METANOIA | TK

Chapter Twenty One

Hello! I hope everyone is safe and well.

I'd like to address this matter as well but you all might already know this. I do not support racism, homophobia and other inhuman acts. I even have 3 books in my native language based on the fact that we shouldn't judge someone based on their appearance, sexuality or gender. We're all humans but so little of us actually act like that.

I've been wondering if I should post but I decided to do so since it might help cheer you up.

Stay safe, love everyone and take care. I love you.

Also a fun fact, I'm very passionate about physics, astronomy, cosmology, astrophysics, but I almost failed that subject in high school twice because that's how school works. So don't let grades tell you that you're not good at something. I've always liked physics and enjoyed reading about it but school wanted me to memorize formulas, not understand it in a logic way. That's sad actually but eh, got over it.

Enjoy! Not edited.

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The following morning finds him sprawled on the bed, half of his body dropped on top of Taehyung's. Jeongguk's woken up by the other's giggle and soft motions through his hair, his eyes opening in order to look at him clearly.

"Morning, sleepyhead. I've been trying to wake you up for at least twenty minutes but I gave up on the way and started braiding your hair." Taehyung mumbles, still chucking as he caresses his fingers through his hair, Jeongguk wincing when he feels a dull pain on his scalp, making Taehyung press his lips in a thin line. "Didn't go very well."

Jeongguk sighs, moving away from Taehyung in order to thread his fingers through his hair, finding it extremely tangled, which earns the other a session of tickles. When Taehyung is out of breath and Jeongguk is satisfied with the fact that he's made the other laugh, he drops a kiss on his shoulder.

"Let's go shower, okay?"

And Taehyung humms cheerfully, guiding Jeongguk to the bathroom connected to his room, both of them washing their teeth and faces right after they step out of the steamy shower. Taehyung insists on making Jeongguk wear a bunny bandana that should hold his hair in place but the older is sure that he's just being made fun of. He still lets the other apply a white mask on his face because his smile is too beautiful too disappoint.

"I look ridiculous, love." He finally says when he sees himself in the mirror, pink bandana over his forehead and a white cream covered face.

"Yes, but you'll be glowing afterwards."

And Taehyung is right because, after he manages to finally wash his face, his face feels softer. He can't say he's not enjoying it because Taehyung keeps kissing his cheeks, mumbling something about how soft they are. Jeongguk notices as they get dressed in something comfortable, him borrowing some sweatpants while Taehyung simply puts on a robe, that the other can't keep himself apart from his body for too long. Taehyung is touchier than usual, peppering kisses on his shoulder whenever he passes by him, but Jeongguk enjoys it, the comfortable atmosphere around them.

"Let's go cook something."

And they leave the bedroom, Jeongguk finally being able to analyze the other's apartment. It's not big since Taehyung is still a college student but it's nice and it has a cozy touch to it. The kitchen and living room are one and the same and there's another door on the opposite wall but Jeongguk assumes that might be a guest room or a storage one. The apartment, unlike his own, has many colors around. The couch is green, with a soft blanket and a lot of pillows dropped on it, and the walls have different flowers and books dropped on minimalistic shelves that the other has probably arranged since they don't look like they belong in the rest of the apartment, having a different aesthetic than the green couch. Jeongguk starts walking around as Taehyung prepares some eggs, picking up a book from a random shelf.

"A Brief History of Time?" He mumbles, opening the book only to realize that it is, indeed, a science related book about cosmology.

"Hmm?" Taehyung asks as he turns around, smiling when he sees Jeongguk slowly putting the book back. "It's a good book. It's suited for beginners or for people that just want to know more. I think I've read it at least 3 times."

"Tell me something interesting from it then, angel." He says, watching as Taehyung's face lights up with excitement as he starts talking about his favorite part, the black holes.

Jeongguk embraces him from behind as he cracks the eggs into the pan, Taehyung giggling before he resumes his speech about the birth of a black hole, telling him that they're just massive stars that have collapsed into a very small point called singularity due to how heavy they are, letting him know that he thinks that word is very melodic and that he enjoys hearing it even if isn't something necessarily good. Taehyung tells him that black holes are named like that because they don't emit any light and Jeongguk starts laughing when the other gets a little bit too excited about the subject.

"And people think they appear from nowhere in movies and books? That's bullshit." Jeongguk even takes his knife in order to cut the tomatoes, letting Taehyung lean on the counter as he keeps swinging his hands around. "A black hole can only appear if the mass of the star is double the mass of our Sun. I swear I hate SF movies. If I see one more black hole pop onto the screen and suck everything in like a damn vacuum I'll go insane. They don't suck things in like a vacuum, but rather attract them since they have very strong gravity. Black holes can only be seen when they attract another star inside because that's when they emit x-rays, which can only be seen by telescopes not by the human eye! I'm so mad at producers for making bad movies."

And Jeongguk ends up laughing before he leans in to kiss Taehyung's lips, calming him down, telling him that he finds everything so incredibly interesting. He'd love to learn more about the universe, about everything around them, so he lets Taehyung know that he has to tell him more. When he almost cuts himself with the knife, Taehyung laughs out loud, shooing him away.

Jeongguk walks around more, noticing that there are candles on some of the shelves, most of them having flower names written on them in calligraphic letters.

"You like candles?" He asks, picking up one and opening the lid, smelling it softly. It smells amazing, like he's taking a walk through a forest.

"Yes, a friend of mine has a business and I love the way they smell. Unlike others, they seem real. I keep them covered since they're too strong."

Jeongguk's heart warms even more as he looks around, noticing a collection of bookmarks in a glass jar perched on one of the shelves, next to some paint brushes. He picks up a flower, noticing that it's a succulent, then puts it back before he drops it. He's seen that happen before with Namjoon and he doesn't want to take the risk.

When Taehyung is done with the food, having even made a salad and some orange juice, Jeongguk sits at the table, feeling full only after a few bites. He thinks it's because he's happy so he starts feeding Taehyung instead, leaning over the table and stealing him some kisses because he can't stay away, can't resist. By now, he's already aware that they have to talk about their feelings, but he doesn't want to hurry.

"Do you have classes today?"

Taehyung thinks about it for a few seconds, nodding his head at last and telling him that he has courses in the afternoon and a shift at the restaurant in almost one hour. Jeongguk tells him that he'll drop him off, even if Taehyung insists that it's fine since he has to go to work as well.

When they part ways, Jeongguk watching him enter the restaurant, his body buzzes with the need to turn back and get him in his arms again.