ʜᴇᴀʟ ʏᴏᴜ | taekook ✓

ᴇɪɢʜᴛᴇᴇɴ.

Jungkook is here to confront him. After not being able to reach out per messaging, he wants to confront him face to face. It's over. This is the end. The end Taehyung had feared. He cannot escape it anymore. He can't just become invisible. His breaths become more shaky, uneven. Slight, yet enough for the younger to pick up.

"Can I come in?" Jungkook's eyes look big and filled with emotion.

Taehyung doesn't know what to do or say. He's frozen. He blinks rapidly and looks down. Terror. That's what he's feeling. Intense fear. A lion in his doorstep would be more welcomed right now.

"I came here to check on you" Jungkook explains softly "I heard what happened at, you know, the cafe."

Taehyung looks up again, confused. "Jimin hyung told me, sorry if you didn't want me to know" the younger scratches the back of his neck hesitantly.
Taehyung gulps. Is that it?

"I'm fine" are the first words he manages to rasp out in a barely audible deep voice. "Do you want me to leave?" Jungkook asks straightforward, hoping he doesn't say 'yes'.

Do you want me to leave?
Does Taehyung want Jungkook to leave?
What kind of question is that.
It's the thought of Jungkook leaving that has lead to this point. To this amount of pain and stress.
Taehyung would do anything to make Jungkook stay.
But there is no way.
Either way they are going to part.

"No" Taehyung whispers. His lips are slightly parted. His breaths uneven yet still shallow. His Adam's apple moving whenever he gulps. Nerves. His eyes. They're so...painful to look at.
Red and glossy. Incomplete, tired blinks. Pupils wavering. They carry so many emotions yet none that are readable.

Jungkook smiles softly and Taehyung steps aside hesitantly. He doesn't dare keeping his eyes on the latter.

"Can I turn on the lights?" Jungkook asks when he is confronted with a poorly lit apartment. It's dawn. It's not pitch black outside. But the sky looks grey, so does the living room. A bit more light would maybe help lift the mood.

Taehyung doesn't reply but closes the front door to slowly walk to the big lamp next to the couch. He doesn't like the big white ceiling lighting. It feels to much like an operating room. He tends to stick to smaller light sources.

Jungkook inhales and hides his hands in his sleeves due to the tension between the two. They take a seat on the couch. Far away from one another. The air feels thick.

"Thank you for bringing me home safely." The younger decided to break the silence.

Taehyung doesn't look up, his tired eyes just blink as he barely nods. He is leaning forward, elbows holding him up on in his knees. Fidgeting with the ring he is wearing on his index finger.

"How are you feeling?" Jungkook begins carefully.
Taehyung takes a deep breath and exhales shakily, much to his betrayal. He hates his body.
"Uh," his voice wavers "I don't know" his voice gives in, making half of the sentence sound like a whisper.

Jungkook looks away and nods slowly, not knowing what to say.
"Sorry, my comforting skills are nowhere close to yours" he huffs a smile apologetically. Taehyung's lips try to reciprocate, but only manage to form more of a straight line.
"Are you hungry?" The younger is running out of things to say.
Taehyung shakes his head. "Are you?" He looks up for the first time.

"Not if you aren't" Jungkook laughs, making Taehyung smile a bit for real this time. It's insane what the younger can make him do even at times like these.
"I only have cup Ramen at home" the older admits embarrassed.