Taehyung felt a lot better being with Jungkook, feeling his warmth and holding onto him.

"We have to stop doing parties, I fear if you react to them this way." The weak joke caused Taehyung to laugh wetly as he was trying to calm down in Jungkook's arms. But he still wouldn't look up and soon, the presence of the drunk people moving around was stressing him.

"Well, this won't do," Jungkook mumbled over his head. Then, strong hands reached down as Jungkook bent forward and unceremoniously swept Taehyung off his feet.

"J-Jungkook!" Taehyung exclaimed surprised as the other secured him in his arms. "I'm getting you upstairs where no one's watching you," Jungkook said quietly and the frightened blonde relaxed, feeling relief rushing over him. He reached forward to wrap his arms around Jungkook, hiding his face in the crook of his neck and he sighed softly.

Jungkook took Taehyung upstairs like this, carrying him protectively and holding him close all the while his eyes never left the blonde. Outward Jungkook was stone, face a blank mask with angrily furrowed brows. Inside, he was squealing to hold Taehyung this close.

As he carried Taehyung upstairs, the two weren't unnoticed.

"What the fuck is Jeon doing?!" Jimin screeched, untangling himself from Seokjin's heated embrace as he saw Jungkook carrying his best friend upstairs. Eunwoo grabbed his shoulder to prevent him from following the two, having finally found the two lovebirds in an intimate embrace.

"Relax, Park. Blueberry's protecting Taehyung. He saw Joshua," Eunwoo informed Jimin. At that, the other male froze, whipping around. Seokjin also gasped; Jimin had told him some details regarding Taehyung's past and the name Joshua had fallen three of four times, Jimin didn't like talking about it as he wanted to protect his best friend and Seokjin respected that.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Jimin demanded to know, giving Eunwoo another piece of information. This was legit and Jimin was involved. "Where did he see him? Where is that asshole?!" Jimin growled, Mama hen mode activated.

"Entrance hall." Seeing Jimin's state, Eunwoo spared him with all the details, informing him about the location.

Jimin took out right this second, not waiting for Eunwoo and Seokjin threw his friend a quick glance before following his boyfriend, knowing he possibly needed backup if he were to come face to face with Joshua.

"Jiminie, wait!" Seokjin called out for the dark-haired but Jimin didn't listen, running into the entrance hall and looking around frantically, pushing people out of the way. When he didn't find his target, he ran outside, head swishing from side to side, trying to locate Joshua. But he was already gone, there was no trace left of him.

But Jimin knew that Taehyung wouldn't lie, not about this, not about Joshua. There had been a time where Taehyung felt Joshua's eyes on him all the time but that was right after the incident and Taehyung had calmed down because there were thousands of miles in between them now. So hearing that Taehyung claimed to have seen his worst nightmare in person was enough for Jimin to grow incredibly worried.

"Fuck," Jimin growled as he looked around, "he's gone." There was nothing he could do about it now, he felt like Jungkook was going to take good care of Taehyung and Joshua was nowhere to be seen, like he had vanished. Jimin shook his head, he didn't want to believe the possibility that Taehyung misunderstood and it wasn't Joshua, maybe someone else or he imagined it. No, the blonde would never lie about that.

"Minie, who is this? Who did Tae see?" Seokjin asked his boyfriend gently, feeling how pent up Jimin acted, so frantic and almost as if he was in a panic himself.

"Joshua Pierce. He was stalking Taehyung in America. He's the reason why TaeTae moved back to Korea and why he has such bad anxiety. Joshua broke into Tae's house and nearly killed him, he thought Tae should only belong to him."

Seokjin gasped, Jimin never told him that this Joshua had been stalking Taehyung, had harassed him too, he only knew that Joshua was one of Taehyung's many suitors back in America. How wrong of him to assume that was the end of it.

"What the fuck?!" Eunwoo had followed them and had heard Jimin's words too and rage overcame him. This kind, sweet male had been harassed like that?! Taehyung, the one with the purest heart and kindest soul?! The one Blueberry liked??!

"Oh, that bitch is dead," he seethed, anger overtaking him, the same anger rushing through Seokjin and Jimin's veins. The three men came to a silent agreement that day and just like that, Eunwoo was officially a member of the Taehyung protection squad.

"Does Jungkook know?" Eunwoo asked and Jimin nodded slowly, face void of any emotion. "TaeTae told him. I wasn't content with it but it's TaeTae's decision, not mine. And if TaeTae's trusting Jeon, so am I."

Eunwoo nodded, brows knitted together and dark.

"You know I have to tell Mingyu and Yugyeom right? They can help search for that bastard."

Jimin sighed, closing his eyes. But maybe it was better that others knew about this, especially Jungkook's friends. They might be rowdy and loud but Jimin had known them for years. They were good guys and they adored Taehyung.

"Okay. With the condition that you won't tell them all the details, just tell them what is necessary because I don't know how comfortable Tae is with it."

Eunwoo saluted before taking off, Jimin staring after him.

"Let's hope Joshua's really gone. But it's worrying that he seemed to appear here. I never thought of it as possible. I have to contact Tae's Dad."

°°°

Jungkook brought Taehyung back to his room, confidently carrying him up the stairs before pushing his bedroom door open with his foot. Taehyung was still cuddled up against his chest, the little blonde trying to keep his eyes open. He felt so tired again, so drained but at the same time, he was filled with adrenaline, ready to jump to his feet and run away.

Because around every corner, he expected Joshua to stay and wait for him, willing to harm him and finish what he had started in America. Pure terror caused Taehyung to shudder violently, hiding further in Jungkook's arms.

A surprised mewl left the petite male when Jungkook shifted beneath him, sitting down on the bed and securing Taehyung on his lap, the cute little puppy immediately curling himself up on Jungkook's thighs and cuddling close.

But it sadly wasn't enough to prevent the flashback crashing over Taehyung like a violent wave and making him gasp for air as he was suffocated by it, whining lowly as the flashback forced him back into the past. Taehyung fought against it, pressing his hands over his ears. This was one of the worst yet because the cause of his nightmares had been so close, so nearby to be able to reach out and harm him. What a horrible thought.

How was it possible for Joshua to be here? He couldn't, he couldn't possibly be here, he was in America! Joshua wasn't allowed to approach him; Taehyung had a restraining order against him! The scar throbbed at the memory. The poor boy whimpered, sobbing lowly to himself.

Gentle hands tried to untangle his own from his ears but Taehyung was relentless, he couldn't identify who these hands belonged to in this state of mind and because of that, the hands' owner was an enemy and was out there to harm Taehyung.

He felt a chest vibrating with sounds, words directed at him but he couldn't hear it, too deep in his painful memories. Taehyung hated how helpless he was, how little he could do against these flashbacks. All his hard work went to vain, he wasn't strong right now, he was back in his helpless, weakest moments, hiding from Joshua and fearing for his life.

If Joshua wanted to find him, he would, he made that obvious and this obsessive behavior had taken a new turn, just when Taehyung thought he was safe when he could be happy, finally confess his feelings to Jungkook and have a happy ending with him, have a relaxed rest of the school year. But if Joshua was really here, in Korea, even though Taehyung still hoped he imagined all of it, his life would turn upside down again.

"My Baby." A voice, warm as sunlight and rich as honey called out for Taehyung, gentle fingers coming down to his hands, the heat of skin contact somehow calming to Taehyung.

"W-who?" Taehyung whispered weakly in his terror, not recognizing who it was, blind to the reality, imprisoned in his own mind without the key to the locked cell door.

"The one who likes you so much. My love, my Baby, it pains me to see you this way. Please, let me heal you. Let me protect you. Let me take care of you."

And Taehyung snapped out of his flashback, staring into Jungkook's eyes, and finally understanding what the emotion was which had been gleaming in his eyes for weeks now. Love. But the blonde couldn't believe it, not when Jungkook had just seen him having a flashback, his worst by far.

"You like me?" Taehyung asked in the tiniest, most insecure voice he ever mustered. It broke Jungkook's heart to see the boy so vulnerable. But this was his chance to finally be honest. He didn't want to use the boy's vulnerability but he felt like Taehyung needed to hear this right now.

"I do. I've liked you since middle school and when you returned, I realized that I never stopped liking you. But it's different now." Taehyung inhaled sharply, readying himself for rejection.

But it never came.

"I'm in love with you, Taehyung. It's not like anymore, I realized as much. I knew after seeing you in the library, back when I asked you to come to the game."

Taehyung was silent, he could only stare at Jungkook. Jungkook, who was now the one to become nervous, fiddling with his fingers as he sat in front of Taehyung on the bedroom floor.

"Say something, please," he whispered, vulnerability stealing itself into his voice. There was a beat of silence.

Before Taehyung flung himself into Jungkook's arms, sobbing wetly against his neck and barely managing to shout out his own confession.

"Oh my god, I like you too!"

"W-what?"

"I like you, Jungkook, so so much. I think I was already in love with you back when you had these cute chubby cheeks and these big doe eyes. Except you still have these eyes. You're just... grown up. I like it. A lot," Taehyung confessed with so much heart in his voice that it nearly stuck in his throat.

Now it was Jungkook's turn to only stare at Taehyung.

"God, I want to kiss you so bad. Please – can I kiss you?"

Taehyung nodded breathlessly.

Immediately then, lips captured his and Taehyung realized this was the most beautiful moment of his entire life.

~

After 23 chapters, they finally kissed yay

Elaboratae