¤ Earthquake
Em Rossi ↲

Castles that are made of sand
Wash away and you can build them back again
And you will find
They're stronger than before

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

Tonight was going to be a good night. Jungkook could feel it.

Jungkook's parents arrived home from the airport just after he got in from work, pulling in right behind his car. He had a cheery reunion with his dad in the driveway, hugging him tightly and slapping his back enthusiastically. Jaewoo hadn't been home in months, and even though they spoke weekly by video chat, he looked like a different person to Jungkook. His father's skin was more wrinkled, hair streaked with strands of gray, and hands coarser than before he left for the factory. But he was home, all in one piece, and safe.

As Jaewoo freshened up from his busy day of travel, Jungkook helped his mother prepare dinner. Jiho looked years younger at having her husband back, with a subtle glow of happiness and love coating her face. It had been a while since Jungkook could remember seeing his mom like this, so at ease and full of life. And even though they'd only have a few days together as a family, he knew they'd make the most out of their time.

"I expected Juyeon and Taehyung to be back by now," Jiho remarked while finishing the dinner preparations. "You haven't heard from them, Kook, have you?"

"Whoops," Jungkook said sheepishly, running his hands over his shirt. "Sorry, Mom. Tae texted a bit ago. It looked like they stopped for ice cream."

Jiho nodded absent-mindedly, handing him plates and silverware to set the table with. "He didn't mention anything else, did he? Doctor Cho's office called, and by the time I noticed, they were closed."

Jungkook carefully placed the items down on the table, spacing them out evenly for an aesthetic effect. "No, he didn't say anything else. I'm sure everything is fine, but they'll be home soon so you can ask."

Jaewoo came striding into the kitchen, pecking Jiho on the cheek before ruffling Jungkook's hair affectionately. "My beautiful wife and handsome son . . . You two are a much better sight to see than those old, haggard men I work with at the factory."

"I think you've become one of those old, haggard men," Jungkook joked, putting his hands up when his father shot him a glare.

"Careful what you say, son. You don't want Taehyung learning about the great twerking incident of 2018, do you?" Jaewoo raised his eyebrows, a mischievous smile beginning to pull at his lips.

Jungkook gaped at him, knowing full well what moment he was speaking about. If Taehyung heard about that, the elder would never let him live it down. "You wouldn't dare."

"I even have it on video," Jaewoo grinned fully, placing his hands on his hips. "So take back what you said, Kookie. Tell your old, haggard man how much of a catch he still is."

"You're the most handsome and good looking father ever," Jungkook beamed in response, his tone overly sarcastic. "I hope to look just like you one day."

Before Jaewoo could play wrestle with Jungkook, Jiho shouted out excitedly. "They're home!"

The three of them made their way to the living room since there was more space for a reunion - and meeting - in there. As they waited for Juyeon and Taehyung to make their way inside, Jaewoo started dancing next to Jungkook. He swung his arms overhead, spinning in a circle like Jungkook had in that infamous twerking video.

In his defense, Jaewoo was half the reason Jungkook started goofing off like that in the first place. His dad had given him his first ever shot of alcohol - which quickly turned into three shots - and a drunken Jungkook couldn't be held liable for his sudden urge to dance. Jaewoo, on the other hand, could certainly be held liable because he filmed the entire thing.

"Dad . . ."

"If only I was wearing glasses and overalls, I'd be just like you," his father joked, thankfully putting his arms back down. "You should give us an encore performance later, Kook. I'm sure Taehyung would like to see that."

Jungkook was going to make a retort when the front door opened suddenly, with Juyeon running inside at full speed. A huge smile was spread over her face at seeing their father.

"Dad!" She exclaimed, barreling into him with so much force he stumbled backwards.

"There's my little Jujube," Jaewoo hugged her back, a wide grin making his eyes crinkle.

Taehyung closed the door behind them, walking into the room and eyes immediately finding Jungkook's. He looked a little tired, his gaze lacking some of its usual warmth, though Jungkook knew how exhausting that trip to the doctor's was. He also knew how exhausting it could be to have Juyeon blab your ear off for hours on end.

Jungkook went to him, pulling the elder into his arms and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "Hi, baby."

A soft sigh left Taehyung as he clung to Jungkook, head fitting into the crook of his neck. "Hi, Kookie. I missed you so much."

He cupped a hand around the back of Taehyung's neck, smiling into his skin and inhaling his scent. "Wow, did my sister drive you crazy or something? You never miss me this much."

"I always miss you," Taehyung responded, softly smiling as he pulled back. "I wish you could've been there with us."

"Ah, yes," Jungkook smiled in return, his cheeks spreading so wide they almost hurt. "I saw your text. Way to rub in all the fun you guys were having without me."

Taehyung's smile fell slightly, the corners of his mouth pulling down. Jungkook caught it right away, thinking something seemed off. The aura of happiness and energy that usually radiated from Taehyung had dimmed. The elder appeared distracted. Disconnected.

But then, like an idiot, he realized Taehyung was probably nervous to meet his father. Even though the two talked over video chat a few times, meeting in person was by far a bigger deal. He knew how important it was to Taehyung to make a good impression on Jaewoo.

"Hey," Jungkook said tenderly, rubbing a thumb over the elder's cheek. "Don't be nervous. My dad is going to love you just like the rest of us do. Okay?"

Taehyung just stared at him for a moment, expression unreadable, before nodding his head. "Okay."

"Are you two lovebirds finished making googly eyes at each other so I can properly meet the famous Kim Taehyung?" Jaewoo interjected, voice loud and friendly.

"Here we go," Jungkook mumbled under his breath, laughing lowly just for Taehyung to hear. He turned around, arm wrapping around his boyfriend's waist as he said, "Dad, may I introduce you to -"

"Kook, stop being so weirdly formal," Jaewoo chuckled, patting Juyeon's head before walking closer. "Taehyung, come here."

A surprised laugh left Taehyung's mouth as he extricated himself from Jungkook's arms. He extended his hand to Jaewoo, a brighter smile on his face than before. "It's nice to officially meet you, Jaewoo."

Jungkook's father eyed Taehyung's outstretched hand before opening his arms wide. "Anyone who makes my son this happy deserves a hug. Get in here, Taehyung."

And to Jungkook's shock, Taehyung didn't hesitate as he hugged his father in greeting. Taehyung had come so far during all these months that they knew each other. Before, he knew hugging was never even an option for the elder. But now, Taehyung was able to hug each one of his family members with no visible signs of discomfort.

As usual, Jungkook was just so damn proud of Taehyung.

Jaewoo released him after a few moments, appraising Taehyung with a happy smile. "I have a lot to thank you for, Taehyung. You've taken good care of my son, and Juyeon loves you so much I'm sometimes confused as to who you're actually dating. As long as you don't come for my wife, we're cool."

Taehyung laughed again, his eyes regaining a bit of their warmth. "Your family means everything to me. I should be thanking all of you for welcoming me in."

"You seem like a good man, Tae," Jungkook's dad responded, nodding in approval. "I'm going to call you Tae. Is that alright?"

Taehyung dipped his chin, looking a little more relaxed by the minute. "I have a feeling you'd call me that regardless."

"You're right about that, Tae. Alright, now that everyone is here, let's sit down for dinner," Jungkook's dad said, leading the way to the kitchen. "I want to hear all about what I've missed."

The five started on dinner, a simple meal that took them a good hour to consume. Everyone was so busy talking and laughing that they often forgot to eat, too caught up in their lively conversations.

Jungkook could tell how much his dad liked Taehyung as well, with the older man consistently asking questions about school and his upbringing. It made Jungkook so incredibly happy to see the people he loved most together and getting along. He couldn't imagine a more perfect evening.

It was so perfect, in fact, that he didn't even get mad when his father showed Taehyung the video of him twerking. Taehyung had a huge smile on his face while watching it, looking happier than he did all night. It seemed he finally warmed up to his dad as well, with the rest of his nerves dissipating.

After everyone pitched in to clear up the food and wash the plates, Juyeon announced she was going to bed. Like the little drama queen she was, she stretched her arms high overhead and yawned loudly. She even gave Taehyung a big kiss on the cheek, exchanging a sweet look with him.

It all made Jungkook's heart swell.

Once she went to her room, Jungkook leaned over to Taehyung and placed a hand on his thigh. "Are you going to stay over tonight?"

Taehyung, who was biting on his lip and playing with a napkin, hummed noncommittally. His eyes were focused on the table and he appeared lost in thought.

"Tae?" Jungkook asked, squeezing his hand on the elder's leg. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Sorry," Taehyung murmured, keeping his voice low. "I'll stay if you want me to."

"If I want you to? What kind of question is that?" Jungkook chuckled incredulously, a little surprised since they stayed together any chance they had. "Of course, I want you to. Probably can't do anything fun, if you know what I mean, but we can cuddle."

Taehyung smiled weakly at him, reaching down under the table to thread his fingers with Jungkook's. "Okay, I'll stay."

And even though his parents were sitting right across from them, Jungkook leaned forward, pressing his lips to the elder's softly. He could tell something was bothering Taehyung again, though what it was Jungkook didn't know. So all he wanted to do at the moment was climb into bed with Taehyung, holding him all night until he felt better.

"I'm thinking we should leave you two kids alone," Jaewoo commented, a knowing smirk on his face. "Now, I'm not telling you what to do and all, but . . . The walls aren't that thick in this house. Actually, I'm thinking you two may want to wear some earplugs tonight, if you catch my drift."

"Ugh, Dad!" Jungkook groaned, burying his head into Taehyung's neck as his cheeks heated. "Too much information!"

Jaewoo laughed, standing up and reaching for Jiho's hand. "I'm a man in love, Kook. And us men in love do what we gotta do."

"Please stop talking," he begged, his voice slightly muffled by Taehyung's skin.

"Alright, come on, you," Jiho said to her husband, her tone light and playful. "That's enough tormenting your family for tonight."

Taehyung seemed to stiffen as Jungkook's parents started to say goodnight, his grip tightening on Jungkook's hand.

"Tae?"

"Wait," Taehyung spoke out softly, looking at Jiho and Jaewoo. "I need you two to sit back down."

Jungkook turned towards him in question, eyebrows furrowed and mouth parted. What was this about?

"Are you two eloping or something?" Jungkook's dad asked, setting his elbows on the table. "Moving in together? Adopting a kid?"

"Jae," Jiho nudged him in the shoulder, an amused smile on her lips. "Be quiet for once and let them speak."

Taehyung took a deep breath, the sound shaky as he exhaled. "I don't know how to do this."

Jungkook's heart was racing a mile a minute as he waited for the elder to go on. He had absolutely no idea what was happening here and the anticipation was driving him insane. With a bit of a screeching noise, he slid his chair closer to Taehyung's so he could throw an arm around his shoulder.

"Is everything alright, Tae?" He asked gently, fingers massaging the back of his neck.

Taehyung shook his head, eyes flicking back and forth between the table and his parents. "No. I have to tell you guys something."

"Whatever it is, it'll be okay, honey," Jiho said kindly, nodding her head for added emphasis. "We're here for you."

Tears welled in his eyes as he tried to force a smile, though his lips tightened and spread a thin line. "Juyeon . . . Doctor Cho said . . ."

"What about Juyeon, Tae?" Jungkook said, worry starting to wash over him. Did something happen at the doctor's? Was that why Taehyung was acting off all evening?

"I'm sorry, Tae," a soft voice said from behind them. Juyeon. "I shouldn't have put this on you. This . . . I should be the one to tell them."

She rejoined them at the table, wearing her fluffy orange pajamas, as she stood close to Taehyung. Her hand instantly found his and they studied each other, both looking weary and sad.

"Juyeon, sweetie, what's going on?" Jaewoo asked, concern clear in his voice.

"I have another infection," Juyeon started, still not looking at anyone except Taehyung. "Had one for weeks now. I didn't tell you guys and you can be mad at me all you want, but it is what it is. If I don't go back on dialysis within the next couple of days, I'll die. I'm that far gone. The doctors told Tae because I said he was my brother, so he was gonna tell you tonight. I thought I could convince him not to, but that didn't work. So . . . Yeah. That's about it."

Her nonchalance threw Jungkook off as he stared at her, trying to comprehend all that she just said. "Wait . . . You knew for weeks that you had another infection? And you didn't say anything? Did you want to die, Juyeon?"

Juyeon finally met his gaze, the clarity in her eyes pretty telling. But she answered anyway. "Yes."

A sob broke out from Jiho, her hand flying to her mouth in shock and despair. Jaewoo had tears streaming down his face, the liquid paths gleaming under the overhead light. Taehyung was also trying hard to not lose control of his emotions, his grip tighter than ever on Jungkook's hand.

But all Jungkook could see was red. All he could hear was the pounding of his blood in his ears. He only felt the sharp beat of his heart, trying to escape the confines of his ribcage.

He wanted to yell. He wanted to scream at his sister for doing this to herself, for not speaking up and telling them she was sick again. But he physically couldn't produce words.

The lump in his throat was too big.

So he let go of Taehyung's hand and bolted from the room, running out of the house and to the fenced-in backyard. He collapsed on the ground with a sob, ripping at the grass and throwing the blades in all directions. His vision was blinded by tears and anger, yet he continued grabbing at anything he could get his hands on.

After a couple minutes of doing that - once the initial rage had left him - he fell on his back in exhaustion. The night sky was clear overhead, lit by millions of sparkling stars. In a daze, he stared up at them, wishing he was up there instead of down here.

Jungkook didn't want to be in this dark and depressing world right now.

He sensed someone approaching behind him, though he didn't move or tear his eyes away from the sky. He was terrified he'd lose control again if he so much as blinked his eyes.

Taehyung settled down next to him - Jungkook recognized him by the smell of his soap - laying down right against Jungkook's body. The elder's hand intertwined with his own, a steady anchor keeping Jungkook from drifting away.

"I didn't know how to tell you guys," Taehyung murmured, voice deep and soothing to Jungkook's frayed nerves. "I tried planning it out in my head, but nothing seemed right."

Jungkook's heart dropped as he realized Taehyung found out about Juyeon's fate all alone, with no one to lean on. He knew how much the elder adored his sister, and couldn't imagine how difficult it must have been to speak to the doctors on his own. Then to be tasked with telling Jungkook and his family . . .

He rolled over, clinging to Taehyung and letting his tears leak out once more. The elder instantly embraced him, pressing soft and reassuring kisses to Jungkook's forehead.

"Did she say why she did it?" Jungkook tried asking through the shaking of his body. "Did she give a reason?"

Taehyung nodded, his hair tickling Jungkook's cheek. "She doesn't want to go back on dialysis. She said she'd rather die than to be stuck on a machine . . . she said it'd kill her spirit."

That certainly sounded like Juyeon, stubborn to a fault and completely set in her ways.

"She wanted you guys to have happy memories of her last days, so she did everything she could to hide how sick she was. Even now, I think she's still trying to be as strong as possible," Taehyung added, voice gruff as his emotion got caught in his throat.

"They'll put her on dialysis now," Jungkook said, face still tucked against Taehyung's. "My parents will figure out a way to start her on it tomorrow."

Taehyung kissed his forehead again, his lips sweet and tender and light. "She can go back on the waitlist for a transplant, too. There are options here."

Jungkook knew there were slim chances of another transplant becoming available anytime soon. For her specific blood type and antibodies, it could be at least a couple of years waiting on the list before she got a donor. He knew Juyeon would lose her fire long before that.

He wondered if it was cruel to subject her to this sort of life. And even though he hated what Juyeon did, he understood it. If he were in Juyeon's position, he might have done the same thing.

"I don't want her to die," he said at last, shifting his head down so he rested on Taehyung's chest. "But I also don't want to watch the life drain out of her before my eyes."

Taehyung repositioned his body, laying on his back fully and holding Jungkook close to him. The beat of his heart was another tether, keeping Jungkook here on Earth instead of drifting up with the stars.

"If you got to decide for her, what would your decision be?" Taehyung asked him, smoothing through his hair with gentle fingers. "Would you put her on dialysis?"

"My decision . . . Fuck. I don't know. I think I'd want her to make the choice on her own. But, I'd also be afraid of missing another option. I'd be worried we weren't waiting long enough or doing everything we could. I . . . I'd want to exhaust all other options before letting Juyeon decide something like that." Jungkook didn't know if there was an easy decision at all, not really.

"And your parents . . .?" The elder prompted, fingertips moving down to trace over his eyebrows.

"They love her more than anything. I know they do. So they'll do whatever they can to give her another shot at life . . . Even if that's not what she wants."

They fell into a comfortable quiet, looking up at the stars while holding tight to each other. There was really nothing more to say, no words that would take away the sadness both felt at this moment. So instead of giving false hope and empty promises, Taehyung and Jungkook embraced reality. They allowed themselves to feel the pain and anger rather than letting it grow inside of them.

By the time it started getting cold outside, Taehyung had fallen asleep in the grass. His face was relaxed and at ease, peaceful even as his breath left his mouth in deep exhales. And now more than ever, Jungkook was so grateful that he had the elder in his life. He didn't think he could go through this all alone.

Very carefully, Jungkook extricated himself from Taehyung's arms, trying not to wake the elder. Though as soon as he moved Taehyung's arm off of his waist, his eyes snapped open.

"Is it time for bed?" Taehyung murmured, sitting up and yawning.

Jungkook nodded, resting their foreheads together. "Yeah, baby. We should go inside."

A hand came up to hold his cheek, thumb drawing soothing circles as Taehyung looked into his eyes. "Kook?"

And Jungkook knew what he was asking. He brought his hands up to Taehyung's face, cradling him reverently. He was reminded that even when all hope seemed to be lost, he'd always have Taehyung.

Taehyung's other hand brushed through Jungkook's hair, pulling him closer and closer until their mouths met. Their lips opened over each other's in unspoken understanding, knowing that this wouldn't solve any issues, though it would give them the solace they desperately needed. All the comfort and familiarity, trust and boundless love between them flooded their senses. In this moment, it was just the two of them.

"I love you, Tae," Jungkook rasped against Taehyung's mouth as he pressed his chest closer to the elder's. "I love you so much."

Taehyung kissed him back with even more fervor, his tongue tracing over Jungkook's. His hands were moving over his shoulders and down his chest, under the hem of his shirt to feel him directly. His palms stopped right over Jungkook's heart and he paused there.

"I love you. And I will be here with you through all of this, I promise," he said, breaking away to look at Jungkook directly. "Whatever happens, I'll always be yours."

A couple more kisses later and they headed inside, careful to be quiet as they navigated through the dark house. Jungkook lent Taehyung some clothes, and while the elder was getting changed, he went down to Juyeon's room.

There was no light streaming out from under the door, so he took extra precaution when pushing it open. He just needed to see his sister . . . to know she was okay for the moment.

"Pervert," her voice called out as soon as he stepped into her room. "Don't you know how to knock?"

"I thought you were sleeping," he explained, kneeling at the side of her bed once he got there.

Juyeon reached out, her finger poking him in the cheek. "That just makes you more of a pervert."

Jungkook caught her hand and held it between both of his, keeping his grip light but firm. "I understand why you didn't tell us. I don't like it . . . but I get it."

"So you're not mad at me? I think Mom and Dad are," she whispered, her eyes big and vulnerable. Jungkook knew how much she hated to disappoint their parents.

"I'm mad at the situation," he answered truthfully, "but not at you. And Mom and Dad . . . They love you. They don't want to see you die before them. That's not how it's supposed to work, you know?"

She nodded her head, sinking deeper into the pillows and letting her eyes fall shut. "I just wanted to be strong for you guys."

"You are strong, Juyeon. But you don't have to be strong all on your own. You can lean on us. We want to be here for you. That's what family is for."

"I'll try. I'll try for you and for Tae. For Mom and Dad," she said softly, voice almost lost to sleep. "But -"

"We'll get to the buts when we get to the buts," Jungkook interrupted, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Until then . . . Let's just focus on what we can control today."

She nodded once more, a tiny dip of her chin, before falling asleep. Jungkook stayed with her for a few minutes, making sure her breathing evened out. This was her last night medication- and dialysis-free, so he hoped she got the best night's sleep possible.

He headed back to his room, finding Taehyung already in bed. The elder flung back the covers, waiting for Jungkook to join. Holding up a finger, he ran to the bathroom to brush his teeth and finish his other nightly ministrations. Once he rejoined Taehyung in his room, he slipped off his shirt and stepped out of his pants, leaving him in just his briefs.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Taehyung joked, eyes blatantly roaming up and down his body. "Put some pajamas on so I can sleep peacefully."

Jungkook climbed into bed, nuzzling close to Taehyung and intertwining their legs. "Right. You did mention how you're always thinking about my naked body."

The elder hit his chest weakly, fingers lingering on his skin afterwards. "Don't turn me on. We're in your parents house and besides, it's not the time or place."

"I'm just laying here, trying to get some sleep, Taehyungie. Can't blame me if you're addicted to me." Jungkook wedged himself tighter to his boyfriend's body, hand resting over his hip. "But if it'd make you more comfortable, you could take your clothes off. That way we'd be even."

"Not a chance," Taehyung giggled softly, eyes drifting closed. "You have wandering hands."

Jungkook shifted his hand down to Taehyung's ass. "You mean like this?"

"You're . . . gonna get it . . . baby boy . . .," Taehyung mumbled, drifting off into sleep.

With a warm smile on his face, Jungkook pulled Taehyung into a more comfortable position, then rested their heads together. His mind was working overtime, and he wasn't sure if he'd fall asleep anytime soon. He was too busy trying to figure out a plan for Juyeon.

His fingers smoothed along Taehyung's arms and back, more of a comfort to Jungkook than the elder. But it helped to ease his mind, having his love within his embrace while he tried to sort out the future.

And as unpredictable as the future was at the moment, he knew one thing.

None of them had to do this alone.

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》 V A L E N W R I T I N G 《

I have so many chapters ending with Taekook falling asleep together haha. BUT it just goes to show how safe they feel with each other.

And can I say . . . My heart did THINGS when I saw that Tae posted that pic of JK. THINGS, guys. My heart did THINGS.