Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

t e n

Community building activities were on Sunday mornings and Junseo had kicked his son out of their cabin, telling him to "go find something to do".

Jeongguk sulked, the flies that buzzed near his ears were just adding fuel to the fire of his irritation. He watched the kids sat down in a circle on the stage of the open-air auditorium, his feet refusing to move and join them. He was kind of hoping to find Jimin, but at the same time he dreaded the thought of Carter being near.

"Bread is actually raw toast."

Jeongguk turned around just in time to see Yoongi facepalm and let out a disappointed sigh.

"I see why you and my brother get along." Taehyung noted to Madeline as the trio approached. He was ignored of course.

"And ketchup is actually tomato smoothie." Madeline continued. She came to a stop when she met the ravenette's eyes, face quickly morphing into a scowl. She naturally tugged her friends in the direction of the stage.

"Wait." Taehyung resisted, gaze on Jeongguk as he readjusted the strap of his backpack. "You guys go ahead. I want to talk to him."

"To him?" Madeline frowned, but she let Taehyung go. "We'll see you later then."

One thing had been running in his mind full speed since morning— snowflake. Taehyung wanted to believe his brain was playing tricks on him. But that toddler in his dream looked too much like Jeongguk for him to ignore.

He just wanted— needed to know more about him.

Jeongguk's expression got more and more intimidating as Taehyung neared, but the brunette didn't back away. "Good morning." He said in the most monotoned voice he could muster.

The ravenette looked away. He wasn't even properly facing Taehyung.

They stood there for a moment under the shade of swaying leaves and branches, neither of them knowing what Taehyung's intensions were. The brunette struggled to voice the thoughts in his head.

"I'm really sorry." He decided to say, "About yesterday. I didn't mean to pry into your personal life. That was my fault." Taehyung waited for his reaction.

Jeongguk sighed, still not meeting his eyes. "Whatever." He mumbled. "It wasn't your fault. I know I tend to overreact on... things that people find insignificant."

"But it's significant to you."

The ravenette shrugged. "I guess you can say that."

Taehyung could tell just by the way Jeongguk eyed at the stage full of chattering kids, jaw tensed like a guitar string, that he was reluctant to join. His next question confirmed it.

"This isn't mandatory, right?"

The brunette kicked at a pinecone near his feet. "Depends." He said, "How big of a rebel are you?"

Jeongguk just stared, not quite understanding his question.

"Let's ditch." Taehyung suggested, a sly smile on his face. "C'mon." He reached over and jabbed at his shoulder. "You clearly don't like socializing."

"Ditch to where?"

Taehyung hummed. "You said you're a sky person, yeah?" He recalled, much to Jeongguk's humiliation.

"You just answered my question with a question." The ravenette deadpanned.

Jeongguk weighed his options. It was either follow him or stand here like an idiot for the rest of the day. He hoped he doesn't live to regret his decision.

The mountain path ahead was loose rock, every one of them washed smooth by the water that once ran freely over them. Thick, moss green boughs arched over the obstacles, competing for sunlight and Jeongguk could tell that Taehyung had been here before by the way he transported himself across, confidence in every step.

The brunette turned to look at Jeongguk, then stretched out a hand. "Hold on to me?" He offered, fully aware of how slippery the mossed over rocks were. His bag almost fell off his shoulder.

"I'm fine." The ravenette answered, swatting him away, "Just— go. I'm right behind you."

They kicked up dirt from under their sneakers as the path got steeper. The further they got, the more Jeongguk wondered if Taehyung was gonna pull out a knife, stab him and bury him far far away.

Honestly? He wouldn't mind.

"Where are we?" Jeongguk asked. He was sweating in his hoodie. Oh well, no one to blame but himself.

"I call it the peak because I'm unoriginal." Taehyung answered, foot coming up to step onto a boulder. He lifted his hand. "Hold my hand this time." He said firmly, and he wasn't surprised when the ravenette narrowed his gaze at it. "I don't care how expensive your life insurance is. If you fall and die, it's not on me."

"I don't—" Jeongguk pushed his tongue against his inner cheek. "I don't hold random people's hands." Except Jimin's, he supposed.

"It's not that deep." Taehyung said, purposefully echoing his words and earning a glare from the ravenette. "Am I that much of a stranger to you?"

Reluctantly, Jeongguk brushed their fingers against each other's. The gesture was rather foreign to him.

Taehyung took initiative and grabbed onto his hand. "You're okay." He told him, tone softening as he pulled the boy up.

Jeongguk noted the size of Taehyung's hand wrapped around his own. He didn't feel the same giddiness he felt with Jimin. Instead, holding the brunette's hand felt like the most natural thing in the world.

His jaw went slack when they reached the top and was welcomed with a view. "Jesus Christ."

"— is our lord and savior." Taehyung finished for him, sarcasm dripping from his words.

"Shut up, it's so beautiful." Jeongguk breathed.

He shielded the strong sunlight from his eyes and let them wander along the ups and downs of hills and valleys, into dry creek beds and defined shorelines. The wind sliced into his lungs with fierce vivacity, bringing with it the smell of earth. It was marveling.

"Glad you're liking it, mister sky person." Taehyung mocked airily, settling down on the rocky surface and rummaging through his bag. "I usually hang near the beach, but that doesn't seem to float your boat. This is the highest point I can find in camp. Closest to the sky. Out of bounds, of course."

Jeongguk looked down at him. "We're out of bounds?"

"Yup."

"You didn't strike me as the kind of person who breaks the rules."

"Some rules are worth breaking." The brunette shrugged, "Though I'm also the kind of person who'd cry if an adult yelled at me."

"Hah."

Taehyung smiled gently. "You're the first person who agreed to come up here with me."

"Technically I didn't even know where we were headed."

"But you're here." Taehyung concluded.

Why was he here? Jeongguk didn't know what had drawn him into trusting and following this boy.

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it's soulmate thingz

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