The Hybrid Whisperer KTH+JJK

Twelve

The next week was chaos. Taehyung's classes had become hectic as they geared towards exams and a couple of extra clients had contacted him for help. Fitting the additional business and study load around his extended appointments with Jeongguk was difficult enough, but the hybrid's mood swings and acts of petty rebellion were making things nigh on impossible.

"Mrs Kim says you haven't completed any of the tasks we set for you, Guk. I thought we agreed you'd be taking on additional chores in compensation for the things you destroyed last week." He reminded the boy standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, ears flicked behind him and eyes fixed directly over his shoulder. "Hey." He grabbed his chin to direct his focus back to the issue at hand. "Please listen when I'm speaking to you."

Jeongguk jerked his head out of his grip and shrugged. Taehyung felt his patience start to fray. He inhaled a calming breath. "You agreed to this, Jeongguk, remember? We did our part. Now it's time to do yours."

He shrugged again, his jaw clenching mutinously.

"Come on, don't be like this." He coaxed. "I was really looking forward to our outing today, Guk. I found a bowling alley that does glow in the dark mini golf and laser tag. I thought you might want to come with me. Doesn't that sound fun?" He asked hopefully, trying to catch Jeongguk's ever shifting gaze. "I tell you what, why don't you do the dishwasher and put on a load of washing? We can hang out here until the loads are done and once you've put the clothes in the dryer and put away the dishes we'll go out. I'll even stay and keep you company while you do the folding when we get back. How does that sound?"

"Pass." Jeongguk said rudely and Taehyung closed his eyes grappling for his patience in the face of the boy's complete ingratitude.

"Ok. We don't have to go out if you aren't up for it. But you still have to do the laundry and the dishwasher."

Jeongguk just sneered and sidestepped him into the hall heading toward his room. Taehyung followed, grabbing his arm to stop him. "Don't just walk away in the middle of a conversation. It's rude. Now, please go and do your chores."

"Get off me." He snapped, pulling his arm free.

"I know you're upset but that's no need to be such a brat. I'm trying to help you." He admonished the boy, disappointment heavy in his voice.

"I don't want you help! I want Joon hyung." The moody hybrid snapped back.

"Well Namjoon's not here!" Taehyung finally snapped, the added stress of school and work combined with the resentment and jealousy he felt for the hybrid's careless owner and Jeongguk's painful rebuffs finally cracking his calm veneer.

"Is he? You know who is? Me! I'm here; day in, day out even though I have a million other things I'm supposed to be doing. Even though you've been nothing but rude and ungrateful and downright mean to me. I'm still here, trying to help you." He stalked forward aggressively and jabbed the smaller boy in the chest with an indignant finger, looking down at the hybrid in fury.

"So why don't you stop being such a obnoxious little brat and just do as your told for once because your precious Joonie isn't coming!" He snapped cruelly.

Jeongguk shrank back in the face of Taehyung's anger, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, his lower lip trembling and Taehyung cursed himself for lashing out like that. 

"Bun, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" But Jeongguk had already fled.

Taehyung gave both of them a minute to calm down before he followed the distraught hybrid into his room.

"Guk?" He called quietly, spotting the boy on his bed curled around the pillow that bore Taehyung's old t-shirt.

He sat down beside him and ran a soothing hand down his back, grateful when the boy doesn't shy away from the touch.

"I'm so sorry, Jeongguk. I shouldn't have said that. I had a very stressful week and I'd been looking forward to hanging out with you tonight. It hurt my feelings when you said you didn't want to spend time with me. But that's no excuse for raising my voice to you like that, or for saying those things about Namjoon. So I apologise."

"S'ok." The small voice was muffled by the pillow and Taehyung could tell it's hoarse from crying.

"No, bun, it's not. But I'd be grateful if you forgave me." He refuted.

"Ok." Jeongguk mumbled. "I forgive you."

"Thank you." He said sincerely. He bit his lip in indecision then asked hesitantly. "Hey, um, would you mind if I laid down with you? It's been a bad day and I could use a friend."

"Ok." Jeongguk whispered and Tae lowered himself behind the boy, wrapping an arm around him and pulling him into his body for comfort. Guk rolled in his arms, abandoning the pillow for the warmth of Taehyung's chest. "I'm sorry I was such a brat." He murmured.

"It's ok." Taehyung stroked down the younger's back soothingly and pressed a kiss against one of the velveteen ears. "You're hurting, baby, I understand. We'll do better tomorrow, hmm?"

"Yeah."

After a while he heard Jeongguk's breathing even out and felt the tension melt from his body as he tucked the dark head under his chin and while he cradled the sleeping boy in his arms he reminded himself to stay in control, be the man Jeongguk needed him to be. A man of honour who was worthy of his trust.

A/N Phew! Got over that small bump in the road. Tae's really going through it, poor baby!

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