blank | taekook

thirteen.

:)))

____

There was a long moment of stillness. They just stared at each other, mouths half open in silent deep breaths. Jungkook's body completely froze, his feet rooted into the ground. So many thoughts were bursting through his head like fireworks. It felt like an eternity before he finally moved his feet to the table. He sat down slowly, trying to find any words.

"Hello," said Taehyung softly, finally breaking through the silence.

"Are you okay?" the younger asked him. He nodded in response. It was hard for Jungkook not to engulf Taehyung in a bone-crushing hug. Seeing his face in real life brought such a strong feeling of relief through his chest that his weak body was almost feeling pain because of it.

"Jungkook," Taehyung breathed in concern as he really noticed the paleness of the boy's skin, and how he seemed noticeably skinnier than ever before. He gently placed his hand under Jungkook's chin, bringing his head up so he was looking him in the face. "I was so worried about you. You...haven't been taking care of yourself, have you?" he murmured solemnly.

Jungkook shook his head very slowly, eyes watering from shame and the eye contact. Taehyung was touching him, and it felt so nice, yet also painful. Every bit of skin his fingers brushed over seemed to burn.

He didn't even know that those fingers were burning in the same way, and that the owner of them was trying to push away the same longing.

Taehyung looked down at the tabletop, dropping his hand. "Jungkook," he began. "There's...something I really should have told you before. If I had...none of this would have happened." He sighed, tapping his feet from the nerves biting at him, and the whispering thoughts in his head, telling him to turn back now. He hated talking about it, but he had to, for Jungkook's sake.

"I want to explain in private, though. Do you think-"

"We could go to my apartment if you want," Jungkook offered before he even thought about it, resisting the urge to hold Taehyung's hand as a way of saying, "Don't be afraid to lean on me."

Taehyung nodded, whispering a barely audible, "Thank you," and they stood up. They left the shop together, and as the cold outside hit them, Taehyung leaned close to his ear.

"You're going to eat and drink lots,
too, okay?"

*****

Somehow, it wasn't until they were standing in front of his door that Jungkook realized going in his apartment was probably a bad idea. He cursed himself silently, because they were already there, and he even had his key in his hand. As long as he didn't ask about it. The drawings were all laid face down anyways; it was like the past him was looking out for the present him (though in reality it had just hurt too much too look at them, and he'd turned them over so he wouldn't have to).

He unlocked the door, and led Taehyung in, trying to be cheerful as he gestured around. The older almost dropped the grocery bags he was holding (full of ingredients to make a much-needed meal for Jungkook) when he saw just how nice it was inside. It was like the type of place he'd always wanted - sleek and modern, yet somehow homey at the same time.

"I like it," he chimed pleasantly as he walked in. There were papers on the floor that he stepped over, not paying them much mind as he followed Jungkook into the kitchen. "Okay, so, I definitely am not as good a cook as my brother, but I know a few things," he announced as he set the bags down on the white, spotless counters that had not been used in several days.

Jungkook nodded, walking over to join him and look at everything his friend began to take out of the bag and set on the counter. He couldn't believe how quickly they'd gone back to normal, as if nothing in the past couple of months had happened at all. However, he knew that this was only temporary - until Taehyung told him what he needed to. In the end though, he didn't care. He would suffer through it all for moments like these. Moments where they were close, moments when they were happy because they were together.