Lovers In Venice • VKOOK ✓

XIII. CITY OF PROMISES

ˏ 𓏧 𓏲 𓏲 𓏲 𓋒 𓏲 𓏲 𓏲 𓏲 𓏧 ˎ

"Hey," A strand of brown hair was removed from Jeongguk's face for Taehyung to look at him better, big eyes glistening under the light of the approaching dawn. They'd been together for the night entire, not willing to leave the bed as if they felt a staggering curse would hit them if they did, one that implied terrible losses.

"Hey," Jeongguk talked back, fighting the urge to cry at the sight of his lover being so breath-takingly beautiful, golden complexion basking in the sunlight creeping from outside. His beauty was truly out of this world, inhuman even and it seemed to shine even brighter when Jeongguk was around.

"I wish I could stay like this forever." Taehyung sighed, robbing Jeongguk of his own words as he was about to say the same thing.

The boy looked at him perplexed. "Now forever is a very big word coming from your mouth, boy." He grinned, tilting his head to the side, trailing his lip with his tongue in a way that never failed to make him aroused.

"Mmh, and why is that?" Taehyung leaned closer to him, causing him to retract slightly.

"I told you, this couldn't last." Jeongguk replied with a sigh. "I'm on my last life and you're on your first."

Taehyung did not seem to take him seriously. "Damn, you're cynical." He shot back, angsty "Is it because you think I'd leave you over some other man or woman? Is this what you think of me?" He spoke, offended. So he took Jeongguk's hand in his, voice soft. "Then just know, I would never, ever do that. The things I've found in you they... They don't even begin to compare to what I see in other people. You're special Jeongguk, you're..."

"Here comes the cheesy part." Jeongguk chuckled, giggling at his own joke, scrunching his cute button nose. "That's not a good enough reason to have me stay. Not that there is one actually, anyway."

"Hey, a boy has to dream." Taehyung retorted, head buried in the crook of the younger's neck, breathing in his lovely scent. 

He heard Jeongguk say "Did I make you happy Taehyung?" His voice was soft, velvety almost.

Taehyung felt a harrowing sense of sadness grip him "Of course you did, angel. You made me the happiest man on earth." He smiled, a hand on Jeongguk's cheek.

The boy clutched it fondly for him to never let go and hold him forever. "Were I to leave, let's say, would you still be happy without me?" He smiled, weakly, forcing back a tear which fell down his cheek anyway, as if yearning to break free from the sea of sorrow pooling inside him.

"Never without you, my love." Taehyung replied, pretty unsure about what he just said. Then again, how could their story last when they lived so far away from each other and had completely different plans for their future?

"Just answer me." Jeongguk demanded, firm. He wasn't even trying to hide the blemish of his flushed cheeks nor the tears streaming down his face.

"There's no world without you and me, love. It just wouldn't make sense." Taehyung shook his head, the chuckle leaving his lips akin to a nervous cough. He was getting flustered. He hated it when he didn't understand things. Being an artist meant breaking the world down into pieces in a somewhat scientific fashion, thus the fact he wasn't able to see right through the creature before him, exasperated him.

"One day it will. It will all make sense." Jeongguk countered, nodding against Taehyung's hand, and using it to wipe his tears away.

"You always say that.. Are you trying to brainwash me or something?" Taehyung laughed, once again not for the amusement, rather from fear. Fear of being abandoned. He was growing even more perplexed now, so desperate for answers yet not quite sure he was able to handle them.

Jeongguk stayed silent, then kissed him. His lips weren't sweet like he recalled. Rather, they tasted bitter, much like the tears he shed. The world seemed to stop for a second.

Then finally, "Ti amo." It was Taehyung who spoke, gaze lost in Jeongguk's who didn't even know what to say. His lovers words hit him like a truck, face blanching upon hearing them.

Taehyung was in love with him. Jeongguk was expecting that realization to relieve him, knowing his task had finally been fulfilled, and yet why was he upset? Why did the thought of Taehyung catching feelings for him made him feel so vulnerable and scared, aching almost? Eyes gleaming in genuine affection, the painter was already anticipating Jeongguk's lack of enthusiasm.

Confident and utterly sure of his feelings for him, he didn't give up just yet and said "You're everything I want Jeongguk, you're nothing like the people I've been with before, you're almost... Too perfect to be true." He let out, a hand resting atop of Jeongguk's thigh. "And I want to spend the rest of my life with you." He whispered at last, dying to get a reaction from him.

"This isn't gonna work." Jeongguk breathed out, brown locks cascading haphazardly onto his eyes. His cheeks were barely flushed now, adding some color to his otherwise inhumanly pale complexion.

Silence.

"Seriously now, what's so unrealistic about us being together?" Blurted out Taehyung, patientless. 

"You don't actually mean it, being in love with me that is. It's just your head that's stuck in the gutter." Jeongguk replied, serious as they come.

"It's not just the sex, I swear! It's so much more than that! No one has ever made me feel the way you make me feel, Jeongguk." Taehyung defended himself with fervor. Jeongguk had to force himself to be resolute, stone cold. Deep down though he felt like collapsing. "I promise I'll take care of you, I'll cuddle you, I'll bring you out to dates, I'll..." The older paused "I promise I'll be good to you." He was clinging onto his last bits of hope "Loving you is art." He said feebly, reaching out a hand to Jeongguk's graceful frame, from his pronounced collarbones to his hipbone, then back to his mouth where he let his thumb ghost over his soft bottom lip. "And this body of yours is my canvas."

Faint memories of the very first time Taehyung and him met shook Jeongguk to the core, bringing his mind back to the day he gave himself to him, submitting to his touch, cursing himself for an eternity.

"I'll be g-gone before you." He stuttered, covering his face with his hands, feeling ashamed of his naked body, of his filthy self like never before.

"If that's the case then, I'll cherish every moment spent with you." Taehyung reassured him "I think you're just too exhausted to reason right now. Let's get some rest, we'll talk about it tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright." Jeongguk smirked, turning to lay down next to him with cloying affection. Their fingers stayed neatly  interwined like the red strings of their destiny. "See you tomorrow then." He whispered, Taehyung smiling at that and he had to suppress a yawn for he was absolutely worn out and craved sleep so badly.

Pressing a small peck onto Jeongguk's forehead and looking at his precious darling for the last time, he placed his weary head onto the pillow and peacefully drifted off to sleep.