Chapter Text
-part 1-
the journey to simul was long, made longer so by the absence of dialogue. jeongguk drove, of course, and yoongi sat in the passenger seat staring morosely out the window until he decided to spare the both of them the pretence of conversation and pulled out his phone and a pair of headphones. the first thought jeongguk had when they pulled into the cobbled driveway of their rickety new farmhouse was that they were so, so far away from everything that had made up the basis of their lives. jeongguk couldn’t be sure that was a bad thing, though. maybe that was the reason they had decided to move.
the moving trucks pulled up behind them and jeongguk got out of the car and opened yoongi’s door. he gently rubbed yoongi’s shoulder, trying to wake him up softly. with his eyes closed and headphones in, yoongi’s face was relaxed, making him look youthful, pure even. he woke up with a start and a grimace rippled across his face, instantly ruining the effect. pulling out his headphones, he looked up at jeongguk.
“we here?” he asked gruffly, the sleep coloring his deep voice even deeper.
“yup,” jeongguk replied, “i’m going to go help the movers put the stuff inside.”
yoongi, not breaking eye contact, said, “i’ll help too.”
he spoke with an carefully even voice but his eyes exposed a certain kind of desperation that made jeongguk’s heart ache. jeongguk swallowed the lump in his throat.
“no, we’re okay” he said firmly. yoongi sighed, the sound somewhere between anger and resignation. looking down, he quickly pushed himself up and out of the car and nearly fell over in the process. jeongguk felt a flash of adrenaline and panic and wrapped an arm around yoongi’s waist on instinct.
“thanks,” yoongi said bitterly, “i’m okay now.”
jeongguk nodded, retracting his hand and yoongi began his slow limp towards the house. jeongguk spent the rest of the afternoon trekking boxes between the moving truck and the house, the sun beating down angrily on his face and his chest. having grown up a city boy, he silently admired his surroundings every time he looked up and around. it was a little uncanny to see nothing but fields, hills, and dirt roads in his line of vision but he appreciated it nonetheless. by the time all of the boxes and furniture were moved into their respective rooms the sun had hidden away behind the hilly expanse surrounding them on all sides.
at dusk, jeongguk sent the movers away, thanking them and wishing them a safe journey home. he made his way into the house and plopped down onto a wooden barstool in the kitchen with a soft sigh of satisfaction. yoongi appeared from behind him and moved behind the counter, glancing at jeongguk with a sheepish look.
“um, i kinda tried to make dinner but we don't have anything but dry food yet.”
jeongguk was about to tell him not to worry about it, that they could just order something, but yoongi cut him off before he even spoke.
“so i made some oatmeal,” he said, a blush dusting his cheeks, “if thats ok?”
jeongguk had to tamp down a wide grin. cooking was neither of their forte so they ended up eating out a lot, but the one food that both of them liked and knew how to make was oatmeal. back in the days when they weren’t so busy they would make it together in the morning, the warmth of the stove and their bodies mingling with the cinnamon scent in the air to create something so wonderfully cozy. it had been a while since they'd had time for that.
“that sounds perfect.” jeongguk said in a gentle voice, flashing yoongi a small smile. yoongi blushed more and smiled timidly back.
“okay,” he said, procuring two bowls of oatmeal. the two of them ate in silence, not having much to say. yoongi remembered how jeongguk liked his oatmeal, putting in less brown sugar and more cinnamon; jeongguk imagined giving him a thankful kiss, before he shut the image out of his mind and told himself to forget.
when they finished, yoongi carelessly stood up to grab their bowls and visibly flinched, stumbling on his left leg. jeongguk felt the familiar panic, concern and heartache flood his veins. he stood up quickly, grabbing yoongi’s forearm arm and gently seating him back down.
“let me do it,” he said.
the mood had been considerably soured. yoongi smiled thinly, looking almost angry, but jeongguk knew he was holding back tears. mumbling in a choked up way, yoongi said “i’m going to go upstairs and sleep. all the traveling is wearing on me, i think.”
it was 5:40. jeongguk knew for a fact that yoongi wouldn’t sleep for another 5 hours.
“ok,” he said, and yoongi made his way up the stairs, jeongguk trying so hard to ignore his small whimpers of pain.
when he heard yoongi shifting around in the makeshift bed in the master suite, jeongguk let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. suddenly needing some air, he walked over to the backyard door and fiddled with the lock until it slid open. he was met with cool air and a surprising view.
when they had looked at the listing, the consensus was that it was a fixer-upper; no one had lived there for five years at least , the blue paint on the trim was peeling off and the front yard was full of overgrown plants. they had hired someone to sweep up and wipe down the interior before they moved in but they hadn't invested in a landscaper or gardener yet so it was safe to say jeongguk was a little startled to see the state of the backyard.
the lawn was certainly a little bit untamed, dandelions sprouting here and there, but there were no large weeds like the ones that had dominated the front. there were patches of bright flowers that were obviously intentionally placed in groups. there was a small pathway winding back that towards the fields looked mostly neat and dirt free. there was even a small lawn chair and table, both of which looked clean and taken care off.
jeongguk was confused; there was no way the backyard had stayed like this for five years, and as far as he knew, no gardeners had been hired. he wondered for a second if yoongi had called someone without telling him but suddenly he heard some humming from a little into the distance, near a small shed. the voice that was humming was deep but sweet and rich, like honey to jeongguk's ears. jeongguk was almost as enamored as he was suspicious. he followed the humming into the fields, the golden brown reeds getting taller and taller until they were nearly up to his chest. finally, he made out a figure that was decidedly not reed grass, though he blended in a bit. the figure was a human, his hair a light blonde and so long it was down past his ears. his skin was a radiant golden brown, contrasting prettily with the bright white shirt he was wearing. his eyes were closed as he hummed to himself, and his pink lips were spread slightly.
at some point he seemed to sense jeongguk’s presence, slowly opening his eyes and and looking him up and down before motioning him over. jeongguk mulled over it for a second, wondering it was safe, but the man seemed to be alone and didn’t look like he had any kind of weapon on him, so jeongguk couldn’t help himself. part of it may have been that this boy was devastatingly beautiful and looked like some kind of magical fairy, which gave jeongguk the unbearable urge to touch him. he wondered for a second if that golden skin was as soft as it looked, if those pink lips were as plush as they seemed, wondered what it would feel like swiping a tongue across them, before he quickly pushed such unnecessary thoughts out of his head.
cautiously approaching the man, who was sitting cross legged in a patch of dirt between some grass, jeongguk let out a soft “hello.”
the man grinned a dazzling smile, making his pointed eyes fold up into pretty crescents.
“hello,” he replied, sounded a lot less nervous than jeongguk, which was ridiculous considering he was currently trespassing in jeongguk’s backyard.
“um,” jeongguk managed to get out before he was gently interrupted by the man.
“you a wanderer?” the man asked.
“uh, no.” jeongguk replied, confused.
“oh,” the man said, now looking confused too, “what are doing here then?”
jeongguk was temporarily at a loss for words, “uh, i um, this is my backyard?” he managed.
the man looked confused for a second, but understanding slowly dawned on him, his eyes widening almost comically at the revelation.
“you bought the house?” he said, sounding shocked.
jeongguk nodded solemnly.
“o-oh god,” the man groaned, suddenly putting his face in his hands. “i'm sitting around, singing in your backyard, and i just asked what you’re doing here."
jeongguk laughed. “don’t worry about it,” he said, “you obviously didn’t know.” he continued. “but, uh, now that i do, can i ask what you’re doing here?”
the man looked up nervously. “i, um” he mumbled, “i actually live really near here, like two houses down, about a mile out.”
jeongguk blanched for a second, remembering that in the country your closest neighbors were a mile out.
“and well, there was no one ever living here and so i dropped by here a lot because i like it. i pick up around the garden, too. it's kind of been my baby for the last couple of years.”
jeongguk remembered the mysteriously well-cared for garden, a stark contrast to the rest of the home. “so that was you, huh” he said, smiling kindly at the man.
the man looked relieved at the positive reaction. “yeah, that was me. but, um, yeah i’m so sorry for trespassing. i really didn’t know, i'll get going now-” he said, beginning to stand up.
“wait!” said jeongguk. he didn’t know what possessed him to do it. is it because they needed a gardener? is it because he felt bad for this man who had to leave the garden he had taken care of for so long? is it because he was a little infatuated with this golden boy? is it because yoongi was sad and angry, and jeongguk was lonely? whatever the reason, he didn’t let the man leave.
he sat down on the ground next to the man, putting his chin in his arm. “tell me about yourself.”
the man eyed him suspiciously. “you're not a serial killer, are you?” he asked, the corner of his mouth pulled to the side in a way that jeongguk couldn't help but think was cute.
jeongguk laughed. “no, i'm just new to simul, and you're the first person that i've met from here.”
the man perked up. “oh! well that explains why i haven't seen you before. our population is about a hundred, so pretty much everyone knows everyone around here.” he smiled and continued. “i’m kim taehyung. i'm 22, and i’ve lived here my whole life. as you can probably tell, i like gardening.”
jeongguk chuckled at the classroom-esque introduction but returned one of his own anyway. “i’m jeon jeongguk. i’m 21 and i just moved here from magna. i like singing.”
taehyung let out low whistle. “you’re from magna and you moved to simul? what on earth for? this place is a shithole compared to there.”
jeongguk stiffened a little bit and said “you’d be surprised at how much of a shithole magna is.”
taehyung laughed, not hearing the serious edge in jeongguk’s voice. “well, welcome to shithole number two i guess. this has probably been a bit of an odd first experience.” he grinned widely again.
jeongguk’s heart flipped a couple times and his decision was made.
“odd, but not unpleasant i guess.” he said, smiling shyly. he continued nervously, “um, taehyung, i actually have a question.”
“shoot” said taehyung, tilting his head curiously.
“are you, um, working somewhere super busy right now.” jeongguk said, fiddling with his fingers.
taehyung flushed. “uh,” he cleared his throat, “i’m actually not in a committed job right now. so, i probably can’t hook you up with a job, sorry.” he looked down awkwardly.
jeongguk’s eyes widened. “no, that's not why i asked.”
“oh?” taehyung looked up.
“i was wondering, um- feel free to say no, no pressure or anything but- um, would you, maybe want to work for us? as our gardner?” jeongguk said rapidly, his heart beating fast. “i know that like we just met, so it's probably weird, but um, we don’t have anyone and you've done a good job so far so um, i just thought. sorry, its a stupid idea.”
“no, no wait-” taehyung said, blushing, “um, i would actually love that. i love that garden so much i would actually take care of it for free if you let me.”
jeongguk felt a wave of relief and excitement hit him. “no! no, of course we’d pay you. i just, wow, i’m glad that you want to.”
“i mean it when i say i’d love it! i’m more shocked that actually want to pay me for it.” taehyung replied happily. he paused for a second and looked curiously at jeongguk, “wait, you said ‘we,’ you have a wife or something?”
jeongguk made a surprised noise. “no, no- i’m living with with my,” he paused, wondering how to put into words what he and yoongi were, and sighed resignedly, “..friend.” he swallowed the lump in his throat and moved on, “i’m actually gay... oh!” he said, his eyes widening, “i hope that's not a problem?”
taehyung giggled. “nope, it sure isn’t.” he smiled a wega-watt grin. “oh, but i wouldn’t be so open about it around here. i hate to admit it but simul is no magna.”
“uh, so let me talk to my friend and i’ll get back to you with wages?”
taehyung squeezed his palms to his cheeks and squealed out a happy “wages!” before looking back at jeongguk and said “sounds good,” cheerfully.
jeongguk laughed, endeared, and asked “i can come over tomorrow and tell you what we decided them?”
taehyung’s smile noticeably dampened. “um,” he said, a little awkwardly, “i think it might be better if i come here.”
he looked relieved when jeongguk agreed with no questions asked and as he was walking back, deeper into the fields, he turned around.
“hey! taehyung called out.
“yeah?” jeongguk called back.
“do you maybe want a tour tomorrow?” he asked bouncing up and down a little bit in excitement, and how could jeongguk resist?
“yeah! that sounds great” jeongguk yelled out, grinning.
“ok! see you at nine!” he said waving, and turning back around.
jeongguk had a small smile on his face all the way back to the house.
jeongguk hadn’t noticed the minutes passing, but by the time he was inside and had shut the door, only a sliver of the sun was visible and the sky had turned from a dusky pink to a deep purple. he threaded his hands through his hair and was assaulted by thoughts of seeing that beautiful taehyung again tomorrow. he plopped down on the couch and tried to distract himself by watching anime on his phone but unfortunately, even made in abyss was wasn't helping. after watching three episodes, jeongguk decided he justneeded to go to bed and made his way upstairs to the master suite to talk to yoongi.
he opened the door to find yoongi, unsurprisingly wide awake, reading a book on his phone.
“hey,” jeongguk said softly.
yoongi looked up and his face relaxed a bit, seeing that it was jeongguk. “hey,” he said back, patting the spot in the covers next to him, silently telling jeongguk to come over. jeongguk gently snuggled in, close to yoongi but not quite touching him, not exactly sure with what he was comfortable with.
“what were you doing,” yoongi asked, pleasantly.
“i was out in the yard,” said jeongguk, “actually about that..” he trailed off.
“hm?” yoongi replied.
“so you know how we were looking for a gardener?” jeongguk asked, rubbing his own arm a little nervously.
“yeah”
“well,” jeongguk continued, “i ran into someone who wanted to do it. he’s actually been maintaining the yard for a while now, and he's done a pretty good job.”
“oh?” said yoongi curiously. “he’s just been doing it for no reason?”
jeongguk shrugged. “he said he really likes gardening and that our backyard is his baby, so i said if he wanted to keep doing it, we could pay him and it would be a win-win situation.
yoongi hummed in agreement. “that sounds great.”
jeongguk smiled gently. “i’m glad you agree.”
jeongguk told a significantly abridged version of his and taehyung’s interaction and explained that he was going to tour around tomorrow. they worked out an appropriate wage then made small talk until jeongguk could hear the sleepiness in yoongi’s voice.
“i think you should go to sleep, b-” jeongguk caught himself before he could finish, but they both knew. he was going to say baby , like always. yoongi spared him the embarrassment and ignored it.
“you’re right,” he said, yawning, “good night gguk.”
jeongguk swallowed thickly.
“goodnight yoongi.”
jeongguk woke up twice at night. the first time was to the sound of a car passing by the road to their house, the tires growling loudly against the dirt and scattered gravel. he heard yoongi’s even breathing, and went back to sleep. the second time he woke up to a small whine. as soon as he was pulled out of unconsciousness, he knew what it was.
“yoongi,” he said, his voice heavy with sleep. he felt yoongi curl away from him.
“sorry, i woke you up. go back to sleep.” yoongi said, his voice thick with tears. jeongguk just leaned in closer.
"it hurts, doesn’t it.” jeongguk could feel yoongi nod from beside him. “come here,” he said, wrapping and arm around yoongi’s small body, even smaller when he was crouched in pain like this.
maybe it was because yoongi was too tired, or in too much pain to protest, but he leaned into jeongguk’s chest, trying to hold back the small hiccup-y sobs that kept escaping his mouth. jeongguk began to slowly rub his back, stroking long and slow until the sobs subsided and he could feel yoongi’s breath even out again. they fell asleep like that, curled up against each other, soaking in each others warmth, the way they always used to.
the next day, jeongguk woke up to an empty bed and a small note explaining that yoongi had left for physical therapy. the nearest doctor’s office was almost a half hour away, so the process might take a while, the note warned. jeongguk wrote a small note of his own, a reminder that he was going out with taehyung and left it on the fridge, in case yoongi made it home before he did. he quickly microwaved himself some oatmeal and just as he finished eating it, he heard a loud knock.
“coming!” he yelled out and made his way to the door.
he opened it to a smiling taehyung, dressed lightly in a grey tank and basketball shorts, revealing his toned biceps and his long legs.
“are you ready for your all access tour of simul, mister?” he said, in the same peppy voice as a real tour guide.
jeongguk smiled back and gave a small salute. “yes, sir!”
“we’re off then!” taehyung said, hopping down the porch steps.
jeongguk quickly realized that this wasn’t going to be just any tour of simul, this was going to be taehyung’s tour of simul. taehyung would stop along the dirt sidewalks, pointing out plants he had named and his favorite hideout spots. the first place that could actual be considered a stop was the corner store, which was at the farthest edge of the town and the closest to jeongguk’s house. when they arrived, taehyung made a grand gesture towards it.“this is millie’s , it's the only actual grocery store we have here, but it's more like a general store. if you want anything from ice cream to t-shirts, this is your place. the owner is actually my cousin,” he said grinning, “let's go see if he’s in.”
they walked in, and jeongguk saw a very tall, good looking man standing flicking through his phone behind the register.
“yo! seok-bro!” taehyung shouted. the good-looking man looked up tiredly and rolled his eyes.
“taehyung, how many times to i have to tell you not to call me that?”
“good luck making me stop” taehyung replied, winking. he gestured at jeongguk. “this is jeon jeongguk. he’s new here.”
the man turned to jeongguk and smiled pleasantly. “nice to meet you! it’s nice to see some new faces around here. i’m kim seokjin and i'm the manager of this store.”
“it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” said jeongguk shyly, making seokjin squeal.
“oh taehyung, he’s a such a cute one, so polite, please don’t turn him crazy like you.” he said.
taehyung pouted. “now that you said that i’m definitely going to turn him crazy.”
jeongguk watched amusedly as the cousins began to bicker and made childishly rude gestures at each other. after some point, the argument just devolved into terrible insults, taehyung calling seokjin an egotistical balloon head and seokjin shooting back by comparing taehyung to a pile of noodles on a basketball.
“you guys are great,” jeongguk said, laughing at the antics. they both stopped bickering and stared at jeongguk, looking surprised and pleased.
“i’m glad you think so,” said taehyung smiling, looking half confused and half proud of himself. seokjin just beamed.
“anyway,” taehyung said, “i think you’ve seen too much of seokjin already” beginning to drag jeongguk out the door. seokjin stuck his tongue out at taehyung and waved goodbye to jeongguk. jeongguk waved back, smiling like he hadn’t in a long time.
their next stop was the farmer’s market. taehyung was really in his element there, whirling around to catch a glimpse at everything and pulling jeongguk along as he ran to check out anything that caught his eye.
“this is really the only nice thing we have here,” he said excitedly when they got there, “it’s only once a week on sundays and there's not too much but but since we’re a tiny agricultural town this is probably the coolest stuff you get”
jeongguk was actually just as pumped. “i never really went to anything like this in magna, so this is my first time,” he said, his eyes wide as he processed everything, “this is amazing.”
taehyung seemed extremely pleased. “let’s go look at stuff then!” he said pumping his fist.
most of the market was fresh fruit, delicious-looking peaches and strawberries and oranges, but the thing that fascinated jeongguk the most were the little trinket stalls. taehyung pulled him up to one run by an old, friendly-looking man.
“hi mr. park!” taehyung said brightly, “is jimin here?”
“not this weekend, i'm afraid,” the man said. “who is this young man,” he said, motioning towards jeongguk.
jeongguk introduced himself, and mr. park shook his hand, welcoming him and explaining that he was actually from another town about two hours west and came here once a week for the market.
“and he always brings cool things from there to sell here,” taehyung added on excitedly.
the man smiled at jeongguk and gestured around, “take a look.” jeongguk and taehyung dug through shallow wooden boxes with the miscellaneous trinkets in it. they really had all manner of things, there were small wooden toys, jewelry, ornate candle holders, blown glass vases and other small but beautiful knick-knacks. jeongguk marvelled at the diversity and the craftsmanship. when he glanced at taehyung, he was in the midst of reverently examining a pair of long dangly turquoise earrings. jeongguk sidled up to taehyung.
“wow,” jeongguk whispered, “those are so pretty” not sure if he was talking about the earrings or the mental image of taehyung wearing them. taehyung started at jeongguk’s sudden appearance and then awkwardly reached up to his earlobes.
“i love them. i don’t have my ears pierced through.”
jeongguk giggled “you know, i could do it for you, right? i actually pierced my own ears when i was fifteen.”
taehyung's eyes widened “you what?”
“yup,” said jeongguk flashing him a mischievous grin, “all you need is a sewing needle and an apple.”
taehyung looked shocked “oh my god- you did it the parent trap style? wait, please tell me you got that reference”
jeongguk laughed. “that's actually where i got the idea. i think maybe kid lindsay lohan is part of the reason i was such a rebel in middle school.”
taehyung burst out laughing. “wow, you’re really more than you seem, mr. polite, respectable boy... i actually had no idea you could really do it that way.”
jeongguk’s hands grazed over taehyung’s earlobes. “totally possible. you have kinda thin earlobes, so it’ll probably hurt even less for you.”
taehyung shivered under the touch, blushing a little bit. jeongguk realized what he was doing and dropped his hand quickly, blushing too.
“i, uh, maybe i'll get them then, if the offer is still up?” taehyung asked, sounding a little shy all of a sudden.
“of course,” said jeongguk smiling calmly, as if his heart wasn’t beating two hundred beats per minute.
“i'll go buy these then,” said taehyung, smiling back. mr. park frowned when he saw the earrings.
“what's wrong?” asked taehyung.
“these are well, the stone is really nice turquoise so they’re a bit expensive.”
taehyung bit his lip uncomfortably, “well how much are they.”
when mr. park told him, he visibly flinched. taehyung looked regretfully at jeongguk and said “um, i don’t have that kind of money on me at all, so i guess the ear piercing will have to wait.”
jeongguk stared at him for a second before saying “wait- no, i can- i can cover it for you.”
taehyung shook his head, “no like i don’t have that kind of money at home either, i definitely won't be able to pay you back.”
jeongguk nodded, “i know. i’ll just buy them for you, consider it a gift. repayment for showing me around.”
taehyung openly stared at him. “you did hear the price right? these are really expensive.”
jeongguk nodded. “i heard, but seriously, don’t worry about it. i got you” he said, already reaching for his wallet to pay.
they paid and left with mr. park cheerfully telling jeongguk to stop by anytime. a short distance away, taehyung whipped around.
“you.” he said, pointing to jeongguk’s chest, and looking him in the eyes..
“yep?” jeongguk said perkily.
“you’re rich, aren’t you?” he said accusingly.
jeongguk smiled at the bluntness. “me and my friend, we’re- well, we’re comfortable.” he replied.
taehyung groaned. “that's exactly what a super rich person would say.”
jeongguk laughed. “i promise you i’m not some trust fund kid, okay?”
“if you say so,” said taehyung, eyeing him suspiciously. something caught his eye and his expression immediately cleared up.
“oh! this is cream , the town ice cream shop, the one and only!” he said, smiling and pointing jeongguk towards a cute store, painted pastel and blue pink. “i’m friends with the owner so maybe i can get us some free scoops,” he said, winking.
jeongguk was now convinced that taehyung was friends with the entire town population.
they opened the door which gave a little jingly chime and taehyung waved to a man with bright orange hair who was standing behind the counter.
“hobi!” he said, grinning brightly.
“tae tae! my favorite customer!” the man replied. he noticed jeongguk standing awkwardly by the doorway and smiled at him. “and who is this?”
jeongguk introduced himself and went through his usual spiel, explaining that he was new to the town. “it’s so nice to meet you,” the orange-haired man said genuinely, “i’m jung hoseok.”
on taehyung’s request, hoseok gave jeongguk a mini-tour around the ice cream shop and even explained what all the equipment in the kitchen did. which was lovely of him, but frankly, jeongguk was more interested in taehyung’s little interruptions and comments about the stuff, finding the extra commentary utterly endearing.
at the end of the tour, hoseok clapped his hands excitedly. “and now,” he said, “the best part..” taehyung did a little drumroll.
hoseok sent a thumbs up his way and announced “you guys get free ice cream!” taehyung whooped and jeongguk smiled.
as they accepted their cones, jeongguk pulled out his wallet, “i really can pay though, i know this is a business-”
hoseok cut him off. “really, dont worry about it. it’s actually the worst selling flavor and i really need to get rid of it anyway.” he wrinkled his nose, “understandably so, mint chocolate is horrible. tastes like toothpaste.”
taehyung looked affronted. “hobi! how could you? you’re one of those people?” he turned around to jeongguk, “don’t tell me you’re one of those people too.”
jeongguk shook his head, smiling, “no, i actually really like mint chocolate chip.”
taehyung looked appeased. “good, our friendship was almost over there.
hoseok fake gasped, “does that mean our friendship is over then?” he exclaimed dramatically.
taehyung sniffed. “maybe it is.”
hoseok pouted. “no more free ice cream for you then, i guess. that’s only for friends.”
now taehyung was the one pouting, “noo- i didn’t mean it, don’t cut me off hobi.”
jeongguk found himself laughing once again.
hoseok laughed too. “i'm just joking kid, you got free ice cream as long as i'm alive,” he said, winking.
“good,” taehyung said, pulling hoseok in for a quick hug.
“take care of yourself, tae” he said as they left, sounding actually a little bit serious.
“i will,” taehyung shouted back, right before the door closed behind them.
“that was pretty much all i had to show you,” taehyung said as they walked back to the house, “there’s really not much here, i’m sorry.”
“don’t apologize,” jeongguk said, grinning, “i had a lot of fun.”
“really?” taehyung said, smiling at him, “i'm glad. me too”
when they reached the house taehyung looked like he was about to leave, so jeongguk tapped his shoulder.
“wait,” he said, “come in real quick, yoongi’s probably home so we can discuss the gardening stuff.”
taehyung nodded and took off his sneakers before timidly making his way in.
“yoongi!” jeongguk yelled, “come over, taehyung’s here.”
yoongi made his way over from the kitchen and they all settled, sitting on boxes in the living room because the furniture hadn’t been reassembled yet. jeongguk paused for a second, catching the way yoongi was looking at taehyung. his eyes were narrowed, seemingly in annoyance, but jeongguk knew what it actually was; he was the only one who knew yoongi through and through.
it was unquestionably attraction .
jeongguk smiled a little bit to himself. this was an interesting development.
he introduced them, taehyung being his bubbly self and yoongi being polite but reserved, as he always was with strangers. they got right to it, jeongguk asking taehyung if the amount he and yoongi had decided was enough. taehyung’s jaw had dropped and he argued with them for a bit, saying it was too much, before finally accepting it with an embarrassed but grateful nod. yoongi procured a contract for him to sign and after the process was over taehyung beamed at both of them and announced that he’d be going home now.
in the doorway, something else interesting happened. yoongi’s phone rang. yoongi glanced at it quickly and turned it off, looking up and saying “nothing important.” taehyung’s eyes had widened though.
“ life on the nickel !” he said, excitedly.
jeongguk just looked at him, confused, but yoongi perked up immediately. “yeah!” he said, “i’ve never met anyone who recognized it other than people i met at concerts!”
it dawned on jeongguk that they were talking about yoongi’s ringtone.
taehyung groaned in jealousy, “oh god, i wish i could have gone to a concert. torches was really the best era”
yoongi was nearly bouncing with excitement “an intellectual!” he said, “top three?”
taehyung grinned. “ waste , miss you , and helena beat. ”
yoongi looked like he was about to cry.
“i’ve found my musical soulmate,” he said clutching his heart dramatically.
jeongguk felt like his heart was about to burst. he hadn’t seen yoongi’s happy antics in so long. before taehyung left, the three had exchanged numbers and when he actually did leave yoongi turned to jeongguk, smiling, and said “you found a good one.” jeongguk wasn’t sure in what way yoongi was talking about being “good” but he also knew that yoongi was probably unsure of context he was talking about himself so he just nodded and smiled back; taehyung was a good one, regardless of context. when they sat down to have dinner and when they made their way up the stairs so go to bed, yoongi was humming a song to himself; jeongguk didn’t know what song it was but somehow he was sure that taehyung did. and for the first time in a long time, jeongguk was genuinely happy. maybe their move to somewhere, or more specifically this new someone was going to shine a new light on their lives. something like the birth of a radiant sun.
----------------------
jeongguk had always been good at analyzing people. he’d spent countless hours perfecting the art of reading subtle facial expressions. he could figure out everyone's smallest habits and ticks, granted they'd spent enough time around him.
taehyung had been their gardener for a little over a month, and jeongguk could already read him as easy as a children's picture book. taehyung was a very expressive person, jeongguk had learned; he wore everything openly on his face, so it was incredibly easy to tell what he liked and what he didn’t. from pure observation, jeongguk found that taehyung was easily pleased. he liked fussing around with his flower patches. he enjoyed talking to yoongi about foster the people. he liked weeding while debating about stupid things with jeongguk. he liked having something to do with his hands. very few things seemed to annoy him, and the thing that appeared to bother him the most was when it was getting dark and he had to go home.
yoongi, on the other hand, was a harder read. his expressions could be deceptive, he often looked sour when he was actually sad, or bored when he was really just relaxed. jeongguk didn’t find it a problem, though. he’d lived with yoongi for three years, and adapted to his unique expressions.
that’s why jeongguk was sure that yoongi was annoyed at the moment. jeongguk didn’t actually have any idea what the offender was, just that as soon as the conversation would trail off, yoongi would stare off into space and look vaguely irritated. he kept drumming his fingers on any surface available; nothing was spared, he tapped on the staircase banister, the kitchen counter, even over an unsuspecting taehyung's soft blonde head as he bent down to grab a weed. taehyung didn’t seem to mind though, humming happily and melting into the touch. jeongguk thought it made a cute picture, but he was still unbearably curious about what what was making yoongi so fidgety and irritable. maybe he was also worried. just a little bit.
his concerns were asauged when yoongi actually told him himself. they were sitting around in the kitchen when yoongi groaned in frustration for the third time that day. it was only ten-thirty in the morning.
jeongguk looked up from his phone. “ok, something is obviously bothering you, what’s up?”
yoongi sighed and put his face in his hands and mumbled out something unintelligible.
“what?” jeongguk asked, his heart beating a bit faster in nervousness.
“producer’s block,” said yoongi, speaking up louder. “i’m working on a song for suran and it’s just not coming together.”
again, huh, jeongguk mused sadly. he also had times where the lyrics and melodies just wouldn’t translate right from his head, or time when he was stuck on a phrase and unable to find the right ending, but for producers, it was worse. the mixing had about a million tiny components, and if even one small piece wasn't fitting in with the others, the whole track would end up garbled. pulling himself out of his thoughts, jeongguk attempted to coax yoongi into speaking more, hoping that if he aired feelings out, some of the exhaustion and exasperation would dissipate.
jeongguk put his phone down on the table and looked back up. “what part? something doesn't sound right.. or?”
yoongi sighed once again. “no, its just that i want a new sub-melody during the bridge and nothing is coming to my head.”
“want me to take a look?” offered jeongguk.
yoongi grabbed around for his laptop. “yeah sure, maybe you can help.”
the two of them cuddled up on the newly-installed couch and yoongi gently put his good quality headphones over jeongguk’s head, brushing the shells of his ears and making jeongguk shiver a bit. yoongi bit his lip at the display, looking like had just re-remembered jeongguk’s oversensitivity. jeongguk just turned away from him, embarrassed, and played the track. after listening, he turned back to yoongi and nodded.
“you’re right, the bridge is too... empty.”
yoongi huffed. “i know, i just can’t think of something fits nicely there.”
jeongguk pursed his lips apologetically. “i’m sorry. nothing is coming to mind right now for me either. i could try mulling over it though?”
yoongi nodded and patted his shoulder gratefully before limping back upstairs to toy with his synthesizer some more, presumably in hopes of getting a breakthrough. jeongguk went back outside and scrolled through his phone while waiting for taehyung who’d be arriving around eleven.
jeongguk was pulled out a particularly riveting twitter “storytime” by a soft tap on his shoulder. jeongguk looked up, knowing exactly who it was and already feeling the beginning of a smile on his face. taehyung was standing over him, blocking out the sun, which made a bright white halo around him. his blonde mop was laying messily as it always did, unkempt yet somehow still elegant looking. jeongguk was reminded once again of why he thought taehyung was a fairy when they first met.
“hey, taehyung” he said, smiling softly.
“morning gguk” taehyung said, grinning brightly.
it was almost disconcerting to jeongguk how quickly they had slipped into a level of complete comfort with each other. it was had taken yoongi months before he ever used jeongguk’s nickname and it had taken taehyung a grand total of maybe two weeks. they’d also exchanged a lot of life information that jeongguk usually guarded more carefully. jeongguk had already talked about his parents, his childhood, even his experience coming out and in return, taehyung had told him about growing up in a rural town and how awful it had been watching his mom slowly lose her memory before passing away. there was something that jeongguk was avoiding, though; as much as he loved taehyung, he wasn’t so sure about that conversation. the one about him and yoongi, the one about why they had come here. part of it was that it wasn’t all his story but most of it was that he didn’t feel ready to talk about it. taehyung had mercifully avoided the topic after seeing jeongguk stiffen up and talk around it the first few times he’d asked.
today, taehyung had come with a bag of seeds, a wildflower mix he said, to plant along the barren sides of the house. jeongguk asked if there was anything he could do but taehyung had just winked and said it was “better left to the professionals.” jeongguk rolled his eyes at that one and prepared to sit on the lawnchair again before taehyung unexpectedly grabbed his wrist.
“wait,” taehyung said biting his lip.
jeongguk looked at him curiously. “what is it?”
taehyung shuffled his feet nervously. “i’m not sure if i’m reading this wrong but, i think, maybe, you're getting a little restless? like you have nothing to do? i’m not sure, but you’ve looked bored ever since the house was done being refurbished.”
to say jeongguk was shocked would be an understatement. it's not that taehyung was wrong, no, he was absolutely right. jeongguk was feeling restless, bored even. yoongi was working on his songs and taehyung was working on his garden and jeongguk had been transplanted so far away from his career and he had nothing to do and it was utterly frustrating. it’s not that he needed to go back to singing per se, but more that he just wanted something, anything , to do. so no, taehyung wasn’t wrong but jeongguk was still surprised because taehyung had read him so accurately . being good at reading emotions was one of jeongguk’s skills, but being able to mask his own emotions was one of his others. pretty much the only person in the world that could really tell what jeongguk was feeling had been yoongi and so jeongguk was startled. in the one month he had learned how to read taehyung completely, taehyung had learned how to read him completely too.
taehyung waved a hand in front of jeongguk’s face. “earth to jeongguk? am i wrong?”
jeongguk let out a surprised laugh. “no, you’re not wrong. does this mean you're going to let me help you with the flowers?”
taehyung made a face. “no. last time we tried that you put fertilizer all over the weeds. i have a better idea”
jeongguk laughed again. “i just liked the dandelions! i didn’t even know they were invasive. anyway if that's not what you meant, what do you mean?”
taehyung smiled proudly. “well, actually, seokjin told me that he needed new staff at millie’s . he’s saved up enough to open a new branch in the next town! so he needs to go between the two stores and he needs someone here.”
jeongguk thought over it for a second. “okay. when can i start?”
taehyung laughed. “that was fast.”
“yeah, well you were right about how bored i was,” jeongguk said, laughing too.
“you can probably go in today and sign on, he might even have you start early,” taehyung said.
“okay!” jeongguk said happily, “i'll be back in a bit!”
“wait,” taehyung said, “this shouldn’t take too long so just text me when you’re coming back and i'll come pick you up.”
jeongguk smiled an ear splitting grin, feeling so much affection for this considerate boy in front of him. “ok. i’m off then”
taehyung waved, already working on shoveling the dirt beneath him.
as jeongguk walked to seokjin's store, he hummed a tune that had been playing around in his head since he’d moved. he was pretty sure that it was something he has created himself, but the tune was already so familiar and comforting that he sometimes wondered if he had just heard it somewhere as a child. that soothing melody repeating as he passed through the golden brown fields that had grown on him more and more, jeongguk felt at peace. it was a sense of stillness that he had never felt in the city, a sense of calm he felt he could only ever have here . as barren and dull as simul had felt when he first moved, it was really starting to burrow its way into his heart. the place and the people, taehyung especially were finding their way into his heart. home was still magna, that much he was sure of, but he was starting to get the feeling that one day, that might not be the case anymore.
he arrived at millie’s at around eleven thirty to a very distraught seokjin.
“jeongguk! oh my, thank god, jeongguk.” seokjin nearly screamed, pulling jeongguk into a bruising hug.
jeongguk tensed up, surprised. “seokjin? what’s up?”
seokjin pulled back and sighed dramatically. “i’m opening another branch, did tae tell you about that?” jeongguk nodded, “well basically i want to install some new windows there and the company just called me and told me that the only slot they have for the next two months is in like an hour! and that’s basically how long it takes me to get there so i was freaking out about finding someone to take over the store.”
jeongguk smiled a little. “well then, i’m your man.”
seokjin grinned. “thank god. i was just about to ask.”
“i actually came in here to ask if i could get job here? taehyung mentioned something about you needing another person,” jeongguk added.
seokjin didn’t even bother thinking. “yep, you’re hired. we can work out wages and hours later.” he tossed a pair of keys to jeongguk. “the gold is the store key, and the silver one is for the register. you’ll pretty much only need to work register for now. you know how to scan items right?” he said, all very rapidly. jeongguk barely had time to nod before seokjin was heading out the door saying, “i’ll be back in a couple of hours, depending how long it takes. i’ll be back by evening for sure. ok, bye! be nice to the old ladies that come in.”
after seokjin left, jeongguk laughed at how quickly all that had happened and got behind the register. the first hour was slow, only one man came in, just picking up a drink and leaving. later, the store got a little bit busier, the old ladies that seokjin had mentioned began coming in. they all marveled at jeongguk and asked if he was new, saying they hadn't seen such a handsome young man around yet. jeongguk just laughed and told them that yes, he was new, and had only moved in a month back. they all pretty much knew what they needed so jeongguk didn’t actually need to find anything for anyone; he just scanned their stuff quickly and helped them take their heavy bags to their cars. they were all very pleased and impressed and told him they’d be happy to continue seeing such a “sweet boy” working in the store. one of the ladies had also mentioned seokjin saying, “such a handsome man, nice too, but no humility,” and jeongguk had tried not to snicker. sure, seokjin had a bit of reputation of being very handsome, but it seemed that he also had a reputation of being very aware of that fact.
the hours passed without jeongguk releasing, seokjin had told him to stick to the register but there were lots of times where the store was empty so jeongguk would find things to do. he stacked the cans of soup neatly, re-folded the clothes that had gotten messed up. he also found a broom and pan set so he even swept up a little bit. he found himself humming constantly once again, happy to have something to do.
before he knew it, the sun had started going down and seokjin had burst back into the store, looking equal parts excited and exhausted.
jeongguk smiled at him from the register. “hey seokjin. how’d it go?”
seokjin grinned back at him. “it was good. the place looks so nice, i’m so excited to get everything get set up. thank you so much for taking over on such short notice. i’m sorry if it was overwhelming.”
jeongguk shook his head. “no problem, it was fun.”
seokjin rubbed his hands together, “ok lets have you sign the work contract and then we can work out some hours?”
jeongguk nodded and they sat down on a table in the back to discuss. it was pretty easy to come to an agreement, jeongguk just accepting the first wage that seokjin offered and seokjin accepting the first set of hours hours that jeongguk layed out. they shook on it and then jeongguk signed the contract and seokjin pat him on that back. “it’ll be good working with you, jeongguk.”
jeongguk just smiled and began making his way out. he remembered that he was supposed to text taehyung so he decided to make a pit stop at cream to pick up something for him. he quickly sent a text to taehyung tell him to meet at hobi’s so they could walk back from there.
as he walked into cream , the familiar chime sounded and hobi looked up, smiling at him. “hey jeongguk, it’s good to see you again.” jeongguk smiled shyly, “it’s good to see you too. could i get one cone with a scoop of mint chocolate chip?” hoseok rolled his eyes, the smile never leaving his face. “i mean, if you insist on eating toxic waste, who am i to stop you?” jeongguk laughed. “it's actually for taehyung.” “for taehyung, huh” hoseok said, wiggling his eyebrows. jeongguk tensed up a bit, uncomfortable with whatever that implication was. hoseok noticed immediately. “relax kid, i was just teasing.” jeongguk was once again baffled that everyone in this town seemed to know what he was thinking, the poker face he had perfected over years suddenly becoming useless. “don't worry, i know,” jeongguk said, laughing awkwardly.
he went over to the register to pay and hoseok handing him a cone with two scoops on it. “oh,” said jeongguk, “i said-” hoseok cut him off with a smile and a wave of his hand. “don’t worry about it. it’s a freebie. perks of being friends with the owner.” jeongguk couldn’t help the smile that broke across his face.
“thanks”
“no problem,” hoseok said, winking.
jeongguk waited for taehyung outside the shop, and he came a little less than two minutes later with the same bright smile that always sent jeongguk’s heart into overdrive.
“gguk! how was it? lets go, yoongi’s waiting in the backyard for us”
jeongguk beamed. “it was great. i really liked it. here, i bought you some ice cream” he said, extending his arm.
taehyung let out a happy gasp, grabbing the cone. “for me? oh my god, ggukie, i love you so much.”
jeongguk ignored how his stomach turned at that statement and just grinned. “no problem.”
they began walking back, watching the edge of the red sun descend below the horizon. the two of them exchanged stories about their days, jeongguk pointedly looking away from taehyung who was licking the ice cream sloppily, melted drops escaping his lips. it was going well until taehyung asked him if he wanted a lick as well. it was evening but it was still hot and jeongguk really, really wanted a lick of ice cream too so he just instinctevely leaned in. taehyung was still holding the ice cream close to his face, his lips almost touching it and jeongguk leaned in without thinking about any of that. he found that his face was so close that he could smell the mint on taehyung's breath, and his tongue was so, so close to taehyung’s soft pink lips. taehyung inhaled softly, clearly not expecting that, and jeongguk colored a bit as he leaned back. both of them could feel the tension in the air around them but jeongguk was feeling such a mixture of emotions that he chose to ignore whatever it was and just continued talking. thankfully, taehyung seemed just as willing to ease back into their conversation, pretending that nothing had ever happened.
after a while, the conversation dissipated into a comfortable silence, and the two of them just walked together, close enough to keep brushing against each other but also pointedly ignoring that fact. taehyung began to hum something under his breath, and jeongguk was close enough to hear the sweet little melody, certain parts ringing somewhat familiar in his head. then jeongguk suddenly stopped in his tracks. he grabbed taehyung's wrist, “that song! what song are you humming, taehyung?” taehyung looked startled “um, i think yoongi was playing something upstairs all day and i could hear it from the garden, so i guess it just got stuck in my head?” jeongguk grabbed his other wrist excitedly, “but that’s not it right? that's not just yoongi’s song right?” taehyung looked flustered. “i, uh, the part he was playing short so i guess i just added some in my head?” jeongguk was bouncing in excitement now. “we have to go to yoongi now” he practically dragged a confused taehyung the rest of the home, taking the fence gate straight into the backyard and yelling “yoongi!”
yoongi was sitting on the grass, playing delicately with a dandelion and looked up immediately, surprised at jeongguk shouting his name.
“what’s up, gguk”
jeongguk was so, so excited. “the bridge! tae has it!”
yoongi looked confused. “what?”
“he heard you playing it and he’s been humming it and he added it in his head and it sounds right!”
both yoongi and taehyung looked like they were finally understanding what the hell jeongguk was on about.
yoongi started to look excited too. “taehyung, can you hum it for me?”
taehyung looked embarrassed. “i don’t think it sounds like anything special but, uh, sure,” he said, and began to hum.
it was dark outside and the moon was coloring them pale blue. as taehyung hummed yoongi took in sharp intake of breath and began nodding along to the melody, staring at taehyung as if he was shining. and maybe he was. jeongguk was watching taehyung too. he was humming soft and low, his face illuminated by the moonlight; his eyes were closed as he swayed slightly, and jeongguk thought in that moment, he was radiant. when he finished, taehyung seemed obviously flustered and looked towards yoongi.
“was that ok?”
yoongi didn’t even saying anything. he barrelled towards taehyung, pulling him into a strong hug and nearly sweeping him off his feet. he looked up a taehyung, his eyes glowing, and paused for a second to kiss him on the cheek before running off to his studio quickly as he possibly could with his bad leg.
jeongguk watched the whole exchange with a mixture of surprise and happiness. yoongi rarely showed physical affection, even when they had actually been dating. him hugging taehyung and even giving him a kiss on the cheek was astounding. but somehow jeongguk understood, something about taehyung was so pure, so sweet, so utterly enticing that he could break down barriers so naturally. jeongguk knew now, for a fact, taehyung must be as special to yoongi as he was to him.
taehyung spun around cutely, looking between the stop where yoongi had run off from and where jeongguk was standing.
“what just happened there?”
jeongguk laughed and sat down in the grass, taehyung following. “so, yoongi is a music producer, did you know?”
taehyung nodded. “neither of you told me specifically but i always assumed it was something like that.”
“so he’s been working on this song for two weeks now and he felt that there was a melody missing in the bridge and he couldn’t figure one out. producer’s block.”
taehyung’s eyes widened. “oh.”
“yep,” jeongguk said smiling, “i think you just saved his ass.”
they sat down in the grass in the backyard, the dandelions swaying prettily in the cool breeze and they just talked. jeongguk mostly talked, explaining more about yoongi’s job while taehyung interrupted every now and then with questions. yoongi came back down in half an hour, his hair mused up and a wild grin on his face.
“it’s done.”
both of them smiled up at him.
“can we hear it?” jeongguk asked.
yoongi nodded. “actually,” he said, looking a little shy all of a sudden, “would you guys like to hear the piano version? i could play it for you.”
taehyung looked absolutely delighted. “yes please!” he said. jeongguk beamed.
they made their way up the stairs, the mood only faltering for a second when yoongi’s leg gave out near the staircase and he nearly fell. jeongguk felt that familiar horrible flash of fear, but before he could reach out, taehyung had grabbed a strong hold on yoongi’s waist.
“you good there?”
yoongi flushed. “i’m ok,” he said a little huskily, and started up the stairs walking a little more slowly that before.
luckily, taehyung didn’t ask any questions and they made it up the stairs to the studio room with no other hiccups.
“ok,” yoongi said, his hands hovering over the keys, “here goes.”
taehyung and jeongguk were standing by the other side of the piano, waiting intently for the music to begin. and when it did, they were blown away. jeongguk had heard the track before, the studio version, but somehow it sounded so much better, more emotional, richer, played on their quaint wall piano. it seemed that taehyung was feeling the same way, having completely let himself go in the music, his head was swaying gently and he was humming under his breath without even realizing. when taehyung's bridge melody came on, they were both really left breathless. the way yoongi’s original melody intertwined so perfectly with taehyung’s sub-melody was incredible. yoongi was playing one on each hand but they sounded so together. like they had always been meant to complete each other. jeongguk’s head spun. he had known it would sound good but not this good.
at the end of the song there was pure silence for a minute until yoongi turned to them looking worried and then they burst into raucous applause.
“that was,” taehyung said, sounding choked up, “more perfect than i could ever imagine.”
yoongi’s eyes were glistening as he said a quiet “thank you.”
jeongguk spoke up, “what’s it called?”
yoongi smiled softly. “moonchild,”
and jeongguk felt his heart squeeze, because he knew yoongi well enough that he could tell. that song was named for taehyung. taehyung, who had hummed that completing melody while swaying in the moonlight. taehyung who had been so beautiful that he had outshone the actual moon. jeongguk just knew. maybe yoongi wouldn’t even admit it if he asked but he just knew . it had happened so many times that he couldn’t fathom even it was still possible at this point but jeongguk felt his heart fill with even more love for his boys. his yoongi. the one that he couldn’t lay claim to but knew was his. and yes, his taehyung, he had finally realized. his taehyung.
the pretty gold-skinned, golden-hearted boy who was stealing not only his heart, but yoongi’s too.
they all pretended to not notice each others quiet sniffling as they trooped downstairs. jeongguk quickly glanced down at his watch.
“hey taehyung, it's kind of late. sorry we kept you,”
taehyung shook his head. “no, i’m glad i didn’t miss that.” he looked a little disappointed, wearing the usual sad expression he did whenever he had to leave.
jeongguk bit his lip and turned around nervously. “would you maybe, want to eat dinner here and spend the night? we always make too much and we have an empty guest bedroom...”
taehyung looked positively enthralled. “oh god, i would love to. thank you!” he said, bouncing a little in happiness.
the three of them ate dinner while bantering happily and yoongi looked the happiest jeongguk had seen him in a long time. he actually laughed, his full gummy smile coming out and taehyung looked completely endeared by him. jeongguk couldn’t blame him. that was the smile that had made jeongguk fall for him in the first place. but dinner ended on a slightly sour note, yoongi beginning to flinch frequently. jeongguk raised his eyebrows questioningly and yoongi had responded by glancing down at his leg. jeongguk had nodded understandingly, and yoongi announced he’d be going up to sleep. once again, jeongguk was sure taehyung had noticed the whole display but didn’t say anything. it made jeongguk have an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach. it’s not like he’d know what to tell taehyung if he did ask, but it just felt like they were lying from him and he didn’t like that. jeongguk tried to brush off those thoughts and asked taehyung, who still seemed pretty awake, if he wanted to sit outside.
jeongguk’s stomach was still twisting when they sat on the lawn chair together, smushed close together. he tried to relax but couldn’t help being fidgety. it wasn’t the proximity that was uncomfortable, taehyung was naturally very physically affectionate so jeongguk had gotten used to cuddling with him. it was just that, being so close to taehyung, jeongguk almost felt that the uncannily perceptive taehyung could read his mind. as usual, taehyung delivered.
“jeongguk, relax. i know.”
that just made jeongguk tense up even more beside him. “know what?” he said, trying to sound calm but he voice wavering nervously.
taehyung started stroking jeongguk arm soothingly. “i know that there’s something . i don't know what that something is. but i know there’s something that you and yoongi aren’t telling me. and it's ok. you don’t need to. if you haven’t told me, i know there a reason so it’s ok. stop worrying about it, gguk.
jeongguk turned to taehyung, tears escaping his eyes before he could stop them. here was taehyung, knowing that him and yoongi were keeping something from him and instead of being mad he was just worried. he was worried about how jeongguk felt. he didn’t want jeongguk to feel guilty. jeongguk was feeling a million things at once, but overwhelmingly relief and love. love for this wonderful human who was sitting here, worried about him. love for this human who had accepted them with no questions asked. love for this boy who loved them, maybe just as much as they loved him. the one who had begun to gently wipe his tears with his thumb, whispering, “don’t cry, gguk.”
and that's when jeongguk couldn’t control it anymore, his heart getting the best of him; before he knew it his lips were pressed against taehyung's soft ones. taehyung stiffened for a second and then eased into him, kissing him back, gently but with a hidden urgency, like he had been waiting for so long to do just this. it was soft and warm and jeongguk felt like he had been plunged twenty feet under warm water, in a good way. taehyung left out soft little breaths in between kisses, the sound heating jeongguk up. jeongguk slowly slipped his arm out from taehyung’s and wrapped both arms around his shoulders. taehyung slipped his large hand under jeongguk’s thigh, making him shudder, and lifted him onto his lap. and now, jeongguk was sitting on top of taehyung, the cool breeze fizzling out into nothing against the heat they were creating together. their kissing became more frantic, faster, and they only stopped to take quick looks at each other. jeongguk was once again reminded of how gorgeous taehyung was, especially flushed like this below him, his red, spit-slicked lips glistening prettily in the moonlight. they leaned back in, never stopping for more than a couple seconds and taehyung's hands were running higher and higher up jeongguk’s thigh and jeongguk was definitely moaning now and-
suddenly, jeongguk’s phone buzzed against his leg and it's like they were broken out of a haze. taehyung pulled back, his expression quickly shifting to one of horror. jeongguk jumped off his lap and taehyung stood up right away.
“i.. we shouldn't have done that. i’m sorry i... i should go now” he said, his voice still husky and his face looking pained. he quickly took off, disappearing through the backyard gate and jeongguk was left with a lump in his throat.
jeongguk pulled his knees together and put his chin on his elbow. he sat alone in the backyard and looked up at the moon, which now looked like it was glaring down at him. he picked up a dandelion from their overgrown lawn and blew it as hard as could.
bring us happiness.
-interlude-