a/n: tw for aquaphobia
three day time jump :)

❧ Escape from Reality ❧

"Yoongi's being a fucking bitch."

Taehyung drew back in surprise, brows raised at the snappy words greeting him. Not even a glance his way as the biker angrily kicked off his shoes beside him and fell onto the sand.

"Uh... hello to you, too." The surfer blinked, tucking his hands into his lap.

"He's being a bitch." Jeongguk repeated. "Fucking time bomb that's going to blow any second and he's just dumping it on me."

"What did you do to him?"

"What?" The biker glowered, gaze snapping up to him and dampening ever so slightly seeing the grimace on Taehyung's face. "Why do you think I did something to aggravate him?"

The elder shrugged and leaned towards the leather. "You're not exactly the cool tempered type, Greased Lightning."

"Yeah?" He grumbled, glaring at the almost-accusation. "Well, I don't care how hot my temper is, today was shit before him and then he went and made it worse."

Taehyung's throat went dry of a response, opening wordlessly and clamping shut again. He didn't really know how to handle Jeongguk's problems, especially when he knew so little about the biker's personal life.

He'd thought he would have grown a stronger bond by their fifth night at the shore— five nights? Had it been that long?— Taehyung hadn't pried much deeper than those words he'd gotten about Jeongguk's future.

He wasn't even used to hearing so many words leave Jeongguk's mouth if it wasn't teasing him.

"What happened? Before Yoongi started being a bitch, I mean." He tried, crossing his legs and feeling the sides of his feet sink in the chilled sand.

"My mom had the audacity to call."

Taehyung doubted Jeongguk would be telling him about his wretched personal situation on a normal day, but the nights under the moon, with the ocean by their feet, was their venting space.

The biker had said he would go to the shoreline to think before meeting Taehyung and the surfer understood that.

Maybe this was his chance to learn about the younger— a rather sad way, but what options did he have?

"Not on good terms with her?"

"Fuck, no." The raspy voice breathed out, shoulders almost shaking with pent up frustrations. "I'm doing just snazzy on the phone with my dad, and then the bitch has to cut in and give me a lecture."

"Couldn't you have just, I don't know... ignored her call?" Taehyung frowned, not really connecting any dots. He was lost. "If she called on another line."

"No," he spat. "If I ignored her, she'd go banging on my dad's front door." Jeongguk found a stray stick and shoved it in the sand, imitating a stabbing motion on the poor earth and the surfer bristled nervously. "Probably would rage and the old man doesn't need that."

"So... they don't live together."

"They're divorced." The biker said dryly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the universe. He threw up his hands, sending the stick into some space behind. "I hate her whiny voice. Actually thought turning eighteen would give me some scissors to cut off from her, but she acts as if I'm still attached to her fucking umbilical cord."

Taehyung blinked. Hard. He really was struggling with words, overwhelmed by the amount of news being shot at him.

His gaping silence didn't go unnoticed, Jeongguk expectantly turning to him. The clouded gaze was hardly even focusing on him, though, as if Jeongguk just needed anyone there to encourage him to curse out the woman in his life.

"I— uh— well, you should, uh..."

"Great," the biker kicked the sand. "The one fucking time I want you blabbering your mouth and you're speechless."

"Hey," Taehyung's defensive side filled his mouth with words. "I wasn't exactly expecting this, nor did I have any warning!"

"Of course. Because life gives you flashing warning signs when shit's about to fuck up your day."

"Stop turning this on me." The surfer muttered. "I'm not a part of your shit day."

"You sure are the closing chapter." Jeongguk scoffed and Taehyung nearly slapped him, riled up at the unwarranted redirection of blame. "Whatever, yeah, shit day. I've got issues with the maternal figure, whoop dee doo."

"Jesus, your way of handling problems is so stupid."

"I'm not allowed to rant? I'd be doing this whether you were sitting here or not, Taehyung." The biker stilled. "Taehyung— fuck, man, okay, I forgot it was you. Yeah, ignore all that shit. You're not supposed to hear about it."

"You're giving me mental whiplash, Jeongguk." The surfer shook his head. "Sorry, it's a little hard to forget rough and tough Biker Jeon getting smacked down by his mom."

"I did not get smacked down by the bitch." He hissed. "I'm the one who fucking slammed the end call button."

Taehyung whistled lowly. "Wow, such a power move, I'm proud." He shrugged back his nervousness. "What did Yoongi do after that?"

"I'm not telling you."

"The hell?"

"What?" He smiled sarcastically. "Don't gotta explain shit about my hyungs to you."

"You literally—" he wanted to rip his own hair out of his scalp. "I'm going to lose my mind with your dumb brain cells speaking."

"At least I've got brain cells." He snorted, suddenly standing and throwing his leather jacket on the sand. "Okay, time to start the show, whatever the fuck you called it, water playtime."

"Hold your horses, dickhead," Taehyung grabbed his wrist and the biker raised a sharp brow at him, daring him to go on. The surfer was already too frustrated from his own issues to care. "Sit your ass down."

"Oh, so you're not just here for your fear anymore?"

"Would you stop being a little piece of shit and sit down?" The elder tugged the wrist. "Get off your fucking high horse and stop acting like you're too cool to have problems."

"I'm too cool to be explaining them to you." Jeongguk grit out, snapping his arm away, but  taking a dramatic seat on the sand again.

"You gonna explain what Yoongi did?"

"No."

Taehyung waited. He knew it'd be easy to get the younger to cave with an internal desire to let it out dulling his control.

"Fine, you shitty, stale Saltine." Jeongguk's fists were clenched so hard, they were drained of color, a sickening white painting them instead. "Namjoon and I are just eating dinner, gave up on Yoongi's whereabouts after a few tries of his cell. And then—"

The biker let out a strangled noise in the midst of his sentence and Taehyung rubbed his forehead, tiredly. "Then?"

"He waltz in the goddamn door, shoulder bloody and busted, but brushes us off like fucking pests buzzing in his face!"

"Right," it hit Taehyung. "You don't like blood."

Jeongguk snapped his gaze over. "When the hell did I tell you that?"

"Like three nights ago, douchebag." He mumbled. "You got in a fight over that?"

"No." His spiteful splatter of words, acting as if Taehyung should have known such without any prior knowledge, made the surfer stuff down bubbling exasperation. "The asshole couldn't even raise his arm and shoved me to the ground when I tried helping. He wasn't even looking me in the eye, he was so pissed. I wanted to help and he refused. Wanted to act all tough and didn't even clean it."

"Didn't clean it?" Taehyung questioned with marble-wide eyes. "If he couldn't even raise his arm, he needs to get that treated!"

"I know. Would you stop with the obvious comments? Jesus, fuck—"

"Shut the hell up, Jeon."

"Ah, I remember our invincibility conversation the other night." Jeongguk scoffed, spinning off on tangents and ridiculing it. Taehyung felt the irritation fizzle at his nerves. "You know who thinks he's invincible? Min fucking Yoongi. Most ruthless one of us three."

"Will stay clear." Taehyung muttered. "You said he's a time bomb right now?"

"He's about to blow. I can feel it from him." The younger nodded. "Can't say shit, 'cause even he believes in the stupid respect thing like you."

"And so do you, if you listen to him."

"I don't. I didn't even tag 'Hyung' to his name." Jeongguk ruffled his hair.

"Wow, what a big boy."

"You're no help."

"Doesn't that sound a bit familiar?" Taehyung smiled.

"Okay, but my problems don't happen every night."

That much was correct. It was so odd to hear about Jeongguk's personal life— impulsively spit out or not— that the surfer was more glad than upset.

"No, it doesn't. Kinda fun hearing you let off some steam."

"Are you mocking me right now?"

Taehyung pouted. "Absolutely not, hot headed jerk."

"You're a fucking bitch."

"Everyone's a bitch in your book today." The elder chuckled.

"My dad's not. He was actually a good part of it."

"The father of my favorite biker," Taehyung clapped his hands, giggling at the unamused expression returned to him. "Do tell me about him."

"Nah. Tell me about your wonderful life. I'm done talking."

"Why do you want to leave me on a note thinking you're some pitiable loser?"

"Don't pity me and I'm not a loser."

"Prove me wrong, Greased Lightning."

"Not wasting my time," the younger huffed. The air stilled, the heated attitudes sucked into the receding waves. "What's your relationship with your parents?"

Taehyung frowned. He'd already been thinking about it before the biker had shown up, among other problems, and he didn't know if he had the right to complain.

It's Jeongguk, not some righteous knight in shining armor, Tae.

Leather was shiny. Really pretty and shimmery under the moon.

"It's funny, actually." He muttered instead, hardly sounding delighted.

"What is?"

"How much of opposites we are."

"Tell me about it." The younger rolled his eyes. "You like water and I like burning fuel."

"Mhm," he hummed, sighing slowly and closing his eyes with the rocking sway he let himself fall in rhythm with. "More than just what's here, though. You want to cut off from your mom? I want to glue my parents back to me."

"Why the fuck would you—"

"Shut up and let me talk when you ask me to." Taehyung pursed his lips at the swarm taking over his head. "Pretty broken relationship I've got with them and all because I wanted to do art."

"Art's fucking dumb—"

"Would you shut up?" The biker rolled his eyes and the surfer huffed. "You and your loud mouth."

He got a smug smile. If he wasn't in the need of a good vent, too, he would have slapped the grin off Jeongguk's face.

"Art's my fucking life." He corrected. "I was the dorky art kid in high school, and my parent's hated it. Told me off for being a disappointment. I couldn't even count the amount of times they destroyed a painting of mine on my two hands."

"Ouch."

"'Ouch' is right. Had to get a stupid job as a cashier to pay for supplies thanks to them being crazy against it." Taehyung's eyes fluttered shut, easing off the tension in his neck with another breath. "You wouldn't be able to guess their reaction when I was offered a scholarship and accepted it at the local university."

"Our dearest Taehyung, we are so, so proud." Jeongguk mimicked in a silly high pitched tone.

"Fuck off," Taehyung laughed, making the biker also grin wider. "Nearly kicked me out, but Jin Hyung blackmailed them. I would literally be on the streets without him."

"What do you mean blackmail?" Jeongguk's eyes widened a bit. "Didn't think you good guys had it in you."

"He's the best son any parent could ask for." The surfer smiled softly, love for his older brother shining through. "Law school. The words put our parents on the damn moon. He was always excelling in school and worked hard for his placement in the state's law program."

"Ugh, why are people smart."

"He definitely stole all those genes." Taehyung chuckled sadly. "Told my parents he would drop out and live in the basement if they kicked me out. I've never seen him so serious."

"Damn. Amazing brother, you've got."

"The best."

"This is why I called you guys so fucking perfect, though. Your problems are based around school. School. Actually, that's kinda sad. You really do need to live a little."

"Jeongguk, I can't lose that scholarship."

"Like I said—"

"I'm dead serious."

"Uh huh." He stupidly replied, fumbling at the unimpressed stare Taehyung sent him. "Right, don't lose it. Go be the next Da Vinci."

"I don't want to be Da Vinci." Taehyung murmured, softening and seeing curiosity pique in the biker's expression. "I just want my parents to love what I love doing."

"That... sucks." Jeongguk empathized. "My dad loves seeing me drive a motorcycle. Says it makes him remember his younger days."

"He sounds really nice." The surfer hummed. "Way nicer than you."

"Can't be mad about that. The old man's amazing. Did your parents teach you surfing?"

"Nope," The surfer shrugged, heart clenching in his chest. "Mark Hyung did."

"Mark? Tuan's son Mark?"

"No, the Mark from Jimin's business class— yes, Mark Tuan."

"Well, shit. Did you know that guy hates me?"

"He's not alone." Taehyung snorted and Jeongguk shoved his shoulder, the touch warming his insides. "Let's not talk about him."

"Oooooo," the biker pushed. "Touchy topic?"

"No."

"Denial is the only thing you know how to do, Kim Taehyung." Jeongguk snickered. "He's hot, too. But I actually like his dad, so I don't bother him."

"Do you always think with your dick?" The surfer almost threw up thinking he could have competed with Jeongguk for Mark's heart.

Jeongguk doesn't even go for someone's heart, he reminded himself. The biker just wanted someone's ass.

"I swear you think everyone's hot." Taehyung grumbled.

"M'actually pretty selective, but you sad you're not the only one, baby?" The younger taunted. "And he's not as good as you, if that helps your deflating ego."

"Let's not talk about Mark Hyung."

"Oh, that's definitely a sore spot." Jeongguk smiled like he'd won the lottery. "You're pretty obvious, 'ya know. You like him?"

"Not any— no. No. I don't. I said zip it."

"Loser." He barked out a small laugh. "I can see why. Seems as though that didn't work out."

"Huh?" Taehyung froze. "How do you—"

"I talk with Mr.Tuan. Said Mark's been hanging out with a Jackson guy."

"Okay, seriously, I'm shutting this conversation down." He knew his emotions and he knew things would get messy. He had closed that door with his diary, and he did not want to reopen it.

"You shove things inside a lot, don't you?"

"Why do you care?" He snipped.

"Just wondering. Maybe that's why you like painting. That shit's boring, so I'm trynna see why you even do it. An outlet, maybe?"

"Art isn't boring." Taehyung mumbled. "You just haven't connected with it."

"How do you connect with paint?"

"How do you connect with obnoxiously loud revs?"

"I need to take you on a drive. Now, that's fun. Cutting through wind and feeling your whole body flow with energy— fucking amazing."

"See? I paint and tell a story with it. Feelings, which you wouldn't understand Mr.Thinks-With-His-Dick. Isn't that cool? Taking colored paste and being able to touch someone's heart."

"Sounds boring."

"Shut up." He sighed. "The worst part? Right now, it actually is boring. Dreadful."

"Why?"

"I have this summer project for class," he briefly explained. "I really thought this place, an escape from reality, would give me immediate inspiration. But I'm stuck. Really badly stuck. And it's the most sucky feeling ever."

"I think drowning probably tops that."

"Thanks for ignoring me."

"That's my job, dear Saltine." Jeongguk leaned back and laid down on the sand. "Escape. That's a good way to put this place."

"Isn't it?" He laid down as well, eyes trained on the dark of night skies, flickering with stars, sky heavily filled with them. He couldn't imagine such a sky back home. "Get to leave everything behind for a month and enjoy."

"Things didn't go your way. Lost the precious escape to fear." The younger looked at him, but Taehyung didn't notice. He just watched the stars and felt his eyes cloud with sadness.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Lost it."

"You'll get over this." Jeongguk encouraged. "You're already nearing thigh-deep. Once you can dunk your head, things will get easy and you'll go back to surfing, enjoy the summer—"

"What if I don't?" He fanned out. "What if this is all pointless?"

"Don't tell me I'm pointless." The biker joked, not even able to half-ass it.

Taehyung coughed out a deep, momentary, flitter of joy. He glanced to his side and didn't even bother wiping the teary eyes he used to look at the younger.

"I wish you were pointless, Jeongguk, but this, you helping me, seems to be the only good thing happening right now."

He saw the blank slate overtake Jeongguk's expression.

He'd struck a very, very bad nerve.

"What did you say?"

Taehyung frowned. "I just... you helping me, really is the only motivating—"

"Fuck." Jeongguk gasped out, shooting up to sit and Taehyung also clambered up in worry.

"What? Did I say something wrong? Jeongguk—"

"Just— just, stop," he shifted a few feet away and the surfer felt his heart drop. "I need a minute, I'm just going to need a 'sec."

No. Taehyung felt the biker slip away. He was panicking himself thinking he'd lose the younger just after admitting his help was good.

"Jeongguk, what's wrong? Please, don't just shut down." The surfer winced as the man stood and paced in his spot, laughing deliriously.

"Life, you are one fucking sick bitch." The biker muttered darkly. "No way, not him, not—not his words, shit..."

Taehyung stood, taking slow cautious steps towards the man, heart aching seeing such a serious emotion of pain consume the biker.

"Jeongguk—"

"Don't come near me." He growled, turning away and the surfer's hands shook with disquiet. The white shirt covering his upper half veiled the ink, but the design shimmered ghostly with the moonlight illuminating it.

"Hey, listen to me, okay?" He whispered softly. "I don't know what I said, but I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt—"

"It's not about you. It's not fucking about you, Taehyung." Jeongguk spun around to look at him, stumbling back as the surfer took tentative steps toward him.

Taehyung stopped as the biker backed into the ocean, feet disappearing under the gentle waves.

The water seemed to be welcomed by the younger, who just continued deeper, letting it drench his clothes and freeze his limbs, numbing his senses.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what he should do. That was the dangerous thing about Jeongguk; Taehyung didn't know him and such, didn't know how to handle the situation.

Just be impulsive. Just do what Jeongguk would do.

The biker gripped his long hair, fisting it for some release of the inner void sucking in every barrier he usually put up.

Taehyung gulped and forced his body forward into the ocean, defying every piercing sear filling his lungs. The hurl of darkness buried him, too, as he pushed through the rising water and kept reaching for the younger who had retreated until water soaked his chest.

Shit, shit, shit...

"J-Jeongguk—"

The biker's gaze snapped up upon hearing the shattered voice, eyes enlarging as he saw Taehyung shaking in waist deep water.

"Taehyung, Taehyung, what the fuck are you doing?"

Jeongguk seemed to forget about himself for a moment and pushed through the water, his hair all thrown aside and skin paler than usual.

He didn't seem to care. Because Taehyung was crying, more than just trembling, with the stupid decision to get in the water alone and chase after the younger.

"Hey, dumbass," the biker grabbed his arms and Taehyung's lips quivered as tears dripped like silver down his cheeks, salty drops mixing with the salty ink around them. "Why the hell would you get in here?"

The clinging of his pants to his skin, heavy and weighing him down. The contrast of Jeongguk's warmth like fire in the middle of a snowstorm.

He felt hazy. Dazed and astray.

"J-Jeon- you— are you okay?" The elder dangled his head, confused by Jeongguk's sudden switch again. He tripped over his feet as the water receded with the notorious pull. The biker caught his stumble and drew him close, water splattering and making this throat clog up.

"You fucking idiot." Jeongguk muttered in his ear, Taehyung buried in his shoulder. "Don't get in the water like this. Why would you do that?"

"I ha-had to get to you— you were upset— I made you mad—"

"No, it's fine." He felt the shiver run down Jeongguk's spine, causing the younger to shudder against him. It was definitely not fine. "You didn't know."

"B-But—"

"Don't worry about me." The voice was demanding rather than pleading. "Don't. You have enough to worry about. Calm down, this can be our progress for the night."

He cowered further into the biker as the water chilled his whole body, the warm arms around him tightening. "C-Cold— I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"Fucking idiot." Jeongguk whispered, pulling back to look at him. Taehyung found sanctuary in his eyes. Eyes that always saved the surfer in the violent flood drowning him.

He saw the biker's gaze soften, too. Pain ease away as they just stared at each other. Breathless and distracted by the water tugging on their hips.

The screaming in their heads faded, the sudden rush of memories and gnawing desperation for help simmering down.

They wordlessly thanked each other. Wouldn't have let the stubbornness wash away to verbally express it, anyway.

When the surfer's body had relaxed to mere shivers, the arms around him loosened. Jeongguk offered him a small smile after that, a small real smile.

"Okay?" The biker asked.

He nodded.

"Don't do that again. You'll hurt yourself."

"But you—"

"I said to worry about yourself, okay? I've got that under control."

"You don't, Jeongguk." His voice nearly reached a cry. "That's not okay. I know what the panic feels like, I know that you're not—"

"Shh," a wet hand reached up and pressed his hair back. Taehyung's chest warmed. Heating him inside out, instead of the water killing him the same way. "Yourself. Okay? When you can handle yourself, then even think it."

Who was this Jeongguk? Taehyung felt half out of his senses gazing at the delicate features, the delicate hold, the delicate touches.

Delicate. Jeongguk wasn't delicate.

But he was. In that moment, at least.

Like the effects of whatever had snapped within him a moment ago reminded him of who he was.

Taehyung's head spun. His body slumped. He was entranced by a man he didn't know if he'd ever see again. Because maybe, tomorrow, delicate would be far from sight with the leather back on those broad shoulders.

But there was a chance, that it meant change. And that he had breached those leather walls, taken steps into the room that was Jeon Jeongguk's real self.

"Good?"

"Good enough." Taehyung whispered, stepping back with every gentle nudge Jeongguk helped him get to the sand with.

His hands somehow ended up linked around the biker's neck, eyes wavering mindlessly to the inky wing creeping up the column of his neck.

Birds. Wings. Flying. Defying the chains of gravity, the chains of burden.

"You're in the sand." Jeongguk reminded, staring at him and expecting Taehyung to retract away like he always did. Not to touch the biker again until they were in the water the following night.

Taehyung didn't move.

Just admired the new side of the biker. Something much more real behind his wish to live. Living for someone else, too.

He was getting answers.

He just hoped he could understand it as much as Jeongguk could bear to share it.

And in the tangled mess of his thoughts, knowing that the biker was indeed the one good thing happening around his lost summer, he said the words aloud.

Because he didn't have to bury his thoughts away with he younger, he could leave them out in the open. Because he took a risk with the storm of leather.

"I wish someone so perfectly real was a part of my life away from this place I see as my escape."

❧ ❧ ❧

O.O well oops

rereaders ziiiiippp about jk's little moment— no spoilers for ftr please and thank you

writing jk saying art is dumb hurt me :')

115K ILY GUYS ♡

✵ NEETO ✵