in a short few hours almost everything had been unpacked and organized.

the bedroom had shelves lined with memories and awards, with photos of jungkook and his daughter. tae made sure to place the best ones right in the line of sight.

he had organized his clothes by color and sleeve length, ensuring that everything was cohesive as he drifted through the apartment and put the finishing touches at each corner. he wanted jungkook to feel comfy and cozy. to feel at least a bit at home.

his almond eyes scanned over the baby grand piano that sat proudly near the wall length windows. the view outside was spectacular, truly made for somebody with money. it felt luxurious to even look.

tae ensured that it was dusted and displayed properly, that jungkook's guitar was propped next to it, tuned and ready to be used if sudden motivation hit. everything seemed in order; he was proud of his efforts.

namjoon had run out, for business, to grab dinner. jungkook hadn't returned.

and it felt odd, to have the whole place to himself, like he was an intruder, invading a space that he'd never belong in. this apartment was worth more than his life, the furniture a far cry from the tattered couch he'd been sleeping on and he wondered if jungkook had wandered through a furniture store looking for it? had him and his (almost ex) wife shopped for it together? had his daughter fallen asleep against the arm rest before being carried to bed?

"tae! this looks incredible!" namjoon appeared with two bags in hand, takeout boxes housing something that smelled delightful, "you did all of this in an afternoon? would have taken jungkook months, maybe years!"

"are you telling me he's not exactly the type to decorate?" the younger could only smile, following joon into the completely spotless kitchen where he grabbed a few plates for the food.

the grape-haired boy shook his head, "when him and i lived together way back when, he was a total pig. boxes of food, socks everywhere- we got into a few quarrels over it..." his eyes seemed so fond recalling the good old days, "i tried calling him. i'm a bit worried where he's at. didn't see him while I was out though..."

"he'll come back. the night is still young!"

namjoon could only nod along, plopping a pile of noodles onto his plate as he anxiously kept his eyes on the door. he was nervous, anxious, anticipating a phone call from the police yet again, "i'm going to step out for a cigarette quick before i eat. it's a bad stress habit, i know!"

taehyung wasn't offended, his own eyes glued to his phone as he scrolled through the social media accounts of the love of his life, the one who had got away. he looked content in california- annoyingly so. it was hard to even tell where his time with tae ended and everything else began, his entire account erased of the year they had spent in the arms of one another.

that feeling in his stomach that had become all too familiar bubbled up, leaving him nauseous, suddenly aggressively unhungry for the food in front of him.

"who are you?" a voice, a tad higher pitched than expected echoed through the kitchen, each syllable slurred together. it was evident it wasn't namjoon.

tae hit the button on the side of his phone, turning so his back was no longer facing the stranger. sunken doe eyes like those of a deer who was half dead stared back at him. each iris seemed dark, almost the color his pupil- they were impossible to glance away from.

he had seen pictures of jeon jungkook, coated along billboards and moving posters through the city. he had seen him on the news, seen pictures of him with joon and jin, but standing before him in the flesh- it was different.

in the best way.

his complexion was so soft, dotted with a hint of red from whatever activity he'd been partaking in. at the base of his lip, the smallest freckle, barely noticeable when he wore his expression in a pout. he was striking, handsome, a jawline that could cut through beef.

at only twenty-three, he looked wise beyond his years, enchanting really. larger than life. it was true what everyone said about him. he was one of the most attractive men in the country.

the older stood from his spot, bowing to the figure in front of him, "i'm tae. your new housekeeper."

jungkook seemed unamused as he glanced around at the unpacked kitchen. plates were stacked, cups lined, the wine fridge stocked. in the sink sat no dishes, in the fridge sat food. whoever this man was in his kitchen had tried to convert a sad rental into a space that was worth calling home but the younger didn't want that.

how could he be miserable here if it was so... comfortable?

his stomach churned furiously, expression vacant as he stared at the man in front of him. he looked around the same age, mismatched eyelids and teeth that resembled pearls. his aura looked lost, his orbs disinterested in whatever it was he was doing here despite the attempt at looking as though he cared.

he was friendly enough, but most people were when it came to jungkook-

maybe because they had been informed of his temper? they didn't want to poke the beast. maybe they'd been told about the way he'd drink to oblivion. not all of it was true, overblown and dramatic. courtesy of those who wanted to see him fall from grace.

he felt nauseous thinking about it- that and the smell of whatever was wafting through the takeout containers. maybe he just needed water or to lay down and yet here he stood, legs barely working as he just stared at the ground that suddenly seemed to spin.

in a way, jungkook hoped it would swallow him up, carry him anywhere but here. maybe back to three years ago, to two years ago- hell, to two months ago.

beads of sweat started to form on his forehead, the contents of his day rising through every intestine and tube and before he knew it acidic bile was in his throat; within a second it landed on tae's shirt with an unmatched force.

the older barely flinched at the outburst, the sour stench of vomit dripping across his body as jungkook just stood still as a statue. it seemed as though he hadn't even realized what just happened, completely unfazed as tae stood in shock.

he had never been more grateful to see namjoon who wore the look of shock that neither of the other two could mimic, "what the-," before he could finish his sentence, he was reaching for a towel, running it under water and trying to help tae clean himself off.

jungkook watched in envy, his best friend being cared for when he was the one that was sick!

"it's okay! i've got this." tae tried to reassure namjoon who had panic laced on his features, "i'll get this cleaned up and-,"

"no need! i can do it. you go home, get changed. actually!" namjoon shuffled out quickly before returning with a sweatshirt from jungkook's closet, "take this!"

"that's mine!" the younger whined, his figure now criss-crossed on the floor as he tried to stop the room from spinning for a second time.

"and you won't miss it in the morning! besides, you ruined his shirt." namjoon scolded him like a child, grabbing tae's stained clothes and setting them aside to be professionally cleaned, "go home, get some rest. i'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

taehyung sighed, feeling unusually small while wrapped up in junkook's oversized sweatshirt. it smelled like fresh laundry, crisp and sweet. was this how jungkook smelled or did he always smell like shitty booze and bile?

was he always so whiney? such a child?

"let me at least help you get this stuff put away..." taehyung couldn't help himself; he was intrigued to see how the shit show unfolded as he started to pack food back into takeout containers, the scene in front of him enough to keep him entertained.

"where have you been?" namjoon was trying to speak in a quiet whisper but was doing a piss poor job.

"i went out!"

"that's obvious!" the older was snappy, clearly out of sympathetic words as he helped jungkook up from the floor and down into his room.

the younger seemed to come to at the sight of a freshly made bed, organized closet, and shelves lined with personals. he hadn't seen some of this stuff in years, placed in a backroom away from the main house, away from where his wife would have to dust it or look at it. his eyes scanned over the pictures of his daughter and him, his pride and joy, he felt tears in his eyes at the thought of not getting to see her all the time.

"jungkook? how about we get you into bed?" namjoon noted the way the boy's shoulders had started to shake, the way his body seemed to convulse.

"i brought a trash bin just in cas-," taehyung stopped in the doorway, his eyes catching jungkook's who were stained with fresh tears.

how sad he looked. sunken and lost and so, so miserable. if taehyung had known him better he would have wrapped him into a hug, told him it would be okay but they didn't know each other like that. they weren't friends, they were new colleagues at best.

"did you do this?" jungkook pointed to the shelf, his lids barely blinking as he stared directly at taehyung like they were the only two people on the planet.

the older just nodded, "i've always liked the idea of having the people you love be the first that you see in the morning and the last before you fall asleep; thought you might too..."

the younger bit his lip, his figure slipping fully-clothed onto his fresh sheets. it seemed that he had more to say, words to form but his eyes were falling closed and he was still drunk beyond belief. it would be best to sleep it off.

besides, his look was enough to tell what was going on inside his mind. any words would have been overrated.

"thanks tae..." namjoon shut the light off, leading the older back out to the living room, "he's not always-,"

"it's fine!" taehyung cut him off; he was sick of joon apologizing for actions that weren't his, "i'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"see you tomorrow..."