Still The Same | taekook ✔️

e p i l o g u e

[ love ]
0:58 ──♡───────── 3:47
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"On a scale of one to ten, how bad does it hurt?"

"Like a bitch."

Today the sun kissed the sidewalks a brilliant golden, as seen through the glass doors of the shop. Inside was warmer than usual. The air was filled with a familiar buzz of a machine, but Jeongguk was on the other end of the tattoo gun.

"You're doing better than I did though." Taehyung chuckled, leaning forward to kiss his lover's forehead.

Jeongguk puckered up his lips. "You missed."

"Did I?" Taehyung grinned, cupping both sides of his face gently and brushing their noses together before leaving yet another chaste kiss on Jeongguk's mouth.

"Too much PDA." Yoongi complained, though his eyes focused on controlling the needle jabbing at Jeongguk's skin. "I hate it here."

Jimin walked by casually and pecked his cheek. "Better?"

A small smile tugged on the corners of Yoongi's lips. "Better." He said before craning his neck forward to meet Jeongguk's eyes, "Bun, you wanna take a break?"

"Yes please."

"Five minutes then." Yoongi stopped and placed his tools down, a little too eager to head over to where Jimin was cleaning up the back room.

The grin was still intact on Taehyung's face and Jeongguk reached up to boop his nose. "Why're you so smiley?" The younger asked.

"I don't know." Taehyung answered, the skin near his eyes creasing when his smile took over, "Maybe because I can't believe you're doing this. I wanna see it so bad."

"Nah-uh." Jeongguk pressed Taehyung's shoulders down in case he decided to stand. "You promised you wouldn't look till it's completely finished."

"I know." The older rolled his eyes, taking Jeongguk's hands off his shoulders and placing both on his lap. "It's all so... fascinating. The anticipation is killing me though." He kissed the younger's knuckles, causing the little giggle-snort that escaped Jeongguk.

"Glad to know you're enjoying my suffering." Jeongguk said.

"I do have one problem though."

"What?"

Taehyung released one of Jeongguk's hands and reached up. "You're shirtless and anyone can see you through the glass door." He murmured, fingers tracing down the younger's bare chest. "All this is only mine." Taehyung bit his bottom lip to suppress a smirk, though that seemed to make the whole situation worse because Jeongguk shuddered beneath his deliberate touch.

The younger swatted his hand away, face flushed. "Pervert." He laughed, "At least now you know how I felt when I was tattooing you."

Taehyung faked hurt. "Did you just call me a pervert?" He whipped his head around to shout. "Jimin, Jeongguk called me a pervert!"

"Your point?"

Jeongguk started giggling again, nose scrunched up cutely.

"Hey you can't blame me-" Jimin continued defensively, momentarily forgetting that Yoongi had moved in with him. "I'm still haunted by the second bedroom in my apartment."

Yoongi furrowed his eyebrows. "What happened in my room?"

"Nothing!" Both Taehyung and Jeongguk exclaimed.

It had been months since that incident and Jimin would never let them live it down.

Taehyung leaned in to whisper by the younger's ear. "You think they fuck on the same exact bed?"

Jeongguk's eyes widened and his cheeks turned redder at the thought of his hyungs- "Yah, don't say that."

Taehyung flashed him his signature boxy smile, a joyous square strained against the rest of his features. "I love you." He said lightly, though it held the weight of the world.

"Mm," Jeongguk's lips curved into his own smile. "I think I love you more."

When Taehyung's in front of him, it's as if space became the finest point imaginable, as if time collapsed into one tiny speck and exploded at light speed. It's as if his universe began and ended with him. They could run forever and search forever, but they always ended up where they were supposed to be- right here in each other's presence.

I didn't matter how much of time and distance sat between them. Nothing's changed. It's still the same.

"Done." Yoongi announced, patting Jeongguk on his untouched shoulder. "You did great."

"Sheesh. Stings a little." Jeongguk noted.

Jimin peered over from behind his boyfriend. "Shit, Gguk. It looks amazeballs."

"Yeah?" The youngest said, delighted.

"Okay, I need to see it." Taehyung shot to his feet, walking around Jeongguk's seat.

Right there at the back of Jeongguk's right shoulder, was a beautiful pair of flowering scrub- Carolina-allspices. It bloomed with stiff, reddish petals that pointed in all directions, including directly into Taehyung's heart.

"How is it?" Jeongguk asked, concerned by the older's silence.

Almost immediately he felt fingers under his chin, angling his head upwards before he was met with a pair of warm lips.

"It's beautiful, baby." Taehyung whispered, "I can't believe you did this for me."

Jeongguk kissed him again, equally affectionate. "We match now."

"We do."

"So-" Yoongi started after bandaging up Jeongguk's shoulder.

"Wash with warm water and liquid soap." Taehyung grinned up at the older. "I remember." He said proudly before focusing back on his baby and flicking under his chin. "I'll take care of you, Ggukie, don't you worry."

Jeongguk smiled, expression soft, remembering every time Taehyung had proven himself capable. Those words had truly grown on him.

"I don't doubt that for a second."

And with Taehyung's birth flower permanently imprinted onto his skin, Jeongguk would have a piece of his lover wherever he went.

And they would never be separated. Ever again.

the end.
dear whoever's reading this. i love you more than words can express.

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