HOMECOMING | vkook

𝙁𝙄𝙑𝙀. 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘶 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥.

Jeongguk's face swung to the side, long bangs falling down his eyes from where it was previously tucked behind his ears.

Taehyung's breath hitched, the slap rung throughout his ears, it was loud enough for him to hear.

The smaller snarled something at the younger, before turning around and stomping out the room—disappearing from Taehyung's sight. Not that he cared, his gaze was fixated on the ravenette, who was still frozen in place.

Seconds later the front door opened and the male was seen leaving, he was grumbling something under his breath while slamming the gate behind him.

Taehyung's orbs flickered back up to where he had seen Jeongguk previously. This time the male was hunched over, leaning against the windowsill. He looked... slightly pale, and overall just unwell.

As if he had lost control over his own body, Taehyung stood up from the swing and was already making his way over to his neighbour's house.

⛓️ ⛓️ ⛓️

"Jeongguk?" Taehyung creaked the door to Jeongguk's bedroom open. His eyes widened at eh state of the room, shards of glass decorated the floor, the bedsheets lay in a mess on the floor and there was a clear smell of sex wafting in the air. Jeongguk was now sitting in a heap, head is his hands.

Taehyung crouched down next to him, shaking his shoulder. Jeongguk raised his head, eyes were distant and red.

It was pretty clear that he was on something.

One cheek was a harsh red, the previous assault it had endured was evident on the skin.

Taehyung cupped the younger's cheeks in his hands, soothing them over with his thumb. Jeongguk's head was swaying, his eyes closed as he leaned into the cold touch. The older's hands were slightly frostbitten from his time outside, and it was a pacifying feeling against his burning cheek.

"Are you okay?" The brunette asks, his expression was painted concerned. Jeongguk lazily fluttered his lashes as his eyes opened, looking up at the older male.

"No." He slurred. "S'hot. So hot..." He mumbled. Taehyung just noticed how the younger's forehead was covered in a sheen layer of sweat, his cheeks were burning against his touch.

"What did you take... Koo—Jeongguk?" Taehyung really tried calling the other by the nickname he had given when they were younger, but it was impossible. The Jeongguk sitting in front of him was not the Kookie that he knows.

The younger just shook his head, muffling small protests and other incoherent words under his breath. His face was slightly squished by Taehyung's big hands, making his lips purse together lightly.

"Juh... Jus' eh uzsual..." He slurred out. Taehyung sighed, there wasn't much he get out of the other in this state. "M'tired..." Jeongguk suddenly let his entire head weight drop into Taehyung's hands, causing him to slightly fall over and rest his head in the older's chest.

Taehyung froze. He was about to move the other until he heard small little soft snores. The brunette sighed, he carefully made the younger rest his body against the wall.

With all his strength, Taehyung lifted the other up bridal style, huffing as he managed to get Jeongguk laying down on his bed. Thank god that he does workout every now and then.

The brunette let out a big breath of relief as he plopped down on the bed, chest heaving from the muscle effort he just had to do.

Suddenly, Jeongguk shuffled around on the mattress. His head rolling from side to side, brows furrowed, more sweat stared to roll down his forehead.

Taehyung swallowed thickly at the sight, his hand came to reach out and wipe the accumulating precipitation away. But his limb froze when his ears got pierced by a heart-breaking shriek of a pitching scream.

Jeongguk was screaming.

He hollered as he twisted on the sheets, pure agony spilling from his lips as pain was evident on all his features. His hands clung onto the sheet beneath him, chest heaving and heart beating so loudly that Taehyung could hear it pumping at the back of his ear.

"Don't take her! Stop! Stop! You c-can't!" The younger chanted, body visibly twitching. "P-please! I've got nothing left!"

It was sleep paralysis.

Taehyung's hand jerked out to grab at the one that was clenching the sheets, the older winced when Jeongguk applied that same pressure to his limb.

"I've got you, okay?" Jeongguk was still squeezing Taehyung's hand, but he visibly relaxed, only his heavy breathing and the rapid rise and fall of his chest was left.

Taehyung stayed until the younger had completely regained a peaceful composure. He stayed until the pressure around his hand weakened, the grasp becoming soft, and he stayed until he himself fell asleep at Jeongguk's side, knees on the floor with his head resting on the mattress. Their hands still interlocked.

It was that night Taehyung understood that Jeongguk's scars went so much deeper than everyone thought.

Everyone's expecting Jeongguk to take responsibility for his own actions—to fix himself and to stop being such a fuck-up. Yes, it was sad that the kid lost his parents at a young age, but that doesn't excuse his behaviour. That's what everyone believed.

If only everyone knew what Jeongguk had endured—what's truly got him so fucked up.

If only everyone knew what nightmares the Jeon house holds, and what—or who—haunts every corner of Jeongguk's mind.

Taehyung didn't know, he didn't know any of this. But still, he promised that he'd figure it out.