Jungkook woke up alone.

His head whipped around, searching for Taehyung or a sign of where he could have gone anywhere around his room. His heartbeat escalated, and a lump formed in his throat as he saw that the bathroom light was off, and spotted no other sign that the older boy had even been there in the first place.

Everything last night; was it all a dream? Was it all just the desires, and therefore the creation of his sleeping mind? It had felt so unbelievably real, that maybe his mind had simply indulged him in believing that it was.

Just as he was really starting to believe that's all it had been, he crawled over to the other side of the bed gloomily to find that it was still warm, and smelled like strawberries; a lotion he kept beside his shower that Taehyung had used some of last night.

But perhaps he had left without saying a word. Perhaps he didn't feel the way he said he did. Perhaps he had lied.

Have faith in him, Jungkook. Taehyung would never do something like that to you.

Taking a few slow, deep breaths in and out, he tamed the panic that had begun to well up in his chest, and slid himself calmly out of bed to look for where the older boy may have gone. It was still quite early; upon looking through one of the small windows nearby, he noticed that only the very beginnings of dawn could be seen in the sky.

That's when his eyes drifted to his screen door, and he noticed a soft, subtle silhouette against the gentle blue ghost of a star-filled night sky.

He was sitting in a chair on the balcony, the balcony that Jungkook had never even walked out onto before. His fear of heights had repelled him from it since the day he moved in.

And yet, now, looking at the silhouette of the one he loved, though he was nervous and tentative, he felt himself gradually being drawn to the door that led outside.

His fingers slowly wrapped around the handle, and he pulled the door open, finally catching the older boy's attention. As soon as Jungkook tried to step out next to him though, the sight reached his eyes, cars moving and lights glowing far below their spot in the sky. His knees buckled, and he felt his stomach drop. "T-Taehyung," he managed to get out weakly as his body sank down, legs scraping roughly on the ground.

The other reacted quickly, leaning forward out of his chair and reaching out, hooking his arms around Jungkook's body. "It's alright," he whispered, picking him up with ease, a little shocked at how light he was, and setting him down in the matching chair next to him.

The younger shut his eyes, taking deep breaths, thankful for Taehyung's arms around him and his quiet murmurs in his ear. "You're alright. We're safe. We're both safe."

He opened his eyes once more with a sort of caution, watching every exhale cloud up above his head, disappearing into a blanket of blue. Gradually, he felt the dizziness that had fogged his head fading away, leaving a clarity like cool water running through his mind.

He looked over at Taehyung, whose arms were still holding him, trying to think of what to say. Loving brown eyes stared back at him sweetly, like he still couldn't even believe Jungkook was there next to him.

"I've always liked to sit outside when it's really early," the deep, soft voice told him finally. "When it's in between dark and light outside."

"It's pretty," Jungkook agreed in almost a whisper, gazing out over the city with lights glowing in his eyes. He leaned his head on the shoulder of the boy next to him, beginning to lose himself in comfort and calm.

"Just like you," Taehyung complimented quietly in his ear, playfully bopping his chest. Jungkook grinned widely enough for his bunny teeth to show, a pleasant shiver running through him, and not because of the cold. Taehyung leaned his head over slightly so his cheek was pressed against the top of Jungkook's head, and he breathed in the almost flowery scent. He hummed approval.

"You smell nice. Pretty girly, but nice," he remarked, ruffling his dark hair.

"You're one to talk," Jungkook laughed back, subconsciously leaning into the touch as he shot him a look that was caught in between pouting and amused. He raised his arms to softly punch Taehyung's shoulder, trying to frown as he did so but failing miserably.

"Alright, you got me there, Mike Tyson," the older returned sarcastically, earning a laugh from Jungkook. He moved his warm hand up to lace gently around the younger's neck and move his fingers back and forth across his skin soothingly. Jungkook's eyes fluttered shut, and he sighed in content.

It was as if finally, everything was at rest. For a long time, they'd been so far away from each other, and so unsure, and yet there they were, so quickly after, closer than they had ever been.

"We're kinda silly," Jungkook whispered, voice stuttering just a little at the continuous soft feeling of Taehyung's fingers tracing slow circles against his neck.

"What makes you say that?" Taehyung asked him.

"We both have loved each other for a long time, but everything was a pretty big disaster 'til now."

"I think that's just 'cause we're different," Taehyung explained. "Sometimes it can be hard to deal with a gap like that, you know?"

Jungkook just nodded in understanding, and Taehyung could feel it in the crook of his neck. He grinned softly.

"I do agree with you, though," he added.

"Hm?"

"We're pretty silly," he remarked, pulling slightly away to lean in and blow a little raspberry on an amused Jungkook's cheek.

*****

"Alright, so when we order, today try speaking up a bit more and smiling real big, okay?" Taehyung suggested in a whisper, using his fingers to tap the ends of his own lips in gesture and quirking his eyebrows in the direction of a waiter who was walking their way.

Jungkook nodded quickly, murmuring, "Gotcha." Though he still felt a little nervous, there was a confidence of his capability building in him; they'd been practicing things of this nature a lot lately, and he was gradually becoming more and more comfortable with them.

"Hey guys," the smiling boy greeted them from beside the table. "My name is Minseok; I'll be taking care of you tonight."

Taehyung smiled but noticed something odd about him; he was sporting a gray beanie, but the rest of his outfit matched all the other servers'.

"How are you?" Jungkook asked a little shyly but noticeably louder than usual, smiling in that cute, sort of crooked way he always did. It snapped Taehyung back out of his thoughts.

"I'm doing well. How about you?" Minseok asked, leaning up against the booth casually.

"I'm good."

"Good. So, can I start you off with something to drink?" he asked, taking out his little notepad and pen.

"I'm good with just a water, I think," Taehyung told him, smiling at him before opening the menu that had been sitting on the table and starting to consider the many options.

"Okay. And for you?" Minseok asked, turning to face the younger of the two.

"Do you guys have Coke or Pepsi products?" Jungkook questioned, making the most eye contact that he's pretty sure he's ever made with a server in his life. It felt kind of terrifying, but also kind of great.

"Pepsi," Minseok answered, making a face that signaled he didn't really like that detail about their selection.

"Ah, oh well. Then um...Mountain Dew, please. Gotta wake up a little," he remarked, showcasing a small but toothy smile.

"I feel you there. Alright, I'll be back with those in just a minute," he told them with a little nod before heading off away from their booth.

Jungkook felt the nerves fluttering in his stomach begin to subside. Even though they had been strong, he had still managed to be friendly. In fact, he'd even made conversation a little bit, which was a pretty big accomplishment for him.

"Hey," he heard from across the table, and he looked up from his thoughts to see Taehyung looking absolutely giddy. "Right here," the older boy said, with pride in both his voice and his face as he brought a hand out over the table and made a fist. Jungkook rolled his cute brown eyes with a big grin, reaching out to fist bump his dorky boyfriend, which of course ended with them both making it explode and Taehyung making a dramatic sound effect with his mouth.

"Oh, also, totally off topic but why do you think they let him wear his beanie?" Taehyung brought up randomly, and Jungkook shrugged.

"Maybe he has really greasy hair and it scares customers away," he joked, and Taehyung closed his eyes in a giggle that he tried to make a decently low volume considering they were in the middle of a restaurant.

Jungkook laughed quietly with him, leaning over the table to kiss him on the nose affectionately, with the corners of his lips tugging happily upwards. For just a tiny second, Jungkook could have sworn he saw the older boy's cheeks flush pink. Maybe he was imagining it; Taehyung never got embarrassed, but he felt pretty sure that he saw it, and maybe he was just a little bit pleased that he made it happen (if it did happen, of course).

When Taehyung did collect himself, he sighed that sigh that comes after a good laugh, eyes flitting up to look at Jungkook in the face again. "You're pretty funny when you come out of that shell of yours," he commented, ruffling the younger's hair, which was something he'd definitely developed a habit for doing in the time they'd been together so far, and of course, this was Jungkook's cue to blush. Just like he always did when it came to Taehyung.

*****

The glow of the moon was beginning to peek out behind buildings as they strolled together out into the evening, making their way gradually towards Jungkook's place, where they had decided they'd stay that night.

As they walked along, Jungkook had noticed something, watching the two pairs of their feet step next to each other. Their pace was now so much more synchronized; months ago when they'd first met, the younger boy was always walking so quickly, rushing around to wherever it was he needed to go, and the older would lazily trudge around in a way that made his traveling seem aimless.

Now, he felt more relaxed and unhurried, and Taehyung seemed to find more of an energy in his step.

There had been a comfortable silence for a while now, but this time, it was Jungkook who broke it. "You know what you do now?" he remarked, and Taehyung gave him a confused look as he sensed what sounded like borderline mischief in his voice.

"What?" he responded curiously.

A grin traveled across Jungkook's face. "Holding hands is a simple way of displaying affection without being all over each other in public. I see a lot of couples that should consider this as an alternate option," he recited, tangling their fingers together.

"I cannot believe you memorized that word for word...well, regardless, good progress, Jungkookie. You're really getting the hang of this," Taehyung teased lightly, squeezing his lover's hand with affection in his fingertips. There was so much, yet so little to say, so they just walked silently, together, like they hadn't a care in the world.

Some might have said Jungkook was the artist of the two.

But if you really looked, they were both artists, and both the work of each other.

Jungkook had taken Taehyung like an old, broken sculpture, putting him back together, healing deep wounds and making scars disappear.

And Taehyung had given life, feeling, color to Jungkook like no one else could have.

He had painted love on a blank canvas.

End.