Jungkook smiled softly as the others slowly trickled from the bedroom they'd been hiding in. Taehyung was curled into his side on the sofa, trembling with deep steady breaths in his sleep. He held the model close, the arm around him straining to soothe his hair.

He nodded happily at the inquisitive expressions on their hyungs' faces.

Smiles broke out across the room, the tension broke like thin ice and the space plunged into a tingly sensation of victory. Hoseok and Jin embraced each other, hugs of relief passed around.

"Thank god," Jimin sat beside him, hand resting on his shoulder and glancing at Taehyung. "He looks wrecked."

"He fell apart." Jungkook mumbled softly, leaning into Jimin's proud touch with the least amount of movement as possible. "Crashed pretty quickly."

"That's okay." Yoongi assured. "He's like that. Strains himself until he crashes, we all know that. But now that we know things went well, everything's gonna be good."

"It's not completely over yet," Jin and Hoseok sat on the floor by the couch, the dancer rubbing Taehyung's knee like he needed to make sure that he was resting himself.

"What?" Jimin asked the eldest.

"Media. BigHit's gotta release a statement. Even in a private trial, Bogum's arrest will go public at some point and its best to beat them and do it on the company's terms." Hoseok answered.

"It'll be okay. Media dies down. And we've got to trust the good side of fans." Yoongi sat on the coffee table so they were all huddled around in the living room. "We should ask him about the trial when he's ready to talk about it."

"Must've been hard being in the same room as Bubblegum Bitch." Jungkook whispered inconspicuously, resting his chin on Taehyung's head, the elder's face buried into his chest. He hoped his pulse helped ease Taehyung's subconscious, gave him a gentle rhythm to sway with. "Wouldn't they follow normal procedure?"

"Of course," Jin grimaced. "But guilty charges have to be unanimously voted on by the jury. I wonder if there were any attempts made by Bogum to tip his odds in the jury."

"You mean jury manipulation?" Jimin asked with worry. "Isn't the jury just randomly selected citizens, though?"

"And Bogum and Taehyung are big names. They could easily be fans. Jury verdicts, regardless of evidence, are up them. They have a full say in their stance on the charge no matter the evidence presented."

Jungkook's face fell in horror. "So this could have been lopsided and lost if just one of Bogum's fans got called in for jury duty?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"For cases like these, it's unfortunate." Yoongi nodded. "It's all there for reason however. Like if the crime charges seemed unjust? Helps protect the defendant."

"Obviously, it worked out as we hoped." Hoseok reminded, like it wasn't worth their time to dwell on the what if's? when reality was everything they had asked for.

"You should get him to his room." Jimin nudged the photographer and Jungkook glanced down with a small pout on his face.

"It's okay. I don't want to risk waking him."

"Your arm's going to go numb." Jin laughed, voice hushed, staring at the two wrapped up together in admiration.

"I don't mind."

And he didn't. He didn't give a damn about whether his arm went numb holding up Taehyung's body. He didn't give a damn about whether his neck got sore or his legs ached under the leg that was draped over it.

He didn't give a damn because it was the absolute least he could do for the bravest person he knew.

It was a small thing. Letting Taehyung find his comfort and Jungkook pushing his own discomfort aside, but it was simply easy to forget his pain— like he'd kept noticing for the past week— when he looked down and saw Taehyung's warm skin unstressed, his long lashes grazing the uppermost point of his flushed cheeks, the mindless arm around his waist while his legs weighed firmly on his thighs, pulled into his chest. Like he was small and fragile.

And Taehyung wasn't fragile. He remembered telling Jimin all that time ago that Taehyung wasn't glass.

He was a mirror that cracked and cracked into a view that became much too distorted to make out. Broken glass was swept away, broken mirrors could be turned into art.

Mirrors were metal and Taehyung was near the end of welding into something beautiful. Something himself.

So if a bit of his discomfort meant that Taehyung found peace in the chaos of emotions after the final storm, he wouldn't move.

He refused to.

"I'll get you a blanket." Hoseok jumped to his feet and retreated to some linen closet where extra sheets and blankets were stored. He tucked it around them when he returned, the other giving him room to move around.

"Thanks, Hyung." Jungkook could feel Taehyung hold him tighter with the warmth of the blanket, mumbling in his sleep. It caused him to kiss the crown of his prince's head and gaze around the room.

It didn't feel uncomfortable with how they watched him. Watched Taehyung. It was more reassuring that they were all there. That they wanted to be there.

It made Jungkook think.

And it helped distract himself from the mentions of media and his own situation more.

He looked at Jin and saw Taehyung's partner in crime. Someone who had seen the model grow, and understand his talents more than the rest of them combined— seeing as he worked in the same field. Though, numbers set Taehyung above him, the respect they both had for each other, living together, working together, was everything Taehyung needed in his everyday work life. Everything Seokjin could ask for, too.

Hoseok. Hoseok felt what Taehyung felt. He empathized with people by putting himself in their shoes and that helped Taehyung have someone who would cry with him, hug him and make him smile. Hoseok was someone who Taehyung could rest his head on their shoulder and wordlessly ask for something to help him laugh at the end of his stressful day.

His gaze fell on Yoongi. They came from the same hometown. Yoongi was his mentor in understanding the balance of their chaotic world. He pushed Taehyung to complete his education, helped him get a steady foot to sprint off on. Yoongi was Taehyung's rock. His anchor. Helping him step back and think. Helping him when no one else realized he needed it.

And though Jimin hadn't know Taehyung for long at a personal level, some relationships didn't know time— his and Taehyung's didn't, and he didn't think Taehyung's and Jimin's did either. Whether it was their matching ages, the charismatic, open personality of Jimin's that attracted Taehyung's appreciation. Maybe it was because Jimin was everything to Jungkook and Taehyung wanted Jungkook to have the world.

But Jimin was a breath of fresh air like Jungkook. He was a lively man who made new friends in the blink of an eye and helped Taehyung enjoy the present without being a reminder of the past.

And Jungkook?

He smiled down at the model bundled in his arms. He was a little bit of all of that to Taehyung. His breath of fresh air, his rock, the person who brought his smile back, the person who's love made him improve in his work.

"Taehyung loves you all so much." He finally said aloud.

The words caused them all to look at him in surprise, Jimin ruffling his hair and wiping the pooling tears away from his eyes.

Jungkook just felt happy. That Taehyung had them all, that he had Taehyung, that they had each other.

"He loves you all so damn much." His voice croaked as he tried to control his rising emotions. He wanted to stay calm for Taehyung.

"He loves you, too, Jungkook." Yoongi smiled at him, toying with the blanket draped over the youngest two. "More than you know."

He nodded because if he said anything more, he wasn't sure he could keep it together. Because he was a little bit of everything to Taehyung, he was his rock, holding his hand and guiding him to love himself a bit more everyday; he was fresh air. He felt Taehyung's pain.

And he could see the shore.

He could see the shore after their long journey. Just in the horizon.

They were almost there.

—

It was late at night when Taehyung woke. He stirred softly, rising like he'd hibernated all winter.

He felt great warmth all around him, a pulse drumming against his skull that clashed with his own. The room was washed with light from the balcony, the Christmas tree just feet away leaving splotches of yellow lights across his skin.

It felt like he'd risen into some dead world, eery and too still to be real.

Taehyung winced at the strain of his sore skin, eyes clenching shut with the energy required to open them.

He was shrouded by a blanket. He was wrapped up in familiar arms.

Taehyung stifled a gasp as he realized he was in the same spot he'd fallen asleep in, when the sun was setting in the sky. Hours ago.

Jungkook.

The model pulled away enough to look up at the man who's head was resting on the back of the couch. That had to be painful. He shifted more to cup the sharp jaw in his palms, the arm around him moving down to his waist, keeping him close like he'd slip away.

"Koo," he mumbled, thumbs running along his cheekbone. "Hey, angel, your neck's going to hurt."

The younger leaned into his touch, head moving to settle into his neck with a sleepy lull. Taehyung laughed breathlessly at how sweetly he listened and stroked the dark hair tickling his chin.

"There you go, baby," he nestled closer. "Thanks for letting me sleep in your arms."

A small whine brushed his neck, arms pulling him until Taehyung was half on his lap.

Taehyung remembered it all. It didn't crush down on him like an avalanche, it didn't hit h like a new revelation. It came in like he had woken up on a ship, absorbing the factual, unchanging sways of the sea.

Bogum was gone from his life. Behind bars. For years. And patrols and restraints following that. Taehyung didn't have to worry about him. He was so far out of reach that his nightmares felt like an echo in his ear, dulled, washed out by the hand metaphorically holding his.

Taehyung pulled the blanket up to cover them more, having slipped down and let his hands rest on Jungkook's shoulder. They kept his head in place against his neck, protecting Jungkook's nerves from a twisted stretch that he would regret in the morning.

He gazed over at the Christmas tree as the soft steady breaths hit his collarbone. Sleep seemed just out of reach for him, just mental exhaustion taking hold.

It felt so quiet. The faint remnants of Bogum's last snarks in the court room, a last attempt to leave a burning scar on Taehyung's heart. The even fainter noise of the Gangnam streets below.

He was high up in his apartment. He felt high up in his head. Like his pains were stuck at the bottom of an unclimbable hill while he thrived at the top, safe from their touch.

He felt so safe in someone else's arms. It was a feeling he couldn't have imagined experiencing a year ago.

He didn't feel like a model. He didn't feel like a celebrity, he felt like himself. He felt so human just being held Jungkook's hands, feeling his steady heartbeat drone on. Taehyung felt human and belonged.

Anything but worthless.

And because his heart was so content, so ready, he woke the younger with the grasp of his hand, slowly nudging him.

"Hyung," Jungkook tensed, pulling away and blinking with the lingering dips of his heavy head from being torn out of rest. "Tae, you're awake..."

"Hey, angel," he whispered, biting back a smile, eyes shutting as their noses grazed each other's and he moved closer to Jungkook, chests pressed against each other. He reached a hand to touch the beating heart of the younger, beating so real and so human.

His angel on earth.

"You're okay," Jungkook's hands ghosted over his sides, mistaking Taehyung's quietness for fear. "You're okay, now. How did you sleep?"

"So beautiful." He let his teeth pull away, taking away the restraints on his smile. Jungkook paused with confusion lacing his eyes and Taehyung met them with his own.

"Taehyung?"

"Jungkook," he wrapped his arms around the younger's shoulders and pressed his lips into his ear, like he needed his words to reach his mind as soon as it could. "M'sorry I woke you up, but I had to, I really had to."

"No, no," Jungkook assured. "I'm glad you did. Did you have a nightmare? I'm here now."

Selfless. Always so selfless.

"No, Koo," he shook his head, kissing the ear he let his lips linger by. Taehyung's chest warmed as Jungkook's arms wrapped around his backside with impossible strength. "Not because of a nightmare. I just had to tell you that I love you."

Jungkook stopped breathing. Taehyung felt it in the way every muscle of his under him froze, the way his breath was knocked from his chest in a flurry of shock.

"What did you say?" Jungkook pulled him away so they could look at each other. The younger pushed the blanket off so it was just them, their warmth enough, their arms enough as Taehyung clutched the fabric covering Jungkook's heart.

Those doe eyes. Wide and unbelieving. He looked almost scared that he was dreaming.

"I love you." Taehyung said, like it was the only thing he could say. "I love you, Jeon Jungkook."

Jungkook breathed again, breathed in the words like they were the only reason he was living. A sound of disbelief left his mouth as Taehyung laughed and left a small kiss on his forehead.

"Oh my god." The younger fumbled out. "You woke me up to tell me that?"

"Mhm, I thought you'd want to hear it." Taehyung grinned, the words sitting so right in his chest.

His heart trusted him to seal the promise with the three words he'd been tricked by years ago. His heart trusted him to seal the promise with his own conscious now that he had some closure.

"Oh my god." Jungkook gasped out, hands shaking against him. "My head is, like, spinning. Oh my—"

"Shh," he kissed the boy's cheek and took one hand in his. "You're tired. You should sleep. Just wanted you to know."

"T-Tae—" Jungkook intertwined their fingers together and kissed their hands, promising and acknowledging. "I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud, so so so— just so happy with you."

"Me, too." He whispered, pulling him close and hoping to ease him back into a sleeping state as he felt the ecstatic nerves calm with the slowing of his shudders, the arms around him relaxing like he didn't need to keep Taehyung close with the promise that he was staying.

And the surprised reaction didn't last.

It didn't take long for it to feel normal because Jungkook had already known that Taehyung loved him. It was just in the way of hearing such a longing phrase in the brink of awareness that had rattled him, but he'd known since they'd been alone at such an hour almost a month ago. When Sweet Night had drowned his senses with love.

Taehyung didn't have to say the words I love you to Jungkook in order for the younger to believe it. Jungkook already knew that from his actions. From how he poured it in his care for the photographer.

Taehyung saying those words was like a promise to himself that he was capable of it after being told he wasn't deserving of anything.

Bogum's control on him was gone. Washed away in the great sea he had made safe passage through.

And before he felt the sleep overtake him, mildly overwhelmed by that realization, he kissed the younger a proper goodnight and moved them to lay on the couch. Too tired to get up and to the bedroom.

Too unbothered to do so.

And the sleepiness rose from coming to terms with himself. Left him a little breathless as he buried his body into Jungkook's arms and draped the blanket over them again, lids dragging his vision to the darkness behind.

"I love you." He whispered once more, seeing their ships close in on the shore, closer than ever.