I've Got You || Vhope

Chapter Two: I'm Not Going Anywhere

Shoes off, up the stairs to the guest bedroom. He sits Taehyung on the bed and undresses him, folding up each item of clothing neatly as he goes. He really does think Tae might have worn his entire wardrobe. He runs his fingers through Taehyung's hair, a wild unruly tangle. Then he gives in and brushes it.

"Wear these," he says, and gives Taehyung some clothes out of his suitcase.

He takes Taehyung to the bathroom next and makes him brush his teeth twice.

"There won't be any hot water for a few hours—water's heated when we light the fire downstairs—but when it's hot you can have a bath."

It's weird going through his Taehyung routine in a house that isn't his own. Usually when Tae comes to him in a state, he has everything prepared, everything he knows sets Taehyung's mind at ease. Here there's no camomile tea or the fluffy blanket he wraps Tae in or Tae's favourite snacks. They can't watch dumb netflix shows because his parents aren't interested in owning a tv. Or having wifi. Or internet. All they have is a stupid landline and the house is still cold because he needs to light the fire like they're in the stone age.

Taehyung eats the breakfast Hoseok lays out for him quietly, sipping the hot chocolate Hoseok made him. He's looking and smelling marginally more presentable now. If it weren't for his haunted looking eyes and the pasty sleepless look to his face, he'd be normal.

Hoseok gets the fire lit while he eats, chopping the wood with more force than usual to make himself feel a little better. Weirdly enough, it works. That is, until he looks over at Taehyung and is confronted with the fact this isn't all some bizarre dream. All he'd wanted was to get away from the city for a week or two, disconnect from everything. Now all he can think about is the ticking of the clock and how each tick means they're one second closer to his parents coming through the back door and he hasn't even thought of what he's going to say to them yet. His mind is blank and it's been blank ever since Taehyung explained about the rubber duck.

He makes himself a coffee and drinks it in three mouthfuls, burning his tongue and gums. Then he sits beside Taehyung and waits. And waits. And waits.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asks when it seems like Taehyung isn't going to speak ever again.

Taehyung just shakes his head.

Frustration and confusion lash out. "Then what? Why? Why wouldn't you tell me you're broke and going to be homeless, Taehyungie? I-I could have helped. I could have lent you money or just given it to you."

Taehyung looks at him with big, frightened eyes, and a tear slips down his face. "I don't know. I just thought I'd find a job sooner and it would go away."

Hoseok's heart clenches and instinctively he reaches for Taehyung's hands, placing his own over them where Tae holds his mug. "Did I make you feel like you couldn't tell me?"

Taehyung's face crumples and he does something that's between a nod and a shake of the head that Hoseok doesn't know how to interpret. Tears streak down his cheeks, taking a day's worth of travel-grime with them. He cries in great, heaving, exhausted gasps. "I-I don't want you to break up with me. I-I-I'm stupid. I don't have anywhere to go. I love you. Please don't leave me. P-please."

Hoseok glances out the window to see if either of his parents are in a position to see inside and immediately hates himself for his hesitation.

He shifts his chair closer and wraps his arms around Taehyung tightly. This is all so surreal, he can still barely process it. He hasn't thought of breaking up with Taehyung, but now a part of his brain is almost saying why not? Taehyung didn't trust him. What are they if they can't be honest with each other?