art || vkook || discontinued

bunny

“hey, ggukie.” taehyung sits outside of yoongi and namjoon’s guest room, hoping that the boy locked inside is able to hear him. “it’s about time i got over myself, yeah? i overreacted, i’m aware of that. you were hurt, you still are, and you took it out on me. i can’t blame you for that. what you said brought back some bad memories for me. jin told you about that, right? he told me he did.” the brunet takes a deep breath, feeling a knot forming in his throat. “anyway, i’m sorry i shut you out the way i did. you didn’t deserve that, ggukie. i’m not angry with you, i never was.

“everyone says bad things, whether they mean those things or not, everyone says them. you and i are no exception to that. i know you didn’t mean what you said. i know how it feels, having people plant such horrendous things in your head and i know that it eats away at you. it’s so painful, feeling as if everything you are is wrong. it’s hard to not believe them. they break you, leave you scarred and afraid to be yourself.” taehyung uses the heel of his palms to press at his eyes, not wanting his tears to fall.

“i want you to know, ggukie, that you are amazing. those bastards were so wrong. you are amazing, you deserve to be here. you shouldn’t try to change anything about yourself, not for people like them. and so what if you’re gay? you can love who you want to love. no matter what, love is the same between all people. it’s so beautiful and fille even the emptiest of spaces and if people tell you there’s something wrong with how you love, with who you love, tell them to go fuck themselves, junggukie, because you are perfect. we are all perfect. it doesn’t matter if we love men or women or anyone in between because it’s still love. they tried to tear you down for something that they had no right to judge. it’s okay to be gay; it took me so long to realize that and i don’t want you to go through the same thing because of some douchebags who think they’re better than you. you deserve the world. you are so strong, so wonderful, so brilliant, ggukie, and i-”

taehyung’s emotional rant is cut off by the opening of the door behind him. he’s granted only enough time to turn his body toward the room before jungguk flings himself into the older’s arms. the boy sobs into taehyung’s shoulder, clutching to the brunet’s shirt with extraordinary determination, terrified that, if he loosens his grip, the artist will leave him again. he hadn’t realized how much he needed to hear those words, to have his identity reinforced to himself, and the fact that they came from taehyung makes it so much more impactful to him.

he’s put himself through hell. from the moment he was released from the hospital he felt an overwhelming amount of regret and anger, directed toward himself, and he felt like he had to be punished for what he did. he had caused pain to someone who was only ever kind and he hates himself for that. he hates himself for pushing his own pain onto someone else and he hates himself for letting the words of two people overpower the voices of so many others. he knows taehyung is right. it doesn’t matter if he’s gay, it only matters if he’s happy. he just wishes it could be that easy.

jungguk is afraid of himself, afraid of who he is and what his future may bring, but, for now, he finds solace in the sweet, flowery scent of a certain long-haired artist. he finds comfort in taehyung’s tender embrace and deep, melodic voice. he’s missed the older’s presence, missed his adorable box smile and his warm, welcoming aura. the man offers peace even in the most taxing of times and jungguk never wants to let go of him. he wraps his arms around taehyung’s neck and buries his face in his shoulder. they sit on the ground, wound together as jungguk cries; it feels like hours, though they know it’s only for a brief few minutes. they remain in silence, the only sound being the light sniffling coming from the younger of the two, until taehyung voices his concerns.

“you’re so skinny, ggukie,” he speaks softly into the boy’s ear, “why haven’t you been eating?”

“i couldn’t. i had no appetite.” jungguk’s voice is hoarse due to it being unused for so long. “was starting to get fat anyway.”