Take on Me

38

¤ Goes On and On
Sleeping at Last ↲

And like a wrecking ball in reverse,
Every wrong will be made right.
What was adamant, even permanent,
Will have a change of heart and mind.
In your disbelief, you'll clear your eyes
As if you're seeing light
For the very first time.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

One week later and Taehyung was propped up on Jungkook's bed, sketching a portrait of his sleeping boyfriend. 

The last few days had weighed heavily on Jungkook, slowly wearing down his emotional and physical strength. Taehyung watched as the younger poured everything he had into taking care of his family, from working overtime at the construction site to caring for Juyeon when his mother was too tired. Jungkook never complained about any of it; however, Taehyung witnessed his high levels of exhaustion and stress.

It would be difficult for anyone to manage.

Taehyung pitched in whenever possible, all but moving into the Jeons' house. He stayed over every night, helping Jiho with housework and entertaining Juyeon when her spirits needed lifting. And at night, when a weak and weary Jungkook came home and collapsed into bed, Taehyung showered him with love and affection. 

They were rarely alone anymore, though that fact didn't take a toll on their relationship. If anything, Taehyung and Jungkook were becoming more aware of how well they handled life's difficulties together. They learned to rely on each other without fear of judgement; they came to understand that being strong meant opening up about the things that scared them the most. 

And sure, they were a little starved for physical intimacy. There weren't many moments they could truly be alone, just the two of them. And when those moments did occur, oftentimes they were both too exhausted to do anything but lay in each other's arms. But that was okay. Their emotional intimacy was more than enough. Once they settled into a more established routine, they'd make time to be alone together.

Now, on a dreary and rainy Saturday afternoon, Taehyung was finishing up his drawing of Jungkook. The younger fell asleep after lunch, his head in Taehyung's lap as he dozed peacefully. Soft puffs of air pushed out from his mouth, with his lips making a faint popping noise on each exhale.

Taehyung spent a good amount of time planning out pieces for his final presentations, slowly putting together a solid collection. When that got monotonous, he switched to sketching portraits of Jungkook. He learned pretty quickly how much he loved to draw the younger when he was sleeping. There was just something so pure and ethereal about Jungkook when his guard was dropped, all worries temporarily forgotten.

Once he finished a couple of portraits, Taehyung set aside his materials and wiped off his charcoal stained hands on his pants. Then, with a delicate touch, he ran his fingers through Jungkook's hair while listening to the soft pattering of rain against the window. Slowly, his eyes drifted closed and he lost his fight against sleep.

Sometime later, a loud and shrill noise startled him out of his peaceful slumber. He jerked upright, hands searching frantically for his ringing phone. He patted along the bed until he saw Jungkook holding it out to him, eyes open and mouth pushed together in a sleepy pout.

"Sorry, Kookie," Taehyung said as he took hold of his phone. "I don't know . . . Hey. It's the hospital."

Jungkook practically flew out of Taehyung's lap, clambering upright to sit beside him. His hand instantly went to Taehyung's knee, squeezing in a silent reassurance.

The younger hadn't exactly warmed up to the idea of Taehyung donating his kidney. While he continuously told Taehyung how appreciative he was of the gesture, he also explained just how nauseous it made him feel. He recounted how tough it was to witness Juyeon go through this pain and suffering, and that he didn't want that to extend to Taehyung as well.