;;

jeongguk fell asleep
past the gates of the
airport.

head lolling
forward and back
in the rickety taxi journey
through the bustling
city of brussels, it's
boisterous traffic
and people out
on the streets,
nightlife flourishing all
around. buildings
stood vast and towering,
silent, watching giants
above their heads, lit
up with a glistening array
of spectrum lights, flooding
the centre in a whirlwind
of colour, the gardens
spilling over with flowers
of all shapes and hues,
each with their
own place, their own
part to play that together
created a masterpiece.

the older inhaled
the smell, the feeling of
being somewhere so
foreign from home.

he loved it. this freedom.

alone with the boy at his side.

taehyung watched,
reminiscent of the
last time he'd been here.
he could still smell the
fresh laven bread from
the bakery he'd visited
with his friends, the
sweet smell of chocolate
that wafted under their
noses, the crisp waffles
that he'd sank his teeth
into so long ago that it
seemed only yesterday
that he was exploring the
landmarks of this beautiful
country, photographing
every stone of the cobbled
meandering pavements
beneath his feet.

it was glorious.

he didn't dare wake him.

he never would, depsite how
much he wanted jeongguk
to see the beauty outside.
he'd let the teen sleep for an
eternity if he wanted
to. he never intended to
disturb him looking
so comfortable like that.
his fresh, flushed face,
his parted lips, his tiny
double chin that appeared
when he ducked his head
a little too low. even the
subtle trickle of drool
that gathered at the
side of his mouth, taehyung
adored it all. every inch.

there wasn't a part of
him that he wasn't fond
of. and even if there was,
he looked past it all, his
flaws had nothing to grasp
onto and were soon buried
beneath his admiration for
him.

every now and then,
the smaller's head
would dip to the
side and brush taehyung's
shoulder; the man felt
his heart leap in his chest
at the brush of his hair
against his neck, savoring
it for a split second before
the boy stirred and removed
it as quickly as it had been
carefully placed. his small
hand lay still on his lap,
fingers brushing taehyung's
thigh as the man looked
out at the city, at the buildings,
ignoring everything that
he felt in the pit of his chest.

he tired to take his mind
off of him. it seemed unachievable,
impossible, even.

the night
sky shone bright with the light
of a million stars, holes punctured
into an inky tarpaulin pulled
overhead that allowed a trickle of
the sun's rays to escape through the
weakened cracks in the bleak
ceiling- concentration was
required to see them, they were
nearly drowned with the flood
of pigments spilling from the
city that held so much warmth
and psychedelic colour.

only when they had escaped the
outskirts of the city did
taehyung let out a loose
breath, rolling down the window
and letting the crisp march
air bite at his cheeks, the
gust of wind cool against
his tired face. a flat expanse of
fields and rolling hills in the distance
came into view, illuminated by
the dusty pale glow of
moonlight that spilled like
milk across them, a natural
light that embraced the
suburban landscape.

it was an hour and a half that
he sat still in the car like this,
tense under every breath that
the boy beside him breathed.

he hadn't seen his friend
in so long, he missed him
dearly, wondering how
much he'd changed over
these past few years.

their uni days were so
dear to him, so special,
he'd been a crucial part of
it, helping him forget his
terrible past and motivating him
to pursue the career of his
dreams.

it had landed him with
happiness that he wasn't
worthy of.

but at least it was there right?
at least he had happiness at hands
reach, captured in his possession,
his and only his.

why did the thought make
him sick?

truly, university held
the best moments of his life.

but also the worst.

____________

"ggukie," taehyung
really did try to be
as soft as he could when
he uttered his name,
he loved the way it raced
off his tongue, so audibly
pleasing to the ear.
"we're here."

the teen stirred at the
sound of his voice, long
lashes fluttering open
as he squinted under
the haze of the orange
street lamp's light that
enveloped the car's interior.
he shivered at the cold
air, gaze slowly wandering
to taehyung's own and then
out past him to the house
across the road.

a man had opened the
door and was already
waving at them, taehyung
knew who it was in a heartbeat,
a small smile creeping onto
his lips as he walked around the
to the back of the car.

jeongguk stepped out
quietly, peeking around the
corner with caution and
asking with that cute voice
of his, "is that him?" taehyung
only nodded in reply, clicking
open the boot to take out their
luggage.

"go inside, sweet, i'll bring
them." he said, handing
jeongguk his backpack and
placing his suitcase down
on the pavement.

the teen
hesitated a second before
thanking him and crossing the
road to meet his friend.

"ah! you must be jeongguk!
i've heard so much about you!"
jung hoseok's bubbly, boisterous
voice bellowed across the street.

taehyung immediately cringed at
how loud he was, though he had
to admit, he did miss him dearly.
he took out his own suitcase,
thanked and payed the taxi
driver before collecting their
belongings and crossing the
road too.

hoseok had already
trapped the teen in a
warm hug.

jeongguk
looked like he couldn't
breathe but the older
figured he'd have to
get used to it because
hoseok was a hugger,
always had been and
always would be.
his embrace was divine,
mind you- warm and
caring and always made
you feel better, certainly
made taehyung feel better
when he needed him
in time of comfort.

when he finally let him
go, jeongguk gasped and
backed up into taehyung's
by accident, a string of
quiet curse words escaping
his lips that taehyung
pretended not to hear.

"taehyungie!" his friend
exclaimed. looks like it
was his own turn for
a bone crushing hug.
he laughed softly as
hoseok wrapped his
strong arms around him
enveloped him in his
warmth, jeongguk
watching beside him
with his big curious doe eyes.

"i missed you too, hobi."
he wheezed as he let him
go, forcing some air back
into himself as his joyous,
ever glowing face and
dark red hair came into
view.

"okay but your hair-
that's a fucking look,
shit, sorry i shouldn't
be swearing in front of
him, should i- oh shit,
i did it again-"

"it's okay." jeongguk
mumbled shyly.
"i don't mind."

hoseok only smiled
harder, flashing his
bright teeth.

"could say the same
about you, hoseok."
his hair had been black
the last time he'd seen
him, red was quite a
drastic change.

"i see you haven't
changed much."

"neither have you, hyung."
taehyung rolled his eyes
with a smile on his face.

jeongguk was a little
quiet.

oh.

of course.

he hadn't seen this side
of taehyung.

"well then, hurry on
upstairs, jeongguk, i'll
grab your stuff, you must
be so tired." he beamed.

the younger nodded
his head and made his
way inside the house.

taehyung picked up one
of the suitcases firmly.

"tae, you remember
i told you about my boyfriend,
right?
his friend grinned.

the younger man
nodded at the thought.
he wondered many times
if he'd be alright with
two strangers living in his
house for a few days.

he wouldn't blame him
if he felt discomfort at the thought.

but anyone in the right
mind to date hoseok was
caring and understanding
for sure. he figured he
wouldn't mind in the
slightest if hobi was there
to convince him.

he was happy for his
friend that he'd finally
settled down with
someone new, a fresh
start in a new country.
freedom defined.

he couldn't wait to
meet him, actually.

a dark figure
emerged from the
end of the hallway,
nothing but a silent silhouette
that taehyung couldn't
quite make out from
this distance.

not even his attempt
at squinting helped him.

sweat gathered
on his skin long before hoseok
had even said his name.

his body seemed to
know before his mind did.

taehyung knew
very well
who it was.

he wished
to god
that
he
hadn't.

"min yoongi."

taehyung's heart
plummeted.

__________

:) bruh ngl i like writing in tae's perspective way more, i know that it's only just begun but i find it a lot easier and the words flow more freely, also who's yoongi?