COMFORT OF STRANGERS|| VKOOK ✓

10. Brush

"You're not painting again."

"I am."

Jeongguk is. There's a purple monstrosity in his art room, on some canvas he's turned around and hidden where it can never see the light of day.

"Not like you used to."

That's true. Other people aren't doing it for him now, the young boy behind the counter of the coffee shop multi-faceted but not in the way that made a painting.

Not in the same way Taehyung had.

"Eh."

"Why?"

"Cause."

I still want to paint you.

"What's stopping you?"

"I dunno."

Knowing that if I give in, I'll finish it. At some point.

"You should figure it out. You're not complete without a bit of sunflower yellow on your collarbone."

"Maybe."

But if I finish, it'll be the end. And I don't want you to go.

Taehyung's fingers brush through Jeongguk's hair. He makes a good hairbrush.

"Can I see one?"

Always the same question. Jeongguk rolls his eyes.

"No."

Always the same answer.

"You've been looking a bit out of it recently. You okay?"

"Mhm."

"You're stubborn."

"I'm serious, though. I'm okay. I'm good. Better than good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Cause you're here now.

. . . .

Jeongguk gives in and pulls down his tarp, smooth sodden handle and soft bristles of his weapon in hand, paint on the floor next to him.

It was a dumb idea to think he could give this one up anyways.

AN:

I'm back? Sort of? Okay to be fair I wrote these a while ago. But then I somehow ended up getting a partner (still don't know how thaT one happened, I always told myself I'd put myself through my Bachelors Degree before dating again. No regrets tho), and then I got hella stressed by life and transitioning (name change, the whole nine yards). Got kinda creatively cock-blocked by life, but I'm slowly getting back into it because without writing and art I'm not myself. So I started a new book, and I'll hopefully finish this one soon. Let me know what you think so far :)

-Author