Ship: Vminkook

Summary: Taehyung discovers yet again of how his boyfriends love him.

Students! (Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung, Jeon Jungkook)

Song: Halley's Comet - Billie Eilish.

2717 words

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Taehyung was pretty confident. He knew he was handsome, talented and wanted by all. Afterall he had proved that by becoming his own person. It was something that others had often assured him of. His boyfriends had been the same, always pouring in with praises and kisses for their special boy.

But it seemed like some part of him was stuck in his teenage phase, where he doubted everyone's words towards him. He was so vulnerable and insecure then. He didn't have many to befriend him. For he was still the small town boy who was find his footing in the big city of Seoul.

He outgrew it on his own. He adapted himself for everyone's taste. He shaped his personality in a manner that made him comfortable in his skin. He changed his gait to exude confidence in every step of his. He curved his lips upwards to make sure his impression pretty for everyone. He spoke of words which carved his spot in the listener's soul.

Yet, there lingered a part of his mind which made him feel tiny and unseen. He felt imperfect in those moments which proved to be difficult. It felt like it was all breaking and withering away. And one such moment had dawned at him soon to test his limits.

"Jiminie...can we get some ice cream?"
Jungkook asked with a wide bunny smile that he often showed when he wanted things done.

"Of course, cupcake."
Jimin answered, while affectionately petting Jungkook's hair.

"Taetae? Want anything?"
Jimin asked as he turned to the other side, only to witness Taehyung lost in thoughts.

"Nu-uh."
Taehyung snapped back to answer with a short sound.

"Anything wrong hyung?"
Jungkook asked from his place on Jimin's lap.

Taehyung replied in just a shake of his head. He didn't want to bother his boyfriends with the silly thoughts that ran in his head. He was coping well with them, until now. A missed beat was all it has been to him. Unless it changed to a whole melody of unknown harmonies.

"C'mon let's get the groceries."
Jimin enthusiastically spoke, pulling Jungkook along with him.

Wearing a fluffy jacket and boots of their choice, all the three of them got out of the house with their keys, wallet and phones alone. Swinging their hands with Jungkook in the middle, Jimin talked of his entertaining students who seemed to weave tales out of nothing. Jungkook laughed heartily with crinkled eyes, while Taehyung seemed to blank out focussing on the pavement they were walking on.

The streets weren't crowded making it easier for all of them squeeze in by walking together. Not many times do they have the fortune to walk side by side, since it seems to block the way. Oh how Taehyung wished he could live by the countryside with his boyfriends. A place where there was acres of vast mustard and tulip fields where they had all the space in the world to walk together, step by step.

Upon reaching the deserted grocery store, Jimin took out the list of items to be brought. They decided to stick together even if it meant lot of time wasted inefficiently. It was an unspoken rule between the three that on free lazy days, they would always be around each other. This was done with no care for personal space. But given they rarely get this kind of days it made sense to do this.

Going to dairy section, Jungkook pulled Jimin with him to get his choices flavour of ice cream. Taehyung just stayed a little behind staring at the both of them lovingly. Though his mind was running thoughts of despair and confusion it was clear in whatever state his mind was, they will always be his true longing. His perfect love had them.

"Why are you following them? Are you a stalker?"
A hushed voice came by from the right, and there was a man in his 30's who had come shopping judging by the grocery basket.

"No...they are my-"
Taehyung answered before he was cut off by this suspecting man who had an eyebrow raise and a snarl on the tip of his tongue.

"Take a hint dude. They clearly like each other. Stop getting in the way."
The man spoke as he glared at Taehyung unsuspecting figure who just stood still. On the other end, were his two boyfriends obliviously giggling at the cute hello kitty stickers on the display.

He wanted to correct that man. He wanted to defend himself. No, he needed to. But he couldn't do anything less than just stare at the floor with tears trying to free away. That man was so wrong for doing this, for hurting him. Especially when he felt low; when his feelings were locked in a place deeper than the Mariana trench.

'does everyone seem me as the outsider of this relationship?'

Taehyung thought over and over again, until he just wanted to disappear for some time. He so badly wanted go back home. Just stay under the covers without a thought in his crowded mind. So he took off, uncaring of the people he came with. Correction, his boyfriends. He ran back, without stating back to even give a word of reassurance back to any of them.

It was very wrong of him to just go away, but Taehyung could care any less. For once, he had prioritise his wishes for his own good. While the situation back there had just started to worsen.

"Jimin Hyung?"
Jungkook called out, as his eyes wandered swiftly across the aisles.

"Wait kook, I'll get the strawberry ice-cream for Taetae."
Jimin's voice came through as he thoroughly searched for the said ice-cream. His hand was numbing in cold of the freezer. But he wanted the best for his love.

"Uh... about that! Where's Tae hyungie?"
Jungkook mumbled as his eyes searched for his perm haired boyfriend.

"What do you mean? Wait, he must have wandered off."
Jimin asked with a very shocked tone.

"Hello mister, did you see another boy of our age who had come with us? He is tall, had permed black hair and wore a grey hoodie."
Jungkook asked the passing by man who seemingly just smiled at the question.

"Oh that stalker?"
The man replied with an indescribable looking his face.

"Excuse me?"
Jimin asked as he came on Jungkook's left side to the stranger's claims.

"Your friend right? That one who was nagging you? I told him off, you guys should get your space. Fucking menace."
The man spoke victoriously for pushing away the said stalker.

"NO what the heck? He is our boyfriend. I will not tolerate anything against him. And you had no business or right to interfere with who he is to us. No one asked?! Keep those advices to yourself."
Jungkook sternly spoke, forming his sentences into rigourous shouts of anger by the end of it. But was soon stopped by Jimin's strong hands curling by his arm.

"Jungkook, we need to search for Tae. We can't waste time arguing with dimwits."
Jimin side eyed the said man who just grumbled away about how this generation is fucked up.

"Where could he have gone?"
Jungkook asked as they ran through the grocery with no leads.

"HOME!"
Jimin shouted as he realised how Taehyung had opened up on how he felt the safest in their bedroom's hidden corner on the floor.

Soon they got back running and panting, as the grocery bag was left away on the counter of the shop. Jungkook soon unlocked the door with shaky hands and red ears.

"Taehyung-ah?!"

"Taehyungiee"

Jimin called out as he slipped away his shoes haphazardly. The youngest following suit as well. Soon they reached the said bedroom except it was locked away. Locked away as Taehyung blocked them out. Soon, a familiar sound of ping came through and the two of them couldn't help but look at each other's eyes. Their phones had notified of a message at the same exact second. On opening the message, it read

"Can u gimme half'n huor? I wana bw alone."

It was Taehyung's message in their group chat, and the typos only made Jungkook pout more. He knew when Taehyung cried too much, he had a hard time controlling the shivers of his fingers. The uncoordinated manner only made it difficult for the two, who sinked to the floor resting against each other's head.

They could hear the familiar cries of Taehyung behind the door. But all they could do is give him time like he had asked. Meanwhile, Tae felt like crying and crying until he broke. Broke into a million pieces that he could never replace. Exhausting as it sounded, the lingering of a thought so vast that he was in between made him shatter.

It was really simple. The words that were uttered just became a bullet into his already wounded body. He was going to be hurt nonetheless. But it still stinged him. Pricking the nerves beneath his skin, he simply rewinded all those moments. The ones filled with vivid memories of the three being so in love and happy. Where they made neither of them feel left out. Where they were so blissfully in their bubble.

But people outside that bubble were harsh. It was obvious with their movements, eyes, words and not-so subtle disgust. Given that Jimin and Jungkook were in this relationship first made Taehyung feel insecure in some form. He was guilty of this thought. The mix of jealousy and insecurity seemed to nag him down.

Jimin and Jungkook stayed on the other end of the door patiently waiting for the timer to go off. The timer that was set by Jungkook as he couldn't just wait any longer, even if it meant invading Tae's wish of privacy. They knew what went wrong. But not the full reason for this breakdown. Taehyung had been happy and positive just a few hours back. Or was he?

"Tae baby, open the door please. You told us to give you 30 mins alone, and it's up. I'm worried darling!"
Jimin shouted as he heard the timer beep away.

"Hyung...please open the door."
Jungkook called out with a strong hurt in his voice.

"I-It's open..."
Taehyung's deep yet broken voice came through.

Not waiting any longer, the two of them rushed in just to find their love on the white marble floor huddled up in blankets, with a red blotched face. Jimin couldn't help but let out a sob. He knows how Taehyung can get overwhelmed. Hell he's even seen worse, but it doesn't make it less painful each time.

"Taetae, see I'm here. We're here."
Jungkook spoke as he sat at a safe distance from his lover. One thing Taehyung wanted was his space until he was ready to let anyone in. Even if they were his own.

"I-i'm sorry. I shouldn't have made you so worried."
Taehyung spoke as he wiped the snot off his face.

"Oh hyung, no! You should never be sorry for anything."
Jungkook answered, while Jimin just stood there contemplating on how to confront Taehyung.

"D-do you think... I'm a burden? A tag along to your journey? I mean why would you not? Afterall I was the last, and you guys pitied-"
Taehyung asked in a whisper until he was stopped by his own hiccup.

"NEVER! And I mean never will you address yourself as such. Promise me right now, Kim Taehyung!"
Jimin roared as he squatted down to reach Taehyung's eye level.

"I- I promise"
The other mumbled wide-eyed at Jimin's uprage.

"Hyung, how did you ever think in that way? You know how we both even clicked because we liked you. And then you seemed too far off reach because you were just so talented, handsome, nice and we were just us."
Jungkook let out a dreamy sigh, remembering his young self-which was a year ago- seeing Taehyung for the first time.

"Tae-ah! Listen to me, you are the best thing that could happen to me. Well of course, to us. And I will not allow any slander against the person I love. Even if it is himself"
Jimin's eyes spoke volumes as Taehyung only gulped at the fierceness.

Soon Taehyung unraveled his thoughts. His thoughts of despair, of how he felt unloved which wasn't their fault though. Jimin and Jungkook couldn't help but feel guilty that they couldn't get to the point earlier. That they couldn't comfort their love. He revealed what the stranger had said and that only elicited red eyes and curse words from his boyfriends.

Taehyung was squished between Jimin and Jungkook within seconds.
Jimin didn't waste any time before gently wiping away the beads of tears from Taehyung's cheeks. Jimin hugged the other, wrapping him in love and warmth of centuries worth energy. Softly pressing kisses onto his neck, Jungkook murmured about how he wanted to throw that man, from the shop, off the cliff. He had his fingers entangled in Jimin's smaller ones right over Taehyung's back.

"How romantic, Jungkook-ah!"
Jimin snickered loudly.

"If I see him again imma gut him alive."
Jungkook murmured passionately, as Taehyung giggled softly.

"As if...you can't kill a mosquito without my help. 'Hyung there's a spider but don't kill it.' with all those pretty eyes."
Jimin stated, imitating the said doe eyes which made Taehyung laugh loudly.

"Ha you lose."
Jungkook spoke, as he caught on the poor attempt of flirting. Even if they were technically in a binding relationship for life.

"If complimenting you is my loss, then so be it."
Jimin spoke passionately with dreamy eyes.

"Ahem!"
Taehyung coughed loudly, only to put a faux sad face.

"Kook-ah someone seems too upset over the lack of attention."
Jimin spoke as he averted eyes from the younger's huddled frame.

"Oh yeah I see that person. What should we do, hmm?"
Jungkook asked with a thinking face.

"Oh I know!"
Jimin spoke with a lot of dramatics included.

And soon Taehyung found himself on the floor crowded with blankets as the other two tickled me. Hovering over him with wide smiles, Jimin and Jungkook laughed loudly at their pretty boy. This was afterall the best view in the entire world. His boyfriends by his side like the protecting shield of the bubble he loved. No one could hurt him here.

"Aish! S-stop tickling me. I'm crying."
Taehyung giggled and spluttered as the two of them barely touched his sides.

"This will always be better than due to which you cried earlier."
Jungkook spoke before leaning down on the laying older boy to kiss his forehead wetly.

"Will you guys love me till I die?"
Taehyung asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"We'll stay by your side."
Jimin started off, with all traces of laughter gone.

"Till death do us apart."
Jungkook continued softly as he caressed Taehyung's knuckles gently.

"And when the white fades in,"
Jimin added as he pecked Taehyung's fingers.

"We'll meet to live for eternities."
Jungkook murmured as he let Taehyung clutch his hands along the tattoo of the purple heart.

"Until then I'll remind you this everyday,"
Jimin smiled with a lovely tilt in his head to accomodate Taehyung's head on his shoulders.

"Of how I love you. Of how we love you."
Jungkook put in as he got on the other side of the hug to entangle their bodies.

"Of how we belong together."
Jimin finished off, soon joined by Jungkook to kiss Taehyung on his face.

This was his home. Wherever he would go, he will carry a piece of this warmth in his heart. The same which was filled with Jimin and Jungkook-ah love filling it to the brim. That piece of heart which will never let him doubt his love. That will keep him protected from all evils of the world. That will be in his own entwined with his two lovers. This was and will be his forever.

Back at it again!