CHAPTER 48

Whines wake up Jungkook.Half sleep, he sits on the bed rubbing his eyes and turns his head to the window meeting a dark, sparkling sky.A long whine brings him back to reality and his head turns to the opposite side: Taehyung.Slowly, he slides the covers to a side and gets out of bed. With a tired sigh, he kneels down next to the elder and observes his features closely: his damp hair is pressed against his forehead, his eyebrows narrowed, his lips in a pout, and his chest contracts and relaxes rapidly at the rhythm of his breathing.Jungkook shakes his body gently and Taehyung opens his eyes with a gasp.Taehyung stares at the ceiling for a moment as he becomes familiar with his surroundings, his breath coming back to a steady pace."It was just a nightmare, but you can sleep with them if it makes you feel safer." Jungkook whispers.Taehyung doesn't answer, staring back at him.Jungkook scratches his nape, yawning. "I'm gonna go back to sleep if you don't mind."He leans his hand on the bed to support himself and easily stands up. As he turns around, a hand takes a grip on his wrist.Jungkook frowns and turns around."You're alive." he says, with a breath stuck in his throat.Jungkook cautiously sits on the bed, his eyes travelling from Taehyung's grip to his face. "Sure, why wouldn't I? Did you forget? I found you, we came back.""You - you're alive." he repeats, sobbing.He wraps his arms around his neck and Jungkook blinks, not returning the hug.What on earth? Is he still dreaming?"Hey, Taehyung," he pulls away, carefully. "What's wrong? Do you want me to wake up Joon? Jin? Jimin? Do you want Jimin?"He shakes his head, the moonlight shining in his black starry eyes.Jungkook's eyes widen. "Tiger?""I thought you were dead." he hugs him again.Tiger rests his cheek on his shoulder, the tears wetting the younger's shirt.Jungkook wraps his arms around his waist, securely. He keeps all the questions to himself and waits for Tiger to break the hug.Jungkook wipes the tear streaming down his face with his fingers. "How did you know? Taehyung told me you didn't take over.""I didn't, but I saw it. I - I thought he killed you. I should've taken over, but Tae - Tae -""Shh, hey, it's okay." Jungkook soothes him, cupping one of his cheeks. "I'm okay, see? We're okay."Tiger sniffs. "I thought I lost you. I thought you left me."Jungkook's heart sinks. "Tiger . . .""You're my only friend here, please don't leave me."Jungkook has never seen this side of Tiger before. Of course he knows Tiger went through a lot and of course he knows he never had friends nor someone to rely on, but this . . ."I won't, I promise." he caresses his cheek with his thumb. "I heard you before passing out, you know? I knew you called me, but how did you do it?"Tiger takes a minute to put himself together and Jungkook hands him a tissue."It was weird," the alter begins, "it has never happened before. Taehyung's feelings were on the edge, but he kept refusing to let me take over. However, I could hear what was going on—I already knew you were there though, I can sense you as I sense Taehyung."Jungkook wets his lips. "Why?""Well, at first I thought it was because he despised you, but now I'm not sure anymore."Jungkook raises his eyebrows. "Is it because I'm your friend?""Maybe," he clears his throat, "after he screamed your name I could see what he saw, that man aiming that stick at you. . ." he frowns and shakes his head. "I didn't have the control, but I made myself heard. I screamed 'Bunny', but somehow it came out of Taehyung. I don't know how I did it."Jungkook softly bites his lower lip, his eyes sparkling mischievously. "As if you possessed Taehyung?"Tiger stares at him for a second and then lets out a chuckle. "Yeah, something like that."Jungkook tilts his head. "He doesn't remember it, he told me he only yelled 'Jungkook'. However, I was sure I didn't imagine it." his eyes roam Tiger's body. "I'm relieved that lunatic didn't harm you.""I lost awareness after seeing you fall." he mutters, narrowing his eyebrows. "By the way, you said you found him?""Yeah, in the woods. If you're still here in the morning, I'm going to tell everything—what I had to tell you that they in the kitchen, too."Tiger breaks the eye contact, memories of the last time he saw Jungkook replaying in his mind. His heart skips a beat and he clears his throat, frustrated at the foreign feeling in his chest. Hell, what does he do to me?"I missed you," Jungkook blurs out, "and I wish you had taken over but I don't at the same time. Tiger, you've already gone through so much . . ." he tries to gulp away the lump in his throat, remembering Mimi's disgusting words, hoping Tiger didn't hear it. "I wish you could take a break."Tiger smiles sadly. "I missed you too."Jungkook hums and cups his cheek. "I'm here now.""Can you stay with me?""Were you having the nightmare? Or was it Taehyung?""Both. You died, but I think that's on me. Why would Taehyung dream about you dying? Are you two friends now or what?"Jungkook's hand moves to the back of his head and lovingly buries his fingers in his hair. "Lay down, I'll make sure to keep all those demons away from you tonight."Tiger doesn't question him and moves to the side, making space for Jungkook to lay down—he guesses Jungkook's going to tell him everything tomorrow.When they're both under the covers, Jungkook turns his head and gently asks, "Do you trust me?""More than I trust them—yes. Why?""Turn your body." Jungkook states, and Tiger faces the wall with a small frown. "Let me know if it makes you uncomfortable, okay?""What? What would make me -"Jungkook leans his head on top of his and wraps an arm in his waist. "How do you feel? Does it overwhelm you?"Tiger swallows. "It doesn't bother me."Jungkook hums. "I'm your big spoon now.""Bunny, what the hell?" Tiger laughs softly. "Are you a freak?""I'm not just hugging you, Tiger. I play the role of the big spoon right now, while you play the role of the little one."Tiger turns all his body around with a frown and Jungkook's grip slightly tightens.Tiger's eyes widen at the short distance of their faces, his eyes directly at the height of his lips.He raises them before speaking. "Why do I have to be the little spoon? Did you forget who I am? Even if we're friends, I'm still Tiger. I could kill you if I wanted to."Jungkook restrains himself to laugh, biting his lower lip but not too harsh to open the wound again. "You asked me to stay with you, in other words, to comfort you." Tiger doesn't say anything and Jungkook keeps explaining himself. "The big spoon becomes the protector of the little spoon, I'm protecting you right now. And you," he wets his lips, "as the little spoon, you're letting yourself be comforted, you're trusting me."Tiger nods, his heart beating joyfully at his words."I want to be your big spoon from now on. You've been taking care of Taehyung for so long," he puts some locks of Tiger's bangs behind his ear, "let me take care of you now, okay?"Tiger nods, his eyes watering. "This is what they call friendship? Is this how it feels to have a friend? I . . ." he pauses and bites the inside of his cheek. "Since I took over for the first time years ago, nobody made me feel the way you do. I haven't stopped experiencing new emotions since the day I first met you. I can't recognise them and I don't know what they mean but - like now, see? I want to cry, but I'm not in pain. Why? Why I only feel this way with you, Bunny?"Jungkook stares at him without hesitating, almost as if his eyes looked out for Tiger's soul. "How do I make you feel, Tiger?"Said male lowers his head, flustered."Hey," Jungkook whispers with a smile. He brings a few fingers to Tiger's chin and raises his head slowly. "You can trust me. It's me, your Bunny."Tiger swallows, but doesn't look away. "You always make me blush when you're this close to me and I feel like digging a hole and hiding in there but at the same time I like it and I don't want to leave you yet. My heart always beats faster when you're around and thousands of butterflies dance in my belly every time you touch me—it doesn't actually make sense because we don't have butterflies living in our stomachs -" he stops to recover his breath, "is this how friendship feels like?"Jungkook bites his lower lip and lowers his hand to his waist, caressing all the way to his back. He pulls him closer and leans his forehead on his. "How does it feel?"Tiger smiles, Jungkook's breath brushing his skin. "Nice."Jungkook rubs his noses together, giving him an Eskimo kiss. "And this?"Tiger giggles and bites his lip. "Bunny, it tickles."How can someone who went through so much pain, who was created only to go through the most traumatic, stressful, and heartbreaking experiences be this precious?Tiger has never loved, he has never been loved. He hasn't experienced any other emotion but hate, disgust, unkindness. He was created to endure all the pain Taehyung feels—but what about his happiness?If he takes care of Taehyung, who takes care of him?"Tiger, can I kiss you?"The boy in his arms freezes.The boys have kissed him a few times thinking it was Taehyung, but he always pulled away fast, disgusted by the foreign lips against his own, disgusted by the warmth he didn't crave.Nevertheless, with his lips almost touching Jungkook's and the butterflies creating a whirlwind in his stomach, he nods.Jungkook leans forward, tilting his head. He closes his eyes at the same time his lips press against Tiger's. He doesn't move, he doesn't try to push his tongue in his mouth, he just gives him a soft but long peck.He pulls away, his hand finding its way to his waist and comfortingly squeezes it. "How about this?""I liked it—where's your piercing? Hell, Bunny, your lip -" he squints his eyes to see it better, "does it hurt?"Jungkook shakes his head with a smile. "Nope, not anymore."Tiger blinks. "Because you kissed me?"Jungkook giggles at Tiger's innocence. "Yeah, thanks to your lips it will heal faster."He raises an eyebrow. "Seriously?"Jungkook chuckles softly. "No, but people like to think so.""Why?"Jungkook brings his free hand to Tiger's head and leans it closer to his chest. "I don't know, because it makes them feel loved? Some people say love is the only remedy to cure any wound. When you kiss someone, you're showing them you love them."Tiger nods and raises his head. "Do you love me?""I care for you Tiger, that's more than enough." Jungkook kisses the top of his head. "You can rest peacefully now, I'm not going anywhere."Tiger hums and closes his eyes, Jungkook's heart reminding him with every beat he's not alone anymore. He has found someone to rely on."No," Jungkook mutters and takes a breath, "this is not how friendship feels like."