Work Text:
Jeongguk doesn’t think he has ever been so in love before. He’s positive that Jimin and Yoongi are the only ones who can make him feel so happy, so cared for and the most beautiful moments in his life are the ones he made with the two.
In the beginning, he was insecure. Really insecure. The older two had been dating for six months then, only after that did Jeongguk come into the picture. And, obviously, it wasn’t easy to tell each other their feelings first. Of course, the initial couple did not feel good about falling in love with a third person outside their relationship, and Jeongguk really did question himself every night before going to sleep about loving two boys.
But all of that is in the past. They’re in a loving relationship, living their lives and coming home to certain boyfriends already making dinner.
Jeongguk is their resident brat, cheeky and teasing - Jimin indulges him more easily and the youngest gets away with anything when it comes to him. Sweet, sweet Jimin always spoils his boyfriends.
Maybe Yoongi not so much. He knows the youngest enjoys the attention and revels in taking all the opportunities to tease his hyungs, especially with the blond-haired male - Yoongi knows very well and scolds him for it sometimes, not really meaning a single word. He's just the same as Jimin when it comes to pampering Jeongguk.
And, needless to say, Jeongguk feels really loved.
Or, that’s what it’s supposed to be like.
Except the fact that Jeongguk feels more distant lately. It’s not that the other two treat him differently, but the way they smile at each other and not Jeongguk - it’s pretty much obvious. Jeon Jeongguk may be an oblivious (and even dense) person, but he doesn’t miss it, the way Yoongi is more of a softie for Jimin, while Jeongguk is being a brat; or the way Jimin is more clingy around his hyung, always cuddling and whining for affectionate touches.
It’s impossible to not see at some point, Jeongguk figures. His boyfriends might be just better off without him.
He's dumb and dumb, also a little dumb.
It’s a bittersweet feeling that’s drumming against his chest, in his veins, slight sorrow and the insecurities making his heart sink. He doesn’t want Jimin and Yoongi to see him as dramatic, he really doesn’t - but when those tears swell in his eyes, he can’t help it. He can't help these dumb thoughts popping into his head and he definitely cannot do anything with the impetousity guiding him. He may just be blind and really helpless when it comes to being overwhelmed.
Adrenaline pumping in his veins, he gets up from the couch and makes his way to their bedroom. The apartment is quiet; the older two are still at work, doing their best to earn the money they need - so if Jeongguk leaves, they will have one less problem to worry about.
Jeongguk ignores the numb fog covering his mind or his blurry vision - he doesn’t think twice before throwing his clothes inside his suitcase. Painful sobs and whimpers keep flowing out of his mouth, like an endless river - he does feel helpless, but the only thing he can think about is that Yoongi and Jimin might think just the same too. That they are waiting for Jeongguk to finally catch up on things and let them be; waiting for the youngest to leave, because they’re better off without him.
Jeongguk takes his phone out of his pocket with shaking hands and dials the only person he knows he can; Taehyung.
The male, as always, is quick to answer his call.
“Hey, Guk, what’s u-”
“H-hyung,” Jeongguk cuts him off, hiccuping and the immediate silence from the other side lets him know that Taehyung is listening. “Can I-I, maybe s-sleep at yours? O-on the couch or s-something?”
The younger, despite his hazy state of mind, can hear Taehyung sighing. “Of course, bun. I’ll go and pick you up.”
Jeongguk sniffs. “Thank you, hyung.”
<>
Jimin closes the door while humming a song - he recognises it’s the one Jeongguk’s been listening to constantly. The youngest of the three should be already home, so the blonde-haired male is a little confused when he doesn’t see his shoes.
“Love? I’m home!” he says loud enough for Jeongguk to hear, but he gets no response. Weird.
The snacks which he brought for the younger male and himself to eat together (while maybe cuddling on the couch and watching a movie) is placed on their counter softly by Jimin and he looks around in the living room. Jeongguk is nowhere to be found.
Worry slowly seeps into his mind as Jimin opens the door to the toilet, bathroom and bedroom. Jeongguk isn’t there. Their king-sized bed is empty, sheets tidy and the male can feel the first tears making their way up to the surface, urging himself to not let them fall. Jimin takes quick steps to their wardrobe and exhales slowly before opening its door.
The mix of shock and horror is unbearable and he finds himself stumbling onto their bed at the sight, grabbing the sheets for support. His eyes are wide as he can feel himself crying, ignoring the wet streaks of tears on his cheeks.
Jeongguk isn’t there, and neither is his stuff.
Jeongguk left.
But why?
Jimin’s first and instant reaction is a hand flying towards his pocket, to dial Yoongi. He can’t help the sobs that keep ripping his lungs out, alarms going off in his mind as he unlocks his phone fast. He’s anxious and distressed.
“Hey babe, be quick, I need to-”
“Yoongi,” the younger’s voice cracks as he interrupts his boyfriend, not caring about formalities now. “Jeonggukie is not here. H-he….left.”
Silence follows. Jimin knows the older is processing the new information, knows what expression his boyfriend is wearing - knows Yoongi like the back of his hand, reads him like an open book and can easily recognise every mood he’s in by one small word.
“Be there in a half,” the older tries to hide the fear in his tone, acts as if he’s nowhere near to crying. But who is he trying to fool? Jimin knows him, just like he hears the voice of his boyfriend shake.
<>
Yoongi is miserable. It’s already been three days since Jeongguk left, three days since half of his heart was broken into small pieces.
He can’t handle this. Jimin is quiet, mute, and Yoongi doesn’t know what to do. His smaller boyfriend hasn’t said anything since three days ago, he’s only been hugging Jeongguk’s left-behind hoodie that the youngest forgot to pack. Yoongi doubts it still has the same sweet scent that is just so Jeongguk, his indescribable aroma is almost completely gone. If he is miserable, then Jimin is worse.
Yoongi knows that their boyfriend (?) is at Taehyung’s, he is aware that the younger male goes to work from there, wakes up in bed next to their friend and literally moved in there for the time he’s searching for a new apartment, every passing day.
But he doesn’t know why.
Jeongguk left without a word, without leaving a note or anything; he just packed his stuff and acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Yoongi doesn’t understand, nor does Jimin. They haven’t fought about anything. They haven’t told Jeongguk off for him to be hurt. What have they done that caused this?
Jimin hasn’t slept for god knows how long. He has bags under his red eyes, staring into nothing all day - his mind goes numb and foggy more often than not. He has lost focus utterly, and those warm orbs of his are nothing but icy. The only one who can quite melt them is Yoongi but they need Jeongguk to warm them up entirely. Like they always did, do and will.
They are miserable without their youngest third.
All the while, the boy isn’t any better. Or, to put it simply;
Jeongguk is a wreck.
There’s a huge contrast between sleeping next to two warm bodies to none - even though Taehyung doesn’t let him sleep alone on the older’s couch, Jeongguk is cold. Taehyung has offered cuddling him, but Jeongguk doesn’t want to think it’s Yoongi or Jimin instead of his friend, he knows he’ll feel bad afterwards. He is still holding onto their memories, both bad and good ones, desperately, brokenly.
He feels as if his heart has been ripped out of his chest, his body becoming dysfunctional. He knew it would be hard, but nothing could have prepared him for this. He is lonely and practically a half-zombie - Taehyung worries his ass off for him and he really tries to make it less painful for Jeongguk. The younger is thankful (but still a wreck).
Every day passes by slowly - it has been already a week and Jeongguk is trying to live without Jimin’s soft kisses or Yoongi’s gentle touches. Needless to say, he’s doing badly if his red eyes are any indication.
No hour passes without him considering going back to them, but he always resists the urge. He reminds himself of the times when he was the brat and Yoongi rolled his eyes at him, making him submit soon after. The oldest of the three always said this, that Jeongguk acts all high and mighty yet he is just eager to be taken care of, to writhe in pleasure while his hyungs take him apart by simple touches. Jeongguk is a brat and maybe, it’s better that he doesn’t annoy the eldest male anymore, is no longer there to be Jimin’s polar opposite when it comes to being good (he has always liked some adventure, so).
Taehyung has tried to convince him many times - not because he wants to kick Jeongguk out but it’s achingly clear that the distance between the three males is harmful. He wants the younger to be okay and just fucking realise that what he’s doing is more than self-destructive, impacting his two ex-boyfriends too and not in the best ways. And Jeongguk is aware, he knows, but the small voice in the back of his head tells him otherwise, that he should stay right where he is because that’s the way he can advance any inconveniences for everyone. He doesn’t want to worsen the situation any further (and oh boy, little does he know).
Jeongguk has barely eaten and he can’t even fall asleep anymore, not until exhaustion takes over his mind completely. At those nights, he enjoys how he can be unconscious for a while - he can forget the pain swimming through his heart back and forth and just drown in blank nothingness. Sleep is his little safe place where he can escape to, where his mind is only an unreachable notion instead of his own enemy. He flees from his own thoughts, his own sorrow, his own self, and that is not okay.
He knows it’s not okay. He knows he isn’t. But he needs to overcome it, to move on, for the sake of the other two boys he loves.
That’s what he tells himself every day.
<>
The sun is shining brightly at 11 am. Jeongguk’s eyes flutter open, the brightness making it beyond possibility to sleep more.
It’s one of those nights when he finally could sleep, his body giving up on him again. Taehyung is already awake, his side of the bed empty and there is a cold cup of coffee on the bedside table, waiting for Jeongguk to drink it.
The male groans softly as he stretches his limbs out, sleepy yawn on his lips. It’s April, so his pajamas - plain t-shirt and boxers - aren’t enough to make him warm at this time of the year. He gets up and makes his way to his suitcase slowly, taking out one of his oversized, fluffy hoodies and he puts it on before taking the cup of coffee into his hands, smiling softly while taking a sip. Taehyung really is an angel.
Jeongguk feels the cold floor making contact with his equally cold feet, scrunching up his nose in displeasure at the sensation. Yet, he feels unusually content - is he getting over Yoongi and Jimin? Maybe. Slowly, but surely, he tries. (At least, that's what he tells himself, again.)
His steps are unhurried and heavy with sleep when he opens the door. He’s greeted with the sight of Taehyung, smiling softly as soon as he sees the other and-
…
Jimin and Yoongi, on the couch.
The atmosphere immediately becomes tense as Jeongguk looks back at Taehyung questioningly. He’s avoiding the way his heart sinks at the sight of his ex-boyfriends. The attempt to rearrange his thoughts before they get out of control is useless and Jeongguk lets out a shaky breath. He doesn't even say ‘good morning’, just;
“Why are they here?”
The question sounds harsh and the youngest male doesn’t miss the way Jimin winces slightly. Yet, he pretends like he’s paying no mind to it, like the other two aren’t even there and diverts his attention back to his current roommate. “Tae.”
“I asked them to come over.” Taehyung holds his gaze, maintaining eye-contact as he calmly answers the other. Jeongguk’s eyes flicker between the three, taking the situation in.
He feels his eyes ache, the oh-so-familiar signs of a forthcoming crying. “And why did you?” he asks, making his voice sound more steady than he feels right now. He’s mostly scared (and Taehyung knows that damn well).
“Jeongguk.” Yoongi stands up, tone dominating as always, but not as much as usual. It’s quite shaky compared to the normal and to his displeasure, nobody misses it in the room. “Let’s talk,” he adds a few seconds later, examining the taller’s features. He studies the bags under his eyes, the lack of rest giving itself away instantly. Yoongi knows Jimin thinks the same, can see his boyfriend from the corner of his eyes and the way the smaller clenches his fists into the rough material of the couch - Jeongguk is in a horrible state.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Jeongguk hisses, sending death glares in Taehyung’s way before walking into the kitchen, placing his mug down on the counter. “It was pointless for you to come here,” the male’s voice cracks in the middle of his sentence, but acts as if nothing happened. Of course, it is no use. “So you may just get the fuck out.”
Jimin speaks up for the first time since Jeongguk woke up. “Don’t,” he mumbles quietly, eyes on the floor before he looks up at Jeongguk. “Don’t even…” he trails off, not being able to finish and the youngest boy knows he’s on the verge of crying. “Even if you try, you won’t succeed in making us believe that you’re an asshole. Guk.”
“I’m not trying to make you believe anything,” Jeongguk snorts. “Just go home and mind your own fucking lives, not mine.” The words roll of his tongue effortlessly. Of course he doesn’t mean it. He actually feels happiness spread out in his chest at the thought of the two coming all the way here just for him, but.
He has already made up his mind. He’ll stop being selfish for once and will let go of them.
Jimin has tears rolling down his cheeks and the youngest of them wants nothing more than to wipe them off gently. The oldest in the room notices the moisture of hurt, his eyes sharpening.
“Fucking brat,” Yoongi growls lowly and it sends shivers down Jeongguk’s spine - good old times with the submissive part of his, the way Yoongi always has had these effects on him; a delicious burn runs through Jeongguk’s limbs and he wants nothing more than to just fall into the arms of the older. Yet, he ignores it.
“A brat that is not a part of your life anymore. Leave.”
The oldest male’s mind is blank with red fury as he approaches Jeongguk, grabbing him by his collar, maintaining eye-contact. Jeongguk doesn’t have the guts to break it and stays silent, expectant with the little cocky raise of his brow.
“You cannot just disappear and act as if nothing happened, god dammit,” Yoongi raises his voice. “Do you think it’s okay to leave without a word? Do you know how miserable we are? Have you any ideas how much Jimin has eaten or slept in this past week? Do you think it’s okay to flee after making us fucking fall in love with you? Do you?” And now he’s yelling, completely unrestricted to let his emotions and frustration out in one go. “Who the fuck do you think you are? How the fuck do you expect me to react to your bullshit? I have no fucking idea what made you leave us behind, but at least say something!” Yoongi notices how shiny the younger’s eyes are becoming by the second, yet he continues. “Jeon-fucking-Jeongguk, if you have the balls to make Jimin and me so fucked up, then you sure have the courage to at least tell us why, don’t you? What were you expecting, that we would be like just “okay” and never talk to you? Never look for you? End the whole thing between us with a fucking shrug? This is not okay, far from it and you fucking know it! Don’t you?” the male lets Jeongguk’s collar go, quite out of his breath. He can hear Jimin sniffling from behind and also sees something watery fall from Jeongguk’s eyes.
He only notices now how the younger is trembling, how small he looks now with shoulders tense and grabbing the hem of his shirt, so much his knuckles turn white. Jeongguk bites his lower lip harshly, almost enough to draw blood to the surface, and he is unable to suppress the few pathetic whimpers escaping his throat.
“Hyung, you don't love me,” he speaks up, close to inaudibly as tears stream down his cheeks. “You love each other.”
Yoongi and Jimin’s eyes widen.
Silence follows.
...
What?
Jimin’s jaw drops in shock, just like Yoongi’s as they watch Jeongguk harshly brush his own tears away and it’s seemingly painful for his soft skin, so Yoongi takes his wrists and stops him.
The older has these eyes that are just so apologetic-looking and soft and Jimin is quick to walk up to them, sighing before reaching out to Jeongguk. “Baby.”
It’s the soft way the petname rolls of his tongue, the way Jimin says it so easily and carefully that makes Jeongguk break into sobs. All the pent-up agony and sorrow makes its way to the surface. The boy cries; and it’s that heartbreaking kind of painful to hear. Yoongi guides them to the couch, gently pushing the sobbing boy down before nodding in Taehyung’s way who is about to leave, already in his shoes. A silent smile is sent his way before Taehyung closes the door, leaving the three of them alone.
And then, Jeongguk just starts sobbing, for real. He sobs at the feeling of Jimin’s hand running through his soft locks of hair; the sweet and oh-so-familiar scent surrounding the other two, the aroma that could make him feel at peace anytime, since it meant the closeness of his loved ones. Jeongguk sobs at the way Yoongi holds his hands and waits patiently, like always, drawing patterns of love into his skin gently and lovingly; he sobs at the way the other two easily wrap him up between themselves, envelop the boy in their arms that hold nothing but their hearts for Jeongguk to take.
Jimin keeps whispering reassuring words into Jeongguk’s ear as the younger’s head rests on his shoulder. He’s holding onto Jimin desperately, whines when Yoongi strokes his back - he whines, because he missed all the affection, the warmth that only these two men could give him.
“It’s okay, bunny. You’re okay. We love you.” Yoongi mumbles under his breath, loud enough for only Jeongguk and Jimin to hear.
And even though those words have been repeated by them countless times, even if the youngest boy has heard them every damn day, it makes a known emotion of warmth spread out in his chest, limbs and every cell of his system; relieved and heart set free again, not banging against the cage Jeongguk has set it in. It’s because the boy is in love, just like the other two; it’s because he’s too weak to let go and forget; it’s because both Yoongi and Jimin would search the whole universe just to find the missing piece to their puzzle and it’s because the whole thing feels just right, indicates that this is where Jeongguk belongs to.
Because they’re okay.
<>
Being in a polyamory relationship can cause some problems; like the feeling of being left-out, insecurities increasing and so on.
They know that, very well.
Jeongguk sometimes just needs that little plus, that extra care from both Yoongi and Jimin to not fall into empty assumptions. Jeongguk figures he can’t help it, it’s just the way he is; always have been a little insecure, a little too vulnerable sometimes to be left alone.
The older two are willing to give their everything to Jeongguk though, paying extra attention to make sure he’s okay.
It’s only the next day that Jeongguk realises, being sandwiched between two bodies that warrant heat and love is the best thing in the world. He opens his eyes just slowly, a part of him afraid that he’ll find himself alone in the bedroom of Taehyung’s, without the loves of his life.
Instead, he finds himself staring into dark orbs holding Jeongguk’s world before they disappear into adorable crescents and the boy cannot help but mirror the action, smiling softly at Jimin. The older has an arm around his waist, pulling Jeongguk close but never too close - the younger finds it hardly enough, ugly feeling in his chest due to the small but still present distance.
However, Jimin is fast to cut through it, finding Jeongguk’s lips in a soft morning kiss that is mere (rather gross) morning breath and softness. The younger lets the other take lead easily, giving into the sensation and trying to memorise how it feels, every single detail of it. He takes a moment to whine when Yoongi’s arms - around his torso of course, to be close - tighten around him and the oldest of the three stirs, probably woke up by the not-so-subtle kissing sounds. Yoongi kisses his nape, lips tickling and soft and right then and there, Jeongguk has never felt more dumb and happy at the same time.
Dumb for ever considering leaving these two beautiful men he loves, wants, craves for and needs in his everyday life. For the happy part, he doesn’t need explanation.