Still The Same | taekook ✔️

f i v e

[ pillow ]
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"I'll leave you two to it."

And Jeongguk kinda wish Yoongi didn't, because now he was left alone to face a shirtless Taehyung.

"Right here." The older prompted, tapping behind his shoulder.

"Okay. I'm gonna have to clean that area before I actually ink it, or else it might swell or get infected."

Jeongguk prayed Taehyung couldn't hear how furiously his heart was pounding as he ran green soap across the older's honey skin, warm against his gloved fingertips and flooding his mind with intimate memories they had left in the past.

Taehyung turned his head back and watched his shaking hands, then lifted his gaze to focus on Jeongguk. "I still want to talk to you."

"I'm gonna print the outline. Lemme know if I'm doing it in the right place." The younger said, taking a step back. "There's a mirror over there. See if you can check it out."

Taehyung sighed, then straightened up to take a good look. "Right there."

"Okay, done." Jeongguk studied his work. "I think it looks good."

"Jeonggukie..."

"If there's no objections, let's get started."

"You're ignoring me." Taehyung complained, arms crossed and disappointed. "I have an objection— you're not talking to me."

Jeongguk finally gave in, running an antsy hand through his hair, pushing his bangs back. "What is there to talk about, Taehyung?"

"I want to explain—"

"I already know." Jeongguk cut him off, hands hanging lamely at his sides since his clean gloves needed to remain clean. "Jimin eventually told me about your bitch of a father and his drug ring business. I've figured out enough." He turned away to pick tools off a tray. "So there. There's nothing to talk about."

The sharpness of his words opened a wound in Taehyung's chest. He sounded so hurt and closed off.

"But you know he forced me to leave you, right?" Taehyung frowned. "He said he'd hurt you if I didn't."

Disbelief flashed over Jeongguk's expression as he sought out different needle types to correspond to the need of fine lines. It was clear the younger had no idea.

"He also sent me to conversational therapy, which was complete bullshit." Taehyung added, turning so he was facing him properly. "But he's dead, Jeonggukie. There's nothing stopping us—"

"No, Tae."

The older felt his heart drop.

"I'll forgive you, if that's what you want." Jeongguk continued, taking a seat behind Taehyung and picking up the tattoo gun. "But that's it. I'm not about to let you waltz back into my life just to walk out again."

"I'm not walking out."

"You can't promise that." And for the first time that day, Jeongguk looked at him dead in the eye. "Like all those other promises you couldn't keep— There are things you just can't control." He lifted the tattoo gun almost threateningly. "Are we done? Can I start now?"

"Nothing scarier than an angry man with a stabbing machine in his possession." Taehyung noted, wheeling around so his bare back was facing the younger.

Jeongguk faltered. "Sorry. I shouldn't have. That was rude of me."

His response pulled on Taehyung's heartstrings. Jeongguk always acknowledged and owned up to his mistakes— it was one of his best attributes.

"It's fine. It was kinda my fault anyway."

They held eye contact for a moment, yet it felt like a decade sat between them.

The younger broke away. "Well, it shouldn't take that long, since it's such a small tattoo. I'd say twenty minutes tops." Jeongguk seemed a little more at ease after that conversation was out of the way— or maybe he was just trying to calm himself down before the procedure. "This might hurt. There's no going around it. Just let me know if the pain gets intolerable. We can always take breaks, okay?"

"Okay."

At first the 'pain' wasn't too bad. Instead of needles, it felt like long nails scratching and craving into his flesh. It was uncomfortable, but okay enough for Taehyung to keep a straight posture. Jeongguk was seated behind him, concentrated to the max as he inked the pretty canvas known as Taehyung's skin. But ten minutes in, the discomfort became irritating little pinches and Taehyung screwed his eyes shut to endure the burning sensation.

"Hey." Jeongguk removed the machine. "You alright?"

"Yeah I'm having a hell of a great time." Taehyung snorted.

"You should've brought a pillow or something to hug." Jeongguk said. The buzzing stopped.

Taehyung spun his chair around and saw the slight, almost teasing smile on the younger's features. He took that as a sign to smile back.

"You could've told me that yesterday."

Jeongguk rolled his eyes, but Taehyung recognized the playfulness in the gesture. "I thought you'd be better at this."

"Well apparently you thought wrong."

"We'll take a five minute break. How does that sound?"

"If you guys don't have any pillows," Taehyung said, skipping past the question, "can I hug you instead?"

Jeongguk immediately shied away, feeling heat at the tips of his ears. "That's not what I meant." He mumbled.

A grin stretched across Taehyung's face. It was great knowing that he still had the same effect on the younger as he did so long ago.

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