[ CHAPTER 23 ]
to hell and back

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"CAN we do this inside?" taehyung insists, rising to his feet as he plasters a smile to his lips, arms twisting around himself, "it's freezing out here and we're sitting on tiles, the worst combination."

lips thinning into a line, jeongguk abides, shuffling after an antsy taehyung who scrambles into the room and locks the door firmly behind him once the two are within the heat of their apartment.

"you want a drink?" he offers, eager to avoid the topic he was sure jeongguk would poke at once they were settled, "i make killer hot chocolate."

"uh sure."

striding towards the mini kitchen nestled at the very corner of the room, taehyung rummages within the cabinets for a kettle, nicking two hot chocolate bags from the array of complimentary freebies upon the counter.

there's a brief silence as the kettle whistles and the cocoa is stirred, and once taehyung walks over to the bed where jeongguk lays cross-legged on, sheets curled across his thighs, the air around them stiffens and tightens with the burden of what was to come their way.

"you go first." taehyung says, at last, never once making eyes contact as he stares into the bronze waves of his drink.

jeongguk sighs, predicting the move as he runs a fatigued hand across his hair, gaze dropping to the heap of pillow now tossed hazardously across the bed and floor.

"uh-well you already know that my parents are the type that the best won't be accepted. it's money over morals, that shit."

taehyung nods to show he's listening and attentive despite his eyes that stray far from the man speaking to him, light with the light of the stars of the sky before them.

"i got a call a few minutes back-"

at this he blinks, eyes grazing the alarm clock positioned at the bedpost and unconsciously tilts his head in confusion, "at four in the morning?"

jeongguk smiles, almost bitterly, nodding, "like i said, they don't care."

"right," he says, lips pursed as he permits the younger to continue.

"they want me back at the office by lunch today and i told them no, i'm with you guys and i'm finally breathing for the first time in my life so they can stuff their cash up their asses for all i care. obviously, the old man had it and started screaming bull into my ear, shit about not being the son they wanted when i gave up my entire fucking childhood hoping they'd even spare me a glance. i did everything, ditched my best friend who needed me at his worst, broke it off with a girl who'd i'd die for and for what? a fancy office to stare at a screen all day?"

"you don't like your job?"

"i do...no?" he sighs, hands rubbing his face, his voice cracking, "i don't hate it, it's not terrible and there are days i'm actually excited to wake up to but at the moment it's just been hell and i...i don't know anymore tae, i can't."

taehyung frowns, setting his cup of hot cocoa down and shuffling closer to the visibly stressed man who struggles to contain the burn behind his eyelids, struggle that now was at the verge of tearing from its frayed hems.

slipping a hand beneath his chin, he tenderly cups jeongguk's face within his palms, lifting the boy's tear-stricken features to his concerned eyes.

"hey, don't cry gukkie," he coos once spotting the glassy sheen tight at his eyes, "i promise it'll get better, it always does. this is just a little hill you gotta cross, don't cry baby."

both men don't take notice of the slip of the nickname, as jeongguk laughs lightly, teary eyes blinking up at him.

"i'm still the dom in this relationship," he says softly, smiling as he watches the elder's expression turn playful.

taehyung scoffs, bopping the other's nose gently, "says my little cry baby."

"taeee," he whines, squirming away from the silver-haired male who pinches his cheeks, "stopp."

giggling, taehyung abides, leaning back and retrieving his hot chocolate as the two return their places.

"your turn." jeongguk pipes up, lips smeared brown as he swipes his tongue over them and imitates a high-pitched, giggly preteen, "spill the tea."

cringing heavily, taehyung makes sure to lob a pillow at the man's leg, "you disgust me."

jeongguk winces, nodding, "that's kinda fair, that was bad."

"repulsive." he deadpans.

the man merely laughs, shaking his head and extending his legs as he patiently awaits the elder to unfold his dark secrets.

"um- ugh well," taehyung murmurs, clearing his throat, visibly awkward, "i was bullied back in high school for starters. both physically and mentally."

taehyung laughs, although there is no amusement in his words, yet he cracks a smile as if what had occurred didn't affect him in the slightest, running a cool hand across his hair, eyes fluttering closed.

"kinda had it coming though, being the smallest guy in the grade. so from ninth up to grad, i had my ass beat daily, real fun." he snorts, lips quirking in an amused grin.

jeongguk glances unsurely at the man, caught between laughing oddly along with him or frowning and reprimanding him for his off-hand attitude. he settles to say nothing but smile weakly whenever the elder set his gaze upon him.

"did it ever stop before you graduated?" he asks softly.

taehyung shakes his head, scoffing, "you'd think they'd have better things to do like celebrating their last week of high school, God no, that beating ended me in hospital."

jeongguk unconsciously gasps, frowning as he speaks, "that bad?"

"it was hell." he spits, "my mum kept trying to get me to transfer before i got myself killed but i didn't want to give them the satisfaction of...of getting to me you know?"

"but what about your friends? jimin?" jeongguk insists, bewildered, "didn't he do something?"

"he did," taehyung snaps, unconsciously coming out aggressive as he defends his best friend, "but they turned on him as well and the last thing i want is my friends going through the hell i had to walk through every week. i stopped telling them what happened, covered it up and they stopped worrying. it was a win, win."

"you mean they don't know that you were bullied all the way up till twelfth grade?!"

he sighs heavily, nodding slightly as he keeps his gaze far from the bemused man, "it was better that way."

"no it wasn't." jeongguk says hotly, "you should've told someone!"

"you don't think i didn't?" taehyung suddenly roars, fingers twisted across the sheets at his feet, ears hot with the rage that pummels through his veins, "i told everyone i could! teachers, friends, fucking strangers and it last a fraction of a second before they come back and i'm in hell again! there's no point in telling someone jeongguk, they'll find a way!"

"don't say that." he frowns, reaching forward to tug the elder's arm lightly.

"but it's true!" taehyung denies, eyes wet with the burning anguish of his past as he unconsciously permits himself to be lifted tenderly into the other's lap, strong arms winding across his neck, "every time something good happens in my life, there's always gonna be something shitty to come ruin it."

jeongguk bites at his lips, instinctively leaning forward to nuzzle his chin within the curve of the elder's neck, shrouding the man in warmth he wishes for him to perceive as comfort from the howling winds that had pierced his mind long ago.

"it won't ever happen again." he murmurs into the male's skin, lips unknowingly peppering tentative kisses across his nape, "i swear."

"how would you know?" taehyung sniffles, gaze dropping to their clasped hands, draped across his belly.

"because," jeongguk mumbles, pulling away and gentling twisting taehyung's hips to gaze into his wide, caramel eyes, fingers cradling the boy's face tenderly, "next time i'll be there to beat their asses to hell and back."

giggling, he attempts to frown, instead, his lips quirking in a lopsided smile as he delivers a light smack to jeongguk's shoulder, reprimanding him softly, "violence isn't always the answer gukkie."

jeongguk scoffs, jerking his head to fling the stray strands of ebony across his forehead, "it'll be the answer for any dickwards that hurts you."

flushing a light crimson, taehyung juts out his lower lip, pouting as he presses back within the folds of jeongguk's shirt.

"same." he mumbles, lips quirked down as he plays with their clasped fingers, running a finger down the other's rings, "if anyone picks shit with you, you know who to call."

and as if to prove his point, he huffs loudly and puffs out his chest, flexing his arms threateningly in what he hopes is intimidating enough to seal the deal.

but jeongguk merely snorts, eyes crinkling and slipping into gentle crescents as the skin beside them wrinkle with curves that pull at his cheeks and unfurl at his lips, bunny teeth wide in view.

"heyy!" taehyung whines, cheeks hot with embarrassment as he gently whacks the man's chest, "stop laughing at me!"

laughing, he nods feebly, clamping a hand across his mouth as he struggles to smother his snorts before the rose-pouted boy before him.

"meanie." he huffs, crossing his arms over his chest,  turning his head and shuffling to his feet, "go die in a hole."

biting at his lips, smiling still, jeongguk winds an arm around the boy's waist, tugging him firmly into his lap, thin legs at either side of his hip as he slips a hand behind his neck and brings their foreheads close.

"no." taehyung denies, squirming, "i don't wanna talk to you."

"m'sorry silver." jeongguk coos, pouting himself and batting his lashes, "forgive me?"

"ew," he grimaces, shoving the man's face far from him, "oh God, don't ever do that again, it's disgusting. i'm the cute one."

jeongguk huffs, rolling his eyes, "says the one who's crazy for my cheeks."

"cheeks only." taehyung corrects, "they're the only mildly cute thing in your appearance, everything else's just hot- i m-mean ugly. disturbing."

but his slip up had been heard and the smirk curling at his lips is much too wide to be taken back now as jeongguk quirks an eyebrow and dismisses taehyung's hurried insults.

"hot huh?" he teases, "i mean i know, but it's nice to know mister all-high-and-mighty loves my appearance as much as i do."

"shut up jeon, you know what i meant."

"yeah," he smirks, nodding, "that i'm hot and friggin scream daddy-"

huffing, taehyung squirms from the other's hold and stumbles to his feet, striding away towards the bathroom, one fist raised to the air with a single finger unfurled.

"nuu," jeongguk whines, extending his arms and making grabby hands behind the elder's back, "i'm cold now, come back!"

"i told you to zip it!"

~
[a/n]

i swear i have more comments than votes on chapters lmao. thank you all for the support tho, i love each and every one of you. ♡

i came back home today from a holiday to the cutest baby kitten curled up against its mother's belly, sleeping on top of a towel in our back yard uwu, it was the most adorable thing. 🤧♥️