serpents and sons | taekook

The Capture

****

Jeongguk doesn't know if he remembers a time where he had the safety net of a mother's love - and he doesn't know if Taehyung does either. It only became more and more clear as the night carried on and Taehyung's grip on Jeongguk's hand only got tighter and tighter, his tone getting softer with every word he spoke. Little tales of his time in this world - Midgard, Jeongguk reminded himself - and anecdotes of the people he now calls family.

He talked about Yoongi, and Frigg smiled as she listened to the stories of the man who has known Taehyung the longest, stood by him the closest, loved and protected him the fiercest. A man of iron and bone, he says. Built from the desire for freedom and the blood of lions in his veins. He talked of Namjoon and the incomparable wisdom he gave, becoming a beacon of knowledge through the ages.

Jeongguk listened as he talked of Hoseok and the small healing miracles he performed, little bursts of magic that made Frigg's eyes twinkle. How Jimin carries a strength beyond compare and a love deeper than the seat, and Taehyung laughed as he compared Jimin to the masts of a ship - sturdy and steady.

Then of Seokjin and how he weaved webs of secrets and how he learned the language of the body before he learned the words of the mouth and Frigg and Jeongguk's hearts both seem to ache. How he akins himself to a spider, eyes watching, fangs waiting. Ready to defend their home shoulder to shoulder with the rest of them.

Joengguk and Frigg listened to Taehyung's pretty words and somber tone, and Jeongguk thought about how this... this was Taehyung's family.

And Frigg seemed to realize that as well.

When she finally rose to leave, giving them both one last hug that Jeongguk feels sink into his very bones, she leaves with a kiss to Taehyung's cheek and a promise. "You will be happy," she had whispered, and Taehyung's face had cracked as she turned towards the door. They had stood there in silence as it shut behind her, hands still tangled tightly together between them.

"...Your mom seems nice," Jeongguk had finally said, breaking the ice, and Taehyung could only choke out a laugh, nodding.

"Yeah, she really is."

The air felt lighter then and Jeongguk had watched as Taehyung shuffled around his kitchen, claiming to be a pretty good cook. They ate together with smiles on their faces and lounged around Taehyung's apartment until the sun began to make its way back down in the sky, the TV the evening's soundtrack.

Eventually, though, Jeongguk had to go home and he pouted as he and Taehyung stared at each other in the entryway.

"You need to take me out on a date to make up for the last one," he claimed, and Taehyung's eyes burned as he smiled. "Even fancier."

"'Fancier'? Aren't you asking for a lot?" Taehyung teased and Jeongguk only pretended to huff.

"Aren't you some ancient god?" He retorted, ignoring how strange the word still felt to admit, and Taehyung's smile only grew. Jeongguk held the pose for a second and then quickly dropped the attitude, stepping forward into Taehyung's arms. "I'm just kidding. Do you want to come over tomorrow? I can make dinner."

Taehyung's lips curled into a soft smile and Jeongguk hummed as they kissed, inked fingers clenching around Taehyung's shirt. "Sounds perfect," he had said into the kiss and Jeongguk gave another one, lips smacking with a giggle. "Yoongi will drive you home."

"I thought he's supposed to be your bodyguard," Jeongguk's brows raised as he teased and he stepped back, finally slipping his shoes on before stepping into the hall.