Work Text:
Hey, baby.
Usually I don’t do this kind of stuff but I decided you know what? Why not? I made you a little something. It’s called Open When. If you look under the bed, by my side there’s a black box there that contains a bunch of envelopes that have even more letters inside.
BUT!!! You must ONLY open the letters once (or twice a week) and ONLY when the topic applies to you. And I know you, Taehyung, so DON’T YOU DARE SNEAK A PEEK at them. Make sure you keep the letters and don’t show them to anyone, they’re meant to be personal.
I hope you like it, baby. Love you, happy birthday again.
Yours Truly, Jeongguk.
——-
Open when......you need a laugh.
Taehyung was so exhausted, mentally and physically. College classes, his part time job and the late night art classes were taking a toll on him.
This past week had been hectic and stressful all in one. It all started with him accidentally deleting his essay off his laptop that he spent all night writing. His professor didn’t bother believing him, nor gave him a chance to make it up, he just gave him a big fat F—and Taehyung thinks he had a better chance saying his dog fucking ate his homework. In college.
Then, a few days later at his job he had miscounted his drawer. It’s normal and it was a honest simple mistake. He was half asleep, so what he recounted the same twenty dollar bill twice without realizing it, making his drawer twenty dollars short. One of his colleagues accused him of stealing though, and this caused his boss to come in and have a long talk with him, warning Taehyung if it happens again, he will be let off—for twenty bucks he didn’t even steal.
And lastly, his art class. He pays for his class monthly, but since he had just finished paying rent, he was, well, broke. He tried to get his teacher to listen to him, to let him go just this once because he promises he will pay when he gets his check next week, but his teacher had tsked and tersely said ‘if I do that for you, Taehyung, don’t you think it’s unfair to those that had asked the same before?’
His teacher had a point, sure, but he needed this class—especially after all the shit we went through this past week. Painting gave him a sense of tranquility, a way to escape reality, and his teacher is forbidding him of that because he’s missing one payment.
He gets home with a heavy heart and glassy eyes. He just wants to just take a shower and fall asleep cuddling with his boyfriend—
Then that’s when he remembers the box of letters Jeongguk had made for him during times like these.
He rushes into their room and pulls out the box from under the bed. He opens the lid hastily, rummaging through the letters until he finds the specific one he’s looking for. As eager as he is to read it already, he’s careful to rip open the envelope, not wanting to ruin all the hard work his boyfriend put into all this.
He takes out the letter that’s tucked inside and unfolds it, not noticing a picture fell onto his lap because he was too focused on reading.
Hey baby,
If you’re reading this, you clearly need a laugh, huh? Whatever it is that’s got you down, I promise you it’ll get better, it always does.
Remember that one time when we were all at the beach? Me, you, Hobi and Jimin? We were sitting on our towels and I was too busy taking pictures of the scenery while you were there, demanding me to hurry so I can go with you in the water? Jimin and Hobi were already in it, splashing each other like little kids, having a good time—until they weren’t.
Jimin had jokingly screeched that he seen a shark, startling those in the water and mostly Hobi. When Jimin ran out while laughing, he had tripped over his own feet in the sand and fell right in front of a stranger. He had looked so mortified, but me and you were too busy laughing so hard to go and help him.
In midst of the laughing though, I had snapped a picture. (Jimin doesn’t know this picture exists, so let’s just keep it between us.)
I hope this little memory got some reaction out of you, babe. I know I was chuckling while writing it.
That’s when Taehyung looks down and sees the picture Jeongguk was talking about. Taehyung was already laughing, recalling the memory with a fond smile on his lips, but the picture is what makes him burst out into tears.
It shows Jimin with a bunch of sand covering his chest—and even some on his chin. The picture wasn’t the clearest since Jeongguk had to zoom in to capture it, but Taehyung can see the redness on Jimin’s cheeks. He just doesn’t know if it was from a sunburn or embarrassment.
He looks at it once again and laughs loud, shaking his head. Yeah, he got a reaction out of it.
——-
Open when......you’re mad at me.
“Stupid asshole,” Taehyung growls out, roughly dipping his brush into the black paint that had gotten all over his hands and thighs. He doesn’t have any picture in mind, he just knows it’s something to do with darkness, anger, and a little bit of confusion.
The canvas panel was entirely filled with black, red and thin streaks of grey. It was a complete contrast to what he usually paints—which is happiness, gentleness and lighthearted pieces that have those feel a flutter in their heart whenever Taehyung explains his work. Today though, it’s deliberately ugly and it makes him want to scream.
Him and Jeongguk had gotten into an argument. This isn’t rare since they get into petty ones all the time, but today was so different. Jeongguk had accused Taehyung of cheating—and fuck, it hurt him so bad that Jeongguk would even think that, let alone say it out loud with so much malice and disgust in his tone.
Bogum, Taehyung’s ex from high school, had came back to the city. Of course, Jeongguk knew who he was since Taehyung had told him before. He also told his boyfriend he was going to hang with Bogum today, to catch up with one another and nothing more. He seen the dubious look in Jeongguk’s eye, the way Jeongguk’s mouth twitched but the younger had said ‘okay’ and that was that.
So, when Taehyung came back two hours later to Jeongguk shunning him, and snapping at him whenever Taehyung tried to ask what the hell was wrong, the older had given up with a sigh, walking away.
And that’s when Jeongguk spitted out the most hurtful thing he’s ever said to Taehyung.
“Had a nice time getting fucked by Bogum?”
Yeah, Bogum is Taehyung’s high school ex. Does that mean he still loves Bogum? No. Bogum was always a friend before he was a boyfriend and it stings Jeongguk would question their trust like this and blindly accuse Taehyung of cheating.
He hears their room door opening slowly, but he doesn’t bother looking up. He continues painting with such ferocity, lips pulled into a deep scowl and white knuckles grasping his paint brush.
“Baby?”
“Leave me alone,” Taehyung snaps. “I’m still angry.” Okay so maybe the whole painting suggestion did help relieve some anger, but Jeongguk doesn’t need to know that—yet.
“I’m sorry.”
Rolling his eyes at the apology, Taehyung scoffs bitterly. From how severe he’s painting, he manages to accidentally get red paint on their beige sheets next, but he’s too exasperated to be bothered by it. “How can you say that to me?”
“I know. I’m so sorry.”
“Like, what the fuck went through your mind when you said that?” Taehyung finally looks up from his canvas and over at an ashamed Jeongguk.
“I don’t know. I was just jealous, fuck, Tae. He was your high school lover.”
“Yeah, high school. It’s been five years. I love you, Jeongguk. Just you.”
“I know,” Jeongguk sighs, like he’s disappointed in himself for exaggerating something that could’ve been avoided entirely. He steps inside the room when he notices Taehyung looks less aggravated now, still tense, but he doesn’t look ready to kill Jeongguk anymore. Kneeling down, he removes the canvas from Taehyung’s lap and the paintbrush still clutched in his hands, setting it down on the floor.
Running his hands up and down Taehyung’s thighs, not minding the dried paint on them, Jeongguk kisses his skin softly, letting his lips linger there. “You’re an idiot,” Taehyung mumbles with a small frown, crossing his arms across his chest. His tone softens, so Jeongguk knows he’s almost forgiven.
“I love you so much,” Jeongguk whispers, sitting up on the bed in front of his pouty boyfriend. He untangles Taehyung’s hands from his chest so he can intertwine their fingers, giving his lovers warm hand a squeeze. “I’m so sorry. I know you would never cheat on me. I really am an idiot.”
“Just—next time talk to me if something like this bothers you, okay?” Taehyung asks calmly, looking down at their clasped hands.
“Okay. I promise,” Jeongguk gently tilts Taehyung’s head up by his chin, kissing him longingly and tenderly.
Hey baby,
If I had made you angry to the point you have to open this letter, I’m probably not being the best boyfriend I can be and I’m sorry for that.
I know when you’re mad, you’re a bit more reactive, so you’re probably going to want to yell at me and maybe even throw some things. Which is why I bought you a blank canvas with some paint so you can paint out all your frustration.
It’s hidden in our closet, under all those blankets. Again, I’m so sorry, angel. I hope this helps.
——
Open when......you miss me.
Taehyung finds it a bit ridiculous how it’s only been two days, forty-eight hours, since he’s last seen Jeongguk and yet, without his boyfriends warm presence around their small apartment, it feels like it’s been weeks.
Jeongguk had warned him beforehand, too, that he’d be leaving soon for a few days to perform with his dance mates out of state, but it had slipped Taehyung’s mind. He had totally forgotten all about it.
He hates how the bed feels colder—way too big without Jeongguk’s arms wrapped around his waist, caging him in while he holds him closely.
So he pretends the pillow is Jeongguk, burying his face in the cotton that faintly smells of his boyfriend. He closes his eyes, listening to the sweet sound of Jeongguk’s velvety voice singing him to sleep through his earphones.
Hey baby,
Don’t worry, wherever I am by the time you’re reading this, I’ll be back soon. Don’t miss me too much! Call up Yoongi if you’re feeling lonely, or distract yourself by painting until your hearts content. Just promise me you won’t mope all day long, okay?
I want you to look through your phones voice memo after you finish reading this, you’ll see a new recording of me singing a song there. Just a little something to make it seem like I’m right there besides you, singing to you while you fall asleep. Hope you enjoy it, love.
———
Open when......you need a kiss.
It’s only been three solid days but once Taehyung hears the sound of their front door opening, he jumps onto Jeongguk, pulling him into a bruising kiss. Jeongguk catches him without any difficulty, holding him up by his thighs, chuckling into the kiss. “Hi, angel.”
“Hi, I missed you so much,” Taehyung whispers against Jeongguk’s parted lips, pressing feather-light kisses all over his boyfriends face to show him exactly how much he missed him. Jeongguk smiles big enough to have his eyes crinkling.
“I missed you, too,” Jeongguk walks them to the couch, sitting down first so the older can straddle his lap. Jeongguk cups both of Taehyung’s cheeks, leaning in to kiss him this time. This kiss is much more gentle than the one Taehyung initiated, it has the older sighing into the kiss, missing the feeling and taste of Jeongguk’s lips on his own.
Hey baby,
Well, this one is pretty much straightforward.
Don’t be mistaken, though, you can kiss me anytime you want. You don’t need a paper to tell you when you can kiss me—yet, I know, I still made this one just because haha.
——-
Open when......you don’t feel needed.
Cuddling closer to Jeongguk, Taehyung hides his face in his boyfriends neck, breathing in his comforting and familiar scent. It makes him smile to himself, his chest feeling lighter than it has all day.
Taehyung has had his fair share days of feeling so.....so damn empty. And he can admit right now, it’s possibly one of the worst feelings he’s ever felt.
He doesn’t know why it even started. He had woken up and the ugly feeling started gnawing at his chest, like it was trying to escape, but it only ended up making him feel worse. He knew it was an unreasonable excuse to miss classes for it, but fuck, how would he have been able to focus in class when his chest felt so constricted?
He also knew it was selfish for him to text Jeongguk while the younger was in class—but the letter told him that his boyfriend would always be there for him whenever he felt lonely, felt unneeded. So, he texted him.
Jeongguk came back quicker than Taehyung expected after he sent the text, so when he did, he was instantly scooped up in the youngers strong arms while Jeongguk had softly kissed his forehead and whispered, “Let’s get to bed.”
Once they reached the bed, Taehyung instantly attached himself onto Jeongguk, not giving the younger a proper chance to shift into a more comfortable position. Jeongguk wasn’t even bothered by it. If anything, he was more upset at seeing his baby so beaten down.
He whispers words of encouragement while leaving a trail of affectionate kisses on Taehyung’s face, telling him he loves him, to never feel less than how much he’s worth, and that he’s wanted and needed. Taehyung had gradually calmed down, his hold on Jeongguk loosening, but he didn’t let go—not yet.
“Thank you,” Taehyung eventually murmurs, breaking the comfortable silence. He gives Jeongguk’s neck a chaste peck. “I love you. So much.”
“I love you so much, too,” Jeongguk kisses the top of Taehyung’s hair, smiling when he feels the olders lips stretching into a smile as well.
Hey baby,
Fuck, it pains me you even had to open this one, Tae. Please remember you are needed and I love you so, so much. Your friends love you. Your family loves you.
I know you tend to close yourself out when you’re feeling like this, and I know you hate it when I try and pry an answer out of you so instead of talking, I can offer my cuddles, kisses and soft words until you’re ready to tell me.
I left a homemade coupon for that in this envelope. It’s limitless, by the way, so you can use it as many times as you want.
I love you so much, angel. Please try and remember you’re very much needed. Use the coupon whenever.
——-
Open when......you’ve opened all the letters.
Hey baby,
So I guess this is the final letter and don’t worry, these letters are reusable. So whether you need a hug, a kiss, a moment to sit down and just talk, or a laugh, that is what this is all for.
I hope you liked these, Tae. Never forget how much you mean to me and thank you for making me happy. I love you.