Taehyung's arms wrapped tightly around Jimin as his tears flowed.

Having refused to look up for the past half hour, Taehyung could only go by the shudders of Jimin's tiny frame to tell that he wasn't fully calm.

Is this okay? Taehyung thought to himself, his concern flowing through gentle swipes over Jimin's nape, lulling him into forgetting the world around them, and soothing him through the steady rhythm of his own beating heart.

Having Jimin here was enough, he decided.

He couldn't have asked for a better ending. 

If Jimin suffers, he suffers too. So why not suffer alone?

Taehyung was convinced this was better for the both of them.

It mattered to him that Jimin was okay, more than any regret buried deep in his heart. He'd purge them all and return to a purified state. Back when they loved each other equally and would compete to show it, Jimin had always mattered more. Nothing had changed for him. It wasn't complicated.

Jimin lifted his face and Taehyung felt chapped lips brush over the side of his neck for microseconds before the squeamish boy burrowed into Taehyung like a rabbit returning to its dwelling. It was not an effort to be cute, and Taehyung welcomed any sign that Jimin had not either passed out or fallen asleep in the past half hour. Jimin continued hiding out of shame, but Taehyung would not allow it. He wanted to undo the hurt that left Jimin cowering and crying. He wanted Jimin to feel comforted.

"Jimin." Taehyung slipped his fingertips under Jimin's chin. "You can't just kiss my neck and leave it at that."

Jimin's eyes glistened with a fresh pool of tears, and his lips pursed tight as though in protest. But Taehyung sensed that in place of embarrassment, Jimin was gazing at him like under a trance, like he could hardly believe Taehyung was still here and his fingers pinched at Taehyung's jacket urgently. 

"Don't go anywhere please..." Jimin gushed in a sharp exhale like it was the only thing he had to say.

"I'm right here." Taehyung pulled Jimin closer and tucked the crown of his head under his chin, swiping his thumb gently over the tears trailing down Jimin's face. Taehyung's devotion spoke volumes through every look and graze, and Jimin's heart was racing with love and gratitude. But he did not want to stir up any unaddressed feelings yet, so he remained reserved.

"I'd be here for as long as you want me."

Taehyung promised with a wistful smile which broadened with assurance since he had resolved to stay.

"Is it so hard for you to believe me..." Jimin cried weakly, interlocking hands with Taehyung. "Was it my behaviour?"

"Jimin..." Taehyung shook his head as an indication to close the subject.

"I wasn't fair to you, right? I need to know... If I took you for granted... If I made you feel that way... I'm so, so sorry... I..." Jimin tensed up, ready to be cast from the warmth of Taehyung's arms upon affirmation of how undeserving he has been of Taehyung's patient love.

"You're all I have Tae... I swear... I'd never let you go again..."

Jimin seemed to beg for acceptance, and it was perplexing because there was never an occasion Taehyung ever shunned him, at least not with cruel intentions. 

"Why are you so afraid... You can tell me..."

Jimin clasped Taehyung's hands in response, evading the question with a quivery smile.

"I'm not afraid with you here..." 

"But you are unhappy..."

"No..."

Taehyung caught a few more tears sliding off Jimin's cheeks, and still Jimin choked back his misery with a half-hearted, dry laugh.

"No, no... I'm not unhappy... I just wish I could have told you sooner... before I messed up..."

"Told me what?" Taehyung whispered, drawing Jimin into his sheltering embrace, softly  his pasty cheeks.

"It's too late..." Jimin melted into Taehyung's arms and nuzzled his neck. "Just wish......we'd more time......"

Jimin pecked Taehyung softly on his lips, and this time he was wary of forcing unrequitted feelings, for fear that he would drive Taehyung away. 

He gazed on Taehyung attentively, cupping his chin before he leaned in with hesitation, each time seeking permission through rueful eyes before capturing Taehyung's lips with fevered kisses.

"No... Jimin, don't..." Taehyung broke away from Jimin's lips as he swooped in longingly.

Taehyung had thought Jimin was just showing him appreciation for staying, but light pecks deepened into , and now it seemed like Jimin was raring to again.

"I thought we were past this..." Taehyung uttered bitterly, barring Jimin with his arm and red alert flashing in his eyes.

 Jimin didn't understand what was expected of him. Wasn't this what Taehyung wanted? Before he went AWOL the night at the bar?

"Let's start over... I'd make it up to you..."

"Jesus Jimin. Can you stop complicating this??? You don't owe me anything."

Taehyung was dismayed that their relationship had fallen to such an irreparable state. Jimin could no longer confide in him. 

Alarmed to see Taehyung withdrawing into himself again, Jimin would do anything to prevent losing Taehyung.

"What do you mean... It it because of those messages... You were avoiding me... Are you still mad at me?" Jimin flinched at the painful memory of being rejected and the isolation that followed. Sinking to his knees to meet Taehyung's downcast eyes, Jimin begged for a last chance.

"Taetae... I'm yours... I'd do whatever you want... Please..."

"Don't give me that ing look." Taehyung spat in anger. "I've had enough, Jimin."

Taehyung shoved Jimin aside and he slumped over with bruised emotions reflecting darkly upon his face.

"Whatever I want?" Taehyung scoffed. "I didn’t want you here. But you were crying so hard and I didn’t want bad karma to follow me into the next life. You thought we'd just kiss and make up?"

Teardrops dotted Jimin's cheeks, falling fast one after another like beads as he blinked at Taehyung with muted response. He made no effort to move because hearing these words was enough to break him. He kept silent because he thinks Taehyung wants him to hurt.

He wants whatever Taehyung wants. He can be unselfish for once.

"You make it look so easy. Everyone loves you. You're the golden boy who makes everyone happy, and I'm just a loser you come crying to."

Taehyung knelt with his hands over his knees like he was trying to keep himself from losing ground.

"You won't even let me comfort you... Even when I hold you, its feels like you're so far away...

And the night you told me to get dressed and go... Before I could even pull my ing pants up... I was in the hallway, like a complete wreck with half a shirt on, and those ing A-List friends of yours were staring at me like some kind of sport… That was the moment I realized I meant nothing to you."

[ Author's Note ] 

I proof-read this many times .__. Is the plot reveal not building up the way you expected? Second part to this chapter is in the works, and nearly done. 

Feels like I'm talking to myself, because this fic has received next to no feedback. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻