Alternate Love(Vminkook)

15||🦋

Taehyung didn't sleep.

Not really.

He drifted in and out of something that wasn't rest--half dreams, half-awareness, the ceiling fading in and out about him while the quiet pressed too close.

The voice didn't leave.

It didn't push.

Didn't whisper commands.

It just...stayed.

You're still awake, it said at some point.

Taehyung didn't answer.

There wasn't anything to say.

___________

Morning came slowly.

Gray light through the blinds. The soft hum of the apartment waking up.

Taehyung stared at the ceiling until he heard movement in the kitchen.

He was last to get up,

Cabinets opening.

The low scrape of a chair.

Normal sounds.

Grounding sounds.

He pushed himself up.

His body felt heavy. Slower than usual.

Like everything took an extra step to happen.

__________

Jungkook was at the stove when he walked in.

Jimin sat at the table, elbow propped up, watching nothing in particular.

They both looked up.

Again--not dramatic.

But aware.

"Morning," Jungkook said carefully, neutral.

Taehyung nodded.

Jimin's gaze flicked to him, brief and assessing.

"You look worse," he said.

Jungkook shot him a look. "Jimin--"

"What?" he said. "He does."

Taehyung leaned against the counter, arms crossed.

"I didn't sleep."

Jungkook softened a little. "Yeah... I figured."

He turned back to the stove, the added quieter:

"Sit. I made extra."

Taehyung hesitated.

Then sat.

____________

They ate in a kind of quiet that wasn't comfortable--

just.. deliberate.

Jungkook kept things moving.

Small comments. Light things. Nothing heavy.

Jimin didn't.

He watched.

Not constantly.

But enough.

"You decide yet?" he asked after a while.

Taehyung didn't look up. "About what?"

Jimin didn't blink. "Don't do that."

Jungkook sat his fork down. "Maybe not first thing in the morning--"

"No," Jimin said, still looking at Taehyung. "He's been avoiding it since yesterday."