Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

s i x

Taehyung's eyes shot open, body jerking awake as he grabbed onto handfuls of the sheets. It's as if a hypodermic of adrenaline has been emptied into his carotid, shock pumping through his veins.

The brunette placed a hand against forehead, coated with sweat. Fuck, it felt so real. He remembered every little detail.

Why did that boyish voice sound so familiar? He couldn't quite put his finger on it.

It was just a dream, Tae.

He was unaware that a certain someone had woken up in a cold sweat just as he did, only a couple meters away.

Rays of golden peeked through the curtains and poured sunlight into the room. Taehyung rubbed the dreams away from his eyes, movements leaden with sleep. He dragged himself downstairs, making himself eggs on their portable stove and leaving the box of cereal on the wooden table for his brother.

"Holy shit you're alive." Seokjin said, voice a little raspy as he made his way down the stairs, "I was gonna go wake you up with an Encyclopedia to the face."

"We don't have any Encyclopedias." Taehyung grinned at his bed head. "Mom's already gone."

The adults usually had their own things going on at camp, leaving their youngsters to their own activities— lurking around forest grounds maybe.

Seokjin went to pour his cereal. Whatever invisible barrier that held the lucky charms back suddenly crashed forward, emptying too much into his bowl. The older boy deadpanned, seemingly rethinking his life choices and Taehyung laughed at him. "More for me then, I guess."

There was a knock on the door and both boys raised an eyebrow at each other.

"Hi." Junseo said, looking rather lost as Taehyung opened the door. "Is your mother here?"

Taehyung shook his head slowly. "Nope. Is everything okay?"

"Well, Jeongguk is supposed to be filling out some kind of form apparently. But I'm confused as to what it is and where he's supposed to do that?"

"Oh." Taehyung pursed his lips. "Oh- The form for the newcomers?"

Junseo shrugged. "Maybe."

"All the new kids fill that form out for the counselors to get to know them." Taehyung explained, putting on his best I-need-to-be-nice-to-adults smile. He raised his hand to point in the direction of the main office. "It's over—"

"Perfect." The man interrupted, "You can bring my son." He stepped aside to reveal the ravenette, dressed in his usual black hoodie in this hot ass weather. The boy's gaze was on the ground, hands stuffed into pockets.

"N-now?" Taehyung said in surprise.

"Yeah." Junseo answered rather hastily. And before Taehyung could say anything else, he turned on his heels and left.

"Rude much?" Seokjin called from the table.

Meanwhile, Taehyung focused on the boy in front of him. "Um. I'm still having breakfast. You wanna hang around inside for a little while?"

Jeongguk shrugged, then nodded subtly. Taehyung noted how bland both his father and his reactions were, and let him in. The ravenette plopped himself down on the stool furthest away from Seokjin and stared at his feet.

"Did you eat, Jeongguk?" Seokjin asked. When the boy didn't answer, he took matter into his own hands and slid a granola bar across the table. "You can talk, you know. We don't bite."

"Thanks." The boy murmured in response, hand coming up to take the snack and rip it between his fingers.

Yesterday his actions were fueled with annoyance and slight anger. Now he just looked... sad and drained of energy.

The atmosphere had shifted as silence draped over the trio. Taehyung settled back into his seat, watching the ravenette as he poked at his toast and eggs with his fork. Taehyung had plans to meet Yoongi and Madeline in the common room, but he supposed that had to wait.

"I'll take you down to the office." He told Jeongguk, knowing that Seokjin already had plans with his older friends, "It's not that far a walk and you'll get to meet Tim. He's like... the head of the place."

The ravenette nodded.

It didn't take long before Taehyung finished up his meal and put the dishes in the sink. He handed Jeongguk another light snack, seeing that that granola bar wouldn't fill his tummy. The boy stared at him for a second before accepting, and Taehyung got to see those pretty eyes that was always turned towards the floor.

"Let's go, then." He said awkwardly, "See you around, Jin."

__________

i'm gonna be dead for a little while cause i'm a high school senior and things are piling up
especially that the pandemic is going on, college transition is really sickeningly confusing so i hope you understand
college applications are november but i'll try my hardest to be back before that

i WONT give up on this story
promise

i love you
please be safe <3
- hay