Rain || Taekook

Chapter Eleven

Taehyung had made many, many mistakes in his life. As he reflected on them, each one came flooding back, clear as if it had happened yesterday. Taehyung never should've told his parents he liked men. He should've just taken his chances instead of hope to be accepted by his conservative family. Even when his parents already knew, Taehyung should never have let his situation get so bad. He should've taken care of himself. He should've gotten help. Most of all, Taehyung knew damn well that the choice to abandon Jin in that courtyard would haunt him forever. It already did.

Taehyung thought about these mistakes long after Jin and Namjoon stormed out, long after Hoseok left with an uncomfortable look, long after the half-hearted small talk died down enough for Yoongi and Jimin to get unbearably bored. The only one who refused to leave Taehyung's side was Jungkook. One more mistake. Taehyung had never said anything to Jungkook about his feelings. At first, it was because Taehyung's love for Jin overshadowed the emotions that Jungkook elicited. Then, after everything in Taehyung's life went to shit, it was because dragging Jungkook into that mess seemed cruel. Jungkook probably wouldn't have wanted Taehyung at that low point anyway. When the rest of the gang went off to college, leaving Jungkook to his junior and senior years, Taehyung thought he'd lost the only chance he'd ever get. Yet, now the same boy he thought he'd never see again was now sound asleep, head rested on the hospital bed and hand very close to Taehyung's own. Taehyung shifted, moving his hand on top of Jungkook's.

Taehyung was jolted from sleep by the door to his hospital room opening. "Your lab results are back," the young nurse standing in the doorway started.
"Oh, it's not me you need to tell. It's him." Taehyung gestured at Jungkook. He removed his hand from Jungkook's to gently shake the boy from his slumber. Jungkook now awake, the nurse began again.
"Ok, well, your friend has no drugs, illegal or otherwise, in his system. Not even a trace. He doesn't display any symptoms of anything, and that cut on his forehead isn't deep enough to indicate a brain injury, so we're going to discharge him. Bring him back immediately if he experiences dizziness, fainting, migraines, or if he seems more uncoordinated than usual. Sign here," she handed Taehyung the clipboard and pointed to the spot that needed a signature. Taehyung quickly scribbled some vague representation of his name on the line and immediately went to grab his clothes. Taehyung halted. The nurse had gone, but Jungkook has made no move to look away as Taehyung began to strip off the paper gown. Fine, if that's how it was gonna be. Taehyung ripped off the gown without hesitation and grabbed first his boxers, then his pants and shirt, pulling each on with growing self consciousness. He wasn't looking at Jungkook, but Taehyung could feel the younger's roving gaze covering every inch of his body. Every second like this felt like an hour. Jungkook's gaze claimed him, made Taehyung its own.

After what could've been seconds or days, Taehyung made the final adjustments to his clothes and started towards the door. He glanced back over his shoulder. "Let's go home," he told Jungkook, although the statement sounded a lot like a question. Jungkook trailed after Taehyung and the two made their way outside. The pair began the long walk back home.

The clouds above had not yet passed. If anything, they had settled lower on the city, eager to suffocate light and hope. Rain sprinkled down, almost undistinguishable from mist. This seemed to be all there was now.

Taehyung felt the mist beading on his forehead like sweat. He and Jungkook were almost back to the dorms. Taehyung supposed he'd stay at Jungkook's place. His own dorm would be empty and lonely. They arrived at the dorm soaked to the bone. They hurried down the hall to Jungkook's room, eager to change into dry clothes. Taehyung didn't have a change of clothes, but surely he could figure something out. Jungkook sped into his bedroom and locked the door behind him. Taehyung stood, not wanting to get the couch wet. He leaned on the kitchen counter, listening to the buzzing of the fluorescent lights. Right as Taehyung had begun to think Jungkook wasn't returning, the lock to his room clicked and the young boy emerged. Taehyung was taken aback. Clad in skinny jeans and an oversized cream sweater, Jungkook looked more like boyfriend material than ever. Taehyung blinked, adjusting as he always did to Jungkook's radiant beauty. Jungkook held out clean sweats and one of his trademark flannels to the astounded man. Taehyung finally came to his senses and grabbed the clothing, heading to Jungkook's room to change.

Somehow, the clothes fit perfectly, despite the fact that Taehyung was significantly taller than Jungkook. The light grey sweats were just baggy enough, and the black and grey flannel was uncharacteristically soft. Even the clean pair of boxers fit perfectly. Taehyung left the top two buttons of the flannel undone to free up his neck. Wet clothes in hand, Taehyung returned to the main room. "Oh, I guess you can probably hang those in the bathroom. We could run them through the dryer but I'm not sure how many quarters I'll be able to rustle up on such a short notice." Jungkook rambled. Taehyung shuffled off to the bathroom. He hung his clothes on the towel rack, making sure they were straightened so they would dry evenly. The shirt, which didn't fit on the towel rack, ended up slung over the curtain rod of one of the showers in the semi-communal bathroom. Clothes hung, Taehyung made his way back to the living room. Jungkook stood, clearly deep in thought. Taehyung admired the wet-haired boy and ran a hand through his own hair, which was also still dripping moisture. Jungkook didn't seem to notice Taehyung's presence. Jungkook could do that sometimes, just shut out the world around him and get lost in his thoughts. People in high school had made fun of him for it, but Taehyung had always found it charming. Now, Taehyung felt a pressing desire to be noticed. He stepped closer, and closer still, Jungkook not stirring from his trance. Taehyung smiled, took Jungkook's face in both hands, and pressed a delicate kiss to the boy's lips.