Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As the car glided smoothly along the streets, the tension inside was palpable, yet a sense of relief washed over the seven men. Y/N was safely in their care now, her fragile form resting against Jimin's shoulder in the back seat.

Yoongi was focused, his hands gripping the steering wheel firmly as he navigated the familiar route back to their dorm. He could feel the weight of the situation pressing down on him, each breath he took matching the quickened pulse of his heart. He glanced at the rearview mirror often, making sure that she was still there, still with them. Every time he caught sight of her peaceful face, he felt a flicker of hope, despite the knowledge of what she had just endured.

"Don't worry, little", he murmured softly, more to himself than to anyone else: "We're going to keep you safe"

In the back seat, Jimin had draped his arm protectively around her, careful not to jostle her as she slept. Her hair fell softly across his arm, and he could feel the gentle rise and fall of her chest, a reminder that she was still with them. Jeongguk sat on the other side, his hand resting lightly on Y/N's thigh, as if to anchor her to the present, to their reality, away from the nightmare she had just escaped. The men exchanged silent glances, each one carrying the same unspoken question: Would she ever fully recover from this?

Hoseok, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned slightly to look back at them, his brow furrowed with concern. "Do you think she'll be okay?", he asked softly, breaking the heavy silence that had settled in the car.

"I dont know, but we're going to make sure she is", Jin replied, his voice steady and reassuring. He leaned back in his seat, trying to project confidence even as worry gnawed at his insides: "We'll be there for her every step of the way"

Jimin gently brushed a stray hair from Y/N's face, his heart aching for her. "Yeah. She needs us now more than ever", he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. Jeongguk nodded, his expression serious as he kept his hand protectively on her thigh.

Once they parked into the driveway of their dorm, the men carefully maneuvered to get out without waking her up. Jeongguk held her close in her arms, her head nestled against his shoulder as they all gathered around him, forming a protective circle. Each of them was ready to face whatever came next, but nothing could have prepared them for the sight that greeted them at the entrance of their home. There stood her abusive partner Minho, his posture aggressive and tensed, his eyes burning with rage, and the moment his eyes landed on Y/N in Jeongguk's arms, they narrowed dangerously.

"Where the hell do you think you're going with her?", he shouted, stepping forward, his fists clenched at his sides: "Put her down, Jeongguk"

The seven men immediately formed a protective barrier around Jeongguk and Y/N. Jeongguk instinctively tightened his grip on Y/N, who remained blissfully unaware of the danger looming in front of her.

"Get the fuck away from here", Hoseok growled, his fists clenched at his sides and his voice a low rumble of anger.

"You don't get to come here after everything you've done", Jin snapped, stepping forward.

"Stay out of this", her partner spat, his eyes flicking between the men, sizing them up as if they were mere obstacles in his path: "This is none of your business. She's mine, and I'm taking her home now"

Yoongi stepped forward, his presence commanding as he positioned himself between Y/N and her partner: "She's not going anywhere with you. Not after what you did to her"

The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. Jeongguk held Y/N close, his heart racing. He could feel her warmth against him, the steady rhythm of her breathing, but the threat before them was real and immediate. He glanced down at her, wishing more than anything that she would not wake up and have to face this nightmare again.

"Leave now, and we won't have a problem", Namjoon warned, his voice steady yet laced with a warning.

"You think you can just take her away from me?", her partner hissed, his voice dripping with venom: "She's too weak to make her own decisions. She needs me"

"She doesn't need you", Jimin replied fiercely, stepping up beside Yoongi: "What she needs is a chance to heal, and you're the last person who can give that to her"

His eyes narrowing as he scanned the group. "She's my girlfriend, and I have a right to be with her", he shot back, his voice rising in anger: "So, get out of my way"

"No, you don't!", Namjoon interjected, stepping up to stand beside Taehyung, his voice steady but laced with fury: "You lost any right to her the moment you laid a hand on her"

Then, without warning, Taehyung charged forward, his fist connecting with the abuser's jaw with a sickening thud. The impact echoed in the air, and her partner stumbled back, shock and disbelief etched across his face.

"Taehyung!", Jin shouted, quickly moving to intervene, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes-a dark satisfaction at seeing the abuser get a taste of his own medicine. Taehyung didn't stop; he swung again, landing another punch that drew a small smirk from Yoongi, standing closest to the confrontation.

"Let him have this one", Yoongi murmured, an unusual glint of amusement in his eyes as he watched Taehyung unleash his anger.

"Get up!", Taehyung shouted, his voice raw with emotion as he stood over the fallen man. The others watched, a mix of concern and support in their eyes. They all knew that the violence wasn't the answer, but in that moment, the urge to protect their little girl overtook the desire for restraint.

"Stop it, Taehyung" Namjoon called, stepping forward to grab Taehyung's arm and trying to pull him back: "He get It"

But Taehyung's rage was blinding. "No. He doesn't get to hurt her and walk away unscathed", he said, his chest heaving as he finally backed down, but not without delivering one last shove to her partner as he tried to get up. "You stay the hell away from her!"

The abuser, now on the ground, looked up at the group with a mix of fear and anger. Realizing that he was outnumbered and that the men were not backing down, he slowly picked himself up off the ground, straightening his clothes with a shaky hand and then stormed away.

"Is she okay?", Jimin asked, his voice breaking the heavy silence as he turned his attention to Y/N, who was still nestled in Jeongguk's arms.

"She's safe now", Hoseok replied, his tone softening as he looked down at her. "We'll take care of that"

Jin moved closer, worry etched on his face. "We should get her inside. She needs to rest"

Once they reached the living room, they gently placed her on the couch, making sure she was comfortable. Jeongguk brushed a strand of hair from her forehead, his heart aching for everything she had endured. He wanted to take away the pain from her life, to ensure she felt loved and protected.

Jin and Hoseok were busy in the kitchen, preparing some warm tea to help soothe Y/N when she woke up. Meanwhile, Namjoon, Yoongi, Taehyung, and Jimin gathered in a huddle, discussing what steps to take next.

"We need to make sure she feels safe here", Namjoon said firmly, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he looked down at her resting form. For a moment, he paused, his brow furrowing as he processed everything that had happened.

"I think it's best if we set some boundaries", he gently brushed his fingers through his hair, a habitual gesture that betrayed his inner concern and then took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves: "Maybe even consider talking to someone who can help her process everything - a counselor or therapist who specializes in abuse recovery"

"We should also help her report what happened", Yoongi added, his voice steady. "She needs to know that she's not alone in this. We'll be right beside her every step of the way"

Taehyung nodded, his expression serious. "And if that piece of shit comes back, we'll be ready. He won't get to hurt her ever again"

As they spoke, Y/N stirred slightly on the couch, her eyelids fluttering open, as she slowly blinked a few times, trying to piece together where she was and what had happened.

"Y/N?", Jeongguk's voice was gentle, filled with concern as he leaned closer, making sure she was truly awake and not afraid. "It's okay. You're safe. We brought you home"

She took a moment to gather her thoughts, her heart racing as fragmented memories of the past few hours crashed over her like waves. But then she looked at the seven men, their faces softening in the dim light, and the fear that had been gripping her began to ease.

"Hey", Jimin said softly, moving closer to her side, while she sat up a bit: "How are you feeling?"

Y/N opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, she felt tears welling up in her eyes as the gravity of her situation hit her all at once.

"Shhh, it's okay", Hoseok said, returning with Jin on his side from the kitchen with a warm mug of tea. He knelt beside her, offering the cup with a reassuring smile. "Drink this. It'll help"

Slowly, she took the mug, the warmth seeping into her hands as she brought it to her lips. As she took a sip, she felt a little more like herself, the comforting taste reminding her that she was not alone.

"Thank you", she managed to whisper, her voice hoarse. The men exchanged glances, their expressions softening as they realized how fragile she was in this moment.

"Y/N, we're so sorry this happened to you", Namjoon said with a deep sense of compassion in his voice. "We can't change the past, but we'll do everything we can to help you move forward", he continued, his eyes filled with unwavering support.

Another voice, calm and reassuring, broke the silence. It was Taehyung, leaning forward with a gentle smile despite the heaviness in his eyes. "Yes", he said softly, "we're here for you. And we're not going anywhere. Whatever you need-time, space, support-we'll be by your side every step of the way"

Y/N's heart swelled at their words. She felt a small, trembling smile form on her lips as she nodded slowly, feeling the warmth of their kindness and the promise of safety. "What...What if he comes back?", she asked, her voice trembling as the thought crossed her mind. The fear of facing her abuser again was almost overwhelming.

"We won't let that happen", Yoongi replied firmly, without any hesitatio. "You're safe here with us. We'll make sure he stays away"

As Y/N sat on the couch, cradling the warm mug of tea in her hands, her gaze drifted around the room, taking in the concerned faces of her best friends. Each one of them had stepped up in a way she never could have imagined, and yet the remnants of her trauma clung to her like a shadow. But as her eyes landed on Taehyung, she noticed something that made her heart skip a beat.

His left hand was clenched into a fist, the knuckles slightly bruised and swollen. A wave of worry washed over her as she instinctively put the mug away and reached out, her fingers brushing against his in a gentle yet urgent manner.

"What happened to your hand?", she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. Her concern was palpable, outweighing her own fears for the moment: "Are you okay?"

Taehyung looked down at their hands, a mix of surprise and affection flickering across his face. He hadn't expected her to notice, let alone care about his well-being after everything she had just endured. Gently, he unfurled his fingers, revealing the angry red marks where the skin had split slightly from the force of his earlier punches. "I'm fine", he replied, his voice steady despite the slight tremor betraying him. "It's just a scratch"

Y/N's brow furrowed in disbelief as she held his hand in her own, the warmth of her palm enveloping his. "You're not fine", she murmured, her gaze locking onto the wound.

"You hurt yourself defending me, didn't you?" The realization hit her like a wave, and her heart ached at the thought of him getting hurt because of her situation.

"Y/N, it's nothing", he insisted, though the sincerity in his voice was tempered by the guilt gnawing at his insides. He had acted in the heat of the moment, fueled by rage and a need to protect her, but seeing her concern was like a stab to his heart. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it meant keeping you safe"

"No", she whispered firmly, squeezing his hand a little tighter, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You shouldn't have to get hurt for me. I-", She paused, struggling to find the right words, the weight of her emotions pressing down on her. "I don't want to be the reason you get hurt"

Taehyung's heart swelled at her words, and he leaned closer, his expression softening. "Y/N, you're not the reason I got hurt. That asshole is", he replied, his voice low but intense. "You deserve to be protected, and I will always stand in front of you when danger is near. I wanted to show him that he can't just walk in and hurt you without consequences"

"But at what cost?", she pressed gently, her thumb brushing over the back of his hand.

Taehyung's gaze softened as he met her eyes, seeing the sincerity and concern reflected back at him. "It doesn't matter", he said, his voice unwavering. "What matters is that you're safe. I can handle a few bruises if it means you can start to heal"

Y/N shook her head, feeling a mix of gratitude and guilt wash over her. "You shouldn't have to bear that weight for me. None of you should", she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "I...I don't want to put any of you in danger"

"You're not putting us in danger", Jin Intervened, while stepping closer to them. "You're part of our family, dongsaeng. We face things together, and we'll always have each other's backs. That's the promise we make to one another"

Jimin nodded, his expression serious yet warm. "He is right. We won't let anyone hurt you again, no matter what it takes". She felt a small bit of comfort inside, knowing she was not alone. But she was still scared that her abuser might come back, and that made her worried.

"But-", she started, but Hoseok interrupted her.

"No buts", he said, his voice softening as he looked into her eyes. "We understand where you're coming from, but this isn't just about you anymore. It's about all of us. And we choose to stand by your side"

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she felt the weight of their support and love. Despite her fears and the trauma she had endured, a small spark of hope flickered within her. She realized she wasn't alone anymore-that these seven men, her friends and protectors, were willing to face whatever danger or darkness there was, just to keep her safe.

"Okay", she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, while she nodded her head slightly.

"Good", Namjoon said calm and with a soft smile on his face. "Now, let's focus on taking care of you. We'll figure out the next steps together, but for now, just relax and let us help you"

As she looked around at their caring faces and felt a rush of gratitude for the men around her. They were her strength, her shield, and no matter what happened next, she knew they would face it together.

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