Still The Same | taekook ✔️

t e n

[ stay ]
0:58 ──♡───────── 3:47
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Taehyung's studio apartment was rather small, modern but homey, just two blocks away and up a few flights of stairs.

It was a one room crowded with attic furniture, a couch and fat chairs upholstered in red velvet. A shoji room divider in the middle. Vintage linoleum kitchen countertops that matched the tiles on the wall. It smelled vaguely like the library and that led Jeongguk to notice the books lined up on the shelves next to the television. It was... very Taehyung.

Taehyung sat the younger down on the couch and went to get him water. Jeongguk wondered if he made the right choice of coming.

"Here."

Jeongguk gulped the drink down gratefully and thanked him out of politeness.

"You feel okay?" The older kneeled down on the spot next to him.

"Better now that I'm not at that party." He replied, looking around for a good place to put down the empty glass in his hand.

Taehyung took it and set it down on the coffee table. Jeongguk thanked him again.

"Why'd you even go?" The older asked. He started taking off his earrings, eyes not leaving Jeongguk. "You never struck me as a party person."

"Lost a bet a week back." He explained, pulling his feet up to sit cross legged, "Hoseok-hyung wanted me to go. Jimin-hyung came along too but left to go dancing."

Taehyung grimaced. "Kinda glad I didn't run into him, not gonna lie."

Jeongguk couldn't help but agree. That would be a whole other unnecessary conflict. He suddenly realized something and fished his phone out of his pocket. Yep- unread texts from Jimin.

Where are you?
Jk?
Hobi said he lost you
Hello?
Bun you're scaring me where are you?

Jeongguk glanced at the time. "Ah shit." He got to his feet and started speaking hurriedly towards Taehyung. "Well, thanks for, um, this. I should get going."

"Gguk, it's past midnight. You seriously want to walk home in the dark? It's not safe." Taehyung moved in front of the door, blocking Jeongguk from leaving.

The younger's eyes widened and he tensed, eyes darting left and right. He looked so utterly trapped- scared even.

"I'm not tryin' to hurt you." Taehyung told him, disheartened by how frightened Jeongguk was of him.

The younger's gaze dropped to the floor.

"I said I'd take care of you."

"You gave me water." Jeongguk murmured, fiddling with his fingers.

"I wanted to do more than that." Taehyung said quietly as he inched closer, but Jeongguk just flinched away. "I want to prove to you that you can trust me, Jeongguk. Please?"

The younger didn't dare make a sound to disrupt the atmosphere they've created. His eyes were permanently glued to the ground and his hands were balled into fists. Taehyung lifted a finger under Jeongguk's chin and gently tilted his head up.

"What I'm saying is, I want you to stay for the night."

A moment of silence settled between them, the only thing heard was Jeongguk's ragged breathing, trying not to be overwhelmed with emotion. If it weren't for the lack of tears in his eyes, Taehyung would've thought he was crying.

"You don't have to, if you don't want—"

"Okay."

Taehyung felt the weight being lifted off his shoulders. "Okay?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll stay."

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