Namg-il, 11.43 PM
Things remain still from that moment on- Jungkook never comes to Taehyung's room to pick up a fight, the air between them being something like awkward but domestic at the same time.
Taehyung makes sure that Jungkook doesn't starve in the evenings and Jungkook leaves a few bucks on the table every morning, slyly saying he 'forgot it there' when Taehyung confronts him about it.
Naya and Jaeill being in daycare more than half of the day brings a huge opportunity for Taehyung to study more - which he does, of course, but at the same time, he maybe gets just a bit too comfortable with the time on his hands and pushes the studies to the side to read a romantic novel.
He knows it's not a very bright idea and neither is he very proud of himself but he does it anyway, the thought that he's doing it for his mental health easing his guilt.
Today being one of these days, Taehyung is trapped doing his notes long into the night, being almost midnight, and he could doze off beside the table and wake up next morning with awful back pain, just like countless nights until today.
Just his computer screen illuminating his exhausted face as he reads the online classes aloud, Taehuyng does just that - he leans his head on the table 'just for a few seconds', 'I'll get up when this headache goes away', 'there's no way I'll fall asleep again'.
In the quietness of the empty room, the chill air causing his skin to break into goosebumps (he keeps the heater low so he can study better) but not even that can stop the little snores escaping his mouth as he snoozes. He falls asleep on top of a heavy notebook, hands cutely folded under his chin - and he dreams of quiet mornings, Hoseok smiling at him, and his sister Eunji.
🌺
A rough breaking sound, something falling to the floor and shattering, wakes a drooling Taehyung from his deep slumber as he stirs awake, eyelashes fluttering gracefully.
There is, however, nothing graceful about the way his body snaps up, joints cracking loudly, and starts rubbing the drool off his chin, eyes still droopy and demeanor confused as he stares at his computer blankly for a few puzzled seconds.
I fell asleep, he thinks disappointedly, sighing as he glances at his digital clock.
02. 04 AM, it reads and Taehyung almost starts fisting his hair but then he hears it again - the reason for his awakeness.
Something in the house tumbles down, followed by childish laughter and then complete silence.
Thinking Naya must've woken up (again) being thirsty or something, Taehyung huffs a couple of times before straightening his oversized T-shirt that only covers up half of his body, and leaving the room to check up on her.
He opens the door of his bedroom as quietly as possible, not wanting to disturb them if they're actually still asleep and the noise was just a product of his imagination, but he freezes once he sees that the light in the children's room is on, the doors slightly ajar.
A chill runs down his spine as he remembers that Naya cannot reach the light switch and his eyes widen in fear, thinking somebody broke in. He starts searching around for something, anything with which he could snap the intruder's neck, smiling evilly as he spots an ugly Chinese vase in the corner.
He's careful not to make any noise when he picks it up and tip-toes to the entry of Naya and Jaeill's bedroom, leaning so he can peek inside.
His eyebrows furrow as he sees a clear view of Naya sitting at the foot of her large bed, her feet dangling off it in happy excited little kicks, her tiny pouty lips stretched into a genuine smile while she's staring at something, or rather someone, sitting on the stool by the window.
Taehyung squints his eyes so he can distinguish the identity of the stranger dressed in black slacks and a black sleeveless shirt, and upon realizing who it is, Taehyung nearly screeches in shock, covering his mouth with a palm just at the right time.
He slowly puts the vase down.
"-why was the lady in the tower in the first place?"
"Shhh, baby, we're whispering now, remember? We shouldn't wake up Tae or Jaeill," Jungkook murmurs quietly, rocking forward a few times while holding a thick book with glitters in his arms.
Taehyung can't help the butterflies that mess him up the moment his name leaves the younger's pretty mouth.
He hears the pout in Naya's voice before he can even see it: "N-no fair. Tae never-- he never sleeps an'way."
Jungkook stays quiet for a few seconds, as if deep in thought before he stands up and joins the girl on the pink bed, cradling her in his lap gently, tucking the hair behind her ear.
Taehyung's mouth gapes.
If I did that she would've clawed my eyes out. When did they get so friendly with each other?
Jealousy burns in his stomach but he keeps watching, wanting to at least figure out which story Jungkook was reading to the toddler.
"He doesn't?" Jungkook asks slowly, rocking the girl in his lap, "Then what does he do?"
The little girl furrows her eyebrows, chewing on her lower lip in distress, in a search for words.
"He- um- He studies, Gguk! When me and J-Jae are asleep. Sometimes when we eat yummy food, too!"
"He studies? Does he eat some of the food with you guys?"
"N-Nuh. Only s-sometimes," Naya mumbles, nuzzling her nose against the other's neck, her small fingers clutching the fabric of the boy's shirt.
Upon seeing the younger frown, Taehyung bites his tongue not to yell at the girl right that instant. Jungkook wasn't supposed to know all that. He wasn't supposed to know how pathetic Taehyung is- how he studies the whole day, is too broke to buy food for himself and too much of a pussy to ask Yoongi for more dishes.
He can't.
But Jungkook doesn't comment on that, instead, he smiles in her coal colored hair and opens the book again, marking his next sentence with the pad of his finger.
"Okay, pumpkin, are you ready for the ending now?"
"W-Will you show me the pictures like ywesterday?"
"Of course."
Taehyung slides down slowly by the wall next to the door, his skin coming in contact with the freezing tiles but he doesn't even notice it, the tears burning too much in his eyes for him to care about anything. He's so exhausted.
He's trying so hard with the girl - what is he doing wrong? What is it about him that people find so annoying lately, enough so to leave him?
And why was Jungkook, a cold expressionless man, doing better than him in this situation?
Taehyung tries really hard to hate him, he really does- after all, the other's character is just too much sometimes and he seems like he doesn't care about anyone but himself. But Taehyung, unfortunately, knows better than to loathe him just because the boy doesn't like him.
It would be fucking selfish to think that way and Taehyung knows it.
It's in moments like these when Jungkook shows the softer side of him, the one that's full of tender smiles and sugar-coated words, his chocolate eyes sleepy but still warm, body limp from the need to just fall to the bed, that Taehyung doesn't regret his attraction towards the male one bit.
He knows Jungkook would make an awesome dad if given any other circumstances. Now, he's probably stained forever, along with Taehyung, traped in this fake family.
Traped into picture-perfect.
Taehyung slowly falls asleep again, cheeks still wet from sorrowful tears, half because of his pessimistic thoughts, part because of the story uttered quietly under Jungkook's breath.
Story of Rapunzel.
🌺
"-and they lived happily ever after," Jungkook ends airily, gently closing the book with his palms, eyes looking up to a sight of the girl barely awake, at the brink of sleep, yet still struggling to stay awake long enough to ask him a question.
The same one she keeps asking every night.
"Ggukie," she calls softly, yawning and snuggling deeper into the soft blanket as Jungkook stands up to put the book back onto the shelf where it belongs to.
He hums to tell her he's still there.
"Are you s-sure that the princess saves herself? That's not how-- how mommy used to read it."
Jungkook's heart squeezes lightly, jumping in his chest at the mention of the girl's mother - the person she must miss dearly yet she strangely doesn't show it, his brave little princess.
"Of course," he forces a cheerful tone, "Who else would've saved her, dummy?"
The girl frowns cutely, half asleep now: "A-A prince?"
"Oh baby," he laughs, pulling the covers up to her chin and sticking a wet kiss to her temple, "True princesses know their worth - they don't just sit around waiting for a prince to come. They save themselves."
"They do?"
"Of course, baby. Will you go to sleep now? Can I leave?" he asks but is met only with little silent snores, the girl now soundly asleep, dreaming of fairytales and princesses that are free and independent, just like her.
Jungkook then strides to Jaeill's cradle, checking if the baby's laying on his hip like he's supposed to before kissing his forehead too, turning off the lights and exiting quickly.
When embraced completely by the darkness of the hallway, Jungkook pauses in between his and the children's room, eyes flicking towards Taehyung's doors.
I wonder if he's still awake.
He shakes his head at the thought, deciding not to test his luck by simply marching into the other's room, and takes a step forward, only to almost stumble over someone's extended leg.
"What the f-"
He nurses his injured ankle in his palms before looking down at a snoring Taehyung, the older's head leaned against the wall and his mouth half-open, front teeth peeking out. His hair is a mess on top of his head and he's only wearing a T-shirt, clutched tightly to his chest, his body in need for heat as his legs and arms are completely bare and exposed to the house's chilliness.
He's shivering violently in his sleep, mumbling something draggy and completely unaware of his surroundings or that he's asleep on the floor, in a very uncomfortable position, sitting upright beside a wall.
Jungkook frowns, nudging him with his foot a couple of times but the smaller male doesn't budge, seemingly in need for some rest. He squats down beside him, his limbs protesting at such an activity, still sore from his practice, and he takes a moment to just admire Taehyung's soft girl-like features.
His cheeks are plump and pink, though a bit less chubby than when he first met him, and he's pouting his lips cutely in his sleep, wet with saliva and previously applied chapstick. He smells like oranges - late showers and clean sheets, so sweet and intoxicating it's drawing the younger male closer to the other's neck. That's when he notices the dampness of his cheeks and how puffy his eyes are, visible even in complete darkness.
Has he been crying?
Jungkook shuts his eyes for a few seconds, a sigh escaping his lips before he's opening his arms and gently lifting the boy up, careful not to disturb his lull.
🌺
Still fast asleep, Taehyung decides that sleeping in sometimes isn't all that bad as he's snuggled into the warm blankets, eyes still closed, the sunshine peeking through the curtains to touch his nose gently, and Hoseok's arms still wrapped around his waist.
Not budging to reveal he's awake, Taehuyng merely cuddles closer to the older's rock-solid chest (since when does Hoseok have abs? I'm such a bad boyfriend for not noticing it earlier), hiding his nose into the junction of his neck and shoulders, inhaling deeply. The provocative scent of cinnamon and honeysuckle invades his senses and, barely having any control over his actions, Taehyung nuzzles against the hot skin to have a second sniff.
The arms draped over his waist tighten in response, fingers twitching at the small sloppy kiss Taehyung leaves on his exposed shoulder, smiling in glee.
"G' morning, babe," he whispers groggily, lips moving against the patch he'd kissed as he's too lazy to back away - not to mention how Hoseok's hug feels just a bit more inviting today, more irresistible.
The older doesn't answer so Taehyung decides he's probably still half asleep, annoyed that the other woke him up. A half-hearted apology on his tongue, the words freeze and crumble in his mouth as he looks up and meets the eyes of someone else, someone that most definitely isn't Jung Hoseok.
He blinks a couple of times, then blinks again, just to be completely sure this isn't a dream but rather a very unpleasant awkward reality.
"Uh, hi?" Jungkook says with a husky rasping voice, a morning blush making gardens of roses on his sharp cheeks, and upon that attractive confused greeting, Taehyung shrieks and scurries away, to the corner of the bed that's the most far from the boy.
His cheeks burn red when he realizes what he just did, and he looks away, desperately wanting to just disappear into thin air.
"Wh-What? Who- I mean-- What are you doing here?" he searches for the right words, covering his body with a white sheet though he's still dressed in his T-shirt, not a single inappropriate part of him exposed.
Still, he feels kind of bare, unprotected under the other's sharp composed glare.
Jungkook sighs as if he's annoyed with the boy already: "You fell asleep on the floor yesterday. I carried you to bed."
Taehyung, though still perplexed, looks around the room with hazy eyes. The brown furniture and a wide-open window are all too familiar to him, but this isn't his room. He doesn't have a running track in the corner and neither is his bed this big.
"Why am I in your room?"
He scans the boy's frame up and down for any signs of marks or hickeys but he doesn't completely relax upon finding none.
Is Jungkook a ... a pervert?
Jungkook, strangely so, doesn't answer immediately, only confirming Taehyung's fears, and the younger boy turns his back on the male opposite to him, no doubt closing his eyes to go back to sleep.
Taehyung thinks he sees the tips of Jungkook's ears color red but he's not sure about it.
"I did carry you to your own room first but it was cold inside. Your heater was off. I figured you'd be cold there just as much as on the hallway floor," he murmurs, his voice as unreadable as ever.
Taehyung opens his mouth to ask more questions but, remembering what he did to the poor boy in his sleep, he decides he isn't the one who should be seeking the apology.
"I-I'm sorry," he mumbles, fumbling with his fingers sheepishly, "For-- you know."
"It's-"
The sheets rustle as Jungkook readjusts, still not sparing the poor older a glance.
"It's okay."
But Taehyung keeps on blushing for the rest of the day- remembering just how the younger's skin felt under his lips, how his hands fitted like puzzle pieces with his waist, and just how good the frosty male smells.
------------
hi! It's about time for me to say something, isn't it :)
It makes me very happy that you're reading my book, and comments make me equally as excited so feel free to say anything (if not that's okay too, I respect your comfort zone)
This book is a slow burn though, so please don't expect too much :((
Stay healthy!
D.S.