Bleed For Me - Taegyu/Beomhyun

Chapter 12: The Other Side Of The Mirror

Taehyun awoke to a warm body pressed up against him. He opened his eyes confusedly, not remembering where he was in his morning haze. After his temporary bout of morning fog, the memories of the night before came rushing back to him. He became hyper-aware of the fact that he was fully naked, and so was Beomgyu, who was still holding him like his life depended on it. Taehyun froze, mind instantly running a million miles a minute.

Oh god, what had he done? He killed someone, ended their life, and then let Beomgyu fuck him, take his virginity, like nothing happened. Who was he? What was he becoming? Taehyun could feel the beginning of a panic attack setting in, but he couldn't do this here, not now. Not in front of Beomgyu. The fact that Beomgyu might see him only made Taehyun panic harder. How could he get away without Beomgyu noticing? Taehyun began to shift uncomfortably, wanting nothing more than to be back in his own apartment so he could have some space to think.

Taehyun's stirring alerted Beomgyu, who woke with a yawn and a big stretch. He rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up.

"Taehyun-ah?" Beomgyu called, voice deep from sleep. Taehyun squeezed his eyes shut, trying to decide on a good response that wouldn't give away his anxiety-ridden state.

"Good morning, hyung," Taehyun finally answered, rolling over to face Beomgyu. The other gave him a soft smile, one that Taehyun might describe as innocent if it were presented in a different context.

"How are you feeling?" Beomgyu asked, reaching over to brush Taehyun's hair out of his eyes. Taehyun tried his hardest not to flinch, his insides doing cartwheels at the action. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel right now. What was the right thing to feel?

"What do you mean?" Taehyun replied, unsure what Beomgyu was implying. Maybe it was just a simple question, with no underlying meaning. Taehyun felt fine, aside from the rising panic and anxiety in the pit of his stomach. Maybe his expression was giving away his uneasiness.

"I mean- does it hurt?" Beomgyu questioned.

Oh. Beomgyu must have thought he was in pain. Taehyun repositioned himself, trying to test how he was feeling after last night. He had a dull ache in his lower half, but it was manageable.

"Only a little bit. I'm okay," Taehyun reassured him, shooting him a tight-lipped smile. Beomgyu looked relieved, letting out a breath Taehyun didn't know the other had been holding.

"Good," Beomgyu blinked, nodding his head. "I don't want to hurt you."

Taehyun bit his lip. He wasn't sure how to continue the conversation.

"Thank you," he responded after a moment of silence. Beomgyu was watching his face, analyzing every expression, and it was making Taehyun uncomfortable.

"Taehyun," Beomgyu said, a serious look all over his face. "As long as you never betray me, I'll never hurt you. I'll reward you well and make you feel good." His eyes searched Taehyun's, anxiously awaiting the other's reaction to his statement. It seemed like he was nothing but sincere.

Taehyun felt a lump form in his throat. He shivered, looking down to avoid eye contact. Betrayal. After Park, Taehyun didn't know if he knew what that word meant anymore. He knew he was walking a very thin line, but there was a question he had to ask.

"What happens if I betray you?" he asked in response, finally dragging his eyes up to meet Beomgyu's now cold ones. Beomgyu stiffened, not expecting that reaction. He licked his lips.

"I'll kill you," he breathed, "with my own hands."

Taehyun felt his heart jump into his throat. If he was feeling anxious before, it was now multiplied by a thousand. He knew that that was the answer he was going to get, but he still feared the answer anyway. Somehow, it felt like that response wasn't enough. Taehyun needed to know more.