TAEKOOK / TIGER LILY

23.

The generous goddess in the sky that's curled in on itself like a bright clementine, bestows her heat across the world, once again. Taehyung wakes up with it pooling through his window, and she presses her fingertips to his eyelids, configuring shapes and silhouettes beyond the realms of his vision. As they slowly peel open, he's met with occupied space. The bed feels cold despite the heavy sunlight, and he feels the frost in his breath, as he exhales across the space where Jungkook lays. His hand pushes into the mattress and he, begrudgingly, rises, so as to comprehend the world he's blinking awake into.

He'd somewhat expected Jungkook to be gone, and so he's surprised when he finds his bed still occupied. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes with rough palms, he remembers the events of the night before — of him and Jungkook giggling and rolling around in each other's love. His bedroom smells like lilac and Jungkook, and the cumbersome musk of the boy is enough to make Taehyung's heart pick up.

He glances down at sleeping boy now, who's naked chest is on show, legs pulled into Taehyung's tartan pyjamas, and makeup slightly distorted and crumbling over his face. He looks so content in his sleep, inhaling and exhaling lightly, and the brunette slowly lies back down again, head facing the younger. He watches him for a while, observes his smooth skin and slightly pouted lips, light and pink in their protrusion. His eye lashes are sweet and delicate, and his entire face seems that way — like the fragility of glass, as if his skin is a strummed surface of water, that would ripple harshly if touched.

Ponderous, Taehyung carefully moves his hand, and he's so tentative, so slow, as he comes to press his fingertips to the boy's face. His hands are cold, and he supposes it must be quite a shock against the warm colour of Jungkook's cheek. His skin is so smooth, it's like touching silk, running his hands through it and gliding his freshly bathed skin in it. He gently presses his finger to the tip of Jungkook's nose and smiles to himself softly. He's content. Peaceful.

So, he does literally jump back when, without even opening his eyes, Jungkook suddenly says, "creep." That's it, nothing more, nothing less, and it's so gravelly and hard, it grates across Taehyung's psyche, and scratches against his brain.

He pulls his hand away, eyes wide, as he observes the other, unsure if he was talking in his sleep.

Then, Jungkook's lips perk up and he smiles, one eye peaking open, and smiling wider when he sees the older boy. "That was really creepy, Tae." He says, tone teasing and light, in spite of the deep crust to his voice.

It takes a moment for the words to register in the other's mind, and, when they finally do, Taehyung starts to scramble, "No, I was—"

But Jungkook interrupts with a slight raise of his brow. His other eye opens and he smirks as he coolly finishes, "watching me sleep? Touching my face?"

Taehyung goes a little pink, and his cheek is pressed to the pillow, eyes still wide in surprise, and he cringes slightly at having been caught and called out. He doesn't quite know that he's ever felt this sort of embarrassment before — it's not quite unpleasant, but it does leave a tingling feeling fluttering through him.

Jungkook chuckles at him, calming his slightly distraught state, and his own hand comes to lightly boop Taehyung's nose, just as the older had done to him. With a benign sort of smile, he coos, "you're so weird," And takes a small pause before he continues, and Taehyung's sure he must be making his voice husky on purpose, as he adds, "it's adorable."

Groaning at him, Taehyung rolls onto his back. "You're so annoying."

Jungkook just smiles and slightly pushes himself up, as he says, "and you're so easy to fluster." Taehyung clenches his jaw and crosses his arms over himself. Jungkook giggles at him, and the sound is so melodic, with that sleep-stained rasp clasping at the tones, and it leaves Taehyung's heart thudding disastrously. "How are you feeling?" The inquiry is sudden and loving, and Jungkook gently strokes a strand of hair from Taehyung's face, as the boy sinks against his pillow.