Ties of Fate

The Night Storm

The night was supposed to be quiet, calm, and uneventful. At least, that’s what Taehyung told himself as he tried to settle into the unfamiliar bed in the oversized room. He had changed into silk pajamas, the smooth fabric cool against his skin, but sleep seemed distant. The room felt too big, too empty, and despite his best efforts, his mind couldn’t quiet down.

The wedding, the mansion, the teasing kiss at the altar—all of it swirled around in his thoughts, making it impossible to rest. And Jungkook… Jungkook’s teasing smirk haunted him, the way his lips lingered far longer than they should have.

Taehyung shifted beneath the covers, pulling them up to his chest as he tried to focus on the sound of his breathing, hoping it would lull him to sleep.

Then, a crack of thunder split the silence.

Taehyung’s heart jumped in his chest, his body tensing immediately. He lay still, staring at the ceiling, willing himself to ignore the sound. It’s just thunder. Nothing more. But the storm outside was relentless. Another loud boom echoed through the night, and then another, each one louder than the last.

Taehyung clenched his fists under the blanket, his breathing quickened. The storm raged on, the wind howling as rain battered against the windows. The room, once just uncomfortably large, now felt like it was closing in on him. Each crash of thunder sent a spike of fear through him, dragging him back to a place he didn’t want to remember.

His chest tightened as memories from his past clawed their way to the surface. The storm was too much like the one from that night—the night when everything had gone wrong. He could almost hear the shouting, the chaos, feel the helplessness that had taken hold of him all those years ago.

Another crack of thunder, this one so loud it made the windows rattle.

Taehyung shot up in bed, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. His breaths came in shallow gasps, and he could feel the panic rising. He couldn’t stay here. Not alone. Not with the storm outside and the memories inside his head.

Without thinking, Taehyung threw the covers off and hurried out of the room, his bare feet padding softly against the cold marble floors. He needed to find Jungkook. It didn’t matter that they barely knew each other beyond the surface level of their families and their arranged marriage. Right now, Taehyung needed someone—anyone—to anchor him.

The hallway was dark and quiet, save for the occasional flash of lightning that illuminated the path ahead. Taehyung's breath quickened as he reached the door to Jungkook’s room. He hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the door handle. What if Jungkook was asleep? Or worse, what if he found Taehyung’s fear laughable?

But another loud boom of thunder shook the house, and Taehyung’s fear outweighed his embarrassment. He quickly turned the handle and stepped inside.

Jungkook’s room was dimly lit, the soft glow from a bedside lamp casting long shadows across the walls. The bed was neatly made, but Jungkook wasn’t in it. For a brief moment, panic welled up in Taehyung’s chest—what if Jungkook wasn’t here?

Then he heard a rustle from the far side of the room, and his eyes landed on Jungkook, who was sitting on the floor by the large windows, leaning against the wall with a book in his lap. He looked up in surprise as Taehyung entered, his brow furrowing.

“Taehyung?” Jungkook’s voice was low, a hint of confusion in his tone. “What are you doing here?”

Taehyung stood frozen in the doorway, his fingers gripping the frame as he tried to find the right words. But nothing came out. His mind was still reeling from the storm, from the memories, from the fear that gnawed at his insides.

Jungkook’s eyes softened when he noticed the way Taehyung trembled slightly, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as if to protect himself. He stood up, placing the book aside as he approached slowly, his movements cautious.

“Are you… okay?” Jungkook asked, his voice softer now, as if sensing something was wrong.

Taehyung swallowed hard, his throat tight. He hated feeling vulnerable, hated that he couldn’t just pretend everything was fine. But the truth was, he wasn’t okay. And for some reason, standing in front of Jungkook—of all people—he couldn’t hold it together anymore.

“I… I can’t sleep,” Taehyung finally whispered, his voice barely audible. He looked down, unable to meet Jungkook’s eyes. “The thunder… I don’t like storms.”

Jungkook remained silent for a moment, but Taehyung could feel his gaze studying him, taking in every small detail of his discomfort. Then, without a word, Jungkook reached out and gently took Taehyung’s wrist, guiding him further into the room.

“You don’t have to explain,” Jungkook murmured as he led Taehyung over to the bed. “Come here.”

Taehyung let himself be pulled along, too exhausted to argue or feel embarrassed anymore. Jungkook sat him down on the edge of the bed, then crouched in front of him, his hands resting lightly on Taehyung’s knees. The storm raged outside, but here, in the soft glow of the room, it felt distant, almost muted.

Jungkook’s touch was gentle, reassuring in a way Taehyung hadn’t expected. He hadn’t thought of Jungkook as someone who could be kind, but in this moment, all of his cold, teasing edges seemed to melt away.

“Is it because of something that happened?” Jungkook asked quietly, his gaze never leaving Taehyung’s face.

Taehyung closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to relive that night. But the storm wasn’t going away, and neither were the memories.

“There was a storm like this once,” Taehyung began, his voice barely above a whisper. “When I was younger… something happened. And ever since then, I’ve never been able to handle them.”

Jungkook didn’t press for more details, didn’t ask for explanations. He just nodded, his hands still resting on Taehyung’s knees, grounding him.

For a moment, neither of them said anything. The storm outside continued, but the tension in Taehyung’s chest slowly began to ease. There was something comforting about Jungkook’s presence, something steady and unwavering.

After a few minutes, Jungkook stood up and gestured toward the bed. “You can stay here tonight if you want. I don’t mind.”

Taehyung blinked up at him, surprised by the offer. “In your bed?”

Jungkook shrugged as if it were the most casual thing in the world. “If it helps you sleep, then yeah.”

Taehyung hesitated. Sharing a bed with Jungkook—his husband—was something he hadn’t even considered, not after everything that had happened between them. But the storm outside still raged, and the idea of being alone in his room felt unbearable.

Finally, Taehyung nodded, the tension in his body starting to flood away. “O..Okay.”

Jungkook didn’t say anything more. He simply pulled back the covers on one side of the bed and climbed in on the other, giving Taehyung space. Taehyung followed, slipping under the blankets, the warmth of the bed enveloping him like a cocoon.

They lay side by side in silence for a moment, the only sound the distant rumble of thunder. Taehyung stared up at the ceiling, his heart still racing but not as wildly as before. Slowly, the fear began to fade, replaced by an unfamiliar sense of calm.

As he shifted under the covers, Taehyung felt the mattress dip slightly. Jungkook turned toward him, and though Taehyung couldn’t see his face in the dark, he could feel Jungkook’s steady presence beside him.

“If you need anything,” Jungkook’s voice came softly, “I’m right here.”

And for the first time in a long time, Taehyung believed him.