A Slave's Savior [A taekook mafia fan fiction]

Chapter 38

Jungkook finishes the last sip, resting the cup on his lap. Taehyung's hands reach up to Jungkook's nape, his fingers gently sliding upwards caressing his hair  when  he sees the younger's grip tightening on the cup.

Jungkook looks down at his feet, guilt gripping on his heart. He remembers all the times he had cursed the older in the past few days. How many times he had called him arrogant and bossy. Everytime he had complained about his behaviours to his friends.

Yet here Taehyung was all over again, without uttering a single word, only worrying about him. Jungkook didn't know why  he always found himself in the same situation, him misunderstanding the older, hurting him in the worst ways, and the other selflessly caring about him after his every mistake.

He didn't know what he did last night, what he said to make him this withdrawn in himself that the older  wouldn't dare to  face him now. He couldn't find how it all started, how did they end up here.

His mind seemed to have locked all his memories in the back of his head. He tries to recall but memories only come in flashes. His throat ached to eliminate the silence but his tongue forgetting how to make sentences.

He opens his mouth but no words come out, instead he chokes on his tears. He could feel Taehyung's hands halt on his hair in an instant, the older turn to face him. He looks down at his feet tears flooding in his eyes. How was he supposed to explain himself, where was all his anger, suddenly he found the unspoken reason for all of the older's irrationality,  misjudgements and over-protectiveness. All of them being his excessive care.

And now he was supposed to explain his irrationalities, his actions and reasons? How now when he couldn't bring himself to face him. Wouldn't it have been easy for him if he were the 17 year old Jungkook? He would just launch on the older stain his olive t-shirt with his tears and apologize.

Taehyung kept silent trying to guess whatever  the younger was contemplating. Taehyung bites back a  smile as he sees the younger's toes twitch trying to find words. Yesterday when Jungkook came back home and blabbering nonstop Taehyung had  a huge change in his life, or say his core beliefs regarding the younger.

To Taehyung now, finally Jungkook was an adult, he craved for freedom that Taehyung had taken away from him few years back when they first met. Freedom from his expectations and these walls of his house. He was a whole new person, not the naive and innocent baby he was. He was growing stronger and independent every single day and he deserved to develop his own perspective of the world.

Now he realised that he couldn't force his own beliefs and traumas to become the younger's way of life. He did not want to instruct his every step anymore. More than that he felt relieved for himself that now he had somehow developed the guts to let the younger choose his way. He would always guide and help Jungkook everytime but it was the younger's choice to follow them or invent a new path for himself. Moreover if Jungkook trips on any steps or falls he will always be around to steady  and comfort him. He was free from his fears and adamant to free Jungkook from his every hold.

"What did I say yesterday?" He heard Jungkook whispers, he turns back to him who was still looking down at his feet.

He turns towards him completely facing him.
"Nothing wrong.." he says in a soft voice.

Jungkook keeps looking down, head forehead felt so heavy and suddenly he felt like hiding his face somewhere that he doesn't have to look at Taehyung's disappointed face. He gulps trying to come up with an explaination.
"I didn't mean-" he lets out in a tiny voice barely above a whisper.

Before he could gain the courage to come up with more words Taehyung cuts his sentence with his deep voice.
"It's okay!"

Jungkook looks up finally gaining a little motivation from the older's voice.
"I don't know what I said I didn't mean anyth-" He continues in a soft voice only to be cut by the elder again.

"It's fine, you didn't say anything wrong~!" Taehyung explains, obviously he could sense the tension in room and Jungkook's confused yet embarrassed posture.

Well, if only he wasn't right. Taehyung's sentence brings a pause to their conversation for a while when Jungkook internalizes the words and the meanings behind them. So to summarise his situation Jungkook could only come up with a few phrases-

'Cares too much'
'Misunderstandings'
'Acted like a jerk'
'Disappointed hyungie'

"I'm sorry!" He continues
"Please forgive me one last time hyung. I promise  I will never go out without guards , I won't even go out-" Jungkook says only to be cut by Taehyung all over again

"No!" Taehyung says in a strict voice which makes Jungkook flinch a little. His eyes start getting smeary and he bites his lower lips that might have started wobbling. He braces himself preparing to get a scolding. He could take Taehyung shouting at him right!?

'Right?' He asks himself again without getting any answer

"Listen Jungkook!" He says after taking a deep breath, his voice calmer.

"I'm not against you going out, drinking, smoking or anything.." Jungkook's eyes widen when he hears the older explain. The hell was he being ignored for a week then? For entertainment?

Author's note:   don't kill me.. don't kill me... don't kill me