#56 - "I think I need a hug."

Taehyung x You

Word Count: 564

Back hugs are comforting. They’re warm, welcomed, loved, easily given and more easily received. Back hugs are one of your favorite things. So much so that you never thought your heart could hurt while receiving one. They were a gift to the world for all to share and you were most certainly willing to share it. If anyone you knew needed one, you were there, waiting, at the ready. Why not? Certainly they would return the favor one day.

What back hugs were not, were crushing, suffocating, heavy and depressing.

Or so you thought.

A particular set of lanky arms enveloped you and immediately you were aware of who they belonged to. Just the feel of them was enough to tip you off. Kim Taehyung. Your best friend, confidant, love of your life. Your world. He often surprised you with back hugs. One, he knew they were your favorite, especially when he nuzzled his cold nose against your neck and made you laugh. Two, he really enjoyed giving back hugs. Adored feeling the way you fit into his embrace so perfectly as cliche as it was, that’s exactly how he’d describe it every single time.

Something was off. Back hugs were your happy place.

This…

This...wasn’t happy.

No, it felt anything but.

Taehyung was holding you so tightly it was hard to catch your breath. He nose was all nuzzled up against your neck but the feeling wasn’t the same. That bright smile of his was missing even though you couldn’t see it. A dark cloud was hovering above the both of you and it was very rocky. A storm had brewed and it was downpouring. Taehyung, felt like a rock against you, a heavy, cold, unfeeling rock but you knew he was anything but. Rubbing your hands along his arms, as much as you could in his crushing embrace, you tried to reassure him that you were there.

No words were uttered, no sniffles heard. It wasn’t until the wetness against your neck that you every bad thing that could have occurred was confirmed to you. It was instinctual but you knew. Taehyung was feeling, extreme loss. So much so that he wanted to desperately to be numb. A broken sigh escaped, warm breath blew against your neck and you squeezed his arms in comfort.

"I think I need a hug." It was said without being spoken.

Giving him all that you could, all that you had, he already owned your heart but if you could you’d give more. He knew this but every now and then you needed to be reassured. Nonverbal communication was a skill the two of you had been working on and right now it was at it’s height.

“Gram-” cutting Taehyung off, you rubbed his arms again.

“I know, Taehyung-ah. Shh, I’m here.” You wanted to tell him that it was okay, but how could you. He didn’t need to finish that sentence. You couldn’t let him finish the sentence that would twist the knife deeper into his heart than it already was. He lost someone truly dear to him, irreplaceable. You couldn’t minimize that loss but you could be there for him in any way that he needed.

Back hugs are your special place with Taehyung. Just you and him. Even when the dark closes in and it doesn’t look like there’s an escape, they’re healing.

A/N: In case anyone does happen to be confused, Taehyung's Grandmother passed away back in September. He only recently let ARMYs know that he's been struggling with her loss. She was a very important person in his life and raised him just as much as his parents. Taehyung speaks about his grandma a lot and very clearly loves her dearly. This is where I pulled the inspiration for this fic from. So, yes, what Tae isn't saying is that his Grandma passed away.