washable markers ➝ taekook

thirty

im so soft for vmin being besties i cant help myself

prepare your reading receptacles for big  paragraphs

actually i dont think eyes are receptacles but im not changing that

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   The evening after that, Jimin had invited himself over. Taehyung was distressed, and it was showing. So, like clockwork, Jimin came to his aid without him needing to ask. Taehyung was reminded, once again, how grateful he was to have someone like Jimin by his side.

    Jimin and he had simply climbed into his bed and sat next to each other. Jimin didn't have to do anything but be there to help. Finally, Taehyung had made himself at home, with his head resting on Jimin's knee as the boy hummed softly while he waited for Taehyung to start talking, and let out a sigh before he began. "Jimin, I'm in despair."

    "I can see that. You gonna tell me what happened or what?"

    "Jeongguk asked me to be his boyfriend last night."

    A perplexed Jimin took a moment to consider the statement. "And you're hesitant to say yes?"

    "Exactly. It's just like- I feel like he doesn't trust me that much... A lot of times when I ask about his feelings or personal life it's like he's purposefully keeping it hidden, y'know? The situation with Sorah- I asked him to tell me what happened between them and he didn't." Taehyung rubbed his cheeks in dissatisfaction. "It's frustrating; I want him so badly, but I don't wanna give either of us false hope if I know this isn't gonna work. Because I can't be with someone that I can't really get to know." He bit his lip as he thought some more.

    "I don't know. Am I making too big of a deal of this? Is dating that serious? I mean, he's not proposing to me... but he is asking me to make a commitment to him, isn't he? How serious am I supposed to take that? Was I too harsh? I don't know," he croaked. "I don't know and it hurts. I know we're both already hurt to some degree, but is it really going to make it better for me to say 'sure, I'll be your boyfriend' when I feel like this?"

    Jimin waited a good while to make sure he was finished ranting. "Well... that is a predicament. I can offer you my best advice, but it might not be spot-on."

   "Anything, please; I'm so confused."

    "I think that dating and being boyfriends are very vague terms. People give them different meaning, yknow? What I think you should do is figure out your intentions; both his and yours. How does he see dating? Is it just you two deciding to play around and be romantic as long as you feel like it while excluding everyone else from that, or is it you deciding whether you wanna spend your lives together or not? As in, are you suitable partners? From what you've said, it seems like you'd pick the second one. If that's what you see dating as- a commitment- then yeah, you're gonna want some trust and honesty between you before you make the commitment. So yeah, my advice is: talk to Jeongguk. But before that, figure out what your stance is."

    Jimin nodded to conclude his little speech while Taehyung took it all in and pondered it. "That being said, I think it's good that you're figuring this stuff out early- and this is really early. But that being said- that this is really early- I think it'd be good for you to give Jeongguk some wiggle room. Who knows how difficult this is for him? Maybe what he considers being reasonably trusting and open for your relationship isn't what you consider reasonable. Maybe while it seems like he isn't trying, he's trying really hard. Some leeway and time for him to build trust would be good, don't you think? Then, lastly, while you're asking him to be trusting and open, you need to be as trusting and open as you can, and that means trying to communicate all of this- your needs, your expectations, whatever- as clearly as you can. 'Cause that's what healthy relationships are made of- communication, or something." Taehyung nodded. "But then again, this is all coming from someone who's never dated, so my credibility isn't all that high."

   "It actually sounded like extremely solid advice, Jimin. That helped an incredible amount. Thank you so much." He sat up to be able to sling his arms around Jimin in a thankful hug.

    "Of course, bro. I love you."

    "I love you, too, bro. I don't say it as much as I should, but I'm really, really thankful you decided to be my friend. I don't know what I would do without you." He tightened his grip around Jimin, squeezing his eyes shut. Jimin hugged back with just as much enthusiasm.

    "You know I'm always here."

    "I know." Images came back, of a younger Jimin putting a Donald Duck band-aid on Taehyung's cut cheek.

NINE YEARS AGO

    "Hyungie?" Nine-year-old Taehyung had uttered.

    "I told you, I'm not your hyung. We're the same age!"

    "Uh-huh. I just like calling you hyung."

    "Okay~ You can call me hyung."

    Taehyung had smiled a chubbier-cheeked version of his boxy smile and repeated, "Hyungie?"

    "Huh?"

    "Will you stay with me? Always? I don't want you to leave."

    A beaming Jimin had nodded with all his might. "I'll always stay with you, TaeTae. I'll protect you."

    "Promise?"

    "I promise." Jimin linked their pinkies and pressed their thumbs together. "I'll growl and bite anybody who tries to hurt you," he giggled, then proceeded to imitate an angry dog.

    "And TaeTae?" Taehyung had looked up to meet his eyes. "You gotta promise to always stay with me, too."

    "I promise!"

PRESENT

    Now, having spent almost half their lives together, they had each held up their end of the promise, time and time again. This was only another instance of them linking pinkies, remembering that nearly-decade-old promise.

   "I'll protect you."

    And within seconds, the two had promptly pulled away from the hug and nodded at each other, smiling goofily as if they hadn't been getting emotional just seconds ago.

    "Let's watch a movie!" Jimin exclaimed.

    Taehyung never could've asked for a better friend. Such a friend didn't exist.

° 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 ₒ 𐐪𐑂 ♡ 𐐪𐑂 °