*taekook*

010

Jeongguk awoke to the smell of burning.

Groaning, he rolled over and stood up, wincing at the pain in his neck.

"Yoongi? The fuck're you doing?" he called out, scratching the back of his head. He froze when he saw Taehyung, sitting on the counter in one of Jeongguk's sweaters, laughing at something Yoongi had said. His breath literally left his body, staring at the elder with wide eyes.

"You're awake," he whispered, eyes drinking in every small feature. His tousled hair, his glowing skin that was returning to its original colour, his fading eye bags and his rectangular smile. Taehyung noticed Jeongguk, the smile fading into a sheepish, embarrassed smirk.

"Hey," Taehyung said, hopping off the counter onto wobbly legs. Jeongguk rushed forwards, gathering Taehyung's small frame into his arms, breathing in his scent and basking in his laugh.

Yoongi cleared his throat before saying, awkwardly, "I'm gonna... go to my room."

Jeongguk ignored him, laughing into Taehyung's hair. The elder was shifting in his arms, choking down his own laughter.

"Jeongguk- Jeongguk, you're suffocating me," he giggled. Jeongguk pulled back, cupping Taehyung's face (far too domestically) and grinning.

"I'm so happy you're awake," he said, voice oozing honesty. Taehyung blushed.

"Yeah, me too," Taehyung laughed before going serious. "Jeongguk, I'm- I'm so- I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have had to..."

"Don't worry about it, yeah?" Jeongguk reassured instantly. Taehyung was looking at him with disbelief in his eyes.

"No, you- you shouldn't have had to deal with that, it's not what you paid for," Taehyung sighed. Jeongguk pulled his chin up, staring at him, smiling still.

"I don't mind, baby. I just wanna help you get better now, yeah? Namjoon said it's gonna be a hard few days," he told Taehyung. He snorted, resting his forehead against Jeongguk's.

"You must have been really worried, to be talking to your hooker like this," Taehyung laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but his insecurities shone through, making his voice wobble.

"You wouldn't believe how scared I was," Jeongguk admitted, voice soft, too soft for it to not mean anything. Taehyung was looking at him oddly, gripping the collar of his shirt tightly.

"Don't play with me, Jeongguk," Taehyung warned, voice more sad than intimidating. "It's fine if I don't mean shit, but just... don't play with me."

"I won't. I just... thought about it. A lot. And I wanna take you out places, get to know you somewhere other than that shitty fucking sex hole. I want to know you," he said. Taehyung laughed, the sound one that Jeongguk would never tire of.

"But I'm... lower class," Taehyung argued still, waving his hand at Jeongguk. "You're like, above high class."

"So? Who gives a fuck? Taehyung, you're so- so interesting, unlike anyone I've ever met," Jeongguk admitted. You saved me , he thought. You saved my life that night, all those years ago.

"I have a lot of... baggage," Taehyung admitted solemnly. "Obviously."

"I want to help you get better," Jeongguk said. And, finally, he let himself admit that it was true . He wasn't a particularly caring or kind person, but he wanted to be, for Taehyung, he wanted to be the best person he could be.

"I can't... I can't believe this?" Taehyung laughed, the statement sounding like a question. Jeongguk laughed too, letting his thumbs trace over the curves of Taehyung's cheeks, down to his full bottom lip.

"Can't believe what?" Jeongguk asked, smiling still, distracted by running his hands down Taehyung's neck.

"That somebody gives a shit about me," he muttered, looking up when he felt Jeongguk's hands stopped. "Not that I expected you to hate me, or anything, but I- I'm disposable, you know? You could have thousands of me, and I'm just a dirty person who does dirty things to survive, I have since I was fourteen- "

Jeongguk's heart stopped. "F-Fourteen? Christ, Taehyung-"

"I know, it's- I didn't... choose to, but it- it happened, and here I am, living in a shit apartment with no family and scarce income and a fucking heroin addiction," Taehyung spat, his voice so livid with self hatred that Jeongguk didn't know how to react.

"Do you want to quit?" Jeongguk questioned. Taehyung nodded, his laugh sounding like a sob.

"Of fucking course I do," he hissed. Jeongguk brought his face close, watching his reaction.

"Then quit. I'll support you, I'll get you a proper job," Jeongguk blurted, his nose brushing against Taehyung's gently. Taehyung shook his head, sighing softly.

"No, Jeonggukie. I can't leave Jimin and Hoseok like that, can't take a free pass out. It's not fair," Taehyung argued. Jeongguk groaned, breath tickling Taehyung's cheeks. The boy suddenly grit his teeth, face scrunching up in pain. Jeongguk was worrying at his side, leading him to sit on the counter once more.

"I'm okay, I promise, I just-" he broke off with a small, pained haaah noise. "This isn't new, I'm used to it." Jeongguk frowned, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"How many times-"

"Too many," he answered curtly. Jeongguk blinked a few times, waiting for an explanation. Taehyung stared back at him, unwilling.

"Can you tell me how it started?" Jeongguk asked, to which Taehyung snorted.

"Why does it matter?" Taehyung sighed. Jeongguk shrugged, playing with one of his hands gently.

"I want to know you," he pleaded, looking up at Taehyung with a soft smile. Taehyung huffed out a breath, looking to the side.

"My ex, Minho, he... he was older, and controlling, and he got me started when I was a teenager. He had issues, and was... abusive, I guess. It wasn't- wasn't horrible, but he guilted me and made me do things for him and it wasn't... good. His shitty apartment, you know the one on Main? Yeah, he lives there, and we'd just get fucking high and fuck and he made me feel so good . And after my- my mom- he kind of, took me in, sorta, made me spend my money on useless shit. And- yeah, I guess I've been addicted ever since," Taehyung explained. Jeongguk nodded, smiling again. They were quiet for awhile, Jeongguk simply watching Taehyung's face as he blinked wearily.

"Tae?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you wanna sleep again?"

"Mmm."