Chapter Text
It is another warm spring day and Taehyung is late to open his shop. Not because of traffic, or because he dropped coffee on his shirt when he was about to leave. If those things were to ever happen, they wouldn’t make him late because he lives right above the shop. He’s late because sometimes he forgets he’s an adult with actual responsibilities and stays up really late watching dramas or reading (for the nth time) his favorites books. He’s late because he slept through his alarm. But that’s okay, right? He’s his own boss, it’s not like he’s gonna get fired or scolded.
The building was an inheritance from his grandfather, a gift left for him when both his grandparents passed away when he was sixteen. He’s always been closer to his mother’s family because they lived on the outskirts of the city, a 45 minute drive away. Gardening was something he and his grandpa did together a lot whenever Tae visited, and after the old man passed away it became his sanctuary. The one thing he could turn to whenever life got too much to handle or he just missed the comforting presence of his grandpa.
It was easy deciding he would work with the lady who ran the flower shop before him once he graduated high school. She had been renting the building for over 20 years and took him in as if he was her own grandson when he went to her looking for mentorship. She was the sweetest thing he’s ever known, Eunsuk was her name. Despite his grandpa actually being her landlord, their relationship was closer to a friendship than anything else. It felt a bit like still having him around, working with her. Once she retired and moved back home to be around her family, he moved in to the apartment on the second floor and took over the shop. The building wasn’t modern, but instead of looking old it had a nice vintage vibe to it. It was home for Taehyung, undeniably so.
He flies down the side stair of the building that grants access to the street where the shop entrance is located. In his hurry, looking down to sort through his keys to find the right one, he almost bumps into the form leaning against the building. Even though the man has his back turned to him, Taehyung knows immediately who he is. Looking at his watch he confirms that indeed it’s nine o’clock sharp, the exact hour of the day where Jeongguk will stop by with warm tea and a couple of bagels and spend at least half an hour distracting Taehyung from his job before leaving to go to his own. Which by the way Taehyung is still to find out what it is for sure, all he knows is that it must pay big money because the younger man looks like he’s really well-off.
Taehyung walks past him straight to the door and doesn't acknowledge him, knowing Jeongguk will follow him in as if he’s walking inside his own shop. It used to bother him, the nonchalant bordering arrogant attitude the other man held. It did until Tae realised it was more of an act that kept people from knowing his tender side. He’s never been anything other than gentle and caring towards Taehyung and this guaranteed a soft spot for him in Tae’s silly heart.
“Late again, Mr. Kim? What were you watching this time?” he asks as he makes himself comfortable sitting on the high stool in front of the counter. While Taehyung turns on the computer and the music system of the shop, Jeongguk pushes the cup of tea towards him, taking the bagel out of the paper bag.
“There was a rerun of Goblin on, I couldn’t not watch,” is the answer Tae gives him, knowing before looking up that it brought a soft sided smile to the younger’s lips.
When Taehyung finally looks up he’s hit once again with the realisation that Jeongguk is fucking handsome. His face is all about sharp lines such as his jawline and soft curves perfectly represented by his doe eyes and plush bottom lip. His cute bunny teeth make an appearance when he smiles and it makes Taehyung’s heart do things it shouldn’t be doing. It’s terrifying, really, the way he’s all insanely hot and still genuinely cute without even trying. Maybe Taehyung has a crush on him. Who wouldn’t?
It’s been two months since Jeongguk first walked into his shop and his days haven’t been the same ever since. Because the younger visits him every work day first thing in the morning. If he doesn’t come in the morning, he’ll stop by around one o’clock and they’ll walk to the cozy diner a couple of blocks away for a quick lunch. They talk about everything and nothing. They also flirt. They flirt a lot, but neither of them has ever made a clear move. Taehyung is not sure why. Jeongguk is more than open and confident about his interest in him, yet has never asked him out on a proper date. They have never seen each other outside of the shop or their occasional lunches. Taehyung is willing to drag this out for a bit longer, just to see how far they’ll keep the tension before one of them breaks.
“Do you intend to actually buy flowers today, Mr. Jeon, or are you only here to stare at me like a lovesick puppy?” Tae asks over the rim of his cup.
“I like the silver hair, it suits you. Makes you look like a fairy surrounded by all those flowers.” The childish glisten of his eyes doesn’t let him hide that he’s ignoring the question he was asked on purpose.
Taehyung can’t help but smile as well, playing along.
“A fairy, huh? And what would my fairy name be?”
“I do not speak fairy language, but I bet it would be something that means ‘beautiful creature’ or ‘prettiest fairy to ever exist’.”
“Being cheesy today, aren’t we?”
“So I’m not always cheesy? Am I not cheesy enough for you, Kim Taehyung? What's a man gotta do to earn some acknowledgment of cheesiness around here?” He waves his arms around as if speaking to an audience. It’s goofy and makes Tae’s chest tighten a little at how fond he is of said goofiness.
“Okay goofball, calm down. I’m really sorry I insulted you like this. You’re always cheesy, the cheesiest person I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet.”
“Oh but you haven’t gotten even close to the pleasing part yet,” he smirks and Taehyung feels his face growing a little warm.
“Will I ever?” The words are out before Tae can think twice. This is a dance for two.
“Wait and see, Pretty. Wait and see.”
After finishing the tea and the bagels, Taehyung cleans the counter and puts on his apron to actually work. While he trims some dry leaves from a little vase of lavenders, the two males keep chatting. Conversation flows easily with Jeongguk, he’s a great listener. It does help that his face seems to glow with genuine interest for everything Tae says. Even though the silver haired man is a notorious chatterbox, the younger hangs on to every word that comes out of his mouth and looks a little hypnotized by them. He feels comfortable speaking his mind to the other man, feels heard and appreciated. So he keeps blabbering while besprinkling water at the leaves of some other bigger plants, paying no mind to how much time has passed.
It’s the sound of the stool dragging across the floor that makes him turn around. He watches as Jeongguk stands up and checks his watch, a golden shiny thing on his wrist. The sleeves of his wine red dress shirt are rolled up to his elbows, showing off his tattooed forearms. Taehyung has yet to take a proper look at them to see what is inked there, but from afar he can state confidently that they are hot and that’s all he needs to know for now.
“I need to get going now. Don’t miss me too much, yeah? See you tomorrow, Pretty.” Jeongguk smiles and turns around to walk out the store.
“See you, Jeon!” Tae calls after him. He can’t help but to smile as well. He’s incredibly fond of the man.
He remembers the first time the brunette came by. He looked intimidating with his all black attire. His dress shirt had the first two buttons open and the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, just like they had been today. The tattoos covering his forearms made something hot run through Taehyung’s body. The black trousers were tight fitted, showing off the shape of his muscular thighs and just how thin his waist actually is. He looked mature with his hair slicked back and his closed off countenance. But that was just until he laid eyes on Taehyung and his eyes changed from silent observance to something between shock and curiosity. His whole demeanour changed from stern businessman to relaxed charmer, making him look a bit younger and softer.
Thinking about Jeongguk’s childish quirks and silly ways of approaching him, Taehyung now wants to laugh at how he ever thought the younger to be intimidating. It’s just the general vibe he gives off with his dark fine clothes and severe expression when he’s silent. Once he opens his mouth it’s easy to get to know his almost naive nature, amazement by the simplest of things shining through his eyes.
Taehyung goes on about his day, taking care of his flowers and serving customers. He takes great pleasure in it, helping people build something beautiful to gift those they love. From intricate arrangements to the simplest of bouquets, he loves listening to the stories his clients often tell him. He has heard it all, from the joy of finding out a whole new person is on its way to life to the remorse of bringing flowers to the funeral of a long lost lover. By the end of the day he always feels like he’s done something, has had an impact on someone’s life and it leaves him feeling contented.
He doesn’t have many friends, just a few acquaintances from workshops he has attended or people he has worked with before. His only actual friend, someone he’s known for a long time and holds great affection for, is Park Bogum. They’ve been friends since high school and remained so after it was over. It wasn’t easy losing his grandparents, but having a friend that took such good care of him by his side made a huge difference. Bogum is older by one year, and took upon himself the task of making sure Tae was always healthy, happy, and not struggling too much with anything. Even when he was in college working hard to become a journalist he would find the time to stop by the flower shop and make sure the younger wasn’t overworking himself and was eating and sleeping well.
It’s around six in the evening when he starts to close down the shop and is done for the day. He walks up the stairs slowly, dying for a warm shower. Entering the apartment he goes straight to the kitchen to boil water to make some tea. Once the teapot is on the stove, he walks towards the bathroom and turns the shower on, waiting for the water to run hot. He scrolls through Twitter while he waits, enjoying some good old cat memes. Perhaps he should adopt a cat, have someone waiting for him at home when the day is over.
He checks the water temperature and it’s warm enough so he hops in the shower. He washes his hair and his body with vanilla scented products. He loves flowery smells, but he spends his whole days surrounded by them so in the process of getting off work, he also gets rid of the flower scents. It’s relaxing and he feels the tension leaving his body. He feels warm and sleepy.
He changes into his pajamas and decides to order some food, feeling too lazy to cook anything other than instant noodles. There’s an old movie on, one he’s sure he has watched when he was a teenager but can’t remember the title of for the life of him. He watches mindlessly, his thoughts all over the place. It’s about three hours later when he’s well fed and has watched two movies that he musters up the last of his strength to go to bed.
Settling himself under the sheets, he wiggles around getting comfortable. Having gone to bed so late last night makes him feel heavily tired now. Before his eyes close for the night he catches a glimpse of the bracelet on his left wrist, a gift from Jeongguk two weeks after they first met. He feels his lips stretching into a wide smile and he slips into unconsciousness like that.
➼
Waking up is a much more enjoyable affair after a good night of sleep. Taehyung feels well rested after going to bed at an appropriate hour. He even wakes up before the alarm goes off. He sits on the edge of the bed, stretching his arms up and basking in the sunlight pouring through the curtains. Being early means he can take his time showering to get ready for the day. Washing his face and brushing his teeth are two small things he really appreciates doing as a part of his routine.
He doesn’t bother making breakfast, hasn’t done so for the past two months having in mind Jeongguk brings it to him almost every morning. He skips down the steps of the stairs and just when his clock hits eight o’clock, he’s turning the key on the shop’s lock to start the business day.
He follows through with his morning ritual, putting on his apron and turning on the computer and the music system. He walks around the store trimming dead leaves and besprinkling water over the flowers. He looks up his schedule for the day and gets on with making the arrangements that are being picked up or delivered today. Time flies when he’s working.
His phone reads 9:07am when the bell above the front door chimes and he turns around excited to see his daily visitor. He deflates a little upon the realisation it’s actually a client. Which is crazy, he should be happy to see a customer walking in. But said customer does not have big round doe eyes and adorable bunny teeth so he’s gonna cut himself some slack for that. He’s more than aware of the feeling of disappointment in his chest about only getting to see Jeongguk during lunch time.
After tending to his client, he goes to the back room and grabs two granola bars and a bottle of water from the minibar. It’s gonna have to be enough to keep him running until lunch. His morning remains uneventful, his human interactions limited to Geunwook, his hired delivery boy.
It’s when his phone reads 1:27pm that he starts to actually worry. Jeongguk has never missed a single day of stopping by, nor has he ever been a minute late. Maybe Taehyung should text, check up on him. Still, it’s not like the younger owes him explanations on his whereabouts. They are friends and that’s it. Even calling their weird dynamic a friendship is a bit of a stretch. What does Taehyung actually know about Jeongguk besides his favorite drink being banana milk and his strong belief of soulmates being a real thing with red strings and shit?
Rationalizing the situation doesn't stop anxiety from making his heart speed up and a thin layer of sweat to cover up his hands. He takes deep, steadying breathes to clear his head. It’s very likely the brunette is just busy with work and didn’t have the time to stop by or to reach out. He repeats this very same thought over and over like he’s chanting a mantra to keep his cool.
Two hours later and still no sign of Jeongguk. He decides to text then, fuck whatever etiquette rule he’s breaking by doing so. He settles for a casual ‘hey, Jeon’ and puts his phone away to get back to work. Trying to focus on the task at his hands seems impossible when all of his attention is directed to his phone. He hears the ping of an incoming text and his hand flies out to grab the device before he even thinks about it. His heart drops when he sees it’s actually Bogum asking if he’s free tonight. He can’t bring himself to act normal and answer his friend so he just puts his phone away again and decides to answer later.
The day seems to drag itself so slowly Taehyung feels his sanity slipping away from him. Every hour that ticks by without knowing where the hell Jeongguk is feels a little like torture. He thinks maybe his feelings for the younger run a little deeper than a harmless crush or uncontrollable fondness. It doesn't make sense, there is nothing concrete about them for him to get attached like this. But feelings have never been about making sense, have they?
When it’s time to close the shop he decides to stay down there instead of going home in case Jeongguk shows up. He turns the door sign, leaving the ‘CLOSED’ side facing the street, but keeps the lights on and waits. He sits behind the counter chewing on his cuticles, there are no nails left for him to bite off. He feels his phone burning his thigh through the fabric of his jeans, extremely aware of how silent it is now that business hours are over and there are no clients reaching out. He prays to whoever is out there ruling the universe that Jeongguk texts back so he can go home and rest.
Hours that feel like weeks pass by. Just when Tae is turning off the computer to close the shop for real he hears the bell chiming and looks up with such great relief running through his body that he feels dizzy. The feeling turns into something cold running through his veins when he takes in the sight in front of him.
“H-Hey.” It’s Jeongguk, but his voice sounds so breathless and strained it’s almost unrecognizable.
He runs his eyes through the younger’s body and the air is knocked out of his lungs. There is blood everywhere and he thinks he’s gonna be sick. He steps closer, incapable of stopping himself. Jeongguk is pressing one of his hands to his side where a red stain seems to be growing on his white dress shirt. It’s not the only blood stain though. The whole shirt is splashed with shades of red and brown where there’s blood already drying. It’s all Taehyung can see: blood blood blood.
Scanning the brunette’s face makes him nauseous with concern. There is a nasty gash on the corner of his bottom lip with dried blood all over it, a big bruise is blooming on the left side of his face and blood runs down from a cut on the right side of it. He’s smiling though. It’s a tight lipped smile but it’s there. It looks very unnatural, and Taehyung wonders if Jeongguk is trying to downplay his state to calm him down. It warms his heart, that the younger is thinking of him instead of worrying about himself and the thought snaps him out of his trance.
“Jeon… Jeon, what the hell happened? Are you okay?” His voice is shaking. “I’m gonna take you to the hospital, come on. Were you mugged? We can call the police on the way there.”
Taehyung steps forward but Jeongguk steps back. Jeongguk’s smile is gone just like that.
“I’m not going to the hospital. I can’t go to the hospital.” His tone is final.
“What do you mean you’re not going to the hospital? You’re fucking bleeding! You’re not dying on my doorstep, Jeon. We’re going to the hospital.”
When Taehyung motions towards him once again, Jeongguk brings forward the hand he was hiding behind his back, the one that isn’t pressing the bleeding cut on his stomach. He’s holding a gun, a silver shiny piece of metal that reflects light like a damn piece of jewelry.
Taehyung is at a loss of words, did not see that coming. The shock he feels must be showing on his face because Jeongguk hides it again and shrinks himself against the threshold as if to look less threatening.
“What the fuck is that?” is all he can ask, eyes glued to where it’s hidden.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, Tae,” he rushes to say. He looks pained, as if the whole exchange is taking too much of his exhausted body.
“I know you’re not gonna hurt me. God knows why I believe that right now, but I do. I wanna know what the fuck you are doing bleeding on my doorstep with a gun in hand. Are you fucking Don Corleone or what?”
Jeongguk laughs at that, but it’s huffed out and humorless.
“Close enough,” is all he says.
Taehyung has lost his mind, has gone fucking insane. He should be calling the police right now, running through red lights to get Jeongguk to the hospital as soon as possible. Instead they are having a staring contest.
“I’m not feeling my best. Can I come in?” the younger says after a couple of minutes.
“No.” Taehyung's answer is out before he can formulate what he actually wants to say.
A flash of hurt and rejection goes through Jeongguk’s eyes, but it’s there for just a second before his face hardens and he schools his expression into something cold.
“Okay then, I’m sorry I show-”
“No. I mean, not here. Let’s go upstairs so I can clean you up at least.”
Relief washes over Jeongguk’s face as he steps outside so Taehyung can lock the door, his fingers shaking when he inserts the key in the lock. From the corner of his eyes he sees the younger tucking his gun on the back of his trousers, under his black suit. It feels surreal that this is happening right now. Of all the possible outcomes of this day, this was not one Taehyung was counting on.
Once they are inside his apartment he turns the lights on and goes straight to the bathroom. He needs some cold water on his face right now, he needs to calm down and think about what the hell he’s gonna do now. He’s not a doctor, what does he know about treating wounds. Returning to the room with his first aid kit in hand, he finds Jeongguk still standing by the door.
“Welcome to my humble abode. Come on, let me take a look at this.” He turns to go to the kitchen and gestures for the other man to follow him.
He puts the kit on the table and goes to the sink to wet a clean towel with warm water. Jeongguk follows suit, grabbing a chair and sitting by the table. With the wet towel in hand Taehyung sits in front of him.
“Come here, I’ll clean your face first.”
The younger scooches to the edge of the chair and juts his neck so his face is inches away from Taehyung's. The bruises and the blood do nothing to affect Jeongguk’s beauty. If anything else, they add a tragic note to an otherwise innocent looking face.
Taehyung cleans the dried blood off the cut on his cheekbone first, touching his chin gently to keep him still. He focuses his eyes on the cut to avoid staring back at the dark eyes fixated on his face. He moves to the lips next, noticing just how plush the bottom one actually is and just how pale it looks right now. He gets lost on the way the younger’s lips move when he pats it with the towel for a second. When there’s no trace of blood on both wounds, Tae pats them with healing ointment soaked cottons. Jeongguk hisses a little when the medicine touches his raw skin, but makes no move to back away. Once the cuts are covered in ointment, Taehyung puts band aids on them. He backs away a little to take a look at his work and deems it satisfying enough.
Now he needs to take a look at Jeongguk’s stomach, but there are at least 16 reasons going through his mind for him not to do that. First, he’s pretty sure he’s not ready to see the bloodied cut that was open there. Second, Jeongguk’s gonna need to be shirtless for that to happen. He sure as fuck is not ready for that either.
Still, he sucks it up and tells the younger to stand up anyway. He’s not a horny teenager. He’s in control of his hormones and he’s gonna survive being so close to a shirtless Jeongguk. He will, right?
“Can you remove your shirt for me?” Tae feels the blood rush to his face the moment he says the words.
“Wow, Kim. Didn’t take you for the bold kind.” The smile is clear as day in his voice, but it’s gone from the younger’s lips as soon as he shrugs his shoulders to remove his suit. His face pales even more in pain and for a second it looks like he will pass out.
“Do you need help with that?”
“Yes, please.”
Taehyung approaches him carefully, removing the suit jacket from his left arm first. He does it ever so carefully, afraid of hurting the younger even more. For a second he thinks about just how absurd it is that he’s undressing a beat up and bleeding Jeongguk in his kitchen when just yesterday he was thinking about how they have never been on an actual date. He goes to remove the piece of clothing from his right arm now, trying to move slowly but steady, afraid of doing anything to add to the other man’s pain. Once the jacket is off he folds it over back of one of the chairs.
He steps back and watches as Jeongguk starts to unbutton his shirt, tugging it out from the waistband of his pants once it’s fully open. He keeps his eyes down, avoiding Taehyung’s. The silver haired man approaches him again. He prepares himself to look down, but what he sees is even worse than what he had imagined. Because all across Jeongguk’s torso there are huge purple bruises darkening by the minute. Taehyung can’t help the tear that rolls down his face, but he chooses to ignore it in favor of getting this over with.
He takes the towel again and starts to scrub off the dried blood around the cut.
“It’s not as bad as it looks, most of the blood on my shirt is not even mine. I’m fine, Tae.”
Taehyung ignores his words and keeps scrubbing gently at his stomach, eyes fixed on his own hands to avoid looking anywhere else. He feels Jeongguk holding his hand still and looks up.
“Please trust me, I’m fine.” His eyes are pleading.
“You’re not fine, you’re hurt,” Taehyung mumbles before going back to cleaning the wound. Once the dried blood is off, he takes a closer look at the cut. It doesn’t look deep, it’s not even bleeding anymore.
“I don’t think you’ll need stitches for that. It’s your luck because the nurse I keep here for this exact kind of situation is out on vacation,” he tries to joke but the tension he feels seeps through his words.
“I won’t need stitches, it was barely a scratch. What is actually hurting is the bruise around it.”
Taehyung pretends the words don’t make his stomach twitch in agony and grabs the ointment to cover the wound up. Once he’s sure it’s all clean and set, he grabs gauze and tape to bandage Jeongguk up. He covers the cut with the curative, making sure it’s well taped so it doesn’t come off when the younger moves. He grabs a strip of bandage and wraps it around the other’s waist, going around it twice to keep it tight, joining the ends with tape.
He looks up and meets Jeongguk’s eye, which is focused on his face. They stare at each other for three heartbeats. Taehyung realizes they are standing too close to each other, their legs pretty much intertwined. They are the same height, but with the way the younger is leaning with his hip resting on the sink, he looks an inch shorter. Just when he’s about to pull away so he can breathe properly, Jeongguk flies his hand out to his waist and keeps him there. Taehyung watches with bated breath as the younger leans his forehead forward to rest it against his own.
For a couple of seconds he doesn’t know what to do. But then he feels the adrenaline rushing out of his body and gives in to the touch. He feels tears on the verge of rolling down his face as he puts both his hands on the younger’s neck, linking his fingers there. Jeongguk pulls him in with his free arm and they stand there, just breathing each other in. Tae’s chest feels tight. It’s the very first time they are openly touching each other, aside from the fleeting accidental touches they’ve shared before. It’s not the ideal situation but it feels nice all the same. Taehyung feels warm all over, his skin tingling where it touches Jeongguk’s.
“Tae…”
“Hm?” Taehyung doesn’t look up.
“Can I… can I kiss you?” His voice is hesitant, devoid of all the confidence Tae is used to.
The older’s eyes fly open at that and he stares at Jeongguk looking for something but he doesn’t know what yet. He hesitates for a second, until he realises he wants that. He wants to get lost for a minute and feel something that isn't panic take over his mind.
He nods his head slowly and closes his eyes, waiting.
Seconds later he feels lips touching his own. It’s soft at first, Jeongguk moves his lips in a slow maddening pace as if giving Taehyung the chance to escape. When Taehyung presses back he feels the younger grip tighter at his waist and let out a shaky exhale. He moves a few inches forward closing the distance between them. It becomes intense from there. He feels Jeongguk’s tongue running across his bottom lip and parts his mouth to let him in. It’s hungry, the way they devour each other. Their little dance goes from a salsa to a tango and Taehyung feels dizzy for air but has no intention of pulling away.
He runs his fingers through the younger’s hair and rests them there, afraid of gripping it hard enough to cause pain. Their tongues keep dancing around each other for maybe a minute more before Jeongguk pulls away to gasp for air, resting his wet lips on Tae’s forehead. One single tear escapes and rolls down his face. He feels the younger’s shaky fingers wiping gently at it.
The moment is broken by the sound of the buzzer going off.
They stare at each other for a couple of seconds before the older pulls away to see who is it.
“Stay here,” he tells the younger before going to the monitor installed beside his door to check the camera.
It’s Bogum, standing there with takeout bags in hand.
Fuck.
He presses the button that allows him to speak to his visitors.
“Hey Bogumie!” He hopes his voice doesn’t sound as panicked to Bogum as it sounds to his own ears.
“Hey Tae. Can you let me in? I brought some soup from that place you like.”
If it isn’t his lucky day. He hacks his brain for a plausible excuse to send Bogum away.
“I… I’m sick. I’ve got a nasty cold.” It’s the best he can do right now.
“What? Let me in then, the soup will help. I’ll make you some tea.” Bogum looks worried now.
“No, it’s okay. I don’t wanna pass it on to you. It’s best if we see each other some other time, I don’t want you to get sick too.”
“Are you sure?” he answers and he doesn’t look convinced at all.
“Yeah, yes.”
“Okay then. Come grab the soup at least, it will be good for you.”
Thank god Bogum is too nice to push Taehyung any further.
“I’ll be right there.”
He turns to look at Jeongguk only to find him already staring back. There’s something dark in his eyes, something Taehyung has never seen there before and doesn’t know what to make of.
“I need to go downstairs. It won’t take long.”
He’s putting his shoes on when he feels Jeongguk behind him. He turns and finds the younger closer than he expected, with his yellow sweater in hand.
“There’s blood on your shirt.”
Taehyung looks down and there are indeed small stains over his shirt, the sight making him a little nauseous. He thanks the brunette and puts the sweater on to meet Bogum.
Once he gets to the door downstairs, the sound of it being opened causes his friend to turn around with loud concern in his eyes.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” He steps closer but Taehyung raises his hand to stop him.
“I’m fine, I swear. Don’t come too close so you don’t catch it.”
“Are you sure? You look pale, Tae. I can take you to the hospital if you need.”
Taehyung feels guilty about lying but right now the only thing in his mind is the fact that he just kissed a very possible criminal and he doesn’t know how he feels about that.
“It’s okay. I’m okay, I swear. I’ll call you if I need anything, don’t worry.”
“Yeah, alright. I brought enough for the two of us, but I’ll leave it all to you. Drink a lot of water and rest, okay? Please call me if you need anything.”
“I will. Thank you!”
Bogum hesitates a little, but turns around and leaves anyway. Taehyung lets out a breath of relief and goes back upstairs.
He finds Jeongguk on the couch, illuminated by the dim light of the TV.
“I have soup. I’m gonna heat it up for the two of us. Do you want to clean yourself up in the bathroom? I’ll grab you some clothes.”
“Yeah, that would be nice.” Jeongguk gets up and goes to the bathroom.
Taehyung finds him a pair of sweatpants, a big t-shirt he judges wide enough to fit the younger comfortably and a pair of boxers. He puts the clothes on the bathroom sink while the brunette adjusts the water temperature.
“The towel on the hanger is clean, you can use it. I hope you don’t have any strong feelings on borrowed underwear.”
Jeongguk huffs out a laugh at that.
“I don’t. It’s more than fine.” He smiles at Taehyung, showing off his bunny teeth and Tae is a goner.
When he turns around to leave the bathroom he’s stopped by a hand holding his wrist. Looking back he meets Jeongguk's hesitant eyes.
“Thank you, Tae.”
“It’s just clothes.”
“No, not that. I mean, that too. But thank you for everything. For not calling the police on me. For not freaking out or judging me at first. I’m gonna explain everything to you. Just not right now, but I will. Thank you for trusting me and taking care of me.” The younger’s voice is gentle, as if trying to prove how much his words are true.
Taehyung’s throat feels constricted with emotion.
“You’re welcome. It’s nothing, really.”
“It means a lot to me.” With that he lets go of Tae’s hand and turns around to get rid of his clothes. He puts the gun Taehyung had forgotten was there on the sink and starts to unbutton his pants. Tae leaves the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
In the kitchen he leans on the sink for a while, gripping the edge of it trying to ground himself a little. His mind runs miles a second and he feels the sudden urge to scream. Instead he turns the tap on, splashing cold water on his face. It helps his mind to quiet down a bit and he feels more like himself.
He makes himself busy warming up the soup. When it’s done he puts the bowls with the hot liquid on the center table in the room and goes back to the kitchen to grab some water. He hears the water being turned off and listens attentively for any signs that the younger might need help. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later he hears his name being called.
He knocks on the bathroom door and waits for an answer. Jeongguk opens the door and he’s half dressed, holding the t-shirt towards Taehyung, all blood gone from his body.
“Can you help me with that? I can’t raise my arms.”
“Sure.”
Tae grabs the shirt and helps him put his right arm through the sleeve first seeing this is his most injured side. Then Taehyung guides the neck of the shirt over his head before moving on to the left arm. He bunches up the fabric of the shirt carefully and guides Jeongguk’s left arm through the sleeve making sure he doesn’t need to raise it too high. When he pushes the shirt down to cover the younger’s torso, his fingers brush lightly at his abdomen and he feels the muscles there constrict against his touch.
Once the shirt is on and in the right place, Taehyung looks at the brunette’s face and he can see he looks a little paler than before, breath coming out ragged and laboured. He must be in a lot more pain than he lets on.
“You need to have your ribs checked. There could be something broken there.”
“It’s fine. It hurts but it’s not broken. I’m fine.” He smiles and it’s tight but genuine. Taehyung’s heart calms down a little at that.
Jeongguk tucks his gun in the back of his pants again and the motion makes Tae a little nervous. He’s wary of the thing, knows its presence means Jeongguk doesn’t feel safe. The younger follows him to the room, sitting down slowly on the couch. Tae hands him one of the bowls and grabs the other for himself. He notices the younger needs to make a bit of effort to bring the spoon to his own lips, but he looks fine and determined to do this on his own so Taehyung focuses on his own food. The first taste of the soup has him realising he’s actually starving and before he can stop himself, he’s moaning around the spoon on his lips. It’s embarrassing, really. But Jeongguk doesn’t react except for the little twitch of his lips into a smile. Taehyung decides they are well past being embarrassed about something like that having in mind the events of the night.
After the food is consumed Jeongguk motions to get up and clean the table, but Taehyung stops him and takes the empty bowls and bottles to the kitchen. He rinses the bowls lazily and decides it’s okay to leave them for tomorrow.
Back in the room he finds the younger watching TV with unfocused eyes, as if he’s not really seeing what’s in front of him. The emptiness in his eyes sends chills down Taehyung’s spine. The older man leaves him alone and goes to his bedroom. He changes into his pajamas and grabs an extra comforter and pillow for Jeongguk. He puts them on the bed and goes back to the room.
“Come on, Jeon. You’re taking the bed.” Jeongguk startles a little at the sound of his voice.
“No, the couch is fine. I can sleep just fine here. You take the bed.”
“You’re hurt. The bed is gonna be way more comfortable for you. You’re not gonna fight me on this one.” Taehyung hopes his eyes show just how serious he is about this. He doesn’t know why but it’s of great importance right now that he knows for sure Jeongguk is safe and comfortable.
Apparently it works because the younger stands up and goes to his bedroom. He rummages through the cabinet in his bathroom and finds painkillers there. He takes them to Jeongguk with a glass of water. He finds the brunette sitting on his bed, taking off his watch and his tiny hoop earrings, putting them on the bedside table.
“Here, I think those will help you sleep.” He hands the pills over and Jeongguk swallows them dry, taking a small sip of the water moments later. Taehyung takes his eyes away as the younger takes his gun from his back and tucks it under the pillow.
Taehyung moves forward and pulls the covers off the bed so the younger can lay down. He does so slowly, grimacing a little when his head hits the pillow. He closes his eyes for a moment and breaths out haggardly. Tae hopes the medicine is enough to help him sleep through the night. When he turns around to leave the room he’s stopped by Jeongguk speaking up.
“Can you stay?” Jeongguk asks and Tae’s heart clenches tight inside his chest. He turns around to face the brunette. “I’m sorry to ask, it’s okay if you’re not comfortable. I just don’t wanna be alone right now.” His voice is small, as if admitting needing someone else is a source of great shame for him.
He looks so vulnerable it makes the older man’s eyes feel wet with unshed tears. Taehyung hesitates for two seconds before motioning his hand for the younger to move aside and make room for him on the bed. They both lay on their sides, facing each other. Jeongguk’s eyes are heavy with exhaustion and his face is as pale as a ghost. He closes his eyes and a couple of minutes later his breath evens as he falls asleep. It’s hard for Tae to take his eyes away from the sleeping man. He’s got dark circles under his eyes and his lips are a light shade of blue. It makes anxiety spark in Taehyung’s chest. They should’ve gone to the hospital, Jeongguk lost a lot of blood and even now Taehyung’s not sure the cut on his stomach has completely stopped bleeding. He keeps staring at the other’s face, looking for any signs of pain or that he’s somehow feeling worse.
Taehyung falls asleep like that, wondering what the hell he’s going to do with the man beside him.