teacher's pet | taekook

TwENTY TwO { hike }

"Can we go for a walk today?" Taehyung asked, peering up at Jungkook and batting his lashes like a coy flirt.

Jungkook gawked at him and smiled instantly. Taehyung hasn't willingly come this close to him since the incident, and Jungkook missed his presence more than anything.

"Of course, doll," he said without any second thought. "You haven't asked to go in a while. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"I dunno." He sat up straighter and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm starting to feel cooped up again. Fresh air would be nice; stretching my legs, moving around, you know."

"Sure. Would you like to go now or after lunch?"

"Um—" Taehyung glanced at the staircase. Yoongi told him to leave ASAP to give him as much daylight as possible. "—can we go now please?"

Jungkook's grin grew and he kissed Taehyung's forehead. "Of course, darling. Anything you want."

It's a half-plan he and Yoongi plotted yesterday. He would go on a hike, ask to use the bathroom in the middle of nowhere, and slip away from Jungkook when he's not paying attention. It sounded great. For the most part.

In the thick woods, Taehyung would easily lose Jungkook. But also, in the thick woods, he would likely get lost. He couldn't run along a trail to keep track of his location because the daylight and lack of coverage would lead Jungkook right to him. He would have to go off the trail and hope to run into something that promised people.

Thinking about it, it was a crazy idea. What are the chances of him choosing a direction where civilization happens to lie near? Probably not very high. But it's the only "plan" he's got right now, and he cannot spend another day here — he can't let Yoongi spend another day here.

Taehyung wasn't lying about the need for fresh air. Walking around outside, even with Jungkook's hand in his chaining him to reality, was more than relief.

"You're eager today," Jungkook joked as Taehyung practically dragged him down the trail.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked even though he didn't slow down in the slightest.

"No. Just cute." He grabbed onto Taehyung's other hand and pulled him back. He wrapped his arms around Taehyung's waist so his back was pressed to Jungkook's chest. They kept moving, waddling down the trail.

"This isn't efficient," Taehyung said. His voice came off with amusement but he was only half-joking, trying to play it cool. He couldn't stick this close to Jungkook if this was going to work.

"Mm, I know. I'm just trying to slow you down a little." He let go of Taehyung to instead stand beside him, slipping his hand in Taehyung's again. "We don't have to move so quickly. We have all day."

"I know." His jaw clenched as Jungkook gently squeezed his hand playfully, and Taehyung hoped he wouldn't notice.

Jungkook let Taehyung choose which trail they would take today, so of course Taehyung picked the one he's most familiar with. It's also the route where Taehyung has heard a stream nearby. He's never seen it before, but he knows it's there. Streams travel downhill. Downhill = civilization = escape.

Towards the end of the hike, Taehyung slowed their pace and listened carefully. When he heard the flow of water on rocks, he froze up. Jungkook turned to him, concern furrowing his brow, but he didn't ask any questions before Taehyung spoke.

"One sec', I gotta take a leak," Taehyung announced, carefully untangling his fingers from Jungkook's.

"Oh. Can you wait?" he asked. "We're almost back at the house."