And if you feel you’re sinking, I will jump right over into cold, cold water for you.

 

 

“You seem off.” Jungkook comments, when he notices Taehyung plopping down onto the sofa of the house. He’s face down, and breathing onto the cushions, which is not his usual self. “You okay hyung?”

“Yeah.” Taehyung says onto the same cushions, and it comes out incredibly muffled, by which Jungkook can only try and guess what he’s saying. “I’m fine.” And it sounds very much like anything but what he’s saying. Then again, Jungkook understands his weird language, so he sits by him, a hand on his back.

“How come I don’t believe you?” And he scratches lightly onto his back, making the elder curl a little, arching his back ever so.

“You should always believe your hyung.” Taehyung says, when he turns his face to look at the side, seeing Jungkook in his peripheral sight. “I am the wise one here, you should always believe me without a doubt and follow me blindly.”

His cheek is squished against the cushion, and when Jungkook looks at him and really takes in his face, he looks like that 18 years old Taehyung he once met, all vulnerable, like that one time he found him crying, because he was scared that he wouldn’t fit in the band. Maybe that’s the reason why they have always been so close to each other, because they had seen each other at their best and worst, and had still been there.

“You’re really a bad liar.” Jungkook says, and sighs a little. “It’s okay, you can tell me.”

“Just… Stuff. I’m just kind of tired.” And Taehyung hides his face onto his arms, in a sleeping matter.

“Sleep for a while then hyung.” Jungkook says, softly rubbing onto his back before standing up once again. Taehyung feels empty seeing him leave so quickly. He almost wants to ask him to stay, but he can’t bring himself to do so. His internal rant goes off when he feels the softness of Jungkook’s favourite blanket being placed over himself, and he turns at the feeling, looking at the maknae in the eyes, before the younger gives him a smile and a ruffle in his hair.

Jungkook apparently notices something else in his look, and pouts.

“Hey, hyung, no, don’t make that face. I’ll be right here if you need me, okay? Just call out for me and I’ll bring you anything. Jimin hyung is coming back in a little bit, so don’t worry too much.” And Taehyung lights up at the idea of that shortie with bright orange hair, and cuddles a little onto himself.

“Thanks Jungkookie.”

“It’s nothing hyung. Rest now.” And Jungkook covers him up to his neck, the way Taehyung likes it, and pats his back softly before moving back to his computer, where he was checking on a cover he had been doing for the past week and so.

Taehyung falls asleep after a while, thinking about the ball of fluff with bright orange hair.

 

It’s not too much longer after that, that Jimin comes through the door and Jungkook looks up at him. Taehyung is still fast asleep, and probably won’t be moving. There’s a silent stare, because Jimin opens his mouth to speak, but sees Taehyung on the sofa, asleep, alone, and knows there’s something going on that he doesn’t like. So he looks at Jungkook, who’s looking back at him, and the boy shrugs.

“He said he was tired. Of course, I don’t believe from that, but then again, I didn’t want to push him to tell me. So that’s pretty much it. He’s been sleeping since like half an hour ago. He was waiting for you, and to say the truth, so was I.” Jungkook explains, before leaning back onto his chair.

“Damn.” And Jimin has just got back from working out, and he’s pretty much sweaty and tired, his muscles sore, and he need a shower. So he leaves his bag by the door, as well as his shoes and jacket, and moves to where Taehyung is. A hand comes to the back of the boy’s neck, softly trying to wake him up from slumber. “Tae.” Jimin softly calls onto his ear, trying to get him to show sighs of being alive at least. Taehyung, not being into full sleep, doesn’t take much to wake up, and soon enough he’s turning a little, to look at Jimin. The boy is drenched in sweat, but his smile is bright. Then he frowns a little, and something sinks inside Taehyung. But Jimin doesn’t say anything then. “Come shower with me.” And it’s a soft whisper, because Jimin knows how pampered Taehyung likes to be whenever he’s awoken, so Jimin makes sure to be soft and keep a hand on the boy’s neck to caress.

“Yeah, okay.” Taehyung answers, without doubting it, and sits a bit, holding his arms out to Jimin. The elder has always carried him anywhere anyway, so there’s nothing out of the common when Jimin takes the other up in his back, Taehyung wrapping his long limbs around his body. It’s always been the sort one carrying the other, and Taehyung is like a little baby sometimes.

 

 

Everybody gets high sometimes, you know?

 

 

“You haven’t slept at all.” Jimin remarks, when they’re on the bathroom and away from Jungkook’s eyes. “You haven’t slept in two days, this is not good for you Taehyung.” And Jimin saw it in his eyes, when he looked up at him, in the red coming from the borders. Taehyung’s getting high on his own lack of sleep. He hasn’t had a good night in days.

 

 

What else can we do when we’re feeling low?

 

 

Taehyung stares at him then, because yeah, Jimin has known him ever since the very beginning and there’s no way that the boy wouldn’t know about what Taehyung had been up to. He feels guilty, feels like he’s putting on a problem on Jimin, but the boy apparently notices his intern rant, and a hand comes to his cheek. Jimin sighs.

 

 

So take a deep breath and let it go.

 

 

“You’re hurting yourself Tae.” Jimin starts.

 

 

You shouldn’t be drowning on your own.

 

 

“Sleep with me tonight.” And Jimin’s not asking, but telling the boy in a soft matter. It’s not like he has ever taken a no for an answer. He caresses Taehyung’s cheek softly, and the younger cuddles up to him the same second.

“Yeah, okay, I’d like that.” Taehyung says, and there’s a bit of his bright smile, his real smile, on his face. “But can I set the water?”

“Yeah, of course you can.”

 

 

And if you feel you’re sinking I will jump right over into cold, cold water for you.

 

 

Whenever there’s a lot going on inside his head, Taehyung likes the water cold. Really cold. He says it helps him think, relax even. Jimin, on the other side, even if he’s the warm one, likes warm water. Sometimes, he’ll even go for water that’s a bit too hot all together. But Jimin still showers with Taehyung, because he knows Taehyung still needs someone to hold him. So Jimin’s there.

So he jumps into the shower, after Taehyung, and the boy has his head hung low, water hitting right onto his nape, running down his body and face, and his breathing is a little bit ragged, but Jimin knows it’s just because he’s been thinking way too much about this whole damn thing, which he still doesn’t know what it is, and his whole body is covered in goosebumps. He doesn’t notice any discomfort, though, but every still Jimin feels like he needs to lean over and touch, so he does, and only then does Taehyung show a little discomfort against the water, because Jimin is always so warm.

 

 

And although time may take us into different places I will still be patient with you.

 

 

“You’re shutting me out.” Jimin protests a little, because the boy may or may not be a little bit too curled forward, and Jimin should be uncomfortable about the goddamn water temperature, but the way Taehyung seems to be parting from him has him one hundred perfect much more worried about him and not dying of hypothermia.

“I’m not.” Taehyung says, ever so quietly, and both of Jimin’s hands are on his skin now.

“You are.” Jimin insists a little, bringing the boy a little bit closer, leaning over to take the shampoo from the counter. Taehyung’s eyes move to follow Jimin’s arm, and turns around while still looking at it, eyes coming up to look at the elder.

“I’d never shut you out.” Taehyung mumbles softly, coming down to look at his hands. “You know I’d never.”

Jimin then lifts his chin up, softly, and Taehyung’s eyes met his.

 

 

And I hope you know I won’t let go.

 

 

“And I’d never let you shut me out either.” Jimin says, softly, and he can see Taehyung’s eyes watering. The younger moves forward and snuggles his nose onto the boy’s cheek, hands coming to grasp at Jimin’s shoulders. “I’m here.” Jimin whispers softly onto Taehyung’s ear, hand on his side, softly caressing at the skin. “I’m here for you. Let me take care of you.”

 

 

I’ll be your life line tonight.

 

 

“I’m here. I’m here for you Tae.” And Jimin holds Taehyung through the entire shower, softly washing the boy’s hair and his as well, before rubbing the soap onto his shoulders, massaging ever so, and helping him clean himself.

Jimin stares at Taehyung when the water is turned off, hair pushed back, as well as his, wet and dripping. Taehyung has goosebumps again.

“Let’s get you to bed.” Jimin says, carefully, before taking a towel and drying Taehyung up a bit. He wraps the towel around the boy’s waist, and proceeds to dry himself and wrap a towel around his own waist. He sits the boy and dries his hair with a towel, softly, and Taehyung slumps a little onto him when Jimin brushes the wet strands.

Dressing Taehyung is a whole different deal, of course, and Jimin sits Taehyung in the bed before putting a pair of boxers for himself quickly, moving to the door.

“Don’t leave me.” Taehyung says then, and it comes out so broken that Jimin literally spins around.

“Tae, I’m not leaving, I’m just going to get clothes for you.” And Taehyung looks incredibly constipated. Opening the door will break their safe space, and Taehyung’s mind is ing him up about it.

“Please don’t leave.” He tries again, and he’s not looking at Jimin, but at the portion of his thighs that’s showing, where the towel doesn’t reach. “Please… I can wear anything, please don’t leave.” And Taehyung’s lips quiver, and the tears are dropping before he realises it, accompanied by a pained and chocked sob, and Jimin has never rushed to quickly to someone’s side.

 

 

I won’t let go. I’ll be your lifeline tonight.

 

 

“Tae, Tae, no, hey, here.” And Jimin takes the boy into his chest, holding him close. He moves close to him, sitting besides the boy, kissing at the boy’s cheeks, trying to stop the tears from coming ever still. Taehyung grips onto Jimin, trying to get a grip. Jimin peppers the boy’s face with softly kisses, softly touches, warm hands on cold skin.

“Jimin.” Taehyung whimpers.

“I’m here Tae, I’m right here, I’m not leaving. I’m here.” And Jimin brings the calm Taehyung needs, and he softly starts calm down.

Taehyung does actually calm down after a while, breathing still ragged, but he’s to whimpering anymore. Jimin is careful with his movements.

“Tae, I’m going to stand up and get you one of my shirts and a pair of boxers, okay?” JImin asks, softly, and Taehyung grips a little tighter onto Jimin, but the goosebumps are on his skin again, so he nods softly, and it takes him a while to let go of JImin, but he stays put on the bed. Jimin is pretty much quick, and he has Taehyung on his clothes before he can actually think about it. The boy seems way too fragile, so Jimin simply lifts him up and tucks him in, before actually turning off the light. Taehyung lets out a gasp when not being able to see Jimin anymore, and not having him by himself.

“Jiminnie.” Taehyung whimpers, and it sounds like he’s going to cry any second, which has Jimin rushing to his side and nearly tripping, but he manages to find himself scooping Taehyung close to himself on the bed, and the boy instantly wraps his limbs around his body, pulling him closer, almost as if he was going to fade away.

“Jiminnie.” He whimpers again, a little, and he needs something to confirm him that Jimin is indeed real, and that he’s holding onto him.

“I’m here Tae, I’m right here.” Jimin whispers softly, nose snuggling onto Taehyung’s hair, the boy pressed close to himself. “I’m not going anywhere, I’m right here with you. I’m never going to leave.” And Taehyung can only sigh softly and sniff a little, before pulling in closer.

“Please always stay with me.” Taehyung whispers softly, and the elder pulls closer, mouth once again pressing soft promises onto Taehyung’s skin. I’m your forever, I’m never leaving.

After a thousand kisses and a thousand voiced promises, Taehyung calms down, and JImin finds himself drifting to slumber with the boy pressed softly against himself. Taehyung doesn’t shiver as much anymore.

“Jiminnie?” Taehyung asks then, after a while of silence, and Jimin snaps a little from his sleepy daze, looking at the younger the best he can in this darkness.

“Yeah, Tae?”

“If we had been born on another life, would you have dated me?”

Jimin is quiet for a little.

“I would chose you over and over again Tae. I would marry you.” Jimin says, and suppresses his own tears. Taehyung is quiet for a little.

“Where did we let ourselves go? What happened to us Jiminnie? We used to be so happy.” Taehyung asks, softly, remembering all those happy nights they used to spend.

“We just… Lived what was given to us.” Jimin supposes. “But we pulled through, we did pull through, even if we left part of ourselves back in those years full of youth.”

“I want us to be happy again Jiminnie.”

Jimin thinks.

"We can be happy as long as we have each other. We don’t need somebody else to tell us what we should do. We can be happy if there’s only us. So I’ll always stay with you. I’ll always take care of you.”

There’s goosebumps on Taehyung’s skin. This time around, it’s not because of the cold, but because of the warm.

Jimin is warm, and Tae sticks to his warm centre. To his warm heart. He thinks, for once, and that has a home. His home is in Jimin’s heart.