ｈａｚｙ // ｖ.ｋ. ✔️

ｓｅｖｅｎ

"Jeongguk, your clothes have been washed and are in the bathroom. Taehyung will be here shortly to help you," the nurse explained, only getting the smallest nod out of the boy. He'd been refusing to eat and just being overall troublesome for the staff and doctors. Taehyung was the only one that could get him to speak or even get him out of bed. He'd been there for Jeongguk throughout his recovery-- when he wasn't at work, of course-- ensuring that he was doing well and not getting worse. Though only knowing Jeongguk for such a short time, he felt highly protective over the scarred boy. He didn't like thinking about the bruises that littered his body, the dried blood under his fingernails, nor the tear stains down his pretty face.

It hurt his heart to see how emotionally shut down the boy was due to the severe mistreatment. He entered the room, greeted by a warm hug. Jeongguk had also become very touchy, wanting nothing more than to be held and treated with love to help forget about Kyong's reign of terror. "Do you need help getting changed?" he asked gently as he put his hands on his shoulders. Jeongguk hesitated before shaking his head. He didn't want Taehyung to see how ugly his body had become. He hated his bruises and scars; he hated his deteriorating body. So, he entered the bathroom and reluctantly changed into his clothes. He turned away from the mirror and slipped into his jeans and shirt. They'd become loose on his now small body. He sighed. Jeongguk exited the bathroom, immediately catching Taehyung's soft gaze.

One thing Jeongguk had noticed was that Taehyung had been slowly losing the haze that had always been over his pretty eyes. Every time he was with Jeongguk, it'd magically disappear as if he were actually speaking to Jeongguk instead of just putting up a fake front. "Are you ready to go?" Jeongguk nodded and followed Taehyung out into the parking lot where they got into Taehyung's sleek, black car. Jeongguk weakly got into the car and buckled up, staring blankly ahead. "Do you want me to go get your stuff from the apartment?" Jeongguk bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes just remembering the apartment that housed so much pain. "N-No it's fine, I don't need anything there..."

Taehyung pursed his lips and continued to drive. "Okay, do you just wanna go home then?" Jeongguk nodded and turned away from Taehyung. Taehyung had offered him a place to stay while Jeongguk was searching for somewhere more permanent, which Jeongguk agreed to only because he had nowhere else to go. He didn't want to risk the chance of getting hurt again, though he knew Taehyung's intentions were pure. The thought of living alone with him made his mind spiral down into a pit of anxiety. "Hey, we're here," Taehyung spoke carefully. Jeongguk was snapped out of his negative headspace and left the car. Taehyung's house wasn't huge, but it was big enough for the two of them. The pale grey bricks and the pretty garden in the front of the house gave it a safe, welcoming feel, putting Jeongguk's tired mind at some ease. "Fuck, I forgot it rained yesterday," Taehyung muttered as he rushed over to his flower bed. This made Jeongguk smile slightly.

Taehyung was so caring and seeing him get worried over some measly flowers was amusing to Jeongguk. "Jeongguk, come here," Taehyung beckoned. Jeonggguk walked over to Taehyung's flower bed and knelt down next to him. "You see these little guys?" Taehyung was pointing at a patch of maroon flowers. Jeongguk nodded, a small smile on his lips. "Those are my favorite. They're dahlias, but I love this color particularly because they stick out from the other brightly colored ones," Taehyung explained. Jeongguk nodded, smiling softly at how serious Taehyung was. A small patch of red flowers caught Jeongguk's attention. "What are those?" Taehyung looked over to where Jeongguk was pointing. "Oh, those are my red spider lilies," he smiled. "They're pretty cool, huh?" Jeongguk glanced up at Taehyung, eyeing his profile. "Let's go inside so I can show you your room," Taehyung stated as he stood up, dusting off his jeans. Jeongguk mimicked his actions and followed him into the house. The house smelled of tea and cleaning supplies, which Jeongguk didn't mind. It suited Taehyung well. "I spent all last night cleaning so that it wouldn't look like shit when you got here," Taehyung admitted sheepishly. Jeongguk smiled at his thoughtfulness.

"Your room is just down this hallway. It's right across from mine so you can just make a one way sprint to my room if you need to," he joked. He opened the door, revealing an average sized room with a bed and a dresser. The bed had black sheets and a grey comforter with a couple of soft pillows. The walls were plain and white, but Jeongguk didn't mind. "I put some clothes in the dresser. I don't know what size you wear, so I just got whatever I'd usually wear." Jeongguk nodded, turning to Taehyung slightly. "You can get settled in or take a shower if you want. The bathroom is further down the hall. I'm gonna go make some lunch. Would you like anything in particular?" he asked. Jeongguk shook his head. "Where are the towels?" "They're in the cabinet under the sink. You can come hang out with me or just do whatever. Make yourself at home," Taehyung smiled before heading towards the kitchen.

Jeongguk grabbed a black shirt and joggers out of the dresser before making his way to the bathroom. He hesitantly entered and locked the door behind him, not wanting Taehyung to walk in on accident. A soft sigh escaped his lips upon feeling the warm water on his still sore body. It was refreshing. He washed up and turned the water off, burying his face in the soft towel he'd gotten from the cabinet. After changing into his somewhat loose clothes, he went to go check on Taehyung. Taehyung was busy brewing some tea and nibbling on what looked to be a grilled cheese sandwich. Jeongguk hopped onto the counter, swinging his legs back and forth. Taehyung jumped slightly, startled by Jeongguk's sudden presence. "Hey, was the shower nice?" he asked. Jeongguk nodded and looked over at the tea. "What kind of tea is it?" A confident smirk appeared on Taehyung's face.

"It is rose infused milk tea. I love working with roses so I kinda use them in everything. Sorry if the taste gets old," Taehyung laughed. "Do you use the roses from your garden?" Taehyung nodded. "I either bake them in the oven or use them as they are, depending on what I'm using them for. Would you like me to teach you how?" There was a hint of excitement in Taehyung's eyes, so Jeongguk obliged. "I'll show you later, okay? But would you like to try the tea?" Jeongguk nodded, loving how aromatic it was. Taehyung poured him a glass and watched as Jeongguk's pretty lips encased the rim.

His eyes lit up as he broke into a smile. "It's really good. I didn't know it'd be so sweet," he stated. "I put rose syrup and sugar in it, so it's probably a bit too sweet, my bad." Jeongguk shook his head frivolously. "I like it like this, it tastes amazing," he praised. A light blush fell over Taehyung's cheeks. He wasn't used to getting compliments on something as important as his tea, especially from cute boys with wet hair sitting on his counter. "Thanks," he muttered.

An awkward silence fell over them as Jeongguk silently sipped on the sweet beverage. "Are you sure you're not hungry. I don't mind making you something," Taehyung offered, his eyebrows raised slightly. Jeongguk shook his head. He really hadn't had an appetite for a long time, mainly because of the emotional stress he had gone through. "Let me know if you get hungry later." Jeongguk couldn't help but stare at Taehyung. He wore an oversized green button up with a loose pair of slacks, and Jeongguk found it so attractive. He was fit, yet he didn't ever show off his toned body. He was rather conservative, even in his own house. Seeing how utterly handsome Taehyung was made Jeongguk a little insecure. He'd always been insecure about his looks for many reasons, but living with someone as beautiful as Taehyung made him frown. "Hey, can I ask you something?" Taehyung nodded, not looking away from his tea.
"Do you think I'm ugly?"

This chapter was hella long so I had to split it up :')