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

Chapter 43

Jeongguk blinked sleepily up from his phone. "It's 11 PM, hyung."

"Hmm?" Taehyung mumbled, his eyes still glued to the computer screen in front of him.

The maknae rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet, wincing as both of his knees cracked, and crossed to the elder. Giggling, he lifted the headphones off the boy's head. "I said," he tapped Taehyung's cheek to get his attention, "it's 11 PM."

"Ah," Taehyung's glazed eyes floated back to the computer screen. "I'll wrap up in a minute."

Jeongguk tsked his tongue, but he smiled despite himself. "You're taking after Yoongi-hyung."

"He's not a bad guy to take after," Taehyung reasoned, not looking away from the screen.

Okay. Jeongguk gave in, leaning against the desk. "How much more do you have to do?"

"I'm just tweaking it now," Taehyung rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands. "It's probably fine. I'm probably overthinking it."

"Can I listen?"

"It's not much different from when you heard it earlier," Taehyung assured.

Jeongguk shifted, "Can I hear it again?"

Relenting, Taehyung offered the maknae the headphones. Jeongguk put them on and leaned over his boyfriend to move the playhead to the beginning of the track.

The beat pulsed through his ears, and he sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. Taehyung tugged him down into his lap, pressing a kiss to his cheek. They sat in silence while Jeongguk listened to "Stigma," memorizing every note and word the elder had poured into it with the help of their producers.

When it was finished, he worked his jaw. Should he be the supportive boyfriend that understands that it's hard to stop trying to perfect the unperfectable? Or should he be the voice of reason for this poor pabo?

As he was deciding, Taehyung was boring holes into the side of his head with his nervous stare. Finally, Jeongguk glanced at him, toying with the headphones in his hands. "Want my advice?"

"Yes," Taehyung nodded tiredly.

"You keep trying to fix this because you refuse to walk away for a bit. If you just took a break, you'd come back with a much clearer head and wouldn't need to nitpick everything."

Taehyung bit his nail, and Jeongguk pulled his hand away. The boy didn't like that habit, and no matter how cute Jeongguk found it, he was going to help him in any way he could. Taehyung captured his hands and pressed a kiss to his knuckles, his eyes slipping shut. "Thank you, jagi."

They gazed at each other. The computer's fan kicked on, echoing in the quiet room, and was the only sound to be heard.

And then the studio was filled with an entirely new sound - clothes being rearranged and shifted to the side instead of removed so as to not waste time, and then soft pants and gasps and "I love you"s. Mere minutes after it began, it was over, breathy whimpers hanging in the heady air as they cleaned up. They left the studio hand in hand, their hair still mussed and lips still swollen.

They spent the ride home pretzeled around each other, both fighting off sleep. Yoongi decided to ride with them, but his head was rolled to the side in slumber.

"Are you happy, Jeongguk?"

Taehyung's voice was raspy and quiet, but it echoed in the car. Jeongguk lifted his head with a far-off smile. "Yeah, hyung. Are you?"

With a nod, the elder said, "Yes."

Suddenly, the other winced and shifted with a soft hiss. Jeongguk sat up fully, eyebrows furrowing. "Is it your scars?"