Still The Same | taekook ✔️

t h r e e

[ name ]
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"Tiger flowers, huh?" Jeongguk echoed, faking unfamiliarity. He sat down at one of the stations and motioned for Taehyung to follow. His mind is on autopilot while his stomach is twisting in knots. "Do you know where you want it to be?"

Taehyung turned around in the stool, letting his slender fingers ghost over the back of his left shoulder. "If that's okay."

"Sounds good." Jeongguk told him nonchalantly, then he slid his phone across to show him the reference pictures. "Do you want it colored?" He asked.

Taehyung cocked his head to the side. "I heard the coloring hurts."

"Depends on your pain tolerance." Jeongguk shrugged, still not meeting his eyes.

And he remembered, Taehyung had a pretty high pain tolerance from he got stitches back when he injured himself on that stupid ice-skating date—

Memory lane was a trap. Jeongguk mentally slapped himself and the thought is gone in an instant.

"Um, some people say the outline hurts more. But yeah, it depends, really." He finally looked up and realized Taehyung wasn't really focusing on his words.

"Wow." The older breathed, head tilted down and admiring the drawings of butterflies and pistols and roses and eclipses on Jeongguk's open sketchbook, "You did those?"

The redness in Jeongguk's cheeks had now spread to the tips of his ears. "Mhm." He acknowledged, leg bouncing up and down with nervousness.

Suddenly the distance between their faces shortened. Taehyung had leaned in, elbows propped on the desk and studying Jeongguk with curious eyes. The younger felt his breath hitch, like a fist of clay had clogged his airway.

"I'm Taehyung." He said, voice barely above a whisper. The hesitation was evident from miles away.

No shit, Jeongguk thought to himself. His eyes widened when he realized what his next words would be.

"What's your name?"

Does he make up a name? Does he change the subject? Does he— does he kick him out of the shop?

In truth, a part of Jeongguk was longing for this. All his dreams and fantasies right there in front of him but his body has not the slightest idea how to act.

Something was crawling up his spine, latching onto his chest and forcing him back behind the walls he had built between them over months and months of heartache.

Taehyung seemed to have took his silence as discomfort, and he immediately pulled back. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Jeongguk just nodded, the tension loosing just a tad enough for him to breathe. "I'll start designing based on the photos you've chosen. W-when do you want to have it tattooed?"

The older dipped his head back and his bangs shifted with the movement. "Is tomorrow too early?"

"Tomorrow's fine." Jeongguk assured him, "I'll... make your appointment. And maybe then you can decide if you want it colored."

Taehyung's eyes had never left his face and Jeongguk could've sworn the temperature of the room had gotten warmer.

"Well thanksforcoming." Jeongguk ranted off quick, turning his head away and fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

Another few seconds sat between them until Taehyung started towards the door, eyes still strained on Jeongguk.

"Hyung." Jeongguk called to Yoongi, who was at the back of the shop. "I'm gonna go get lunch. I'll bring you back some." His words rapid-fire out his mouth, jittery and practically begging to leave.

Then he realized he shouldn't have started that conversation until Taehyung had left because—

"Okay, Jeonggukie."

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Taehyung stopped dead in his tracks.

The younger bolted for the door, catching a glimpse of Taehyung's shocked eyes as he exited. However he only managed a couple steps before someone grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him back.

Jeongguk screwed his eyes shut.

"Jeongguk." And there came his voice again. Melodic and soulful yet painful to hear. "It's you?"

No it's not, Jeongguk tried to scream. But there's no air in his lungs.

"I thought I was losing my mind. But it's you, isn't it?"

Jeongguk shook his head, still refusing to meet his eyes. "Tae, don't."

But that just answered Taehyung's question.

"I didn't know you moved to Seoul." A pause. "Can we talk? Please, Ggukie?"

"I don't think he wants to talk to you."

Jeongguk's eyes fluttered open and relief poured into his chest when he spotted Jimin. Feeling Taehyung's grip loosen, he yanked his arm away and immediately went to the blonde. Jimin put an arm around his shoulder protectively as Jeongguk buried his face in his neck.

"Jimin?" Taehyung looked like he was hit with another wave of confusion.

"Let's just go, okay?" Jimin whispered to Jeongguk, who was still shaken up.

The younger nodded and let himself be led away from the one person he's been yearning for.

I sincerely apologize if i seem desperate for votes (which I am lmao) but it really does help. Like a lot.

Please vote before continuing on to the next chapter >>>>