VENOM & CONTROL

Taehyung wakes up like something is pulling him back into his body against his will.

The first thing he feels is pain.

Not sharp, not immediate, but deep and spreading—like it has already made itself at home inside him. It coils through his veins in slow pulses, reminding him that he is not in control of his own body right now.

His breath catches slightly when he tries to move.

Something stops him immediately.

A hand.

Firm, steady, unmoving.

“Don’t.”

Jungkook’s voice cuts through the haze before Taehyung can fully open his eyes.

That alone is enough to make him pause.

It takes a moment for his vision to clear. The room is dim, unfamiliar in a way that feels wrong. Not a prison. Not a palace either. Somewhere in between—temporary, controlled, safe in a way Taehyung does not trust yet.

He turns his head slightly.

Jungkook is there.

Sitting close enough that it feels intentional.

Too close.

His expression is composed, but not relaxed. There is something tightly held beneath it, like control being used as armor rather than peace. He looks like he has not moved away for a long time.

Taehyung notices that immediately.

“You look terrible” Taehyung mutters hoarsely.

Jungkook doesn’t react to the insult. “You’re still poisoned.”

A pause.

Taehyung tries to sit up again out of instinct, out of pride more than strength.

Jungkook pushes him back down without hesitation.

It is not rough.

But it is final.

Taehyung exhales sharply through his teeth. “Don’t start acting like you own—”

Another spike of pain cuts through him mid-sentence.

His body stiffens instantly.

The poison reacts to movement like it is aware of him.

Jungkook notices immediately.

Of course he does.

His gaze sharpens slightly, and he reaches out—not to restrain him, but to adjust the position of his shoulder, carefully stabilizing him against the bed or surface beneath him.

The action is precise.

Controlled.

Almost too practiced.

Taehyung stares at him for a moment longer than necessary.

“What did you do to me?” he asks, quieter now.

Jungkook doesn’t look away. “Kept you alive.”

That is all.

No explanation beyond what is necessary.

Taehyung exhales slowly, frustration mixing with weakness. His body feels like it belongs to someone else. Every pulse of his blood feels slightly delayed, like something foreign is interfering with him from the inside.

Poison.

Still active.

Still fighting Jungkook’s blood inside him.

A low curse slips from Jungkook under his breath as he notices the shift in Taehyung’s breathing.

He stands abruptly.

Taehyung’s eyes track him despite himself. “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere” Jungkook replies.

But he still leaves the room briefly.

When he returns, there is something in his hand—unreadable at first. Not a weapon. Not food. Something medical, something prepared. He doesn’t explain it. He simply sits back down and begins adjusting Taehyung’s condition again with controlled precision.

Taehyung watches him silently for a moment.

“You always this annoying when someone almost dies in front of you?” he asks.

Jungkook pauses briefly. “Only when it’s you.”

The answer lands differently than intended.

Neither of them reacts outwardly.

But the air changes anyway.

Outside the room, faint movement can be heard. Guards shifting. Clans reacting. Word spreading slowly about what happened in the throne room.

Taehyung hears it too.

Even in his condition.

“The assassin?” he asks after a moment.

Jungkook’s expression hardens slightly. “Handled.”

That is all he says.

Taehyung narrows his eyes slightly. “That’s not an answer.”

Jungkook finally looks at him directly.

For a moment, something unspoken passes between them.

Then Jungkook says quietly, “You’ll deal with it when you’re able to stand.”

Taehyung almost laughs, but it turns into a cough instead. Pain flashes through him again, forcing him to stop completely.

Jungkook’s hand is there instantly, steadying him.

The reaction is too fast to be casual.

Too precise to be indifferent.

Taehyung notices.

Of course he does.

A long silence follows.

Not uncomfortable.

Not peaceful either.

Something in between that neither of them names.

Jungkook finally stands again, moving toward the doorway.

“I’ll be outside.” he says.

Taehyung watches him for a second longer than necessary.

“Why?” he asks quietly.

Jungkook pauses at the threshold.

Does not turn back immediately.

When he does, his expression is controlled again.

“Because if I stay here,” he says, “someone will die.”

Then he leaves.

And Taehyung is left staring at the empty space he occupied, realizing that survival is no longer the only thing keeping him alive.

Something else is.

And it is far more dangerous.

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