Chasing Fire - Lauv

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"Woah! Be careful with that!"

Taehyung jumps back with his soul escaping his body when he nearly stabbed Jungkook with the butcher knife on the stomach, his hand now shaking in utter worry at he looks at the cautious ravenette behind him.

In what planet did he think it was fucking okay to catch him off guard while holding a knife!?!

"Oh God- Don't sneak up on me like that!" Taehyung scolds with panicked eyes to check it he scratched his precious bunny, putting the knife down on the cutting board to a pause on cutting the onions, "Especially while I'm cooking! I could've hurt you!"

A smug grin forms Jungkook's lips, wrapping his arms around Taehyung's waist and presses a kiss on his cheek, "I'm surprised you can even stand right now after last night-"

"Maybe I should reconsider slicing your throat open?"

"I mean what is my little cub cooking?" Jungkook beams in his attempt to change the subject, seeing the small smile on Taehyung's lips as he leans and pecks Jungkook's cheek before looking over the food.

"I'm not cooking, just prepping. I don't want to be wasting so much time cooking," He says proudly as he goes to put the sliced onions into a tumble wear, closing it with a lid, "We're still heading out today right?"

Jungkook nods and leans back against the counter, arms crossed, "Yeah but remember I promised Woosung I would hang out with him."

A smug grin forms Taehyung's lips, looking at Jungkook, "I'm starting to like talking to Woosung. He tells me all of these juicy details about baby Jungkook-"

"Lair! Woosung is no snitch," Jungkook snorts to the other's attempt to flustering him, leaning a hand over to pinch Taehyung's cheek, who's smirking widely, "But on a serious note I need to tell you something."

Oh?

The smile on Taehyung's face drops, looking at Jungkook's stern face before turning his attention completely towards him, "What's wrong- AH FUCK!"

Jungkook is holding his face now with his large hands, biting his cheek and pressing loud kisses all over his golden face. This kid is even licking him, making Taehyung screech in disgust but couldn't fight back the smile off his face.

"Babe! Ew!" Taehyung giggles uncontrollably, moving his hands to Jungkook's sides and pokes him, earning a squeal from the ravenette with the bright smile on his pink lips.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

"You nearly gave me a heart attack! It's pretty fair!" Taehyung fires back, unable to stop his giggling as Jungkook tenderly caresses his cheeks, his eyes practically glowing in so much adoration for him.

Happiness, he's so happy.

Happy to be with Taehyung, even if they aren't anything official yet.

Taehyung can't help himself but stare back at him the exact same way, his smile softening to the tender thud of his heart to feeling this completeness in his warm soul.

He likes this feeling.

It's new.... Pure..... And the most beautiful emotion Taehyung was ever given the privilege to feel.

A feeling only Jungkook gives to him.

His breathe slightly bitches when Jungkook leans to his face, unable to hold back his grin.

"I like you Taehyung."

For a good second Taehyung swore he'd heard something else and his body nearly collapsed on the spot if that was the case. Oh the relief that settled in to what he actually heard felt too real, but that doesn't mean Jungkook's sudden confession didn't make his heart fucking explode in warmness.

So much time has passed between them. Time that they took advantage to talk on a more intimate level rather than physical. They found themselves loving their soft talks more than it jus being filled with lustful kisses. Their connections not only involved craving their bodies but craving soft touches and tender stares with those eyes filled with tiny galaxies that only appear when they're around each other.

There's so much more that Taehyung can say to how he's feeling ever since him and Jungkook decided on this new level to their bond, but the best way to describe it is with those three words.

Words that is safe to wobble around for now.

And Taehyung could help but smile back, "I like you Jungkook."

And he means it.

He genuinely means it.

How nice it feels to be given the chance to let his barriers down, not being afraid or have doubt to how Jungkook may feel. Just like how sure Jungkook is about him, Taehyung is sure about his feelings.

That is a nice sensation, having trust.

Something that didn't happen instantly, but developed within time.

So with a giddily smile from Jungkook upon hearing those words, he leans closer to him to clasp their lips together.

Unfortunately that never happened because right when their lips were about to meet a loud cough forced a pause to that.

For fucks sakes!

A string of curse blurts out of Taehyung's lips as he looks with a bored expression to where the coughing came from, but ended up screaming.

Of laughter.

Right there stands Yeosang, a plastic bag with the dead gold fish that was once alive last night when Jungkook and Taehyung went to buy it at the pet store. They wanted to test out their theory how Yeosang would be with a pet, well a fish. So once they arrived back to the apartment, they sneaked into Yeosang's room, trying not to cause a scene to how Jimin and him were sleeping on his bed and only left the fish on his nightstand and walked away.

Unfortunately, Taehyung was right.

The poor little guy is floating up side down to the surface, dead eyes staring at the life he can't see anymore with its golden scales.

But Yeosang didn't seem annoyed with the death concept of the animal.

He's annoyed about the existence of the damn fish in general.

"I just want to know who was the dumbass who thought it was a great idea to get me a damn fish!" Yeosang snarls, holding the plastic bag up with a scowl, "Do you realize that Jimin is still crying when he woke up to see this thing? He loves animals!"

Taehyung is crying now, wheezing his laughs while Jungkook is already on the ground, screeching his laughter loudly with tears now glistening his eyes to his livid brother.

It didn't cross their minds at that moment how Yeosang was worried for his roommate, caring more about his mental state than his despise for animals. Yeosang managed to hid it well as he glares at the fish, wanting to throw it at both of their faces for even thinking to leave him with that responsibility.

They even got the fish food too!

Now Yeosang will definitely be feeding these two dumbasses with it.

"You f-fucking owe me," Taehyung spats hysterically to Jungkook, holding his stomach as he bends over the counter, "I told you that thing would've been dead by tomorrow."

Poor Jerry didn't make it.

At least that tested their hypothesis.

Yeosang can't take care of animals.

At all.

How different from his loving and animal obsessed brother.

After a while longer with their laughing session and Yeosang cussing them off and storming back to the room to calm a sniffling Jimin, Taehyung got to finish his prepping of slicing a few vegetables to cook up for tonight and both him and Jungkook were off to their day.

They didn't have an exact plan on where to go since it's still winter, so they just wandered off to where their hearts content in Taehyung's car.

Which was an art museum.

Typically they would invite their whole group of friends out as well, but since they want to take this time to be alone together they decided to invite their friends another day. No, they don't want to refer to this as a date..... It's not a date. They swear. It's more just friends hanging out.

Like what they already do.

While having fun.

And kissing.

And hugging here and there.

But it's not a date!

So Taehyung drove to a museum near by in the city, one that he couldn't stop fawning all about by how much he enjoys going there. Once Jungkook knows himself well around here then perhaps he would be able to be the one hosting their little dates-

No, not a date.

Their hang out.

Yeah, that.

By the time they arrived to the museum, it was as though Taehyung fell completely in love with just.... Everything around him. Obviously he couldn't just wander off without them paying for entry, in which they decided to pay for their own because they knew their stubborn asses would've lasted the whole day arguing who gets to pay.

So why not split it and call it even, leaving everyone happy.

After that, Taehyung practically dragged Jungkook through every piece of exibit that existed here. There's not much Jungkook could've done about it, only watch him in excitment as Taehyung walked him down through every piece of art work he laid eyes on. At that moment Jungkook realized just how aware Taehyung is about history, and not just of their country but in various countries. The stories behind the artwork just showed how much he dedicated his time into memorizing this, and Jungkook had no choice but to be left in awe.

Taehyung is one of the most aware people Jungkook has ever met. Not once had Jungkook ever heard him speak like this, so drawn to what he's seeing with so much passion in his eyes as he talks with so much joy to what he shows to him. It's amazing really, especially when Jungkook would engage back and force the scatter of stars to spread his dazzling eyes.

If Jungkook could buy Taehyung a whole museum best believe he would, just to hear him talk like this. To be happy. To feel confident.

To be himself.

The true colors of Kim Taehyung like the colors of these paintings.

And Jungkook still found him beautiful.

They took a few pictures together, many of Taehyung with specific paintings he really liked and switching it to Jungkook as well. They would sneak kisses or hold each other's waist, especially when a they would receive a few eyes of lust from others.

Sorry bitch, a man is semi taken, thank you very much.

They made sure to be extra affections when that happens.

Then they continued on with their day.

After the museum they decided to eat crepes at this local creperie, where Jungkook found the love of his life. He has never tried a crepe before, and did he regret eating this delicious pastry with neutella, strawberries and banana with whipped cream on top? No, it was the most delicious thing he's ever tried before!

In which Taehyung didn't hesitate to catch a stream of photos of that moment alone.

Jungkook promised that he would dedicate his life, marrying a crepe.

He's now known as Crepe Jungkook.

Taehyung was having a hard time handling him at that point but couldn't stop his bright smile to his silliness.

From there they decided to go to the grocery store to finish off their hang out day with a movie night. They decided to split up while being at the store, working as a team in getting as much things as they thought they needed for tonight.

Taehyung's eyes hovered over the candy isle with childlike giddily eyes, feeling giddily to finally feed his sweet tooth for tonight. As long as he has candy and Jungkook, who's a whole eye candy as it is, Taehyung is content with life.

After he snagged a bag of chocolates and a few more delicious sweets, he was just about to turn around to march to the front where he would meet with Jungkook but stops when he sees a familiar..... Person down the aislee.

Strangely.... Familiar?

Wait what?

What are they doing here?

Taehyung tilts his head to the side to get a better angle, eyebrows furrowed as he slowly approaches the figure with a a confused pout on his lip.

Shit is he hallucinating at this point?

"Lisa?"

The woman with her hood up evidently freezes to his voice as she looks over the racks of medical utensils, slightly peeking an eye behind her to confirm her identity.

Lisa?

Here?

In Seoul?

What! Jungkook is going to be so excited!

And Taehyung smiles brightly, "Lisa! What are you doing in Seoul? You didn't tell Jungkook you were here-"

"And let's keep it that way," She retorts sternly, her hair mainly covering her face as she turns back to the rack, making Taehyung's smile slowly drop, "You didn't see me, let's keep it like that."

Her voice, it's so hoarse.

Is she okay?

There's no much Taehyung knows about the Jeon siblings but he does know that Lisa loves her brothers very much. Jungkook and Yeosang always talk about her and miss her like crazy.

This is odd....

"Lisa?" Taehyung asks quietly but then freezes when he saw something that made his heart slightly drop to his knees.

Just as Lisa was reaching for a box of cotton swabs, Taehyung noticed the bust of her small knuckles- nearly torn and freshly bruised.

Oh no.

No.

Not Lisa...

For some sense of heavy panic, Taehyung couldn't hold himself back from gently grabbing Lisa's arm and whirling her around, gasping to the sight when his eyes landed to her face.

Bruises.

So..... Many..... Bruises.

Her bottom lip is completely swollen and purple. There's a cut by her eyebrow and a kiss of red and purple on her cheekbone, jaw and her eye. Lastly, the most horrifying one, being the finger print marks around her neck, engraving hard as though it was meant to snap her head off.

Fragile, broken and abused. That's how she looks.

Oh God.....

She looks.... Taehyung doesn't even have any words to express anything.

He lost complete conscious of himself, yet he was still standing with eyes completely wide.

It was like watching a movie, where he could see Lisa arguing at him with her threatening eyes; cursing at him for grabbing her in the first place and upon other annoyed words but he remains completely frozen, unable to stop jumping around the marks on her delicate face.

That's why she has her hood up, to not be seen.

By anyone.

Including her brothers.

"Why are you here?" Was all Taehyung managed to whisper out, already imagining the way Jungkook is going to react to this when he finds out.

Someone hurt his sister.

His life practically.

Shit, even Taehyung was having a hard time grasping this moment without wanting to rip someone's head off.

Someone hurt Lisa.

Could it have been her father?

Fuck just the thought of that made Taehyung's grip on the bag of chocolates tighten, his gaze turning more cold and heavy.

She better start speaking up before he actually does something completely reckless.

Lisa huffs under her breath and adjusts her hood up properly, "Medical supplies are running out in Busan. Came here to get it," She says sourly but then purses her lips, stepping towards him with eyes narrowed, "I better not hear a word coming out from you about this. This is my business, you will not tell Jungkook or Yeosang about it, got it!"

Is she fucking serious?!?

Her brothers not knowing that their sister is getting hurt is like an invisible stab to the back, that will only fill them with guilt when they do find out!

Taehyung is still in his state of shock but then second he heard this, his face snapped to eyebrows furrowed, "What? Lisa! Don't you think they deserve to know about this? You're getting hurt! I-I can't keep anymore secrets from Jungkook-"

"Well you better keep this one," Lisa mutters, right when her phone started ringing, "Or you'll be dealing with me. My brothers can't know about this."

This is ridiculous. What Lisa is asking for is not only to keep her situation in the dark but to wear a mask to her brothers, acting as if everything is okay when it's not!

They would be so angry if Taehyung knew about this and didn't tell them.

There's been enough pain between the three of them combined and so much trust that has been built within time. Taehyung can't just lie to them, not his Jungkook.

He can't fuck up this what they have.

Taehyung has already lied enough and he's making up for it. This shouldn't be added to this list especially if he knows how much Lisa means to him.

If she needs the help, she shouldn't be afraid to ask for it, even if it's hard to do so at first.

So just as Taehyung was about to ask more questions in regards to this, he froze when he saw the contact name from Lisa's phone.

Jon.

A wave of flashbacks to Jimin's domestic abuse flooded Taehyung's mind and his lips began to tremble in fear for the worse. If he's right about this than the betrayal he will feel might just blind him of every common sense in his mind.

He needs to know this at least.

"I-Is Jon hurting you?"

Now this pissed her off.

A lot.

"Don't you fucking dare make assumptions about him! He doesn't know about any of this and I prefer keeping him in the dark," Lisa growls almost viciously, looking around one last time before turning around, "Keep you mouth shut."

And she walks away.

Leaving Taehyung absolutely breathless and his mind knitted with string of confusion and dread.

And unsure on what to do about this.

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A/N;
Ahh.....

This is about to be fun.....

Next chapter is about to be interesting! Let's see how it goes!!

I purple you!! <33