Jin is pacing back and forth in his office at about one in the morning when Taehyung stumbles into his office, his hair disheveled and his clothes hanging off his body.

"Taehyung?" He exclaims, rushing over to him. "Tae, what-what happened?"

The pinkette shakes his head, waving a hand. "I'm fine."

He's drunk, Jin knows he is. "What happened?"

Taehyung sits down in one of the chairs in the office. "The article. Is gonna be down, tomorrow. Noon."

Jin only barely makes out Taehyung slurred words.

"I'm sorry, hyung." He slurs, his eyelids heavy. "I messed up again. I always fuck up, don't I?"

"No." Jin says kneeling beside him. "What happened, Tae?"

Taehyung's heavy eyes meet his. "I let him...he...but I let him."

Jin doesn't have to ask any further questions as the hickies and bite marks littering his neck and collarbones say enough.

"Jungkook." Taehyung slurs, tears filling his eyes. "I'm sorry, Kookie."

"No, shh." Jin says. "It's okay, Jungkook will understand. Everything will be okay."

"I didn't want to, hyung. I didn't want~"

"I know, I'm so sorry." Jin says standing and hugging the younger, letting him cry into his torso.

Taehyung cries for a little while longer before Jin thinks they should leave before he ends up passing out here.

He helps him to his car and drives him to the penthouse where Jungkook has been worrying himself for the past three and a half hours.

When the door opens he nearly breaks his neck running downstairs, only to find Jin helping a barely conscious Taehyung walk through the front door.

"Hyung..." He trails off when he sees the, clear as day, hickies on Taehyung's neck.

"Kookie." Taehyung slurs, trying to focus his drunk eyes on him. "I'm so sorry, Kookie. Please...don't leave. I can't...I can't...without you, Kook."

Jungkook looks at Jin with a confused expression. "What happened?"

"Come on, Tae. Let's get you upstairs." Jin says, giving Jungkook a look that makes him not question him any further.

Jungkook follows him upstairs to make sure they get there alright before waiting by Taehyung's bedroom door.

He hears Taehyung slur a few more things about him being upset at himself and about wishing he could go away or something.

When Jin returns from the room he gestures for Jungkook to follow him down stairs.

"Is he okay?" Jungkook asks as soon as they get down.

"I think so." Jin lies. "I'm sorry if you were worried."

"I'm fine now. What happened, hyung?" The younger asks.

Jin sighs. "I'll let him tell you when he's ready. Just please keep an eye on him and please let him know that you aren't mad at him. He's really beating himself up."

"Why would I be mad?" Jungkook asks before remembering the hickies covering Taehyung. "Oh..."

"I'm sorry." Jin says. "Please take care of him. I'll come by tomorrow morning to make sure he's okay."

Jungkook nods, walking Jin to the door before they say their goodbyes and the other leaves.

Jungkook goes upstairs into Taehyung's room where the other is already passed out on his bed shirtless.

He sighs sitting down next to him and smoothing his disheveled hair down.

"What's going on?" He asks the unconscious model. "What've you gotten yourself into?"

He lays down in the space that Taehyung isn't taking up and watches him sleep until he falls asleep as well.

—

The next morning Jungkook wakes up before Taehyung so he gets up and freshens up before going downstairs to fix something for him to eat.

Since he's been here he's noticed that Taehyung didn't really eat breakfast foods, mostly just fruits and vegetables.

So he washes off some grapes and cuts up some strawberries into a bowl before grabbing a bottle of water and painkillers to take upstairs.

When he gets upstairs Taehyung is awake and staring up at the ceiling blankly.

"Are you awake?" Jungkook asks as he sits the bowl and water down.

Taehyung's gaze shifts to him. "Hm?"

Jungkook sits down on the edge of the bed, bringing his hand up to Taehyung's forehead. "Are you okay?"

"What time is it?" The pinkette asks instead of answering.

Jungkook picks up his phone and checks the time "Almost one."

Taehyung nods pushing himself up into a sitting position and crawling out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Jungkook asks. "Are you hungry? Or thirsty? Does your head hurt?"

"I'm fine. I just gotta check something." Taehyung says as he sits on the windowsill and grabs his laptop, logging into it.

He searches for the tabloid and finds that it is still posted to the Glimmer website and still gaining views. 

    "What the hell..." the pinkette sighs, pressing his fingers to his temples.

    "What's wrong, Tae?" Jungkook asks. "What's going on?"

Taehyung closes his eyes, guilt washing over him at the sound of Jungkook's clueless tone.

    "Nothing." He lies before standing and grabbing his phone from the nightstand. "Could you give me a minute, Kook?"

Jungkook nods, his lips turning down into a soft frown as he leaves the room.

Taehyung dials Hoseok's number and the other picks up after a few rings.

    "What?" Hoseok answers.

    "You said it'd be down by now." Taehyung says, his voice holding just as much aggravation as Hoseok's.

    "Yeah, I did. But you see, the tabloid has already started accumulating sales by the thousands. And it's already made too much money to be taken down or taken off the shelf." Hoseok explains nonchalantly. "I tried, but I can't really do anything else about it, dolly."

    "Hoseok." Taehyung says as if he didn't believe the other. "You're not serious."

    "I am. It's a shame, you were so good for me last night. I really wanted to reward you." Hoseok tsks. "Oh well."

Taehyung grows nauseous after Hoseok's words. "You knew it was too late. Even last night."

    "Don't be ridiculous, Taehyung." Hoseok says. "Either way, things are back to the way they've always been now. Your career is either going to take off again or plummet. Either way, you're welcome."

    "Why are you doing this?" Taehyung asks, once again failing to hide the emotion in his voice. 

    "I can't believe you still don't get it." Hoseok says. "When you left, I made a promise when you called me from that hotel room. Do you remember? You weren't drunk then so I would think you did."

Taehyung stays silent, not wanting his voice to betray him.

"I made a promise, I said 'if you leave, I promise I'll...' what?" Hoseok asks.

"Make my life hell." Taehyung finishes, his voice small.

"You know I never break promises." Hoseok laughs. "Did you think I forgot?"

"Why are you so stuck in the past?" Taehyung asks angrily. "Can't you move on and accept the fact that I don't want you anymore? Are you really going to spend the rest of your life trying to get back at me and make me pay for a situation I couldn't help? I was sick, Hoseok."

"Yeah, cry me a river." The brunette says. "And no, I won't spend the rest of my life. Just the rest of your career, which is pretty much over anyway."

"What do you want me to do?" Taehyung asks. "I can't change the past."

"Don't worry, doll. I don't plan on talking to anyone else about our relationship. You can rest assured that this is the only tabloid I'll ever speak to about us." Hoseok says.

Taehyung doesn't even know what to say anymore, he's beyond hurt and upset, not only because of Hoseok but because of himself.

"Dedicate your morning drink to us, doll. Love you." Hoseok laughs before ending the call.

Taehyung drops the phone from his ear and lets it hit the ground.

His legs are weak as he walks back over to the windowsill and sits down.

His hands trembling as he grabs the abandoned pack of cigarettes he hid from Jungkook under one of the pillows.

His head his pounding against his skull, a mixture of held back tears and his hangover.

He doesn't know if he should call Jin or if he should keep trying to handle the situation by himself.

He could sue.

Yeah, he could sue Hoseok and accuse him of telling lies...defamation of character.

Yes, he could sue him and send him to jail.

But how long would he stay there?

Long enough to think about what he's done, then he'd get out and he'd continue to keep his promise.

Taehyung releases a heavy breath, trying to catch his breath enough to smoke his cigarette.

There's a small knock on the door and he knows it's Jungkook so he quickly puts the cigarette out and hides the pack.

He stands from the windowsill to pull his robe on before going to the door.

Jungkook looks at him with a sad expression. "I saw the tabloid."

Taehyung takes a deep breath, still feeling really breathless. "Why were you looking at the tabloids?"

"I wasn't. I was checking my email and it was in my junk mail. Right where it belonged if you ask me." Jungkook says walking past Taehyung into the room after taking the older's hand.

"I'm sorry. I tried, Hoseok said it'd~. I don't know why I believed him. I'm so stupid." Taehyung rambles as Jungkook sits him down on his bed.

Jungkook shakes his head. "I don't want to hear about that piece of shit Hoseok. He's nothing. Forget about him."

"How can I forget about him when he's doing stuff like this?" The pinkette asks as Jungkook puts the pills from earlier in his hand.

"You do known that's why he's doing this, so you don't forget about him?" Jungkook asks handing him the water. "You've been doing so well without him. And that makes him angry. But this tabloid, it's just like the other tabloids Glimmer has posted, only this time he's actually being interviewed."

Taehyung tilts his head in confusion as he swallows the pills.

"Glimmer has released so much bullshit and so many fake interviews that people probably can't even tell if it's a real one or not." Jungkook explains taking the water bottle and screwing the cap back on. "Don't give this tabloid a different reaction because you know it's real. People will buy it as long as you and that piece of shit Hoseok are mentioned on the front page."

Taehyung actually thinks about Jungkook's words and realizes that he's right.

"So." Jungkook starts, handing Taehyung the bowl of fruit. "Before you go and get yourself all worked up, talk to me first? Confide in me, even if you think you're protecting me."

Now the guilt in the pit of Taehyung's stomach expands to the point that he can't ignore it anymore.

"I was with Hoseok last night." He says, the guilt not leaving even after his confession.

Jungkook shushes him as he crawls onto the bed and gets behind him. "It's okay."

Taehyung sighs when he feels Jungkook's arms wrap around his neck.

"I don't deserve you, Kook." He says, which he felt was the honest truth.

"You're right." The younger agrees. "You deserve better. You deserve the best."

"You are the best." Taehyung says, a smile tugging at his lips.

Jungkook laughs pulling away from the hug and massaging his shoulders. "I actually can't argue with that."

Taehyung physically feels the tension leave his body as what Jungkook says really sinks in.

This stupid tabloid was literally just like all the other stupid tabloids that he read and ignored on a regular basis.

Even if it did get picked up by a bigger magazine all he had to do was deny it and people would probably believe him.

"Jungkook?" He says as the younger is rambling about strawberries being one of the healthiest fruits.

"Yes?" The younger asks, his hands stopping their massaging.

"Will you stay with me?" Taehyung asks, setting his bowl down and turning slightly to look at the other. "Like, here. For good?"

"...here?" Jungkook asks, mentally face palming.

"Here. This penthouse. For good." Taehyung says. "Will you live here with me?"

Jungkook smiles a little. "Well, yes. If you want me here."

"I do." Taehyung says. "I know you said you wanted to look for your own place but, I like having you here. With me."

"I like being here." Jungkook chuckles, his bunny smile widening.

Taehyung smiles a little. "You're cute."

Jungkook pouts a little. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What?" Taehyung asks obliviously.

Jungkook huffs and rolls his eyes a little before taking Taehyung's hand and placing on his hair.

"Ah, how could I forget?" The pinkette asks sarcastically as he pats Jungkook's head. "You're so cute, Jungkook-ah."

Jungkook laughs petting Taehyung's hair as well. "You're so cute too, Taehyung-ah."

Taehyung moves his hands to Jungkook's waist and catches him off guard when he tickles him.

"Ah! No!" The younger laughs against his will, falling back on the bed. "No! Tae!"

Taehyung laughs as he leans over Jungkook to continue his sudden attack.

"Be my little spoon." Taehyung says stopping to the let the other answer.

"I'm~ always the little~ ah!" He's cut off by Taehyung's relentless tickles. "Okay! Okay!! I'll be the little spoon!"

Taehyung stops tickling him and kisses his forehead softly before pulling away.

"I hate you." Jungkook says, wiping the tears from his eyes as he catches his breath.

"I hate you too." Taehyung says as he pulls Jungkook against his chest.

"Well I hate you as much as I hate being the little spoon." Jungkook says getting comfortable.

"But I know you secretly love being the little spoon." Taehyung says. "So are you trying to tell me you love me?"

"Shut up, Taehyung." Jungkook says, his face flushing.

"I love you too." Taehyung chuckles.

Jungkook hides his smile and closes his eyes. "Whatever."

Taehyung closes his eyes as well and even though they aren't tired they lie there together as if they were sleeping.

They don't say anything and soon they both think the other has gone to sleep, but they both lie there wide awake enjoying each other's company.

Taehyung is relieved that Jungkook was here to calm his nerves and set his mind at ease before he had a breakdown.

Jungkook always found a way to make Taehyung feel better.

He loved that about the younger.

🖤🖤🖤