evocation | ✓

15+

when the apartment is empty—which is usually when jimin is away at his rugby games—taehyung is allowed to do whatever he wants. this "whatever he wants" usually consists of putting on something pretty, doing his makeup, and watching a little tv. today is no exception, and neither is his outfit.

it's one of the new ones he bought when he went shopping with seokjin. they fit him just right, they always do, and the way the shorts dig into the plush of his thighs is will be a reminder tomorrow of how pretty he felt.

along with the white shorts that reach his bellybutton—his shorts are always high waisted—and are tightened to his slim waist by a thin belt that was gucci. his flat chest entertains an oversized sweater, millennial pink with sleeves that hang off his hands and the bottom of his shirt would cover the end of the shorts if it weren't for how her tucked the shirt into the middle of the shorts. only the front though, the back still hangs freely down his legs.

it's so innocent and pretty that taehyung couldn't help but put lipgloss on as well, putting pastel blue clip-on bows into his black hair to draw it together. he takes a picture, saves it for him in the hidden part of his phone, because if anyone but his cousin knew about this he'd die.

taehyung was in the middle of heating up some food, a mac n cheese freezer meal from target that should probably be gross but it's not when the knocking on the door starts. it's loud and firm but not continuous so taehyung continues to stir the macaroni, but abandons the plastic bowl and spoon to open the door when the knocking gets considerably louder.

"yes?" taehyung asks as he opens the door, so annoyed with the pestering knocking that he forgets what he's wearing. he remembers, though, and the thought has him freezing in his tracks and breath drilling when he realizes the annoying knocker at his door is jeongguk.

before taehyung can say anything, justify the fucking bows in his hair, jeongguk is interrupting with a clipped tone, "you weren't at school today," he states as he lets himself in to taehyung's dormitory, not even batting an eye at the clothing taehyung wears, but if he did, he would think it was so undeniably pretty on him.

"yeah," taehyung finds himself nodding as he shuts the door, raising an eyebrow at his weird behavior. he wasn't at school today because one, he was so unbelievably tired and two, because he had a nightmare that was the cause of reason number one.

nothing happens for a short moment, just jeongguk pacing the apartment quickly, biting on a fingernail as his eyebrows furrow into his nose, and taehyung doesn't think it looks good on him. thinks he looks so much better relaxed or when his face twists in laughter, in a smile. the only thing that lingers in the air is the smell of taehyungs freshly made macaroni and cheese, until jeongguk speaks again. "why?"

"i was tired," taehyung tells him, slowly but surely walking away from the door and towards the strangely distraught man in his living room. "i had another nightmare, i couldn't sleep." taehyung informs him, and jeongguks eyes snap to his, fire gone replaced by worry.

"what? are you okay?" jeongguk asks and he wants to nod, wants to say yes he's fine, say yes he didn't sit in his bed and cry for thirty minutes before jimin heard him on a particularly loud sob, and joined him on the bed to wipe his tears and tell him it's going to be okay. he wants to say yes, and that it didn't shake him to the core at all.

"no," taehyung answers, shaking his head, letting his vulnerability leak into his voice. "i'm not okay. it was so scary, guk." taehyung tells him, voice breaking at the end, and soon he's in the warmth of jeongguks arms, cascaded in his warmth and smell, a warmth and smell that brings him a sense of warmth and comfort.

"tell me about it." jeongguk whispers in his ear, breath hitting his earlobe and if it weren't for the tears streaking his face he'd have shivered from the feeling. jeongguk guides him to the couch and sets him down on it, not letting go and taehyung certainly doesn't want him to, doesn't want him to release him from his hold.

and taehyung does, does tel him about it.

it starts off as them just driving on the road, the feel of the air around them light, playful. taehyung is laughing at something he says, though he's not focused on him. he's focused on the radio, turning stations until he settles on something hip hop, and he can hear him groan in the seat beside him. as soon as taehyung turns to look at him, touch him to draw goosebumps to the surface of both of their skin, the moments ruined when the car hits them.

hits them in taehyung's side, the mental digging into the side of his abdomen and he would've screamed, screamed if it weren't for the fact that he was jostling and banging his head on the dashboard, and banging it hard as the car rolls.

and then he's waking up in tears, whimpers leaving his throat as he rocks himself, swallowing the scream the bubbles in his throat.

jeongguk is holding to through the whole story, rubbing his back in circles, shushing him with small whispers of "it's alright" and "you aren't there anymore"s. shushing him until he's not crying anymore, until his just sniffling into the fabric of his t-shirt.

"why'd you come here all angry?" taehyung asks, rubbing the side of his head into his chest. "look'd like the hulk or somethin', not very pretty on you." taehyung notes, and jeongguk chuckles.

"i'll tell you another time, yeah?" jeongguk promises, and taehyung nods. they sit in silent, bodies slightly moving with the light breaths of the other, until jeongguks fingers brush the sides of the shorts, resting on the material of the sweatshirt. "speaking of pretty, you look so pretty taehyung." he tells him, and taehyung blushes and smiles a shy smile.

"m'thank you." taehyung mumbles before leaning of his chest, and jeongguks arms fall from his shoulders and hip. taehyung misses the warmth a bit but doesn't give into the urge to crawl back into his chest. "i have one more macaroni and cheese cup, if you want it," he offers, and that's how they spend the night.

macaroni and cheese cups and movies and each other.

+
okay so i've actually never been this anxious (that's a lie) but i feel it in my chest n this isn't a good thing.

but in other news enjoy guk being soft for tae 🤚🏼