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jungkook's breaths came in quick, shallow bursts, his chest heaving as he sprinted through the endless expanse of trees.
again.
the forest loomed taller than before, the gnarled branches overhead casting jagged shadows that swayed and clawed at the ground like desperate hands. his bare feet slapped against the cold, damp earth, every step driving sharp shocks through his legs.
his throat was burning with every inhale.
behind him, he could hear footsteps that weren't his own.
he didn't dare look back. he couldn't. he knew who it was, what it was.
taehyung. of course.
with his too-perfect face and his voice that always seemed to mock and soothe in equal measure. the most beautiful boy he has ever seen.
the smaller boy wasn't just chasing him; he was hunting him, closing the gap with ease, the sound of his steps growing louder, closer, more deliberate.
"you can't run forever, jungkook," taehyung's voice called out, smooth and steady, not even winded. it came from everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing between the towering trees.
jungkook's heart hammered harder, his throat dry as panic seeped into every corner of his mind.
the nightmare felt too real, his legs burned, muscles screaming for rest, but he pushed himself harder, faster. he could feel the heat of taehyung's presence now, the invisible weight of his gaze pressing against the back of his neck.
then it happened.
a root, thick and jagged, caught his ankle, and he went sprawling forward, hitting the damp ground with a force that knocked the air from his lungs. before he could scramble to his feet, a hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him back down.
"got you," taehyung breathed, low and triumphant, as he straddled jungkook's waist, pinning him to the ground with force.
jungkook thrashed beneath him, but the smaller boy was stronger than he looked, his grip unyielding.
jungkook had never been caught in his dreams. he was so shocked, looking up at taehyung while the back his head ached from the crash.
their faces were inches apart, taehyung's breath warm against his cheek. the forest seemed to go silent, the only sound the ragged rhythm of jungkook's panting.
"what do you want from me?" jungkook managed to choke out, his voice hoarse.
taehyung didn't answer. instead, his gaze flicked down to jungkook's lips, then back up to his eyes. before jungkook could react, taehyung leaned in, closing the distance.
their lips met.
jungkook froze, his mind blank, his body betraying him as he melted into the kiss. taehyung's lips were soft, impossibly so, and for a moment, everything else - the forest, the fear, the panic - faded away.
it was wrong. it was so wrong. but it felt...
jungkook woke with a start, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he stared at the ceiling.
sweat clung to his skin, dampening his hairline and the back of his neck. his heart was still racing, a wild, erratic rhythm that refused to settle.
"fuck," he whispered to himself, scrubbing a hand over his face.
he swung his legs over the edge of the couch, the cold floor grounding him. the apartment was quiet, save for the faint hum of the fridge and the occasional creak of the building settling.
jungkook stood, moving on autopilot as he made his way toward the small bedroom.
he cracked the door open just enough to peer inside. it was dark, but taehyung was sprawled out on the bed, one arm flung over his face, the other dangling off the edge. he was snoring softly, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
he was fast asleep.
jungkook leaned against the doorframe, his gaze fixed on the sleeping figure. his thoughts churned about the stupid dream. how the hell had taehyung gotten into his head like this? it didn't make sense.
at this very moment, taehyung jolted awake, his breath catching in his throat, while his hand flinched upwards to touch his lips.
his eyes darted toward the doorway, and when he saw jungkook standing there, silhouetted against the faint hallway light, he let out a sharp, startled yelp.
"why the fuck are you screaming?" jungkook snapped.
taehyung's hand flew to his chest, his pulse hammering beneath his palm.
"why am i screaming? because you're standing there like an idiot, just - fuck, why would you stand in the door like a creep watching me?" his voice cracked, still rough with sleep, and he glared at the other boy through the dark.
"i wasn't watching you," jungkook muttered, straightening his posture like he hadn't just been caught red-handed. "i was just checking if you were breathing."
taehyung squinted, his expression teetering between disbelief and mild amusement. "oh my god, you care about me. that's so sweet, jungkook."
"shut up."
the smaller boy smirked, but the tension in his shoulders didn't ease. he rubbed at his temple, his voice softer now. "i just had the weirdest fucking nightmare."
that caught jungkook's attention. he hesitated, then stepped further into the room, his curiosity outweighing his usual reluctance to engage. "what kind of nightmare?"
taehyung sighed, leaning back against the headboard. "it was... dark. i was in the woods. running. someone was chasing me. no, you were chasing me."
jungkook froze mid-step, his jaw tightening.
"you grabbed me," taehyung continued, his voice distant now, like he was replaying it in his head. "we fell, and then... anyways. it was so real. too real."
jungkook didn't say anything, but the tension in the room shifted. as taehyung's eyes adjusted to the dim light, he noticed something strange.
"wait," he said, leaning forward slightly, his brows furrowing. "your eyes..."
"what about my eyes?" jungkook asked, his tone sharp with defensiveness.
"they're... lilac. do you not see that?" taehyung pointed at him, his voice low but urgent.
taehyung was right, the lilac light eyes of jungkook softly lit up the darkness as he was thinking about the dream. a soft purple glow hung in the darkness between them.
"what are you talking about?" jungkook's heartbeat picked up, the air around him feeling colder somehow.
he watched into the darkness, seeing the purple glow reflect of taehyung's eyes that were wide open now.
"you know what that means?" taehyung asked, his gaze steady, his voice almost a whisper.
"i don't" jungkook muttered, there was an edge of unease in his voice.
"it's the sign," taehyung said slowly, as if testing the words in his mouth. "of shadowborns. you know that"
jungkook stared at him, his pulse thundering in his ears. "you're making this up," he said finally, his voice flat. "it's three in the morning, and you're talking shit."
taehyung rolled his eyes, exasperated. "you don't feel it? that's why your nightmares feel so real. it's shadowborn stuff. you're-„
"i'm not whatever-the-fuck you're saying i am," jungkook interrupted, his voice hard. "i can't sleep because i'm stuck on this shitty couch in my own damn apartment, not because of your weird fantasies."
taehyung huffed, turning over onto his side and pulling the blanket up to his chin. "then stop whining and get in the bed, idiot."
jungkook blinked at him, caught off guard. "what?"
"just lay down," taehyung muttered, his voice muffled by the pillow. "i can't deal with your brooding at three a.m."
for a moment, there was only silence.
then the mattress dipped, the springs creaking faintly as jungkook climbed in. he didn't say anything, but the warmth of his body seeped into the space between them.
taehyung let out a soft sigh, his eyes closed. "you're gonna drive me insane," he mumbled.
jungkook didn't reply. he stared at the ceiling, the faint sound of taehyung's soft breathing filling the room. something in his chest twisted, and he told himself it was just exhaustion. nothing more.
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taehyung stirred, his senses coming alive one by one as sleep slowly released him the next morning.
the first thing he noticed was the warmth, soft and steady, pressing against his back. the second was the faint, familiar scent of jungkook mixed with the lingering musk of sleep. the sheets were impossibly cozy, heavier than his own, and they clung to him in a way that made him not want to move.
then, with an almost electric jolt of realization, he noticed the arm slung across his waist.
his eyes snapped open, and he froze.
jungkook's arm wasn't just draped over him, it was firm, pulling him in close, locking him in place. his breath caught as he registered the press of the bigger boy's chest against his back, the slow and steady rise and fall that matched the quiet sound of his breathing.
no fucking way.
taehyung's heart kicked up, thudding painfully in his chest.
he stayed absolutely still, though every nerve in his body screamed at him to move or to grind his hips back just slightly, just to see what would happen. he bit down on his lower lip, forcing himself to stay in control.
he could feel the heat radiating off jungkook's skin, could feel his fingers twitch slightly against the hem of his shirt as if even in sleep, the bigger boy wasn't fully letting go.
then, as if sensing that taehyung was awake, jungkook shifted. his grip tightened, pulling the smaller boy in even closer.
taehyung nearly whimpered.
the air felt charged, like if he made the wrong move, something dangerous would happen.
but then, almost as suddenly as it started, it ended. jungkook's breathing changed, sharper now, uneven. taehyung felt the tension the moment the dark-haired boy realized what he was doing.
jungkook pulled away so fast it was almost violent. the bed creaked as he rolled to the farthest edge, putting space between them like he'd been burned.
taehyung turned slightly, just enough to catch jungkook sitting up, his hair a mess, his expression dark and unreadable.
"don't fucking say anything," jungkook muttered, his tone cold.
taehyung arched a brow, sitting up as well and leaning back on his elbows. "i didn't even say anything."
jungkook scoffed, running a hand through his tangled hair. "don't start with me, taehyung. just - fuck. why are you even still here?"
the smaller boy tilted his head, his lips curling into a slight smirk. "because you invited me to sleep here, genius. don't act like i broke in."
jungkook shot him a glare, his jaw tightening. "whatever." he stood up, his movements stiff, and grabbed a hoodie from the back of a chair. "why don't you go text your boyfriend or something? isn't that what you need to do when you slept in another man's bed?"
"i don't have a boyfriend anymore," taehyung said simply, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
jungkook paused mid-step, turning back slightly. "since when?"
"since yesterday," taehyung said, pulling on his own hoodie and brushing past him. he didn't elaborate, didn't offer anything more.
the bigger boy narrowed his eyes but didn't push further. so that's why you were making out with that ugly fucker yesterday, alright," he muttered.
taehyung didn't look back as he left the apartment.
his hands shook slightly as he pulled out his phone, the cold morning air biting against his skin.
he unlocked it quickly, scrolling through his contacts before landing on jimin's name. his fingers hovered over the screen for a moment before typing out a message.
"hey hyung, can we meet? need to update you."
a reply came almost immediately. "finally. coffee at noon?"
taehyung smiled faintly, his chest tightening. "yeah. see you then."
he slipped his phone back into his pocket and started walking. even as the wind whipped against his face, his thoughts were stuck on the way jungkook's arm had felt around him.
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