20.

| 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬. |

Yuri P.O.V

I watched desolately, as two heavy tear droplets rolled down Taehyung's perfect skin, while he spoke about how he killed his mother, standing in the very same room as we were in currently.

And I thought that my childhood was a sad and depressing one. . . his childhood story really puts things in perspective. Not that it's a competition, of course.

I walked forward, and gently pulled Taehyung into my arms.

He silently obliged, and hugged me, his head resting against my chest. I slowly ran my fingers down his back, trying to be as soothing and reassuring as possible.

When his body began moving again, due to his stifled sobs against my chest, I felt as if my heart was slowly cracking into tiny little pieces.

Taehyung kept muttering something about him being a horrible person, and other depressingly demotivating things.

"Shh," I crooned delicately, running my fingers through his soft, luscious brown locks, "don't say anything. Just cry it out. I'm here for you."

I felt him nod slowly, sniffling. I continued brushing my fingers through his hair, and felt him lean into my touch, his sobs slowly dying out, replaced with shaky breaths.

We stayed like this for a few more minutes, till Taehyung had completely stopped crying.

He hesitantly pulled away, rubbing his neck. His eyes were puffy and tears still gleamed in them. His red nose was scrunched cutely.

"M-my neck started hurting in that position," he muttered, voice barely heard, wiping his eyes, but failed to hide the tears that fell out.

"Taehyung," I called softly. His eyes timidly rose up to meet mine. "I'm here for you."

I took his large hand in my smaller hand, and comfortingly rubbed circles on his soft skin.

Taehyung nodded, lips curving upward for a fraction of a second. He looked at my hand pathetically encompassing his own, and brought his other hand up, wrapping it around mine, only to pull it away.

I looked at him questioningly.

He then proceeded to hold my hand, gripping it unusually tightly, not unlike a little child holding his mother's hand.

I looked at our entwined hand, and smiled. "Let's go," I said, walking forward. He nodded, his hand still in mine, following me.

When we reached the door to the library, I turned back to look into the marvellously huge room. It looked so harmless right now, as if its past wasn't tainted with blood.

Sighing, I closed the door firmly shut, knowing that I can't indefinitely be kept away from it. Nevertheless, I wouldn't be back here for a while. I owed at least that much to Taehyung and his late father.

His late father.

When I saw the picture of him, he seemed extremely familiar. I couldn't pinpoint where exactly I had seen him before, or how I even knew him; all I know is that I had seen that face before, somewhere, somehow.

But now was not the time to ponder over it.

I glanced at Taehyung, who was staring at his feet, body slightly hunched over, giving him a helpless appearance. He was shivering slightly in his place.

I squeezed his hand reassuringly, and pulled him away from the room that housed terrible horrors for him.

We walked through the empty house. The sky outside was darkening, and so was the house. After hearing Taehyung's recollection, I realised that this was his home before everything went downhill.

He lived here.

My eyes roamed around the house, now in a very different light. I tried to imagine little Taehyung's happy life here, running up and down this long stretch of hall we were walking in now, but all I managed to see was little Tae shooting a woman dead, whilst crying. 

I shook my head, pushing away the disturbing image. I didn't need to add another thing to the list of things that haunt me.

As we walked into Taehyung's room, I realised that he was silently crying all this while. I frowned, but didn't comment on it.

I pulled Taehyung, and set him on his bed. He seemed a little startled at the sudden contact, and looked around wildly. When he realised that he was in his room, he relaxed.

I gently pushed him down into the bed, and tucked him inside the soft blankets. Taehyung let me do whatever I was doing without question.

He seemed too distracted by his thoughts to give me any attention.

I stayed there for a few minutes, patting him tenderly, till his breathing evened and he closed his eyes.

I stared at his curled figure, and just knew that he was indeed a child, who had been broken at a very young age. That incident has utterly destroyed him.

But he's a strong man who is still fighting.

I smiled, before turning around to leave the room, when I suddenly felt a hand grip mine, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned back to see Taehyung holding onto my hand, as if his life depended on it.

He slowly opened his eyes to look at me with an expression that made me want to cry; he was looking at me so desperately, I couldn't leave him alone like that.

"Please don't leave me," he said, voice cracking, "like how everyone else did. Please don't go."

A tear slipped down my face as I sat down beside Taehyung's blanketed figure. He scooted a little to make space for me. I laid down beside him and held his hand tightly.

"I promise, Tae, I won't ever leave you. Never."

***

"Taehyung! Are you there?"

I was jerked awake by the distant but loud shout from Yoongi. I closed my eyes again, recollecting my thoughts, and yesterday's events.

I felt an unusual warmth behind me, and realised that it was Taehyung.

We had cuddled last night, and ended up sleeping in each others' embrace. I could feel his rhythmic, soft but hot breaths on my neck and concluded that he was still asleep.

I hope he slept well. . . I wondered if I should bring up yesterday or not. Probably not. He did tell me not to say anything about it.

Another shout from Yoongi, this time a bit louder, made Taehyung stir and shift his position a bit, pulling my body closer to his. I leaned into his touch, my head on his chest, which was steadily rising and falling. He hummed a bit, his deep voice reverberating in his chest.

This feeling was nice. I didn't wanna wake up, and wanted to stay here, cuddling with Taehyung forever.

But when does life ever give me what I want?

"Kim Taehyung! Did you fūckīng die in her— oh."

My eyes shot open in fright when Yoongi's loud voice sounded very near. I fearfully glanced upwards and saw Yoongi standing beside the door, staring at our cuddled figure.

Taehyung fully woke up at this point, and groaned a bit, which sounded extremely sexy. I shook my head.

I was baffled at Yoongi's expression, and then realised how the whole situation would seem to him right now. Quicker than light, I jumped up, creating as much distance as I could from the boys.

Taehyung looked mad. "Hyung! My lord, could you not wait for a few more hours?"

A loud thump caused the other two to look in my direction. I had fallen onto the ground because my knees gave out under me after hear Taehyung's deep morning voice.

I nearly whimpered out loud upon hearing Taehyung ask me if I was okay, looking at me worriedly.

Wordlessly, I nodded my head aggressively. Taehyung still looked wary about my well-being, and I don't blame him; I'm worried for my well-being too.

Taehyung and his voice is gonna be the end of me someday.

Yoongi was standing awkwardly this entire time. "Um, I'm, uh, sorry if I disturbed. . . something. I, uh, just came to check on Tae, because he wasn't answering my calls, and, yeah, I came to check on him, and I already said that, but what I'm trying to say is, that's why I'm here, and, um, I'll get going now. Yeah. You both. . . continue doing whatever you were doing. Or not doing, it's really none of my business—"

Taehyung and I stared open-mouthed after departing Yoongi, who was still muttering shit to himself.

"Is he okay?" I asked Taehyung, who was looking just as dumbfounded and bewildered as I was about Yoongi's behaviour.

"Maybe he thought he had walked in on something that he shouldn't see," Taehyung said.

I coughed a bit, before calming myself down to say, "But we were just cuddling. Nothing weird in that. Right?"

I looked at Taehyung for reassurance, who took a good three seconds before agreeing with me. "Right. Just cuddling. Nothing weird with cuddling. It meant. . . nothing."

I stood on my feet, dusting my legs, trying to diffuse the awkwardness and tension created in the room. Thankfully, Taehyung did just that.

"Yuri, I wanted to thank you. . . for everything," he said, pausing, "you know, for y-yesterday, being there for me, and being so understanding about it. I really appreciate it."

I smiled genuinely. "Don't thank me for that, anyone in my place would've done that."

Taehyung's expression faltered a bit.

"I mean," I added hurriedly, "it was the least I could do for you. I'm always here for you."

He then smiled that adorably endearing boxy smile of his, successfully melting me, before saying words which melted me even more;

"I know you are."

x x x

A / N

sad fluff awwwww

kinda important chapter, with hints and development and smth that'll lead to smth more and ik I'm speaking in riddles but there's no way I'm spoiling my own story even tho I'm such an impatient blabbering person.

Tae is such a bby, Yuri is legit the best and only person for him, what do y'all think? (actually it doesn't matter what y'all think because I already decided their fates because I have the power to do so XD)

I hope y'all enjoyed reading this chapter, and are still enjoying! Hang in there, we're getting to the more interesting part of the story!

Vote comment and spam to make TaeRi happen asap ;)

Ciao~

-xo-
:]