Blue

Make Me Forget

Heartbreak wasn't something that Jungkook was familiar with but he thought that's what he felt when he saw Vante's face in his bedroom and he'd never wanted to hold someone so much in his life. He seemed to spend most of his time frustrated by Vante's attitude and the way he couldn't just speak like a normal person, always talking in riddles or to provoke a reaction. Jungkook understood that it was an act, he suspected it was his persona as Vante and he was probably so used to being that, that it was the easiest option. But when Jungkook saw the pain in his eyes, having no idea what had happened to him, he thought his heart was breaking, he would have given anything for that cockiness to come back and replace the man stood in front of him.

After leaving Vante in the bedroom he made a drink and changed into his usual lounge wear, padding through his apartment in bare feet. He didn't know whether the stripper would come out or go straight to bed, Jungkook wanted him to do whatever he needed to do in order to move past whatever had happened. The images of the fading bruises flashed through his mind and he clenched his fists, he hated that there were people who thought it was acceptable to treat him like that, let alone the people that accepted the money to allow them to do it. He wondered if tonight, a similar situation had happened but wondering was all he could do because he wasn't going to question the stripper about it for fear of upsetting him or making him retreat.

He felt like he'd run the gauntlet this evening, deciding to return to Bluebirds then faced with the events afterwards. The barmen were so protective of Vante that he was unsure as to whether he would ever be able to show them that he means no harm and that he can be trusted. He could see the concern in Yoongi's face when he was helping Vante into the car and he suspected that there was a limit as to how much they could help the stripper since they were probably bound to the same code. It was complicated, it was all so very complicated and it was a whole lot of hassle for someone who was still a stranger to him but he couldn't turn his back now, he's proven that to himself several times and if he was going to get anywhere with Vante, he needed to show him that he was a constant in his life.

He'd been lost in his head for a very long time when he heard the bedroom door and Vante appeared in the lounge. Jungkook thought he looked so soft and small, standing there in his loose sweatpants and over sized t-shirt. He was fiddling with the hem of the shirt and appeared to be pulling the sleeves down, the policeman had a zip front hoodie on the chair beside him so he picked it up and approached Vante with it, offering it to him, hoping it made him more comfortable.

"Was the shower okay?" he tried keeping his tone soft, he was quite softly spoken anyway but he really wanted to show Vante that he was there for him, in any way he could.

Vante nodded whilst putting his arm through the sleeve of the jacket.

"Would you like a drink? Are you hungry?"

"I like your tea, that would be good, thanks"

Jungkook didn't miss the way Vante winced when he put his second arm in and zipped it up halfway. He thought about the bleakness in his eyes that he'd seen on those two occasions at the club and wondered if that first time was because of the same thing. He'd only seen the bruises that night as they were disappearing so had to presume that it had been a whole lot worse after it happened.

"Sit down if you want, I'll get it."

He went to the kitchen whilst Vante sat on the sofa, in the same place he had sat last time he was there. Jungkook made tea and grabbed snacks from the cupboard and took them through to the stripper. The tea was hot and soothing, Vante had been meaning to ask which tea he bought but it always seemed like a stupid thing to ask, so never did. He liked that this was where he drank this tea and he concluded that it probably wouldn't taste the same anywhere else anyway.