Teahyung woke up to silence.His body ached. Every muscle. Every joint. The soreness ran deep, settled into places he did not know could hurt.
He stared at the ceiling. Daylight pressed against the curtains in bright white lines.
His sleep shirt was gone. He did not remember when it came off. His chest felt bare and raw. Bruised. He looked down and saw marks. Dark ones. On his collarbone. On his chest. Finger-shaped bruises on his hips.
His stomach turned.
He pulled the blanket up to his chin and lay there.
The house smelled like coffee. Someone was moving around downstairs. The sound of a cabinet opening. A mug clinking against the counter.
Normal sounds. House sounds.
But nothing about last night was normal.
He waited until the footsteps faded before he got out of bed. His legs were unsteady. He grabbed his robe from the hook behind the door and wrapped it tight around himself.双重覆盖. Like armor.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror. The bruises peeked above the collar. His lips were swollen. His eyes were red and puffy.
He did not recognize himself.
He brushed his teeth. Washed his face. Splashed cold water on his neck where the marks burned.
Then he went downstairs.
Kookie was at the table. His head bent over a textbook. A bowl of cereal sat half-eaten beside him.
"Good morning, appa." Kookie smiled up at him. That soft warm smile that made Taehyung's chest crack every time.
"Morning, sweetheart." Taehyung's voice came out rough. He cleared his throat. "Studying early?"
"Exam on Friday." Kookie pushed his glasses up his nose. "I wanted to get a head start."
Taehyung nodded. He walked to the kitchen. His hands were shaking as he poured himself coffee. The mug almost slipped.
He gripped it tighter.
"Appa, did you sleep okay?" Kookie asked from the table. Genuine concern in his gentle voice. "You look tired."
"I'm fine." Taehyung sat down across from him. "Just a restless night."
Kookie nodded and went back to his book.
Taehyung sipped his coffee. It scalded his tongue but he did not care. He needed something to focus on. Something sharp. Something real.
Then Jungkook came down.
He walked in like any other morning. Sweatpants low on his hips. White tank top. Hair still damp from a shower. He smelled like body wash and mint.
He looked completely unbothered.
"Morning, Kookie." He ruffled his brother's hair as he passed.
"Morning, hyung." Kookie did not look up.
Jungkook walked to the coffee maker. Poured himself a cup. Leaned against the counter.
Then he looked at Taehyung.
Jungkook's eyes found Taehyung's across the kitchen.
He did not look away. He did not blink. He just held the gaze like a hand around a throat.
Then he lifted his mug to his lips. Took a slow sip. His throat moved as he swallowed.
He lowered the mug. And then — casually, like he was just adjusting a discomfort — he tugged at the collar of his tank top. Pulling it down an inch.
A scratch mark. Red and fresh. Curving along the side of his neck. Just below the ear.
Taehyung stopped breathing.
His fingers tightened around his own mug. He watched Jungkook trace the scratch with his fingertips. Slow. Deliberate. While looking directly at him.
That smile again. Not a full smile. Just a curve at the corner of his mouth. Like they shared a secret.
Taehyung's hand jerked.
The mug tipped. Coffee spilled across the table in a brown wave. It pooled around Kookie's textbook and dripped onto the floor.
"Appa!" Kookie jumped up, grabbing his book before the liquid reached it.
Taehyung stood fast. His chair scraped the floor. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll clean it up."
He grabbed paper towels from the counter. His hands were shaking so badly he dropped them twice. He bent down and pressed the towels against the pooling coffee on the floor.
Kookie crouched beside him. "Appa, are you okay? You're shaking."
"I'm fine. The mug just slipped. Clumsy this morning."
"Here, let me help." Kookie reached for more towels.
"No." Taehyung's voice came out sharp. Too sharp. Kookie pulled his hand back. Hurt flickered across his face.
Taehyung softened. He reached out and squeezed Kookie's wrist. "No, baby. I mean — sit down. Study. I've got it. Don't worry."
Kookie hesitated. His round eyes looked at Taehyung's face carefully. The swollen lips. The darkness under his eyes. The way his robe collar was pulled up tight.
"Appa... did you hurt yourself?" Kookie's voice was gentle. Careful. Like touching something breakable.
"I'm fine, Kookie. Please. Just— finish your breakfast."
Kookie slowly went back to his chair. He pulled his textbook closer but Taehyung could see him glancing up every few seconds.
Taehyung wiped the floor in circles. The coffee kept spreading. He pressed harder. His whole body felt hot. Nausea built in his stomach like a wave ready to crest.
How could he let this happen.
Last night. With Jungkook. His stepson.
What had he done.
He remembered snatches. Hot skin. Hands that gripped harder than they needed to. Jungkook whispering his name against the pillow.
His own voice begging.
Closing his eyes. Not wanting to see. Not wanting to stop.
You are sick, Taehyung told himself.
"What a mess." The amused voice came from the counter behind them.
Taehyung did not turn around.
Jungkook stepped closer. The heavy tread of his feet slow. He set down his coffee and put an unused towel over the spill on the table from Taehyung's sight. Then his feet paused next to Taehyung, crouching.
"Here." Jungkook pressed dry paper onto coffee pooled near a chair leg.
"Thank you," Taehyung whispered without looking up. He kept his face pointed at the ground.
Jungkook paused in his wiping. His shoulders were almost even with Taehyung when they shifted low on his haunches. The scratch on his neck was level with Taehyung's eyes, just visible through the loose hanging collar.
"Did you sleep well?" Jungkook murmured for the whole table. Same greeting he would say to anyone. But to Taehyung, who heard the depth behind words, who could feel the hand cup his hip.
