Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

t w e n t y - n i n e

"Jeongguk had a panic attack." Taehyung spoke quietly into his phone, standing in the middle of their kitchen. "I just want you to come over, so that he'll feel... less alone with more people around."

"Fuck, okay." Yoongi's end of the line was lagging slightly. "You're lucky the tiny corner of our bathroom has good enough signal for me to hear you."

"I managed to contact Maddie too."

"Just like old times then."

Another voice rang out from somewhere near Yoongi. "What are you doing wedged between the toilet seat and the sink?"

"I'm on the phone with Tae."

The call started breaking up and the next thing that Taehyung heard was "Hey, can Hobi come along?"

"Yeah of course." The brunette nodded enthusiastically, "The more the merrier."

Taehyung ended the conversation with a press of a button and went upstairs. When he stood at the doorway, he could see his brother speaking to Jeongguk, who was huddled on Taehyung's bed, dressed in a fresh set of clothes.

When Seokjin spotted his little brother, he got to his feet and approached him. "Something triggered that panic attack." He whispered, hand on his shoulder, "Try talking to him."

"Thanks, Jin."

"I'm right next door if you need me. Love you, Tae. Goodnight."

"I love you."

Seokjin turned to give Jeongguk a small smile, then disappeared out the room. Taehyung closed the door behind him, eyes settling on the fragile boy perched at the edge of the mattress.

"Madeline, Yoongi and Hobi are coming over." He informed the ravenette.

Jeongguk blinked at him. "They are?"

"Yeah. And don't worry about it being a bother." Taehyung added, knowing exactly what was going through the ravenette's mind. "Maddie and Yoongi and I have been doing camp sleepovers for years." He took a seat next to the ravenette, cautiousness in his movements.

Taehyung reached up and pushed the fringe off the ravenette's forehead, eyes leaving his for a mere second before his focus was back on Jeongguk. The loving gesture made the boy momentarily speechless.

"Sorry." Taehyung stammered, "Uh, your hair was covering your eyes and your eyes are really—" He sucked in a breath, suddenly catching wind of what he was about to say. "—nice. They're nice. I'm sorry."

Ew Tae that was so awkward.

"It's okay." Jeongguk replied, feeling heat surfacing on his cheeks.

"So... what really happened?"

"Hm?" Jeongguk surveyed him with his pretty doe eyes.

"Bambi..." Taehyung pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged, staring at Jeongguk dead on. "I know you. You wouldn't lose your mom's pendant just like that..."

Jeongguk could feel the lump in his throat rising again, every second of the last few hours racing in his mind like an animal out of a cage. "I don't want to talk about it."

Taehyung became discouraged at that, for he had been hoping— praying that Jeongguk trusted him enough to tell him. But no.

"I can't force you to." The brunette said truthfully, "But Jeongguk... you have to talk to someone."

The ravenette grew quiet, ignoring Taehyung's concerns as he pushed himself off the bed and began opening one of the sleeping bags Ahnjong had left behind for Madeline and the boys.