| slept on saturday nights by khalid for way too long. it's so aesthetic and calming. truly one of the best of the bests. ♡

~

"Thanks for the ride."

The leather-clad man merely grunts in response, eyes trained dutifully at the concrete as he walks around to his leader's side of the car. His vision remains trained downwards as he shifts to the right, permitting the tall, equally dark clothed man to slip from the car, a blond-haired beauty tucked carefully in his arms.

"Have a safe trip back sir."the driver mumbles quietly, the door of the Mercedes C43 Coupe stamping close behind him.

"Same goes to you, Yuta."Jeongguk hums, sifting the boy in his arms to his left arm respectively, delivering a firm handshake to the elder, "And lay of the caffeine for a bit, the bags are starting to show."

"Are they?"the man murmurs, pale fingers curling upwards to dab lightly at the undersides of his eyes, "Taeyong'll know something for it."

Smiling grimly, Jeongguk offers a final, tight-lipped
jerk of his head before turning on his heel, eyes narrowed at the cobbled pathways rimmed with a range of lush succulents, trimmed shrubs and budding oleanders. The garden seemed to be moulded into a look-alike off the front cover of your familiar 'Better Homes & Gardens', flushed a darkening emerald that has the mafia leader huffing in distaste at the eery perfection.

"Gukkie."a sleep driven voice groans suddenly, startled into reality at the growl of the disappearing car that speeds down the recently paved cement.

Cradling the blond even closer, he ducks his head to smile sweetly at the mumbling boy who peers meekly up at him from the large leather jacket that shelters his lithe frame, "Good afternoon angel."

"Afternoon."Taehyung slurs back, curled fingers reaching up to fist at his eyes in hope of clearing the hazy blur that obstructs his vision, "We here yet?"

"Mhm."Jeongguk nods, "Wanna right the bell for me baby?"

Eyes alight with childish joy, the blond nods rashly, squirming to raise his upper body from the other's tender hold, long fingers reaching up to stamp at the white circle propped beside the fly-door.

There's a brief pause, one in which Taehyung whines and squirms to be let go of, huffing as he pouts at his reluctant boyfriend who eventually shifts him gingerly to the floor, wrapping a protective arm around his waist immediately after.

"You're so clingy."the blond huffs, tan cheeks tinted a dark shade of rose as he narrows his eyes up at the elder.

Raising an eyebrow, the tips of Jeongguk's lips curl as he smirks, "You love it though."

"Oh hush."

Jeongguk smother's an amused laugh at the younger's burning cheeks, fingers teasing at the hem of his shirt as they await the door to be flung open.

And their wish is granted soon, the sound of feet pampering over polished wood reaching their ears a few seconds later before the door is opened and a rather ruffled Mr. Kim emerges into their vision.

His hair is raised in all directions, a dark mess of unattended knots that reach the base of his neck and slither across the expanse of his forehead, tickling the ends of his rugged skin that fails hygiene standards, oily and covered in a sheet of dirt that has seemingly accumulated for a number of days. His clothes are no better, strewn over his thin frame and twisted wildly as he blinks bearing up at the couple.

"T-Taehyung?"he stammers, grimy finger fisting to rub harshly at his eyelids before they open, wider than before as he gapes openly, "Is that really you?"

Nodding meekly, the young blond steps forward, his boyfriend's arm slipping from his hips as he nears his visibly distressed father, fingers twisted at his stomach.

"Oh God."the man murmurs breathily, lips tugging upwards as the second pass, palm tightening against the doorframe as an anchor of support, "I can't believe my eyes."

Giggling, Taehyung lifts a gentle palm to his father's cheeks, his gifted smile wide on show, "It's me appa, it's me."

The words seem to disperse any doubt of the aversion of reality as his own box-like smile splits upon his face, eyes blurred with a haze of slated liquid as he staggers forward to embrace his son shakily.

"I missed you!"he cries into his son's neck, sniffling as his fingers grasp at the boy's shirt, "Thought you were dead and-and I couldn't forgive myself..my God I can't believe this!"

"I'm here."Taehyung smiles, rubbing consoling circles into the sobbing man's back, "I'm not going anywhere calm down."

Biting back the onslaught of yet another batch of snot and tears that runs down his cheeks and chin, Mr.Kim pulls back from the close embrace to hold his son from a shoulder's width as he smiles weakly.

It's only then does he happen to notice the looming, black figure that stands rather awkwardly a few steps from them, an indifferent expression upon his sharp features.

Eyes widening in disbelief, his grip at his son's wrist tightens terribly as his body launches into a fit of nostalgic trembles, voice cracking as he speaks, "J-Jeon? What are you doing here?"

Raising an eyebrow at the man's unnecessary curiosity, Jeongguk bites back a snarl as he grunts, "You think you can ask me -"

"Guk!"Taehyung snaps, eyes narrowed into a reprimanding glare.

"Be quiet! H-He'll kill you."Mr.Kim stammers, incredulous at the blond's appalling behaviour towards such an infamous figure.

Appearing as if he were truly torn between decision, Jeongguk draws a rather tight smile to his lips, features now slightly odd at the strain of his skin as he speaks, "Excuse me sir, I meant to say that I was actually just bringing Taehyung here to see you and that hag- I mean your wife for a bit."

"I-Is that so?"he stutters, rounding towards his son who nods in approval before pulling a bogus smile of warm welcoming of his own, "Very well then, come in. - quickly diverting his vision to his son, he mumbles - You're mum's been dying to see you Tae."

Propping the door wider to accomodate the two males, Mr.Kim stands at the door as both his son and ex-tormentor strides past him and dare I say, he kept his head bowed and lips bitten as the dark clothed man shoves past.

&&&

After yet another exaggerative introduction that compromises of rather emotional Mrs.Kim who had thrown herself at her off-guard son in a haze of loud wails and great sobs, the four of them sit around the wooden dining table, steaming hot beverages before them.

"So,"Mr.Kim says slowly, gaze flitting from his son and an inattentive Jeongguk, "you're saying that you two are dating?"

"Mhm."Taehyung nods, a timid smile at his lips, fingers intertwined with his partner's underneath the table.

"And you realise you two are both boys?"

There's a rather loud snort at the woman's words, scarred fingers tightening against the hot ceramic as his eyes roll in bubbling frustration, "Well no shit, you're going to notice exactly what junk your partner hold downs there."

Gasping softly at the man's shameless utterance of crude language, Mrs.Kim shoots her husband a rather startled look as her fingers clasp themselves tightly before her.

"What he means to say,"Taehyung intervenes, a tight smile at his lips, "Is that yes, we do and wish that you accept us for who we are."

"You won't hurt him?"Mr.Kim pipes up meekly, lips set into a trembling line as he averts any sort of eye contact with the moody mafia leader, "This isn't some abusive, toxic relationship r-right?"

Squeaking at the dark gaze Jeongguk sends him, the man looks as if he were to disperse into thin air in that very second from the fear that squeezes at his core.

"I love him."Jeongguk seethes, curled fist coming down to swing at the table in a defiant crunch, "I understand why you don't trust me with your son for the reputation I hold, but don't you dare assume that I would ever, ever harm a hair on that boy's head. He means the world to me and hurting him would be the last thing I would want, so fuck off with your assuming, arrogant asses."

And then, as if the stifling tension and stupefied expressions were now all too ridiculous, he rises from the table, chair kicking back behind him as strides out of the room, not before swooping to mumble a half-assed apology into the equally surprised blond's ears.

"Sorry angel, gotta take a breather, I'll be back in a bit."

Maybe it is to solidify his statement or spark some kind of avenge within the Kims minds, Jeongguk tilts Taehyung's head tenderly to press his lips gently against the boy's before pressing their foreheads together and planting a final kiss to his nose before striding out of the room.

&&&

When the very look of the neatly trimmed bushes and plants, and the absolutely non-existent weeds that banish themselves from the bizarre perfection in the Kims gardens has him screaming curses that many mothers would have had shrieked and ushered their children to another country, Jeongguk stumbles back into the house, mind now only disgruntled by what he sees as the worst garden he had ever laid eyes on.

As he nears the room the family gather around in, the raven-haired male perks his ears at the sound of muffled speaking.

"Do you love him?"a voice says gently, Jeongguk noting that it was the father of the family from the gruff baritone tone.

"I do."Taehyung says proudly, and the leader can hear the smile on his boyfriend's lips as he speaks, "I really do. Give him a chance, he's just a bit defensive at the moment but he's a sweetheart when you get to know him, I promise."

"I don't know Taehyung, he's..he's a murder! What mother would let their child run off with a psycho who kills everything in his path."Mrs Kim snaps shrilly, the sound of palm slapping the table reaching his ears.

"A mother who created that very psycho herself."

The room is hushed as Jeongguk's voice seeps into their argument, eyes swivelling to his slack frame resting against the cream wall that curves outwards to reveal the living room where meals are shared and laughs are exchanged.

"I beg your pardon?"Mrs.Kim breathes out, chest heaving as she glares rather defiantly at the man who had happened to have swept her son of his feet.

"You heard it right the first time,"he shrugs nonchalantly as if their discussion was alike to one about the weather, "You were the monster who made me who I am today."

"Jiyeon what is he saying?"Mr.Kim says aloud incredulously, bewildered as he glances at his wife and ex-tormentor.

She chooses not to reply, complexion deathly pale as she fixes a set glare at the young leader, chest heaving in distress as the fingers around her cup tighten alarmingly.

"Nothing!"she hisses, spit darting across the table as a new flame seems to splay across her eyes, "Nothing! He's crazy! He doesn't know what he's saying!"

"Don't lie to yourself Mrs.Kim, you and your son know very well what I'm talking about."

"You told him?!"Jiyeon shrieks, rounding on her son, "I meant to have told him after a while, personally, mind you!"

"It's been nineteen years, you had all the time in the world. You can't have him completely clueless to the monster you once were."

Taehyung, has all the while remained silent, head bowed as he fiddles with his fingers feeling increasingly anxious as he watches what he had hoped to been a moderately stable conversation with his parents about his well-being and their's as well, now spiral out of control and wither into spitting ashes.

"Eomma,"he murmurs, palm reaching up to clasp her arm in a gentle hold, "He's right, what you did was terrible and I think he deserves a little something for what you put him through. I can't imagine how painful it would have been to lose a mother, let alone your entire family."

"Family?!"she says incredulously, eyes widening as she stumbles backwards, "I-I swear I didn't do anything to his father!"

"He died a couple of months back, before she killed herself."Jeongguk deadpans, expression blank as he shrugs.

The atmosphere seems to alter at his words, Jiyeon's previous furious state seeming to disperse into what appear's as an empathetic frown as she watches on softly, "And your family? Who'd you stay with?"

Jeongguk knows fully well that he isn't expected to elaborate nor does she deserve an explanation of his life-story, for she is the woman who had ruined it in the first place, but the glint of familial concern in her eyes wrenches at his core, softening the defences that barricade both his mind and being.

"I didn't."he says, a grim expression upon his features, "I got kidnapped into a mafia and well here I am now."

Maybe it is the lack of emotion that slathers his vowels or the blank expression that settles over his features, giving an impression of adaptation and immunity to the pain and anguish that should come with digging back the past that pinches at all their hearts.

"Oh dear God."Jiyeon breathes out softly, eyes glassed over as she comprehends the true consequences of her reckless behaviour, "I am so, so sorry."

And then, to everyone's utter astonishment, she strides forwards to sling slender arms around his torso as she smothers the choked sobs that pry at her painted lips.

"I didn't think about the family I was t-tearing apart,"she stammers, shifting back to cradle Jeongguk's face in her fingers, "Or the future I was ruining for an innocent, young soul. I was jealous, immature and foolish, thought it was fun to tease and mock her. She was the most beautiful, sweetest girl I've ever met and I'm so, so sorry for taking her away from you."

Sniffling, Jiyeon backs away to fall into her husband's hold, arm wrapped around her waist as she slots her head into the crook of his neck, breaking into a fit of remorseful cries, "I'm so sorry!"

The woman appears truly regretful, eyes a blotchy hue of red, cheeks damp as she nibbles at her rawly bitten lips to smother the guttural shrieks of remorse at the back of her throat.

The raven-haired male, shaken at the woman's expression of anguish for her actions in the past, only parts his lips momentarily, glancing in the direction of his boyfriend who smiles gently, tilting his head for him to reply to his mother's words in any way he chose was right.

"I-"he stammers, swallowing thickly as he stuffs his curled fingers into the sleeves of his pants, "O-Okay."

"Okay?"she mumbles, prying herself from her husband's consoling rubs, "Is that all? Won't you scream at me?"

At her words, a fond smile props at his lips as he shifts his gaze towards her son, "No, what's the point? What's done is done, we can't change the past but we can learn from it. I can't forgive you right now but I accept your apology, we're good."

Taehyung flushes darkly, lips curled unconsciously at the result of his pep talk now glowing prominently in the elder's attitude.

"So, if that's all cleared out,"Mr.Kim coughs awkwardly, sheepishly nudging his wife, "can we eat? I haven't had a proper meal in weeks."

And to this there is laughter, not to his words but to the tensions that disperses from the cream walls as the four of them sift around the room to prepare a meal that would shift the terror and tears that had clouded their hearts for once, and for all.

~

fast update this time, be grateful. jk, love you all. <3

their new hair colours look amazing on them. tae looks so pretty with blue. ♡