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It started with a sniffle. A sniffle, turning into a hiccup, then sobs. Taehyung held his arms tighter to himself as he continued sobbing. He couldn't bring himself to look at the phone lying on the floor next to him, the text conversation still open on the small screen.
Taehyung's honestly not sure what hurt worse- the fact the guy called him worthless or the fact he dumped him over text. He had thought things were going well, if more than a few dates and even cute good morning texts meant anything. He really tried this time, to not be too pushy or overbearing. He just wanted it to work out for once. Yet, here he is, crying on his floor over a boy who probably only considered him a ‘good fuck’.
The conversation had started out normal, Taehyung asking if he wanted to catch a movie later. However, his question was left unanswered as the boy replied with ‘we need to talk’. He knew what would happen next, but the conversation that followed had given light to Taehyung's worst insecurities. All the things he worked very hard to hide behind a boxy smile.
Worthless. Annoying. Too needy. Clingy. Loud. Weird.
Taehyung hated those words. Hated knowing that they controlled him from the inside out. They all rushed out of his mind at once, seemingly on repeat. He swiftly wiped at his cheeks and wrapped his arms around his legs, curling into himself. He was quiet, save the hiccups every once and a while from trying to calm his breathing. Tears still welled up in his eyes, falling over his cheeks and soaking his shirt as he tried not to think about the boy’s harsh words. How he can’t manage to make anyone stay for longer than a few months. His mind convincing him that the boy’s words were laced with truth, no matter how untrue they really were.
"Tae! I'm back~" Taehyung didn't bother moving, not even acknowledging the voice from the other room, signaling hoseok had returned to their shared dorm. He didn't even think he could reply if he wanted.
"Tae?" A knock on his door. He still said nothing, throat tightening as he heard the voice on the other side. Taehyung watched the door as it swung open to reveal hoseok. His eyes focused on the door that swung open and hit the wall with a soft thud, not wanting to look at the boy as he entered.
"Oh! You're he- Woah, are you okay?" Taehyung finally looked up, his eyes puffy and red as hoseok looked him over for a quick second before hastily walking over.
"Christ, taehyung- what happened?" Hoseok frowned as he sat across from him, wiping his eyes and pulling his arms away from his knees so he could look at him properly. Taehyung didn’t reply, instead watching the way hoseok scanned him over as if looking for an injury.
His arms fell into his lap with a plop as hoseok wrapped his arms around his shoulders. “Tae.. what’s wrong?" He asked in a hushed voice, hoping the soft tone would pull a reaction from the other boy.
“he... he-” Taehyung trailed off, voice cracking as he tried to explain. His voice betrayed him, not letting the words leave his throat as another round of tears flowed down his cheeks. Hoseok whispered short calming words into his ear as he rubbed his back, frowning to himself for not understanding what taehyung meant. After a while he grew quiet, the two sitting in silence as hoseok continued to rub circles on his back.
He looked up at the sound of a ding, signaling a new message, eyes scanning the floor before spotting taehyung’s phone. The phone lay on the floor next to them still unlocked, showing the conversation. Quickly picking it up, he read the words, glaring slightly before deleting the conversation and locking it. Throwing the phone aside, he pushed taehyung's shoulders until he faced him, "That guys a dick. If he can't see how perfect you are, he might as well be blind. “He said, wiping taehyung's cheeks with his thumbs. "I mean, really. You’re one of the sweetest people I know." Taehyung pushed hoseok's hands off his cheeks. His mind told him he was just saying it, his words holding no real meaning to himself. He wanted to believe hoseok, knowing he wouldn’t lie to the younger, but he just couldn’t bring himself to.
Taehyung frowned to himself before he was being pulled into hoseok's arms again. "You deserve better, tae."
Taehyung sighed, allowing himself to be hugged by the other. He didn't agreed with him. Maybe this is what he deserved. He was too needy and annoying- too loud when he needed to be quiet. Too weird to understand, too clingy. He couldn’t help the tiny whimper that left his lips, tears pricking at his eyes.
"Hey.. Look at me.." Taehyung slowly lifted his head, meeting hoseok's eyes. "You're not too needy, or annoying. Yeah, you can be loud, but I don’t know one person that can’t be. You have the ability to make a room light up whenever people hear your laughter- and i don't know many people who can do that. Your smile is like the sun and don't let some asshole guy take that from you. Sure, sometimes people don’t like us, but that doesn’t determine how worthy we are as people. Only you can decide your worth." Hoseok sighed, pushing taehyungs bangs to the side, "Trust me when I say you’re not worthless, Taehyung. You never were.” He was silent while hoseok had given his speech, staring up at the older with unfocused eyes. He face crumbled as he leaned forward, burying his head in hoseok’s shirt as tears fell down his cheeks, shoulders shaking as he sobbed for the umpteenth time that night. Hoseok’s words had stricken a chord in him and he wanted so badly to believe him.
Hoseok tightened his hold as soon as the younger had started crying, silently holding him as he shook. They sat there for what felt like hours before taehyung had finally stopped crying. Lifting taehyung’s head up with a finger under his chin, hoseok smiled softly. “Let’s get through this together, yeah?” Taehyung nodded before resting his cheek against the others shoulder. He was tired, eyes drifting shut as hoseok combed through his hair. He was almost asleep when hoseok shook him, lightly pushing his shoulders back to sit up straight. “Are you hungry?” He asked. Taehyung shook his head absent-mindedly, already leaning forward to rest back against hoseok. Just as he closed his eyes, his stomach let out an embarrassing whine, he frowned, causing hoseok to laugh.
"I'll take that as a yes! Now c'mon, get ready- my treat tonight." Hoseok said, ruffling taehyung’s hair, before finally standing and walking toward the opened door. Hoseok turned, looking over his shoulder at the other, who had just managed to stand up, "I mean what i said, tae." He said before leaving the room, closing the door behind him. Taehyung smiled softly as the door clicked shut, mind drifting to hoseok’s words and if he really thought his smile was like the sun.