Anpanman

↝ two

September 21st 2017 was most probably one of the best days in Jungkook's life.

The entire day was filled with nerves, the good kind of nerves, and he was scared along with being exciting.

Performing, in Jungkook's unbiased humble opinion, is the best thing on the planet. Being on stage, stepping onto the platform, and singing your heart out in front of hundreds of people were some of the few things Jungkook wouldn't trade for the world.

Their comeback show. It was the first one they've gotten to do. And it was magical, once again, in Jungkook's unbiased humble opinion.

Performing older songs were like going down memory lane, flashes of late nights spent at the company and memories of the hardships which presented themselves. Four years were difficult, and they all knew that. But considering where they were right now, it was definitely all worth it.

When Jungkook was performing Lost with his Taehyung, Jimin and Seokjin hyungs, he was reminded why he made it as far as he did. Jungkook loved all his hyungs. And they all loved him back too.

By the time the showcase was over, and all the members were backstage after saying goodbye to all their fans, it was late at night. Some of the members were tired, like Namjoon and Seokjin, but others weren't since the high and adrenaline of performing hasn't simmered down as yet, like Hoseok, Jimin and Taehyung. Yoongi and Jungkook, well they were somewhere in between. Both were tired as their feet hurt and chests ached, but both were also quite dopy from the adrenaline.

"When are we going home?" Hoseok asks, dumping himself onto the couch in their dressing room. Seokjin was sitting beside him, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Hoseok, being the person he is, tickles Seokjin under his chin, which earns a yelp and glare from the eldest. All the rapper does is cackle maliciously, dodging Seokjin's tired attempts of hitting him.

"An hour," comes Namjoon's reply as he's observing the two on the couch. He honestly can't believe that the two of them are older than him, especially when eighty percent of the time, they're caught acting younger than the maknae line.

Speaking of the maknae line though, Jimin comes and seats himself down beside Namjoon, seeming to have calmed down from his high. His movements are a bit slower now, as well has how he blinks. From body language Namjoon takes it as Jimin's tired. So he does what any hyung would do, and opens his arms in a silent proposition. Jimin seems to understand in a millisecond, because he's laying his head on Namjoon's chest and closing his eyes not too long after.

Taehyung was sitting across the room from Namjoon and Jimin. He's sitting on the couch on the other side of the room, one hand intwined with Jungkook's, and the other typing away at his phone. Jungkook and Yoongi were both on the couch too, both lax and kind of sleepy. Jungkook has his head on Yoongi's shoulder, and his eyes are closed while his breathing is even. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, given their height difference, but Jungkook deals with it since he's so tired.

"Hope, Min and Kook fell asleep," Yoongi announces after a few silent minutes go by in the waiting room. He sits up a bit straighter, slowly though in order to not disturb Jungkook. "I suggest we let them nap until twenty before we leave." Yoongi's suggestion earns a nod from Namjoon, who has Jimin sleeping against him and a thumbs up from Seokjin, who has Hoseok's face in his neck.

Yoongi said Jungkook fell asleep, but Taehyung feels him tighten his grip on his hand after a minute or two. Perhaps he woke up, which is what Taehyung is assuming when he turns his head in Jungkook's direction. But instead of seeing Jungkook with his eyes open, he sees Jungkook with his eyes scrunched shut, tighter than normal.

No one seems to notice it, so Taehyung doesn't think much about it. A bad dream or a scary thought, at the most. Nothing too hectic could be happening right now, inside Jungkook's little mind. And he doesn't want to wake the maknae up, he doesn't want to disturb him when he was obviously tired. All of them were, but Jungkook was one of the lucky few who were easily knocked cold, and Taehyung was pretty sure the maknae wouldn't appreciate it if he were to be woken up.

So he doesn't, doesn't even think about it, and instead he squeezes Jungkook's hand just a bit tighter.

But perhaps it was too tight, because Jungkook is shifting around and becoming fidgety.

"Taehyung?" He asks, voice raspy from singing and talking for as long as they did. Jungkook's face looks kind of distressed and his eyebrows scrunch together in the softest way between his eyes. Yoongi doesn't pay mind to him, used to Jungkook muttering out random words in his sleep. It was an old habit the youngest hasn't gotten rid of, and none of the members were keen on getting rid of it. It was kind of cute anyways. "Taehyung." Jungkook calls again, with a light whine in his tone. This makes Taehyung think that maybe Jungkook wasn't asleep, and perhaps he was more aware of things.

"Pass him over hyung," Taehyung lowly says to Yoongi, tossing his phone onto the coffee table and using the hand which wasn't holding Jungkook's to carefully guide the aforementioned boy's head to his favourite spot: the juncture where Taehyung's neck meets his shoulder. Once he's rested comfortably on the older boy, Taehyung moves a hand up to his cheek, thumbing at the high of it before running his thumb under his eyes. As he swipes his finger, some makeup comes off due to the sweat which has accumulated on Jungkook's face, and Taehyung can see the telltale bruise colour of eye bags. It makes him frown, but there isn't much he can do about it now. And he knows that Jungkook was probably just way too excited for this showcase, and didn't get enough time to sleep properly when he was jittery all the time.

It's quiet in the room. After Yoongi had suggested that they wake everyone up twenty before, everyone has also closed their eyes for a while, basking in the silence which they haven't experienced in a while. And it's nice, to say the least, it's nice to relax with the people you're closest to, and enjoy the ambiance and whatever shit like that.

And Taehyung was about to close his eyes too, Taehyung was about to fall asleep to the feeling of Jungkook's heartbeat against his own ribcage, but his name is getting called again. This time from a definitely more alert tone.

"Tae hyung."

Taehyung cracks one eye open, the one which was closest to Jungkook, and sees that the latter is staring at him with a blank expression, but his eyes are were large and awake. Behind the blankness of everything on his face, Taehyung can see the light frustration.

"Dumpling," is what the older boy answers, squeezing Jungkook's hand ever so slightly. "Awake?"

Jungkook shakes his head almost immediately, as he doesn't want Taehyung to think he was awake, when in reality, he was the exact opposite. Jungkook was tired and so, so sleepy. But he can't really sleep when he isn't comfortable. And he doesn't know what it is that is making him uncomfortable, especially since he's fallen asleep on Taehyung in public before. It was frustrating, and the only thing he wanted was to get some forced shut eye before they'd have to head back.

"I can't sleep," the maknae says truthfully, eyebrows scrunching together once again.

A small look of sympathy washes over Taehyung's face, because everyone knows how much not being to sleep when you most need it sucks.

"Come closer," Taehyung says quietly, offering an assuring smile so that Jungkook doesn't feel intimidated or uncomfortable. Not that he'd have a reason to, but Jungkook was always a little... Mindful in that way.

And it works anyways, because Jungkook is soon clambering into a position on top of Taehyung, laying almost all of his body weight on the elder boy. Taehyung's lungs might be crushed and his stomach might be caving in on itself, but Jungkook seemed peaceful and relaxed. Taehyung would want to be the last person to take that away from him.

"G'night hyung," Jungkook murmurs, tightening his arms ever so slightly around Taehyung's shoulders. "I love you."

Taehyung smiles to himself, and to anyone else looking he might look like a fool, but none of that matters when Jungkook is happy on top of him.

So he rolls along with it. Even thought Jungkook has to wake up in thirty minutes, he plays along and keeps his boyfriend happy.

"Night dumpling," he whispers, kissing a small patch of skin on the younger's neck. "I love you more."

And if Jungkook were awake, then maybe he'd protest and say he loves Taehyung more, but he wasn't. He was knocked out cold and Taehyung didn't mind. For once, he could get the satisfaction of knowing he loves Jungkook more before closing his eyes and drifting off.