Stuck With You [Taekook ff]

61 | Tingling From the Kiss

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Taehyung gently helped Jungkook step out of the Uber, still mindful of the way his muscles stiffened as the soreness lingered in his body. Jungkook had only been discharged from the hospital minutes before, following their rescue from the burning apartment building on Park Avenue. The chaos and tension of the past few weeks had culminated into a fiery finish and had left them both physically and emotionally drained. Though it wasn't Taehyung's condo in D.C., as they stood in front of the Airbnb in Koreatown, the small amount of familiarity of the place offered them a brief sense of comfort, a quiet refuge from the storm they had just survived.

K-town still hummed with its usual energy outside, but inside the Airbnb, the silence was a relief. Taehyung closed the door behind them, turning to Jungkook, whose dark eyes met his with exhaustion but also relief. The ordeal was over, at least for now. "Let's get cleaned up," Taehyung murmured, his voice gentle, pulling Jungkook by the hand.

They undressed in the bathroom, their bodies marked with small bruises, evidence of their close brush with death. As the warm water ran over them, washing away the grime and ash, it felt like they were shedding the weight of everything they'd been through, especially Jungkook. There was the murder of his parents and the constant running from the handlers. Then there was the blast he'd survived at the field of dandelions. Indeed, Jungkook could afford to lose some emotional layers.

The steam filled the small bathroom, clouding the mirrors, but nothing could blur the clarity of the bond that had strengthened between the two. In silence, they cared for one another, letting the water soothe their aching muscles.

After they had dried off and dressed in comfortable clothes, Taehyung checked his phone. His parents had called several times, their worry evident in the number of missed calls and messages. He sighed, knowing he had to reassure them, especially after everything that had happened. He would need to disclose the conversation he had with Don. Taehyung sat on the edge of the bed, calling them up. Jungkook sat nearby, watching him with a soft gaze as the call connected.

"Omma," Taehyung said softly when his mother's voice came through the line. "I'm okay, really. I'm safe now."

His mother's voice cracked with emotion on the other end. "Taehyung-ah, we've been so worried! Are you hurt? What happened? You need to come home!"

"I will," he promised. "But not yet. I need to take care of things here first. Jungkook needs me, and there's a lot we need to sort out. But I promise, I'm fine. We both are."

After a few more minutes of reassuring words, his mother finally calmed down. Taehyung spoke briefly with his father, who was more stoic but no less concerned. Once the call ended, Taehyung felt a little lighter, knowing his parents could finally rest easy.

Taehyung set his phone down, leaning back against the headboard. His mind drifted to his dad, Wonsik, and their relationship. Despite everything, Wonsik had always been there for him. Taehyung knew he needed to brief him on what all happened at the visit with Don. He'd wait and speak to him face-to-face about it.

After the phone call, a knock at the door broke the quiet. Taehyung stood, his muscles still protesting slightly, and went to answer it. Namjoon, Yoongi, and Willow stood in the hallway, looking serious but relieved.

"We need to talk," Namjoon said gently as they all stepped inside, settling into the living space. Taehyung and Jungkook sat close together on the end of the couch, their shoulders brushing. There was a comfortable ease between them, the kind that had grown over the small amount of time they'd known each other. Their hands naturally found each other, fingers intertwining as they shared a soft, lingering look. The moment was calm and intimate, filled with unspoken affection, as they sat together, both waiting for the debriefing.