Trigger warning: this chapter mentions drug use, rape and self harm. If any of these topics cause you discomfort then please do not read this chapter or proceed with caution. I am not in any shape or form glorifying these topics as I have my own experiences with them. Stay safe, and I love you everyone.

Taehyung's heart thuds as he makes his way through the crowd. The high pitched ringing in his ears as he feels people's sweaty bodies push against his, the low coloured lights flashing and the music becoming a fading thud in his ears as he already feels the guilt drip into his veins like a poisoned IV.

I shouldn't have left Jungkook alone, Taehyung thinks, fingers itching to run back to that damned room, grip Jungkook by the hand and just run. He needn't be introduced to this side of Taehyung, and yet, for some ugly reason Taehyung had decided to drag Jungkook down with him just... because. So in truth, in the reality, there really wasn't a reason, was there.

He needs to make this interaction with Yoongi quick. And he needs to get back to Jungkook just as quick. Taehyung rushes over to the place where he remembers Yoongi stays. He stops in front of a red curtain, and with a deep breath, he pushes the curtain aside and steps in before sliding the curtain shut.

"What the fuck man- wait, Taehyung?"

Taehyung smiles at the familiar face, Yoongi still looked the same. Gentle and soft face, pale skin, rosy pink lips, slightly rounded eyes, dark hair, and a fading scar running down his left eye.

"In the flesh," Taehyung says, opening his arms as Yoongi reaches out to hug him, "man it's been so long, how have you been?" Taehyung pulls away, a soft smile playing on his lips, "good...well not really. Listen I got to get straight to the point Yoongi, if I'm being honest. I need your help."

"Anything for an old friend," Yoongi smiles, handing Taehyung a drink, "still drink?" Taking the drink, Taehyung says, "occasionally."

"So what's up," Yoongi asks, taking a large gulp of the drink he's poured himself, before sitting back down. He motions for Taehyung to sit in front of him, and Taehyung does so. He swirls the brown liquid in his cup around for a moment before he looks back at Yoongi's face.

Taehyung licks his lips, "you know about Jimin right?" Yoongi's eyebrows furrow, "no...is there anything I should know?" Taehyung nods slightly, a dark chuckle leaving his lips, "yeah," he says, "the thing is... Jimin has gone missing. And for the past few months the police have been doing jack shit to help find him, and if they are doing something...well they sure as hell aren't telling Jungkook and I."

Yoongi, upon hearing this sudden information swallows the rest of his drink, and stands up, already pouring another one, "you want me to help you find him?" Taehyung nods, looking down at the drink he hasn't taken a sip out of yet, "you were in his life longer than us, anything you know or do could help us."

"I just can't believe it. I mean it's Jimin going missing? How...why?" Yoongi emphasizes, in thought, eyes cloudy as if he wasn't even in the room anymore, stuck in the plane of his own thoughts. "Jungkook's here with me, you don't have to immediately answer us. Or help us, you can have a or two to process everything. It's going to take time I know," Taehyung reassures Yoongi in the same way that he would've liked to have been when he first heard of Jimin's disappearance.

Yoongi doesn't say anything.

"It's not a surprise that Jimin went missing," he says in a quiet and low voice. Taehyung sits up straight at this point, placing his drink to the side, "what do you mean?" Taehyung asks, in confusion. Yoongi sighs, taking another drink and pouring the burning liquid down his throat, "he was always mixed up with the wrong people, like me, like I still am. But he loved it, never wanted to back out of it like I do. He felt like he had some type of glory being in this world," Yoongi explains.

"So...what you're telling me, is that Jimin may have brought this upon himself?"

Shaking his head, "as much as Jimin loved the other side, he wouldn't have wanted to disappear out of nowhere. Jimin became...unstable. He thought he had power in this world, this messed, fucked up world. But really he was someone's pet," Yoongi spat out, "someone's lap dog."

"Wait how long were you together after...what happened between Jimin and I?" Taehyung asks with caution. Yoongi's expression softens, "look I don't hate you for what happened. We all went through it together. We were kids. Fucked up and didn't know better. You and Jimin were close. But after you slept with him I...left him. We weren't together at all. But he worked in a club similar to this one. And the house he lived in? Well he didn't. All I know is that he instead of living in that house that he and Jungkook decorated together, he bought some apartment in a shady area. I can do some digging and find out, it's not hard to get information from around here."

"So you'll help us?"

Yoongi sits back down, "as much as I hated Jimin for the shit that he'd do to me after we broke up, I still loved him. And he doesn't deserve whatever he's going through right now. But," and Yoongi leans in to whisper, "if you want to really find out every dark thing, then you're going to have to come back Taehyung. Because under Christian, you won't be able to even get the chance too."

Taehyung smiles, "I do have my charming and dapper ways. I think Christian needs to remember who gave him this life. But fortunately, nothing will make me come back to this damnation."

"Fair enough."

A silence falls between the two, and Taehyung hands Yoongi over a card, "those are mine and Jungkook's details. Come over to my apartment tomorrow."

Yoongi thinks for a moment, "wait...did you say that Jungkook's here with you?" Taehyung nods.

"Shit Taehyung!" Yoongi stands up, "Jungkook's with Christian? Fuck! Go get Jungkook. God, Christian's changed a lot Taehyung. His word means nothing anymore and you just left Jungkook in the lion's den."

Taehyung stands up quickly, "his word?"

Pushing Taehyung out, Yoongi whispers, "morals and promises have changed, warped into this sick version that Christian's created because he's on top. That's why you need to come back. Because if anything happens to Jungkook...you'll only blame yourself Taehyung."

---

Jungkook stands in the now empty room with Christian standing right in front of him, a devious smirk playing on his lips. Jungkook, with the intensity of Christian's stare on him, almost feels naked and vulnerable. His hands at his side tightening, nails digging crescents into his palm as a lick of cold travels down his spine almost like a warning. The minute that Taehyung left the room, it was like his key to safety just broke.

And now he was left alone, standing in front of this monster, not knowing whether he should run or sacrifice himself for the sake of knowledge.

"You're a pretty thing," Christian purrs, stepping into Jungkook's personal space, hands reaching upwards, the metal rings on his fingers grazing Jungkook's flushed skin. He almost flinches, eyes clamping shut. Christian's touch on his body felt dirty and wrong. Jungkook disliked it with a passion.

Christian's grin grows at the sight of Jungkook's discomfort, "a pretty little doll," he whispers, fingers travelling down Jungkook's chin to cup his jaw tightly, holding his face upwards, "look at me."

Jungkook's eyes remain shut.

"I said, look at me," his grip tightens, causing Jungkook to hiss, his eyes fluttering open to make eye contact with the man before him. Licking his lips, Christian smiles, "a doll like you doesn't deserve to be hanging off Taehyung's arm, now, do you?"

Jungkook musters up the courage to spit out the words, "I'm not his slave, asshole."

Christian chuckles darkly, the devilish smile on his lips. Eyes turning almost black as he whispers, "watch your tongue around me bunny, or you'll end up getting eaten by the fox."

But Christian's warning means nothing to Jungkook as he pushes himself away from Christian, so that he could get his own personal space and breathing space for just a minute.

It doesn't last long, Christian almost charges at Jungkook, pulling him in by the throat, slamming him against the wall, "disobedient, aren't you?"

Jungkook chokes for a minute, the burn on his throat causing him pain, eyes twinkling with black dots. This doesn't feel good, he thinks, fingers clawing at Christian's hands around his neck. His body begins to grow tired, becoming slumped, and before darkness could take over his eyes, Christian finally lets go.

He chuckles when seeing Jungkook rub his throat gently, his milky skin already turning a nasty plum shade in the shape of fingers.

"You see, I think Taehyung brought you here on purpose," he starts, pulling a lighter out of his pocket, pulling a smoke out. He offers one to Jungkook, to which Jungkook takes out of fear. He places the cigarette between his thin lips with shaky fingers, mentally screaming at himself to have just a little courage.

Christian steps forward, lighting Jungkook's cigarette before his own.

"The Taehyung you know, is different to the one I know," he inhales, the bottom of the cigarette glowing a dim orange, before he exhales. Whereas Jungkook remains, the cigarette in between his lips burning quickly, ashing at the bottom. When Christian looks at him quizzically, he finally takes it out of his mouth, and flicks it lightly, watching the ash fall off the end and flow onto the ground.

Christian walks around Jungkook, like a predator, "Kim lives a precious little life but he's still the same self destructive little bitch that I know he is. He ruins everything he touches and he sure as hell is going to ruin you too," he says loud and clear, stepping closer to Jungkook from behind.

Reaching from behind, he pulls Jungkook in closer by the waist. Jungkook gasps, disgust crawling all over his body as he feels his behind press against Christian's front. "It's a shame," he whispers hotly into Jungkook's ear, "I'm just going to have to ruin you first."

"W- what?"

Before Jungkook has the chance to blink, he's being turned around and pulled closely against Christian. Eyes widened, Jungkook tries to push himself away, struggling as the lit cigarette between his fingers falls to the ground with a dull thud. Christian however, holds his arms in one hand, behind his back, smirking as he leans in, "the thing is, your Taehyung forgot how this world works."

"He thinks that he can just prance back in here and order me around? Well he's wrong. This world is mine."

Jungkook has two minds to just spit in Christian's face and run, but he stays, and listens to the nonsense spewing out of the man's lips.

"The minute Taehyung comes running back here for you, he's going to die. I'm not risking my world just because he wants to speak to a nobody. I mean, I have all Taehyung wants. And all he wants is you."

Taehyung? Dying? No. That couldn't happen. Jungkook wouldn't let that happen. Jungkook would put Taehyung's life before his own.

"What do you want from me?"

If it was possible, Christian's smile reaches the heavens, "I'm glad you said that," he walks away, lighting another cigarette after the first one just burns to ash carelessly, "I may be a monster, but I never do anything without consent."

"So you want me to do sexual actions with you?"

"It'll buy your precious Taehyung the rest of his life."

"And if I don't want to do it?"

"Then say goodbye to Taehyung."

"But that's manipulation. It's just as wrong as doing something without consent."

Christian smiles, "fair enough. But the choice is yours."

Jungkook's heart thuds against his chest, and before he knows it, he's getting down on his knees.

Frowning, Christian rushes over to Jungkook, holding him by his jaw, making him look directly into his eyes, "you'd risk your dignity and innocence for that man?"

"Yes," Jungkook says, voice barely above a whisper.

Christian scoffs, "it's stupendous isn't it?'

Jungkook looks up to the man in front of him, "where is this going?"

Smiling, Christian says, "your loyalty is something that a lot of people don't have anymore. Keep it. You know, Taehyung used to talk about you a lot. Even after cheating on you, years later, your loyalty remains with him. Even after leading a whole new life. Even after separating. You remain by his side, like you still wear his ring on your finger. It's...stupendous," he whispers, shaking his head slightly.

Christian leans down, his breath fanning against Jungkook's lips, "what do you think Taehyung would do if he found out I touched you...here," he grazes his finger against Jungkook's bottom lip. Jungkook closes his eyes, a gasp stuck in his throat. "Or here," Christian's fingers brush Jungkook's jaw, then to his neck, "how would you react if you enjoyed it?" He asks, leaning in, tongue licking up the hollow of his neck as he bites down on Jungkook's lobe, causing man the hiss out in a less than pleasurable pain.

Stepping away, Christian stands up to his full height, his nether region coming face to face with Jungkook.

Jungkook closes his eyes.

Fuck.

He doesn't hear the sound of unzipping, or the sound of anything for that matter. With eyes almost shaking in fear, he looks up to Christian.

Why wasn't Christian doing anything?

Isn't this what he wanted?

For Jungkook to submit to him? Well Jungkook was down on his knees, ready to take anything coming at him and yet there Christian was, staring down at the younger, with a look in his eyes that Jungkook couldn't decipher.

"Get up," Christian whispers.

"W-what?"

"Get up," he speaks more clearly. And when Jungkook still doesn't budge, Christian grips Jungkook by the collar, tugging him up, Jungkook's body moving on its own accord like a flimsy rag doll, Jungkook's shirt almost being torn in the process.

"I don't understand people like you," he whispers, more to himself than to Jungkook, "people who'd ruin themselves for the sake of the people that they love."

Jungkook's lips fall open in shock.

"You don't understand people who live with emotion?"

Christian's eyes grow dark, but not a darkness that's evil, one that's missing something, or rather trying to understand something... understand Jungkook.

"You don't understand it because you don't care for it. You live to scare people like me out of their wits, but really it doesn't work. You're insecure. I seen it from the start. The minute Taehyung walked in here. Your envy of Taehyung and his ability to live without emotions seeped out of your skin like clear resin. You want that, you need that. And look, I don't who you are and what you are to Taehyung, but it's clear that you're no enemy of his, but rather he's an enemy of you."

Chuckling darkly, "what makes you so confident," he seethes, the grip on Jungkook's collar tightening, and Jungkook swore he heard his thin silk shirt rip. Leaning in Jungkook whispers, "well, for one your dick isn't in my mouth and that's not because you have me at your mercy. You're no god. It's because you're scared of Taehyung finding out."

Eyes widening at Jungkook's words, Christian staggers backwards, almost like he's been scorched by Jungkook's words.

"That's not true," Christian tries to convince Jungkook. But to Jungkook, and everything in that room. The walls, the furniture and even the cracking paint, it seemed like Christian was trying to convince himself more.

Which Jungkook, for one, found very, very humourous.

"I don't know what this world is," Jungkook says in a quiet voice, "but I sure as hell know that here, Taehyung is powerful."

With every word Jungkook mumbles, it's like the pieces are becoming more and more disarrayed, messed up and warped. He can't find a sense of it. What, or rather who Taehyung is.

Jungkook has half the mind to run to the man out there, the man who he loved, his ex husband and ask him, "who are you?"

"You're wrong. So wrong you whore," Christian spits out, anger growing on his features, "I know you. You think I don't? You're following Taehyung around like some lost puppy, and–"

"And what?"

Jungkook smirks at Christian.

The power dynamics between the two obviously having been changed, "and I was willing to suck the dick of someone else just to save Taehyung?" Jungkook finishes, scoffing. He steps a little closer to Christian, "at least I would do anything to help Taehyung, whereas you. You have no one to come and save you when you're alone in the dark. You're better off living off of what you do now, drink your way into a sublime temporary happiness. Newsflash, it doesn't last forever."

Before Jungkook knows what's happening, hands are being wrapped around his throat. Eyes wide, he feels Christian's nails dig into the skin of his neck, and all he can see is Christian. His eyesight filled to the brim with Christian's face. He chokes, and tries to breathe, but it's to no use, all he can feel is the burn around his throat, and the stinging in his eyes.

"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!" Christian screams, tightening his grip more and more. Jungkook tries to kick himself away from Christian, legs flailing about, hands clawing at Christian's hands. But once again, he sees the lights fading, black spots smudging his eyesight.

"Get your hands off of him," Taehyung stands at the doorway, eyes dark, angry, swirling with so much fury that even Jungkook fears looking into them. Christian chuckles darkly, pushing Jungkook away roughly before advancing on Taehyung, "well, look who's here. If it isn't precious Kim Taehyung, oh don't worry, I didn't hurt your little diamond, just ruined the shine," he smiles, but in an insensitive and creepy way.

"What did you do to him?" Taehyung says, hands slowly slithering to his back, feeling the imprint of his gun. Christian, unaware of this laughs, "it's more like, what was he willing to do for you," at this he bursts out laughing, almost manically.

Taehyung glances at Jungkook, who's stare is hard at the ground, rubbing his neck with his own fingers. 

Walking over to Jungkook, Taehyung slides his hands into Jungkook's, bringing it to his side, pulling Jungkook closer to him, "Christian, I'm not here to take over. That's not what I want but if you so much as step a toe out of line, I'll strip you of everything and leave you in the dark. And trust me," Taehyung emphasizes, "I can make that happen."

Pushing past Christian, Taehyung quickly makes his way out of the club, pushing Jungkook into his car and slamming the door shut. Taehyung felt so angry, he was seething with anger.

He sits down in the driver's seat and sighs, "what did he make you do?" He asks, after a moment of silence.

Jungkook doesn't answer, and instead says, "take me to your place. I don't want to go home and have Mark see these bruises."

Taehyung scoffs, and just starts the car, and begins to drive to his home.

---

Jungkook steps out of Taehyung's shower, wearing some spare clothes that Taehyung had given him, the clothes fitting quite nicely but just a little bit baggy – since Jungkook had chosen the baggier ones. He sighs, glancing into the mirror, seeing the bruises already turning even more purple than they were to begin with.

No, Jungkook didn't want to tell Taehyung what had happened even if nothing happened. Taehyung didn't need to know what Jungkook was willing to do for his safety, and that's all that mattered. But then, his thoughts fleeted to Mark, oh god, Mark. Jungkook immediately feels guilty, he was willing to drop to his knees and suck another man off, just to save his ex husband.

And now, here he was, standing in his ex husband's bedroom, wearing his clothes.

"Jungkook?"

He tries to feel guilty when he looks at Taehyung. But he can't, Jungkook can't feel guilt. Especially when being near Taehyung felt so right. Taehyung sits down on his bed, sighing, before rubbing his neck a little, "I need you to tell me what happened," he whispers.

Jungkook sighs, and walks in front of Taehyung, "why do you want to know so much? All that matters is that you're safe," Jungkook replies. Taehyung looks up to Jungkook with a frown, he slowly stands up, his body too close to Jungkook's for liking but that doesn't matter. His brain connects the dots and immediately he grips Jungkook's wrist, pulling him closer.

Gasping, Jungkook's hands are splayed on Taehyung's chest, his breaths irregular as Taehyung leans into his neck, finger tracing the bruises, "what did he make you do?" Taehyung rasps, breath fanning against Jungkook's ear.

He shivers, "n-nothing,"

"Nothing? Then why are you shivering so much right now?" Taehyung says, noticing the way Jungkook's body was shaking slightly. Truth be told, Jungkook was just shaken up about the way Christian had manipulated him, but here, standing in front of Taehyung like this, he was shaking because his fingers itched to feel Taehyung's jet black hair, to stare into his charcoal coloured eyes, to feel his lips against his own – but it was wrong, it will always be wrong.

"He didn't do anything to me, I promise."

Taehyung steps away with a frown, "but he said it was what you were willing to do?" He presses, looking at Jungkook for any sign of truth.

Jungkook stares at the ground, "it's hard to explain okay," he finally says, "your life was at risk, and I'd do anything to save you. But he didn't go through it, I don't know why. Maybe because he didn't want it and just wanted to test my loyalty for you."

"Wait...don't tell me..."

"Yes Taehyung," Jungkook says softly, he steps forward, looking up to his ex-husband, "yes," he repeats, hesitantly taking Taehyung's hands in his, holding them tightly, "I would do anything for you. I hope you know that," Jungkook whispers, caressing Taehyung's hand with his thumb, staring at the older man.

"Jungkook..." Taehyung trails off, his eyes scanning Jungkook's delicate face. God those eyes, they were so innocent yet so powerful, "you shouldn't though." Shaking his head, Jungkook mumbles, "but I want too," he urges, and before Taehyung can say anything else he adds, "and I don't care what past you hold, I know you'll tell me all in due time just know that right now everything you go through, I go through."

Taehyung smiles, and pulls Jungkook into a hug, wrapping his arms tightly into Jungkook's body, his own relaxing after a long and tense night.

"God Jungkook," Taehyung groans, "you drive me crazy," he whispers into Jungkook's neck, squeezing him slightly. Jungkook hugs back with just as much passion, needing the hug just as much as Taehyung did.

You drive me crazy too, so much...

shorter chapter this week, but I just needed to get it done. My mocks have started so... yay. Kill me now please.
How is everyone doing?