Archive of Our Own

Kim Namjoon lives a very monotonous life. Every day he’d roll himself off his worn-down mattress. Pull the same outfit on as the day before. Pick his bag up from by his bedroom door where he had discarded it the night before. Go into the kitchen murmur a good morning to his flatmate and best friend, Seokjin, who was half asleep at their rickety kitchen table. Grab an apple and leave his flat.
Every morning five days a week, 52 weeks a year, for the past two years. The life of a scientist was anything but glamorous, no one had ever considered it glamourous in the first place Jin would counter whenever Namjoon had one too many beers and started wishing he was living the glamorous lifestyle of an idol.
His trip to work was just as routine as everything else in his life. He’d walk down four flights of stairs because no doubt the elevator was broken, he’d step onto the street and gage how bad the weather was and how fast he’d have to run to the underground to start on his 20-minute journey to work.
Then he’d cram himself into a too-full carriage and bear the smell of sweat with his headphones shoved deep into his ears to block out the chattering school kids who he always ended up next too.
It wasn’t that he hated children it was just that he’d rather not be surrounded by them early in the morning when he’d not yet managed to get himself the shitty free coffee from the break room at the lab.
Safe to say Kim Namjoon was not a morning person.

However, on Mondays Namjoon’s routine changes. Monday’s for Namjoon are a treat. In an attempt to stop his Monday blues, he treats himself to a coffee from his favourite street vendor. Maybe it’s not the most financially wise decision buying overpriced coffee every week, but he’s not a college student anymore, budgeting to afford the bare necessities. Namjoon pretends he only visits the van on a Monday but slowly it's developed into an almost daily.
It’s one of his weekly self-care acts that is pinned to the fridge that both him and Seokjin promise to do every week, so they don’t end up ripping each other’s hair out.
Also, it didn’t hurt that the owner of the trailer was one of the prettiest people Namjoon had ever seen, but he didn’t allow himself to think about it. Especially not on Monday mornings after heavy weekends with Jin.
Somehow, they always tend to find themselves sat on the sofa both with a bottle of wine in hand bitching about their bosses, their weeks, the climate anything under the sun that could be bitched about was. Intensively. He and Jin had met in University when they’d been a part of a flatshare with three other guys and they had bonded over how bad it was, this was where, and why, weekend bitch sessions had begun.

So, Monday mornings usually began vaguely hungover and tired to the bone, which meant that he risked waxing poetic about the coffee vendor’s eyes, to the coffee vendor himself. Over time his self-control had improved greatly and luckily the vendor knew his order so minimal words were exchanged between them.

Today was a success. He’d managed to order his coffee and a piece of egg toast without telling the vendor that he looked even more adorable in his new white turtleneck than usual, it’s the first, and probably only, win for Kim Namjoon this week.
Already, Namjoon knew the week was going to be bad, his boss was asking for definitive findings on his project, but there simply were no definitive findings. He was closer to a vaccine than when he started but he still felt like he was light years away from an actual cure.
The reason for Namjoon’s suffering:
Almost three years ago now, to Namjoon it feels like yesterday, all over the country vets had been overflowing with queues out of the doors, lines of concerned owners holding sick pets. Then came the ban and removal of pets from homes, when vets were stumped for a cure and scientists couldn’t give the public an explanation for their sickness. This was an attempt to prevent humans from getting sick too in case it was an airborne virus. There were huge protests in the street against the euthanisation of all the animals and so the government's resolution was to quarantine them in the outer edges of the city. Namjoon lived a ten-minute walk away from it. Over the years it had gained the name ’stray zone’ and most of the public avoided it, in fear of getting sick too. Some nights he could clearly hear the animals cries and howls, abandoned birds chirping as the sun comes up, dogs whimpering, cats yowling all victims to a disease that swept through the city so suddenly and viciously no one could have done anything to prevent it.
When it happened Namjoon and a select few others had been assigned the task of finding the cause and curing it by the government and ever since he’d been working without break to find a vaccine to help these poor animals.
Every time he thought about the initial ban, he got a headache, he’d spent so long trying to find some explanation, some way to help these poor vulnerable animals, he has dedicated his entire life to it. So, as soon as he climbed onto the overcrowded train carriage, he knew it would be a long week. Another long day in-fact. Another Monday morning, another March rolling around on the calendar and he felt he still wasn’t any closer to the cure he needed.
His morning had drawn to a mundane close and now he sat, in a too-tight shirt, on an uncomfortable chair, in an office where the walls felt like they were closing in with every passing minute he had to sit under the judgemental gaze of his boss.
Namjoon had been called for yet another progress meeting.
“Namjoon you know I fully support you and want you to succeed in this as much as the next person, but we don’t have all the money in the world here.” Namjoon sat half-listening, half zoned out thinking his boss looked like a mastermind from a low budget action film, in his high-backed swivel chair that faced away from a big glass wall of windows overlooking the city. If this were an action film at any moment now the glass would shatter, and men all dressed in black would roll in and take his boss away because he’s such a massive dick.
“I know sir. I’m trying I think I’m about to make another breakthrough with the vaccine soon, things started falling into place last week.”
“I see.” His boss’ replies are taunting and disbelieving but it’s something Namjoon is long used to by now.
“I just need a few more months I promise you I’m nearly there.”
“Okay, but these meetings will continue as well as the update reports. I need results not just theories any more.”
“Of course, sir, I’ll get you the results,” Namjoon says breathing a sigh of relief as he pushes himself up from the uncomfortable chair and all but runs out of the office door and back down to his floor, far, far away from the big bosses and their disbelieving eyes and judgemental suits as they wear too big Rolexes and don’t contribute to any actual progress.

The meeting- for the most part- had luckily been one of the less painful ones. His boss was evidently in a better mood today, chatting more with Namjoon rather than speaking in short sharp sentences with a face full of thunder.
It’s always obvious when the higher-ups were breathing down his neck, demanding progress and developments for the vaccine to cure a sickness that seemingly crept into people’s homes overnight.
With the demands the higher-ups were making most days Namjoon felt like he was trying to stop a boat the size of the titanic filling up with water, while the higher-ups continuously poked holes in the structure of the ship and his boss was the band that continued to play on unrelenting, heightening the stress Namjoon felt whenever he clocked into work.

Really, he understood. Everyone wanted a cure, everyone was feeling the absence of a pet in their homes even two years later. It was still hard coming home to an empty house no pattering of claws on hardwood floors to greet you. No barking as the sun came up. Nothing. Everyone’s lives had felt quieter since the ban on pets and no one would get used to it for a long time.

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It was 7am and Yoongi’s Tuesday was already dire.
Hoseok had barged into his room 45 minutes after his alarm was meant to go off and woke him up with one sock on yelling about a power cut that had happened during the night. All it did was make yoongi want to burrow even further into the blankets and hide from the world for a bit longer. That dream was promptly shattered when the metal rings of his curtains scraped against the curtain pole with an accompanied "Hyung! You’re really fucking late!”
Lobbing a pillow in an attempt to shut his roommate up didn’t work and he watched forlornly as it slid down the wall into a sad lump on top of a pile of dirty clothes that had been sat next to his door for too long now- if that didn’t describe without words how Yoongi felt, nothing ever could.
During Yoongi’s murder attempt by pillow, Hoseok had made his way to the bed and was now succeeding at unraveling Yoongi from the blanket burrito he’d wrapped himself in during the night- protection from the biting cold AC he had in his room that couldn’t be fixed, it was a blessing in the summer but in the winter it was hell.

With Yoongi’s duvet wrapped around his shoulders, Hoseok left the room whistling a tune too upbeat for the ungodly hour that it was. Yoongi mourns that Hoseok has been his best friend long enough to know that Yoongi, even with being late enough for work as it is, wouldn’t be able to help crawling back under the covers for just a bit longer. He lay exposed and shivering on his bed for about thirty more seconds before he got up and began rapidly getting ready in an attempt to make it to his truck in time before the morning rush.
Mornings like this he was grateful to be living with Hoseok, his best friend, though insufferable 90% of the time, also looked after Yoongi just as much as Yoongi looked after him. They had met when Hoseok transferred to Yoongi's school at age ten, terrified and alone on the playground Yoongi had come up to him, not terrified but also alone, and started to talk to him. Neither can remember what they talked about but afterwards, they were damn near inseparable. Hoseok had followed Yoongi to university and they’d gotten a shoebox flat in Seoul that was close enough to campus but also didn’t break their bank accounts.
In their tiny kitchen, a to-go mug was filled with coffee with a little post stick note with a smiley face stuck to the side of it. For some reason, it almost brought him to tears. Instead of having a meltdown at 7:15 am in his kitchen Yoongi leaves a little dog drawing that somewhat resembles Hoseok’s dog, Mickey, that used to live with his family and rushes out the door shoes unlaced.
At this rate Yoongi was only going to be a little bit late as he usually opted for getting to his van early so he could take his time setting up all the machines and making himself a coffee but today with his to-go coffee balanced precariously into the holder on the frame of his bike he knew he wouldn’t have time to dawdle.
However, Yoongi liked to be early on Tuesdays and for good reason. The reminder of it felt like a slap in the face as he rounded the corner and he could see the pale blue door of his truck moving in time with the breeze.
The fucking food thief had been again.
Tuesdays, Yoongi had progressively grown to hate, once he’d started his little business. For some inexplicable reason, he had a very organised thief who visits his truck and steals very specific things every other Monday night. Like clockwork, no matter how many times he replaced the locks on the door it did nothing to deter his thief. They always stole the same things too: bread, bananas from the cooler, and seeds. It truly baffled Yoongi, all he could hope was that the thief wasn’t stealing the food for themselves because if that’s what they were eating, god their diet was terrible.
It had started pretty much as soon as he opened his breakfast food truck, so about two years ago? And continued ever since.
Heaving a deep sigh Yoongi folded his bike up and put it in the little space he has for it under the counter. Next on his list was to take stock for what had been taken this time, and to turn the machines on so they could warm up before he opened for business.
However, this didn’t stop him from sending Hoseok a pouty message
the thief has been again 🙁
It was commonplace now, that Yoongi would text and Hoseok would use it as an excuse to bring home something sweet from the bakery that was by his job for a data analysis company. During the summer Hoseok would bring home mochi and store them in the freezer and leave a sticky note trail for when Yoongi got home just to make him smile and during winter he’d leave hot pastries on the counter with a little sticky note cartoon next to it.
It had been something they’d done for each other ever since they began getting pocket change if one was ever sad the other would go and buy a sweet treat and they would sit together and eat it to cheer each other up.
Disregarding that the machines wouldn’t be ready for another few minutes Yoongi pushes the shutters open to catch the first bits of the morning sun as it reaches above the skyscrapers and down onto his little van.
About a half-hour goes by as Yoongi greets and serves his regulars, some he’s even befriended a few. Jungkook, a kid still in college comes by most mornings grabs a coffee and if there’s no queue behind him complains about his classes whilst the coffee brews. Yoongi has always given him a discount knowing how valuable morning coffees are but also how tight money is. There’s also Jimin who Hoseok knows too through the dance studio they both frequent.
However, there is one regular that Yoongi appreciates more than the others, not because of his conversation or good tips, purely because Yoongi feels blessed to see his face every day.

The man is tall just under six foot, dimples that could rival moon craters and usually bags painting his under eyes dark blue, but it didn’t make him any less beautiful. Not when the man looked like he had the softest hair ever even with the blonde dye in it and Yoongi wanted to spend hours just running his fingers through it, he usually wore a white shirt and some variation of trousers Yoongi’s favourite were the brown ones, Yoongi swears he’s never seen legs look more edible. The man ordered the same coffee every morning and occasionally on Mondays he orders an egg toast, Yoongi assumed egg toast Mondays were after heavy weekends.
Think of the devil and he shall appear. The regular, Yoongi had never managed to get the balls to ask his name in fear he would blurt something embarrassing out in front of the stranger, so he had settled in his head to calling him tall, dark, and handsome, was walking up to Yoongi’s van right now.
“Morning, do you want the usual?” Yoongi asks sending the man a smile.
“Yeah but you make it a double shot please?” he replied, his voice thick with tiredness giving it a certain kind of deepness that Yoongi wanted to hear every morning waking up next to him.
“Long night?”
“You don’t even know.” Tall, dark and handsome chuckles looking down a small smile on his face which makes his eyes crease and Yoongi’s heart just about give up.

The man always had the same coffee even when summer reached its peak he refused to have iced coffee. He had muttered one morning when the heat was rising that he could make his drink iced but the other muttered that iced coffee was the friend of the devil. Yoongi had elected to ignore the comment after giving a small chuckle and subtly moving his own iced americano out of view.
“Here you go,” Yoongi said passing over the coffee in one hand and taking the offered money in the other. Watching as he started on his walk in the direction of the subway. Yoongi mourned the fact that he didn’t have a job where he could get to know tall, dark, and handsome, he seemed like an interesting guy.
Finishing getting everything ready for his day, Yoongi turned his little radio on and the 8 o’clock news was playing.
More convenience stores and food trucks were broken into again last night. The raids aren’t growing in frequency nor are they taking large variations of food. The culprits also appear to be leaving handfuls of cash on the registers. We believe the raids are being carried out by a group and not just a singular person as various places last night was broken into, more to come as the-
Yoongi flipped the channel over to music instead, not needing to hear a report on what was happening to him, especially if they weren’t offering any answers just repeating the same information, they had been for the last few months. The food thieves had been common news within Seoul, the increasing raids on food trucks and small corner shops had finally caught the attention of the media who were now trying to figure out who the culprits were and figure out why the group was stealing the same food every week. In the past two months of coverage, not much had been discovered about them further than a few blurry CCTV images and pleas for the public to give any information if they had it- which they didn’t.
Yoongi scoffed whenever they started reporting this story, he knew what was happening it was happening. It was happening to him every other Monday night! He hoped whatever reason the group had for stealing was a damn good one, he was tired of replacing locks.
Locking up that day Yoongi triple checked to make sure every door was secure, just in case the thief changed up their pattern and decided to break in tonight as well. He knew it was pointless the raiders only struck on Monday nights, but it couldn’t hurt to make sure. Unfolding his bike, he pushed off towards home, thoughts of sweet treats urging him on.
Opening the door Yoongi could hear Hoseok in the shower, not jacking off as one might expect of a young man alone in his apartment, no. Hoseok was belting out fancy by twice and by the sounds of it he was doing the choreography too. Yoongi heaved a fond sigh and hung his jacket up on the rack and moved into the kitchen to start on their dinner.
When the pair first moved in together, they’d made a pact to eat together at least twice a week and Tuesdays are Yoongi’s day to cook. With Hoseok’s singing as background noise Yoongi made their dinner and once the shower clicked off and the pipes quietened down it was waiting on their rickety table, they’d found it on the side of the road ready to be trashed but the two had taken it in and it’s now a cherished piece in the apartment. It’s home to many late-night conversations, arguments, and tears, it was placed in front of the sliding doors that lead to their tiny balcony that was overrun by plants, left by the previous owner.
It looked out on to the city and the setting sun that was painting the sky a mirage of reds and oranges that set the sky alight as people moved like a little colony of ants below them. Some heading home after a day of work, some heading to work night shifts, some heading out with happiness in their hearts all accompanied by the orchestra of car horns and sirens and chatter of a city.

Once they were both situated at their table Yoongi began lamenting his break-in.
“Seok. I know it’s happening everywhere but it’s every two weeks for me! They leave money sometimes but I- just it’s so frustrating!” He knows he’s whining about a problem that can’t really be solved but if he can whine to anyone it’s his best friend who just sits and pets his head whilst he does it.
“I know, you just gotta deal with it, it could be worse couldn’t it.” Hoseok was trying to be devils advocate and placate his best friend who was just huffing in the response of reason.
“Don’t you smirk at me this is my lively hood! Why are they stealing from me when I’m merely a street vendor! Why do they even want banana and seeds and all that! Take my expensive coffee machines if you're going to take anything!” Yoongi had stood and moved out onto the balcony leaning on the edge as if his words would carry over to whoever was stealing from his truck.
“Can’t you do anything to stop them?”
“I’ve tried! The number of locks I have replaced because they pick them and fuck them up!”
“Try something else then.” Yoongi’s head turned from the balcony to Hoseok and he scrunched his brows at the younger.
“Oh? And do you have a suggestion old wise one?”
“Well-“Hoseok pauses clearly thinking his suggestion through. “Why don’t you just sleep in your van one Monday night?”
Somehow Yoongi’s eyebrows had drawn even closer together.
“Have you ever taken my back into consideration?”
“Well old man sacrifice your back to get whoever it is to stop stealing seems fair” Hoseok says frankly as he gets up and takes their plates to the sink leaving Yoongi to mull over the idea of it. He supposed that it wouldn’t be the worst place he’d ever slept.
Yoongi had slept in some pretty deprived places. The one that takes the crown though was the bottom of a drained pool only his jacket covering him and Hoseok. They’d just finished all their exams and had originally been at a party. But one too many drinks had led to them wandering off and exploring, they’d found the empty pool at the top of an old hill, it’s insides splashed with coloured graffiti and grass was somehow growing in the bottom of it. The two hadn’t planned on sleeping there but when the stars were out, and the ladder was too far up to reach in their drunken states they had just given up. Curling close together for warmth and falling asleep.

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Today was one of those days. The days he called ‘Namjoon’s no good very bad days. Every little thing had felt like it had gone extremely wrong, and it was only getting worse.
First he had woken up late, then he’d forgotten to take change out so he couldn’t get a coffee, then his train just decided to not turn up which made him late for work, then he had to deal with a passive-aggressive boss and then the cherry on top of his shit day was the board meeting that had been sprung on him, his boss had ‘forgotten’ to mention it to him the previous day. And dealing with the government officials was hard enough on a day when everything had gone right.
It had felt like nothing short of a disaster. Being drilled into about his project and the cure and just every little thing that he had gone through a million and one times with his boss, it just didn’t make any sense! He could have not been there and let his boss explain everything to the board and he could have, you know, been working on the actual cure rather than discussing it.

Now stuck on the train home, too many bodies pressed close together, too many loud voices, too much stimulation Namjoon just wanted to go home and curl under his covers and be locked away from life for a while.
Once he was off the train, he dragged his feet across the pavement, heaved his body up the stairs after noting the out of order sign still on the lift, he shoved the door open and he dropped all his stuff in the doorway. He’d pick it up later.
“Hey, Joon are you alright?” Seokjin asks turning around and leaning over the sofa to face the racket the younger just made. And maybe that was Namjoon’s tipping point.
His face crumbled and his body felt like it was going to shake apart as hot tears washed down his face and dropped onto the floor in their entryway. It was Monday night and Namjoon was crying in the doorway of his apartment, the front door not even fully shut yet, but that wasn’t stopping him.
There was a reason Namjoon and Seokjin had lived together for so long. The eldest knew exactly what to do after many nights when Namjoon’s been worn out and at breaking point.
Step 1 in the make Namjoon a bit less sad plan: was to give him a bit of space, so he moved around the crying man who had now buried his face in his hands. Jin pushed the front door shut, moved his briefcase to where it was meant to go and picked his jacket up and hung it on their coat rack.
Step 2: Is to just let him cry, the eldest wraps and arm around Namjoon and pulls him over to the sofa, avoiding his bed because it was Monday night and Seokjin knew that Namjoon had to be out again relatively soon and if he were to put him to bed, he might not get up. So together they sat on the sofa, Namjoon tipped back against Seokjin’s chest so it was easier to play with the younger’s hair.
Step 3: does he want to talk? Seokjin felt like today he wouldn’t want to. He’d noticed the weight pushing down on Namjoon’s shoulders the past few weeks, how the bags under his eyes had grown progressively darker, and how his sleeping patterns were falling out of routine no matter how tired he was, Jin could hear steps pacing the kitchen and the light buzzing overhead at the oddest hours.
Once the tears had dried up and Namjoon’s breaths had evened out Seokjin spoke up.
“Do you want to talk about it Joonie?” Jin asked.
“It’s just work Hyung. You know how it is.” He replied dejectedly, his voice seeming smaller and more confined than the usual Namjoon who spoke with confidence and ease in most situations.
“Yeah, but it won’t be this hard forever, you’re doing really important work. And you’re doing it so well, you know I’m proud.”
“Are you sure this is Seokjin? Are you an intruder in his body?” Namjoon says mirth ebbing back into his voice as he poked into the elder’s sides
“Hey! Don’t be so annoying! Here I am looking after you and all you do is disrespect me! Gosh! Kim Namjoon!” He says poking his fingers in between his best friend’s ribs with every jibe in retaliation. It has the other squealing and rolling straight off the sofa onto the wooden floor. The sight of his best friend curled on the floor a smile finally back on his face has the worry that was coiled around Jin’s chest loosen with every breath.
Groaning Namjoon lifts his head up and shoots daggers at Seokjin before pushing himself up and dusting off his work clothes.
“Now you know it’s your day out! Go kick ass!” Seokjin continues to cheer and holler even after Namjoon’s left to his room with his middle finger pointed to his friend.
Monday nights always left Namjoon blurry on his moral compass. He knew what he did was for the greater good and that it was ultimately beneficial, but he had to steal to do it, Taehyung, a "friend” of Jin’s, regularly called him Robin Hood after he accidentally found out about Namjoon’s Monday nights.
It had been an honest accident, Jin had brought Taehyung over to “hang out” and “play video games” and the pair had crossed each other as Namjoon was leaving and Tae was coming in. It had consequently made Taehyung become overly suspicious of Joon and avoid him whenever they crossed paths in the apartment. It was a bit of a strain on Jin having his not-boyfriend so suspicious and weary around his best friend. Taehyung had seemed trustworthy so Joon caught him one night and explained what he did to him.

However, Namjoon insisted that he wasn’t Robin Hood, because he wasn’t stealing from the rich, he was stealing from a coffee vendor, his coffee vendor in fact. Namjoon still hadn’t decided if it made him feel worse because he saw who he was stealing from most mornings or if it made it more bearable because he knew he wasn’t affecting someone’s business extremely badly.
The night kept Namjoon safe as he meandered down the street trying to avoid the glare of the street lights and occasional passing of car headlights. He didn’t look like the most innocent person out there, wearing all black clothing with a currently empty rucksack on his back, if anyone out tonight screamed I’m about to break into a food vendor’s van and steal food it was Namjoon.
As the moon rose in the sky and he got a block away from the van, his mask was pulled right over his face and his hood was up the only thing visible were his eyes. The outfit wasn’t Namjoon’s favourite thing. Especially as summer crept closer and the nights began to become humid, and the air felt like it was cocooning itself around his body making his clothes stick to him in so many uncomfortable places.
The route he’s headed down is a familiar one. One, in fact, he takes every morning, the little blue food truck sat where it always is, muted now that the night cradled it, not as bright a blue as it is in the morning sun. Maybe that’s why Namjoon felt okay to do this, he had detached himself enough that he didn’t see this as the blue truck he visits in the morning with the cute vendor, he only saw it as the place he’d been assigned to by one of the leaders of this movement.

Tonight, Namjoon thought, was hopefully going to be a successful one. He had faced some clarity after his post-work breakdown earlier. And he felt ready to do this he was looking at the world with a new set of eyes and knew that even if stealing is morally bad, he couldn’t not do it. It’s for the greater good.
Approaching the van, he sends a cursory glance to his surroundings, as expected not a soul is out on this Monday night at one am. Why would they be? Everyone would rather be in their bed cosied up to a lover or spread out trying to stay cool under the oppressive heat. Getting sleep ready for the next day.
He reaches the van and proceeds to work at the lock he was almost accustomed to keying open now he’d done it so many times, hairpins pulled out of his hair allowing his fringe to fall in his face as he gently worked open each part of the lock. He tried to do it as methodically as possible as to not damage it too much, obviously a bit of damage was expected but he still felt bad for the owner of the van, and he always left a little wad of cash for lock replacement, and for the food he stole on a bi-weekly basis but still.
The lock clicked open and Namjoon pocketed it for the time being as he turned his torch on and pulled open the door, he saw something he’d never expected to see.
The owner of the fucking van was sat on an upturned crate, one eyebrow raised and a smirk on his face, all he needed was a cat on his lap and he’d be a near-perfect bond villain.
Adrenaline shot through Namjoon’s body, but it didn’t make him any less clumsy as he stumbled backwards and straight out of the truck and onto the concrete.
“Shit!” He wheezed out tugging his mask down to make his breaths come easier.
“What the fuck it’s you!” The owner's voice came out. Shit. He hadn’t wanted the pretty owner to recognise him. Or see him at all for that matter. Why did he have to be here? Namjoon was literally never going to be able to get coffee from here again now! It was so good too he mourned. “Why are you breaking into my truck all the god damn time!”
“I promise there’s a valid reason!” Namjoon stutters out still trying to breathe properly after being winded. “Give me a minute and I’ll explain!” Namjoon had never been so intimidated in his god damn life, sprawled on the floor as the owner of the truck stood above him at the door looking down at him with fury in his eyes that rivalled a thousand suns
“Fine then, but I swear to god if it’s not good I will fucking end you.” He says holding a hand out to Namjoon on the floor, pulling him up and into the truck again.
Namjoon finally re catches his breath and desperately tries to hold onto it the longer the owner of the truck stares him down. Namjoon never knew someone could be so pretty but so intimidating at the same time. Sharp eyes unrelenting and boring into his. Namjoon wanted to look away but he was afraid of the repercussions if he did.
“What are you doing every time you break into my truck?”
“I’m just trying to feed the strays! They’re out on the boundaries without substantial food to feed them all and so the weak ones are starving! It was humane of the government to put them in a quarantine zone instead of killing them but to just leave all these domesticated house pets to fend for themselves with not enough food or water is inhumane and the public just doesn’t know it’s happening! It’s just wrong! Something had to be done.” Namjoon spoke with an urgency in his voice he knew he didn’t have much time to convince the owner that what he was doing was right, but he hoped his little spiel then had helped.
“Oh yeah? What were you going to take this time?”
“Food!” A smile broke out on the owner's face and- oh god, Namjoon was a goner. That smile. He could take down a government with that smile. “Wait I mean, obviously food. I just-" the owner was still smiling at him all soft, like the first warm sun of the year, or blankets that had just come out of the dryer. “I swear I only try to take what is necessary, and I always leave you money for the locks I know I break! I am really sorry but it’s for the greater good?” Namjoon desperately is trying to make himself seem like not a bad person in front of the owner, he hopes he’s doing a good job. The small smile the other has hints that he isn’t making a complete twat of himself.
“Okay, I get that.” He says still looking over Namjoon, “I assume you’re a part of the group doing the robbery’s all over the city?”
“Yeah, I have been it for a few months now.”
“If I had known the group stealing food was doing it for the reason you are, I would’ve found a way to join months ago.”
“We just try and take from big corporations and chain places unless somewhere like you has the necessary stuff we need- “
“Hey, it’s okay you don’t need to keep justifying yourself I understand don’t stress. However, can I get the name of the man that’s been stealing all my food?”
“Um, Namjoon. Kim Namjoon. I guess it’s nice to finally talk to you after my daily coffee pickups for however long.” Namjoon knows he’s acting like a fool but somehow he can’t. Stop. Talking. He really wants to zip up his mouth just to stop the jumble of words falling out.
“Well um Kim Namjoon, I’m Min Yoongi- “He says with a smirk and Namjoon’s just gone. Utterly and completely gone, he hadn’t stood a chance from when he first served him the world's best coffee and he certainly won’t survive now he’s talked to the man. “And I’d like to help you feed the strays if that’s alright, so tell me what you need.”

Namjoon moves his way around the streets with practised ease, avoiding potholes and street lights, at this point it’s second nature to him, he can never be careful enough. At all costs, Namjoon can’t let his face be seen and risk exposing himself. Namjoon’s mask is tugged back up and his hood that droops low covers his eyes. Yoongi isn’t covered as much, a mask concealing his mouth and nose but the rest of his face is exposed, not that Namjoon particularly minds seeing yoongi’s face in the nightlights that cast dancing shadows across his cheekbones but he still worries that tonight might be the night they get caught and the last thing he’d want is to get Yoongi caught up in something he’s not even a part of. Especially with the increased news coverage, every week he does this the risk of being found increases.
During their walk to the outer edges of the city, Yoongi trips on cracked pavements and stops to admire the graffiti that you never find on the pristine walls of the inner city. Admittedly Namjoon was the same when he’d first started coming out this way when he’d been assigned this area to get the food too, Namjoon hadn’t ventured this far away from the centre and he was just as awed as Yoongi is now by how different it feels. It doesn’t feel like their home city at all, Namjoon always mused that he could be anywhere in the world when walking down these streets- a city in England, in the USA, in China, Australia. Anywhere. However, none of those countries had faced the same epidemic that Seoul had, for reasons that still evade him, and it breaks his heart whenever he reaches the street where the cries of animals are audible, drowning out anything else.
“Hey, you know you can go at any time if you want? I get that it might be kind of uncomfortable having to see the animals and stuff,” Namjoon mumbles breaking the quiet that had fallen over them on their walk.
Namjoon sees out the corner of his eye as Yoongi turns to face him “I would not have walked as far as I have if I was about to drop out, trust me I’m seeing this through.”
“Okay, you might want to be wary around the animals though I’m not sure how they’re going to react to you, they don’t really see any other humans apart from me.”
Yoongi nods in reply and they continue to walk down the last bit of road to the chain-link fence. An old thing now, rusting and weak. It makes Namjoon’s job of getting through it 100 times easier, all he has to do is get to the spot where it’s detached from the support beam, lift it, then push a couple of crates out of the way that he placed to ensure the animals wouldn’t get out.
Once the pair is through Namjoon takes the container of seeds out and begins to shake it gently as he moves further into the quarantine zone.
Slowly the pater of feet and claws begins to get louder as the animals recognise the sound as meaning food. Namjoon seats himself on the floor and looks backward towards Yoongi with a small smile on his face when he sees the elder looking vaguely spooked at the incoming animals.
“Come join me as long as you have food, they’ll like you.” He pats the ground next to him and hopes that he will be joined.
Not too long after as the first of the animals begin to emerge from the shadows, Yoongi joins him on his left.

The cats appear first, bumping their little heads into Namjoon and Yoongi’s knees, and Yoongi is cooing at them and feeding them little bits of food out of his open palm.
And Namjoon? Well, he’s struggling. On new levels. It’s devastating seeing this side of Yoongi, out of business mode. He’s so soft. Gently talking to the cats that have latched onto him. It’s like he’s the snow white of the feline world.
Yoongi snorts next to him and Namjoon’s horrified as he realises, he must have said that out loud. He buries his face in the fur of the husky in front of him to hide the blush he can feel crawling up his neck and onto his face.
It’s quiet as animals come and go. Getting food and leaving back off into the shadows. Namjoon sometimes wonders what it looks like here during the day, if there are more animals than he ever meets wandering about or if they all hideaway during the day. He’d love to visit one day but he can’t risk being seen, especially with his job, if he lost that it would be catastrophic it would make everything, he’s done in the past two years to try and give these pets homes again pointless.
Namjoon was running out of food, but he was lingering not wanting to leave just yet. Waiting on one more cat, heavily pregnant in fact he worried and waited every week for her. She was slow and vulnerable and Namjoon had promised himself he’d do what he could for her when he first discovered she was due kittens. From what research he’s done she should be ready to pop any time soon, but there’s no telling without proper medical equipment to check.
About ten minutes later he hears a cat meowing and when she waddles into the low light of their torch Yoongi gasps.
“I know, she’s due soon.”
“Oh. Fuck, I thought she was just really fat.” At that Namjoon sputters out a laugh trying to muffle it as to not startle the cat. She comes close enough to touch and Namjoon runs a gentle hand over her head.
“Hey baby, how are you doing this week?” Namjoon whispers as he gets the last little Tupperware out of his bag, he opens it and puts the contents on the floor for her.
“Hey, come on we better get going,” Namjoon says as he stands up nudging Yoongi out of his little trance.
“Yeah, will she be okay?” he asks referring to the pregnant cat.
“She’s a fighter, she will make it through another week.”
The pair leave the area as quietly as they came, walking back down the streets into the thumping heart of the city. Conversation between them flows quietly and easily, breaching old nicknames -Namjoon begrudgingly admits his parents used to call him honey bear after five minutes of Yoongi’s pestering. To the shenanigans they got up to in their home towns growing up- Yoongi admits he was nearly arrested once after almost being caught spray-painting an abandoned shop shutter. Their voices stay hushed there’s a peace around them that feels like it might shatter if they’re too loud. The moon soon will sink into the horizon as morning creeps closer but still above them the night sky sits above them, stars desperately trying to shine on top of the city.

As they get closer and closer to Yoongi’s food van Namjoon realises that this is possibly where they part paths and go back to being acquaintances who exchange pleasantries every morning as Yoongi makes him his coffee, and to Namjoon that sounds like hell. So, he does something non-sleep deprived Namjoon would never have the balls to do, he invites Yoongi over to his apartment for coffee. What’s the use of sleeping now when they need to be up in about two hours?

By some miracle, Yoongi agrees and it takes everything in Namjoon not to drop to the floor and thank whatever gods are up there that have decided to keep the pairs strings intertwined for just a bit longer. They’re hurrying now, as the moon dips lower and lower the risk of seeing people increases and they still look suspicious in their all-black ensembles.

When the pair get safely back to Namjoon's apartment, they shuck off their layers and leave them in a small pile in the hall to be dealt with after coffee. Neither Namjoon or Yoongi able to keep their eyes open or conversation up at that point.

The night had been so long, yet sleep seemed pointless at this point. The sun barely an hour away from breaching the cities horizon and the official start to Yoongi's day. The elder had tried to insist that Namjoon at least get a bit of sleep before he has to go to work, two hours is better than nothing, he had said again and again as they walked up the stairs to Namjoon's apartment, the lift still out of order.

But Namjoon knows he'd rather just stay up and have another hour with Yoongi before the night ends. He fears once the night is over so will whatever this was. that if he went to sleep now Namjoon would get to Yoongi's van in a few hours and the only words exchanged between them will be polite small talk between customer and barista. As if Yoongi doesn't know Namjoon's best-kept secret.

So, they stand lent against counters in Namjoon's kitchen with the coffee machine bubbling in the background. quiet whilst they wait, the silence was only broken when Namjoon mutters an almost inaudible 'excuse me' as he reaches over Yoongi's head for the mugs. Once the coffee is brewed, they move into the other room to the sofas and sit curled up facing each other. They decided to not turn on the tv or the radio not wanting to wakeup Seokjin. But background noise wasn’t needed to fill lulls, not when their conversation doesn't stop.

"No way did you used to be an underground rapper Hyung!" Namjoon says awed, Hyung is a thing now after Yoongi had told him to drop formalities, especially when across his shoulder lay a dozing cat.

"Yeah, hang on," he says pulling out his phone. Namjoon pauses, takes a deep breath and prepares himself to possibly see high school/university-aged Yoongi rapping. Namjoon watches as Yoongi pulls up a message thread, the contact saved as HOEbi with a sunshine emoji next to it, goes to the attachment and scrolls quite far back. The original videos? Namjoon wonders, maybe this HOEbi has been with Yoongi for a long time. What if they're dating? a nasty voice spits in his head, but before he can even contemplate that possibility Yoongi speaks up.

"Hobi is my best friend, he used to come with me to the clubs and take videos of me even though he was shit scared at the start of all the other guys there."

Yoongi finds the video with a little ah! and Namjoon's heart kicks up its speed by 100 mph, this is before the videos even started.

On the little screen a shaky video begins and Namjoon can see the resemblance Yoongi today has to Yoongi of before. The same sharp eyes, pale skin, however screen Yoongi looks harsher, a big oversized red coat over a ripped up white t-shirt and bleached blonde hair. the lights in the video are low and the quality isn't amazing, obviously taken on a phone camera but none of that matters when Yoongi starts rapping. The talent is there and Namjoon is awed. even some of the rappers he listens to now couldn't even dream of keeping up with how fast Yoongi spits his verses.

The video ends all too quickly and Namjoon is left speechless. "Hyung. what the fuck." Namjoon turns to look Yoongi dead in the eyes having to put his coffee down in fear of spilling it in his excitement. "why didn't you pursue that as a career, you're better in that one video than countless people in the industry could ever be!" he says his voice raising with each word, but he catches himself quick enough to mumble a quiet "why did you give it up?"

"I don't think I’ll ever give it up entirely," this piques Namjoon's interest, "I still produce a bit now on the side, I have a SoundCloud and stuff too, I just don't perform like that anymore." He doesn't look sad about that though so Namjoon feels like it’s not too sensitive of a topic to continue to ask about.

"So, what about the coffee vendor then, where did that come from?" Namjoon can't see a logistical connection between a career pursuing music and a career making and serving breakfast food and coffee.

"I'm not sure it wasn't ever really in the cards, fresh-faced just starting university Yoongi wanted to be a full time in-house producer at a big company but I was doing a business degree and after one too many rejections and companies not giving me the bare minimum that I requested, I decided to keep it as more of a hobby that sometimes pays rather than a full time career and a friend of a friends dad, long winded I know, was retiring and selling his truck and at this point I was just out of university without anything else to do and so I thought why not?" he smiles a bit to himself at that as if it's an in-joke only he knows. "and you know the rest is sort of history. but who are you Kim Namjoon outside of your shirts and trousers and Monday night espionages on my food truck?"

"Damn, who am I? Do we really know who we are?"

"Alright, Mr. Philosophical. what would you be doing if you weren't out saving all the pets?"

"Funnily enough, music."

"Oh, shit really?" Yoongi's evidently surprised at that, Namjoon knows he doesn't look like the kind of person to do music, not anymore at least.

"Yeah, it used to be an escape from like studying and my shitty first year housemates. I never posted anything anywhere, but I have a playlist I've had to put on hold for now because of the job getting so hectic suddenly, but once this is all over, I’d love to take a break and finish that," he says this wistfully because right now his research feels never ending.

"You'll get there and afterward your playlist is going to feel even better to work on."

"I’m just going to become a hermit for like three months whilst I finish it. No one will see me."

"You won’t even come for coffee in the mornings?" Yoongi teases

"That might be the only thing I’m willing to leave my room for" Namjoon returns smiling.

Little do they know a flower sprouts in their hearts, the possibility of something big coming from this one-night, makes both of them grow with hope.

Mechanically Yoongi shuts down his trailer at four pm of the same Tuesday, his body aching and dark circles under his eyes that could rival a raccoon’s. He muses that blood must be 70% coffee at this stage and all he wants is to go home and cocoon himself into bed and not leave till the next morning. With that goal in mind, he unfolds his bike and speeds home attempting not to fall asleep to the repetitive motion of his legs that guide him like second nature towards his apartment.
Pushing the key into the lock of his apartment he can hear the radio on some random station playing whatever is in the charts, the staticky noise coming from the living room as Yoongi kicks off his shoes revealing his purple squid socks and pads into the room to see Hoseok reading sprawled out on the sofa and Yoongi knows he’s done for. Hoseok never lies on the sofa and reads not unless he’s waiting for Yoongi to get home the morning after a night out. Usually with a smug smirk on his face, asking about his night and winking over dramatically. Most of the time he’s ignored unless they went out together and bumped into Jimin, then Yoongi would be the one making suggestive faces as Hoseok stumbled in the morning after, still in the previous night’s clothes.
“Min Yoongi what time do you call this?” he says mocking a deep voice as if he were a disapproving father and rising up over the sofa to peer at the elder.
“Seokkkkkkkkkkk,” he whines moving to face Hoseok who’s looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “I’m so fucked Seok what do I do?” he continues as he climbs onto the sofa to lay on top of Hoseok and burying his head in his chest.
“Wait.” The younger sits up a little and pushes Yoongi up by the shoulders slightly so he’s kind of like a seal “what the fuck happened last night I thought you just fell asleep in your truck?”
"Noooo, oh my god, the guy, he came to steal. But Seok you’re not going to believe this!” he says wiggling backward from the uncomfortable position and sitting on his hunches “It’s the hot guy that comes to my van every morning!”
“Brown pants guy?” Hoseok near yells sitting up ramrod straight, almost smacking his and yoongi’s foreheads together.
“Brown pants guy! and you know what he’s doing?” Yoongi adds a brief pause here for the dramatics. “He’s fucking feeding the strays!”
Hoseok gasps in fake horror, “how dare he be so nice!”
“I knowwww Seok-ah this is horrible! How could someone play with my heart like this?” the pout on yoongi’s face is clearly audible in his voice as he flops back onto Hoseok’s chest and burrows into the hoodie he’s wearing. “this is my hoodie,” Yoongi grumbles just because he can. Unsurprisingly he receives no pity just a laugh that vibrates through yoongi’s skull.” You know what his actual job is?”
“What monstrous 9-5job does he work?”
“He’s one of the scientists on the team looking for the cause and cure of the illness of thepets1”
“What an evil man, how dare he.”
“Seokkkkkk it's not fair,”
“Oh, young love yoongi-boongi, young love.” Hoseok chuckles running fingers through the elder’s hair, untangling the knots that had built up whilst twisting his fingers and leaving tiny plaits in its wake.
The pair put a tv show on for a bit, neither wanting to move from their comfortable position on the sofa, that and Hoseok was determined to get all of his best friends’ hair into minuscule plaits secured by tiny clear bobbles.
Half an hour trickled by as they lay together a comfortable atmosphere due to years of doing exactly this, the TV a low din of noise in the background, and the sun creeping down the sky to allow the night room to pull its blanket over the city.
The little bubble is disturbed when yoongi’s phone vibrates in his front pocket.
“Oh, Mr. Min Yoongi, who could be texting you? If I, your only friend is here lying underneath you with no phone in sight?” Hoseok jibes.
“You’re not my only friend asshole,” Yoongi grumbles as he pulls his phone out. And promptly drops it on Hoseok’s face.
“Ow! You’re the asshole here!” he says grabbing the phone and looking at the screen “oh! Yoongi who is this! Mr. I had a nice night in the end, even if I did begin it stealing from you! with a smiley face!”
With each word, yoongi’s face gets redder and redder. With each word, Hoseok’s grin gets wider and wider until half his face is a smile.
“Seok what am I going do! He’s so nice.”
“You’re going to get your thief and cherish his big kind heart.”

Days go back to usual after Yoongi’s unexpected Monday night adventure, normalcy returns and Yoongi hates it to an extent. He doesn’t hate it completely though because now Namjoon actually talks to him in the mornings instead of only exchanging the necessary dialogue between customer and barista, they talk more, ask about plans or what they’re watching. They even text now!
Yoongi would readily say he’s gained a new friend in Namjoon. Yesterdays was Yoongi’s favourite, purely because it had come from nowhere, it was about how crocodiles used to gallop. In return, Yoongi gets to bitch to Namjoon about petty customers.
Life goes on and Yoongi now has one more friend in his little circle, even if he does wish Namjoon was more than a friend no one else needs to know that, besides Hoseok of course. Yoongi has never been able to hide anything from is best friend.
Especially when he has a crush the size of Russia on Namjoon. He couldn’t hide his bright pink cheeks and grin whenever Namjoon texts from Hoseok for long. His best friend had seemed to develop a sixth sense for when Namjoon texts Yoongi and would walk into the room just as Yoongi opened it, and then the teasing would commence at the blush on yoongi’s cheeks.
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Yoongi's Tuesday was meant to be a normal one, one where he would wake up. Open his van. Work his shift. Then come home.

And so far it had been normal, he'd gotten up, gotten dressed and eaten breakfast. Weaved around Hoseok throughout both their morning routines. He'd gotten out of the apartment A-Okay, he'd even gotten all the way to his van within perfectly normal schedule.

Now, what wasn't normal was the figure rapidly approaching. Covered head to toe in black. Long legs at almost a dead sprint running straight for him. Now Yoongi did what any half asleep, don’t want to deal with this shit, person would do. He collapsed onto the floor, now that certainly stopped the figure running at him in their tracks.

"Yoongi?"
Wait.
That was a voice Yoongi knew, a voice he had heard every morning offering coffee and one he’d become friendly with over the past few weeks.
"Namjoon! What the hell! You scared me nearly half to death! it's so early my brain is not! functioning!"
"I’m sorry! I’m sorry! It’s just really important." He said gasping for breath in between words.
“What is it?" Yoongi asked unnerved at the tone of Namjoon’s voice, the younger looks around before replying as if he had something to hide.
"It’s the cat, she gave birth.” he all but whispers and Yoongi has to look at him for a while in disbelief.
“Kittens?” Namjoon nods frantically glancing back over his shoulder out of paranoia. At this point, Yoongi knew what he was going to do.

Unfolding his bike again and gestured for Namjoon to take it and get on as he grabbed an empty cardboard box. Except when he turned back around Namjoon was just staring at him holding the bike loosely in his grip.
“Who are you waiting for, the Queen? Come on let’s go and get those kittens.”
Namjoon stared back dumbfounded, he stared for so long that Yoongi huffed and started pushing on Namjoon’s back to get him moving.
“But your van?”
“It doesn’t matter Joon come on you obviously care about these kittens more than you’re showing me otherwise you wouldn’t have come running to me like a mad man. So, let’s go.”
Luckily Yoongi’s words push Namjoon into action and he balances the bike so Yoongi can hold on to the stokes. Once balanced Namjoon pushes off and they hurtle down the familiar streets which are now being cast in grey light as the sun slowly breaks the horizon.
The light makes Yoongi’s heart beat faster in his chest, knowing how much easy it is to get caught out here in the light, he wonders how they’ll get the kittens home without being seen- will they even make it home without being caught?
Cracks in the pavements and the roads grow more often as they get further out of the city, and it causes Yoongi’s grip on Namjoon’s shoulders to tighten. One particularly bad pothole that Namjoon swerves past with the front tire but skims with the back causes Yoongi’s chest to crash against Namjoon’s back and his arms to slip fully around his neck.
There’s a moment of silence between the pair where Namjoon skids the bike to a stop and grabs one of Yoongi’s wrists as they both catch their breaths from the sudden jolting.
“I am so sorry!” Namjoon says, squeezing Yoongi’s wrists as an apology.
“No worries just don’t do that when I’m holding two kittens and we will be all good.”
“I promise I’ll try not to.” He says pushing the bike off again, steering them safely this time down the last few blocks towards the chain link fence. It looks different in the morning light, less foreboding, a lot more morose. The animals weren’t waiting at the fence today and it made Yoongi and Namjoon’s entry quicker and hopefully unnoticed by anyone.
Once in Namjoon leads Yoongi down a path that had begun to be worn down by the animals wandering around, everything is a bit overgrown and Yoongi notes that Namjoon is stuck in a near permanent crouch to avoid the low hanging branches. It's not long before they find the kittens and the sight breaks yoongi’s heart.
There’s two of them, two tiny little calico kittens curled together for warmth underneath a bush, Namjoon’s rucksack that he’d taken out during the night to carry food left abandoned next to them, evidence of his panic to get to Yoongi. Yoongi notes briefly that the kittens’ mother is nowhere in sight and that their little dusting of fur shows that they’re not newly born in the past day. So where was their mother? Yoongi thought.
Yoongi watches as Namjoon bends down and coos at the kittens trying to quieten their panicked meows down them.
“Hi babies it’s okay, you’re alright come on I’ve got you” he babbles as he bends down and motions for Yoongi to give him the cardboard box. Once it's placed next to them he picks the kittens up gently, Yoongi notes that one of the kittens fit with plenty of space in the cup of Namjoon’s palms and he melts behind the scientist a bit.
Once they’re in the cardboard box that is stuffed with Namjoon’s hoodie for padding, they begin to head back to the fence. The mindless babble continues all the way until the two have to crouch and move as quietly as they can back to yoongi’s bike left on the outside of the quarantine zone.
“I don’t think we should ride back,” Yoongi suggests “they’re so tiny and fragile I’m scared I’ll hurt them if I’m balanced on the back.”
“Shit yeah you’re right,” Namjoon says grabbing yoongi’s bike whilst Yoongi carries the box and they begin their walk back into the city. Yoongi somehow feels a bubble of nerves form around the man next to him,
“Do you want me to take the box, you’re not fully involved in this I don’t want you to face the consequences if someone stops us on the way back.”
“No,” to Yoongi the idea sounded ridiculous, “you’re the one with the job that’s going to save these animals, I’d rather go down and lose my van instead of you go down and see all the research you’ve done go to waste, especially when you’re this far into it.” He insists
“Oh, thank you Hyung, I really appreciate that.” Namjoon says staring at the floor, cheeks tinted pink under the morning light.
“No worries Namjoon-ah let’s just keep going yeah?”
And so, they do. They wander down the streets slowly, Yoongi doing his best to act as if the box is heavy to put off any suspicions of passers-by on their way to work. Conversation flows gently between them, weaving around rocks and tumbling down waterfalls.
“Don’t you think it’s funny how we name our cats, but they don’t actually respond to their names the same way dogs do?” Namjoon says looking to the box.
“I guess it’s like calling really little kid’s terms of endearment or nicknames, they don’t really respond but they still feel the affection in it, you know?”
"Yeah, that’s true.”
“Did you have any nicknames as a kid Joon?” Yoongi asks curiously a smile breaking out on his face as Namjoon’s ears went pink.
“Um yeah, it was all I was ever called by my parents even when I was angsting and moody.” He chuckles shaking his head at himself.
“Pray tell Namjoon.”
He whines a bit in the back of his throat and mumbles out “itwashoneybear.”
Yoongi was almost convinced he melted into a puddle of fondness right there, he was no longer a solid form he was just a puddle of mush on the floor.
“That’s so cute” he whispers in disbelief.
“Tell you what’s cuter.”
“Oh god, Namjoon I can’t take any cuter. Are you trying to kill me?”
“They still write cards and stuff to me addressed to honey bear and that’s my name in their phone contacts”
“No Namjoon oh my god.” Yoongi whispers much to Namjoon’s amusement. “it’s so early and you think it’s okay to end me like this?”
“Well Hyung, you asked, I believe this isn’t my fault.” He laughs, disregarding yoongi’s turmoil.
“This is devastating, how are you so cute,” Yoongi asks gaining some satisfaction from the brightness of the youngers ears that were peeking out of his hood.
Quiet falls over them again as they carry on walking, more and more people passing them with every street they progress down, all too immersed in their own lives to bother taking a second glance at the slightly odd pair. One decked out all in black wheeling a bike next to him and the other in a big fluffy white jumper carrying a cardboard box close to his chest murmuring quietly into it every so often. If anyone had really stopped and looked, they may have been caught however, it was early on a Tuesday morning and no one else was going to give them a second glance.

At Yoongi’s van, they stopped, unsure of what to say to each other. Yoongi moved his eyes from Namjoon to the cardboard box that was quietly meowing in his hands.
“I think I need to get these back to my apartment,” Yoongi says very matter of fact.
Namjoon just nods in agreement
“I can come and get them after my shift? I feel bad for dumping all this- “
“Oh, hush Joon-ah, I’m happy to take them from you, I’ve grown a kind of attached. Come by my apartment later, I’ll send you my address.” Yoongi says, not even needing to think it through. He already knows, not even an hour of knowing these cats he’d already kill for them.
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The rain lashes down on Namjoon as he runs from the underground to Yoongi’s flat, his dress shoes that he was required to wear for work had no grip on them in the slightest and so he was praying to every all-powerful being out there that he wouldn’t slip and land face first in a puddle.
If he wasn’t going to fall it felt like, every car was driving through puddles and splashing hm on the pavement even if he stood as far from the road as possible. Basically, Namjoon was soaked through. His day had been painful enough. He felt like his body was running on adrenaline and the four coffees he choked down during work at this point, the half-hour nap he had gotten on the underground worn off hours ago.

Seeing Yoongi’s apartment block felt like the light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel. It felt even better when he got inside the building and the rain was finally off his back. For a few moments, he stood in the foyer dripping, until a little old lady came out of the apartment door to his right and he hurriedly scurried towards the flight of stairs down the corridor.
He made it to Yoongi’s apartment and raised his fist to knock on the door only to have it pulled open and a stranger stares at him with his brows furrowed.
“Um who are you?” he asks
“Namjoon. um is Yoongi in?”
The stranger’s eyes widen almost comically before he calls back into the apartment “Yoongi your scientist guy is here!”
Namjoon hears Yoongi shuffling about from within the apartment and he comes into view a few seconds later.
“Well. You look like shit.”
“Such a flatterer, gotta run Jimin is waiting for me see you later Yoon and nice to meet you!” the stranger says with a blinding smile on his face. He looks as if he’s off to the gym in a big raincoat and baggy shorts poking out from underneath and trainers that are more alike astronaut boots than any other footwear, he’s seen someone casually wear.
“That’s my roommate and best friend Hoseok,” Yoongi says fondly even though he tries to mask it by shaking his head at the back of the other.
“Ah, I worried I had the wrong apartment.” Namjoon laughs as Yoongi steps back letting Namjoon into the apartment.
“Did you walk through a waterfall on the way here? “
“Feels like it.”
“Let me get you a hoodie or something you’ll catch your death like that.” Namjoon smiles as Yoongi turns around and heads back into what Namjoon assumes is his room. Namjoon spares a second to glance around the apartment. It’s nice. Considering two twenty-something guys live there it’s surprisingly clean and tidy. A small table by the doors to the balcony, a sofa that looks like it’s older than Namjoon sat in front of a tv. The walls have lots of frames on them but also, pictures just taped to the wall. The pictures all contain Yoongi or Hoseok blinding grins filling the pictures. The pair at all ages.
Yoongi’s door opens again and he’s carrying the cardboard box with the kittens inside, Namjoon had almost forgotten that that’s why he was at yoongi’s apartment. Yoongi chucks the hoodie in Namjoon’s direction and he goes into the bathroom to get it on. For a few minutes, he stands in the bathroom, desperately trying not to die of embarrassment when he realises his white shirt had gone practically see-through from the rain. Once he’s peeled the shirt off he slips into the hoodie. It’s oversized on him and he tries hard not to think about how much it must drown Yoongi. He tries but he truly can’t get the image out of his head.
He has to take a few more minutes for that blush to go down.
A knock comes from the bathroom, abruptly snapping him from his derailing thoughts about Yoongi in this hoodie.
“Jooon are you good?” yoongi’s voice calls and Namjoon frantically pulls his shirt from where he’d discarded it in the sink. Opening the door, he comes face to face with Yoongi.
“I was trying to wring my shirt out a bit, I didn’t realise how soaked it was,” his blush is desperately clawing back at his cheeks. God damn, why couldn’t he just pull off a lie.
Yoongi just smiles in return “Cats?”
“Yeah let’s go see them.”

Somehow, Namjoon thinks, in the few hours he was at work the cats have gotten even cuter. Maybe it was because they were warm now, not in danger and a constant state of fear in the wilderness abandoned by their mother. They’re stumbling around in the cardboard box still, meek little meows when Yoongi picks one up and holds it out to Namjoon.
As he cradles her, it’s big eyes peering up at him he feels like there could be nothing wrong ever again so long as he kept getting to hold this kitten. It makes him miss his childhood cat all over again. He had been a big ginger tom, who slept 90% of the time but was the most affectionate animal he’d ever had when he was awake. Always butting his head against Namjoon’s ankles, wanting head scratches and then toppling onto his side to ask for a tummy scratch.
“You look like you're about to cry holding that kitten are you good?”
“Yeah just thinking about the cat I had growing up.”
“Ah yeah, I had a dog back when I lived with my family,” Yoongi comments fondly.
The pair play with the kittens for a bit, quietly not much needing to be said. Until Yoongi breaks it.
“What are you going to call him?” Yoongi says smiling when he looks up and realises the kitten has climbed into the hood of the hoodie Namjoon’s wearing and is napping.
“I think muppet.”
“Muppet? Why?”
“I don’t know don’t you just look at him and think muppet?”
Yoongi purses his lips and furrows his eyebrows a bit, “hmm maybe.”
“What are you gonna call him?”
“Cat.”
“Cat?”
“Don’t you just look at him and think cat?” Yoongi says jokingly.
"Alright smartass.”
Yoongi snorts across from him, “You can’t judge tradition Namjoon.”
“How the fuck is calling a cat ‘cat’ tradition?” he says looking up and peering at Yoongi with deeply scrunched brows.
“Well Namjoon-ah many generations ago, my great great great great grandparents-“
“You’re such a bullshitter why do I know you.”
“Because of my good looks and charming personality,” Yoongi teases.
“Your looks are the only redeeming point, it’s defiantly not for your personality.”

The evening wears on and the sun dips below the horizon, tapping out after another day. But Namjoon and Yoongi, they hardly even notice, both too immersed in their own little world with their kittens. Playing with them and messing about together, teasing remarks that Namjoon knows Jin would fake gag at watching, with an exclamation of “ all these heart eyes are giving me god damn heart palpitations!”
Namjoon thinks Yoongi and Jin would get along incredibly well, their personalities are similar. On the outside, they both seem like a pair who would clash but after spending more time talking to and hanging out with Yoongi he knows below the surface he and Jin are the same levels of quiet and ridiculous. His mind derails and it begins to think about introducing Yoongi to Jin and by extension his other friends and making Yoongi a part of his friend group and integrating him into even more of his daily life. Namjoon’s managed to fluster himself on a new level and he has to turn away from the eye contact him and Yoongi were making.
He knew that the feelings he had for Yoongi were getting too big to handle at this point. He felt almost as if he were bursting at the seams with all the affection, he wanted to give Yoongi. One of these days it was all going to spill over in a, knowing Namjoon’s history with crush confessions, a very embarrassing, public and inconveniently timed way.

The night wears on, both Namjoon and Yoongi are struggling to keep their eyes open and conversation flowing, it’s not even particularly late, but after their early start was taking a toll.
“I’m gonna head out,” Namjoon says standing up and taking the little kitten in his hands, "do you have a box and a bag that’ll fit the box so I can take muppet home?”
Once a box is found and Namjoon has got all his work stuff, in the bag his shitty white shirt is scrunched up out of spite, he leaves Yoongi’s apartment with a hug, a new pet, and a crush the size of Mount Everest.

Namjoon wakes up with his alarm the next morning, feeling a lot more rested and ready for another workday. When he’d gotten in the previous night, he’d set up a bed of his old hoodies down the corner of his actual bed, out of view of anyone who happens to glance into his room, by anyone he means the two mysterious ‘not boyfriends’ Jin has over, Jungkook and Taehyung? he thinks their names are. Well, at least that’s what he hears from Jin’s bedroom if he ever comes home unexpectedly during the day. or what Jin calls if he ever bumps into them in the kitchen. Jin tries to assure him it’s nothing serious with the two boys, that it’s just fun. but after years of knowing ad living with Jin, Namjoon knows that he’s taken the train and is well on his way to crushville. The blushing whilst looking at his phone and the lingering hugs at the door that Namjoon pretends not to see, giving his Hyung away.

He leans over the bed and Namjoon sees that the kitten is still curled up fast asleep in the hoodie pile and Namjoon smiles softly, having missed the presence of an animal in his home for the past few years. He grabs the phone off his nightstand pulls a hoodie on to keep out the morning chill and moves into the kitchen to start breakfast. After grabbing his phone and pulling on a hoodie to escape the morning chill, he shuffles into the kitchen to see Jin already stood at the counter brewing coffee.
They exchange quiet smiles as Jin slides a steaming coffee mug across the counter. Unlocking his phone Namjoon sees a message notification from Yoongi pop up that had been sent last night. Unthinkingly he opened it.
Hope you got home safe honey bear see you tomorrow😊
It’s a miracle that Namjoon doesn’t drop his phone directly into his coffee. He does splutter though, which catches Jin’s attention. The elder’s mischief senses tingling.
“Oh Namjoon. What’s gotten you flustered this fine Wednesda- “
He’s cut off by little meows coming from Namjoon’s room, and shortly after the sound of claws skittering across the women flooring.
“Oh, I have so many questions and you’re answering every single one of them Kim Namjoon.”
“After work. please? I can’t be late.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After work comes and in true Jin fashion he’s waiting at the kitchen table with two open bottles of red wine, take away from down the street in boxes spread out and muppet napping on his shoulder.
“Is it one of those nights?”
“I feel like we’ve missed a lot of stuff it’s a whine and dine night.”
“Let me get changed then.”
“Be quick or the food will go cold dear”
“Of course, anything for you!”
Once Namjoon’s out of his restrictive work clothes and into joggers, a big hoodie and fluffy bed socks he emerges out of his bedroom to see Jin has moved all the food and wine onto the coffee table and is sat on a pillow next to it with a spare one obviously meant for Namjoon, however, muppet had seemed to claim it as a nap spot.
Picking the snoozing kitten up gently he settles on the pillow and places muppet into the folds of his legs.
“So Namjoon, the light of my life, best friend of mine, do tell me why there’s a cat in the apartment?”
“Well- “
“I want the long version, not just the ‘jane’s a friend’ version.”
“That was one time Hyung!” Jin scoffs full well knowing that as a lie.
The jane’s a friend version of a story is what the pair refer to when they don’t tell each other the full details of drama in their life. It was born from the first time Namjoon tried to hide something from Jin. It was the story that Namjoon had been using to cover up what he was doing when he first started going out and feeding the strays. He had lied and said he was staying at a friend’s house, Jane. However, Jin didn’t buy this a single bit and had thought that he was in a relationship and just not telling Jin. Namjoon had repeatedly said Jane’s a friend and after a while, it became a running joke between them whenever they were reluctant to share facts of their love or personal lives.
“Mmmm sure, I’ve suspected you using janes a friend for a while now, or should I say Yoongi’s a friend.”
“Oh my god!” Namjoon buried his head in his hands and hid away from Jin’s intense staring. He re-emerged only to take a large swig from his wine glass, knowing that if he was about to be relentlessly teased for the huge crush, he has on Yoongi he needed to be at least a little tipsy.
“He’s more than what you admit, we both know this!” The pair were getting loud, the alcohol making their tongues looser.
“Jin he’s so cute! He’s got a kitten too and he’s called it cat!” Namjoon whines falling onto his back, picking muppet up from his lap and putting her on his stomach.
“Oh Joon, you poor soul. My sweet angel, your daddy’s fucked and hopefully in a good way.”
“Jin not around the kitten!”
“She doesn’t understand me!
“Yes she does, you can’t talk slander like that around her.”
“Hmmmmm, can I talk about how you and Yoongi are going to move out to the country and have hundreds of rescue kittens and live like the hermit you were destined to be.”
“Does that mean I can talk about you having two boyfriends and wanting to own a big apartment with both of them?”
“I know nothing of these two boyfriends you talk about.”
“Well, you seem to forget about our connecting walls.”
Jin's ears are fire truck red at this point and Namjoon watches with great joy as it spreads all the way down his neck.
“Shut up, I’m in my prime I don’t want to waste all this before I’m 30!”
“The idea that life goes down-hill once you’re 30 is bullshit.” He says as he watches Jin motion at his body as he sips his wine.
“Oh my god no don’t start Namjoon please, I can’t deal with this rant.”
“I’m just saying if you think you’re going to have your best years pre-30 you’re wrong, all you are now is broke and surviving- “
“I know hush young one! I‘ve heard this rant nearly 100 times now, go tell your new boyfriend!” Jin says taking a final swig of his wine glass, emptying it and coming to lie down next to Namjoon and fuss muppet who’s playing with Namjoon’s hoodie tassels.
The pair stay quiet for a while, tipsy and playing with Muppet which amuses them for a solid 20 minutes until Jin breaks the pair's focus.
“You should ask him out when you go see him tomorrow morning.”
“That’s scary,” Namjoon replies after a pause.
“Scary things are usually the best.”
“Don’t get philosophical on me, drink more wine and we’ll put music on, I can’t deal with anymore boy talk right now.”
“Don’t need to tell me twice!” Jin exclaims as he gets up and goes to their little speaker connecting his phone and putting on the playlist the pair had slaved over that was perfect for tipsy them to dance like idiots to.
Namjoon and Jin, luckily, don’t end their nights lent over the same toilet seat like they have previously on whine and dine evenings. However, they do wake up the next morning with very achy heads and tender stomachs. It was safe to say not much conversation was exchanged further than good morning and the sliding of a coffee mug over the tabletop.
Namjoon’s hungover state convinced him to snooze his alarm 4 times before he crawled out of bed and into a shower. As a result, he ends up running past Yoongi’s van in an attempt to not be as disastrously late for work as he could be if he waited and queued for coffee. However as he runs past, he yells to Yoongi to call him when his rush hours over and all Namjoon can hope is that the elder:
1.heard him and
2. That he’ll call.
He must’ve done a lot of good in a past life because at 11 am Yoongi calls. After the first ring Namjoon picks up, unbothered about how desperate he may seem.
“Hey, you wanted me to call?”
“Shit yeah, do you want to get dinner today?” Namjoon asks his heart thumping one million miles an hour in his chest.
The other line was quiet for a while, only their breathing audible until a noticeably deeper breath came with a response “yeah, sure that’d be really nice.”
“Okay cool, yeah, fab. Um, meet me outside your apartment like half six?”
“Yeah, that’s good.”
“u Um, I’ll pay too so don’t stress about that.”
“Oh, Namjoon, is this what the kids call a date?”
“If you want it to be.”
“A date sounds perfect.”
At this Namjoon moves the phone away from his mouth and flaps his arms about. He’s sure he looks like a bit of a nutter in front of the other person in the break room, but he’s allowed to be excited. He’s just got a date with the loveliest boy he knows!
“Alright, good, I’ll see you later then?”
“Yeah, see you later Namjoon-ah.”
The call ended and Namjoon buries his head in his hands and lets out a tiny closed mouth scream. Then he looked back up, walked out of the break room, back to his desk and carried on with his day. If there was a little more prep in his step and he smiled at his co-workers more it was justifiable.
He. Has, A. Date!
Refocusing he turned back to the spreadsheet of data he had been collecting on Muppet. Having a kitten at home had been an incredible aid to his research. He’s been able to track her health, even if it has only been a few days, and continuously ask Yoongi about Cat too. He was collecting a lot of data. On their eating and drinking habits and their strength, Namjoon had suggested that they only give the kittens milk as a liquid to help strengthen their bones, as they had been rather malnourished when the pair rescued them. And it was already showing its effects, the kittens were strong healthy and so affectionate.
It always made his day better when he could get home and crawl into bed with a good book and muppet nestled into his neck. He had had Jin wake him up almost every night this week sat up in bed with a book open against his lap. Seokjin kept complaining that if he carried on like this he would have to listen to Namjoon complaining about back pains and he didn’t want to hear that till Namjoon was at least 35.

The rest of Namjoon's day went by quickly. He was lucky enough to be left alone to his research, his boss not hounding him for answers or dragging him into meetings with the government officials that are sponsoring his research- not that he wasn’t grateful for the money, of course, he was, it was just a frustrating process.

As five pm came around he clocked off work and left his lab almost leaving a fire trail in his haste to leave. On his way back home, the sun was only just setting, a clear indicator of the in-coming summer nights, this even further improved his mood. Summer was Namjoon’s favourite time of year and whilst he enjoyed the cosiness of winter, he much preferred the long summer nights and being able to just go out and sit and watch the world pass by without freezing his balls off.

The journey home passed by in a haze and soon enough he was back at his apartment, dropping his work stuff off, refilling muppet's food and milk bowl and then getting ready for his date. As he showers, he agonised over what to wear. It was only Yoongi, they'd known each other for a while now, Yoongi had seen him half-awake at three am, he'd seen him at 7:30 am ordering coffee and he'd seen him rescuing cats. So really it shouldn't matter what he wore but it still felt important to look nice. It was technically their first date. Even if Jin tried to insist they'd been on other dates, cat rescuing dates specifically. But Namjoon denied it this was the first time they'd hung out and labeled it a date. They were going to get dinner for god’s sake! Albite they definitely wouldn't be going anywhere overly fancy, but it still mattered that he looked nice.

In the end Namjoon was ready to leave in a Jin approved outfit made up of black jeans an oversized beige shirt that came to the tops of his thighs and a denim jacket to keep him warm, though the nights were getting longer it still wasn't anywhere near warm enough to go out in just a t-shirt. When Namjoon had come out of his room dressed and ready Jin already had a shit eating grin on his face. As if he could sense Namjoon's date panic.
"I wonder where you're going dressed up all nice Mr. Kim?"
"Shut your whore mouth and invite your boyfriends over Kim."
"Oh, I already have, better get out of here soon if you don't want to hear anything."
"I've already heard enough I don't want to be anymore traumatized." Namjoon replied grabbing his wallet, phone and keys shoving them all inside his jacket pocket. "don't traumatise muppet she's still sleeping in my room."
"Hear you loud and clear sir, no sex on your bed in front of the kitten." Jin winks cheekily.
"I despise you."
"Love you too have a good night get back safe, and if you're not coming back use protection!"
with that comment, Namjoon leaves the apartment and sends Yoongi a text letting him know that he wouldn't be long.

As Namjoon waits outside Yoongi’s apartment, he uses the glass in the door to sort out his hair that had become lightly ruffled from the wind.

Due to him sorting his hair out and staring at his own reflection he didn’t notice Yoongi walking towards the door until almost the last moment, and honestly, Namjoon was mortified.

“Looking dashing as always Joon,” Yoongi comments cheekily once he opens the door. The pair fall easily into a hug for a few seconds in greeting.

”How are you?” Namjoon asks once they part and begin walking down the street. Shop lights reflect off Yoongi’s face. Casting him in golds and neon’s, that make him look vaguely ethereal as if he should be framed and hung up in an art gallery.

“I’m good, cat is honestly the light of my life right now, I didn’t realise how much I missed having an animal around till I got her.”

“I’m the same, me and Jin don’t talk to each other we just sit with muppet and play with her all evening.” Yoongi laughs at that, well not laughs but breaths air through his nose in an almost laugh sort of way. Whatever it was Namjoon was endeared.

“Jin found out about muppet then?”

“Oh yeah he did, came back from work and he was in the kitchen waiting for me with muppet asleep on his shoulder. I think my heart nearly stopped.” The pair chuckle and fall into silence until they reach the little hole in the wall restaurant that Namjoon loves come into sight.

“Everything you tell me about him just seems dramatic in the best way,”

“Oh, he’s the most dramatic bitch I know and I love him for it.” Namjoon pushes the door to the little hole in the wall restaurant and the pair are immediately hit with the smell of warm food, herbs and spices all mixing together to create the homely feel that Namjoon fell in love with when he first found this place.

Immediately the auntie who owns the restaurant comes up and greets them

“Ah! Namjoon, how good to see you it’s been so long! Come sit, come on, who’s your new friend! Did something happen to Jin?” it’s like being on a rapid-fire game show he used to watch in his living room at home, but Namjoon welcomes it not having had time to visit the restaurant for at least a month. A long time for him and Jin. At one point they’d visit at least once a week when they were unable to cook for themselves and in desperate need of homecooked food.

The boys are given menus and sat by the window, which is currently a bit of a redundant feature as the windows are all steamed up. But it makes Namjoon feel that bit cosier, that bit more in private as no one outside can peer in as they eat.

The food goes down a treat for both Namjoon and Yoongi, almost no words exchanged between them as they wolf down their meals, only appreciative groans to be heard from both boys.

Once the meals over Namjoon pays almost slamming the bills on the table after Yoongi tried to reach for his wallet that Namjoon had spotted peeking out of his back pocket. He makes sure the bills are tucked under their receipt as he stands and waits for Yoongi to pull on his coat

“Is this the part of the date where you hold my hand and walk me home?” Yoongi asks, not quite making eye contact as he does so.

“It definitely can be,” Namjoon reaches down and takes Yoongi’s bony hand in his and leads them outside.

Leaving the restaurant into the chill of the night is like a slap in the face after being so warm and cosy restaurant atmosphere for the past two hours.

“Home?” Namjoon asks squeezing the hand he’s holding. On the outside, he sounded and looked calm and collected as they walked in the vague direction of home, but on the inside, his heart was galloping around in his chest with no intention of stopping.

They meandered through the streets, taking a longer route than necessary just so they could continue to talk about nothing and everything. Watching as neon signs glowed against their skin and the clouds drifted away up above the tops of the skyscrapers, watching over them and the thousands of other people in the city. Maybe some of them were on the brink of something great just like Namjoon and Yoongi felt like they could be.

The light of the night made Namjoon seriously consider if it was worth dropping his career in science to write sonnets purely about how gorgeous Yoongi is during the night. It seemed as if it was where he was meant to be. not that he didn’t look beautiful in the mornings, of course, he did. But the nights are where he can fully appreciate Yoongi’s looks and to put it simply he was just floored by the elder.

Once their route leads them back to Yoongi’s apartment, they paused outside the door, their sudden silence heavy and weighted. Something building in the gap between them. Surprisingly Namjoon decided to make the first move.

He tugged on the hand he was holding in an attempt to bring Yoongi closer, but Namjoon miss calculated his strength and ended up pulling Yoongi into his chest. It wasn’t as disastrous as it could’ve been through, as Yoongi just seemed to roll with it and grabbed Namjoon’s other hand and tugged downwards teasingly.
“Hey there,”
“Hey.”
They stand quietly for a few more minutes. Until Namjoon plucks up the courage to peck Yoongi’s forehead, letting his lips linger there as Yoongi leans into it for a few seconds, they seem to stretch on and speed by in a weird vacuum of time.

Gently Namjoon leans backward, his heart beating a fluttery pattern as if the butterflies that once resided in his stomach had drifted up into his heart. However, they dive straight back down to his stomach when Yoongi leans up on his tiptoes to press a kiss against Namjoon’s cheek, they’re so close he can feel the heat from Yoongi’s blush against his cheek.

As Yoongi begins to pull away Namjoon turns his head and captures Yoongi’s lips. He lets go of Yoongi’s hands to put them on the elder’s waist instead. They part briefly, letting out little huffs of air around their smiles before they’re re-joining. Attracted to each other like magnets, Yoongi’s hands come up to rest against Namjoon’s chest, his fingers bunching in Namjoon’s jacket.

Feelings this drastically different physically shouldn’t be possible. Namjoon feels as though he’s free-falling, the adrenaline of something he’d built up finally happening. It also felt like coming home, to a warm fire already going and dinner being cooked, the relief taking over his brain comforted in the fact that Yoongi reciprocates the attraction.

They stood at the entrance of Yoongi’s apartment building for a while longer, pressed close together in their newfound free affection, exchanging brief kisses as the rest of the world carried on around them. Only snapping out of their trance once Yoongi starts shivering.

“As much as I want to stay here with you, id’ also like you with all your fingers and toes,” Namjoon says gathering Yoongi up into his arms in a tight hug.

"Yeah, you make a good point. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Of course you will, bright and early.”

“Okay see you later.” Yoongi despite his words makes no move to leave their hug, in fact, he wraps his arms underneath Namjoon’s jacket.

“Your hands are so cold I can feel them through my t-shirt.”

“What are you going to do about it huh?” Yoongi, like the evil cat he truly is, moves are hands underneath Namjoon’s t-shirt. Making him jolt out of their hug as if he’d been electrocuted.

“You little shit come here.” He exclaims as he reaches out towards Yoongi he starts to dip away and it ends up in a chase. Namjoon wins when he wraps his arms around Yoongi’s waist from behind and pulls the elder so they’re back to chest. “got you.”

“Certainly did.” He responds leaning back against Namjoon.

“Come on get inside, don’t want you to freeze to death,”

“Okay maybe I’ll listen to you this once,” his breaths started coming out in little clouds now.

“Good, I’ll see you tomorrow,” Namjoon bends over and pecks his cheek and lets him go.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yoongi doesn’t see him tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after that. They don’t see each other for an entire week.

Namjoon’s hardly responding to texts. Yoongi might catch a glimpse of him rushing past his coffee van as he sets up in the but he never stops by anymore. Yoongi doesn’t know what’s happened. He thought it was going well. No. He knew it was going well. Hoseok thought it was going well. Hoseok has said he was ready to fight Namjoon on site if he saw him.

Its Friday Morning now and Yoongi’s at his van again. Still no Namjoon. The morning rush was over but he could see his last regular running to his van, Jungkook. Probably late as usual for wherever he needed to be this morning.
“Hey, Yoongi Hyung can I have my normal please.” He said in between gasps as he tried to re-catch his breath.
“All ready for you Kook.” He says putting a lid on the steaming cup of way too sweet mocha.
“My savior, have a good day! Don’t be as sad as you look!”
Yoongi chuckles at the sentiment those words. Jungkook’s a sweet kid, Yoongi thinks he’s in the city for college, he’s not entirely sure as Jungkook never has a bag but is always running late for something. They’d built a friendship over the year that Jungkook had been coming to his van and during that time they’d built up a good friendship. Having chats in the mornings and sometimes in the early afternoon where they could chat as Jungkook drank his coffee because Yoongi wasn’t so busy after the lunch rush.

However, he knew today that he has a thunder cloud rolling about his face, he was just down about the Namjoon situation. No matter how much wine he drunk with Hobi or how much they complained about boys together But it’s fair that he’s pissed off, every sign said it was going well! They even kissed and it was one of the best first kisses Yoongi’s ever had! He’s fair in his view that he should’ve at least gotten an explanation from the boy about why he’s suddenly being avoided like the black plague.

The days continue to drag, another week passes by and the weekend rolls in, he’s still mopey and annoyed about the whole situation. but the radio silence has been part of a blessing because he’s not expecting anything now, he’s not hanging off a text or anything, he’s deleted his chats with Namjoon, not blocked his number though. He couldn’t bring himself to do that no matter how much Hoseok insisted.

Some days he thinks es being overly dramatic about the whole situation. But Yoongi knows the pair had a connection, not even just through the cats, they shared so many similar interests. They both were passionate and driven and just, it could’ve been something great. But Namjoon went mute on him so whatever he guesses.
The logical part of yoongi’s brain whispers to him that Namjoon is just busy with work or something in his personal life has happened or he’s gone on a holiday to Hawaii or something. Because surely Yoongi’s not just been ghosted. He’s sure of it. Almost. Kinda. Not at all.

He’s lying on his living room floor, at 6pm on a Monday night. Hobi’s gone out to see Jimin. And Yoongi’s discovered a new band called sleeping at last and he’s fallen in love, Their album Atlas; space has been going through his speakers since Saturday when he had read a review on it. He spots Cat padding her way over to Yoongi and he can tell just by how big her eyes are, so black the green has almost disappeared, that she wants to play. And Yoongi is ready, she’d been asleep when Yoongi had come in, curled up on top of his pillow looking like the queen she was treated like. He couldn’t disturb her when she was sleeping either, not unless he wanted to get the cold shoulder, his kitten was turning out to be more and more like him each day and Yoongi didn’t know if he was overjoyed or scared.

Cat pushed against his face, butting her forehead against his and then placing her two front paws on his cheek. He turned his head gently to the side to displace cat’s paws, they looked at each other for a few seconds before she let out a warbled meow, and Yoongi pushed himself up to poke at her nose and grab the ball of wool Hobi had brought home the other day.

“Come on baby, come on get the string,” he taunts gently teasing Cat letting the string of wool get longer so she could chase after it and try to catch it with her clumsy little paws. They still seemed a bit big for her body, she tripped over them sometimes and Yoongi nearly cries each time. A kitten shouldn’t be allowed to be so cute.

The night wears on slowly, Yoongi cooks a simple dinner and eats alone at the table, watching over the glimmering city that stretches out as far as his eye can see below him. An area of endless opportunities and possibilities, and here Yoongi is alone, but he’s okay with that he’s got Cat and he doesn’t need to be out every night, he never has, an issue with spending time at home alone it’s the best thing he can do. But still it feels weird without Hoseok there, a space where his best friend would fill sits empty and cold. Whilst he’s okay alone some of the time, He desperately hopes this isn’t what his future looks like if he ends up living alone. At least he has a kitten, too fill a portion of an empty space her presence comforting and batting away the home alone anxiety.

Whilst cleaning up his dinner and pouring some more milk out for Cat there’s a pounding at his door. It's so fucking loud that Yoongi feels like not answering it just to be a dick to whoever feels the need to be so loud at 7pm on a Monday night.
“One second!” he yells putting the milk back in the fridge hurriedly and dashing to his bedroom to find some shorts and a hoodie, he’s sure whoever is at the door doesn’t want to see Yoongi in little bear print boxers. Or maybe they do, but no one gets the privilege of seeing Yoongi’s comfort boxers apart from maybe Hoseok if he decides to cuddle on one of yoongi’s bad days.

Once he’s more decent than a few moments prior, he goes to open the door but is stopped by Cat rubbing her head against his chilly ankles,

” Oh, fuck,” he murmurs “give me one more second!” he hopes that the mystery person on the other side of the door has heard him and doesn’t assume that they’re being ignored.

Back at the door, he does another check, he’s dressed, there’s no kitten in sight, no evidence of a pet, his hair is decent looking. Right. He’s finally ready. He takes a steadying breath, unusually anxious about opening the door, He’s not sure why, it's probably just the grandma from across the hall, it’s fine. She’s probably just seeing if he’s got any sugar, or coffee or something. It’s fine.

Pulling open the door, the first thing his brain registered that its not the nice old grandma from across the hall. No.

It’s fucking Kim Namjoon in all his glory. Yoongi had forgotten how much the disheveled scientist affects him just by wearing a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, brown slacks,( the browns lacks, good ass slacks,) scuffed dress shoes and a long black coat over the top. He looks like he’s ready for the runway and Yoongi just stares at him for a few moments, aghast. His heart kicks into overdrive, this isn’t something he was ready for.

Namjoon jaw, previously hanging a little open snaps shut and spreads into the widest smile Yoongi’s seen on a person in the last three years at least, it’s as if Namjoon’s stood in the hall of his apartment complex and is the light source itself.

“Yoongi, I did it.”

“Did what?”

“I figured it out.”

“You what- oh my god Joon no way.” His voice gets a decibel louder as he realises what Namjoon’s talking about. Immediately the past few weeks are forgotten, all of it brushed under the rug for now. The amount of excited energy the pair are suddenly emitting feels like enough to power this entire apartment block for an entire year, hell they could probably run the city for a while. They’re bouncing off each other without saying anything, it builds and builds until the elastic band keeping them apart snaps and Yoongi catapults himself into Namjoon’s arms.

“I’m so proud of you.” His voice is muffled and suspiciously teary buried in Namjoon’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” he murmurs back,, voice sounding slightly wet and his arms tightening around Yoongi burying his head in the elder's neck, which means he’s bent at a weird angle but Yoongi feels so comforted by being completely encompassed in the younger.
“Come in I know Cat’s been missing you,”
“Has anyone else been missing me?” Namjoon responds cheekily.
“Hey, you went radio silent you can’t be cute and flirty before I get an explanation.”
“Yeah, of course, let me see Cat and I’ll explain it all, is Hoseok in?”
“Nah he’s out with Jimin or at least I assume he is,” Yoongi backs into his apartment leaving the door ajar to let Namjoon in, he gives him time to take off his shoes whilst he goes to get Cat.

Re-entering the little kitchen, with Cat in his hoodie pocket her little head peeking out the side Namjoon already has the kettle on and two mugs set out, but he abandons it without care when he sees Yoongi cradling Cat.

“Hello baby, I’ve missed you, sorry I’ve been gone for a while,” he coos at the cat “she looks really healthy actually,”
“She’s the love of my life. I wouldn’t let her get sick,”
“Of course, not you’re the best cat dad.”
Yoongi hums in agreement as the kettle starts whistling, he gets Cat out of his pocket and places her on the table for Namjoon to fuss. There’s an air of tension between the pair and Yoongi knows it’ll only be solved through talking about the elephant in the room

I know we really need to talk it all out, but I just wanted to apologise first and foremost me disappearing was wrong and unfair on you, I just get like that sometimes and I’m not used to having someone who I need to tell other than Jin, It won’t happen again I swear.”
The elder begins to turn around to reply to Namjoon face to face but is rendered speechless when he sees the sight in front of him. Namjoon with a kitten nuzzling into the crook of his elbow where he’s, for some unknown reason, decided to roll his sleeves up and increase in hotness by 50%, Yoongi didn’t even think him looking any hotter in that outfit would be possible but apparently, he was wrong. So, so wrong, oh god.
“Um, yeah, yeah I appreciate that but let me make these and we’ll properly talk it out.” his words feel like they’re going through a washing machine before being able to leave his mouth.

He turns back around to avoid the sight of Namjoon, but the damage has already been done, it's over for Yoongi, he is a state. All he wanted was to make a cup of tea but he’s had to see Namjoon’s forearms in that tight white shirt, he barely survived the wet white shirt incident he has no idea how he’ll ever make it past this.

Right one task at a time, ignore the annoying hot man behind him, right now tea. He pours the hot water into the mugs, a bright yellow one for Yoongi that turns black with heat and a very fitting cat one for Namjoon.
“I’ll bring yours though I don’t want to risk you spilling boiling hot water over Cat.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,”
“I’ve seen you trip over your feet one too many times in the morning, I have reason to be of little faith,”
“I really hoped no one saw that I’m not functioning right in the morning and my brain can’t quite reach my feet,”
“I thought it was quite endearing,”

They sit facing each other, mugs of tea warming their hands and the lamp on in the corner giving the room a warm glow.
“what happened Joon, why did you suddenly disappear on me? it really wasn’t cool.” Yoongi sees no point in beating around the bush, especially with important conversations like this.

“I’m really sorry I disappeared, it just was at the lab, I had a breakthrough about why our kittens didn’t seem to be getting ill, what were we doing that so many other pet owners weren’t, and what was a common factor in all animals basic needs and I had already explored the food side of it all tested through nearly every food brand to find a common factor that could’ve been making the animals sick, went through thousands of DNA samples collected to try and find anomalies there nothing, although it wasn’t until last week the day after our date when I thought about the water. And it was the water that made them sick.”

"Ohmygod it seems so easy now,” Yoongi says marveling at the seemingly obvious answer to the issue that had been plaguing them this entire time.

“I know! So for the past week I’ve been testing water and running simulations on what parts of it affect the pets and how, and it turns out it was the fluoride levels in the water, they don’t affect us because our bodies can handle it, but the water companies had started putting slightly more fluoride in our water to kill a new type of bacteria being found, but the levels were affecting the pets because their bodies couldn’t get accustomed to it.” He’s talking so fast but Yoongi hangs off every word as if it’s the last thing he will ever hear.

“So basically we figured it out and I’ve been entirely swamped trying to sort out all the final bits and tying up loose ends and writing reports and in meetings, I think I’ve been working ten-hour days at least, so I’m really sorry I disappeared, honesty I’m not entirely sure where my phone is.”

Yoongi snorts at that relieved that there was a legitimate reason for him disappearing, and not just because he’d gotten tired.
“I’m glad it’s all done, honestly I was kind of worried you’d gotten bored or lost interest or something,” Yoongi admits, feeling like right now is a good time to be vulnerable in front of Namjoon.

“No, oh my god, I’m sorry I honestly wanted to message you every day, just by the time I got home I could bearly stay awake to eat food,”

“It’s okay, Joonie, no hard feelings, just please don’t do it again?”

“I won't, I’m gonna move away from research for a while, I said I wanted to do music for a bit right? I’ve been given a pretty hefty sum of money that I might use to live from for a while and pick up a part-time job on the side to keep me busy,”

“Scientist turned musician has a fun ring to it.”

“I think it does too, I think I’m ready for it, I love science and research and all of that but if I have to write one more report I might just strangle myself with a computer wire,”

“How could you abandon Muppet like that,” Yoongi says in fake outrage.

“Oh gosh, of course, I couldn’t do that if I had to write one more report I would leave the country and move to the mountains and be a hermit with Muppet,”

“Sounds like the life to me,”

“Join me and we can be hermits in a cabin somewhere foreign with our cats.” They both make eye contact and smile, and it feels like everything’s fallen back into place, and the flowers in their chest are no longer just buds but a whole display that grows over their organs and makes their insides burst with beautiful colours.

The night drags on and they’ve fallen both back into their usual chat but they’ve also fallen into each other, they’re sat side by side with Yoongi’s legs draped across Namjoon’s. Their hands entwined and a film playing quietly in the back
“Hey Hyung,”
He hums in acknowledgment.
“Look at me,” When Yoongi turns to face Namjoon he realises they’re eye to eye if Yoongi moved 2 millimeters forward their noses would smush together. At this realisation he draws in a gasp and his heartbeat starts sprinting away into the sunset unable to deal with the emotions it’s facing.
“Hey, there-” he’s cut off by Namjoon’s lips.
Their lips press against each other’s and Yoongi re-thinks all his life values, he cares for nothing else but staying here for the rest of his life, in his apartment on his old as fuck sofa with the loveliest boy alive and a kitten somewhere in the midst of it all. Yoongi shifts and ends up more in Namjoon’s lap as he leans back in and wraps his arms around the youngers neck. It’s a slow kiss, one that could go on for hours. It’s a kiss that Yoongi wants to dive headfirst into and not come up for breath for a long time, it’s one that is creating whole ecosystems in his chest that grows and grows with the affection he’s feeling for the younger.

His arms tighten around Namjoon’s neck so that he’s cradling the back of his neck with his hands and playing gently with the hairs at his nape. They part briefly to breathe and when they fall back into each other the sweet calmness of the kiss is gone and suddenly they’re making up for the lost time. Namjoon’s hands are resting around Yoongi’s waist pressing into his skin over his hoodie, feeling the slight squish along his sides. Yoongi wants nothing more than for those hands to make direct skin contact, he craves the Goosebumps and the heat from his palms.
Yoongi’s mouth drops open in a gasp when Namjoon bites his lip and drags it outwards teasingly. Then their tongues are sliding against each other’s and Namjoon’s hands slip under his hoodie, exploring the new space. He switches between feather-light touches that make Yoongi squirm and grips along his side that make him shiver. Meanwhile, Yoongi’s having a similar effect on Namjoon as he trails wet kisses down his neck to gently suck just above where his collar sits, the top two buttons were undone already. Yoongi wants to see his mark left on the man underneath him, wants him entirely for himself.
They get more and more desperate as the minutes go on, unable to part to talk for more than a few seconds. Their bodies so close if you looked from a distance you couldn’t tell where one boy ended and the other began. Not until Yoongi slid off Namjoon’s lap entirely, pulling his hoodie down to hide the situation in his boxers that had become extremely obvious, and offered a hand out to Namjoon, “come on I’d rather be in bed with you,”

Usually, when Yoongi rolls over in his bed to slam his alarm clock off he meets no obstacles bigger than Cat who sometimes decides to sleep on the pillow next to him. However today he rolls into a chest. A very bare chest that his face is now squished straight into, not that he minds, of course, he’s been waking up like this for the past couple of months in fact and he can say from experience that he doesn’t mind waking up at the ass crack of dawn if he gets to wake up to a very beautiful, very naked Namjoon. He takes a few moments to cuddle into the man's warmth desperately not wanting to leave it even though he is overheating a bit and has work soon. Much too soon in his opinion.
The reluctance to leave Namjoon and the ability to ignore loud annoying beeping combines and allows Yoongi to fall back to sleep for a while longer, however he’s woken in a much less pleasant way a while later when he’s alone and Namjoon’s stood over him the duvet in his hands and not on Yoongi’s body. Whilst it may be summer it’s still cold as a bitch in his apartment in the mornings.

“I’m breaking up with you,” he mutters rolling onto his front to hide from the light
“Get your fine ass out of bed you’ve got a coffee van to run baby.”
“ If you like my fine ass come ‘n get it,”
"Maybe later, you can’t deny the people their coffee.” He says attempting to whip Yoongi with the duvet he’s rolled up, however, it fails due to the weight of it and gently falls onto Yoongi instead who grabs it tightly in an attempt to hoard the warmth like a dragon hoarding gold.
The pair fall into a play fight over the duvet and Namjoon ultimately wins when he kisses Yoongi and distracts him long enough to drag away the duvet and run out of the room with it, as his boyfriend yells indignantly in the background.

When Yoongi emerges, dressed in a white t-shirt and a denim jacket he sneers jokingly at Namjoon who’s on the sofa watching the news. He meanders into the kitchen to pour some coffee, but he can still hear the report coming from the living room.
‘– we’re at one of Seoul’s many rescue centers that have been set up over the past few months, as pet owners are still being found and reunited with their pets. The work these volunteers are doing here is endless and incredible. Here we also have animals up for adoption, those whose owners have moved away or can’t look after their pets anymore, so come down today and find your new friend for life! Back to you guys in the studio.’ Yoongi stands in the kitchen doorway smiling at Namjoon who’s curled on the sofa with Cat buried in the folds of the duvet. Yoongi can’t help but resist coming up behind him and pressing a kiss to his head.
“I love you Joonie, I’m so proud.” Namjoon gasps, they hadn’t exchanged I love you’s yet but Yoongi knew he’d been wanting to say it for the longest time. It had been building and growing in his heart and now it had burst out to see the light of day.
Love doesn’t come in grand gestures for them, it creeps up on a summer Thursday morning, in the middle of Seoul. Yoongi feels like he doesn’t know everything, yet he doesn’t know where he’ll be in five years or what he’ll be doing in 15 but right now he knows that he’s madly in love with the most incredible man and that’s all that really matters.