Little Flower

20

"My house is the one where the vultures are perched on the roof." ~ Pet Cheetah [Twenty One Pilots]

TW: Abuse

When Rosie was six, her mother was still alive.

Perhaps that made it worse. At that age, she could still have memories of her mother before she died.

Her mother had gentle eyes and a warm smile, some of her best features passing down to her daughter. She tried her best to protect her children against her ruthless husband, but his anger was too great of a match.

Taehyung still remembers coming home with Rosie from the park down the street and seeing their dad beating up their mother, a sight no children should ever see in their life.

"Mommy!" Rosie cries, running forward.

"No, Rosie!" Taehyung pushes her to the ground before their father could reach her, causing their father's hand to slap against his cheek instead.

"You think you're tough, huh?" he snarled as Taehyung cupped his face with tears in his eyes. "Leave me and your mother alone, boy. We have some unfinished business."

"Taehyung," his mother smiled weakly and nodded her head to reassure her son. "It's okay, baby. Take Rosie upstairs."

He did so hesitantly, but he picked up a crying Rosie and sprinted up the stairs before they could see another abusive hit.

"H-he's so mean, bubba!" she bawls as Taehyung sits down on his bed with her on his lap.

"Shh, I know, little flower, I know," he bites his lip and holds back a sob as she pressed her face into his chest.

Taehyung grabbed his headphones and plugged them into his ears, playing the highest volume possible before pressing his hands against Rosie's ears. This way, neither of them would hear their mother's screams from downstairs.

And then, Rosie's mom began to get sick.

They weren't sure what the illness was, because their father never gave them the privilege of knowing. All they knew was that their mother was taken to the hospital and they never got to see her again.

When their father told them that she had died, everything went even more downhill.

Without a wife to hit, he began striking his children. Taehyung was forced to grow up quicker as the siblings were not only stripped of a mother, but of a childhood.

When Taehyung had come back from that football game his senior year, that had been the last straw. It took a whole year to get the legal procedures in order and to get that bastard behind bars, but they did it.

Now, 20 year old Taehyung was trying his best in college as 18 year old Rosie was testing the waters of freedom her senior year of high school.

As Taehyung filled Jungkook in, and the hours passed, Jungkook grew increasingly pissed off. It was hard not to get up and punch the nearest wall, so he fisted the beer can in his hand until it crumpled underneath his strong fingers instead.

He hadn't been this angry in a long time. This was something deeper than anger, though. It was a feeling of complete loathe and a burning passion to wring his hands around their father's throat to choke him to death.

"Jungkook," Taehyung says carefully. "I know it's a lot, but Rosie is right upstairs. Please try to control yourself."

"How can I control myself when that fucker did that to you guys?" Jungkook seethes, slamming his fist against the table. "No one saw that you guys were hurt?"

"You think he would give us bruises where others could see?" Taehyung scoffs, shaking his head before his voice grew smaller. "Anyway, that... that's what I meant when I said Rosie and I have never had a good life. I guess I thought I could get enough money to start turning things around."

"Taehyung," Jungkook says sharply. "Rosie adores you, and you heard her, she doesn't care for money. But, if you're that desperate, I'll talk with my uncle."

"Your uncle?"

"Yeah, he owns a company that pays well. You up for it?"

"I-I, yeah! Absolutely," Taehyung sits up straighter with brighter eyes.

"Be ready tomorrow by noon. I'll come by to pick you up," Jungkook stands and huffs. "And bring Rosie."

"Why?"

"Because I said so," the ravenette snaps. "And dress nice."

Taehyung didn't dare utter another word and watched as the ravenette headed out of his house, the rumbling of an engine meeting his ears.

He hoped telling Jungkook was the right decision. Maybe Jungkook's uncle paid well and he could put this whole thing behind him.

Taehyung sighed and ran a hand back through his hair, standing up as he did so. The steps creaked underneath the pressure of his feet and he paused outside her door before knocking softly, sliding his hand down to the handle.

When a croaked, muffled "yes?" came from inside the room, his hand turned the knob. She was laying down on her side facing her window, covers drawn to just above her hips and her tear-stained cheek squished against the pillow.

Taehyung walked forward and sat on the edge of her bed, biting the inside of his cheek when she refused to look at him.

"Rosie, I'm sorry," he says, causing her eyes to water again. "I know you don't care for materialistic things, but imagining a better life for you and I was my only purpose, I swear. But I shouldn't have gone behind your back, and I shouldn't have accepted the offer from those idiots in the first place. I'm sorry."

"Taehyungie," she whimpers, turning onto her back.

Taehyung smiles and gently wipes away the tears rolling down her cheeks. He knew he was forgiven from the way she said his name, and he made a promise to himself that he would work hard to help the both of them in a better way.

"Thank you," she sniffles, rubbing at her stinging eyes.

"Sleep in, we're not going to school tomorrow," he says softly.

He stands and grabs the top of her comforter, pulling it up beneath her chin so she was cuddled in before whispering a goodnight.

As he fell back onto his own bed and stared at his ceiling, he couldn't help but feel grateful to be blessed with the kind of sister he has. He was also grateful that with his good attendance, missing a day of class wouldn't be such a big deal.

He hoped Jungkook's uncle wouldn't be harsh. He needed this job, and with determination that he would, indeed, get the job, he turned onto his side and fell asleep.

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i hope you all are doing well :) remember to take care of yourselves ! 💜💜