Summary: 'Min Yoongi would never threaten Kim Taehyung with "I will kill you" ever again.'


Taehyung's hands were clenched to his chest. Blood was dripping everywhere, soaking through the thin fabric of his shirt and dribbling in plump red droplets between his fingers. It trailed down his wrists and arms like morbid lacework.

Yoongi couldn't tear his eyes away from the horrifying sight.

The rest of the world seemed to be spinning around him, blurry and fading in and out of his peripheral vision. Everything was throbbing in time with the heartbeat thumping in his ears. The knife was hard and solid in his hand, and Yoongi let it go, dropping with a metallic thud to the floor.

This was...

This hadn't...

He'd never meant to…

He couldn't seem to get himself to think clearly…

And then Taehyung was stumbling a few graceless, faltering steps forward, and went to his knees. He was so close to the top of the stairs…

It broke the stupor, and Yoongi lunged.

"Tae! Oh my god, Oh- My. Taehyung! Tae, look at me, that's it. Let go, I need to-" he needed to apply pressure, stop the bleeding. Call for hel-

His head swivelled down the hallway.

"HELP! Guys! He-", his voice was desperate. Someone had to be-

"Yoongi- Yoon- Hyung! "

That was Taehyung's voice. Yoongi swung back to look-

There was still the blood, red and sticky on his skin, and Tae was shaking like a leaf-

No. Not shaking.

Laughing.

Tae was laughing. Smiling. Grinning.

"- a joke Hyung, just a-"

A joke.

The rush of emotions was such a complete run of the spectrum that Yoongi felt light headed. Dizzying, thankful, soul-crushing relief was dampened out by disbelief, and then anger became a deep, glittering, simmering rage.

Yoongi felt his blood boiling in his veins.

"…a joke.", he breathed.


"- always saying that, and, -and I thought it would be funny-", Taehyung knew he was talking faster now, every word sounding more childish and lame than the one before. The dangerous gleam in Yoongi's eye and the erratic twitch in his cheek was enough for Taehyung to already be questioning the wisdom of his little prank.

He tipped from unsure into actual fear when Yoongi seemed to snap, lunging across the small distance between them. He suddenly found himself being yanked forward, bare knees burning as he was dragged across the carpet.

Before he could even breathe, he was face down on the floor.

His heart was thumping wildly in his chest and he was aware of the fact that he was babbling fearfully, "Hyung! Stop- I'm sorry! Stop, please- Yoongi-hyung!-"

An enraged huffing breath came from above, and Tae actually heard the whip-like sound as Yoongi brought his hand whistling down through the air.

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, tensed up, breath seizing in his throat as he waited for the smack.

It didn't come.


Jin made it up the hall just in time to grab Yoongi's wrist, before the blow could land.

He'd been reading in his room when he'd heard the call for help, and felt his blood run cold.

That had been Min Yoongi's voice, and he'd sounded frantic.

Jin had dropped everything and run.

He hadn't been sure what he'd expected to find; but it hadn't been Yoongi pinning Tae to the hallway carpet, one hand raised mid-spank.

That hadn't been the cause for concern though. Taehyung semi-regularly caused his own demise at the hand of the older hyungs. The thing that had alarmed Jin, was the sheer, ropable fury evident in every line of Yoongi's body.

There was absolutely no way any of them should be disciplining one of the youngsters while that furious, no matter the crime. It could so easily slip into abuse.

Jin breathed a sigh of relief when he caught Yoongi's arm in time. Kneeling, he murmured into the younger man's ear, "You can't do this now. You're too angry. Let him up."

Yoongi flexed, testing Jin's hold, and Jin shook him like a ragdoll.

Yoongi blinked.

Jin saw as the sheen of red retreated, and Yoongi came back to his senses, and looked.

Tae was rigidly still, pinned beneath the weight of Yoongi's upper body, channelled through the splayed hand in the middle of his back. His face was turned toward them, his eyes clenched closed.

He was plainly afraid.

Which was never the aim of the few instances that they'd felt the need to actually carry through with proper disciplinary actions.

Yoongi reared back, and away, hurrying down the stairs; needing to get away from Taehyung, because Taehyung was afraid of him.


Jin let Yoongi go, knowing that he was needed there as well, but that he had something else more pressing to deal with first.

"Tae? Tae-baby? It's okay- you're okay." Jin spoke quietly, his fingers finding their way into Taehyung's hair, gently carding through the soft locks and trailing down the side of his pale face.

Tae's eyes fluttered open, and he looked around warily, immediately noting Yoongi's absence- with alarm.

Jin had to hide a smile, "It's okay, he's just downstairs. He hasn't left, don't worry, I'm sure he's definitely still going to want to talk to you. He just needed to cool down- Aish, Taehyungie, what did you do?"

Taehyung slowly sat up, and Jin gasped in sudden alarm when he noticed the red staining across his white t-shirt, "God- Is that-"

Tae glanced down and then grimaced, shaking his head. His voice was tiny when he answered, "No, I'm okay. Jin-" Tae glanced at the staircase, swallowing thickly before looking back, "Hyung- I- It was just a joke-It should have been funny. I-I don't understand-"

Taehyung dashed the welling wetness away from his eyes with frustration, "I don't know why he-!"

Jin couldn't really help with that, because he wasn't sure exactly what had happened. Although if his hunch was correct, Jin couldn't say with honesty, that he wouldn't have reacted much the same as Yoongi.

The blood was really disturbing him.

He reached out and pulled Tae into a hug, speaking over his shoulder as his arms tightened, "I don't know Tae, but Yoongi will come talk to you soon. Go and get changed, and then wait in Yoongi-ah's room- hmm?"

Tae shuddered, probably at the thought of 'talking' with Yoongi again, but he nodded obediently. Although he waited until Jin released his hold first before pulling away and wandering up the hallway slowly towards his room.

Jin made a mental note to offer another hug later, but thought he had best go offer one to his oldest dongsaeng first.


Yoongi was seated on the bottom step.

It was so much worse than Jin expected.

His face was hidden in his hands and his shoulders were quivering. He was silent though, because he was Yoongi.

Jin felt his heart give an uncomfortable turn at the sight and he hurried the last few steps down, dropping onto the step above and wrapped his arms around Yoongi from behind, tucking the younger man's head under his chin.

He refused to let go even when Yoongi tried to shrug him off, and finally- Yoongi stilled, muttering, "Aish, you're so annoying-" even as he relaxed into the hug.

Jin smiled into his hair as he replied, "Yep. Wanna talk about it?"

Yoongi went for typical avoidance and evasion when he answered with, "Well, I suppose you can't help it really. They say levels of annoying increase with age-" and then laughed wetly when Jin flicked his ear.

A moment of companionable silence later, and Yoongi sighed and pulled away, this time Jin let him.

The younger had wiped at his face, but his eyes were still red and puffy. Jin winced in sympathy.

"TaeTae? I really scared him, huh hyung?" Yoongi asked quietly.

Jin nodded, answering truthfully, "Yeah, a bit- but he's okay. He was more worried that he'd made you so angry that you'd just left. Aish Yoongi-ah, what happened?"

Yoongi shuddered, dropping back to lean against the wall, so he was facing Jin properly. "God- He just- I can't get it out of my head, hyung. I thought I'd killed him!" He brought a hand up to cover his eyes as he remembered, his voice a little shaky as he recounted, "He was- well, he was being Tae. But, like Tae at his absolute brattiest- aigoo, I should have known he was up to something!"

Jin hmmd- he'd seen Tae at his brattiest- it wasn't always unpleasant, but it did have a way of grating when one was tired or otherwise engaged.

The rapper continued, "So he was just- I don't know, talking rubbish and flicking bits of rice at me-" Jin snorted, but raised his hands in apology when Yoongi glared at him, before continuing, "Anyway- we're in his doorway, and that fake dagger- you know, the pirate ones with the skull and crossbones and jewels and stuff? With the pop out blades- that we're using for the mv? With the -Yeah? Anyway- one of them was sitting on the little table near the door, and I grabbed it-"

Jin, who could suddenly see where this was going with startling clarity, breathed, "Aish- That little brat. God Yoongi- I can't even imagine- I don't even want to imagine how that must have felt. God-"

"Yeah. And then he started laughing – and I flipped my shit." Yoongi concluded.

Jin nodded, things making a whole lot more sense, "I don't blame you."

Yoongi looked at him sideways, "He was really okay? I didn't scare him too badly?"

Jin looked thoughtful, answering, "I'll be honest, he was pretty shaken up- and I really don't think he understands why you got angry, especially not so angry- "

Running a hand through his hair, and standing slowly, Yoongi sighed, "How can he not realise how awful that was, I mean- He made me think I'd killed him! Did he think I'd laugh?!"

Jin stood as well, "I don't think he really thought beyond the immediate joke from his point of view- I don't think he considered what it would make you feel- "

Yoongi growled.

Jin nodded. "Exactly. I sent him to get changed and then to wait in your room. Do you feel calm enough to talk it out yet?"

Looking up the stairs, thoughtful, Yoongi answered, "Actually- If he doesn't already know, I don't think 'talking' is truly going to help him understand just how utterly horrific that whole experience was…".

Jin couldn't help but agree.


The timing was absolutely crucial.

The whole thing hinged on the timing.

Yoongi nodded to Jin. He was ready.

"KIM TAEHYUNG!" The demanding shout echoed throughout the nearly empty house, Jin's voice loud and furious.

As predicted, within second Taehyung had rushed out of Yoongi's room, the door rocketing outwards as it opened in front of the startled youth.

The timing was perfect.

In reality, the door was stopped by Yoongi's hand from behind, and he then controlled his graceless fall to the carpet.

From Taehyungs point of view, the door flew open and caught Yoongi on the side of the head with a dull thud. Yoongi crumpled to the ground like a marionette with it strings cut.

Taehyung went from 60 to zero in second, flailing to a halt with eyes as wide as saucers as his brain tried to catch up with what he was seeing.

"Hyung!" he eventually squeaked, stumbling the few steps across the carpet, "Yoongi-Hyung!? Aigoo, I didn't see you! Are you-"

Yoongi played his part like a fiddle, rolling weakly to one side with a pained groan, one hand coming away from his head bloody.

"Oh my go- Hyung! -What-? Hyung!? JIN!? Ji-" Taehyung's voice fluctuated between shock and confusion as he tried to process the situation.

Yoongi flopped onto his back, eyes rolling in his head as the carefully applied blood worked its way across his face in little rivulets.

Taehyung scrambled closer, and Yoongi could feel the way his hands were shaking as the younger patted awkwardly at his face, seeming not sure if he should be touching or not. His voice was perilously shakily, only shades away from tears, "JIN! Yoongi! Y-You're okay- you're okay! - Hyung, please!"

Yoongi went for the pièce de résistance. Coughing wetly, he let the mouthful of blood splatter from his lips, droplets staining his shirt and splashing across Taehyungs hands.

Taehyung burst into tears.

Jaenjang.

Yoongi reached up, wrapped his arms around the shaking, heaving shoulders and pulled Tae down against his chest.

He may have played his part a little too well. He'd just wanted to give the brat a taste of his own medicine, make him understand in a way that talking just wouldn't (Yoongi knew – Tae learnt best from experience, not lecturing) – he hadn't really intended to send him into hysterics.

Although… Yoongi himself had been about 20 seconds and one laughing Taehyung away from hysterics about 15 minutes ago. Perhaps it wasn't unwarranted.

Tae's uncontrollable sobbing was still breaking his heart.

Jin disappeared from his hiding spot at the top of the stairs. He wasn't needed.


Still lying on the floor in the hallway outside his room, Yoongi cradled Taehyung to his chest, rocking steadily, one hand rubbing slow circled between shaking shoulders, the other gently running over the back of Taehyings head.

He spoke quietly into one ear, "Shh, TaeTae. I'm okay. Shh- Hey, we're okay…Shh. I'm not hurt. I'm okay…", his voice calm and steady, content to repeat himself as long as was necessary.

He knew the instant Taehyung registered what was being said. What was happening.

Taehyung drew in a furious wounded breath, heartrendingly wet with tears, rearing back from Yoongi's hold to stare down at him accusingly.

"Why would you do that!? Why?! I thought I'd-" his voice was shaky with left over anguish and newly acquired fury.

Yoongi knew the exact answer he needed to give. "It was just a joke."

Taehyung stared down at him for a second more, face going scarily blank. And then he crumpled again, tears back with a vengeance.

He tried to pull away, but Yoongi wasn't having any of that, "Hey, hey! Come here- "

Taehyung didn't take much convincing, letting himself be drawn back into the embrace, although this time he was the one murmuring the steady repeated litany, "God- I'm sorry. I'm so- I didn't think. I didn't- I'm so stupid-"

"Hey! You're not. You just a had a momentary lapse of judgement." Tae laughed bitterly through tears that he couldn't seem to get to stop. Yoongi amended, "Okay, a really, really bad momentary lapse of judgment- but you understand now. Right?"

Tae's agreeing nod was fervent.

Yoongi nodded his approval as he continued- "I know a better place to cuddle than the floor. How about it?"

Tae looked at him through wet eyelashes, seemingly weighing the sincerity of the invitation (it wasn't really an invitation), but Yoongi didn't have to press the issue because eventually his second maknae nodded again, and ostensibly moved to help Yoongi get them both on their feet.

He was definitely more hindrance than help.

Yoongi pulled the door shut behind them and dragged Tae across the room to his bed, pushing the younger down onto the side of the mattress- "Shoes off, TaeTae-" he said as he helped shed the sneakers.

He went to climb in himself, but was stopped by Taehyung's hand on his chest. He looked down into the tearstained face and still welling eyes, pretty sure he'd agree to just about anything the kid asked while he looked at him like that, "Yeah?"

"Can you- Can you wash your face first, Hyung?" Taehyung's voice hitched on the last word and Yoongi couldn't resist, reaching out brush the tear dampened cheek with his fingers.

"Sure thing, I'll be back in a minute okay." He answered, hurrying out the door and into the bathroom.

He returned moments later, fake blood free. Tae's eyes popped open as soon as he closed the door. His breath hitched wetly when he saw Yoongi, and his eyes welled again.

Yoongi felt the first fingers of guilt start to crawl up his spine, and shook them away roughly.

Tae had needed the wakeup call, even if it had gone a little farther than intended. Tae would be fine once he got over the fright; Yoongi would make sure of it.

He sat down on the edge of the bed again, and Taehyung rolled towards him, one arm hugging across his waist in such a blatantly clinging move that Yoongi melted, and the guilt swept in anyway.

"Aish, you little brat. I'm sorry- I didn't mean to scare you quite this much." he brushed hair back off damp clammy skin.

Taehyung shook his head, pressing closer to Yoongi's side, his voice muffled as he replied, "I deserved it Hyung- I can't even begin to… I'm just really, really, really, reeaaly, reeea-"

Yoongi flopped down beside him, pulling the slighter form up the bed some and draped a hand over his still mumbling mouth, "I think I get it TaeTae. And thank you for the apology."

They'd fallen silent for a moment and then Tae had shifted, suddenly seeming uneasily and somewhat anxious, as if something had just occurred to him. He didn't say anything.

Yoongi rolled to his side, looking down to where Tae was frowning slightly. There was definitely something bothering him.

"TaeTae?" he questioned, voice soft with concern.

Taehyung's eyes popped open, tracking quickly through the near darkness to find his, "Oh- nothing, Hyung! Just thinking."

Yoongi didn't bother with a reply to such a blatant cop out, simply raising the eyebrow of 'I won't put up with your bullshit, Kim Taehyung'.

As usual, it worked like a charm.

Taehyung licked his lips, seeming hesitant about whatever he was about to say, almost as if he was reluctant to hear the answer; but he forged ahead.

Or tried to anyway, "I was just wondering- That is, am I still going to- "

"Spit it out Taehyungie, you can do it!" Yoongi half teased, half encouraged.

The normalcy seemed to do the trick.

Taehyung took a deep breath and then let the question roll of his tongue, "AmIstillintrouble?"

He had his eyes clenched shut and his nose screwed up, like he was physically resisting the answer.

Aish. This kid would be the death of him.

Yoongi felt his smile dip though, remembering what had almost happened in the hallway earlier. He answered, "No Tae- I think we've both been punished enough for this little debacle. I do want to talk to you about what happened earlier though, after your…prank… "

Tae, who'd perked up upon hearing that he was forgiven, free and clear, seemed to deflate slightly, but he stopped fidgeting to show he was listening.

"I'm really sorry for scaring you like that-" Yoongi began, but was cut off almost immediately by Taehyung, "No, hyung- I would have deserved it- It's okay!"

Yoongi disagreed. Fervently. "No Taehyung. It definitely wasn't okay. I was out of control and not thinking, and I shouldn't have even dreamed of raising my hand to you in that situation. I'd have never forgiven myself if I'd hurt you."

Taehyung's lower lip trembled again, and Yoongi sighed-"Hey, hey- don't do that TaeTae- I'm trying to apologise, not make you feel worse. I just want you to know, that if I ever act like that- if any of us ever act like that again, I want you to push back. Don't just let me, no matter how mad I am….okay?"

Taehyungs voice was soft and unsure when he replied, "What if I can't get you to stop? What if you're too angry? You were very angry."

Yoongi's chest felt tight, and his eyes damp. "Then tell me you're scared. Tell me you're afraid of me. Over and over. I'll stop. I promise."


They'd been quiet for a while after that, both absorbed by their own thoughts.

Tae's breathing had settled down, and the tears seemed to have finally stopped, although he was still snuffling occasionally. Yoongi was sure that if he stayed quiet and kept running his fingers through the boy's hair, he'd fall asleep soon enough.

But there was still something that was niggling at him.

"I still just don't get- " he trailed off, unsure if he really wanted to bring it all back up again, especially with Tae so relaxed at his side.

Too late though.

"Don't get what?" Taehyung asked, eager to please, eager to try and mend what he'd done.

Yoongi sighed, giving in, "I'm just not sure why you thought I'd find that funny?", he explained.

Taehyung flopped a little further onto his back, so he was staring at the ceiling and could avoid Yoongi's face. "Well- I dunno. I guess, - I mean- It's just that you're always saying that you're going to- Well, that you'll kill me. And I thought- Well. I really am sorry." he trailed off.

Yoongi sighed. What troubled he'd caused, with a stupid throw-away line.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too. But if you ever do something like this to me again… I will…" Yoongi pulled Tae more firmly against his side, squeezing the back of his neck before finishing, "…Tickle you to death. Got it?"

"Got it." Tae agreed, tears finally giving way to giggles as Yoongi's fingers scraped gently down his side.