✔ || Distract Me

Chapter 5

The dream was black again, but Jeongguk wasn't afraid this time. A strange peace was settled over everything like a fine layer of dust, as if the darkness was hugging him instead of choking. He searched for the gentle light that would lead him to Taehyung, but there was nothing other than the darkness. But he couldn't just stand there, so he set off aimlessly. His footsteps echoed and his breaths came out in soft white puffs, though he wasn't cold.

He walked for an eternity. His feet started to ache, but he still couldn't find any light. He began to worry that he had gone the wrong way, but at this point, he might as well just keep going forward. He had to end up somewhere eventually.

And then suddenly, he did. A long drape appeared, hanging from somewhere too far above for Jeongguk to see, covering something. As he walked closer, the white fabric lifted skyward to reveal Taehyung kneeling with his back to Jeongguk, his robe barely hanging onto his elbows.

His shoulders were stiff, but he tilted his head when he heard Jeongguk's footsteps. The maknae stopped a few feet away, the usual confusing instinct forcing him to plant his feet too far away to touch the boy. Taehyung slowly turned his head back away from Jeongguk, shuddering. Something had happened - his wounds were open again, and there were ribbons of blood glinting down his back. They stained his robe, making it stick to his skin, and Jeongguk longed to remove the garment.

Taehyung suddenly spoke, "Why do you keep coming back?"

Jeongguk's heart hurt at the exhaustion in the boy's husky voice. His throat couldn't seem to form words, so he didn't answer. Taehyung bent forward, arching his back. "It doesn't matter. You should stop finding me. They'll find out."

A strength that Jeongguk didn't know he had allowed him to close the distance between them. But when he was close enough to embrace Taehyung, a new fear overtook him. What if Taehyung didn't want Jeongguk to touch him?

He had made it that far, so Jeongguk took a deep breath and forced himself to reach forward, gently resting his hands on Taehyung's biceps.

At first, Jeongguk was sure that Taehyung would pull away. The boy stiffened, and Jeongguk almost pulled back his hands, but then Taehyung slumped forward and let out a shaky laugh. "Ah, Jeonggukie. Don't you know what you're doing?"

No, he didn't, but the words wouldn't form in his mouth. So instead, he started to rub small circles in Taehyung's arms with his thumbs. The older boy sighed, bowing his head. Jeongguk wished he would turn and face him, if only to look into his eyes, but he didn't. With courage Jeongguk normally didn't possess, the maknae eased Taehyung's robe the rest of the way off his body. Taehyung helped him, gingerly pulling his arms out of the sleeves. Jeongguk had to give the robe a gentle tug to get it unstuck from the blood on Taehyung's back. The boy trembled, lowering himself down to press his forehead into the ground. Jeongguk gazed at the wounds curiously, but then he remembered how Taehyung had reacted the last time he tried to touch them. He wouldn't dare try again, at least not now. Not when the boy seemed to be in so much pain.

What could he do for him? Jeongguk had never felt so helpless in his life.

"Distract me," Taehyung whispered, so softly that Jeongguk almost didn't hear him. "Please, Jeongguk."

Jeongguk immediately obeyed, something in Taehyung's voice driving him to act. He set his hands on Taehyung's lower back, not entirely sure what he should do to distract the older boy. Taehyung sighed, relaxing a bit and making Jeongguk brave. He rubbed his fingertips into the tensed muscles along Taehyung's sides, encouraged by Taehyung's soft gasps.

Taehyung collapsed forward when Jeongguk pulled away, "Thank you."

Jeongguk had given up trying to speak, so he just rested a hand on Taehyung's lower back in response. The older boy shuddered and reached back to grasp Jeongguk's hand. "You need to leave now, Jeongguk."