❧ Beautiful and Real ❧

It honestly didn't feel real.

Maybe because of it all happening at night, hours before he crashed into bed, all of it felt like some dream too good to be true.

None of his friends seemed to have noticed him and Jeongguk either, so Taehyung double wondered if it had actually happened in the presence of their indifference.

He woke up blinking at the ceiling, staring at the blank slate like it would have the answers to his confusion, squinting to focus on a small speck on the surface. That speck looked a lot like a check mark— life telling him that maybe it was all actually happening.

He groaned and flipped over to shove his face in the pillow.

After they'd (maybe) talked and (maybe)— he reminded himself— kissed, Taehyung had just cuddled into Jeongguk side and sat with him for a while. Until the fire began to die and Hoseok was calling to them from the porch. Jeongguk had helped him up, hand on the small of his back while leading him towards the house.

He remembered feeling so giddy in that moment, like he was floating and his head was in the clouds. Breaching the collecting cotton candy of the sky and seeing nothing but the beautiful clearness of space above. Like breaking up out of storm clouds and seeing the serenity of sunlight panning over the tops of the dark clouds.

He was hovering near Jeongguk for the rest of the night, and same vice versa. It was small, subtle touches— the hand on his lower back, standing close enough to nudge their shoulders against one another. One moment Taehyung was sitting by him, the others circled around the patio beside them, and the next he had Jeongguk's hand on his thigh, playing with the few rings on the biker's hand.

He turned his head on the pillow, looking out past his canvases and to the balcony, the dull ocean just following the sunrise behind that.

His lips were stretched wide and up, teeth catching the bottom lip like smiling too hard would wake him up from the dream.

Taehyung really found it hard to believe. He honestly couldn't believe it. One night he was keeping his single streak of nineteen years going, and the next, it was knocked down to zero with a new title of taken.

And Jeongguk of all people. He almost burst out laughing knowing that the Taehyung he was before the summer would have knocked him out in hopes of putting sense into him. Hoseok had said Jeongguk was the exact opposite of everything he'd ever talked about wanting, and the guy was right.

But the person he'd always wanted was far from the person he needed. And the person he needed had become the only person he wanted.

He felt done for. Like Jeongguk would be the end of him.

Was it possible to fall that hard overnight?

Well, maybe he'd been putting little bits and pieces of the appreciation together from the day he learned Jeongguk had saved him, bits of appreciation that turned into fondness and the wish for friendship. Friendship of understanding one another, helping one another— tearing one another down only to bring each other up.

Bringing each other up with something much more deeply felt than he had with anyone else.

Yeah, Taehyung thought to himself, there was no way it was real.

And he nearly shrieked— would have woken up his best friend sleeping peacefully beside him— when a rock came flying over the balcony railing and banging against the glass door.

His wide eyes narrowed in seconds, hands ripping off the covers and letting his feet swing down to the floor hastily. His silent movement left Jimin undisturbed as he cracked open the door to slip out onto the balcony and keep as little noise of nature waft into the room as possible.

And when it was closed, he was leaning over the balcony railing and flipping off the man standing on the sand below.

"Good morning to you, too," Jeongguk rolled his eyes and Taehyung threw his hands up with a curse falling from his lips.

Before heading down, he left the biker hanging, going to brush his teeth and splashing water in his face to wake up because he didn't know what Jeongguk's plans were, but he was hungry and tired as hell.

"You couldn't just text me? You're doing this Romeo shit again?" Taehyung huffed when he stepped back out, still physically drained as he forced himself over the balcony edge and slid down the rails, feet catching onto the porch railing and then jumping down onto the sand like he'd been born to do just so. "You could wake Jimin up, you know. Or break my goddamn door."

"Yeah? Well, pissing you off is more fun so I'll just stick to this."

Jeongguk buried his hands in his pockets and Taehyung noticed his jacket wasn't in sight, instead khaki shorts covering his thighs and a loose fitting black tee hanging off his shoulders.

"Nice outfit."

"Nice pajamas, Saltine." Jeongguk suddenly stilled after taking in his cotton shorts and white tee. "Were you sleeping?"

"I wasn't awake too long before rocks started cannoning at my room."

"You actually slept?" He almost seemed offended and Taehyung placed his hands on his hips, glaring at the younger. "I couldn't even get a wink of sleep last night and you just knocked out."

"And that's my problem, why?"

"You were able to sleep after last night?" The biker rephrased his original words.

It was real. Everything had actually happened.

He swore his heart stopped for a moment because Taehyung actually had a fucking boyfriend. And Jeon Jeongguk of all people.

Taehyung's glare suddenly softened as he understood what Jeongguk was getting at. "You weren't able to..." he pursed his curving lips, eyes glimmering with joy as he moved to press his hands over his mouth, muffling the excited laugh hurtling out. "That's so cute!"

"You—" Jeongguk groaned and spun around, looking at the ocean instead of him. "M'wasting my time here, ugh—"

Taehyung felt him stiffen in shock as he'd stepped up to the biker and wrapped his arms around his midsection, tucking his chin on Jeongguk's shoulder and swaying them side to side.

"What are you doing?" Jeongguk deadpanned.

"Hugging you."

"Get off." His tone was half hearted and Taehyung grinned, digging his feet in the sand for some stable ground.

"Don't be so difficult, Ggukie. I know you like it." The surfer yelped when Jeongguk whirled around in his arms and a hand was grabbing the underside of his jaw, firmly but comfortably so and his gasp was more from surprise than dislike.

He stumbled a bit, hunched over as Jeongguk pushed his chin up to look him in the eye. Jeongguk's hair was looking rough, thrown around, and there were bags under his eyes— yet, a smile was on his lips, like no lack of sleep could keep him from feeling happy that close to Taehyung.

The older let out a small breath to relax into the hold Jeongguk had on his jaw and throat, returning a small smile to the younger just inches away.

"Good morning, boyfriend." He greeted teasingly because Jeongguk was confirming that everything that had happened was so very real.

Taehyung wanted to scream.

Jeongguk pulled his hand away and gagged, shaking his head in disgust. "Gross."

"Aw, don't hurt my feelings now, Greased Lightning." Taehyung pouted mockingly and Jeongguk shot him a look. "What's wrong with calling you what you are?"

"That's so weird." The younger snorted. "You just gonna call me biker or something, too?"

"No, I'll call you idiot." Taehyung crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you even doing here?"

"Don't couples say good morning to their partner?"

The surfer's mouth parted, jaw slackening. "Yeah, like over text. Not waking them up with rocks and forcing them out just after sunrise!"

Jeongguk snickered. "I mean, you live so close so why not do it in person, right?"

"You're the worst." Taehyung feigned but it was a lie because the intentions were incredibly thoughtful. Made him happy infact. "You must be tired, though. From not having gotten any sleep."

"Kinda. It's okay. I'll just zap some of your energy and problem solved."

"Leech."

"Yeah, call me a parasite. Keep it coming, baby." Jeongguk chuckled and Taehyung scoffed with a grin lining his lips. He couldn't stop smiling. He probably looked so lame. "I didn't come by just to say good morning. We're going swimming."

His heart partially cracked and fell.

"Swimming—" his heart stumbled because he'd just gotten comfortable with the water. And he was still waking up. "Right now? Gguk, I don't know..."

"Come on, don't hit me with that." Jeongguk was throwing an arm over his shoulder and tugging him further along the sand, further away from the beach house, and to the shoreline. "You're fine with the water."

"I know, I know, but," he bit his tongue rather harshly. "I haven't swam in so long. It's just... it's new again."

The younger paused just feet away from the tide line, further up the shore during high tide, and faced him, hand on his shoulder. "You can do it, Tae. We've been taking baby steps and this is just the next one."

"It's all getting a bit more real to surfing with each one."

"That's the point," Jeongguk hummed, stepping closer to him and Taehyung could feel his arm brush against side as the hand on his shoulder moved to the side of his face. "Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yeah." He almost laughed at the ridiculous question, sighing into Jeongguk's lips as they kissed him swiftly. Like a reassuring reminder. He could do it. It wasn't new. Surfing was second nature to him. He just had to find it again.

"You're surfing before the summer's over." Jeongguk said as he pulled away, certainty clear in his words and voice.

Taehyung was surfing before the summer was over.

And he swam that morning. Like a little kid swimming from the shore to Jeongguk's body as the end point, but he swam nonetheless.

Small steps. Small steps and Taehyung would be surfing again.

~•४•~

"Okay, twenty questions?"

"Sure."

They were walking along the city's downtown area, side by side and filling the bustling afternoon with some of their own conversation.

Taehyung had mentioned he didn't know Jeongguk's favorite color, joking about knowing all his secrets, but not the simplest thing in the world.

Jeongguk had shrugged, grinning at the implication, and suggested they fixed that.

And so, Taehyung was starting their round of twenty question.

"I gotta start with favorite color." He said, like it was obvious, and Jeongguk chuckled.

"I don't really have one." The biker admitted. "I guess black?"

"Black makes sense, Biker Jeon." Taehyung hummed thoughtfully, "Mine's probably blue."

"Why's that?"

"You want to simple explanation or the artistic one?" He joked, but Jeongguk was asking for the full one in an instant. Slightly flustered by the lack of hesitation, Taehyung cleared his throat. "Oh— uh, okay. Blue just reminds me of the ocean and summer. That's the base answer. And then... blue is peaceful. It's just calm and adds a touch of cool to any scene. Coolness helps soften a harsh warmth. It's settling."

"Doesn't blue usually mean sadness?"

"To some people, sure." Taehyung shrugged. "I never thought about it as sad, but the typical coldness of the color could do that. But you can't have the happiness without the sadness, right? So, in a way, blue is good, too."

"Modern Shakespeare weirdo." Jeongguk snipped and the older slapped his arm with a whine.

"You asked for the full explanation!"

"I know, I know," Jeongguk rolled his eyes. "Okay, my turn. What's your least favorite color?"

"How original." Taehyung snorted and he got a pinch on his side. "I strongly dislike gray. You don't need gray in color theory— the reason for complimentary colors is literally because they're supposed to make they're own shadows with their opposites. I don't know. Gray from a tube has no life and gray mixed from colors does."

"I didn't understand half of that. More than half."

"That's okay. What about you?"

Suddenly, Jeongguk smiled sadly and Taehyung mentally guessed the color before he said it. His heart dropped into his stomach for the abrupt invasive thought he'd planted in Jeongguk's head. 

"Red."

"Sorry," he mumbled quickly, to which Jeongguk was taking his hand and squeezing. Lingering for a few moments before letting go again.

"Don't be sorry. Red's just... a lot." Jeongguk continued and Taehyung almost missed it as they paused by a loud cluster of adults walking by. "It's like the color of rage and anger. Reminds me of my mom. And it's the color of blood... which you already can guess. It's just a bright color that screams in your face."

"It's also the color of warmth." He suggested. "You always remind me of fire, you know. Fire's generally considered red."

"I remind you of fire? In a good or bad way?"

"Good." He said with a smile, answer solid and unwavering and that seemed to ease the spike of tension in the younger. "Always saw you as the fire to my water."

"You're crazy," Jeongguk nudged his shoulder, sending him staggering a step and he shoved his way back into the biker with a laugh. "Seriously, though, I like that. Fire for engines and motorcycles? Water for the ocean."

"Exactly." Taehyung nodded. "Bikers and surfers."

"Bikers and surfers." Jeongguk repeated.

They walked along, Taehyung racking his brain for another question.

"How'd you pick up surfing so quickly?"

The younger shot him an amused look. "What? Don't believe I'm a quick learner?"

"I'm just wondering," He scoffed. "You got it abnormally fast."

"Mhm, I did. First time, though." Jeongguk rubbed his chin. "Didn't think I was actually going to convince you to teach me, honestly. Or let me surf with your board."

"Why did you ask for a lesson? I don't think it was just because you were curious, but I want to hear it from you."

"Nuh uh," Jeongguk tutted instead, disregarding him. "My turn for a question."

The surfer pursed his lips and threw his hand out to signal his annoyance as Jeongguk chuckled.

"Get on with it then, Greased Lightning."

"Okay. What do you wanna ask me about from that day?"

Taehyung looked at him incredulously— even more annoyed he'd wasted fifteen seconds of his life just to round back to what he was going to say anyway. Well, the wide smile on Jeongguk's face might have made up for it.

"I was going to ask why you wanted a lesson," he grumbled, adding on for himself. "Jackass."

"Ah," Jeongguk continued with the theatrics. "You see, I wanted to know if you'd really developed a fear. And try to get you back on the board through my sneaky tactic of subtly starting fear trining. Also a way to see if you'd ever guess your savior. You took forever to figure it out, you know that?

Taehyung didn't really respond, more giddy in his head as he understood that he'd been right. Jeongguk's heart of gold. The guy had really just wanted him to get on his board since the first day.

He may not have even told him until that moment, and brushed over it like an unimportant detail, but it hung onto the rack of important thoughts in his head.

"Yeah, I know." He shook his head, heart swelling within his rib cage. He blinked at the familiar bar they passed in front of, business slow in the afternoon hours. He saw some businessmen inside. Maybe some '9-5'ers on their lunch break. He tugged on Jeongguk's sleeve and pointed. "Remember that?"

"That? A bar? I've been in plenty of bars, you're going to have to be more specific— oh. Wait yeah, I remember."

"Mhm," he grinned. "You helped us get out in time."

"More for you than the others." Jeongguk huffed. "Really didn't care about them because they were them, you know?"

"I... don't know? What does that mean?" He pursed his lips and glared sharply at Jeongguk. "And don't use the dumb question switching thing."

The younger chuckled, a finger looping in his belt loop and tugging teasingly before dropping to his side again. "What I mean is that I didn't care about them, really only bothered to care about you."

"Bothered to care about me." Taehyung repeated, scowling. "What a chore."

Jeongguk only smiled wider, satisfied at the emotion he'd risen. "I care about you all now. I think. They showed me a lot of kindness without question. That was... really nice and unexpected. Like, I get if you did. Honestly, after everything— I didn't understand you either, but that's besides the point. Them helping me after the storm and letting me use your place as a crash pad..."

"They like you, you know. As long as you don't fuck things up." Taehyung's expression shifted to a playful one. "I put in lots of good words to cancel out all the rough and tough parts of you."

The biker snorted. "Guess I should thank you, then, hm? For making me sound better than I am?"

"Yeah? How are you going to thank me?"

He really should have thought about what he'd just said more strictly, because Jeongguk was pulling him close with a hand on his hip, fingers digging into his shorts and skin as his uneven lips found Taehyung's ear. They grazed his skin and Taehyung felt the color darken his face more than what could be blamed on the sun.

"Plenty of ways to thank you, baby. Just say the word."

He sputtered out a 'fuck off,' half giggling as Jeongguk's fingers tickled his side before putting a few inches between them to keep walking. "What would even be the word to give your horny ass permission?"

"Please," Jeongguk drawled. "All you'd have to say is please and I'd be all over."

Taehyung rolled his eyes and wrapped a hand around the biker's elbow. "Remind me never to say that word in my life."

Jeongguk pouted miserably and he cooed.

"Why are you so mean to me?"

"Is that your question?" Taehyung laughed, to which the younger shrugged. "You're lame."

"I'm cooler than you, Shakespeare da Vinci."

"Wow, mashup of the century." He whistled.

"Smartass."

"Dickhead."

"You should see my dick."

"Damn, you really are horny today, aren't you?"

"We're dating now," Jeongguk stared pointedly. "You get exclusive rights and you're not taking them."

"Are you in a drought, baby?" He mocked. "Hasn't even been a day of being together."

"Annoying little shit." The biker grunted. "Not even taking advantage of those rights."

"Only exclusive rights I want are to get into art institutes without a single soul being inside, Jeongguk."

"Ew. The fuck are you going to do in an empty museum of paintings?" Jeongguk grimaced. "Some Night at the Museum shit?"

"I'd enjoy without giant crowds around. It's so much more peaceful."

"Boring and dumb."

"Art is not boring and dumb."

"Okay, Saltine. You believe that."

"I'll show you when we go back to my place. You'll see my paintings and change your mind."

"M'kay." Jeongguk brushed off and he shoved the younger, eliciting a laugh from them both. "Kidding, Tae. I'm excited to see it."

"Good. You should be." He sniffed. "Should support your boyfriend wholeheartedly."

"Cheesy hopeless romantic."

"Heartless expired glass of grease."

The sky was filled with clouds, sun peeking out when it managed to in the gaps of the fluffy cotton. Midday left lots of people about, he noticed in the sudden awareness of sound in their silence, store doors opening and closing with customers and restaurant windows open and spilling chatter out.

Taehyung caught sight of a storefront, seeing a fresco painting decorating the far wall of the place. "Okay, I have a question. Is there any art you do like?"

He was mildly intrigued that Jeongguk genuinely considered his question, clear in the furrow of his brows and the small pout of his bottom lip as he thought.

Jeongguk suddenly stalled beside him and Taehyung whirled around the see the biker staring into an alleyway. A pang of concern swept through him as he rushed to Jeongguk's side.

"Is everything okay—"

"That," Jeongguk breathed out. "That's so cool."

He gazed into the alley and Taehyung's eyes went wide as he took in the intricate blocks and sprays of color skillfully painted onto the musty, dirty brick wall. There were so many colors— yellow, orange, purple, green, he saw white create a neon affect in some mimic of a lit up sign. Bubble letters atop the created scene.

The graffiti art was huge, stretching for the ground to the top of the two story building, and maybe twenty feet long to the backside of the store.

The colors mimicked day to night across the expanse of the street depicted in the mural panning along the wall. The left side was day time, bright blue skies and spray painted buildings, details minimal with the medium, but the artist was in awe of its switch to night along the right side. Neon signs and street lamps, a car with bright headlights on the street.

He'd never seen such an intricate and astonishing work of graffiti before.

"I can see why." He breathed out in response to the picture before them being Jeongguk's desirable form of art. "This must've taken so much time and skill."

"I know." Jeongguk nodded in agreement, head titling the side as he stepped forward and crouched by the wall.

"What's wrong?"

The younger stood and Taehyung's lips parted as a stray paint bottle was in Jeongguk's hand. A spray paint bottle with the shade of black printed across the label and the surfer frowned.

"Gguk, you should leave that there. Maybe they'll come back for it."

"Yeah," Jeongguk rolled it around in his palm and suddenly popped off the cap. Taehyung froze as he watched Jeongguk shake the bottle, little ball inside clanging around, and hold it out near the already worked upon wall.

"Jeongguk—"

"I'm just adding a small touch." He assured, pressing down on the latch and a low hiss sounded as the controlled spray painted itself black streaks.

Taehyung was further surprised by Jeongguk's seemingly talented hand, strokes clean and sprays steady. On second thought, he should have figured Jeongguk had graffitied a wall or two throughout his years. Definitely wouldn't put him past it.

The younger added a couple streaks below a lamppost, where a shadow had been missing, and similarly filling in the dark rooftop of a building that had been incomplete.

Taehyung hadn't even noticed those things. Jeongguk truly was observant in more ways than one.

"Must have had to run before getting to finish." Jeongguk explained the small details that were missing as his eyes scanned other parts of the wall. Taehyung followed begin him as he worked his way further down the alley, towards the night side of the sprayed painting. "Hey, help me up there?"

Taehyung looked over to where Jeongguk pointed— a stack of boxes towering up near the fence at the end of the alley. Past the fence seemed to be another street.

"You want to climb that?" He gaped, jolting forward when the younger stepped one foot up onto the lowest box. "Jeongguk, you could get hurt!"

"Help me then, Saltine." The biker grunted as he pushed up to step onto the second box and Taehyung rushed forward to keep a hand on his back so he didn't fall. He really didn't have a choice. He'd rather help Jeongguk instead of watching him hurt himself.

"Be quick and get down." He scowled. "What even is there to add onto up there?"

"This—" Jeongguk strained his arm to reach for a patch of the night sky where the brick showed up from under the thinly spread spray. It also seemed to be a patch done in a hurry and Jeongguk was grinning when he pulled away after fixing it. "There we go!"

"Okay, now would you please get down?" Taehyung asked, easing off his grip on Jeongguk's sides in order to let him move more freely.

Just as he was stepping down from the taller box, feet hitting the first one closer to the ground, there was a shout from the entrance of the alley.

Taehyung froze as the fear chilled every nerve in his body when he caught a glimpse of an angry shop owner— who's shop wall he guessed they were meddling with.

The man came stalking down the alley and Jeongguk was tossing the can aside and grabbing his arm.

"Shit, we gotta go," the biker said urgently and Taehyung couldn't find a word on his dry and numb tongue as Jeongguk pulled him onto the boxes the biker had been climbing moments ago.

"Jeongguk— Jeon, where are we going?"

"Next question," Jeongguk whipped his head back when the store owner approached closer, pace picking up as they clambered onto the boxes. "Do you like running?"

"No, I do not in fact— Jeongguk!" Taehyung yelled as the biker left his side to throw himself over the fence the boxes were up against, landing on his feet and stumbled a bit before standing upright. "What the hell?!"

"Tae, let's go! Come on!" Jeongguk motioned him down and the surfer's eyes bulged out of his head, gaze whipping back to the man hurrying down the alley and back to the biker— having to stare through the fence that he was supposed to jump over. "Taehyung!"

"Fuck, okay!" He braced his hands on the top of the fence, feeling the ends of the wiring dig into his skin as he pushed himself off the box and flung over the barrier. Taehyung shrieked as he reached for Jeongguk, clambering onto the guy as the younger caught him and gently set him down. "You're fucking insane. I'm going to kill you, Jeon. I can't believe you—"

"Nice. Tell me on the way, Kim." Jeongguk grabbed his hand and they were running. It knocked the air out of his lungs as they cut into the main street again and rushed past oblivious pedestrians, hardly glancing behind them to see if that storefront owner was following.

They ran for maybe a full minute. Taehyung didn't think anyone was following them and Jeongguk was simply being extra precautious with the random turns and undying pace.

They eventually slowed near some mesh of trees and bushes, a block of greenery in the midst of the downtown and Taehyung was gasping for even a single breath as they pressed themselves against the wall of some public restrooms facility in the small garden.

Taehyung knew his blood was rushing, face red and weary from the rush of adrenaline and bolt of physical speed.

Jeongguk was laughing beside him, staring up at the sky with a happy groan as his head bumped against the wall.

"Next— next question..." Taehyung wheezed out. "Are you— Jeongguk, are you out of your damn mind?"

"I didn't know he was going to show up!" The biker defended himself, pushing off the wall to look at him. A stupid grin on his face, nose scrunching in the aftermath of something enjoyable.

Taehyung's brows furrowed as he shoved Jeongguk's shoulder, shoulders shaking as he caught his breath. "You're an idiot. Made me jump over a fucking fence and sprint all throughout town—"

"My turn for a question," Jeongguk stepped up closer to him and Taehyung rolled his eyes. "Wasn't that even a little bit fun?"

"What part? Admiring the graffiti or sprinting away from a crime?"

"You seem to be taking it a lot better than the last encounter."

"Probably because that wasn't the police, Gguk."

"So relax a little, hm?" Jeongguk's nose grazed his, foreheads bumping into each other like it was an accident as Taehyung pulled away. He hadn't even realized Jeongguk had gotten so close until their skin touched.

He didn't have much room to move with his back against the wall and Jeongguk's feet crushing some grass as they shuffled forward to be even closer to him.

"It was just spray paint."

"We almost got in trouble."

"I am trouble, Kim."

"You're—" Taehyung couldn't help the abruptly breathless laugh leave his mouth, chest light and mind faint from exhaustion and crashing down from the high simultaneously. "What question are we on?"

"Question seven? Nine? I lost count." Jeongguk huffed in fake annoyance and their laughs melded together. "Why? Do you have one?"

"Did you paint things like that? With spray paint?" He cocked his head, their kissing noses moving away from one another as Taehyung fixed the hem of Jeongguk's messed up shirt sleeve.

"Used to, yeah. Nothing super cool like that, though." Jeongguk signed, nostalgic smile claiming its place. "That was the kind of fun I liked with them. Being troublesome, but not doing any real harm."

"You did look like you had too much experience with that spray bottle for it to be your first time." Taehyung nodded. "That one was so pretty, though."

"Did you find any secret meaning in it, Mr.da Vinci?" Jeongguk teased, stepping away to brush a hand through his hair. "Like you do in everything else?"

"Not all art has to have a deeper meaning." Taehyung slid down the wall tiredly, planting his ass on the ground and Jeongguk stared at him from above, highly amused. "Some can just be meant to look at and admire."

"I think I like those paintings, then." Jeongguk shrugged, like he was answering Taehyung's question from before they'd seen the alley. "The ones where you can just observe and watch, admire the abilities someone has rather than what they meant by it."

"I think that's really good." Taehyung smiled up at him, eyes shifting down to follow the younger as he crouched in front of Taehyung. "You need that balance in art, too. I'm glad to hear you don't despise all painting."

"I never said I despise it. I just think it's dumb." Jeongguk scoffed and Taehyung poked his knee. "Any more questions?"

"Hm... if you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?"

~•४•~

"Last time we were here, things were shitty." Jeongguk felt the need to point out, and Taehyung sighed as Jeongguk hooked his helmet on the bike handle.

"There was a valid reason for things to be shitty that day." Taehyung argued as he wobbled on his feet, post climbing off the motorcycle. "Jeez, I'll never get used to that first touch on ground."

"If you catch enough rides, you will." The biker stuffed his keys in his pockets. Taehyung saw Jeongguk step close in case he lost his footing a couple seconds in, but the feeling went away as quickly as it came.

They had their original plans of Jeongguk coming over to see the paintings later that evening still intact. The biker had added on that he wanted Taehyung to come to the bikers' flat and meet Namjoon and Yoongi. Something like making amends. It made Taehyung nervous, but Jeongguk deserved that much from him.

Yet, after their little adventure in the city, grabbing an early dinner along the way, they'd driven out to the cliffside where so many memories hung onto the edge of it, memories laid out on the clearing and staring up at the setting sky speckled with clouds.

"I think it's going to rain today." Taehyung grinned staring up at an approaching cluster of dark clouds to the far east. "Probably sometime tonight."

"Probably nothing serious until tomorrow." Jeongguk challenged.

"Really?" Taehyung grabbed his arm and tugged him away for the motorcycle and closer to the clearing. "Why not today?"

"Just a gut feeling."

"I think your gut's so very wrong." The surfer felt the grass dip under the weight of his every step, the smell of rain in the air. The sun was probably beginning to set.

"Are we betting on the chances of rain?"

"I guess so, Greased Lightning."

"Nice. What's the loser doing?"

"Uh... a favor of the other's choosing?"

"So, you'll just owe me." Jeongguk clarified and Taehyung laugh.

"Sure, Gguk, let's pretend that's true."

They settled on the ground in a similar spot as their first night on the cliffside. That time, they didn't have a blanket to sit on, but the grass was soft and cushioning all the same. Taehyung leaned back on his hands as Jeongguk tilted into his side, chin on Taehyung's shoulder. The older smiled softly and glanced at him discreetly with the appreciated weight near his head.

"How has your first day of dating been so far?" Jeongguk asked him.

Taehyung's brow raised. "A lot of unexpected things happening. Swimming and spray painting on someone's wall. Running away from them." He laughed. "I guess it didn't suck."

"All I can hope for." Jeongguk smiled against his skin as he kissed below Taehyung's ear. Color flushed across Taehyung's cheeks, the surfer finding himself victim to fluster even when he tried his hardest to parry Jeongguk. The younger, although more used to hookups than relationships, still seemed to know how to show affection and touch him such that he melted.

Taehyung figured he had experience in caring for people, encouraging conversations and learning about one another. And that day, He felt like he'd learned more about Jeongguk on the surface. Something that he thought was also important to all the stuff underneath. Smaller things like his favorite and least favorite colors, his preferences for art (which he thought was even more important considering how much art meant to Taehyung) and the language with which Jeongguk expressed himself.

"You're thinking about something." Jeongguk pointed out, words right on his skin.

"Not much."

A lot. He was always thinking a lot. Jeongguk knew that, too.

"Hey, look at me."

He didn't. Just to be annoying. Smiling to himself, he stared ahead at the ocean as the sun began to dip and colors were beginning to waft across the blue horizon.

"Taehyung," Jeongguk repeated. Again he gave the younger silence. The biker groaned at his unresponsive nature and pulled away.

Taehyung curiously watched him shift a foot away and suddenly turn, lowing his body until he was laying down.

With his head on Taehyung's thigh.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously as the biker stared up at him.

"You weren't looking at me and now you are. Problem solved."

He chuckled and brushed aside some of the hair in Jeongguk's face, away from his eyes like he was drawing curtains to let in the morning light. Or maybe the starry night sky. Jeongguk's eyes did always remind him of space, deep and never ending, holding so much within them that had yet to be found.

After a few moments, their heads lazily turned to acknowledge the landscape. Taehyung hummed a soft tune as his fingers continued carding through Jeongguk's long strands. The biker's head was a welcomed weight on the muscle of his thigh, both their faces turned towards the painted sky.

Colors finally streamed across the horizon as thick clouds mirrored the splash of colors. Taehyung stared wistfully at the breathtaking sight of hues reflecting onto the reflective waters below, under their feet.

"Hey, Gguk, guess what?"

Jeongguk hummed, head turning to look up at the older. Jeongguk's eyelids fluttered slightly as Taehyung played with his hair and the surfer smiled. "What?"

"It's my first time seeing a sunset with you."

"What? No way." Jeongguk's brows furrowed, the corners of his lips dipping. "I swear we have..."

"Nope." Taehyung whispered, looking back up at the warm sky, fingers shifting to stroke along Jeongguk's hairline. He heard the biker grunt and shift his head ahead so he slid closer to the crook of his hip. Taehyung laughed quietly as Jeongguk bent one knee, both splayed to the side.

"Sunsets are pretty." The younger finally said. "Can't believe we never have to be honest."

"Really? We always met at night, so I think it makes sense." Taehyung leaned back on his free hand, neck craning as he looked up at the thickening clouds, dark ones looming in the distance.

He beamed, hoping he'd win the bet they'd placed.

When he looked down at Jeongguk again, the younger was staring up at him, expression indifferent but a glitter of awe in his doe eyes. Taehyung's thumb swept across his cheek, raising a brow.

"What?" He asked.

Jeongguk shrugged, shoulders hitting the side of his leg. A small grin lined his lips, throat bobbing in its strained position. "Just admiring the view."

Taehyung rolled his eyes and pointed towards the horizon. "The view's out there, dumbass—"

"I've got a better one right here."

The surfer's hand fell slowly, refusing to meet the biker's gaze when Taehyung didn't hear a hint of teasing in his tone. He was stunned by how genuinely appreciative Jeongguk was being recently and it threw him off.

In a good way, of course. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Fingers grazed the older's jaw, slipping down to grasp his chin and tug him closer. Taehyung's eyes went wide as Jeongguk turned his head so they were directionally proper with one another, staring at each other silently.

"You're supposed to say something back." Jeongguk playfully pinched his skin and Taehyung bit back a laugh. "Or am I not pretty enough?"

"When did you get so cheesy?" He grumbled out, Jeongguk laughing again and Taehyung wanted to record the sound so he could listen to it forever. He wasn't even sure if it was normal to hear the sound as often as he was.

"I blame this cliffside." Jeongguk told him, hand slipping down to play with the hem of Taehyung's shirt, grazing his collarbones underneath. It was all with half awareness, like the tip of his finger had a mind of its own, tracing over his features to map them out in the golden of the setting sun. "Something overcame me that night— the first time we were here."

"Hm, you were much different than usual that night. Brought a blanket like a wonderful romantic." The older chuckled. "Let me fall asleep in your arms."

"Shut up." Jeongguk hissed and Taehyung laughed harder.

"Come on, it wasn't even that bad, you cold hearted, ruthless biker!"

"It was bad. Really fucking bad. It's not just the blanket, Taehyung."

"No? What else did you do?" He tapped his chin mockingly, yelping as Jeongguk's ringed finger jabbed his side. "Was it revolutionary?"

"It was disastrous. Made me lose my mind."

"Oh, hell yeah, now you gotta tell me, Gguk." He grinned unknowingly as Jeongguk stared out at the water again, muttering spitefully under his breath. "Can't believe I drove you crazy."

"Why is that hard to believe? I'm dating you just as much as you're dating me."

"I dunno," Taehyung's smile faltered, surprised by the response. He'd half expected Jeongguk to play along with some confident remark. Probably more than half expected. "You're just... you. Always so sure of things. People always get crazy about you. That's just how it's always been, I guess."

Jeongguk's brow raised, a knowing curve adorning his lips. It wasn't smug. It wasn't that cocky grin he'd seen the first time they'd met when Taehyung had walked into the diner to see the bikers crowding around his hyungs. It was... it was a smile that seemed to convey pride. That Jeongguk was just content and proud of what he was and what he had.

"Well, that must make the one person who can drive me crazy pretty damn special."

His breath was a sleeve getting caught on the hook at the back of his throat, jerking back and making everything choke up in his insides. Freeze for a long second of his wide eyes meeting the younger's.

"What the hell did you do that night?" He whispered in disbelief. He knew it was nothing he would consider bad. A very hefty shock factor possibly. Most likely. "There's like some weird voodoo magic shit making you all sappy right now, Gguk—"

The finger tracing his collarbone cut through the air, climbing the wind to poke Taehyung's forehead with a gentle nudge. "Kissed you right here that night."

The finger retracted to tap the uneven lips of the biker's, like it was dragging all the thoughts from Taehyung's forehead and pulling them away— leaving him with an utterly blank mind.

"These lips called you beautiful that night, too."

"You— what— you did what?" Taehyung blinked. "Sorry, I think I heard you wrong. My mind really is a little haywire, but—"

"You heard me right."

More shocking than anything was that Jeongguk wasn't pissed off by it.

Every time that night on the cliff came up, Taehyung had to deal with Jeongguk shutting himself down and locking the memory out like it alone could send him to hell.

And now he was getting it entirely openly, heartfelt and all. Jeongguk didn't even seem like Jeongguk.

But it was him. His Jeongguk was saying those words. He'd done those things.

Taehyung thought he'd dreamed them, telling himself he was fucking insane for imagining the biker 'stooping so low' for a heartbreaker's persona, but... it was true.

Jeongguk kept Taehyung's wishes safe in a locked drawer of memories and he'd actually unlocked it, pulling his wishes out and acting on them.

"Will you say something?"

Taehyung did the first thing he could think of and snorted. "You're playing with me. Oh, god, this is some trippy evil prank. You're getting back at me for stealing half your fries earlier, aren't you—"

Fingers grasped his jaw and he audibly sucked in a breath, stomach pooling with warmth, little sparks lighting across his skin.

"I am not pranking you." Jeongguk sighed, almost tiredly. "Would you believe me if I rephrased that and said— shit, I kissed your stupid fucking forehead and called your annoying ass beautiful."

"Yeah," Taehyung could only blink again. "Honestly, yeah, that's a little more convincing."

Jeongguk rolled his eyes. "Unbelievable. Movies really lie. Thought you'd like me confessing it all sweetly, but you just wanted it in a bad way—"

"You actually said that?"

"Goddammit, Tae. It was one word. And one little kiss. It's not that big of a deal—"

"It is. It's a big deal. You wouldn't have hidden the truth for so long if it wasn't." He chewed his lip, thumb running back and forth along the sharp jawline on his leg, the hand that had reached up to touch him now resting on Jeongguk's stomach.

The younger's mouth clamped shut. Stunned to some extent— or Taehyung would like to believe that.

"You knew it meant a lot to me— you were always upset whenever I brought it up." He eventually mumbled. "Did you regret that? Did you know I thought I dreamt of you doing that? I dreamt the truth and—"

"Hey."

The voice cut through his thoughts and Taehyung let out his lingering breath. Let it glide off his tongue like the slide of Jeongguk's hand over his forearm.

"I wasn't upset because of you, Hyung." Jeongguk assured. "And... no, I didn't regret it. I don't regret it anymore. It was just stressful and a bit scary because— because I'd never felt like that—"

The biker cut himself off.

Taehyung felt like he'd been punched in the stomach, knocked out of all the breath in the world. "You..."

"I... yeah. Whatever. Not a big deal."

Taehyung's lips tugged upward, a squeal strangling his throat as he grabbed Jeongguk's arm and shook it around.

Because Jeongguk had half admitted to falling for him first. To becoming a marshmallow for the surfer and breaking down some walls for him.

"Goddamn, you're the worst." Jeongguk choked out, resisting Taehyung's trashing of his arm and pinning the surfer's hand to his chest. "Stop that."

His heart was beating fast.

Not Taehyung's, but Jeongguk's. With his hand against Jeongguk's chest, he felt the thumps against his wrist, clashing with his own. The nerves quickening the biker's pulse parried rhythmically with Taehyung's excited heartbeat.

He didn't press Jeongguk. Because he knew. And that was all he needed. The grumble on Jeongguk's tongue, the pulse under his hand, the few words he'd gotten.

Jeongguk had cared for a long time.

He had wanted what they were for a long time.

For weeks. Ever since that night at the cliff. Jeongguk, of all people, had found it a possibility.

Taehyung leaned down and pressed his lips to the curve of Jeongguk's cheek, lingering for a moment on the pink skin washed warm in the setting sun before rising back up and rubbing his thumb into the dip of his chest.

"Thank you," he whispered. "For that night. And for being a wimp and doing that when I wouldn't know."

"Ugh," Jeongguk muttered and attempted to roll away, but Taehyung was wrapping him up close with a laugh, hugging their bodies together. "Let me go."

"Nope. You're stuck with me, Ggukie."

"Fuck. Can I at least get a refund?" Jeongguk suddenly relaxed his resisting and rolled his eyes. "I was relieved when you kissed me without reason the next night. It was something normal and it helped me feel like I wasn't just going off the rails."

"So, what made you accept it now?"

"I..." Jeongguk's eyes found his. "I'm completely off the rails. I jumped out of the crashing train and started finding a new way about things. Letting myself breathe, letting myself feel. Instead of confining myself to that narrow track."

"I'm so proud of you." And he meant that. There wasn't a hint of sarcasm to be found.

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"You had to do parts of it on your own." Taehyung shook his head, Jeongguk listening intently. "You had to have wanted to be heard. You wanted to let someone in despite how much you equally fought it. I was just there to fill that spot."

"You didn't fill a metaphorical spot, Taehyung," Jeongguk reached up, tucking some of the surfer's hair behind his ear and brushing the rest back. Only for it to fall forward again.

"Then, what did I do?"

"You snuck your way in and made that spot. Carved into my barriers litte by little until I broke." Jeongguk smiled. "And when I did, you were there for me. You stayed. For the most part."

"That last part was unnecessary." Taehyung whined, Jeongguk laughing at his reaction. "Was about to say how golden that was and then you went and ruined it."

"Okay, fine. You came back. I guess that matters more anyway, doesn't it? That you're here."

Taehyung smiled back. "Yeah, that's all that matters, Gguk. And now I'm not leaving."

"You better not." Jeongguk tapped his nose. Twice. Three times for good measure and Taehyung's skin scrunched under his touch. "I'll hate your dumbass if you do."

"You just asked for a refund two seconds ago."

"So I could just steal you and save some money." Jeongguk snickered, face falling as he glanced into the distance. "Dammit, those clouds are actually rolling in."

"I'm going to win our bet." Taehyung grinned. "Two bets actually! I get to make you suffer twice as much."

"Can't wait." His head readjusted on Taehyung's leg. "We're going to your place after this and then mine, right?"

"Mhm." Taehyung pointed at his outfit. "This is very much not your usual clothes, by the way. What's up with that?"

"I dunno. Just changing things up."

"Looks like surfer clothes. Not as much black going on as usual, Greased Lightning."

"I'm not wearing clothing with so much color that it looks like the god of rainbows threw up everywhere."

"Douchebag." Taehyung pouted. "Our clothes don't look like rainbow vomit."

"Sure they don't. Please do me a favor and go look in a mirror sometime."

"My clothes back home are more monochrome." He defended. "Especially for colder weather. Beige trench coats and turtlenecks."

"Sounds like you and your Parisian artist dreams."

"I hate you so much." Taehyung groaned.

"Mhm, 'tis mutual, baby." Jeongguk chuckled, pushing himself up to sit upright and Taehyung missed the warmth of him the second it left. "Quoted Shakespeare, right there. How did I do, my modern day Shakespeare?"

"Saying 'tis does not make it a Shakespeare quote." Taehyung hunched over and stretched out his legs. "Saying 'O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo? is."

"Imagine if you'd said that when I threw rocks at your balcony door." Jeongguk grimaced as the surfer laughed. "I would have never spoken to you again."

"Don't worry. I would never. We're no Romeo and Juliet, Gguk."

"Why's that?" The raspy voice questioned, very much playing his role with the balcony visits. "We had a rivalry and secret meets. Sounds just like them."

"We're not like them because this won't end tragically."

"You sure, Saltine?"

"Oh, do you have something worse than death in mind?"

Jeongguk shook his head with a small smile on his lips. The biker's hand had found a hold on his thigh, just above his knee. It was such a warm and grounding touch, the pressure just right to make him feel snug and secure in Jeongguk's presence.

A droplet of water splattered onto Jeongguk's hand, Taehyung noticing it with his eyes trained on the limb.

A second drop.

Then, he felt one on his hair.

The first splatter of rain drops made a flurry of curses spew from Jeongguk's lips. Taehyung laughed happily as the humid air was parried with a grand douse of droplets.

The first initial minutes of the drizzle amplifying into downpour were actually spent with underlying tension on Taehyung's end. He watched Jeongguk, tried to gauge how he reacted and took the rain considering he was usually pained by it.

But there was nothing lingering besides the anger of losing on his face.

The majority of both their emotions then was nothing as deep as how far their pain ran.

"I can't believe it." Jeongguk complained, Taehyung laughing and standing as his hair fell over his eyes in thick clumps with every second of quickening downpour. The biker looked up at him with a second of concern. "How does the rain feel?"

"Nice, actually. It's a great way to see how far we've come." Taehyung stared down at the younger, who shielded his eyes from the rain and stared back up at him. "You know what I'm thinking?"

The concern was gone in the roll of doe eyes.

"Yeah, I do. What dumb shit are you going to make me do?" Jeongguk huffed, his anger slipping away as Taehyung reached a hand out. "What?"

"Come on." Taehyung grinned, smile slightly shy as a shiver raked through his spine. "Dance with me."

"Dance— dance. Are you out of your mind? I don't dance, Taehyung."

"You lost the bet. You're dancing with me." Taehyung jerked his hand to gesture for Jeongguk to take it. "I won fair and square, Jeon."

"I'm not dancing." Jeongguk swatted his hand away and rested his forearms on his propped knees. "Think of something else."

"Hey!" Taehyung glared, wiping his hair out of his face, feeling the shirt stick to every inch of skin on his toned chest. "Jeongguk, don't be a spoiled sport! I'll teach you. It's really not hard—"

"I'm not dancing." Jeongguk didn't even look up, hand raising to flip him off. "Anything but that, you useless romantic— the fuck— Kim Taehyung!"

Taehyung clasped both hands around Jeongguk's raised one and used all his strength to hurl the biker upright. Jeongguk was staggering to his feet with the force, arms automatically wrapping around the surfer to keep them both standing and not tumble back into the ground.

"Don't do that!" Jeongguk snapped, arms tightening as Taehyung stumbled on his feet from laughing and threw his arms onto Jeongguk's shoulder.

"God, you're so— so stupid," Taehyung managed to say through his broken laughter, wiping his lips of rainwater only to find them drenched again.

Jeongguk's expression had softened seeing the older beam with wide, boxy-shaped lips and exposed teeth, nose scrunched as droplets hung off of every slope on his flawless features.

Taehyung's laugh died, lids opening as he wiped his eyes and breathed heavily to catch his breath. "You lost and my request is that you dance with me."

"Fucking hell..." Jeongguk spat and the surfer grinned wider; how that was possible? He didn't know. Taehyung scratched at the hair at Jeongguk's nape, the biker humming at the action and sniffing. "Okay, fine. One stupid dance. I will be pissed if you ever make me do this again—"

"Okay, okay, you big baby." Taehyung chuckled. He watched Jeongguk's ears remain dusted with pink, the tip of his nose the same way from the cold and wet of the rain. His eyes flicked up to the dark ones waiting for instructions. Droplets made his lashes heavy and sink as they stared at Jeongguk. "Hands on my waist."

"That I can do." Jeongguk's lips quirked as his arms shifted down to sit lower on his back, still encompassing him fully to keep the surfer close to his chest. "Now what?"

"Sway." Taehyung said loud enough to be heard over the pouring rain and Jeongguk frowned.

"Sway?"

"Yeah— just sway." Taehyung repeated, shifting his body weight from side to side until Jeongguk caught on and mimicked his actions. Jeongguk was stiff in his movements, rigid like a board and Taehyung jerked his shoulders to get him to loosen up. "At least pretend to entertain me, asshole."

"This is the most boring shit ever, though." The biker huffed and Taehyung poked his neck. "You've seriously dreamed of doing this with your boyfriend? This over a motorcycle ride?"

"Ugh, screw you." Taehyung let his head fall against Jeongguk's shoulder in defeat, closing his eyes as the swaying continued and the rain trickled through his clothes and coated his skin, painting on a layer of cold that rivaled the warmth of Jeongguk's hug.

But the younger's arms pulled him closer and Taehyung felt giddy as his body pressed into Jeongguk's frontside. Their knees knocked into each other as they swayed in circles, slow and languid. It put a smile on his face, a smile he caught in his teeth and tried to hide. Because even if Jeongguk pretended to hate it, it was clear he liked the warm proximity as rain clung to ever inch of skin on his body.

"Don't people usually spin or something?" A voice rocked, lulling in his ear. Taehyung's eyes shone with adoration as Jeongguk tugged him back to look him in the eye.

"Oh my god— spin? Yes— I mean, we can."

"You want to." Jeongguk deadpanned at the obvious excitement, though there was an inevitable smile on his face, too. Faint and hardly noticeable, but Taehyung wouldn't miss it for the world. "Show me how to spin you."

His heart tripped in his chest, lips parting and a sound of disbelief falling from them. But, quickly, before Jeongguk could change his mind, Taehyung was telling him to loosen his hold around his waist and make a passage of space between them.

"Hold my hand above our heads," he took the biker's calloused hand and raised it, rain trickling up his arm instead of down at the angle. "Hold it loosely and then lead me around myself."

Jeongguk frowned in confusion and Taehyung suppressed the widest of smiles, turning over his shoulder and spinning himself to demonstrate. The younger could feel how his hand circled with Taehyung's body and an 'ah' of understanding sounded from his uneven lips.

Taehyung let their hands disconnect and linked them around his neck again when he circled back around. "That's all there is to it."

"Pretty lame," Jeongguk played off, adding a quieter— "but I like it"— after.

"You try it. You lead me this time." He nudged the man's shoulder. Jeongguk stepped away to give them space and took Taehyung's right hand from his shoulder, struggling to look up with the downpour, but spinning him around slowly and perfectly.

"You're great when you get a lesson." Taehyung rubbed his arm. "From surfing to dancing."

"I told you I can watch and learn." Jeongguk's arms wrapped around his waist again. "I like this part the best. You're nice and warm."

"Of course, you do." Taehyung snickered quietly, pushing Jeongguk's hair back like it was slicked. "You just have to surprise me with a spin. That's the fun part."

"Got it. If I fuck up, you can't blame me. It's the thought that counts."

"It's not rocket science, Gguk." He ran his fingers through the biker's hair again. "You really do look like a Greaser with your hair slicked back."

"You look nothing like the Pink Ladies." Jeongguk cringed. Taehyung slapped his shoulder. "I'm your Greased Lightning regardless, though."

"I thought you got annoyed by that name."

"Didn't stop you from using it." Jeongguk snorted, Taehyung grinning. "Guess I get my revenge by calling you Saltine."

"Gotta admit, it's funny."

"I think the rain's messing up my ears, did you say you think it's funny? As in you like it—"

"Oh, fuck off." Taehyung laughed, hugging Jeongguk fully as their bodies continued rocking to some imaginary beat drowning in the rain. Maybe it was the rain's melody, nature's song. The distant crashing of the waves and pummeling pours— that was a song in itself.

The rain. A horrific tune for them both just a month ago, but then and there, it sounded beautiful as they swayed to it.

Taehyung closed his eyes and kissed the bird wing below Jeongguk's ear. "M'your Saltine, too."

"You know it, baby." Jeongguk mumbled softly, breath warm against the cold shell of his ear. Taehyung smiled against his inked skin as the biker's hands splayed across the expanse of his back, hugging him, too, instead of holding his waist. It didn't seem like much of a difference, but Taehyung could tell it made all the difference.

"Sorry I made you dance." Taehyung could feel Jeongguk's throat vibrate with the low chuckle.

"It's alright." The biker answered. "It's nice."

"Because you get to feel my hands on you?" Taehyung pulled away to look at him, grinning at the joke. Jeongguk's brow raised before he shook his head with disagreement.

"Because, you brat," The younger scowled, face softening in a second. "I get to hold you close."

He didn't get a chance to react as Jeongguk surprised him with a subtle step backwards and capture of his hand, raising the interlocked limbs up and spinning him with greater speed than before. Taehyung gasped out a laugh, caught off guard, and tripped over his feet as he fell back into the younger's chest, both shocked and ecstatic.

It was a rush of warmth surging through him, a small dream— but a dream nonetheless— that he'd wished for, for years. And here, with the person he'd least expected it from, was it being fulfilled.

He loved everything in that moment. He loved the hands steadying him at his hips as his forehead pressed against Jeongguk's, noses grazing each other and the sound of Jeongguk's laugh melded with his, orchestrated with the crashing song of nature around them.

"Did I surprise you?" Jeongguk teased, hands having slipped under his cap sleeve shirt and stealing the warmth of Taehyung's sides for his cold fingers.

"That was just how I imagined." He cupped the younger's face, thumbs stroking his wet cheekbones and feeling Jeongguk's nose rub against his.

"That was everything in your rain dancing dream?"

He blinked for a moment and watched the biker, but Jeongguk's eyes were closed and trusting. Taehyung smiled and stilled his stroking thumbs.

"There was one more thing."

"Yeah?" Jeongguk whispered.

"Yeah." Taehyung answered just as quietly.

And if he thought Jeongguk always knew what he needed in other circumstances, the claim was only further proven in the next second.

For their wet lips, numbing just a breath away from each other, met.

Taehyung's eyes closed, arching into Jeongguk's hold that entailed gentle hands and a grounding touch, one that made him feel like he was floating amongst the crying clouds and steady on the layer of dirt soaking in it's showers alike.

The warmth that filled every inch of his body was all so genuine. All so real. It wasn't about just having fun, but it was a sign of emotions. Feelings attached like the tether of his ankle strap to his board, keeping him afloat. Or Jeongguk's strong arms staying attached to his drowning soul and bringing him back to life.

Jeongguk was wiping his indistinguishable tears when they pulled away, both of them grasping for a sense of reality when their life seemed so perfect.

So perfect when Jeongguk craned his neck and kissed his forehead again like he had a month ago on the very same cliffside.

And so perfectly real when he spoke against the gloomy skies.

"You're beautiful, Kim Taehyung."

Taehyung smiled despite his quivering lips, blurry eyes staring in the younger's direction, finding his in a blur of rain.

"And you're still the realest person I've ever met, Jeon Jeongguk."

❧ ❧ ❧

comment some scenes throughout the story that you want to see from jeongguk's pov!! I'll be making a bonus chap and writing some of them from his perspective after the story is finished ;)

decided to skip detailing the swimming/fear stuff this chapter and i hope that was okay!!

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