It's cold. It's dark. It's quiet.
Hoseok works the late shift at a local diner. The odd straggler comes in either more drunk than drunk could be, or getting off their own late shift and not wanting to go straight home to their probably 'loving' wives.
Half asleep behind the counter, chin resting on his left hand, elbow propped up by the table, he throws his towel over his right shoulder. He glances at the clock. 3:15am.
"Hey! Joe, it's my quittin' time!"
A gruff and low 'mhmm.' Resounded from the back room, meaning it was indeed, Hoseok's quitting time.
He took his time walking home, enjoying scenery and the like. He had always loved the way the city lit up at night. During the day, it's just plain old Seoul, but at night, it's like it took on a whole new meaning. Re-invents itself. Instead of being Seoul, the place he'd come to call home, it's Seoul, the city of lights, love, and adventure. He used this time alone to think about everything running through his brain. Checking his phone, he sighed. 3:32am. He picked up the pace, walking a little faster. Seoul may be the city of lights, love, and adventure at night, but it can also be extremely dangerous.
Passing multiple bars, tensing up each time, he came close to his buildings street. Up ahead, he could see a figure wobbling and swaying, clearly after drinking too much. Hoseok was careful not to startle the man as he approached from behind, so he made noise to alert the man of his presence. He dragged his feet along the sidewalk. The man jumped slightly before turning around to glance at what made the noise.
"Ah, just another shitty little-- oh, sorry, I thought you were one of the kids always causing trouble around here."
The man spoke, confusing Hoseok, with his non-slurred and perfectly pronounced speech.
"Ah. It's, um. It's okay! Uh, are-- are you okay? You seem to be stumbling a bit..."
"Nah, I'm fine. Just a little battered is all. Yeah. That's it."
"I-- well, okay... If you're sure."
Hoseok walked ahead a few feet before hearing groans of pain, and then a thump. He paid no mind at first, but it began to eat away at him. Inches from his front door, he turned around and made a mad dash to where he talked with the stranger earlier. After turning the corner he saw exactly what he didn't want to. The man had collapsed and his breathing was uneven. Panicking slightly, Hoseok hoisted the man up with whatever strength he had in him and took him to his apartment building.
"What am I doing. I don't know this man. He could be a murderer, or a stalker, or, or, or worse!"
Hoseok mumbled to himself, pacing around his living room while the man, who isn't really much of a man, lay on the couch. The boy, was younger than he was, by at least a year and was quite handsome. The boy groaned again and sat up, wide-eyed and confused. He clearly hurt his injury again by sitting up too fast, Hoseok noted, that it needs to be tended to immediately.
"Oh the kid-- or guy, from earlier. I um, how did I get here? No, wait, when did I get here? Actually, where is 'here'?" The boy spurted out in a frenzy, looking all around.
"Relax, you collapsed a couple blocks from here and I couldn't leave you there, so I carried you here. When you got here was about an hour ago, and 'here' is my humble abode. My apartment. It's not much, but it suits me. I'm Hoseok, Jung Hoseok, by the way!" He added a large smile for emphasis and to hopefully comfort the boy.
"I'm... Taehyung... Ah, Kim Taehyung... And thank you, for, you know..."
"No problem, the real problem is what you've got going on with your side--"
"It's nothing! Don't worry, I'll be going now--" he groaned as he tried to stand up and fell back down onto the couch, giving up.
"It doesn't look like nothing to me... I'll be back."
Hoseok headed toward the bathroom to get his first aid kit and a damp wash cloth. Returning to the living room he saw no trace of the boy he brought in except for the indent where he once sat on the couch. Hoseok ran to the door of his apartment and saw Taehyung sat on the floor holding his sides in front of it.
Sighing he helped the boy back to the couch and quickly lifted up the side of his shirt to assess the damage.
"That is definitely not 'nothing'..." He stated after seeing large yellow, green, black and purple bruises with cuts and burn marks all throughout."
"HEY!"
"Please just... Let me help. I won't ask questions. You can tell me on your own, but for now, I suggest you lie down and let me help you."
"... Fine... Thank you..."
With that, Hoseok started cleaning the wounds, attending to the burns, and wrapping bandages around Taehyung's torso. His well-toned torso too, Hoseok noted once more.
When all was said and done, Hoseok looked at the boy before speaking again.
"Are you hurt anywhere else? Was that the only spot? I know I said I wouldn't ask questions, but this one is important to your health..." Taehyung sighed and slowly removed his jacket, revealing that there was way more than just that one spot. Hoseok gasped slightly, but continued to fix the poor boy up.
"I know you must be dying to hear about how this happened, am I right?" Taehyung blurted out as Hoseok cleaned the last cut.
"I am, but I promised not to ask questions. If you want to tell me, you can, but I won't poke and pry for information."
Taehyung thanked him again and was quiet for a while before mumbling more to himself, than Hoseok.
"My dad. God fucking dammit, I hate him. So I failed one test, big whoop, miss a 'family' dinner to hang out with friends, the only people that get me, not too bad, leave early to go to school so I don't have to be in that hell hole any longer--" Taehyung was quite furious and no longer mumbling, in fact, he was almost yelling. He stood up. "WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY, HUH!? WHY ME. I--" Settling down, he sat back onto the couch, head in his hands. "He did this. Most of it was my father in a drunken rage, some of it was my own doing. Either way, that's the story. I came home late from work, trying to support my mom while his drunk ass does nothing all day. He was pissed. Hot pans were thrown, knifes, broken plates... You name it."
Hoseok's mouth was dropped open. He sighed.
"And you have to go back, don't you?"
"I should, I just don't know if I can."
"Stay here then. I'll be right back, again." Hoseok took off towards his room grabbing extra pillows and blankets and taking them back to the couch. After coming to a decision, he voiced it out loud Taehyung.
"I'll take you up to my room, you'll me more comfortable there. My king size is to die for. I'll take the couch."
"I--are you sure?" Taehyung's mouth was hung open now, unsure if what he heard was the truth.
"Yeah. Up we go." Hoseok lifted the boy up into his arms, careful of the injuries, and carried him up the 5 stairs to the second half of the apartment.
Hoseok got Taehyung all settled and comfy, even getting a glass of water and some pain medication. He went to stand from his sitting position on the bed when a hand grabbed his wrist.
"This is probably such a strange question, but I've been trying to figure out how to word it, but, can you please stay with me? Here, I mean... At least until I fall asleep?" He looked so small and fragile, Hoseok couldn't in good conscience say no.
"Alright. Since you asked so nicely." Taehyung smiled and Hoseok realized how beautiful this man is. He got comfy over the blankets and just lay there. Taehyung eventually rolled over to face Hoseok.
"You are the nicest person I've ever met. Even my best friends aren't as kind as you. Maybe my gut was right. I'm glad I didn't go to any of their houses. I'd probably just get mad because of the loving relationships they all have with their parents... Anyway, thank you."
Hoseok was stunned. He really didn't know what to say. He stammered for a bit before answering the boy.
"It's really, no problem. It was my pleasure. I'm, glad this happened, well, not the whole, you get it... I um, like this, us, right here, right now. I um, it sucks what you're going through and um--"
"Me too, Hoseok... Me too. I like this, us, right here, right now, too." Taehyung smiled slightly and curled up next to Hoseok, who was still on top of the blankets.
"I'm going to go to bed now, goodnight." Hoseok went to return to the living room, and Taehyung spoke up.
"This is your room. I'm intruding. I'll go, unless, you want to, um, sleep here?" Hoseok stopped at the door. He let go of the handle and returned to his spot, this time under the blankets. Taehyung giggled and cuddled up to Hoseok's side. He wasn't quite sure what to do, but his sub-conscience did. He moved his arm under the boys head, and turned onto his side to throw his other arm around Taehyung. Pulling him closer, he sighed. Taehyung fit in his arms just right. He then knew that he couldn't let this boy leave tomorrow.
"What if-- you didn't go back?"
"My mother would worry..."
"Call her tomorrow."
"Why?"
Hoseok's lips trembled with what they were about to say sitting on them, and knowing it was too late to take it all back, he put himself out there.
"I don't know if you feel it too, but something about this feels right. You here in my arms, in my bed, in my apartment, in my life. Just something about the way you are feels right to me. If you left to go back home, I don't know if I'd ever be the same. It's like, even though we've only met this once, I've known you forever and I need you with me." Hoseok sighed and let go of Taehyung's waist. The only thing stopping Hoseok from leaving his room was the hand that returned his back onto the waist of the handsome creature in front of him.
"I understand. I'll call my mother tomorrow. You're right. This bed is to die for." Taehyung snuggled deeper into the blankets before drifting off to sleep. Hoseok smiled and played with the boys hair before falling asleep himself.
Never has anything been so perfect. His life had always been so gloomy and ordinary for someone so happy all the time. He found his reason to be happy though. He finally found his reason. Taehyung.
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A/n: Hey, this garbage story was brought to you by the depths of my imagination and a post I saw on Instagram. I promise to write a happy fluff one soon! Love, BoogieWoogieBaby.