Dreaming Alone | taekook ✔️

f o r t y

Taehyung blinked his tears away, surprised. "You are?"

"That was pretty out of no where, huh?" His brother chuckled.

Taehyung let his curiosity overtake his misery. "Who is he?"

"They." Seokjin corrected, "Their pronouns are they and them."

"Sorry. What's their name?"

Seokjin cracked a soft smile. "Joonie. We kinda met through a mutual friend from last year camp and started, well, dating just two days ago."

"And?"

"And it's not going that great." His brother admitted sadly.

Taehyung hugged Seokjin closer. "Why?"

"They like being affectionate. And I..." Seokjin winced.

"You don't like physical contact other than me and mom. I know." Taehyung sighed, offering his brother a lazy half-smile. "You value your personal space a little too much sometimes."

Seokjin smiled back, headbutting Taehyung's forehead as the voices from downstairs got a little louder. He looked at the door, then back at the teary-eyed boy in his embrace.

"You wanna sleep in my room tonight?" He asked, "You know I don't mind. They can have their sleepover in your room."

The brunette shook his head. "I have to stay close to him." He explained quietly, "Jeongguk said his dreams— the dreams that I unconsciously share with him— are scary. I don't want him to wake up from a nightmare without me there to comfort him."

Seokjin smiled again. "I knew that boy was special to you right when you stood up to mom and claimed that Junseo was a shitty dad." He said, "I have never heard you talk crap about any adult before that. I'm proud of you."

Taehyung's bottom lip stuck out in a sad pout. "Maybe he is special to me. But it doesn't matter, does it?"

"Of course it does, Tae." Seokjin said, "You really don't want to stay over? You seem upset still."

The brunette exhaled. "It's okay. I can deal with it." He responded tiredly, "G'night, Jin. Thank you."

"I'm just down the hall if you need me."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

When Taehyung left the room, it was oddly quiet. He expected to hear his friends swarming Jeongguk with questions, but silence rang in his ears. He peeked down the stairs.

The ravenette stood alone, fingers running through his hair in a stressed manner.

Where was everyone?

Taehyung gulped, feeling his shoulders tense. Unsure of what to do, he turned to slip into his room and climb into bed. The brunette pulled the blanket up to his chin, his body faced towards the window.

He didn't need to talk to the ravenette. He just needed to be there for him if he woke up from a bad dream. It's as simple as that...

Then why did his heart squeeze when he heard the door creak open?

"Tae?"

Fuck, it's him.

Taehyung squeezed his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep but failing horribly when his heavy breathing prompted the rapid rise and fall of his chest. Jeongguk could see the way he fidgeted under the covers.

"Tae." His voice was gentle, laced with concern as he closed the door with a click. "I know you're up."

Accepting defeat, Taehyung turned around and allowed his gaze to settle on the ravenette, his figure mostly illuminated by moonlight.