[ᴏᴘᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴋ.ᴀ.ʀ.ᴅ][ʙ.ꜱᴇᴘʜ ᴀᴜ]

♤ 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮 ♤

♤ Operation Hide ♤

Matthew scrubbed his hands until they were raw.

He had such a hard time trying to get the blood off and even when it was gone he couldn't help but still see it there. As though Eric's blood was on his hands both physically and metaphorically. Like somehow this was his fault.

"Jin, are you okay?" Taehyung asked as he rapped on the door, checking up on the slightly younger male.

Matthew choked back a sob. He hated seeming weak, especially in front of Taehyung.

"I-I'm okay... I'll be out in a second." He managed.

He turned the water off and looked down at the borrowed clothes Taehyung had given him. Matthew sighed and took a deep breath before leaving the bathroom. Taehyung had stepped away from the door to avoid them colliding into each other. Taehyung grabbed Matthew's hand and dragged him to his room so they could be alone.

Matthew let go and went to sit on the bed. Exhaustion took over his body and he felt the need to lay back so he did. He stared at the ceiling aimlessly while Taehyung stared at him in confusion.

"What happened, Jinseok?" Taehyung asked worriedly, still unsure of the actual events.

Matthew groaned and closed his eyes. "It can't be real right?"

"Jinseok!" Taehyung snapped, mostly out of panic.

Matthew sat up and glared at the other male. "Everything was normal... I got up and did my usual things... There was an envelope on the table for someone named Matthew and so I looked at it. Just as I was looking at the stuff inside, Eric came running into the house. He was shouting at me to get out of the house and telling me to hide..."

Taehyung knelt down in front of Matthew as he listened intently. "Then what happened?"

"It's all a blur Tae... We were fine one minute and then all of a sudden there was a gunshot and Eric fell to the floor." Matthew felt the need to sob again but his eyes were still raw from earlier. "There was just so much blood."

"We have to call the police." Taehyung stated.

Matthew put his hands on Taehyung's shoulders. "We can't call the police."

"Your brother was murdered! We have to call them!" Taehyung raised his voice and stood up, putting his hands on his hips sternly.

Matthew grimaced and stood up. "And who do you think would be the first person they suspect? I fled the crime scene covered in blood!" Matthew snapped then took a deep breath to calm himself. He didn't want to be mad with Taehyung. "Tae, please... If you ever cared about me then you won't call the police."

"We can't do nothing though..." Taehyung said weakly. "Eric's body will still be there..."

"I didn't say I was going to do nothing... I was just saying let's not call the police. I'd rather not go to jail for something I didn't do." Matthew said calmly.

Matthew reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out the broken watch. He twirled it between his fingers as he studied it.

"What is that?" Taehyung asked curiously.

Matthew looked up and held it out to Taehyung. "It's a watch... It was in the envelope... Something tells me it's important in finding out whoever did this."

Taehyung looked over the broken watch. "Is it Eric's?"

"Eric told me to find someone named Somin... I think she is the one who it belongs to." Matthew informed him, leaving out the details of his dream.

"I want to help you." Taehyung said as he handed the watch back to him.

Matthew nodded. "Let me stay here, just for tonight. Just until I know what my next move is."

"Uh~ I only have one bed..." Taehyung said with a blush.

"I'll crash on the floor if sharing makes you uncomfortable." Matthew reassured him.

Taehyung blushed even more. "I-I don't mind sharing..." He whispered.

Matthew smiled softly at the slightly older male. "I owe you."

*****

"Tae, can you please stop shifting, it's making it hard to sleep." Matthew complained without opening his eyes.

Taehyung and Matthew were currently lying awkwardly on the edges of Taehyung's king single bed. There was barely enough room for the both of them but Matthew didn't actually want to sleep on the floor like he had suggested earlier.

Taehyung rolled over onto his side to face Matthew. "I'm sorry. It's just so hard to get comfortable."

Matthew opened his eyes and from what he could see in the dark Taehyung looked overly tired. His hair was a mess and his brown eyes shone with every flick of light that poured in the window from the passing cars. Matthew smiled at his best friend and suddenly wrapped his arms around him, pulling the older down onto his chest as he moved them to the middle of the bed.

"We don't have to sleep apart you know." Matthew whispered.

Taehyung was tense in Matthew's arms. He had no idea how to react and neither did Matthew. Matthew hadn't expected himself to destroy any barriers between them.

"I can leave if this makes you uncomfortable." Matthew said quietly.

Taehyung didn't relax but he did hug Matthew's waist suddenly. "Don't leave me..."

"Shouldn't I be the one begging you to stay?" Matthew chuckled.

Taehyung sighed. "You know, don't you?"

"It may have occurred to me recently but I didn't think anything of it." Matthew said hushly. "I didn't want to ruin our friendship since I don't know how I feel."

Taehyung played with the fabric of Matthew's shirt. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." Matthew said and squeezed him reassuringly. "I'm flattered and if it weren't for the situation I'm currently in, I would give it some serious thought to give you a definitive answer."

Things went silent between them. "Is this why I couldn't come to Drew's with you?" Taehyung asked, breaking the silence ten minutes later.

"Kind of... I was mostly freaking out because of Eric's constant teasing... It was stupid and I'm sorry. You're my best friend and I shouldn't treat you any differently because of how you feel."

"Ouch." Taehyung mumbled as he felt himself get friendzoned.

____________________
A/N - J.Seph stole my heart in Dumb Litty but omg I'm so proud of Matthew for producing such a fucking BOP!!
~Tyler