The Hybrid Whisperer KTH+JJK

Thirty One

Something was up with Jeongguk. Taehyung had noticed the hybrid was a little out of sorts when he picked him up from Triple H after his brunch with Eonjin. Usually he was waiting near the gym entry, a front of casual disinterest on his face when Tae turned up, as though he only just noticed the man had arrived. When he knew for a fact that the bunny hybrid would watch the door anxiously for his carer’s arrival as soon as the class was finished. The staff had shamelessly exposed him when Tae had walked in after the second week looking disheartened by Jeongguk’s apparent lack of interest.

This afternoon, however, Jeongguk had taken one look at him and his eyes had narrowed in hostility over the facemask he always wore for the trip home. A little taken aback, Tae had given him a quizzical smile and asked if everything was ok. His only answer had been a grated out, ‘fine’. Taehyung had raised his brows, but let the comment slide. He could ask again when they were on the bus, where they usually discussed their respective days.

Jeongguk sat down, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his body until he was half-facing the window. He was wearing his beanie, so Taehyung couldn’t see his ears properly, but he’d bet they were pressed flat against the boy’s skull with displeasure. He sighed heavily and touched the hybrid’s shoulder, which jerked away from him instantly.

“Guk? What’s wrong?” He asked patiently.

“Nothing.” The boy snapped back sullenly.

“We both know that’s not true. Talk to me, bun. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.” He told him in gentle, coaxing tones.

“Whatever.” He muttered and Tae looked mildly surprised. It’d been a while since he’d been whatever-ed.

“Bun...” He placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder again, trying to twist him around to face him, but Jeongguk shook him off again.

“Don’t touch me!” He cried, a little louder than Tae was comfortable with given their current surroundings.

“Ok.” He said calmly, removing his hand. He never disrespected Jeongguk’s bodily autonomy. If the boy didn’t want to be touched, he wouldn’t touch him. “I’ll give you your space. But we’re talking when we get home.” He warned.

The rest of the fifteen minute bus trip home was spent in uncomfortable silence. Jeongguk jerked out of his hold once more when Tae tried to steady the boy as he lurched down the aisle of the braking vehicle. His stubbornness almost making both of them fall. Tae pressed his lips together, watching the hybrid stomp down the stairs and out onto the footpath.

“Thank you.” He thanked the driver with a small, polite bow and left the bus to follow closely behind the obviously angry bunny.

They reached their home in less than five minutes, Jeongguk’s furious pace cutting their journey by a third. The hybrid bypassed the elevator, running up the stairs, his tail visibly flicking beneath his baggy shirt irritably. Taehyung sighed heavily and followed him. The exercise would do him good, he supposed, and perhaps the burst of activity would serve to calm some of Guk’s agitation.

He found Jeongguk waiting by the door impatiently, as Taehyung was the only one with a key. He’d figured there was no point to giving the hybrid one, as he left the spare hanging just inside the door, should the boy need to go out while he wasn’t home. Although he was adamant that solo outings were to be kept to the two block radius and Guk was required to inform him by text that he was leaving, where he was going and how long he’d be, He also had to carry his phone in his pocket at all times while out and text when he got home.

Taehyung unlocked the door silently and held it open for Jeongguk to enter. The hybrid paused at the entryway, flicking his feet on the mat while he glared up at the taller boy. To anyone else, it might have seemed like he was wiping his feet, but Tae knew the boy well enough to know the display was aggressive. They were hurtling full speed toward a classic Jeongguk tantrum. Something that hadn’t happened since he’d been living in the Kim household.