a jar of hearts (Taegyu)

17: neglecting

     The calm before the storm.

     A period of unusual tranquillity or stability that seems likely to presage difficult times.

     It’s the time slice right before all else fails. It’s the moment where high hopes are set and ease is dispersed like a heavy, thick blanket over the victims.

     A false sense of hope; a faulty cage. A thin veil that blinds the eye to the destruction just enough to convince it that all was well.

     “If I knew you’d be so hazardous in the kitchen, I wouldn't have let you enter,” Beomgyu mused from Taehyun’s side, legs comfortably thrown over his lap.

     The two had just spent over an hour pushing aside their school work to do some baking. Beomgyu had proposed the idea with the mindset that Taehyun had some history with a mixer. At least a little.

     He was proved terribly wrong when he turned his back only to be met by an explosion of flour over the counters and floor when Taehyun had tried to work the electric mixer. He’d put the setting way too high and the sudden momentum had thrown all the dry ingredients out.

     Despite the faults and mess, Beomgyu found him endearing. He always was when it came to Taehyun. The fact that he had various talents and stress tolerance, but couldn’t bake cookies? God, he was absolutely gone for him.

     “If I knew you were so good at baking I wouldn’t have tried to bake in front of you,” Taehyun derided in return, flicking his finger on his leg. “You’ll be in charge of all of the food from now and on.”

     “Are you restricting me to the kitchen now?” Beomgyu kidded, “what happened to equality?”

     Taehyun gave him a pointed look, raising an eyebrow. “We’re both boys.”

     “And you’re telling me my place is in the kitchen,” he moped.

     “Hyung, I didn’t say that,” the younger boy groaned, throwing his head back, “if we lived together I would learn all the recipes in the world and I’d make dinner for you whenever you want.”

     Beomgyu felt his heart leap in his chest, beating eccentrically as his face warmed its familiar heat. He’d been teasing him first, but Taehyun always had a way of nonchalantly turning it back on him.

     “I was only kidding,” he stammered, keeping his head down in a futile attempt to mask the blush dusting his cheeks and ears.

     He missed the way Taehyun watched him, endeared. He missed the small smile which spread over his lips and the adoration in his eyes.

     “Yeah, I know,” the younger spoke with a breathy voice, his single dimple making the faintest of dents in his cheek.

     Beomgyu didn’t know why, but he’d always jump a little when Taehyun would lean forward to kiss him. He wasn’t used to it, but he never failed to melt into the kiss right after, relishing in the feel of his soft lips.

     He loved him. He loved the way he’d graze his fingers over his jaw when they kissed. He loved the humble gestures. He loved how he was touchy when they were alone but held back with only soft, knowing glances in public, barely there but sure.

     Every moment with him was like stepping out into a field of sunflowers; bright and dizzying. Mesmerising and calming.

     “Is there anything else you want to comment on?” Taehyun snickered after seeing his vivacious face only deepen in colour when he pulled away. Still, he stayed close, fingers trailing the height of his cheekbones and grazing at the hair covering falling over his eyes. He always stayed in contact.