Trapped by Desire (vkook) (mpreg)

e i g h t y - f o u r

    "Jeongguk, what's wrong?"

    "Promise not to freak out and to just listen."

Taehyung fumbles for the switch to turn on his lamp, his eyes squinting against the light as he sits up in bed.

    "Are you crying?" He asks, pulling the phone away from his ear for a second to check the time. "You can't just call crying at three in the morning and tell me not to freak out."

    "It's not a big deal, Taehyung. If you freak out I'll freak out that's why I'm asking you not to." Jeongguk says, the strain in his voice making it clear that he's holding back tears.

    "What's wrong?" Taehyung asks, trying to breath even though his heart felt like it was going to explode in his chest from worry.

    "Okay, so..." Jeongguk clears his throat before continuing. "I just woke up from this dream, well, I guess it was kind of a nightmare. In the dream I was back inside that parking garage, laying there after...after I got shot."

Taehyung closes his eyes at the mental image of Jeongguk laying there fighting for his life.

    "As I was laying there I remember just begging for a second chance, y'know? Praying for more time." Jeongguk says, his voice cracking. "I knew I needed to be here for you and the kids. I had to make it. I don't think I fully realized that I got a second chance until now. I could've died, I almost died. And that didn't feel real until now."

    "Jeongguk..." Taehyung starts, tears pricking his eyes.

    "I got a second chance at life and now I have to figure out what the hell to do with it." Jeongguk says. "I know I'm crying, but I'm not sad, Tae. I'm happy, I'm really fucking happy right now."

Taehyung chuckles softly, trying to swallow his tears.

    "I think I was just in shock before and I didn't want to even think about that day. But now that I have it's all hitting me at once." Jeongguk sniffles. "I'm alive, I'm literally alive. Almost dying made me realize that life is too short to take any time for granted. I don't want to waste anymore time, Taehyung."

    "I understand." Taehyung chuckles.

    "I know you, and I know you won't jump into a relationship with me just because I ask you to." Jeongguk continues. "But I love you, and I know that you're the person I want to spend my life with. I'm willing to wait until you're ready but I just want you to know that I've already made up my mind. I can't see myself with anyone else but you. You're my forever person, Taehyung."

Taehyung pouts endearingly, a new wave of emotions washing  over him. They weren't anxious or sad emotions, they were warm and happy. "That's really sweet, Jeongguk."

    "You don't have to be my boyfriend right now. You don't have to be my boyfriend ever, honestly. I just want to do life with you and the kids." Jeongguk sighs. "I just want to take care of you and I want to make you happy. Because you make me happy every day."

    "You do make me happy, Jeongguk." Taehyung says. "I'm glad you're telling me how you feel. And I want to do life with you too. I want to just pick up where we left off and move forward from everything, I do."

    "But?"

    "But...I'm scared. And I don't want to jump in before either of us are ready."

Jeongguk hums thoughtfully on the other line. "I'm ready whenever you are. I've been ready this whole time, I've just been waiting for you."

Taehyung laughs a little at that. "I'm not the same person you fell in love with, Jeongguk. Life's changed me a lot since we first met."

    "I've fallen in love with every version of you, Taehyung." Jeongguk says. "I fell in love with you when you were just some random guy at a club looking for a hook up. I fell in love with you when you turned into a stone-cold, asshole after you found out about my family~"