Anonymous in Trouble [VKook]

When It's Cold Outside

"Tae," Jung Kook lightly placed his hand on Tae's back, "Tae wake up."
"I am up," he mumbled.
Kookie lightly laughed then leaned down to his hyung's ear, "Pretty please? For me?"
Tae opened one eye, looking at Jung Kook for a few seconds. Then he inhaled and lifted his head, "For you."
Jung Kook smiled then kissed Tae's cheek, "Yay."
Tae rolled to his back and Kookie moved to get his hyung some clothes, "Anything specific that you want?"
Tae thought for a second, then sat up. Slowly he responded with, "Your gray sweatpants."
Jung Kook smiled to himself then started to dig around for them. He wasn't sure if they'd fit Tae or not. The younger had a different build, so he was tinier, but his lazy clothes were baggy.
Kookie found them and turned around, stepping over to the bed again. He handed Tae his clothes then started to play with the bedsheets, "Are you hungry?"
"Starving," the older smiled as he slid out of bed. He slipped his borrowed pants on and moved around to stand next to Kookie.
"Well, I made lunch. I don't know if it's any good or not," Jung Kook put his arms around Tae's neck.
Tae Hyung just stared at the younger for a little bit, then he started to push Kookie down towards the mattress behind him.
"Tae," Kookie threw his head back and sighed.
"I know, I know..., but it's your fault," Tae Hyung smiled to himself before kissing Jung Kook's cheek.
"How is it my fault?," Kookie brought his head forward again and playfully pushed on Tae's chest.
"You're too adorable when you're shirtless," the older boy pulled Kookie up again then grabbed his hand, "Let's eat."
Jung Kook smiled and followed Tae out of their room, silently thanking God that Tae's father never had the strength to kill him all those times.
Then the thought struck Jung Kook that they'd been living in the same house where Tae was beaten. It'd been almost three months now. The pretty colors of fall had all died and now snow caved them inside.
"You alright Kookie?," Tae had stopped pulling him along and they now stood in the living room.
"Yeah. Just thinking," Kookie smiled, "It's nothing too special."
"Okay," Tae smiled back, only it was his unsure smile, "What'd you make?"
"I got Nam Joon hyung to send me Jin hyung's recipe for beef stew. Hopefully I did it right," Kookie let go of his love's hand and moved over to the stove.
Tae slowly followed him, then dipped his pinky into the pot for a taste check. He licked his finger clean and smiled, "It's not bad at all, Kookie. You did great," Tae reached up for some bowls from the cabinet above them.
"Seriously?," Kookie lightly grinned, happy Tae told him he liked it. Jung Kook tried it himself and decided it wasn't terrible. There was always room for improvement, though.
"I don't know why, but we'll call it Kookie Lunch," Tae shrugged as he filled the bowls.
"What?," Jung Kook laughed as Tae shrugged again. When Kookie calmed down a little he put his arms around Tae's torso, "I love you."
"Love you too," Tae kissed the top of Jung's head then put his arms around the younger.

"Jin hyung wants to know how the stew turned out," Kookie relayed after checking his messages.
"How'd he get your number?," Tae's jealousy showed through a little.
Jung Kook shrugged, "Nam Joon hyung probably. You know there has to be something going on with them. Maybe they're holed up at Nam hyung's right now."
"Nam hyung," Tae repeated it with a questioning tone.
Jung yawned then looked to Tae, "It was a shorter way, alright."
Tae lightly laughed and turned towards Kookie's side of the couch. He pulled the younger to sit between his legs and he laid his chin on Kookie's shoulder.
"Don't worry Tae," Kookie reached up and placed his palm on his hyung's cheek, "I'm not cheating with the nurse."
"I didn't think you were cheating. I still got jealous though," Tae Hyung put his arms around the younger's waist, "You're my Kookie," the older changed his voice so he sounded like a kid.
Jung Kook pouted, "I'm not a toy."
"No," Tae turned his head and kissed the younger's neck, "You're not. You're my Kookie."
"What does that make you?," Jung let himself lean into Tae Hyung's chest and he closed his eyes as he got comfortable.
Tae took a few seconds to answer, making Jung Kook worry for some reason, "I'm whatever. It's not all that important."
"No," Kookie frowned, "It is important. You're important," Kookie grabbed Tae's right hand and locked his fingers between his hyung's.
A moment of silence destroyed the younger. He thought he did something wrong.
"Jung Kook," Tae placed his lips softly on the younger's, "Thanks, but I'm just convinced otherwise."
"Tae," Jung opened his eyes now, wanting to see his love more than ever.
The older boy's eyes were glossed over, as if he were about to cry, but just wouldn't let himself.
"How can I show you that you mean the world to me?," Jung Kook felt hopeless in that moment, but he pushed it away to focus on his hyung.
Tae shook his head, "I don't know."
"Try to tell me Tae," Kookie pulled himself from his hyung's arms and turned to face him, "Whatever it is, I'll do it. I'll say whatever you need me to. Just let me in. I promise that I won't hurt you."
Tae Hyung stared back at the younger boy, a tear escaping him. He looked away and licked his lips before swallowing the lump in his throat.
"Tae-"
"Just let me hold you," Tae's voice was soft and quiet. He glanced back up at Kookie, seeing the shock on his face.
Whatever he wants Jung Kook, the younger told himself as he moved back to his former position. Tae Hyung's arms were tighter around his waist this time, but he didn't mind. He'd let Tae do anything now; he trusted his hyung.
Jung Kook felt another tear land on his neck, so he reached up to wipe away the others that were falling.
"Sing Kookie," Tae's request was almost silent. If they weren't so close, the younger wouldn't have heard him.
"Anything specific?," Jung brought his hands back down and Tae shook his head. Kookie took a deep breath, then started to sing Taeyang's Eyes, Nose, Lips.

Later that night, Kookie made dinner and they ate on the sofa. Jimin had texted a few times, but given the atmosphere around Tae, Jung Kook didn't respond. He kept almost all of his attention on his love. He didn't mind it either.
Tae was doing the same. He was constantly looking at Jung Kook and thinking of ways to make the younger's smile return.
You should've kept your mouth shut, the older told himself, Now Kookie's upset.
"Tae," Kookie moved to sit in his hyung's lap, "I don't know how, but I'll show you. It might take a week or months, but as long as you're with me I won't stop trying."
"Kookie, don't do that for me. It's not worth-"
"Making you feel loved is worth dying over. And if that's what it takes then pick out my coffin."
"Jung Kook don't say that!," Tae Hyung suddenly erupted, grabbing the younger's waist, "You can't say that and you can't die! You can't leave me!"
"I won't," Kookie put his hand on Tae's head as the older buried his crying face into the younger's stomach, "Trust me Tae. You just have to let down your guard and let me in."
"I can't. It'll hurt even more. I'll cry more," Tae was surprised he could speak. Sure, they were short statements, but he didn't even think words would make it through his hiccups for air.
"If you cry then you cry. I won't hold it against you; I'm not like your father," Jung Kook rubbed Tae's back, hoping the warmth would calm him.
"I know, but...I just can't...do it," Tae felt himself give up mentally. He wasn't even sure why he was crying anymore, he just knew that he needed to.
"You can," Kookie kissed the top of his hyung's head, "It'll just take time."

Tae had cried until his head hurt and he was tired. Kookie put him to bed and made sure he went to sleep.
Then the younger came back out to the living room to pick up their dishes and take them to the sink. There was enough dirty to wash everything now.
Seeing Tae cry hurt him so much...but he had to try and bring down Tae's wall.
Jung Kook had started to notice it a while back. He didn't say anything because he knew this would happen.
Though, lately, it started to affect Tae Hyung in a physical way. He was barely sleeping or eating. Unusually, sometimes he said he felt like laying around instead of going out.
It was the little things that made Jung Kook decide to push his love to the edge. Tae needed to cry, he needed to talk about the things troubling him.
But it just killed Kookie to watch him break down.
It didn't seem fair. It was basically a trick, wasn't it? Hopefully it would help, but Tae could deny the support and their relationship would be over.