[ chapter 37 ]
moonlight dappled abs

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

"OH baby." jimin sighs, thin arms cradling the sniffling silver-haired male close.

it's merely ten minutes after taehyung's hasty up and go from the movie, the rest of group watching warily as the male's best friend immediately rises up from his seat, shooting the ceo a burning glare as he hurries after his friend.

taehyung's not entirely sure as to why he was there, sobbing his heart out in his soulmate's arms. it wasn't entirely jeongguk's fault, mind you the man possessed a great portion of his troubles, but the week's events seemed to take its toll on his slim figure, accumulating into a great, massive cloud that had hammered ice across his shoulders until he'd sunk to his feet in a weeping mess.

"shhh." he hears jimin mumble consolingly into his hair, loving fingers running up his sides, "i got you, don't cry baby."

it takes a good few minutes for him to stem his tears and bite back the occasional hiccups as he raises his swollen eyes to jimin's concerned ones, the sight almost enough to have him bawling again.

"what happened bub?" jimin asks once he's sure his friend wouldn't shed another tear, fingers curled against tissue as he dabs it against the younger's cheeks.

"i-i don't know." he stammers, voice caught in his throat, emotions swelling in his eyes.

rocking him, the elder leans down to press his lips against the younger's forehead, brushing his bangs from eyes, "deep breaths. calm down for me...there you go, now why are you crying baby?"

taehyung swallows, his stomach a hasty mess of writhing snakes that nip his flesh, his breathing steadying as he follows jimin's raising chest.

"this week's been such a mess." he croaks, cheeks wet, "a-and i've tried not to let it get to me but it's kinda hard you know? like it wasn't anything major, just little things."

"and they've been balling up haven't they? it's gotten too heavy for your little shoulders to hold hm?"

lips quirking, his fingers unfurl to push lightly at the elder's jaw, jimin laughing at his offence as he quips, "at least my shoulders are broader than yours, shortie."

taehyung's cheeks ache, lips curved in a slight smile as he watches his best friend gaze fondly down at him, fingers laced in his hair as he rubs softly at his scalp. silence falls as they lay cocooned in each other's arms, the television blaring behind cream walls.

"i actually thought i had a chance." taehyung says, breaking the silence as he raises his rose eyes, a wistful smile at his lips.

"he made me feel like i had a chance," he continues, "the way he'd hold me or how'd he give in a bit easier. sometimes, maybe i was high then or something, i think he'd smile a bit softer at me when we were alone."

a laugh chokes past his lips, hollow and choked, the back of his hand thrown against his eyes as he exhales shakily.

"i'm wishing for the impossible aren't i, jiminie?" he voices, turning his head to smile bitterly at the other's way.

and for the first time in their fourteen years of friendship, jimin does not know what to say.

─── ·𖥸· ───

it's late when the group of men finish the third movie, hoseok much too terrified to leave the house with the fresh imprints of bloodied scissors, fingers deftly shoving a disney movie into the dvd player in hopes of riding the crimson-suited snarls marring his sense of peace.

both 95's had retreated to the living room, yoongi silently taking a seat next to jeongguk allowing the two friends to cuddle on the couch, taehyung's eyes still slightly red despite having jimin press a wet cloth at his eyelids.

"you guys should stay over." jimin says as the credits roll by, briefly allowing his gaze to flicker to the clock and then back towards the ashen-haired male in his arms, "it's late."

a murmur of agreement rumbles across the room, jeongguk even offering a stiff nod, his eyes kept low when jimin raises a speculative eyebrow his way.

"joonie and jin can have the master bedroom," he smiles, waving a hand towards the corridor, "tae can bunk with me and two of you guys can share the last bed. that leaves the couch for the lucky last."

"i dibs the bed." yoongi calls hastily, already springing to his feet, leaning down to press a loving kiss to his boyfriend's forehead before sprinting towards the bedroom, adding loudly behind him, "no one's sharing with me!"

at this hoseok pouts, cheeks puffed out as he gazes almost imploringly at the rose-haired man, "what about me?"

jimin laughs, shrugging, "guess that means you and jeongguk will sleep in here for the night. i might have an air mattress in the basement though."

pouting even further, hoseok bites his tongue as he watches the man rise to his feet, small hands gently aiding the second youngest to his feet, taehyung immediately latching onto the other as he tenderly showed to their room for the night.

"favourism much?" he huffs, crossing his arms across his chest as he glares at their retreating figures.

laughing, jin's helped to his feet by his own boyfriend, "more like having a soft spot. taehyung's the baby of the group. but in the end, he's jimin's ultimate baby."

─── ·𖥸· ───

it's around three in the morning when taehyung awakens, terribly parched and head ringing with the great bells of london's clock.

God, i shouldn't have cried that much.

beside him, jimin's lips are parted, soft snores slipping from his heaving eyes. taehyung's ever so grateful to have a friend like him, one who'd fold him in kisses and murmur laughter into his heart.

brushing a tender hand across the elder's cheek, he tucks the hem of the blanket beneath the man's chin before leaning down to press a loving kiss to his crown, "thank you."

he stumbles to his feet, dismissing the sleep-driven whine jimin mumbles from behind him, warily making his way down the corridor as he folds his fingers at his eyes. he's almost at the sink, palms tight around a glass and feet dragging behind him when a bleary voice groans out towards him midst the ashen morning of the weekend.

"taehyung?"

flinching, he throws an arm to his chest, the other thrusting the glass threateningly above him as he swivels in his spot, heart hammering against the folds of his rib cage.

"oh shit!" the voice exclaims, a great deal livelier as a mop of ebony locks bob into view, wide, doe eyes blinking up at him, "put the knife down!"

even midst the pearled light of a rousing day, jeongguk appears stunning, dark crew neck shirt loose across his shoulders, tucked above a sliver of his stomach, legs wrapped across his legs.

taehyung's eyes stop at the other's stomach, shirt bunched just beneath his chest where his tanned skin sends his heart into a frenzy, skin red with warmth. cheeks burning, he hastily swivels his gaze to the ceo's eyes, heart only squeezing even further at the sight of the younger's sooted hair stripped with moonlight. all he wishes then is to run his fingers midst the coal of his locks... and maybe over the hard ridges of those mouthwatering ab -.

"what the fuck?" he hears jeongguk curse, wrenching him from his not-so-holy thoughts, "that's not a knife."

swallowing, taehyung blinks, almost as if it would erase his prior thoughts from existence as he surveys the younger with a glowering glare, "no shit sherlock. it's just a glass."

"i know now," he replies, equally disgruntled, "it was just the lighting, it was glinting and all so i thought..."

"as much as i hate you, i don't want to end up in jail. i have things to live for."

jeongguk scoffs, fingers reaching up to toss his hair and taehyung almost wants to reach over and link their fingers as he watches the younger's shirt lift even further, cheeks flooding with blood at the sight.

"what are you even doing up at this ungodly hour of the morning?" he groans, eyes briefly flickering towards the other man in the room, hoseok snoring loudly on a nearby couch, a pony plushy tucked under his elbow.

clearing his throat, taehyung desperately attempts to tear his eyes from the tempting sight of the other's toned stomach, his skin alight as he stammers, "um i-i was thirsty...a-and can you pull down your shirt, please?"

eyebrows furrowing lightly, jeongguk drops his gaze to where his shirt lay across his chest, unfurled back towards him, abs out in the open for the world to see. almost as if a lightbulb had sparked across his head, the man smirks, lips curled into a jeering grin as he throws the blanket over his legs and rises to his feet.

"why?" he taunts, taking a daring step towards the visibly crimson man, "got you all flustered silver?"

rose stamping across his cheekbones and kissing the very tips of his ears, taehyung drops his gaze to the floor in hopes of hiding his flaming cheeks as he mumbles his disagreement, fingers twisted at the hem of his shirt.

he doesn't dare look up, spine-tingling pleasantly, even as the man's feet come into view, strong arms winding across his hips and tugging him close, their hips locked into place as he yelps, staggering forward and splaying his hands across the younger's broad chest.

"look at me."

taehyung merely shakes his head, lips unconsciously set in a defiant pout as he squirms in the other's hold, warmth flooding his skin as his fingers run across the man's biceps.

"silver," he growls and taehyung almost succumbs at the nickname, his legs as feeble as jelly

a few moments pass, his heart beating wildly in his ears as he resolutely keeps his head bowed much to jeongguk's distaste.

two fingers abruptly slip beneath his chin, tucking his neck back as he's forced to meet the younger's eyes, a rosy blush rising across his cheeks as he takes note of how close their lips were.

"there's no need to be flustered." jeongguk murmurs, breath fanning across his lips, fingers slipping from his chin to his wrist that lays across his chest, encircling it tenderly.

breath caught in his throat, taehyung's rendered speechless as he watches jeongguk's tug his wrist down and beneath his shirt, gently straightening his palm and pressing it tenderly at his abs.

"it's all yours."

~

[a/n]

yes you heard it, it's a double update. and no, i am not dead nor is my inspiration for this story surprisingly. believe it or not, i had both updates finished three weeks ago but i never published them because i wasn't bothered to edit them.

weird right? i can write two whole chapters but not be bothered to just read them.

and random thought but i really want to do a werewolf book after this one? or something stomach-churningly angsty??

enjoy the double update, you sure as hell are gonna like the next chapter. ;)