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⊱ 𝐧𝐲𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐚 ⊰
𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨
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it seemed like all he needed was that darkness. when most would hate the darkness, whether that be figuratively or literally, it was strange to suddenly feel drawn to it. like a beacon, it was his eyes, a pool of ink that would have anyone wanting drown in them. even that hair, an endless mess of raven colored locks that taehyung wanted to run his fingers through.

it was just everything that jungkook was. whether it was his appearance or his clothes, taehyung was realizing it was everything he needed in life. it's what he needed today, finishing up rehearsals and just constantly needing to look at the man standing and watching him. he was there, watching the rockstar with a fond smile and arms crossed loosely over his chest, the occasional nod that had some pride shooting through taehyungs chest knowing he sounded okay or did something right.

he wished that he was here now. the hotel room seemed emptier when no one was there to share it with him. taehyung never felt like that before, because most of the time on tour he'd be sleeping or just wanting to be alone after constantly working all day or doing shows. now he just wanted jungkook with him, even if they did something lame like order food to eat or simply sleep.

something changed during tour. taehyung thought about it as he stared up at his ceiling. he's not sure exactly when they turned from coworkers to something more, even though he wasn't sure what that was. they kissed a lot and flirted more so, but they never talked about it. taehyung knew that wasn't the priority right now, not with so much to do with tour. maybe that's why they haven't talked. maybe they could once this was all over.

jungkook has done so much for him, even more than his employment requirements tell him to. of course he makes him look good for shows, but he's also always there. jungkook shows up whenever taehyung needs him too, even if he doesn't ask. it's like jungkook just knows these things and comes swooping in to save the day. he wonders if anyone does that for him, who saves the person that constantly does it for everyone else.

the rockstar knew he had a knack for looking into thing, that curiosity telling him to push his nose into things. it's what made him call ms. euna so many weeks ago when he first became nosy about this new makeup artist. now he was doing it again, asking questions and given advice to not push too much. ms. euna loved him though, and she was busy making lunches for her kids for school tomorrow so she had to go and didn't want to continue lecturing the boy about boundaries. either way, taehyung managed to get a phone number.

he sat up on the mattress, hugging a hotel pillow while he dialed the number. in his mind this was a nice thing, he was trying to do something for someone that's already done a lot for him. taehyung still doesn't know what he was going to say, and he didn't have chance to think of anything because the phone was answered already. "hello?" she said.

"hi, hello." taehyung hugged the pillow tighter. "is this ahin?" he asked the lady.

"yes, who's this?" she said, voice crackly through the phone, but taehyung could hear how she was confused for the call.

taehyung cleared his throat and let his mind work, setting the pillow down into his lap and keeping his hand on it. "my name is kim taehyung, i'm a friend of jungkooks." he said, and paused to wait for a reaction. he didn't get one, the line stayed silent and for a second he thought she hung up.

"why are you calling." ahin said. just by the time of her voice taehyung was starting to regret calling, but he was here and should try to make his point.

"i just wanted to offer flying you out to my show tomorrow night. expenses would be paid so don't worry about that." he decided to get straight to the point, "jungkook will be there and i thought it would be cool for you guys to see each other again. family reunion." he added at the end with a squeak, hoping something sweet like that would soften the tension in his phone call.

she sighed through the phone, knowing she shouldn't let emotions cause her to lash on someone she hasn't even met. "i haven't spoken or seen jungkook since the funeral." she said. "i moved out and he sold the house. that was it." she said, but what confused taehyung was how blatantly plain she said it. there was so emotion or longing or anything that he's heard in jungkooks voice when he spoke about anything in the past.

"i know her birthday just passed. it'll be the first one without her. i figured maybe you'd need each other-" taehyung didn't get to finish before getting cut off by the mother, "taehyung, you sound like a sweetheart, but please don't call again." her words made him freeze, and he wanted to apologize immediately for his intentions going completely wrong.

"we didn't love each other. it was one mistake that had us pretending in a house for twelve years until we no longer needed to." ahin said, "we wanted our daughter to have parents, so we gave her that."

taehyung listened quietly, not wanting to upset her more by speaking more bullshit. she was quiet though, and he took his chance. "i'm really sorry," he said, "i didn't mean to upset you."

"just, don't call again." ahin said, then added a quick goodbye before ending it without him saying it back.

he threw his phone, rolling over onto his stomach and screaming into the pillow. it was such a dumb idea, having his parents come to the show and figuring ahin would come too to see jungkook and be there for each other during a hard part of the year. it was hard for him to believe that they truly meant nothing to each other, even when living together for so long and raising a child.

either way, that idea was shot right in the ass and set on fire. taehyung didnt move from his spot, not until he fell asleep and stayed on top of the cover all night.

what woke him was the excessive knocking on his hotel room door and yoongi screaming through the wood. taehyung was late, again. since he threw his phone across the room last night, he didn't hear his alarm this morning. "shit." he mumbled, rolling off the bed and not bothering to change since he never put on pajamas either. "i'm coming." he yelled back.

show time was approaching, his parents were coming, and he was going to throw up. taehyung was calling it now, it was just a matter of time before he did.

he still felt like he would on the car ride back to the stadium, even up the stairs leading to the backstage area, and even more so as he sat in the makeup artist chair.

jungkook came walking in, and he smiled when he saw the rockstar already here. taehyung did his best to smile back too. "looks like i'm the late one this time." the ravenette joked, laughing lightly as he walked over and started getting his things in place. taehyung just laughed too, but ended up coughing. "how long are your parents staying?" the stylist asked, leaning close as he worked on a smokey look for the rockstar, exaggerating the black winged liner on both lids.

"we'll probably go for dinner after the show." taehyung said. he did feel slightly relaxed, getting his mind off things as he sat in the chair with his eyes closed and just let jungkook do his makeup and hair. "wanna come." he opened his eyes now once he asked.

jungkook smiled again and looked at him through the mirror with a light nod. "yeah, i'd like that." he said.

then they didn't talk for the rest of the time getting ready, most likely because they liked the comfortable silence and because that was disrupted by hoseok coming in and filling the room with his own voice. taehyung was ushered away from the stylist chair to wardrobe, getting dressed for the first song and soon pushed out the door with the rest of the band members.

the nerves started to come now, creeping up his spine and settling in his brain to remind him not to mess up. this time though, taehyung reached up and held onto that seashell necklace. it wasn't the only necklace he wore, but he told hoseok he wanted to keep it on. he needed that reminder, that promise, when the lights were to bright and the noise too much. he'd just remember who gave him that seashell and feel better once again.

taehyung felt the lights on his face, drowning him in sunset colors and leaving him with no way to see the crowd. it was a sea of black, a pit of darkness that had him smirking now. he was drawn to darkness, he was drawn to jungkook.

the countdown started in his ear, the steady drum starting that matched with his heartbeat and fueled the energy on the stage and in the crowd. it was show time once again, and taehyung was in his element. he couldn't remember anything from today, anything from the day before or anything he was looking forward to in the future. all that mattered was right now, and just like jungkook said, he'd leave it all out on the stage tonight.

which he did, and two hours later jungkook was the first person to greet him with a big hug and a proud smile, one that taehyung needed. he was sweating and probably smelled bad, wanting a shower already, but he still hugged the ravenette and listened to him tell him how good he did tonight. "i told you that you got this." jungkook smiled, brushing the boys sweaty hair back with his hands. "you were amazing."

taehyung blushed, but no one could tell since he was already so flustered and work up from the show. "thanks." he said, hugging him once more before letting go for real.

"are you hungry?" the older male asked, taking his hand as they walked back to the dressing room. taehyung nodded, and as if on cue his stomach made a noise to prove it. "well, we'll eat soon." jungkook chuckled while pushing open the door for the two of them.

taehyung was planning to just change and head out to a restaurant nearby, he wasn't expecting to see his parents standing there in the dressing room with big smiles and backstage passes hanging around their necks. "my baby!" his mother gushed when she saw her son walk in, already rushing over to hug him and congratulate him over and over.

"hi mom," taehyung said, hugging her back and smiling at his dad over her shoulder. "dad."

"you did well tonight son." he said, smiling as well. his leather jacket and jeans looked like he was still trying to dress the way he did twenty years ago when he first played guitar in crowded garages, but somehow he made it work. "thanks." taehyung beamed at the praise. when his mother finally let go he gave his dad a quick hug too, then stepping back to acknowledge the other person in the room just standing with his hand in his pockets.

"guys," taehyung started to say, "this is my makeup artist jungkook." he introduced the man who bowed his head politely and smiled at the older couple. "it's nice to meet you guys mr. and mrs. kim." he said.

"a polite boy." mrs. kim said while also nudging her sons side and earning a whine in response from the boy. jungkook chuckled at that and took a hand from his pocket to scratch the back of his neck, "are you guys hungry?" he asked the parents, "tae and i thought that dinner out would be nice after the show."

they agreed pretty quickly, both hungry and the group of them leaving the dressing room once the rockstar changed into something more comfortable. they had gotten into the kims car, the parents in the front and the two males in the backseat. it was a rental, a small four door car was all they needed for their vacation. jungkook didn't mind the closeness in the back seat, not when he could reach over and take taehyungs hand whenever he pleased, feeling him place his head on the olders shoulder.

taehyung closed his eyes, listening to the soft music from the radio, his parents talking about appetizers they could all share, and jungkooks thumb rubbing over the back of his hand. the night was young and the night was, so much that could change with a missed call and following text. it was one that didn't come until after appetizers were served, leaving the ravenettes blood to run cold and his mood to turn sour.

no one noticed, not through the tight lipped smile and practiced small talk that took months to learn. jungkook wasn't the only professional sitting at the dinner table — he was a pro at making things seem better than they were, and right now he had to pretend like that text didn't make his heart hurt, and his desire to talk to the red-head grow into something more than sweet sayings and flirty promises.

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