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The first time it happens, Jungkook is in his pajamas, a bowl of cereal tucked in his lap, his console balanced on his hands. He half thinks he misheard him, but he doesn't want to stop and ask him whether he actually said that.
"Honey I'm home!"
Jungkook swears that's what he said but, he stares as Hoseok hangs his coat on the rack and slips into his house slippers. He wanders off into the kitchen, dumping his bag onto a chair and Jungkook pauses his game to slow his erratic heart.
He probably meant it in a friend way, Jungkook consoles himself. Friends call each other honey right? Right?
I mean he's not gay is he? Shouldn't he have known if he was? He's 21 for crying out loud! He knows for a fact that Hoseok has had previous relationships with girls so it's not like Hoseok was gay either. Why the fuck is he thinking about these random things? Jesus questioning his sexuality when Hoseok called him honey?
Focus. Focus on the game. He soon feels Hoseok plunk into the couch, right next to him, their knees touching as they both sit cross legged. Hoseok has a bowl of warm ramen noodles that he offers to Jungkook.
"Want some?"
Jungkook's stomach rumbles at that very moment eliciting a laugh from Hoseok as he holds the chopsticks close to his mouth. Jungkook takes a bite simultaneously slurping his noodles and playing his game. The momentary distraction loses him several points but he jumps back to action with vigor.
Jungkook ignores the pang in his heart and only thinks about it much later at night, alone and tucked under his duvet. What does it mean? Probably nothing. And somehow that answer leaves him quite unsettled.
The second time happens when they are with friends, with Hoseok's friends to be more precise since Jungkook is terrible at making friends and has approximately zero friends.
"Babe, where's the vodka?"
Jungkook blinks at him, bambi eyed, frozen and wondering if he had one too many drinks. (He had not, unless his Sprite was spiked, which it was not)
Jungkook points at the top shelf of the kitchen cabinet and then stands on a kitchen stool to grab it for Hoseok who can't quite reach it.
"Thanks babe!"
Jungkook continues to stare at Hoseok as he walks away from the kitchen into the living room announcing that he has one last bottle of vodka left that's met with loud cheers from the rest of the party.
It's much later that Hoseok cuddles up next to Jungkook on the couch, his head buried in Jungkook's chest, his nose so close to nuzzling his nipple, Jungkook squirms trying to move both of them into a more comfortable position or even their beds but Hoseok grumbles and Jungkook ends up falling asleep with Hoseok wrapped all over him.
The third time they are at a store, they've run out of groceries and both of them have been ordering takeout the last week or so and Hoseok put a stop to eating greasy Korean fried chicken and pizzas vowing to cook a simple home made dish instead of making use of what Jungkook thinks is probably the best part of all South Korea, 24hr food delivery service.
He picks a bottle of gochujang and places it in the trolley before he stops himself and asks,
"Babe which brand is better?"
Hoseok holds two bottles in his arms and Jungkook randomly points to the bottle on his left hand. The names are more frequent now; babe, love, honey and even darling. Hoseok continues talking unperturbed by the terms of endearment he uses, while Jungkook is having a mini anxiety attack over it.
He thinks about the times these few weeks that Hoseok had cuddled with him, at 3 am when he hadn't completed his derivation equations and didn't know what to do. Hoseok had let him open the flood gates of his tears, cooed at him tenderly and made chicken soup. They sat staring at Jungkook's laptop till 6am Googling and Youtubing until every last question was completed and Jungkook broke down in happy overwhelmed tears. Hoseok brought ice cream later that day, mint chocolate chip (Jungkook's favorite).
He'd been there when Jungkook got stood up by his Tinder date for the 3rd time in a row and instead took pity and took him out to dinner to an upscale BBQ place that was way over Jungkook's university student budget but dismissed the won in Jungkook's hand, giving his own credit card when their waitress came to collect their payment.
It's the small little things that Hoseok does that matter, being there for Jungkook when he needs him. He doesn't know if the feelings in his chest are just from having a close friend or whether he'd actually likes Hoseok to be his boyfriend. He doesn't know.
He buys Hoseok a succulent and because he can't pick which one to buy and one convincing shop assistant later, Jungkook is carrying a bag of more succulents than he should. He places them carefully with name tags indicating their type. He decorates the pots with paint, drawing some things that he thinks matches Hoseok's bright personality. Smiley faces, and cute animated characters a little pink bunny and a purple dancing horse.
He hopes Hosek likes them.
Hoseok is delighted. Jungkook's cheeks turn bright red with embarrassment when Hoseok screeches loudly and kisses both his cheeks and calls him baby. (Again.)
They drink two bottles of moscato between them, Hoseok a little tipsy mess in Jungkook's arms. They dance in their living room despite Hoseok's inebriated state moving their hips to the beats of some old girl group song.
They sleep on the floor, Hoseok facing Jungkook, arms and legs tangled with each other.
It's a Wednesday, a day that classes finish early for Jungkook and he plants himself on the couch, with food and drink within arm's distance. Hoseok comes in late as usual, when Jungkook has played way too many games and his eyes are starting to slowly twitch with the lack of rest.
Hoseok showers quickly and makes Thai food, the delicious aroma of coconut milk wafting through the house. Jungkook pauses his game and joins him at their rickety old dinner table with mismatched stools they purchased for dirt cheap.
Jungkook feels brave tonight. He's been thinking, and when Jungkook over thinks his tongue slips and spills all the secrets of his mind.
"Hyung do you like me? What are we doing? You always call me honey and baby and love…"
Hoseok pauses for a moment, confusion across his face.
"Of Course I like you Kookie… do you… do you not like me calling you those? I can stop. I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you like that."
Hoseok leaves his seat and hurries over to back hug Jungkook.
"It's not that… I like it when you call me baby…"
"What is it then?"
"Do you like me Hyung?"
He waits. Waits till Hoseok looks at him.
"Of course I like you silly!"
"I meant like more than a friend?"
"Is that… is that something you want?"
"I don't know."
Jungkook stares at his shoes, his heart racing and he wonders if Hoseok will kick him out and he has to find a new roommate. He sighs deeply. He's so screwed.
"I don't know either, I've never been interested in guys you know… but with you… it feels kind of special…"
Hoseok gently lifts Jungkook's chin to face him.
"Can I kiss you?"
Jungkook nods so so afraid but Hoseok is sweet, his kiss is light and gentle. He pulls away and kisses Jungkook's nose, his eyelids.
"Pretty baby." He whispers.
Later at night Jungkook sleeps on Hoseok's bed swathed in the sweet vanilla scent of Hoseok and for the first time Jungkook whispers back to him.
"Goodnight sweetheart."