Young & Restless ✓

A N C H O R M E

In which taekook get to the root of their respective problems and find that holding each other close is what they need when they feel like pushing everything away

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Jungkook entered Taehyung's apartment quietly, the rustling of the takeout bag in his hand the only thing alerting his boyfriend of his return.

The younger took off his shoes before walking into the kitchen and freeing his hands. He heard Taehyung's voice, but the professionalism of his tone had suggested that he was speaking to someone else.

Jungkook poured himself a glass of water and observed the elder from where he sat in the living room talking.

The guys had left about an hour before that, and he figured going to pick up dinner would give them both some, much needed, time to think. His boyfriend's outburst had been weighing heavily on his mind. Of course, he had reason to be annoyed, but so did Jungkook and he definitely wasn't angry enough to shout like the elder had. Whatever annoyance he might've been feeling was obliterated when he reached out and was denied by the boxy-smiled man. Surely he couldn't have been that offended by Jungkook calling his place messy.

It was messy, but it was also cozy as the elder had argued. It had color and warmth whereas his own was stark and bare.

Truthfully, Jungkook knew that it made more sense to move into the elder's place, but it was already a home. The people in his life always made a space for him that he was never entitled to-one that wasn't originally intended for him. Jungkook never really had a home of his own after his parents died. Quite frankly, the younger had been looking forward to creating that, for the first time in what felt like centuries, with Taehyung.

"Yes, we'll see you on Monday to continue filming. Goodbye." The elder removed the phone from his ear and ended his call before turning to look at Jungkook.

The creases between his brows had softened and his jaw was no longer clenched uncomfortably tight. Taehyung had honestly just looked tired. Like being in that apartment and facing whatever happened earlier was the last thing he wanted to do.

"You brought chicken feet. You hate chicken feet." Taehyung commented matter of factly, without any hint of playfulness or a bite to his voice.

"I never said I hated it. I just don't eat it because it's fattening and super greasy-you know skin is already horrible." Jungkook corrected as the elder crossed the room to where he was.

"So why'd you buy it then?" The elder asked, but the look on his boyfriend's face had long since answered his question.

"Because you love it...and I-I wanted to cheer you up..." Jungkook admitted albeit bashfully.

Taehyung came around the island that separated them with his arms folded and his eyes sparkling slightly with mirth.

"You'd really risk a breakout for me?" The elder asked with a smirk that made the invisible strings on Jungkook's heart clench and his hands itch to touch him.

"I'd do anything for you Taehyung-ah, you know that." The younger said with an exasperated sigh that broke the air of playfulness that Taehyung had tried to construct.

"Yeah, I know." The elder replied noncommittally as he reached around Jungkook to peek into the bag.

"I'm serious. I'll leave my place tonight if that's what you want." Jungkook offered with an edge of desperation to his voice that made Taehyung's fabricated nonchalant attitude waiver.

"Mine is messy. You wouldn't like it here." The elder responds with a click of his tongue.

He knew it was petty to take a jab at the comment that the younger made in a moment of haste, but he couldn't help feeling thwarted by it.