Hayan Night [|✓Taekook✓|]

㉘Was It Too Much?

 
After eating the delicious food Taehyung made — as Jeongguk said like a hundred times — they moved to the bedroom to change his bandages and then sleep.

"Turn around for me," Taehyung spoke in a rather sweet tone as they were seated on the edge of the bed. They shifted to a cross-legged position with Jeongguk's back facing him, and his fingers drew closer to the hem of his shirt, fiddling it. "Can I lift your shirt?"

"Of course, Tae. That's the whole point," Jeongguk said with a small giggle that made the other melt by his cuteness.

"Just to be sure," Taehyung uttered, and with delicate movements, he dragged his shirt to his nape and left it there.

It hurt. It wrung his heart to see so many scars on his skin. And all of that because he couldn't protect him. Jeongguk was in his club, and he couldn't protect him from this. It was impossible to move or make a simple sound with his muscles frozen with heartache when that realization thundered down on him.

"Everything okay? Is it bad?"

"Um, no, I'm just... sorry," Taehyung whispered and began removing the bandages with slightly shaky hands.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked with a frown and twisted his upper body, wanting to look at him, but a faint whine fell from his lips as his back stretched.

"Stay still. And stop hurting yourself more," he scolded him softly, and Jeongguk could only sigh.

"You didn't answer me."

"I'm sorry because I couldn't protect you tonight. I didn't know."

"Tae, exactly, you didn't know. You couldn't prevent it, but at least you stopped it soon enough. Thank you so much for that."

"Don't thank me—"

"Stop saying that," Jeongguk cut him off with a small voice. "I have to thank you. I need to thank you. It's the least I can do."

Taehyung stayed mute as he removed the last bandage. Then, he opened the packet Yaesung gave him and took one in his hand. "You don't have to say thank you every time I do something for you," he murmured, his moves even more careful and gentle now. "You can show it to me."

"How?" He glanced above his shoulder and pouted since he still couldn't see his face.

"You can give me hugs and kisses." Maybe his voice was playful, but oh how much he wanted that.

And then Jeongguk was thankful he couldn't see him because the other would also be able to see his rosy cheeks and would definitely tease him again. "You—you want me to?"

"I wouldn't mind at all to be cuddled by you. And be kissed by you."

Why did Jeongguk's heart prance at his words, he could swear he didn't know. He tittered, tossing his head in all directions by his embarrassment, and cleared his throat. "Nice one."

Taehyung's movements halted upon hearing his remark. He thinks I'm joking. He snorted at his thoughts and stuck the next bandage carefully. "You liked my joke, little bun?"

"Um, yeah, it was good."

"Yeah? Too bad it wasn't one." His tone was noticeably lower than before, with no traces of teasing, but still soft.

What could Jeongguk do other than gulp and keep his mouth shut? Words were caught in his throat, anyway; he couldn't even make a sound. And they settled in silence until the very moment Taehyung covered every cut he had on his back.

He stared at his back, feeling another wave of sorrow wash over him. He sat with his knees in the bed close to him, but still careful not to touch his back.