UNDER HIS SPELL { taekook }

二 ; １７

Wings, that pushed through air with grace. Chatter, from observers witnessing the winged creatures that roamed the glass dome, absorbing sunlight and embracing their captive freedom.

Lips, that gazed toward his own.

It took Taehyung seconds to process the younger's words. Words that had changed his perspective in what it was that had the boy acting oddly different. Somehow, the Jeongguk in front of him was the one he always knew. And yet, oddly enough he felt as though he were meeting him for the first time.

Within that moment of hesitation, Jeongguk only seemed to draw himself nearer. Closer, closer. As if their breaths couldn't intertwine enough. Though Taehyung knew, the boy was only trying to grant both their wish. It was in their gaze and how they held their breaths. His and Jeongguk's lips were ones that were eager. Lips that wanted to reach each other.

But before they could connect, Taehyung had taken two steps back.

"You... You're telling me you knew this whole time?" He spoke the words with a tone of disbelief, one that Jeongguk himself wasn't so shocked to hear. He had just confessed to his motives, after all.

"Knew...? About what, exactly? Because if we're being honest here what I know about you is absolutely nothing." Jeongguk's response was solid. Honest to his true feelings.

But somehow it wasn't enough.

"You mean to tell me-," Taehyung inhaled an exasperated breath, "All that shit I did to you, what I.... said to you was for nothing?"

The boy raised a brow. "For nothing?"

"Yes, I mean you're—!" Another frustrated breath. "You're in danger around me. Constantly. I did what was best for you, Jeon, I—"

"What was best for me...?" Jeongguk took the two steps forward to close in the distance between them. "How can you say that? I already experienced being held at gunpoint next to you—"

Taehyung quickly cut in. "And that's just it! How the fuck can you say it's not dangerous for you being around me?"

Jeongguk looked off to the side and reached a hand up, running it through his hair, brows contorting in a growing frustration. He then sighed softly and calmly answered the man. "That Acre guy already saw my face, Taehyung. I've already been around Bangtan members for too long, even before I knew of all this. You, Yerin, Hoseok-hyung... If that's the case, doesn't it make sense for me to be safer around you guys than when I'm far away...?"

Taehyung scoffed out a laugh. "How the fuck does that make any sense?"

The boy only stared at him with a gentle look, an indistinct smile on his lips. "It makes sense," he spoke. "It's too late, I mean, they already know me. It's more dangerous for me not to be in Bangtan's protection. Besides..." He took another stride forwards. "I feel safer around you than I do by myself... You make me feel safe." Jeongguk reached up to hold Taehyung's face into his kind hands again, but before his palm could touch the man's cheeks the older took two more step backwards.

"You're not making any sense." Taehyung's words were dry. Jeongguk blinked back at him bluntly. "You should be scared at the thought of involving yourself any further."

"Scared...?" Jeongguk gave a short laugh. "Maybe. But between the two of us, I sure am not the one that's scared, Taehyung."

The man narrowed his eyes.