Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

f i f t y - t w o

"Still tired?" Taehyung chuckled.

Jeongguk was leaning half his body weight onto his boyfriend as they walked, stifling yawns. "Mhm."

The brunette gripped onto his waist, stopping Jeongguk in his tracks and crouching in front of him. "Piggyback ride?" Taehyung offered.

The ravenette's cheeks warmed. "I— I'm pretty heavy," He said timidly. He's only ever been carried like that as a child.

"It's just a short distance. C'mon Bambi."

Convinced, Jeongguk wrapped his arms around Taehyung's neck and felt himself being hoisted up. The brunette swiveled his head around to check on him.

"Comfortable?"

The ravenette craned forward to leave a light kiss on the shell of his ear. "Thank you," He murmured, "Is your family okay with me sleeping over so much?"

"They like you," Taehyung answered as he carried Jeongguk down the path, "And they know you mean a lot to me."

"Your family is so nice." A soft smile graced the ravenette's lips. "I'd say please adopt me, but that would be weird, wouldn't it?"

"It would," Taehyung agreed with a laugh.

Jeongguk yelped when he felt the other pinch his butt. "Tae!"

"Sorry."

The ravenette slumped against Taehyung's back and tucked his chin over his shoulder, closing his eyes.

Cool breeze accompanied the night and Jeongguk almost felt like he was floating on air by how carefully Taehyung was carrying him. He drew in a lungful of woodland air, releasing the tension in his shoulders.

Jeongguk hadn't felt this way is a long while.

This feeling of peace was so unfamiliar yet welcoming. It evaporates every drop of fear from your body and replaces it with content. There's no longer vacancy in your heart for anger, not when this sweet boy was carrying you on his back so gently, his cocoa hair tickling your cheek. And you feel like you can melt into the earth and be nothing.

Exist and be nothing.

"Jeongguk," Taehyung said in a hushed tone, "You should get more rest tonight."

"Mm."

"Hopefully now that I've dealt with, uh, my subconscious dream thing, you wouldn't have any nightmares to disrupt your sleeping."

"Hopefully." Jeongguk smiled wearily. "Have I been giving you any nightmares lately?"

"No, actually. Not really," The brunette informed him, "But they all have some kind of water correlation in it— like I literally just have visions of you dancing in the rain— nothing scary."

"I guess... I guess I've come to better terms with what happened to my mom. Thanks to you."

"Nope. It was all you, Bambi. You chose to be brave."

Jeongguk kissed the brunette's nape. "You're too sweet to me." He looked up and spotted their cabins nearing. Suddenly his eyes widened. "Tae— Tae, fuck. Can you please put me back on the ground?"

Taehyung did as requested. "What's wrong?"

"My dad's right there." Jeongguk turned sharply towards his boyfriend, remembering how hurt Taehyung was last time he denied his affection. "I'm really sorry—"

Apparently the brunette was thinking the same because he shook his head and cupped Jeongguk's cheek. "It's okay. I understand, and it doesn't change the fact that we love each other."