"Pool bleachers." Jeongguk said, "I was on the school swim team."
Taehyung's eyes bulged out and the ravenette laughed at his expression. "You were on the swim team." He repeated, trying to digest that information.
"My mom lifeguarded that swimming pool too." Jeongguk added, smiling weakly at the brunette under him. "I know what you're thinking. It's kinda messed up, isn't it? Swimming was our thing, you know... but after it... killed her, I've never touched water ever since."
"So you quit the team?" Taehyung asked. He began rubbing circles into the boy's back, noting how his touch relaxed him.
"No, actually." Jeongguk shook his head. "I got kicked off like a month before she died. It's okay though. I don't exactly love my teammates."
The brunette frowned, but before he could ask any more questions, Jeongguk had inched forward and pressed his lips against his.
Taehyung instantly melted beneath him, mind hazy, their fingers still intertwined. He half-expected to wake up in the same bed and realize it was all just a dream. But when Jeongguk pulled away with that little devilish smirk of his, Taehyung knew he wasn't just a fraction of his imagination.
"Since when have you become so smug?" He snorted, "What happened to awkward mister sky person?"
"I was hoping you'd never bring that up again." Jeongguk groaned, attempting to roll off the brunette and possibly leave the room. But Taehyung tightened his hold, keeping the ravenette in his arms.
"Aw, is Bambi embarrassed?" Taehyung grinned, seeing the tint of pink that dusted the boy's cheeks.
"Don't start." The ravenette warned, eyes narrowed. But Taehyung couldn't take him seriously with his bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
This was the Jeongguk he knew. Shy, awkward, closed-off Jeongguk.
His...
His?
"You're a good kisser too." Taehyung continued, wanting to tease him even more. "Mind telling me where you learnt that, hm?"
"I had someone before you." Jeongguk revealed timidly, avoiding the brunette's eyes.
Taehyung's lips formed an oh. This was news. "What? Did he break your heart? Did he hurt you?" He tensed at the idea of Jeongguk getting hurt.
"No." The ravenette's voice grew smaller. "I hurt him. And I never apologized."
Taehyung pinched Jeongguk's chin and tilted his head up. "I can't condemn your past actions. But I do believe in the person you are today." He pecked his lips. "Don't dwell too much on the past. You'll lose your footing on your journey forward to the future."
A smile tugged at the corners of Jeongguk's lips. "Please tell me you read that off tumblr or something. That's the most poetic shit I've ever heard from you." He giggled, "You sound like my mom."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"As you should." The ravenette smiled. "My mom would've liked you."
"You think?" Taehyung beamed.
"Yes, definitely. Just keep speaking in metaphors." Jeongguk laughed, and he wondered if that was the first time he had laughed thinking about her since she passed. "Can you let go for a second? I just want to lie next to you."
Taehyung complied, but only because his lungs were slowly collapsing under Jeongguk's weight. Once the ravenette got comfortable under the blanket next to him, Taehyung stroked his cheek, his entire being oozing with affection.
"Enough about me." Jeongguk told Taehyung, "We always talk about me. I want to know more about you."
"What do you want to know?"
"Were you on a swim team?"
Taehyung cracked up. "Nope. Sorry to disappoint. Didn't realize you wanted some kind of surfer boyfriend."
"I never said that."
The brunette tickled Jeongguk under the chin. "What do you want, then?"
The boy laughed. "What kind of romantic bullshit do you want me to say, Kim Taehyung?"
"Okay, rude."
"Oh, I took one look at you and I fell instantly, Tae. You're everything I've ever wanted, Tae. I'm incredibly attracted to boys who wear Astro Boy shorts to sleep, Tae." Jeongguk grinned, earning a jab under the ribs from the brunette. He squealed.
"You do not get to insult my most comfortable pair of shorts like that." Taehyung whisper-shrieked, playfully pushing the ravenette away.
But Jeongguk was quick to hold onto him, snuggling up to his side like a nest and Taehyung couldn't force back his smile.
"Anything else you want to know?"
The ravenette hummed, thoughts spiraling back to his dreams. "Can I ask about your dad?" His expression fell into something more serious.
"You can." Taehyung replied, "I just don't think I'd have much of an answer for you."
Jeongguk nodded in understanding, hand coming up to slide over Taehyung's that was rested on his cheek. "Do you remember anything about him leaving?"
"I remember Seokjin shoving me into his room and locking me in." The brunette admitted, "I think he was more scared than I was. I don't know. Mom was screaming at my dad. Honestly, I was too young to really comprehend what was going on."
"You don't remember why he left?"
"Mom said it was because of the miscarriage... but I know it's a lie." Taehyung shrugged. "I clearly remember the miscarriage happening weeks after he left." He shook his head. "Maybe my nine year old self pushed everything to the back of my brain and discarded it. I'm sorry. There's not much to tell you."
"Don't apologize, Tae." Jeongguk squeezed his hand. "You have nothing to be sorry about."
"Sorry." Taehyung said again, "I just have a tendency to say sorry."
Jeongguk reached forward and cradled the brunette's jaw, pulling him closer. Taehyung didn't need to be told twice, capturing the ravenette's lips in his and humming contently. They kissed again, their feelings drenched in moonlight and spilling all over the sheets.
It terrified both of them, everything so new and so electrifying. They couldn't differentiate the right from wrong; It was just so addicting.
"No one's ever kissed me like that." Taehyung murmured a while later to no one in particular. He expected Jeongguk to be asleep, his body curled up next to his, eyes closed with the brunette's fingers running through his ebony locks.
But he looked up at Taehyung with sleepy eyes. "No?"
"I've kissed one girl at school for a dare and one guy behind the locker room." The brunette chuckled, wrapping an arm around Jeongguk's waist snuggly. "It was messy. They didn't mean anything to me, honestly. But you..."
A soft, lazy smile graced Jeongguk's features when Taehyung nuzzled against his forehead.
"You mean everything. And I know it sounds absurd... we met less than a month ago, but I feel like I've known you all my life."
"Sap." Jeongguk punched his chest lightly, adoration in the way he was staring at Taehyung. "You really sound like my mom."
"She loves you more than anyone." The brunette answered, "Go to sleep. You're tired, Bambi."
"Thank you." Jeongguk wished those two words conveyed enough, eyelids drooping under the weight of exhaustion.
"You're mine now." Taehyung whispered, bumping their foreheads together. "Understand? You'll never be alone again."
"I'm all yours."
__________
i used to have Astro Boy shorts as a kid
no idea where it went tho
lmao i did the 16 personalities test as kook and tae in this story (i do these quizzes as my characters whenever i feel like i've lost touch with their personality)
and i wanna share
one of the questions were "when you sleep, do your dreams tend to be bizarre and fantastical. agree or disagree?" 💀💀
i put neutral for both of them LOL
anyway, here are some of the results
not all of it cause the report is hella long but
character kook is INTP (logician)
- abstract thinker, enthusiastic
- private, withdrawn, second-guessing
- logicians in relationships are shy and would never make the first move, but can be flirty when they're comfortable. they're loyal and honest but often fail to pick up on their partner's emotional needs. terrible at communication with their partner on an emotional level. and can be ignorant towards their feelings.
character tae is ENFP (campaigner)
- free spirited, passionate, empathetic
- people pleaser, overthinker, sensitive
- campaigners in relationships are believers of long distance. devoted and charming but are very perfectionist. they have the desire not to disappoint and would beat themselves up for past mistakes. they're the giver in a relationship but oftentimes go overboard and blame themselves when it all falls apart.
tae same lol
incoming next chapter: kook's dream
see ya there
- hay