RUSE || Taekook

THIRTY EIGHT || J5C3C4J3J5O4XA5C4C2C3J5

Early update because happy six months to all my Orchids! This book really started that long ago, didn't it? Feels like years.

An anniversary gift to all of you!

Thank you so much for reading and turning the readership into such a lovely community. Most of my avid commenters got to know each other and make friends because of this book and it makes me so happy to see you all get along, enjoy the story and to give your input.

This has truly been a beautiful journey so far and I hope the next time I do this, it'll be marking our one year anniversary, the 21st of February 2023.

Till then, thank you.

And I purple you.

----

The ache between in his shoulder blades becomes insufferable and Taehyung stretches, his nose burying itself in a familiar scent. Taehyung groans and stretches his arms, pressing his arms on the back of whoever he's cuddling now.

Wait... cuddling?

Taehyung shifts and moves back, trying to blink his eyes open.

The lights are switched off but just by inhaling the guy's scent again, he knows it's Jungkook.

Taehyung moans and buries his face back in the crook of Jungkook's neck, hugging him tighter, earning a slight groan from Jungkook before the younger shifts and places a hand under Taehyung's hoodie and ruffles his hair.

Taehyung smiles with his eyes closed while Jungkook massages his head and places kisses all over his forehead.

"Up already?" Jungkook asks.

Taehyung hums.

Is Jungkook not mad at him anymore?

Taehyung's heart swells and his hold on Jungkook strengthens. He buries his face deep in Jungkook's chest, overwhelmed with the feeling of Jungkook pampering him and taking care of him in the cool, air conditioned room atop his soft, warm bed. Even his clothes are soft and provide a cool comfort to his skin.

"Baby, it's late now," Jungkook says, gently massaging Taehyung's scalp. "We can play a few games but then you have to go, okay?"

Taehyung frowns and holds onto Jungkook tighter.

"Oh, you wanna sleep a bit more?"

Taehyung nods, "What time is it?"

Jungkook freezes.

Taehyung frowns again and tickles Jungkook's collar bone with his nose, his eyes now adjusting to the dark.

"Taehyung?" Jungkook asks, almost inaudibly.

Taehyung hums, placing a kiss on Jungkook's Adam's apple, tickling Jungkook's face with his fluffy hair.

"Oh, uh, right," Jungkook pulls his arms away from Taehyung. "We need to get ready."

"For what?" Taehyung mumbles against Jungkook's skin, tasting it as he does so.

"The meeting with J-hope," Jungkook shifts and tries to wiggle out of Taehyung's grasp, who just holds onto him tighter.

"That's tomorrow," Taehyung reminds him.

"It's in a few hours."

Taehyung frowns and raises his head to look at the wall clock on the wall behind it. It reads a quarter past eleven.

"It's tomorrow," Taehyung says again, voice heavy with sleep. "On the twenty-second. The twenty-first starts in forty-five minutes."

"Twenty-first ends in forty-five minutes."