Snowflakes & Fireweeds

19. Step By Step

Jungkook threw his bag on the backseat and closed the door. Taehyung was still inside the house, doing whatever he needed to do. He was probably doing his fifth round already, checking if all the windows were closed and the blinds shut.
After another ten minutes of waiting and freezing his butt off, Jungkook huffed out an annoyed breath and walked back to the front door. He went inside and saw no sign of Taehyung. But he heard him shuffling around upstairs.
"Tae, baby, let's go! I'm sure everything is closed and safe!"
He didn't get an answer, but some seconds later Taehyung came down the stairs, Yeontan hot on his heels.
"Kookie! I'm not sure, did you check the door to the garage yet? Oh, did you CLOSE the garage? If someone comes in from there…"
His eyes were wide open, panic visible on his face. He looked so vulnerable, so anxious that Jungkook couldn't be annoyed anymore.
He stepped closer and pulled him into a hug.
"Tae, baby, it's okay."
He stroked through his hair, feeling the other relax.
"No one will come here, and I'm sure no one will try to break in. You've closed all the blinds and windows, you've locked all the doors. And so did I. The house is safe. It will still be as it is when we return next week."
"W-we?"
The question was just a whisper and Jungkook leaned back, puzzled. He was met with eyes just as confused as his.
"What did you just ask, Tae?"
"I… I was wondering if you really said 'we'."
"Uhm, yes? Why?"
"Because… I…. Well I thought you would stay there. And not come back."
Taehyung ducked his head as he said that, as if he was afraid of what was to come.
Jungkook's heart constricted. Did Tae really think he would let him go back alone again?
"Oh, Tae, no. I'm coming back with you of course!"
"B-but it's almost Christmas and I thought you want to stay with your family…"
Jungkook blinked. Right. It was almost the holidays, they were in the last week of November. He didn't even think about it.
"Oh, you're right. But I didn't plan to stay home. I want to spend the holidays with you! And there are about three more weeks before Christmas, so no need to rush anything."
Taehyung lifted his head and looked at him in surprise.
"You want to spend your holidays with me?"
Jungkook chuckled at his boyfriend's expression. He cupped his cheek and stroked it gently.
"Of course, you dummy. Who else would I want to spend my holidays with?"
He leaned in and gave him a nose rub,only to continue with a soft peck to his lips.
Taehyung let out an adorable little giggle, warming Jungkook's heart.
"Now, let's go, shall we? We need to get my car and I'm sure Jimin and Hobi are already getting ready for us."
Taehyung nodded and smiled, his cheeks tinted in a light blush.

They arrived at the workshop about one and a half hours later, paying for the fixing and driving both cars to Jimin's and Hoseok's house. They had agreed with the two friends to leave the truck there and take Jungkook's car to go back to his family.
As they arrived at the house, both dancers were just stepping out of the door.
"Ah, there you are!"
Jimin walked over and hugged them both.
"We thought you were not coming and we needed to head to the studio! We have some lessons before tonight."
Taehyung, who felt a little guilty for holding them up, opened his mouth to say something, but Jungkook beat him to it.
"Ah, I had just forgotten the time. I'm sorry!"
He looked at Jungkook in mild surprise and smiled at him gratefully. His boyfriend really was the sweetest.
They all agreed that the two would join Jimin and Hoseok for the lessons, so they jumped into Hoseok's car and drove to the studio, after leaving some luggage and Yeontan in the friend's apartment.
The dance studio was located in the middle of the town, close to the train station.
Fifteen minutes after they had entered, the first students arrived. The kids were around 4 and 5 years old, it was really sweet to watch how Jimin greeted them happily.
Hoseok was responsible for the older kids, but their lessons wouldn't start until the afternoon, so he locked himself into the office to do some paperwork. Taehyung and Jungkook didn't want to bother him, therefore they decided to stay in the studio, sitting down in the corner and watching the practice.
Taehyung was sat between Jungkook's legs, leaning into his boyfriend's broad chest. Jungkook had his arms wrapped around him, his head hooked on the older's shoulder.
Taehyung let out a content sigh. He felt safe. Jungkook was wrapped around him like a shell who would defend him from anything bad, Jimin was in his sight, lightening up his world with his happy and bubbly self, and he knew Hoseok was just one door away, ready to jump up and protect the younger ones, whenever there would be a need to. He closed his eyes and smiled. The sounds of the arriving students and their parents fading into the background for some time as he just enjoyed himself.
"You are pretty."
Taehyung opened his eyes, surprised of where the cute voice had come from. He looked at a little girl, about four years old, with bright green eyes and curly brown hair, that was tight back into a ponytail. She had a gymnastics leotard on in purple and magenta. She smiled a toothy smile that revealed her missing tooth in the front. She was adorable.
Taehyung felt Jungkook chuckle behind him and smiled at the girl.
"Well so are you, sweet cheeks."
She giggled and continued.
"Do you smooch him?"
She pointed at Jungkook, who was now suppressing a laugh.
Taehyung laughed and nodded.
"Yes, I do. He's my boyfriend."
She clapped her hands and jumped in excitement.
"I also have a boyfriend! His name is Timmy and I love to play games with him! We always play catch, but he's so fast and I never get him. BUT-but then I hide sometimes and surprise him, and then, then I catch him. But then he runs after me, and I really need to run fast because he is SO FAST!!!"
She was gesturing wildly along to her story, her eyes getting bigger, her squeaky voice getting louder. Taehyung and Jungkook giggled like crazy, finding the little one so adorable.
Suddenly a voice called out and the girl's excited face fell in horror.
"Sally! Sally, what are you doing?"
A woman appeared next to her, her hair as curly as the little one's.
She crouched down next to her and started apologizing, speaking just as fast and lively as her daughter.
"Ah, I'm so sorry. She just runs away sometimes and starts speaking nonsense. I've told her so many times to not do this! Ah, I'm sorry. Sally, really, you-"
"Julia?"
Taehyung had become rigid when he had recognized the voice. He wasn't sure at first, but the way she spoke was just the same as it had been so many years ago. So he had uttered her name.
The woman looked up from where she had been staring down ashamed, her eyes widening in surprise as well.
"Taehyung!"
He felt Jungkook's arms hugging him tighter and he was really grateful for it. The younger didn't know who that woman was, but he had immediately felt the way Taehyung was affected by her presence.
"Taehyung, what are you doing here?"
"I'm visiting my friend."
He pointed at the dance instructor. He was surprisingly calm for meeting someone from back then. Julia had been Jinah's best friend. They were inseparable, Taehyung had felt like he had had a second sister. After the accident she had been one of the friends who had visited him the longest. But he had felt so guilty, although she never said that it had been his fault. He had been sure that he had failed her and one day, after her trying to persuade him once again that it hadn't been his fault, he had kicked her out of the hospital room, screaming that he never wanted to see her again.
"I thought you left with your parents."
Her voice was soft now, all the things that had happened being mirrored in her eyes.
He shook his head.
"I didn't, how could I?"
His voice became high pitched, the memories hitting him once more. Jungkook pressed his lips to his neck, soothing the emotions.
Julia whispered something to her daughter and Sally nodded.
"It was nice meeting you, pretty boy! Bye!"
She waved, her toothy smile making a smile appear on Taehyung's lips. Then she turned around and ran to her dance instructor.
Julia sat down in front of Taehyung and Jungkook, looking down.
"I'm sorry I stopped visiting you."
Taehyung sat up in surprise.
"No, no, Julia! It was my fault! I told you not to return."
"Yes, but you needed someone. But then you were gone. And so were your parents. Everyone I asked said you had left together with your parents. Even Jimin and Hoseok said that."
Taehyung nodded.
"I told them to say that, if someone asked. I needed space, I wanted to be alone."
She looked up and a small smile played on her lips, her eyes directed at Jungkook, who was still wrapped around him, his guard.
"But you're not alone anymore."
Taehyung felt himself blush and looked down.
"Hi, I'm Jungkook."
Julia nodded.
"Hey, I'm Julia. Jinah's best friend."
Jungkook nodded as well, he knew the whole story after all, so no further explanation was needed.
They talked for some more minutes until Shelly called for her mother as the practice was starting and she wanted her to watch.
Julia waved at her and got up, dusting herself off.
"I hope to see you again soon, Tae. It was really good to see you."
Taehyung nodded and agreed. It had felt surprisingly good to meet her again.
"Oh, before I forget. Have you ever found out who had pulled you out of the car?"
Taehyung looked at her in confusion, his heart suddenly hammering wild in his chest.
"What?"
She blinked, puzzled.
"Who pulled you out of the car? Don't you remember? Someone had pulled you out and called the ambulance before they left. We never knew who it was. And you talked about some man while you were in the hospital. Didn't you find him?"
Taehyung slowly shook his head, trying to comprehend what he had just learned. Someone had pulled him out of the car? He couldn't remember. Who had that been? Why didn't he know about this? Why had that person not helped his sister and Mark?
He felt a panic attack bubbling up inside of him, and only faintly registered that Jungkook said something to Julia before she turned around and left.
Then strong arms were hugging him tightly again, a calm voice whispering words into his ear and warm lips massaging the skin on his neck and behind his ears.
He leaned back again and closed his eyes, trying to push the worries and panic away and focusing on Jungkook and the feeling he gave him.