wake me up |t.k|

four

His mother sighs deeply, her hand once more reaching for his.

"Chaerin Lee asked about you the other day, love.", she says.

"She came to the ballet studio, she asked me to tell you that she wishes you'll feel better soon. She's a mother now, did you know that? The most adorable little boy she had with her."

It happens often that people ask his parents about him, and ask them to pass on their wishes. Whilst it feels nice to be remembered, it feels odd, at the same time, because all those people that ask about him now never seemed to care much about him when he was still dancing. Still out there.

Still in the light.

Chaerin used to be his girlfriend.

The one he had until he realised that he was in love with dancing. His career meant more to him than her. He tried to balance love and work. But you couldn't really care to balance a relationship you didn't care for.

She had never really forgiven him for that.

His parents stay with him for the rest of the afternoon, chatting with him about this and that. His father gives him the latest news about the family business, and what his relatives who work with him are up to. There is news about his mother's ballet studio, about the people she's met.

Not once does his mother's hand leave him, always touching him somewhere, and she will kiss him so very often. On his forehead, on his cheeks.

Taehyung wants nothing more than to wake up.

It is the only wish he has.

Fortunately, Jeongguk is back the next day, and he's in a bitter mood.

"Fuck Yugyeom, honestly.", he hears Jeongguk mutter the moment the fairy steps into his room, and Taehyung's heart flies at the sound of his voice.

At the same time, he is concerned, for he knows that Jeongguk and Yugyeom are best friends, and he has no idea what the other man has done to make Jeongguk cross.

Jeongguk puts on his gloves, as Taehyung knows after hearing the lewd sound they make, and that means it's time to change the needles.

Taehyung hates needles.

"Thinks I can't do this on my own.", Jeongguk grumbles as he gets to work on Taehyung's arm with his usual carefulness. His fingers glide over Taehyung's skin, and Taehyung is sure this must be what God's touch feels like.

"This is, like, the only free night I've got in weeks and Yugyeom has nothing better to do than getting me a fucking blind date with a guy he knows from the gym."

A chilly shiver runs down Taehyung's spine at those words.

For one, because Jeongguk is having a date, and he hates it.

And because he now knows that Jeongguk is open to men and that alone makes Taehyung giddy and incredibly jealous at the same time.

He has dated several fitness models and those himbos could never deserve the actual fairy that is Jeon Jeongguk.

Taehyung is so upset that he does not even feel the needles change, and only as he hears Jeongguk fling the gloves into the bin he realises the dreaded procedure is already over.

"I fucking hate blind dates.", Jeongguk murmurs, more to himself than to anyone else, but Taehyung wants to yell that he hears him, that yes, dating sucks, and that he should never feel obliged to do something like that just because Yugyeom, that bloody enabler, has arranged it for him.

Jeongguk sighs and Taehyung hears the scraping of a chair being pulled across the floor and put down right next to his bed.

And then, there is Jeongguk's hand, taking his own, keeping it snug and warm.

Jeongguk's touch is always gentle, his hands bringing affection to everything they touch.

Love, reassurance, solace.

They are soft as they cup Taehyung's hand and caress his palm, running along his fingers, as if taking secret measurements for something only Jeongguk knows.

Taehyung wants to lace their fingers together, hold on to Jeongguk for eternity.

"I wish I could go out with you.", Jeongguk whispers.

"We'd be good together."

Taehyung beams, only for himself, for no one else to see.

They would be great together.