"Tae..."

When the quiet and raspy voice reaches his ears Taehyung finally stirs awake. His eyes shoot open only to be still met with darkness around him. It takes him a few seconds where he's completely disoriented, his gaze panicky darting around the room and heart beating too fast.

His eyes slowly catch up to the darkness just like his mind catches up to the situation he's in. He moves only to wince as pain shoots through his whole body. He's been leaning against the wall, his legs are drawn to his chest and his neck bending at an uncomfortable angle. His whole body is stiff and as he tries to move up he hears all his joints crack and a quiet groan leaves his lips.

"Yoongi?" He asks, still shaking out his limbs as he makes out the mattress in the darkness. With slow and careful steps – he remembers the Yoongi from a few hours ago, the one who was almost ready to punch him in the face – he approaches the elder, slowly settling down next to him.

"I... I'm... " It's hard making out his face in the dark but it's not hard hearing the tremble in his voice, the obvious hitch in his breath. Taehyung quickly shushes him, shaking his head even though Yoongi isn't even looking at him anymore – The elder is shaking badly now, grasping the blanket tightly around his body and starting to breathe shallowly. Almost on the verge of hyperventilating now.

Taehyung isn't new to the aftermaths of panic attacks. He knows the vulnerability that follows, the feeling of loneliness, the crave for someone to help make the void and exhaustion go away from you.

"It's okay," he whispers soothingly, gently pressing against Yoongi's vibrating chest to push him back in a laying position. "I'm back in a second, alright?"

Yoongi doesn't answer immediately, he doesn't even acknowledge that Taehyung said something but the younger waits. He waits until Yoongi is looking at him again, eyes wide and brimming with tears. He waits until Yoongi nods his head slightly, releasing the tight grip he had on Taehyung's hand earlier. Only then he gets up, tiptoeing through the dark apartment. His eyes are used to it by now and he knows the outlay of the living room by heart which makes it easy to maneuver through it without startling Yoongi's aunt and uncle sleeping on the couch.

He keeps the light in the bathroom off, trying to make as little noise as possible as he searches for the first aid kit. He knows it's supposed to be under the sink but someone must have put it away. It doesn't take long for him to find it again though, then he fills up a small bucket with warm water and takes a towel with him. Tiptoeing his way back into Yoongi's room and closing the door quietly behind him.

The elder is sitting up on the mattress now, the blanket hanging from his shoulders as he leans against the wall. His breathing has slowed down again, he's not trembling anymore but there are tear tracks glistening on his soft cheeks. He stiffens slightly as soon as Taehyung enters but the younger decides not to pay any mind to this. He busies himself with arranging the things he brought in – setting down the bucket of water and placing the towel next to it before he opens the first aid kit and searches for bandages and alcohol to clean the wounds with.

"Can you show me your hands, please?" He whispers while holding out his own hand for Yoongi to put his on top of it. The elder doesn't meet his eyes and he doesn't reply but he does give him both of his hands. Taehyung doesn't try to communicate with him further, instead, he slowly turns the elder's hand around to look at his knuckles. The blood is dried by now and he has no idea of the kind of injury he's going to be faced with once he cleans the skin – and he has no idea where the elder went and how he got himself in this situation. But he pushes that thought to the back of his mind.

He focuses first on carefully trying to wipe the dried blood away with the wet towel. From the corner of his eye, he sees how Yoongi winces but he continues to clean until he can see the open skin on his now already bruised knuckles. This looks pretty bad – whatever fight Yoongi got himself into, it turned pretty messy. The elder hisses when Taehyung dabs a cotton pad soaked in the alcohol over the scrapes and wrapping bandages around the knuckles after that.

His other hand looks pretty much the same. Taehyung really doesn't try to think about the reason for this. Doesn't try to think about the way Yoongi's family has acted like this is normality. Like having Yoongi throwing a fit and being beaten up isn't something unusual to see. This can't be it. It shouldn't be like that. It shouldn't be something that happens so regularly that they're just taking it.

He bites his bottom lip to distract himself as he rubs the dirt out of Yoongi's face, avoiding the split lip for now. He uses the alcohol for that again, and for the scrapes on his other cheek. Yoongi takes it without ever voicing discomfort, without interrupting Taehyung or hindering him from treating his injuries.

Once the younger deems his work done he sits back on his heels to stare at the other. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He asks.

Yoongi doesn't answer for a long time again but then, slowly, very reluctantly he lifts his shirt all the way up to expose his ribs and Taehyung gasps at the dark blooming bruises over them. He stops himself just in time, right before his fingers actually touch the skin of the elder.

"I can get you something for cooling..." He trails off, eyes still raking over the other's exposed upper body and the way the bruised skin stretches over Yoongi's ribs. He looks too thin. Something inside of Taehyung's stomach churns as he thinks about all those times Yoongi refused to eat in order to let his cousins have more or the times he desperately searches for some change in his pockets only to find barely enough money to buy something for his family but nothing for himself. Taehyung feels guilt washing over him when he remembers how much food he and his own family wasted – let alone all the other people at Gala's and parties – wasting things many people can't afford daily. He only had to find himself in the same position as these people to realize how good his living condition really was. It makes him feel bad. Way too bad and he swears to himself that he'll do anything to try and make up for his past with being the best he can right now. With being the most supporting person he can be for everyone he encounters now – especially for Yoongi though.

And Yoongi needs his support now. Support and help.

He helps the elder laying down again, settling next to him but still in a sitting position, leaning against the wall. Yoongi's head is on top of the younger's thigh, a pillow making the position more comfortable for him and his eyes are almost shut completely. Taehyung begins to think the other fell asleep as he continues raking his fingers through Yoongi's hair but suddenly the elder speaks up.

"I'm so sorry for scaring you..." He whispers. Taehyung looks down at him and sees the way the elder squeezes his eyes shut like it makes it easier for him to talk, to let the quiet and strained words spill over his trembling lips. "I... I can't think when I'm – I'm..."

Yoongi chokes on his words again and his hands keep clenching and unclenching around the blanket he grips too tightly. Taehyung fears the elder will make the wounds on the knuckles bleed again. He reaches out to stroke the trembling hands and tries to calm the thunder inside of the other male.

"You're like the Hulk," He whispers slowly and feels Yoongi stiffen under him before a breathless chuckle escapes his lips.

"They told you." Taehyung is sure that it's supposed to be a question but Yoongi doesn't tilt his voice at the end. It sounds more like a statement but it also doesn't seem accusing, Taehyung still feels the need to reassure Yoongi that his family has not told him anything in detail about his condition.

"Just that part," he mumbles. His fingers are still lightly running over the back of Yoongi's hands, over his rough skin, feeling the bumps of veins and bones under his fingertips. These hands went through so much – they raise three small children, they care for his aunt and uncle, they count tiny bills every day, they burn every day because of serving hot coffee and they have the most gentle touch ever.

Taehyung hasn't even realized that he zoned out completely while staring at those bandaged hands he has in his own. Yoongi's hands are cold but he slowly feels them warming up in his grip, like this he transfers some of his own body heat to Yoongi and when he concentrates hard enough he could believe that he transfers even more. Maybe some of his own good energy? Some of his feelings. His feelings for the elder male.

"Sorry... I," Yoongi releases a shuddering breath and squeezes Taehyung's fingers for just a tiny second – it makes his heart skip a beat, "... I get that you're scared, so, I'll go sleep somewhere else and you can take the mattress." His grip loosens and panic flares inside of Taehyung as the elder moves to stand up. He quickly pulls Yoongi back down – being careful of the other's injuries.

"No, no, Yoongi," Taehyung hurries to say and his frantic voice gets softer again, he carefully threads his fingers through the other's hair in a soothing manner. "Sure, I was a bit scared but that wasn't you. I know it wasn't you, I know that," He tries smiling down at the elder and his heart warms as Yoongi's own lips twitch a little in response. Like he's trying to mirror his action. "I just didn't want you to wake up again, that's why I didn't get in bed with you. Not because I was scared of you... If it's okay, we can just continue sleeping together on the mattress now."

Yoongi stares at him for long and tense seconds before he drops his head and pulls the blanket up to his shoulders. "Okay..." He whispers and turns around so his back is facing Taehyung. The younger smiles slightly and lays down behind him, he's instantly hit by the warmth of the other male as he slowly loops his arms around Yoongi, careful of the bruises on the other's ribs.

The next morning isn't as tense as Taehyung has expected it to be. Everyone acts like nothing happened last night, no one mentions the injuries of Yoongi, no one asks a question. It hits him again how awfully normal situations like that must be for Yoongi's family and his chest tightens in pain. He's not sure what emotion he might be feeling right now but he just knows that he doesn't want to feel it anymore. And the only solution for this is to make sure that Yoongi is safe, that his family doesn't have to worry about him anymore – that him getting beaten half to death isn't a normality anymore.

"Yoongi?" He asks the elder as he cleans the wounds on Yoongi's knuckles again. It takes a moment for the other to answer.

"Yes?"

This time it is Taehyung who hesitates. He stalls a bit and searches for new bandages under the sink. Yoongi doesn't push him to talk but he could feel the elder's gaze on him. Heavy, searching and waiting for him to say something. Taehyung takes a deep breath before looking up again only to be met with the hard gaze of the elder. He shies away from it as he wraps the other's knuckles up.

"Why were you like that?" He asks in a low voice.

"Angry?"

"No, I mean kind of – Everyone is angry once in a while but you were... kind of extreme..." Taehyung doesn't know how to voice this. He's curious. Of course, he is. But he still wants to protect Yoongi's privacy, the elder shouldn't feel obligated to tell him everything just because of his own curiosity. But Yoongi doesn't seem like he feels uncomfortable telling him. He looks – kind of relieved like he waited for Taehyung to ask just so he wouldn't have to start the conversation by himself.

"I – Yes," Yoongi takes a deep breath as he starts playing around with the hem of his shirt, "I have anger issues. Feelings – Feelings are complicated for me, especially anger is difficult to handle. I can't – Sometimes I can't control it inside of me and it feels – feels like electricity is running through my veins, energy ready to explode and it's blinding. I lose control easily. The – The littlest things are able to set me off sometimes and then the anger comes crashing down on me like a wave and I can't breathe anymore."

Taehyung is still kneeling on the cold tiles of the floor as he stares up at the heavy breathing male. The door behind them is slightly ajar and he could hear tiny footsteps running through the apartment and the voice of a radio host filtering through to them. But nothing distracts his attention from Yoongi who is currently taking a deep and calming breath. Out of reflex Taehyung reaches out to grab the other's hand and starts drawing soothing circles on the back of his hand. He doesn't even realize he's doing it but it calms Yoongi down enough to let him continue talking.

"I have a constant buzzing of irritability, anger, and anxiety inside of me and sometimes the smallest thing can make me burst. I hate that. I mean, I'm always getting better at controlling myself but that only means that I'm repressing my emotions – my anger. And when I lose control, I lash out worse than I could expect. I went to therapy as a kid and I've learned a few things to control myself but... you know, therapy is expensive and my parents already didn't actually have enough money to pay for it and as you can see my aunt and uncle don't have money at all..." Yoongi trails off, shrugging lightly as if what he's talking about isn't a bid deal but Taehyung knows it is. A big deal for Yoongi and everyone around him.

His friends know the younger thinks, Yoongi's friends know about his issues and he had been living with the other male for a few weeks already but never suspected a thing. He should have paid more attention, he should have seen that Yoongi is struggling but he didn't.

"What happened to your parents?" He asks. It's another thing he doesn't know about and he never questioned. Something must have happened to them or else Yoongi wouldn't be living with his aunt and uncle. The second the question tumbles over his lips he regrets it. Yoongi tenses and drops his hand.

"That's – a story for another time," the elder says and his voice has taken on a hollow tone.

"Okay," Taehyung whispers and the guilt inside of his stomach makes it hard to breathe. His fingers itch to hold the other's hand again but he doesn't want to push Yoongi. He doesn't want to force himself on Yoongi and make him even more uncomfortable. For now, he just waits if the elder wants to continue talking or not. He waits, he waits for Yoongi to do something, anything.

Yoongi sits on the toilet lid for a long time. Sometimes Taehyung quickly glances up at him but he always finds the same picture. The same damn lost expression on Yoongi's face as he stares off into space. His knees start to slowly hurt from the tiled floor and he's getting restless. Taehyung has never been the best at staying calm and in the same position for a long time. His attention span is too short, he gets bored too easily.

He has started to drum his fingers on his thighs in an imaginary rhythm when Yoongi suddenly speaks up again. "I've lost a lot to my temper, friends, family, and jobs," He sighs, blowing the hair out of his face, "Seokjin's café is kind of my last chance. Every job I've had before fired me because I was in a mood – If I act up at Seokjin's he won't have a choice but to fire me too and I have no idea what would happen then... I'm so scared of that..."

Taehyung nods. He understands, kind of. He's been through something similar. Only that it has been completely his own fault. When the articles were written about him, about his drinking, the drugs, the sex – everything, had been his fault. No one wanted to be associated with him anymore. There were no more directors wanting to cast him, there were no job offers anymore and he had been cut off from society in the blink of an eye.

If Yoongi loses his job he won't be able to provide for his whole family. Taehyung can't understand that fear, the fear of not being able to be the one person his whole family needs to rely on. That's a fear, an inner terror he can't even start to understand.

He bites his lip and his gaze falls down to Yoongi's knuckles again.

"Did you punch a wall or something?"

"Not directly," Yoongi avoids the question, the drastic change in topic. Somehow it makes Taehyung feel uneasy.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He laughs awkwardly, leaning back on his heels as he stands up on his feet again. His joints pop back into place and he winces slightly at the strain in his back.

"Okay, sit down for a story," Yoongi laughs slightly at the offended expression on Taehyung's face. Like he didn't just watch him stand up and then instantly told him to sit down again. Taehyung just pouts at him before he leans against the sink next to him.

Yoongi sighs, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. Taehyung could see the bruises blooming on his face in different shades of purple and blue. "When I was a teenager I was a big problem child. I couldn't keep up with anything in school, the teachers were pressuring me, I didn't have any friends and I was new at my aunt and uncles place. I always had trouble organizing my thoughts inside of my head and simultaneously keeping up with what happens around me. Life happened too fast around me and I lost control all the time. School was hard for me – I didn't understand why no one wanted to help me but kept pressuring me to do better even though I just couldn't. So, I just gave up on trying and I regret that..." He trails off again, fingers nervously picking at the sleeves of his sweater.

"We already had trouble with money back then even though my aunt hadn't even been pregnant with Chul yet. I tried working a lot of part-time jobs but I was only sixteen – I didn't earn much money and we struggled a lot, especially because I kept lashing out. You know, my anger gets worse when I'm put under stress and I guess those years were the most stressful ones for me. I fought with my temper more than I did now because I was under more stress and couldn't manage myself well – barely at all."

He stops talking again, shifting on the seat to face Taehyung. His eyes look teary, wet and his bottom lip trembles slightly but he doesn't stop telling his story, "There were a few guys at my school – Older guys who always hung out around the gates and spoke to struggling troublemakers like me," Yoongi sighs and his face falls into a frown – those memories seem to make him upset, "They recruited me when I was sixteen and I've been doing runs for their gang since then. Drug dealing and things like that, kind of a servant guy."

He coughs, glancing up to meet Taehyung's eyes as if he expects him to react to his words. To be honest, Taehyung doesn't know how to react at all but he nods at Yoongi, encouraging him to continue. "Anyway," He drops his gaze again, "I got involved in a lot of gang shit – like I said, delivering drugs and then underground fighting too. Back then it felt great, the fighting. It was an outlet for me and I could pour all of my anger out of my body but when it was over – I felt like I died inside. And eventually it all got a little too much for me," His voice trembles now and he keeps clenching and unclenching his fists. Taehyung eyes the bandages warily – he hopes the wounds don't open again, "Especially when they threw me into prison – for youths but it was still prison –"

"You've been to prison?!" Taehyung interrupts him with a shocked yell. Prison, Yoongi's been to prison. Why the fuck has Yoongi been to prison? All kinds of possible reasons run through Taehyung's mind as he continues to stare at the elder with mouth agape and wide eyes.

"Well, yeah," The elder shrugs.

Sometimes Taehyung's mouth works faster than his mind. He got himself in all kinds of awkward situations because of this but what comes out of his mouth next is really something that might go down in the top five times Taehyung definitely said the worst possible thing anyone could have ever said. "Did... did you kill someone?" He instantly slaps his hand over his mouth as Yoongi gasps in front of him.

"What the fuck, Taehyung?" The younger isn't completely sure if the shocked expression on the other's face is as serious because there's also a small smile hidden somewhere on his lips. Yoongi looks at least a little amused by his weird assumption and it makes Taehyung take in a small breath of relief.

"What? You look like that kind of guy!" He jokes, letting the chuckle which had built up inside of his throat roll over his tongue.

"A murderer?" Yoongi laughs and Taehyung swears his heart does a somersault. After yesterday he's been afraid whether Yoongi would be able to smile again – he sure as hell didn't look like it.

"It's the eyes," Taehyung jokes and Yoongi laughs along with him. But as quickly as the happy atmosphere came it drops again and Yoongi starts frowning again.

"I've... I shoplifted one too many times, they wanted to set an example and scare me off. They also knew I had something to do with the local street gangs but couldn't hold anything against me regarding that - fortunately," He dryly chuckles, "Okay, and I might have gotten into a fight with one of the owners and happened to carry my pocket knife – like I always did. I didn't even want to rob the shop, I just wanted something to eat but the owner had his eye on me for quite a while now. They made me out to be an armed robber. You know, if you're known for stealing, live in the wrong neighborhood and have no one to bail you out the police does terrible things to you. Being poor simply sucks, you know?"

Taehyung swallows thickly, eyes cast downwards to his feet again. Yoongi takes another deep breath before he speaks up again, "Anyway, it got too much for me and I dropped out of their business," He scratches behind his right ear again. Taehyung would have cooed at him – he loves those little things that show Yoongi's nervousness but at the moment the tension in the air is too heavy.

Yoongi has been doing things for a gang. He's been dealing and stealing. And he's been to prison before. Good, that's – seriously some shit to take in but Yoongi has only been doing all of these things to provide for his family. And he got out. He got out and turned his life around but what – goddamn, what has this all to do with his bleeding knuckles right now?

"Sometimes they try to hit me up again. They try to get me back involved in a lot of illegal street fights because I was kind of strong whenever I lost my temper back then. I still easily lose it when I see them again and they try to bring me back into some illegal shit. I'm not that person anymore and I never want to be like that again."

"Did you fight them?" Taehyung asks and this time he doesn't shy away from the guilty look in Yoongi's eyes.

"Yeah..." Yoongi admits shyly, "It's not the first time either. They try quite frequently and I just – I can't stay away. I go out to see them just to fight them. Just to let the anger out for once but I... I know it's not right... I know everyone is scared when I go... Because all of them know where I'm going and what I'm doing," He sighs, letting his head hanging low in shame.

"So that's why the other's were so down," Taehyung says, "Not only because you were angry but because you went out to actually get angry and fight with some gang guys."

"I know I shouldn't go but it's... I can't." Yoongi sounds desperate, close to crying and even though Taehyung wants to hug him and tell him that everything's going to be alright he can't. As responsible as Yoongi normally acts, by doing this he risks more than his own life and health.

"You've got to stop going there, Yoongi. It's dangerous," Taehyung says, stepping closer to the elder and staring at him, intending to not break eye contact with him. Yoongi squirms slightly under his intense gaze.

"Like I don't know that," Yoongi pouts while Taehyung fights against the thoughts calling the elder cute, which invade his mind, "But I always come out as the winner."

"You look very beaten up," Taehyung gestures towards the injuries but Yoongi just huffs.

"You should see the other guy."

"This is not funny Yoongi," Taehyung scolds and he holds Yoongi's hands again. The skin is cold on his own but it instantly feels better to feel the others hand again. "I may have only gotten to know you for a short amount of time but I see the love for your cousins, your family – I saw them yesterday and they looked like they were convinced you wouldn't come back. They know. They know you leave to fight and they accepted the possibility that you wouldn't return. They shouldn't have to worry about things like that, Yoongi."

The elder isn't looking at him. And even though Taehyung can't see his face he's sure there's guilt etched into the elder's features. His hands tighten around Taehyung's slightly bigger ones but he doesn't respond.

"If you continue this you'll be leaving for the last time sooner rather than later," He insists, voice calm and low but stern at the same time. Preferably, he would just force Yoongi to never go out and fight those guys again but he knows he can't. But that still doesn't make it easy for Taehyung to accept that it has to be Yoongi's decision to stop. He still wants to help him.

"It's not that easy, Taehyung. Those guys set off my fight or flight mode and I go and fight," Yoongi tries to explain, bottom lip caught between his teeth. Taehyung quickly raises a finger to release the trapped lip because he fears the cut might open again once Yoongi starts chewing on it – another nervous habit of him.

"Fight or flight?" He asks, trying to catch Yoongi's eyes but the elder is insistent on avoiding him. "In 90% of the cases, flight is the better option. It keeps you alive. So, stop fighting them. Don't let them get to you."

"You say that like it's easy," Yoongi scoffs slightly, shaking his head.

"I don't know how you feel when you're angry – how could I? I don't understand what'll go on in your head but I want you to know that it doesn't define you. I... I suffer from depression but the sadness and anxiety aren't what defines me as a person. You told me that I could come to you when my feelings overwhelm me," Taehyung squeezes his hands tightly, "Will you do the same?"

"Tae... This is different from the anxiety or panic attacks you go through," The elder tries hard to explain but it seems like he just couldn't find the right words to express what he really wants to say. Taehyung patiently waits for him to sort his thoughts out. "I could seriously hurt you and I couldn't forgive myself if I did. I could never forgive myself if I would hurt anyone – that's why my family is never around when it happens."

"But you shouldn't be going through these hard times all alone," He complains, still set on not letting this topic go. There's just something – anything he can do to help Yoongi and of that means getting hit like last night, he'll accept that. He can deal with it, for Yoongi's sake. No one deserves to be left alone when they're falling apart. "I had to promise you to tell you whenever I feel bad, no matter how hard it is to tell you because I feel like I might be too clingy, like you might not care or that I'm annoying and bothering you. Do the same. I want to help you. Let me..." He's pleading now – almost outright begging.

Yoongi is staring at the floor for a long time, a very long time until he finally lifts his head and Taehyung is greeted with tear-stained cheeks. "...okay..." The elder whispers barely audible but there's the tiny hint of a smile on his lips and it makes Taehyung's heart flutter.

"Thank you."

-

Yoongi doesn't know when it happened. Doesn't know since when seeing Taehyung sitting on the floor in the rundown apartment and playing with his little cousins became something so normal that he only finds himself smiling when he comes home from work. Opening up to the younger and letting him do the same has improved their relationship immensely.

Relationship, huh?

Is that the right word to describe them? Do they have a relationship or a friendship? Are they more than friends? Are they family? Maybe a little bit of both. Well, Taehyung might be belonging more to the family than Yoongi could have imagined when he took him in and it seriously hadn't been that long already. About three months maybe? He isn't sure anymore. But he definitely sees Taehyung as a constant in his life, a constant in his family.

At first, this doesn't even occur to him as something out of the ordinary, like he hadn't resented Taehyung the first times they met each other. Like he hadn't been thinking of Taehyung as an intruder, a stray he took in out of pity. He changed that view a long time ago and he already told the younger he was part of the family but when he comes home and sees him interacting with the other's like he's been part of them right from the start, it hits him once again how important Taehyung became for everyone.

Taehyung helps his aunt cook all the time, he prepares the food with her and listens to the same stories she tells over and over again. He talks with his uncle about Jazz music and is one of the few people to join the old man in his singing – Yoongi won't admit that goosebumps erupt all over his skin whenever Taehyung sings with his deep voice. The younger plays basketball with Shin outside, he helps him with schoolwork whenever Yoongi is too busy or too tired. Honestly, having Taehyung around has been such a relief for Yoongi and it might have been the reason why he hasn't had a serious episode in such a long time.

Taehyung has reduced the stress on his shoulders – he is another person who brings home money, he's another person who can help taking care of the children and he's been a shoulder to lean on for Yoongi. The elder has never had much time for himself but with Taehyung around he has gotten more sleep, more calmness for him and he has felt how this has improved his mental condition and he feels happier with the younger around.

It's weird. Taehyung comes into the room and it feels like an invisible weight has been lifted off his chest and he can breathe normally again. A smile spreads his lips almost involuntarily and he couldn't explain the surge of electricity which runs through his veins whenever Taehyung smiles in his direction or heaven forbid touches him – even if it just might be the tiny fleeting sensation of fingertips on the back of his hand.

And then he sees the other interacting with the two smallest of his cousins and his heart could melt at the picture of them. Jiae adores him, she loves the different voices he uses whenever they play with her puppets and she gets him to sing her goodnight every evening. And then there's Chul. The shy and introverted boy who doesn't know how to properly articulate himself opens up whenever he's around Taehyung. It happened slowly at first but the small boy latched onto Taehyung quicker than Yoongi could have seen it coming. Chul talks with him and he talks a lot, he laughs and smiles – he's loud and it makes Yoongi smile wider than he ever did before.

Yoongi can't help the warmth spreading through him when he watches Taehyung or when he just thinks about him. It's like his body and mind are doing it on their own and he can't do anything to stop it. Not like he wants to, it just confuses him too much. Taehyung is confusing but Yoongi stops thinking about it. He shoves all those weird thoughts and confusing feelings to the back of his mind and leaves them there.

Today is different. Yoongi feels tired. Way too tired after a long day at the café and he wants nothing more than to get home and fall face first on his mattress to sleep. He hears them before he even has to open the door. There's the distinct sound of his uncle singing, the radio is way too loud again but the neighbors don't really complain here.

The small smile on his lips widens once he steps inside of the apartment and his gaze lands on the couch. He could see Taehyung sitting on his knees in front of the coffee table, opposite of Chul whose tongue is slightly sticking out of his mouth in concentration. Taehyung mirrors his expression as he's also coloring the pages of a coloring book. It's the most adorable sight Yoongi has ever seen and at that moment his heart does a weird jump, his breath gets punched out of his lungs and his mind blanks for a solid second.

When he first met Kim Taehyung he was sure he hated him but then he got to know him. He saw the real Kim Taehyung, the small insecure boy hiding behind big words and alcohol. A boy who feels like he doesn't belong anywhere and no one wants him. And he stopped hating Kim Taehyung.

There's a thin line between love and hate and sometimes when people struggle and lose their balance for even a second they find themselves with one of their feet planted firmly on one of the two sides. And somehow – somehow Yoongi finds himself with one and a half foot in the sector of love. He's not sure if that what he feels already counts as love but if it's not, it's something very similar to it and it slightly scares him. No, scratch that. It scares him a lot. Too much actually.

But then he looks at the younger, really looks at him. He looks at his soft hair which falls over his forehead, he looks at his prominent eyebrows which makes his brown eyes seem that more outstanding and capturing. He looks at the small mole on the bottom of his beautiful sculptured nose and then at the pretty pink lips which form that boxy smile. He looks at Taehyung's hands, the long fingers which splay over his back and hipbone whenever they go to bed. He looks at his wide shoulders which make it possible for him to totally engulf Yoongi in a hug while he's asleep.

He looks at the younger and that warmth spreads through him, his nerves are on fire, butterflies exploding in his stomach and goosebumps over his skin.

Yoongi sees the huge smile on Taehyung's face as he finishes coloring the page in front of him and his heart skips a beat. Maybe not hating Kim Taehyung but kind of loving him instead isn't actually so bad.