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a loud sequence of crashes comes from the bathroom, which has namjoon looking up from his novel. he’d picked it up to keep himself occupied while waiting for his turn in the shower, afraid he’d fall asleep. he’s at that level of tired where the texture of his jeans on his legs feels too rough and he just wants to melt into a puddle and evaporate into the air, maybe.
“everything alright?” namjoon yells over the back of the couch, tucking a bookmark between the pages.
it should be fine, taehyung must have just knocked over the multitude of shampoo and conditioner bottles crowding the shelf. the sound is quite familiar to namjoon, unfortunately. namjoon has what taehyung calls ‘elbows of destruction.’
namjoon’s brows scrunch a little when there’s no response.
“taehyung?”
he listens intently for an answer over the sound of running water, but there’s still nothing. setting his book down, he pushes himself off the couch and shuffles to the bathroom door in his cloth slippers. stopping in front of the door, namjoon leans in and calls taehyung’s name loudly, knocking a few times with a curled knuckle.
“taehyung, is it ok if i come in?”
there’s another moment of quiet and namjoon’s getting worried at this point, but then he hears a soft “yeah” through the door.
breathing a sigh of relief, he turns the knob and steps in. the shower cubicle is in the process of fogging up, but namjoon can see taehyung crouched down under the spray, arms wrapped around his knees. he’s surrounded by colorful bottles and a bar of lavender soap. it doesn’t seem like he’s slipped or fallen, though.
“you ok?” namjoon says, raising his voice so taehyung can hear him.
taehyung’s face is buried in his arms and he doesn’t move.
namjoon’s going to take that as a no.
namjoon steps out of his slippers, onto the bath mat, and cracks the transparent shower door open.
“do you want me to wash your hair?” he says, softer this time.
taehyung turns and looks up at that. his hair is sopping wet, and the dark strands clinging to his temples contrast harshly with his skin. he seems to think about the offer for a moment before nodding. namjoon quirks a tired smile in response.
“okay.” namjoon closes the door to prevent the heat from escaping and takes off his clothes, tossing them onto taehyung’s pile on the toilet seat. it feels so good to rid himself of his layers, as if he’s stripping off the stuff and the stress he’s accumulated during the day.
“stand up so i have space?” namjoon says after opening the cubicle door again.
taehyung gets up obediently, grabbing a few bottles and setting them onto the shelf in the corner while he’s at it. namjoon steps quickly into the welcoming steam, muscles relaxing instantly, feeling his mind go soft and quiet. the door closes with a muted thud. the space is crowded with the two of them, but taehyung is slim and he angles his body so half of the spray is on namjoon. they’re facing each other, and close enough that taehyung can gently tuck his face into the crook of namjoon’s neck, which he does with an audible sigh.
“long day, huh,” namjoon says.
“yeah,” taehyung says, his deep voice subdued.
namjoon thinks this mood is from more than just a long day, but he doesn’t have energy right now to ask. tomorrow, maybe, he’ll talk to taehyung. the kid keeps things bottled up sometimes and namjoon needs to let him know it’s alright to share the burden. for now, taking care of taehyung this way is the best he can do, and perhaps what taehyung needs the most.
“what’ll it be, baby?” namjoon asks, pressing his cheek to taehyung’s wet hair as he raises a hand to pat at his head.
the pet name slips out naturally. the years namjoon has spent with people like jimin and jin, who express their love openly and without shame (as everyone should, namjoon thinks), have taught namjoon how to be gentle, that he can be gentle.
“d’you want apple blossom, strawberry, or pantene for men..?” namjoon reads the labels on the bottles in front of him. for men or just… anyone who likes pantene in dark, minimalistic packaging, he thinks to himself. there are even more bottles piled on the shelf and some lined up neatly on the floor. namjoon himself isn’t particular about shampoo brands or scents, but some of his housemates (everyone but namjoon, honestly) are, hence the ridiculous variety of products in the shower.
namjoon slides his hand to taehyung’s neck when taehyung lifts his head to say “strawberry, please.”
“sure.” namjoon reaches over taehyung’s shoulder to grab the appropriate bottle, managing not to knock anything onto the floor.
“turn around for me,” he says, and taehyung does. namjoon pops the cap open and squeezes some shampoo into his palm, and it comes out soft pink and shimmery. the artificial strawberry smell floods the shower once he puts his hands on taehyung’s hair and begins massaging bubbles into it.
taehyung tilts his head back helpfully, and namjoon scritches gently at his scalp, working the shampoo to the roots. he’s distracted for a moment by the beautiful stretch of taehyung’s neck and his golden skin. without removing his hands from taehyung’s hair, he dips down to press a kiss to the slope of his shoulder before getting back to work.
“thanks,” taehyung says with his eyes closed.
“you’re welcome,” namjoon says, smiling to himself because he finds it cute that taehyung reflexively thanks people for things like cheek kisses and shoulder kisses, which he gets in abundance from jimin and, surprisingly, yoongi.
after a minute, namjoon’s arms are feeling kind of tired, evidence of his exhaustion. he thinks he’s done a pretty good job, though, so he instructs taehyung to rinse.
“i’m gonna let you do it yourself, i don’t want to get shampoo in your eye,” he says.
“’kay.”
namjoon steps back a bit so taehyung can lean into the spray, bubbles running down his shoulders and back. taehyung has his eyes closed, so he nearly elbows namjoon in the face when he reaches up to run his hands through his hair. namjoon dodges it like a champ. his reflexes do exist, take that, jin.
“where’s the strawberry conditioner?” namjoon asks when taehyung is done. he can’t find a matching pink bottle.
taehyung looks at him and pouts a little.
“it ran out last week,” he mumbles. “my hair was feeling really dry.”
“ah. we’ll tell hoseok to get more when he goes grocery shopping tomorrow.” namjoon’ll need to write a reminder on the fridge before going to bed.
“okay,” taehyung says quietly. “i’ve just been using jimin’s boring pantene instead.”
taehyung finds the bottle and passes it to namjoon over his shoulder, but lets go before namjoon can get a good grip on the already slippery plastic. namjoon ends up punching the tiled wall and banging his forehead to taehyung’s shoulder blade in a sloppy attempt to catch it. the pantene conditioner (for men) thumps loudly onto the ground.
taehyung lets out a little ‘oop!’ of surprise.
“agh,” namjoon says, kneeling carefully to pick it up. when he’s upright again, taehyung turns around and catches him shaking out his unfortunate hand, which was no match for ceramic tile.
“ah, i’m fine,” namjoon mutters. “is your shoulder ok?”
instead of answering, taehyung grabs namjoon’s hand, brings it up to his face, and kisses namjoon’s palm with a loud smack. he looks up expectantly afterwards. namjoon is struck by how cute and sweet taehyung seems in this moment, always capable of expressions that are at odds with what he’s been through in the past.
“that’s not exactly where it hurts, but thanks, baby,” namjoon grins, and taehyung smiles back. he takes his wrist from taehyung’s grasp to pat softly at his cheek.
as namjoon combs the conditioner through taehyung’s hair with his fingers, he marvels at how smooth strands feel against his skin. namjoon usually keeps his hair much shorter than taehyung does, which results in a different hair-washing experience.
“you’re good at this, hyung,” taehyung says, swaying a little into namjoon’s touch.
“thank you.”
“hoseok hyung is still the best though.”
“wow, rude,” namjoon says. he’s too tired to be properly offended, and he’s glad taehyung’s mood has improved enough for teasing. is this a sign he’s too soft?
probably.
“but being around you is more comforting,” taehyung says quietly, slurring his words a little. “don’t tell hoseok hyung i said that.”
“i won’t.”
namjoon thinks it’s worth it, to be soft on taehyung.
as he gives the conditioner a little time to sit in taehyung’s hair, namjoon gives him a quick back scrub. taehyung doesn’t put much effort into staying upright, so namjoon is careful not to tip him over.
“almost done, tae,” namjoon says, finally lifting the shower head from the holder and aiming the spray at taehyung’s hair. when he’s finished rinsing him off, namjoon sticks his arm out the door to reach for the fluffy towel hanging on the rack.
taehyung blinks sleepily as he’s patted dry. he looks calm and pretty, and completely prepared to pass out this instant. namjoon places the towel on taehyung’s head, grabs his shoulders, and herds him out the shower.
“you should blow dry your hair,” namjoon says, knowing taehyung probably won’t.
“too tired,” taehyung says, standing on the bath mat with his eyes closed.
“jin hyung will scold you.”
“he doesn’t have to know.”
“he’ll be able to tell.”
taehyung gurgles in response, and namjoon lets it go, turning the shower on again.
“ah, hyung,” taehyung says suddenly, “i didn’t get to wash your hair.”
“some other time,” namjoon says over the running water. “did you brush your teeth?”
“yeah, before i showered.”
“good. go to bed then, baby.”
“okay,” taehyung says, face serene, eyes closed and smiling. like a wise, little old man, namjoon’s brain thinks inanely, as taehyung hunches in the towel wrapped over his shoulders and shuffles out the door.
“goodnight hyung.”
“goodnight.”
namjoon is out of the shower five minutes later, so tired that he just wanted to get it over with and fall into bed. he’s half asleep on his feet already. he looks down at the pink bath mat, watching his hair drip dark circles onto the soft fabric.
he wiggles his toes.
looking around blearily, his slippers are nowhere to be found. namjoon sighs. taehyung must have worn them back to the room. the kid is scolded on a daily basis for wearing whatever slippers he sees lying around, though everyone in the apartment has their own designated pair.
namjoon toughs it out on cold tile as he brushes his teeth. when he’s done, he flicks the light off and tiptoes to the living room. it’s been a while since they’ve swept the floor, he thinks. it might be best not to think about it, actually.
a rustling noise startles namjoon as he moves past the couch where his novel still sits unfinished, and he looks across the space to see yoongi eating cereal in the kitchen. not an unfamiliar scene.
“dude,” he says.
yoongi just grunts in response. a goodnight grunt, namjoon interprets.
when he finally makes it to his and taehyung’s bedroom, namjoon sees that the fairy lights are on low and that taehyung has thrown himself diagonally across their shared bed. but he’s thrown the wet towel onto the back of namjoon’s desk chair (as opposed to the floor), and put on boxers, at least.
namjoon nudges taehyung over after tugging on a tshirt and pajama pants. he somehow wrestles the comforter out from under taehyung in a hazy, half conscious state. sleep is so close. a soft, clean smell engulfs him as he settles the comforter over himself and taehyung, and this is likely the best moment of namjoon’s life. the feeling when his head sinks into the pillow is absolute heaven. after namjoon’s eyes slip shut, he feels taehyung shift closer and throw an arm over his chest.
“joonie,” taehyung mumbles. namjoon turns to where taehyung’s forehead and damp hair are pressed to his shoulder and plants a kiss to the top of his strawberry scented head.
it’s always worth it, namjoon thinks, to be soft on taehyung.