No Going Back

22

Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.
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The Art of War
Sun Tzu

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"Tae?"

For the first time in four days, Taehyung started to breathe easily again. The iron grip around his heart, the lead in his veins, and the fog clouding his mind all dissipated until he was left feeling light, loose, and alert. He had been so unexpectedly lost without Jungkook, but now, it was like that missing piece finally fell back into place.

Taehyung pushed the postcard he'd been holding into his pocket, his hand shaking. And then - finally - he reached out, his fingertips softly grazing Jungkook's arm. He needed to assure himself that this moment was real, that this wasn't an illusion of his fragmented mind. But as he savored the feel of the younger's swelling muscles beneath his hand, he knew this wasn't some dream.

Taehyung followed his heart . . . followed it back to the very person who held it in his hands.

"Hi, Kookie," he murmured in a low and unsteady voice. His fingers trailed lower, following the line of the younger's arm until their hands met.

Jungkook looked down at the contact, watching as their skin brushed together. "Tae . . .?"

"I missed you," Taehyung whispered, his eyes beginning to water as he studied every inch of the boy's face. While the younger looked the same, his features had a new weariness that wasn't there a few days ago. "I missed you and -"

"I missed you so fucking much, Tae," Jungkook cut him off, stepping out of the doorway to pull Taehyung into his arms. He clung to his waist, shoulders slightly shaking as he breathed against Taehyung's neck. "I was just thinking about you and now . . . and now you're here."

Taehyung drew their bodies closer, arms wrapping around the younger's neck and chests pressing together. The wild beating of Jungkook's heart crashed against his own, the feeling further proof that they were truly together.

"That's what angels do, right?" He asked against Jungkook's skin, lips dancing over the spot where his neck met his shoulder. "They show up when you need them the most."

"Angel," Jungkook whispered, the word sounding like a prayer on his tongue. He gripped Taehyung tighter, almost as if he wanted to fuse their bodies into one.

"Your angel," Taehyung agreed, finding it difficult to believe that the nickname once drove him crazy.

"Tae . . . What are you doing here? Is it all over?" The boy asked, hope evident in the inflection of his voice.

A lump formed at the back of Taehyung's throat as he shook his head. He should've known what his presence here would mean to Jungkook. After all, he did say that once everything was resolved and there was no more threat of danger, he'd come for him.

And yet . . . Nothing had changed. There were no new leads, and it all was still a mess.

So he pulled back, looking deep into Jungkook's misty eyes. "No. No, sweetheart. We still don't know who's behind all of this. But I found out that I'm leaving for Seoul tonight, and I couldn't go without seeing you again."

A trembling smile tightened the younger's lips, which appeared red from being bitten into harshly. "Oh. I thought that maybe . . ."

"I know," Taehyung answered, sliding his fingers through the hair at the nape of Jungkook's neck. "I know, Kook."

"Can you come inside?" Jungkook pleaded, eyes wide with vulnerability rather than their usual devilishly deviant twinkle. "Do you have time?"

Taehyung looked at him with longing. "Are you alone?"