My Reason

Taehyung wanted to cry, but didn't want to do so in front of Jungkook, and if Kookie was to leave him soon, he didn't want to waste a single moment with him by sneaking off to cry in private. After all, he had the rest of his life to cry.

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The boys kept the conversation light, of happy memories they shared. All the while, Kookie laughed and smiled, enjoying these precious moments with his hyungs. He was happy, truly happy, but he would miss them.

"Tae, I'm tired." Jungkook said softly, squeezing his boyfriends hand gently.

Tae choked back a sob, gripping Kookie's hand tightly. Jin, who was the closest to Jungkook and Taehyung, heard Tae sob and turned to see Tae clutching onto Kookie as if he were a drowning man and Jungkook was his lifeline.

"Everything okay?" Jin asked walking up to the bed.

The question brought silence to the room, the other hyungs turning their attention to the maknae.

"I'm fine Jin hyung, just...tired." 

The whispered words immediately brought about tears. Kookie knew it was time, he could feel his body shutting down.

"Please don't cry hyungs. Tae."

Tae looked up and into his boyfriends eyes.

"Please don't cry." Jungkook said again, voice weak. He reached up to wipe away the tears from Tae's eyes as his hyungs gathered around them.

Jungkook looked at Jin with a soft smile. "Thank you for giving me a family." He sent his gaze to his other hyungs. "Thank you for accepting me into your family. I am truly lucky I was able to call you my hyungs. You all taught me so much and I am so grateful to you all for everything you've done for me. For the laughter and smiles, but more importantly, for allowing me to love Taehyung."

Kookie turned his attention to Tae, eyes soft and shining with love. "Tae, before I met you, I was alone, scared and had given up, but then you hugged me, and everything changed." 

Jungkook smiled, bringing a hand up to cup Tae's cheek. "Please smile for me Tae. I've always loved your box smile. I want to take it with me. I want your beautiful smile to follow me, not your tears."

Tae wiped his eyes, then leaned over and placed a soft, gentle, lingering kiss upon Jungkook's lips before pulling away. The blush on Kookie's cheeks, and the cute, albeit, tired, bunny smile on his face brought the very smile Kookie loved to Taehyung's.

"I love you Tae." Jungkook whispered, eyes lingering lovingly on Tae, his eyes growing heavier and heavier.

"I love you too."

Tae could see the light slowly fading from Kookie's eyes, though the love within them remained strong and bright. The beeping of the machines grew slower and further apart. 

"Tae..." Jungkook's voice was low and weak, nothing more than a soft whisper.

"Y-yes Kookie?"

"Thank you for being my reason."

Tae smiled at Kookie softly, never taking his eyes off the boy who would forever hold his heart.

"Thank you for being mine."

They all watched helplessly as Kookie slowly closed his eyes, his breathing becoming shallower and shallower, the heart monitor beeping slower and slower until it became a long, endless, lifeless beep.

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Tae broke. 

The flood of tears he'd held back rushed forward to drown him. His hyungs gathered around him, embracing him together, each giving and receiving comfort from each other. With a trembling hand, Jin turned off the monitors.