LOVE YOU TO DEATH | TAEKOOK

45. Make Things Right

NYT: One of the Academy Award winners was nowhere to be found when it was announced that he had won, and was subsequently absent from any of the afterparties last night, only notable because of the company he keeps: all of whom were present and accounted for.

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"You have to go inside now, Koo," Taehyung gently prompted, pointing to Jungkook's front door. They stood in the younger's driveway, looking at each other while Yeontan sat patiently waiting, "Time for bed, sleep it off."

Jungkook frowned, quietly pouting and holding back against the barrage to questions inside of him. Finally, he nodded.

"Alright, I'll go," he agreed, heavy in his chest, "Like I said, I'll leave you be. I'm really sorry Tae," he offered, voice clear and resounding in the still of the night.

He summoned a weak smile, "I love you so much, but I really don't want to hurt you. I've been trying to make up for lashing out, I promise I have," he opened his hands slightly, empty.

"Jungkookie," the deep, full voice stopped him. It wasn't quite a warning, more a request, halting him nevertheless.

He stopped, standing in the warm, soft air under the moon and stars, trying to do what was needed.

"Tae," he reciprocated, unable to help himself, an olive branch.

Taehyung took a small step closer, almost leaning over as if to say how can I stand up straight without you?

"I didn't say I wanted you to leave me alone. I just said I was upset," Taehyung quietly corrected, voice steady, hiding how his heart was squeezing and pounding. He could almost see all the colors that lived inside of Jungkook swirling around them, changing as they moved.

Jungkook's brow furrowed, "But," he whispered, finding nothing to finish the rebuttal with. He only stuffed his hands back into the pockets of the grey hoodie and shook his head.

Taehyung fiddled with the leash in his hands, "You aren't the only one who needs a minute sometimes, right? Some of the stuff we argued about seemed fine in the beginning," he mumbled, averting his eyes.

"But afterward, um, it was really upsetting, okay? It made me sad and it's making me feel insecure," he admitted, running his fingers through his hair.

Jungkook pursed his lips, turning his gaze to the outlines of the palm trees in the distance, barely visible.

"It makes me doubt my ability to fix things for you when they get bad. And I don't understand why I'm so mad now. Things were so good, it just came out of nowhere," Taehyung lamented, voice cracking.

He crossed his arms, as if they could protect his heart.

Jungkook was chewing on his lower lip, absorbing the words like knives to the chest. His degraded inhibitions allowed him to close the gap between them and put his arms around Taehyung.

The older melted into him, softening under the embrace.

"You're mad because it's safe. It's safe to be mad at me right now," Jungkook breathed the words into his ear, holding on tight.

He gave a soft hum as he felt Taehyung seemingly shrink in his arms.

"Namjoon used to say that to me when I was being a dick to Lili, that we get mad at safe people. People who aren't going to leave even if we're furious," Jungkook gently explained.

He so badly wanted to kiss the older, to make it better, to fix everything.

"I'm guessing that's why you're mad now. It's safe to be angry at me for leaving because now, I'm not going to leave even if it hurts. Maybe that's a good thing," he continued, keeping his voice quiet, his tone calm.