A breath, followed by a gaze, heavy with untold truth.
But Jungkook has had enough of reading stares, despite being rather good at it. He really wished Taehyung used words at present, because he could see there were thousands of thoughts rattling the other's brain. And just as many utterances that could come out of his pretty mouth any moment now. Yet Jungkook was only interesting in hearing a handful of them.
Taehyung's eyes suddenly shifted as he looked behind him before scanning the area. The park was never empty, even after dark. Jungkook followed his gaze, noticed a few passersby, and felt silly for forgetting the public setting they were in. But where could they go? Jungkook didn't have a place of his own any longer and he couldn't possibly ask Taehyung to walk him home because it was Jimin's.
A café was out of the question. Too bright. Too crowded.
Taehyung's place? Truth be told, Jungkook didn't even know what kind of accomodation the idol was entitled to. And granted that he had a private apartment, the young man wasn't about to invite himself over.
He sighed, feeling rather impuissant.
"Hey," Taehyung said softly and Jungkook wondered how a voice could give off heat like that. His eyes found their way back to Taehyung's face and his heart jumped. He hadn't expected the idol to take off his mask. A smile graced his lips and once again, Jungkook went speechless.
Lucky for him, it wasn't his turn to speak. It was Taehyung's, and the silence that had settled between them was loud with cognizance. Now would be a great time to remember that Jungkook had mastered the art of waiting, and his stance was unmistakeable. He would wait for Taehyung to make his move. Even if it took the other forever to do so.
Apologies or useless I miss yous would do them no good at this point. Both knew that much. Still, Jungkook had not expected Taehyung to curse when he opened his mouth.
It sounded like screw it but before he could reflect on their meaning, Taehyung had closed the gap between their breath, allowing him to taste for the first time the silky sweetness of his lips.
Shutting his eyes, Jungkook let himself melt into the kiss which, come to think of it, was much better than words. As Taehyung had so aptly put it, screw words. Who needed words when Taehyung's lips were clearly made for kissing.
This. Was. Beyond. Words.
Thankfully, Taehyung lingered, enabling Jungkook to commit to memory the softness of his touch, the heat of his hands which had settled on the small of his back, the breeze still warm from the drawn-out summer, mingling their hairs and tickling his cheeks, and a thousand more sensations he'd be unable to describe accurately, mind full of a kiss he'd imagined many times over but never believed would happen. Not in this book at least. And certainly not under a roof of stars, in Nanji Park, after dark.
Neither of them spoke for a while, tasting the kiss which still pranced on their tongues. It was Taehyung who first let out a shaky pant. "Jungkook," he called, pupils dilated by the ambient obscurity, tone too serious for Jungkook's liking.
"Yes, Tae?"
"You're so quiet. Say something, please."
Jungkook looked down at their hands, the fingers of which had somehow entwined, and smiled, a little relieved. "This is such a perfect moment. Anything I say might ruin it."
Taehyung shook his head. "Give yourself some credit. Your voice alone suffices to improve the silence."
Jungkook's smile grew even bigger. "My voice, huh? Is that what did it for you?"
Playful chuckles echoed in the night. "The whole JK package did it for me, if you must know."
"What even is the JK package?" Jungkook asked, a little curious.
"How are you so oblivious?" There was nothing reproachful in his tone, just pure flirtatious fondness. Bringing their bodies closer than Jungkook thought was even possible, Taehyung added jestingly, "well, allow me to describe it for you. The JK package has got nice curves." Jungkook felt two warm hands briefly clamping his waist.
"And a solid core." Fingers brushed against his abs.
"Let's not forget the nose that scrunches when he smiles." A soft peck on said nose.
Jungkook's giggles ceased when a hand came to rest upon his chest.
"And a heart. Big. Generous. Beautiful."
Jungkook couldn't tell whether it was the touch or the words that got his heartbeat to gather momentum, as if taking a run-up before a great leap. But did it actually matter? The fondness in Taehyung's eyes as he spoke was real. And that was plenty already.
"I'm glad you like the JK package because it's not exchangeable and not refundable."
Taehyung laughed some more. "I believe I've underestimated how dangerous of a man you could be, Jeon Jungkook."
"Dangerous?" No one had ever described him as such and Jungkook made no effort to hide his disbelief.
"You make me want to risk it all."
What? No no no. Jungkook would never ask Taehyung to give it all up for him. This had to be made clear. "Tae, I do not wish you to risk it all."
"Too late for that." Taehyung looked around once more, and Jungkook realized how exposed they actually were.
Taking a step back, he acknowledged the nausea creeping within at the assumption that his mere presence next to him in public may have jeopardized the man's career.
Taehyung misunderstood. "I get it, if you are having second thoughts. I mean, I wasn't able to protect you the first time around. I gave you no reason to trust me, or believe I'd bear any responsibility when shit hits the fan—"
Jungkook's breath caught in his throat. Was that regret in Taehyung's words? "Tae, what are you on about? I just kissed the man I love under the stars. Why in the world would I be having second thoughts?"
"Goodness, Jungkook, what did you just say?"
If one were to give mortification a human form at this point, it would probably look a lot like Jungkook. "Please don't make me say it again, because I feel like a fool, confessing to feelings you already know I have."
Taehyung's voice turned pleading. "It's not the same. Learning it through the grapevine and hearing you say it."
Wow. OK. So the man was really going to make him repeat himself. And who was Jungkook to refuse Taehyung anything? He took a second to regain a semblance of composure before uttering without pause, "I love you Kim Taehyung but please don't think you have to say it back."
The sob had been almost quiet, but Jungkook had still heard it. "Tae? What's wrong?"
"You deserve the world, Jeon Jungkook, and I have nothing to give. "
Jungkook couldn't make sense of the sadness, guilt and fear he saw flashing in Taehyung's eyes and it made him nervous. "Why would you think that when you've just gifted me a song?"
Taehyung tried smiling. "It's nothing."
"It's not nothing." Where had the man's self-confidence gone? And what could Jungkook say or do to make him understand that this was enough? Taehyung's arms around him. Taehyung's blanketing warmth. Taehyung's lips on his own. All of this was plenty already. The idol could flirt with his audience all he wanted, if Jungkook got to hold him this way every other night, then he was more than fine with it.
As if reading his mind, Taehyung whispered, "I wish to date you properly."
Jungkook, at loss for words, could only stutter a barely intelligible I'd like that very much.
Taehyung's smile was almost back. "Me too. But I don't even know — what should I — what would you have me do, Guk?"
The helplessness was genuine. And adorable. "Are you saying you've never dated anyone before? Because there's no way I'd believe that."
"I've dated. But this, I don't want to mess up."
The quivering voice betrayed authentic anguish which Jungkook had no clue how to address. Except with his trademarked unconditional support. "We'll figure it out. We'll make this work."
Taehyung squeezed him hard, grateful, desperate. "I'm never going back to not kissing you again."
Jungkook also tightened his grip around the other's broad back and leaned into his ear. "Then what are you waiting for?"
The man did not fool himself into believing it was all going to be smooth riding from now on. He was acutely aware of the many unknowns lying ahead, and of the fact that both of them were bound to face a fair share of perils of various nature. Yet these hazards were all part of the Taehyung package Jungkook had long ago determined to be worth the consequences, however unpleasant.
Besides, Taehyung's mouth had found an opening and was currently roaming around his plexus and, yeah, Jungkook's mind went blank.
Neither cared for the distant rolling shutter clucks.
Perhaps neither heard.
—
25 chapters for them to kiss. I outdid myself there, didn't I. Also, this is, if I'm not mistaken, the longest chapter in the book which was supposed to end by now! But I guess there's always room for more angst. Muahaha.
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