINGS GO BEYOND FRIENDLY NOW!! WE SHOULD THROW A PARTY JUST FOR THAT! AND MI-SUN DOESN'T KNOW, THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AND THE BOYS WILL BE HAVING AN IMPROMPTU SLEEPOVER- I WONDER WHAT THEY'LL WAKE UPTO? AND WAAAAY MORE TO COME WITH (Y/N)'S SIDE TOO! AND REALLY I LOVE HOW SWEET AND CARING JINNIE AND HOBI ARE BEING. AND AHHHHH! I'M SO MAD, THE TWO FROM THE CLUB GOTTA BE HUNTED DOWN STILL. SHE'S GOT BRUISES...I REPEAT BRUISES ON HER FACE BECAUSE OF THEM- AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING PLANNED FOR THAT TOO SO KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED! AND MORE TOUCHINESS SLOWLY MAKING IT'S WAY THROUGH AND NICKNAMES AS WELL! AHHH! SO EXCITED! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND STAY SAFE LOVELIES!)

QUESTION...A GOOD INTERACTION WITH A STRANGER AND A BAD ONE?

Mine is...a good one is that once I was on the tube heading to uni and it gets major cramped, don't get me started on London and rush hour bustle and crowds. But anyways! I had my earphones in and I missed the station name but I couldn't see past the tall businessmen surrounding me and I kept trying to tiptoe and peer at the screen and turn around- and then this nice man noticed and leaned forward to tell me. A bad one was...it was like the first time I stepped out of the house after London's proper lockdown and I was in the park out to do some walking. And I was waiting with my little sister waiting for my brother and mum when two men walked past the park gates and catcalled to me. It was really uncomfortable and sad and disgusting to see that people take the very literal first opportunity to get out the house to make comments at someone.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3