✔ || Save Me [[SEQUEL to DISTRACT ME]]

Chapter 23

{A/N: STOP!! There are TWO new chapters today. Make sure you go read Chapter 22!!}

"Jeongguk! Get your head out of your ass!"

The maknae stumbled, knocking into Yoongi for the nth time. He was the one who had shouted, but he immediately apologized. "That wasn't cool, kid, sorry."

Jeongguk shrugged, "It's okay. I'm sorry too."

But he knew he'd run into him again. And again. And again, until either Yoongi's toes were broken or Jeongguk's face was punched. He just couldn't focus - not with how Taehyung was dancing right in front of him, jaw set in firm determination, dark hair mussed and shirt clinging to his defined back. It was a sight to behold, and the fact that Jeongguk couldn't touch him was infuriating.

When they finally left the studio, Yoongi had a slight limp and Jeongguk was profusely apologizing, even though every time he did, the elder just glared at him.

Jeongguk landed on his bed with a heavy sigh. Taehyung came in a few minutes later, his ebony hair slick from his shower, and Jeongguk swallowed at the sight. But the elder either didn't notice his staring or didn't care because he just went straight to his bed and slithered under the covers. After a quiet minute, he said, "Jeongguk?"

The maknae's head whipped up, heart pounding. "Y-yeah?"

"Can you turn off the light on your way to the shower?"

Sighing disappointedly, Jeongguk rolled out of bed. But before he made it to the light switch, he hesitated by Taehyung's bed. The elder glanced up at him warily, and a foreign swell of either stupidity or bravery gripped the maknae. "So that's it then?"

Taehyung huffed, "What?"

"That's how this ends? You're just not going to talk to me? Ever?"

The elder deliberated for a moment before saying, "I just need more time."

"For what?" Jeongguk pressed exasperatedly.

"Jesus, Kook," Taehyung snapped, rolling over so his back was to the maknae. "I don't know, okay? I don't know how I feel anymore."

"Why, though?" Jeongguk asked his back. "I love you. I still love you. Do you love me?"

At first, he didn't think the elder would answer. And when he finally did, Jeongguk was sure he misheard because it sounded like he said, "I think so."

"You think so," Jeongguk parroted in disbelief.

"I don't know what else you want me to say, Jeongguk, it's the truth." Taehyung buried himself further in his bed, "Now go shower."

Heartbroken and numb, Jeongguk grabbed a pair of shorts and shuffled out of the room, shutting off the light behind him because that's what Taehyung had asked him to do, and despite everything, he was whipped for that man.

The strangest thing that Jeongguk noticed about their unofficial break was how much he missed showering with the elder. Not even in a sexual way - he just missed scrubbing his fingernails along Taehyung's scalp, massaging sweet-smelling shampoo into his blonde hair. And now that it was black, he wanted to see the stark contrast between the raven locks and the white bubbles. It was weird - and probably dumb - to want something so small as badly as he did, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.

And Jeongguk missed how Taehyung used the utmost care to wash his aching body after long days of choreography, rubbing soap along the maknae's shoulder blades, down his back, and around his front, kissing his neck as his large, strong hands worked his muscles. Try as he might, Jeongguk couldn't mimic the soothing power of the elder's delicate fingers.

Of course, there was also the obvious thing to miss.

Shower sex was one of Jeongguk's favorites. He loved wrapping his legs around the elder's slim waist, back knocking against the wall. Uninhibited, he could scratch at Taehyung's scars - which was an incredibly effective aphrodisiac for the older boy - and the strangled noises that would slip out of the elder's mouth made it all even better.

Jeongguk sucked in an irate breath, blinking water out of his eyes and glaring down at his twitching member. He hadn't touched himself in ages - Taehyung only liked him doing that when they were together...

Fuck Taehyung. He was a fucking asshole.

Chanting that thought like a mantra hoping that maybe he'd believe it, Jeongguk wrapped a hand around his cock and immediately whined. He bit his lip to quiet himself - the last thing he needed right now was to be caught by the hyungs. He experimentally tugged, getting used to the sensation again. His eyes slipped shut and he craned his head back, mouth falling open.

With his eyes closed, Jeongguk could almost imagine it was Taehyung touching him. Following that train of thought, he brought his free hand in between his thighs and carefully inserted a shaky digit into himself. He hissed but then curled his finger and brushed against his prostate. His spine arched of its own volition, and he began to pant as pressure formed in between his hips. Once it didn't hurt anymore, he pushed in a second.

It wasn't the same - his imagination wasn't strong enough to truly pretend that his fingers compared to Taehyung's cock. But it still felt good, and Jeongguk was too frustrated to really care that it wasn't enough. In a moment, he came, white ribbons mixing with the water and disappearing down the drain. Slowly pulling out his fingers, he collapsed back against the wall, chest heaving.

Taehyung would have cleaned him up now. But Jeongguk was on his own, and so with a groan he pushed himself upright and finished his shower.

The elder was asleep when Jeongguk entered the dark bedroom. Chewing the inside of his cheek, he dumped his old clothes in the hamper and double-checked that his alarm was off - tomorrow was their day off, and he wanted to spend it sleeping until the other members thought he was dead.

When he opened his eyes in his dreamscape, he sighed. It had been over a week since the last time he was in Taehyung's dreams, and he missed it dearly. He missed spending every moment with the elder. Hell, he missed being with him in any capacity.

Why was he still holding on so tightly? Taehyung had said it himself - he wasn't sure if he still loved the maknae. So why couldn't Jeongguk just sever ties with him? Just be bandmates and nothing more? It'd save him from all the unnecessary heartbreak.

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I promise all the angst is almost over, you just gotta be patient for a few more chapters ❤️