Archive of Our Own

Taehyung feels like shit.

He has a headache, he needs to pee and for some odd reason, his right wrist is hurting. It doesn’t help that the stupid sun has just woken him up. I mean, seriously, why is the sun out in the middle of winter?

Taehyung huffs, eyeing the small slit in between the curtains as the sunlight floods into the room and onto his face. It’s odd, he thinks, because the last time he checked his curtains were grey, not black.

Taehyung lays there for a while, taking in how comfy his bed feels today, almost getting blinded from staring at the light for too long. Something flashes in his mind and he remembers the bright lights of the club he went to yesterday, or a mere few hours ago, for Seokjin’s birthday.

The lights that made the shot glasses look as though they were glowing.

The lights that made him feel too hot for his liking.

The lights that allowed him to see the hands roaming all over his body.

The light filtering through from outside is hurting his eyes at this point, but he doesn’t want to look away. He can’t help it. He may be in pain, but Taehyung feels so warm and comfortable in this bed that feels so plush. He feels like how he imagines royalty would feel.

Taehyung relishes in the comfort for a few more minutes before his bladder makes itself known, once again. He really needs to pee. Taehyung glances up at the unfamiliar clock on the wall, reading that it’s already almost two in the afternoon. Had he really slept that long?

Reluctantly, Taehyung lifts his hand up to rub at his eyes-at least he tries to. He’s stopped by a pressure pushing his hand straight back down again, letting him come into contact with something warm. Cautiously, Taehyung turns his head to the right, hearing the click of his neck, and immediately feels his eyes widen.

“What the fuck!” he screams, sitting up and subsequently pulling Jeon Jungkook’s arm up with him. Jeon Jungkook, as in the guy that had called Taehyung a hobo the first time that they met. The guy Taehyung hates with a passion.

“What? What is it? What?” Jungkook startles awake and lifts his head, glancing around like a meerkat. The handcuffs between them rattles, and Taehyung watches as Jungkook’s eyes zone in on the offending piece of metal.

“I don’t fucking know,” Taehyung exclaims, “you tell me!”

Taehyung stares down at their hands resting just centimetres away from each other. There’s a slight redness around Jungkook’s tattooed wrist and there seems to be a bruise forming around his own.

(Hands roaming all over his body. Gripping him tightly. Too tightly.)

As he follows Jungkook’s arm up he’s even more surprised to find the man’s arms on full display, allowing him to take in the sight of veins running up the length and the very large, tattoo covered biceps due to his wearing of what looks to be a tight short sleeved t-shirt. The sight of it all makes something click in Taehyung’s brain.

Taehyung gives Jungkook a panicked look before peaking under the duvet, only to find his bottom half almost naked with only boxers (that aren’t even his) on.

“Jungkook,” he says slowly, “I’m not wearing my trousers. Where are my trousers?”

A look that can only be described as terror morphs itself onto Jungkook’s face. “Did we...” he trails off but they both understand.

“No,” Taehyung laughs, though he doesn’t even believe himself. “No. Of course not. No. No, why would we? No.”

“Yeah, no.” Jungkook adds. “No. We couldn’t. Nope.”

“No, no,” Taehyung mutters like a mantra. “We could never, no.”

There’s a pause before Jungkook’s voice breaks the silence.

“I mean maybe we could.”

“Yeah, we could.”

“You have an alright looking ass.”

“Alright?” Taehyung scoffs. “My ass is more than alright, thank you very much.”

“I’ve change my mind, we haven’t fucked, we could never.”

Taehyung sighs deeply, using his other hand to rub at his eye. “Then how do we explain being half naked in bed, stuck together with a pair of fucking handcuffs?”

Jungkook remains silent at that as he sits up beside Taehyung. Taehyung pulls both their arms towards himself as he clasps both his hands together, rocking forwards and backwards. He listens to the sound of a clock ticking from somewhere in the room but keeps his eyes straight ahead, deciding not to look around anywhere to not accidentally meet Jungkook eyes. He’s almost forgotten Jungkook is even there when-

“I never would have taken you for the kinky, subby type, Kim.”

Taehyung turns slowly to face Jungkook again, narrowing his eyes and making himself look as aggressive as possible.

“We don’t remember shit so how do we know I was the sub?”

“You’ve got bruises all over your neck,” Jungkook smirks and the fact that he looks so knowingly at Taehyung, kind of infuriates him. Even if he probably is right. “And me and you both know that you enjoy being a sub. Very much. Like that time in the club when you-”

Taehyung groans at that, as Jungkook brings back the embarrassing memory with only a few words.

“Hey Jeon, give me a Dirty Martini,” Taehyung had yelled over the blasting club music. Thinking back on it now, he should have said it more politely, considering Jungkook and Yoongi had been putting up with his and his friends’ drunk asses the entire evening, tending to their every need and drink request.

Taehyung remembers thinking Jungkook had looked extra worn out that night too, what with his long, black hair looking dishevelled and wet from sweat, though he still decided it was fine to push at his buttons, yet again. Taehyung’s drunken mind had also taken quite the liking to Jungkook’s frustrated yet charmingly handsome face.

“I said,” he slurred, this time looking Jungkook straight in the eye, “I want a Dirty Martini, Jeon.”

Jungkook had scoffed, staring deep into Taehyung’s soul before replying with, “sorry Kim, I don’t serve assholes.”

Taehyung let out an embarrassing sound as Jungkook looked completely away, giving up way too easily compared to normal. He was focusing his attention on the short, blonde girl who was sat beside Taehyung; the girl had her arm stretched out in front of her, fingers trailing up Jungkook’s bare arm. Taehyung still remembers to this day how sweet she smelt, so much perfume filling the air around them that he had felt sick. The smudged red lipstick she had on was wearing away too and the innocent smile she had playing at her lips - directed at Jungkook - had Taehyung feeling slightly annoyed. Fuming actually. Because Jungkook was ignoring him and the chance to argue with him, for this girl. This girl being nowhere near Jungkook’s type.

“Jeon,” he whined aloud, getting nothing back from the bartender. “Jeon!” Still no reply.

So he had taken matters into his own hands. He glanced around, noticing how Bogum (the guy that he had been dancing with throughout the whole night) had left him at the bar, to party with other strangers on the dance floor, and at the idea of not having to please the guy anymore, Taehyung sighed in relief. One quick look at the other side of the bar also told Taehyung that no other bartender was currently in the area apart from Jungkook.

All in one quick movement, Taehyung climbed on top of his barstool and over the bar, straight onto Jungkook’s side. What annoyed Taehyung to the core though, had been that even after all that, Jungkook was still focused on the girl, not having noticed Taehyung’s little action movie scene. So he did the first thing that came to mind and bent down behind the bar, shuffling through the different glass bottles of alcohol. It was highly unlikely that Jungkook would hear the ruckus over the loud music but it was worth a try and hopefully at least the movement would get his attention.

But Taehyung, being as wasted as he was, had gotten distracted for all but a second as he caught a whiff of Jungkook’s cologne (way nicer than the girl’s) as the man knelt down beside him. That small second had been enough for Taehyung’s fingers to slip, causing the bottle of vodka he had been holding to come crashing down onto the floor, shards of glass shattering everywhere.

“What the fuck, Taehyung?” Jungkook had exclaimed, right in his ear.

“Ow!” Taehyung yelped, clutching at his ear and turning to get far from the angry bartender but he didn’t have the time to as Jungkook forcefully lifted him up, with arms coming from behind to wrap around his waist.

Taehyung flailed around for a while as Jungkook carried him away from the mess on the floor but it was of no help with Jungkook gripping him tightly. Taehyung remembers feeling embarrassed, not only because all the people surrounding the bar were witnessing his plan fail miserably, but also because he had felt excitement flare through his body at being lifted so effortlessly by Jungkook.

The excitement was short lived when Jungkook had not so gently placed Taehyung back down on his feet, harshly turning him around to face him. He had even shoved Taehyung against the wall right in between two shelves stacked with alcohol, causing them to rattle, loud enough to even be heard over the music. Oh no, the excitement was back.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jungkook had seethed and Taehyung could only stare at the man’s quickly reddening face and flaring nostrils. Jungkook was angry. And Taehyung didn’t hate it. “Answer me.”

But Taehyung couldn’t answer Jungkook, no matter how much the deep voice had him itching to spill everything, because his mouth was zipped shut. That must have infuriated Jungkook even more because next thing Taehyung knew, Jungkook was pushing further into his personal space, trapping him tightly against the wall and locking him into place.

Taehyung couldn’t help the embarrassing sound that escaped from deep in his throat, at Jungkook pushing further against his body.

At that, Jungkook’s grip had suddenly loosened as he took a small step back with eyes blowing wide. “Did you just,” he started, brows furrowed, “did you just moan?”

“What?” Taehyung said, feeling heat rise quickly up his neck and towards his cheeks. He glanced behind Jungkook’s shoulder to see that people on the other side of the bar had gathered, looking in at the scene. “No. No! Why would I-“

“Oh my god,” Jungkook laughed. “I can’t believe-“ he started but cut himself off as his laughter started to become uncontrollable. Taehyung could only weakly roll his eyes. “I can’t believe you just moaned. At that!”

“Shut up,” Taehyung tried but it only made Jungkook even more hysterical. Suddenly Taehyung had become completely sober.

“Shut up,” Taehyung mutters, shoving Jungkook back into his pillows. “We promised to never mention that again.”

“You promised,” Jungkook smirks, as he makes himself comfortable again in bed (or as comfortable as one can get, with a hand trapped in handcuffs). “Only because you wanted no one to find out. Yoongi hyung knows all about it, which means Jimin knows all about it, which means so does everyone else.”

Taehyung glares. “You asshole,” he replies, thwacking Jungkook hard on the forehead, to which the black-haired man only laughs. “Anyway that doesn’t mean I’m a sub. It might just be my muscle kink.”

The words slip out before Taehyung can stop them and the regret comes immediately, as soon as the last word leaves his mouth. The way Jungkook looks at him with a knowing smirk only makes matters worse and all Taehyung can think to do is lift his free hand up to clasp at Jungkook’s mouth, pressing down hard as to not let any sound come from the guy’s mouth.

“Not another word,” Taehyung warns before slowly pulling away and to his surprise it works as Jungkook doesn’t mention it. “Did you even have to overreact like that?” he asks, looking down at the man beside him, not really expecting to get an answer from the asshole that is Jeon Jungkook.

“I don’t think I overreacted,” Jungkook says from where he’s resting the back of his head on his arm, squished in between a few pillows. He sounds strangely soft, genuine, with surprisingly no snarky tone in his voice. It’s probably because he’s just woken up, Taehyung thinks. “First of all, it’s a safety precaution,” Jungkook starts, “since we can’t really have anyone that doesn’t work at the bar, behind the bar, especially on such a busy night. Me and Yoongi hyung were both taught what to do in a situation where someone gets on the other side of the bar.”

Taehyung nods, leaning back to lay back down beside Jungkook, keeping a fair distance. “And what exactly were you taught?” Taehyung asks, finding himself to be genuinely interested.

“To call security,” Jungkook says, plainly.

“That’s not what you did.”

“I know.”

“You manhandled me. What do you mean ‘I know’?”

Taehyung feels his lips form into a frown, against his own will, as he turns onto his side to fully look at Jungkook. The latter seems to do the same with a rub at his eyes, before shifting their arms slightly to turn comfortably.

“You nearly crawled into all that broken glass. I did what I needed to do, to stop you from slicing your hands open. And it didn’t help that you had those stupid ripped jeans on which meant you could have cut your knees too.”

Taehyung feels his eyes widen at Jungkook’s caring words. He also feels a bit of heat start to rise up from his neck and all he can do in the moment is quickly push himself back into a sitting position, doing everything he can to hide the blush at his cheeks, nearly getting whiplash in the process. Why is he even blushing? For fuck’s sake; it must be the hangover.

“I-I mean,” Jungkook suddenly stutters out and it’s all Taehyung needs to hear for his head to snap back towards the raven-haired man. “You know. I had to. You know, because then I’d have people on my case for allowing a customer to get injured like that. Obviously, that was the reason.”

Taehyung narrows his eyes in on the way Jungkook avoids any type of eye contact, the way he keeps glancing everywhere, except for at Taehyung. And he hates that it makes him feel flustered when Jungkook should be the only embarrassed one here.

Jungkook just admitted to caring about his well-being.

“I need to pee,” Taehyung coughs out, glancing away too as he starts to lift his bare legs out of bed. It’s awkward, obviously, as the two of them begin to walk side by side towards Jungkook’s bathroom, with the other leading the way. Taehyung’s happy that Jungkook seems to have come back to his senses because lord knows he would never have found his way towards the bathroom without any help, rather making himself look like even more of a fool.

All the awkwardness is only heightened though, as they come to a standstill in front of the toilet. Taehyung keeps his eyes downcast as he waits for Jungkook to give him some privacy, though he knows that’s hardly possible. By his side, Jungkook seems to be in a trance, barely moving at all. Taehyung can feel just how tight his arm muscles are right now with the tiny bit of contact between their trapped arms. It’s silly, Taehyung thinks, because why is he feeling nervous when it should be Jungkook who had let the words spill out.

“Um,” he interrupts the silence, “I need to pee.”

That immediately snaps Jungkook out of his obvious daze and he turns to face Taehyung with pointed eyes. “If we’ve fucked then why does it matter? Just pee.”

“Stop being a creep, Jungkook,” Taehyung snaps back, “and just let me pee in peace.”

“I’m not even stopping you, the fuck?”

“I can’t go when you’re watching!”

“Why the fuck not?”

“Just turn for a second, for fuck’s sake! I need to fucking piss, Jungkook.”

Jungkook shrugs nonchalantly, as if trying to prove that he isn’t going to be turning around anytime soon. “My arm hurts like hell and you think I’m going to hurt it even more just to let you piss?”

“Seriously, Jeon?” Taehyung scoffs. “Really, are you a fucking baby? My bladder hurts!” He’s almost whining at this point but he feels no shame considering just how much his insides feel like they’re about to burst.

Jungkook remains silent with a look on his face that would go well with stubborn arms crossed in front of his chest, though he can’t do that in their situation. And Taehyung feels as though this is his last option, no matter how much he hates the idea of it. He sighs, puckering his lips out into a pout and makes his eyes as puppy like as he can.

“Jungkookie,” he starts, nudging the rock hard man with his shoulder. “Taehyungie needs to pee-pee,” he says, voice reaching a pitch so high, he’s afraid he’ll ruin his vocal cords.

“Fuck off,” Jungkook mutters, seemingly not enjoying the aegyo, though Taehyung knows that’s not it judging by the quickly rising pink at Jungkook’s cheeks.

“Need to pee-pee really, really bad! Is Jungkookie going to let Taehyungie pee-pee? Pretty please?” Taehyung replaces the pout on his lips with a boxy smile that he knows anyone and everyone falls for, Jeon Jungkook being no exception.

Jungkook can barely look Taehyung in the eyes and that’s how he knows it’s working; for that he’s happy even though all his pride is being taken away from him.

“Hmmm?” Taehyung hums, pout back at his lips as he gives Jungkook another nudge, with a flutter of his lashes.

“For fuck’s sake,” Jungkook says and Taehyung knows he’s done it when Jungkook gets impossibly more red, almost inhumanly red.

(Hands pressing at his wrist too tightly. Hands pressing so tight that the skin was starting to become red.)

With a huff, Jungkook turns to face his head away rather than his whole body, bringing them to a middle ground.

Taehyung would have never guessed, even in a million years, that somebody as stoic as Jeon Jungkook could be flustered by a bit of aegyo.

Taehyung decides to keep that in mind. For next time.

∞

“So,” Jungkook says with a mouth full of toothpaste, “how are we getting these off?” He gestures to the handcuffs between them which Taehyung doesn’t even notice as he’s busy with a spare toothbrush Jungkook had found in the drawer. They had searched for the keys of the handcuffs for almost an hour, but to no avail, which leads them to now, brushing their teeth together. It’s to be expected though since the two of them being stuck together makes only one person, meaning less chance of finding the lost item.

Even if this isn’t a situation Jungkook is happy about being in, he thinks it’s lucky that he still has his dominant hand free, with Jungkook’s left hand bound to Taehyung’s right. Though for Taehyung, he knows it wouldn’t matter considering that he’s ambidextrous as far as Jungkook’s aware. He sneaks a glance in the mirror at Taehyung, as he brushes his teeth using his left hand. Jungkook hates that he finds something as insignificant as Taehyung being ambidextrous terribly endearing, as weird as it sounds, but that’s not what he should be thinking about now. For some reason, Taehyung is brushing his teeth rather vigorously, almost aggressively.

“Do you always brush that aggressively?” Jungkook asks, spitting in the sink straight after.

Taehyung glares through the mirror, all while continuing with his painful looking actions. “Is it bad that I like having a clean mouth?” he asks, with a flare of his nostrils. “Anyway, we can’t remember if yesterday I sucked your di-“

“How are we getting out of these stupid things?” Jungkook interrupts, repeating his question.

Taehyung shrugs, leaning down to wash his face. “Do you have a really sharp knife we can use?”

“I don’t really want to pull a Jack and Rose here,” Jungkook replies, “because we both know how that story ended.”

“Firstly, we’re literally not on a ship right now. Also we’re both stuck together, while only Jack was stuck to a huge pipe thingy. I see no ice cold water. Rose used an axe, not a knife like I suggested. She actually got him out of the cuffs as well. I could go on. This couldn’t be anymore different to them.”

“Don’t need to be a smart-ass about it.” Jungkook ignores the fact that Taehyung hasn’t mentioned the biggest difference. Jack and Rose were in love.

“I’m not, I just love that film.”

Jungkook actually feels the way that new piece of information is stored and tucked safely in his mind. It’s been like that for a while now, though Jungkook’ll never admit it out loud, and he hasn’t been able to stop himself no matter how hard he’s tried.

Little things he’s heard from Yoongi, who’s heard things from Jimin.

(“Does Taehyungie have to come, Jiminie?” Yoongi asks over the phone. “If he comes we can’t eat spicy food, since he can’t handle that shit.”)

Seeing other little things with his own eyes as Taehyung sits at the bar.

(“Ew,” Taehyung sulks to himself and Jungkook isn’t even surprised that he can hear Taehyung’s voice over the blaring music of the club. He can hear that voice over anything .

Jungkook zones his eyes in on the way Taehyung picks the lime slice out of his drink, pulling a face of utter disgust. Jungkook learns then, that Taehyung can tolerate lime juice, but never actual lime slices. For that, Jungkook never puts lime slices in his drink again.)

Even going as far as listening in on conversations when Taehyung’s seated at the bar with a stranger at his side, both taking too many shots and trying to get past that line between ‘stranger’ and ‘suitable hook-up’, so they can just skip to the good bit.

(“So what types of things do you like to do, angel?” the tall man beside Taehyung asks.

“I like art, I guess,” Taehyung replies, taking a sip from his (lime slice-less) Margarita, “but that might just be because it’s my job.”)

And it’s not like Jungkook intends to intrude but when it comes to Taehyung, it’s like he just can’t help himself. Which is exactly why Jungkook is so shocked to be in this situation. He and Taehyung have slept together, and he can’t even remember it? Is that even possible, considering his ‘Taehyung Feelings’? He knows for a fact, he would have been on top of the world to have been able to sleep with Taehyung yet here he is, being unable to remember shit. He hates that he can’t remember shit. Those thoughts alone are all it takes for Jungkook to push his feelings aside and put back on his ‘Taehyung’s enemy’ persona.

“Stop thinking so fucking hard,” Taehyung says, pushing Jungkook with his shoulder, yet again. “You’re making my head hurt.” And it’s times like this that makes Jungkook’s job of hiding his ‘Taehyung Feelings’ a whole lot easier. Because Taehyung just so happens to be a bit of a dick.

“I need coffee,” is what Jungkook decides to reply with, ignoring the glare Taehyung sends his way. “And judging by your bitchiness, so do you.”

“Isn’t it already almost three in the afternoon?” Taehyung points out and Jungkook just nods because turns out, it’s not morning at all and they’d just been knocked out cold that they’d slept almost the whole day away. “And for your information, I prefer hot chocolate,” Taehyung says, pulling them back down the hallway, towards Jungkook’s room. Perfect, Jungkook thinks, another thing that he just has to add to his ‘Taehyung Feelings’ list.

Jungkook lets himself be pulled and they’re almost in the room, when he spots it. Right on the floor, blocking the exact path they would need to walk on to enter Jungkook’s room. He stops dead in his tracks, his musclier build coming in handy, as Taehyung springs back and crashes into Jungkook’s chest.

“What is it now?” Taehyung huffs, reaching up a hand to fluff up his unkempt silver hair.

Jungkook says nothing, keeping his eyes trained on the little bastard, not fancying losing his sight on it anytime soon. After not getting a reply, Taehyung seems to lose his patience as he finally looks back up at him, and Jungkook watches in his peripheral as Taehyung then follows his eyesight.

“A spider?” Taehyung says, not sounding amused as Jungkook thought he might, but instead, sort of disappointed.

“We’re not going near that thing,” Jungkook states, eyes still trained solely on the big insect.

“Stop pulling me,” Taehyung says, finally letting out a laugh. It’s then that Jungkook realises he had unconsciously been pulling Taehyung back. Away from that bloody spider. To safety. “It’s not going to kill me. Or you for that matter.”

Jungkook doesn’t budge.

“Come on, Jungkook,” Taehyung whines, grabbing Jungkook’s forearm. “How else are we going to get trousers back on?” The question reminds Jungkook of just how bare their bottom halves are right now and that and the promise of a coffee are what forces him to face his fear.

Jungkook breathes in heavily and then exhales again. “Okay,” he says to which Taehyung looks at him expectantly, “okay, fine. Let’s go.”

Taehyung nods, with a teasing grin at his lips, before starting backwards towards the entryway to Jungkook’s room, albeit rather slowly.

“Don’t look at it and you’ll be fine,” Taehyung says, so quietly it’s almost a whisper.

But Jungkook doesn’t listen because he turns his eyes away from Taehyung and towards his feet, finding the spider just centimetres away from him.

The yelp he lets out is embarrassing, though he doesn’t have time to think about that right now. To get as far away from the beast as he can, he practically squashes Taehyung up against the doorframe, pressing their chests together. And he knows he’s going to get pushed away any second now, so he holds onto the wall for dear life, squishing his face into Taehyung’s hair. This is embarrassing and Taehyung’s never going to let it go but it’s the only option Jungkook has right now. He’s not ready to die!

Just then, Jungkook’s poor racing heart is stopped completely as it skips a few beats because a tentative hand is being placed at his waist, so gently that it’s barely even there. Despite how uncomfortable Taehyung must be with Jungkook’s much heavier body practically on top of him, he has a calm look on his face, eyes staring softly up at him. The eyes Jungkook has never seen on Taehyung before, deep, kind of ocean-like, and he thinks it’s probably because he’s never seen him this early in the morning, taking it as the tiredness that’s softening Taehyung up.

“Let’s go,” Taehyung says into the small space between their faces, as he brings his right hand up to hold Jungkook’s other hip, shifting the handcuffs in the process. Jungkook’s heart stutters one last time before it’s back to the fast pace beating, that he’s sure Taehyung can hear and feel from this close up. “Let’s go together.”

Then Jungkook has completely forgotten about the spider, or at least pushed it to the back of his mind, because all he can think about right now is Taehyung. Taehyung. Taehyung. Taehyung’s hands fitting snugly at his waist. Taehyung’s slow yet fluid movements as he guides them through the door and into the room. Taehyung’s wide, brown eyes that stare unwaveringly into Jungkook’s own, blinking every so often and fluttering his long thick eyelashes in the process. Taehyung’s one double-eyelid and one mono-lid. Taehyung’s eyes that crinkle up amusedly as he suddenly leans back with a loud, boisterous laugh. Jungkook can’t see his eyes anymore.

“I can’t believe,” Taehyung breathes out, “that you! Of all people! Oh my god.” He’s laughing so hard that Jungkook is brought straight out of his daze, looking around to realise they’ve made it all the way to his wardrobe.

Just like that, Taehyung is back to being the normal Taehyung.

And with that, Jungkook is back to being the normal Jungkook. Or rather, the fake one.

“Shut the fuck up,” he says, not meaning for it to come out as a growl. Then he’s pushing Taehyung up against his old wooden wardrobe-that admittedly has seen better days-and putting them in a similar position as the one they’d been in mere seconds ago. Only this time, there’s no intimacy at all. “No one finds out about this,” Jungkook seethes, hating the way Taehyung’s mouth holds a smirk, despite his vulnerable position. Maybe he knows Jungkook would never actually hurt him. “And I mean no one, Taehyung.”

“Don’t you think you’ve squished me with your muscle pig body enough today?” Taehyung asks, as nonchalantly as ever. “I mean, it’s not even been two hours since we woke up and here I am, feeling the Jeon Jungkook’s wrath.” Jungkook rolls his eyes at that and pushes off of Taehyung completely, though hauling him down straight after to rummage through the bottom of his wardrobe.

“Here, wear this,” he says, handing Taehyung his (comfiest) spare joggers.

“Even though I do kind of enjoy being pushed up against the wall like that-“

“Just shut up already,” Jungkook groans, glad that the spider topic has been forgotten. “You talk way to much.”

“I can’t help it, I have a big mouth. So I use it to talk. Like a normal person.”

“Are you sure you don’t use it for other things?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

And that’s what it’s like throughout the whole fifteen minutes drive to the café. Bickering, teasing and sexual innuendos that Jungkook’s mother would not be happy to hear coming from her dear son’s mouth, all while their wrists are still bound together over the top of the console of Jungkook’s car. He’s lucky he happens to drive an automatic.

“It’s fucking cold,” Taehyung states as he climbs over the console and onto Jungkook’s side of the car. Jungkook’s side? That sounds way too domestic considering it’s Jungkook’s car that Taehyung’s never even been in, let alone claimed his own side. The driver’s side, Jungkook mentally corrects himself.

It had been difficult getting into the car and it’s proving to be just as difficult, getting out. Jungkook stumbles out of the car while keeping his arm stretched out, allowing Taehyung to get out too. Jungkook nods at Taehyung’s previous statement as his teeth start to chatter slightly, thanks to the fact that he’s wearing all but a short sleeved t-shirt. Thanks a lot to that dickhead Sungmin.

That’s how they find themselves walking into the packed café, squashed tightly together, with Jungkook’s bomber jacket draping off both of their shoulders. It’s sort of annoying that the day Jungkook cannot deal with people, just so happens to be the day that everyone has crowded in the café for late lunch dates and whatnot, though with Taehyung it’s not as awkward as Jungkook had initially expected it to be. He can’t help but get that little bit closer when a particularly hard shudder racks through Taehyung’s body.

“Why the fuck are you shivering?” Jungkook says rather pointedly, despite his thoughts and actions. “You’re the one wearing a whole jumper while I’m here in short sleeves.” Jungkook knows better than to start an argument while in the queue to get very (very) late breakfast, but that doesn’t stop him. He really can’t help himself when it comes to Taehyung.

“And who’s fault is that?”

“Whichever one of us decided to get kinky with fucking handcuffs,” Jungkook retorts and he definitely hears the awkward cough coming from behind them, though decides to pay no attention to it.

“Well that was probably a joint decision,” Taehyung says, turning back and actually winking at the suited up, business guy behind them. “That means we’re both to blame.”

“Can you have some decency?” Jungkook asks, nudging him slightly then turning back to give the man an apologetic smile. “We’re in public.”

“You’re the one who bought up the handcuffs.”

“That doesn’t make a difference, everyone can see the fucking handcuffs.”

“Well, you didn’t have to-“

“Next!” calls the barista, interrupting their slowly but surely ensuing argument. It’s safe to say the ordering process takes quite a while considering they’re paying separately and have to wait each time the other is fumbling with his wallet. The knowing smirks on every single one of the employees’ faces only add to the embarrassment.

“Should you really be eating that much sugar, while you’re probably hungover, on an empty stomach?” Jungkook asks, wincing when he practically feels a gritty feeling at his teeth from just watching the way Taehyung munches on his overly sweet waffles. “Is that even safe?”

Taehyung smiles wide, with his mouth stuffed with food, though it’s far from innocent. “Not everyone is a gym rat like you,” Taehyung says, words coming out muffled. He pulls Jungkook’s hand forward as he cuts into the waffles and Jungkook lets him do it as he himself takes a bite from his Nutella and banana slices covered toast. They’ve got their bound hands resting on the table in between them, on show for anyone who walks past their table. Though, none of them seem to care about the confused, amused or sometimes disturbed looks on people’s faces as they pass by. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you about that,” Taehyung says suddenly, quirking his head towards their hands on the table, while chewing loudly. “I mean, I never found the right time to ask since we only ever see each other at parties or at the club where we’re either insulting each other or ‘flirting aggressively’ as Seokjin hyung says.”

“God, do you always talk with your mouth full like that?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Taehyung winks back. It seems to be the only comeback he knows, but it sure as hell works in embarrassing Jungkook. Every. Single. Time.

Jungkook grimaces. “It’s disgusting.” Then he nods before saying, “ask about what?”

Taehyung smiles widely-a weird boxy shaped smile that Jungkook’s never seen on anyone before but Taehyung-then sets his cutlery down. “That tattoo,” he says, pointedly staring down at Jungkook’s arm.

“Which one?” Jungkook finds himself chuckling at the situation, at the determined look on Taehyung’s face, looking as though Jungkook should know exactly which one he’s talking about.

“That one!”

Jungkook laughs even harder at the way Taehyung seems to get annoyed. “I’ve got more than I can count on this arm alone and you expect me to know?”

Taehyung groans. “This one!” he says, jabbing his index finger into the simplistic, monochrome peach that Jungkook has tattooed on the upper part of his wrist, just before where his hand begins. It’s not the biggest, nor the most eye-catching, and Jungkook is surprised to find that it’s apparently the one Taehyung has been wanting to know about for a while.

“Well,” he says, suddenly embarrassed, “it’s a peach.”

“Yeah, I know, idiot. I can see,” Taehyung says, feeling the tattoo using one finger, before moving his hand away. Jungkook shivers slightly. “What’s it for?”

Jungkook feels the heat begin to rise up his neck but he quickly tries to will it away. “It’s quite a long, meaningful story. Don’t think you’d want to know.” He’s lying, obviously.

“I want to know. Otherwise I wouldn’t have asked.”

“Seriously, you-“

“Just spit it out, Jeon.”

“It’s nothing, Kim.”

Taehyung’s brows furrow and then there’s a smirk gracing his pink lips. As soon as there’s that small change in his features, Jungkook knows that Taehyung knows.

“Don’t tell me it’s-“

“Fine, yes!” Jungkook-almost-yells out exasperatedly. In his mind, it’s better if he just admits to it first before the word so much as leaves Taehyung’s mouth. “Yes, the peach symbolises ass. I love ass!”

“That’s gay.”

“Bi, actually.”

Taehyung smiles again, weirding Jungkook out slightly since he’s never seen him smile this much in his company. “Isn’t the wrist really painful for a tattoo? Because I have one question. A really punny question. Mother trucker dude-”

“Please don’t.”

“Did your tattoo of a butt, hurt like-“

“Don’t.”

“Did it hurt like a butt cheek on a stick?”

Taehyung bursts out laughing at his own vine reference and in the process spits pieces of (syrup, chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, sprinkles and powdered sugar covered) waffle, all over Jungkook’s face. He’s quick to cover his mouth with wide eyes after he realises what he’s just done and Jungkook can only glare as he pats his face with a napkin.

Taehyung doesn’t even apologise and with a shrug, he’s back to shovelling food into his mouth. And to his own surprise, Jungkook finds that he doesn’t really mind, not when there’s a smile tugging at his lips at the thought of how ridiculous what just happened was. With Kim Taehyung nonetheless.

While Taehyung’s busy stuffing his face with food, far too quickly now that Jungkook thinks about it, the sleeves of his jumper get pulled up and it allows Jungkook to take in the actual situation they’ve got here. All this wrist talk, has him looking straight there, and Taehyung’s wrist is not only adorned with the metal cuff but also an oddly shaped purple-ish bruise that looks way too painful and too large to have been caused by the handcuffs. It’s unfair because Jungkook’s own wrist looks to be fine even if it does hurt just a little bit due to the continuous position he’s had to keep it in. It’s either Taehyung bruises really easily or there must be something else that has injured him this much. Either way, Jungkook knows for a fact that Taehyung’s in much more pain than he is. And for some reason, it just doesn’t sit well with him.

“Is your um,” Jungkook stutters, fingers gripping his coffee cup, “is your wrist okay?”

Taehyung finally looks up at Jungkook and away from his now empty plate. He maintains eye contact, with something akin to shock in his eyes, gulps down some of his hot chocolate, then glances down at his hand. There’s a subtle hint of pink at his cheeks that Jungkook decides not to acknowledge properly.

“I mean, it’s bruised,” Taehyung nods, looking back up at him again. He takes another swig of his drink. “It kind of hurts but I guess it’s fine.”

Even if they had been arguing and joking this whole time as they ate, it suddenly gets quieter at that, the hustle and bustle of the busy café hardly making a difference. Quiet wouldn’t be the right word. It gets intimate.

Jungkook lets go of his cup and leaves his hand to rest at the table. “Taehyung,” he starts, using his ‘look at me’ voice. Taehyung complies. “All I remember is going to the club for Seokjin hyung’s birthday and drinking a lot. Actually, I hardly remember shit.”

“Me neither.”

“But you know, I’d never hurt you.”

“I know.”

“Even if we don’t really get along, even if-“

“I know, Jungkook.”

Jungkook sighs and takes in the way Taehyung looks away from him, yet again drinking his hot chocolate in large gulps. “When it comes to sex, I’ve never done anything with handcuffs or anything like that,” he says, feeling his cheeks heat up.

“I would have never guessed,” Taehyung laughs, lightening the mood a bit, though his laugh still sounds slightly forced. “Jeon Jungkook, the muscled hunk, the ladies’ man even though he’s obviously gay as fuck, has never been kinky?”

“I’m being serious, Taehyung,” Jungkook interjects. “I’ve never done shit like that and I’m kind of fucking shocked that I apparently did that to your wrist-“

“Jungkook,” Taehyung murmurs and suddenly the mood is back to being serious, with no hint of amusement in his voice. “I don’t think it was you.”

Jungkook frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I keep getting these tiny flashbacks,” Taehyung states, mirroring Jungkook’s frown. He looks so conflicted that Jungkook gets the sudden urge to reach out his free hand and stroke his hair, just anything to help him think. But he keeps that urge as just an urge. “Lights, hands and shit like that. But it wasn’t your hands, Jungkook. And I know for a fact they weren’t your hands because there were no tattoos. Not even that ass tattoo.”

The café is still loud and every now and then a waiter passes by with a plate of food. But all Jungkook can focus on is Taehyung and the trembling tanned hand that’s mere centimetres away from his own hand. He’s never seen Taehyung like this and he hates that he’s having to see it at all. He hates the way Taehyung’s hand is shaking so much that he can barely lift his cup. He hates the way Taehyung is biting his bottom lip nervously. He hates the way it looks like his lip will start bleeding soon.

“How can I help?”

“We need to go back to the club.”

∞

Seokjin had wanted a fun night out for his birthday, something that they could all just attend and enjoy. He’s always been someone to care more about others than himself so it was barely a surprise to them all when he said he didn’t want to go to a restaurant or the movies, but rather a club where they could just individually have fun, though they all knew it had just been an excuse for him to dance with his new, rich boyfriend, Namjoon. But a rule he had specially made was that they would not leave the house before doing presents and cake at the pre-shots party of course.

“So, Tae,” Jimin had said, way too suspiciously for his liking, “Jin hyung’s party is maybe, no actually, definitely, most probably-“

“Spit it out, Chim.”

“It’s going to be at the club Yoonie and Jungkook work at,” he said quickly, all in one breath.

It’s not that Taehyung hated the fact that he’d have to party with Jungkook there yet again, since he tended to go to the club he worked at often anyway. Taehyung felt nervous about not only seeing him but also having to socialise with him. That’s not to say Jungkook made Taehyung feel nervous since that’s far from the truth, just that he and Jungkook could barely hold a steady conversation without having a ‘little’ disagreement. So yes, Taehyung was nervous. But Jimin didn’t need to know that.

“Really?” he huffed. “Fucking hate that guy.”

The smirk on Jimin’s face had done little to calm Taehyung’s nerves. “No you don’t Tae,” he said, letting out an evil laugh. “You just want to fuck him. Or have him fuck you.”

“I don’t want his dick anywhere near my ass.”

“Sure.”

“Sure?” Jungkook asks with both his hands resting at the table and a cautious look on his face. “I mean, what if going back to the club brings back upsetting memories?” Taehyung feels something, that he can’t quite name, shoot through his insides at Jungkook’s words and apparently it shows. Because after a pause, then a cough, Jungkook adds, “also we’ve still got these handcuffs on. Shouldn’t we figure out how to get them off?”

And the sparking feeling is gone, just like that. Taehyung doesn’t even know why he would think Jungkook cared about him and only him, in the first place. They’re both stuck together here and Jungkook is suffering too. Taehyung needs to remember that.

“I mean, yeah,” Taehyung lets out quickly, pushing his chair out and moving to stand up. “But I feel like I need to go now. The flashbacks are becoming too vivid.”

“Wait, Taehyung, slow down,” Jungkook says in quite the warning tone, with Taehyung pulling him through the café and out the door. But Taehyung decides not to slow down, not while his heart is racing and the sudden adrenaline is rushing through his body, urging him to find out what exactly happened yesterday, who gave him bruises.

Taehyung is not even aware of the icy cold weather anymore as he rushes straight towards Jungkook’s black Mercedes Benz, tugging Jungkook’s bare arm along with him.

“Okay, okay,” Jungkook breathes, “I’m coming. We can slow down.”

In a matter of minutes, they’re in the car-having mastered the art of getting in through one side-and on the fast lane of the motorway, hands resting on top of the centre console. For some reason-it could be the adrenaline or even the nervousness-Taehyung’s fingers itch to touch Jungkook’s, just to feel the warmth he’s sure they hold. Just to ground himself a bit.

Taehyung knows it’s silly that he’s decided to do this when they probably should be finding a way out of the stupid handcuffs. Taehyung knows he’s dragging Jungkook into this when the guy probably doesn’t want anything to do with him. Taehyung knows he’s being a burden.

But what makes Taehyung’s insides feel even weirder and conflicted, is that from a small glance he can see that Jungkook has got his free hand resting at the wheel, thumb tapping away to nothing in particular. And it isn’t an anxious type of tapping but rather a nonchalant one, almost like he’s fine being here. Which isn’t very convincing to Taehyung.

Taehyung looks away from Jungkook’s (incredibly beautiful) hand and stares out of the window, watching the grassy landscapes that they pass by. It’s the perks of living in the suburbs since Taehyung has loved the outdoors from a young age, always going out to play and coming back covered in mud, much to his mother’s dismay.

Taehyung loves the view, but the hills that they drive past remind him of ocean waves. The way they rise and fall quickly that should be calming is somewhat dizzying, especially with the speed they’re driving in; Jungkook is quite the fearless driver.

“Um, Jungkook,” Taehyung heaves out, hand jolting to grab at Jungkook’s own. He can’t even relish in the warmth he knew would be there because of the sudden nauseousness he’s feeling.

The hills continue with their ongoing pattern of wiggly lines, getting blurrier and blurrier with each passing second. Taehyung feels his tummy flip in the most uncomfortable way and he has to swallow down saliva to keep his food down.

“Shit,” he hears Jungkook say yet he still can’t pull his eyes away from the rolling hills. “Are you feeling okay?”

“No, um,” Taehyung tries, swallowing down again. “No. I feel kind of sick.”

“I fucking knew you shouldn’t have eaten all that sugar. And you drank that got chocolate too fast!” Jungkook scolds, though begins to slow the car down and turns on the indicator, pulling over onto the hard shoulder.

Taehyung can’t even retort - damn were those maple syrup, chocolate sauce, powdered sugar and strawberry covered waffles delicious - because next thing he knows he’s practically being hauled out of the car with the way Jungkook pulls him. But he’s happy that’s he’s able to get out of the confines of the way too warm car to be hit with the icy wind at his cheeks, allowing him to breathe the nauseousness away. They speed walk off the road and onto the side where there seems to be a field. Taehyung bends forward slightly, one hand clutching at his knee and the other one pulled behind him, where Jungkook stands.

Breathing in and out gets especially easy when he feels his long silver locks getting held back and out of his face.

“If you need to,” Jungkook says into the distant sound of passing by cars, “just let it out. I’ve got some water bottles in the car.”

“No,” Taehyung mutters, clutching a hand at his stomach as he breathes loud and heavy. “No, I think I’m fine now.”

Taehyung feels the way Jungkook slowly and gently lets go of his hair before dragging his hands down to rest lightly at his shoulder blades, so lightly that Taehyung thinks maybe Jungkook believes he’ll break. He wants to tell Jungkook to touch him properly, to not be afraid, but that’d be inappropriate considering their relationship, if it could even be called that.

Taehyung pushes the thoughts out of his head, because why is he even having these kinds of thoughts, and continues to stare down at the grass beneath his worn out trainers. The colour of the grass isn’t the rich, vibrant green you’d see during the Spring, rather a green to go with the Winter that they are currently in. A green so worn out, the grass could be dead. It’s a dusty old beer bottle green, if you will.

(Beer bottle. There’s a piercing sound of shattering glass as the broken fragments scatter all around his feet, sending pieces flying around everywhere dangerously. There’s a a shout and the grip held around his wrist tightens, almost like the owner of the hand wants to stop his blood flow.)

And just as Taehyung’s about to look at who saved him from such a trapping hold, the memory flashes away, just as fast as it’d appeared.

“Hey,” he hears Jungkook speak, “are you okay?”

Taehyung gulps down one more time before standing up somewhat straightly, as straight as his bent artist back-thanks to hours and hours spent hunched over a drawing-would let him.

“Tae,” Jungkook tries again, the nickname rolling off his tongue so perfectly, that in another moment Taehyung knows he would have bashfully blushed until he was red in the face. No. That’s a lie. Why would he ever be flustered by Jungkook’s words. If anything, he’d be red in the face due to anger because Jungkook has no right to call him Tae. Though he lets it slide when he hears Jungkook ask, “you okay?” He lets it slide, just this once.

“Yeah, I just- I remembered more.” Taehyung doesn’t elaborate, just looks back at Jungkook as steadily as he can with the way his eyes begin to wobble uncomfortably. The backs of his eyeballs begin to sting too, tears threatening to spill, though he does a pretty good job at blinking them away. Or so he thinks.

“Taehyung,” Jungkook says, eyes widening. He steps forward, causing the handcuffs to rattle way too loudly in the quiet of this field. “Are you- you look like you’re going to cry.”

“No, I’m not.”

Here’s the thing. Jimin and Taehyung are very similar. It’s one of the reasons they get on so well and one of the many reasons why they’re best friends. Jimin is a very strong guy, both physically and mentally, and although Taehyung doesn’t have the best upper body strength like Jimin does - probably due to the fact that he’s been into sports and dancing since nursery - Taehyung does share the strong mind trait. And to go with their strong minds, it’s known in their friendship group that it’s very rare, almost impossible, to find any of the two of them crying. But another well known fact is that, once in a blue moon, when they do actually cry, it’s almost impossible to get them to stop crying. Asking them if they’re crying, telling them it’s okay, simply wiping a tear from their cheeks, are actions that would only cause them to cry even more with fat tears only escaping more from their wet eyes. Taehyung is similar to Jimin in that sense.

So when Jungkook looks at Taehyung as he is, with a sense of pity in his wide doe eyes and a slight pout at his pink lips, Taehyung can’t help but look completely away, feeling the stinging in his eyes getting more intense. It gets even worse when Jungkook doesn’t say a word, only continues staring at Taehyung with that look on his face.

It’s just that, the green of the grass is so familiar, almost the exact same shade as the glass he remembers shattering around him. But he can’t, for the life of him remember the rest of what had happened.

“I’m sorry,” Taehyung mutters, voice coming out crackled and gruff. He rubs aggressively at his eyes to rid of the few tears that escape . “I just- I remember someone holding me really tight and I couldn’t- it was too tight and it hurt and I couldn’t- and there was glass, glass everywhere and I couldn’t-“

Taehyung tries to get his words out but it’s not very effective with the way tiny shards of memories keep flashing in his mind, just like the tiny shards of glass that had fallen all around him. It’s frustrating, that he can’t seem to form the full memories and for that Taehyung can’t help but cry. Even with Jungkook very obviously staring at him, Taehyung can’t stop his uneven breathing and the urge to sob out loud.

And linking back to his and Jimin’s habit, Taehyung only sobs harder when he feels a hand being placed at the nape of his neck. Jungkook’s shoulder is comfy, is what Taehyung realises, as his face is squashed right into it, a reassuring hand rubbing at his lower back. It’s an awkward hand, sure, with the way the handcuffs restrict too much movement, but it’s still reassuring. Grounding.

“Look,” Jungkook whispers, as Taehyung’s cries begin to quieten slightly, “maybe, going back to the club right now isn’t the best idea.” He speaks right against his ear and in another situation, Taehyung knows he would have shivered.

“No, I’m-“

“You’re not fine.” Jungkook sounds commanding now, like he’s not going to change his mind for anyone or anything. “We’re not going back to the club right now.”

Taehyung can’t help but accept Jungkook’s words because even if this is his problem and so his choice, it’s Jungkook’s car. And as far as Taehyung knows, they’ve pulled up near the main road, far from any buses or trains that he could take to the club. Oh yeah, and the handcuffs. They’re bound together with handcuffs so at the moment, Taehyung goes where Jungkook does.

Which is how Taehyung finds himself walking side by side with Jeon Jungkook through what looks to be frozen fields upon frozen fields. As they get further away from the roads, the grass gets even duller, turning from bottle green to frosty green, each blade coated with a thin layer of ice. Yet Taehyung can barely pay attention to the cold with all these thoughts still running through his head and it’s like no matter what he does, they just won’t go away, even if they’re more often than not, cut off right where Taehyung’s needs them to continue. Like, who was this person hurting him? Who was the person that helped him?

“Did you know,” Jungkook speaks, as they continue walking with soft crunch sounds beneath their feet, “that yesterday was the first day off, or I guess evening off, I got since the beginning of last year? It’s January and the last time I didn’t have to work was last February. And even then it was only because I was so sick, I couldn’t get out of bed.”

Taehyung knows Jungkook’s only doing this to try and get his mind off things. He appreciates it. “I mean, I do remember going out bar hopping that weekend and seeing a cute guy manning the bar instead of your sorry looking ass.”

Jungkook shoves Taehyung slightly, causing the handcuffs to jingle between them. “If I remember correctly, I’m the ‘hot piece of meat with the long hair’ and those were your words not mine.”

Taehyung groans. Does Jungkook really have to bring up their first meeting? “Wow, I really thought you were starting to be nice but I guess not.”

“You’re the one who’s not nice,” Jungkook retorts. “You’re actually an asshole.”

“And you’re not?” Taehyung asks, turning to pointedly look at Jungkook. Jungkook has a smug look on his face, one corner of his mouth quirked up and eyebrow raised cockily. “Why are you acting all sure?” Taehyung exclaims. “You’re the one who used your first words to call me a hobo.”

Taehyung had been in his heavy clubbing phase almost two years back when he had first met Jungkook. It was around the time of his artist’s block, having been struggling for weeks to create new art pieces for his upcoming private exhibition. His agent, Hoseok, had been bugging him for days, urging him to complete at least one more painting before the halfway there mark and obviously he had been doing it out of care and, well, his job, but Taehyung was getting stressed. Way too stressed for a self employed artist.

Here’s the thing. Hoseok had mentioned that Mrs Han Soojin - aka the country’s biggest art collector and critic - would be attending, meaning Taehyung had an extra thing to stress about.

So, Taehyung had taken to stress relieving, or in other words, going out to the club Yoongi worked at to drink lots and possibly find a hook up.

“Jiminie,” Yoongi whined into his phone, one sandal covered foot pressing into Taehyung’s chest to keep him on the sofa, “I need you to come and pick your slob of a best friend up. Like right now.”

“Hey! That’s not very nice, hyung!” Taehyung pointed out.

“Like right now, babe,” Yoongi repeated. “He’s drunk as fuck and I’m supposed to be training the newbie. I’ve got him locked here in the back room but he’s a whole mess and I can’t deal with him any longer.”

Taehyung heard Jimin’s voice, coming out squeaky, over the phone, and he had just been about to steal the phone off Yoongi to talk to his best friend-because oh, how much he’d missed Jimin’s cute little voice-when a stranger caught his eye. He’d come in through the door which had previously been shut, bringing with him the loud club music for a second before it was muffled again by the closed door.

“Hyung?” Taehyung slurred, to which Yoongi hummed, hanging up the call with a nod. “Who’s the hot piece of meat with the long hair?” Taehyung licked his lips, winking (though, being drunk, he had probably just blinked) at the guy. Taehyung was slightly disappointed at the way the guy only narrowed his eyes at him, key word being ‘slightly’ because even through his drunken haze, Taehyung took notice in the way the guy’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

“Yoongi-ssi, what are you doing with a hobo?” the guy asked, to which Yoongi had chuckled.

It broke Taehyung’s drunk heart a little bit but that sadness was soon gone and overcome with anger instead.

“What did you just say to me?” he bellowed, pushing up and off the sofa, tripping over his own feet on his way towards the guy.

Yoongi had come from right behind Taehyung, as he’d rushed forward to try and seize him. “Jungkook, you should probably move-“

“Jungkook?” Taehyung exclaimed, struggling out of Yoongi’s grip. “Is that his name? Listen here, Mr. Jungkook, I am not a hobo!” Taehyung’s words came out slurred but he paid no attention to that, as he poked his index finger harshly into Jungkook’s chest.

“Can you please get your finger off-“

“You! I will slay you!” Taehyung shouted, right in Jungkook’s face, causing him to take a step back. “I am no hobo! I am a mighty knight and I can slay you with my two bare hands. You look more like a hobo than me. I mean, why is your hair so long?”

“Look, I don’t know you. Get your hands off me.”

Taehyung hadn’t even realised that his one index finger had turned into both his whole palms and he’d been feeling up Jungkook’s chest, stroking down each peck firmly, all the while keeping himself steady. And when he did notice, he just carried on because damn were those some nice pecks.

“I will slay you, I say!” he’d said, ignoring Jungkook’s annoyed look. “I’ll slay you so hard that you’ll feel it even after you reinforce!”

“You mean reincarnate?”

If Taehyung thinks about it now, that had been embarrassing, getting the word wrong because he was too drunk to properly form sentences. But in the moment Taehyung doesn’t even think he flinched, just continued with his odd words and firm feel up of chest. Feeling Jungkook’s chest was calming him down though, considering how smooth and comforting it was with a steady heartbeat beneath.

“I will-“ he’d started suddenly feeling rather out of breath and... tired? “I said I’ll-“

“You’ll?”

Taehyung blinked up at Jungkook slowly, as his vision started to blur slightly. Why were there two Jungkooks? Two hot pieces of meat? The more the merrier. “I said- I said I’ll-“

“Look,” Jungkook starts but there’s an odd tinge in his voice as he looks completely away from Taehyung. Suspicious. “I only called you a hobo because you literally looked a mess. I mean, your shirt was ripped in so many different places, your hair was like a bird’s nest and one of your shoes were missing. What did you expect?”

Taehyung kisses his teeth, deciding there’s nothing more he can say to that. Because although he can’t remember how he looked, Jungkook’s probably right in saying he looked a mess. “What actually did happen next?” Taehyung asks instead.

Jungkook doesn’t miss a beat. “You fell right into my arms, fast asleep. Damn were you heavy as fuck.”

“I’m a full grown man, of course I’m heavy.” Taehyung’s about to leave it at that but he feels like it isn’t enough, like he’s just letting Jungkook have the win. So he says, “especially when your skinny ass tries to hold me up.”

Taehyung doesn’t see it but he feels the glare Jungkook directs his way, eyes burning into the side of his face. “Says the one who literally moaned at my muscles.”

Taehyung groans. “Seriously? How many times do you have to bring it up? At this point it sounds like you have more of a muscle kink than I do.”

“How does that even make sense when you’re the one who moaned?”

“Just shut up about that already.”

“I’ll never shut up about it and judging by the way you moaned, you’ll never shut up either.”

“Do you want to get me a ball gag then?”

Taehyung is slightly shocked when Jungkook laughs at his joke, never having expected to hear such a sound come from the man because of something he’s said. It’s a laugh that sounds way too boisterous and goofy for him and Taehyung feels odd tingles run down his spine as the sound floats into his ears, making him feel so light and worry-free, that he has to quite literally shove it away. Meaning he shoves Jungkook away from him. At least tries to.

By the looks of it, Jungkook is taken aback by the push he receives but even through this confusion he still manages to latch onto Taehyung, snaking an arm around his waist to stop the two of them from toppling over together, because surprise! They’ve still got handcuffs on.

“Now, that wasn’t very smart, was it?” Jungkook smirks, as Taehyung wills his heart to calm down after he’d almost just fallen and possibly cracked his head open. Jungkook’s still got his arm around him and as soon as Taehyung’s heartbeat slows down, it starts up all over again when he realises their position. Taehyung has his chest pressed up against Jungkook’s, faces so close (yet so far), and he only realises now that he’s clutching onto the side of Jungkook’s t-shirt, material bunched up in his fist. He hates this. So much. Because he doesn’t want to be all up in his enemy’s personal space. But why is it that, he can’t bring himself to pull away?

“Sorry I-“ No! Why is he apologising? “Can you let go of-“

“Are you feeling better?”

Taehyung doesn’t want to admit it, that yes, he’s feeling much better all thanks to Jungkook and his effortless way of keeping his mind away from everything. He doesn’t want to admit that Jungkook, out of all people, is here, making him feel calm even with all these things going on around him and inside his mind. He doesn’t want to admit that Jungkook’s loose arm around his waist is comforting and makes him want to lean into the touch even more. Doesn’t want to admit that he wants that arm to hold on tighter.

“Can you- aren’t you going to let go?” Taehyung stutters out embarrassingly, ignoring Jungkook’s genuinely worried question. It’s weird.

Much to Taehyung’s relief (read: disappointment) Jungkook’s arm loosens up completely, before falling back down to his sides, but there’s still a smirk plastered at his lips. “I can’t believe we’ve fucked yet you’re getting flustered by a tiny touch like that,” he sniggers, continuing forward in the grassy plains. Taehyung really wants to push him again but he’s learnt from his mistake.

“I am not getting flustered.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“That’s doesn’t mean I’m flustered.”

“Well, to me it-“

“Wait shh,” Taehyung interjects, suddenly having heard a sound in the distance.

“Why-“

“Do you hear that?”

Jungkook is quiet then, as he leans his head to one side in an attempt to get his ear out closer to the sounds. “Yeah,” he says nodding.

Taehyung tugs at Jungkook’s arm (definitely not letting his fingers linger at the veins on his bare skin), before hauling the both of them up the small grass hill they had been going up anyway. And as soon as his eyes land on the view, overlooking the hill, he can’t help the gasp he lets out.

It’s a river, with murky water splashing past in speeds that Taehyung has never witnessed in his life. It’s loud too, sounding almost like heavy rainfall during a storm, though a lot more calming.

“Shit,” he whispers, voice probably getting drowned out by the sound of the water.

But apparently Jungkook hears it with the way he agrees with a louder, “yeah, shit.” Taehyung doesn’t reply, only blinks on at the enthralling sight in front of him, completely speechless. Jungkook moves closer to him then, before speaking up again. “It’s beautiful.”

∞

To be fair, Jungkook had no idea that there’d be a beautiful river here, stretching on for miles and miles along the grassy plains and hills. All he had wanted was to bring Taehyung somewhere-preferably amongst some evergreen trees or frost covered flowers that have emerged from the ground and braved the icy winter conditions-but he had started to lose hope when they’d been walking along the same looking grass hills for nearly an hour. But it made him feel flushed at the thought that even through their slight bickering and repetitive views, Taehyung had calmed down quite a bit, even letting out a small giggle at the sight of a bird or frozen over pond here and there.

Now here they are, seated a few feet back from the bank of a fast flowing river, in grass that’s freezing Jungkook’s bum off. They’re side by side too (well obviously they are. Handcuffs, duh) in quiet, a stark difference to their usual atmosphere of bickering, mocking, whining, huffs and puffs- the list goes on.

Jungkook’s mind wanders to all the times he and Taehyung just couldn’t get along, while keeping his eyes trained on the muddy water, one time in particular becoming really prominent in his memories. It’s the first time he’d felt as jealous as the murky green-ish water in front of them, because of Taehyung.

Jungkook had been on his usual Friday night shift, just a mere few months back, taking advantage of his unlikely free time behind the bar as he watched the drunken bodies on the dance floor. He says unlikely because normally the bar is crowded with people waiting to get shit-faced, yet there he was, for once, using his free time to his advantage with Yoongi at his side.

“Hyung?” Jungkook asked leaning in closer to Yoongi, not really wanting to shout over the music. “Don’t you ever get jealous?” he questioned, cocking a head towards the silver haired man that danced around with his equally as silver haired, albeit taller, best friend. “Of Jimin hyung, I mean? Or worried that he’d- you know? Since he goes out clubbing so much.”

Yoongi moved his fond eyes away from Jimin and Taehyung, just to raise an amused eyebrow at Jungkook. “Why exactly would I be jealous or worried?”

“I don’t know,” he shrugged, “just that. You know? Your boyfriend goes to the club every weekend, surrounded by a bunch of drunken men. And Jimin hyung is good looking too, sure to get a few admirers here and there.”

“I don’t get what you’re hinting at here, Jungkookie,” Yoongi smirked and Jungkook just knew that it was lie, a way of trying to rile him up. Because Yoongi knew exactly what he meant.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about, hyung.” Jungkook decided to be more blunt then, when Yoongi’s expression remained calm. “Aren’t you worried that he’d cheat? Jealous that he dances around with all these people and that he could go off with any of them and not you.”

Yoongi smirked, seemingly unbothered. “I have nothing to be worried about,” he shrugged, pulling out his phone and opening up his messages. “ Babe, you look so hot tonight, ” Yoongi read out loud, rather ecstatically and that’s when Jungkook knew it was obviously from Jimin. “ Can’t wait to come over there during your break and get on my knees and suck-”

“Ew, hyung!” Jungkook groaned, shoving at the little man. “Okay! I get it, you two are too in love to cheat on each other. I don’t need to know anymore!”

Yoongi scoffed. “Anyway, I’m always at this club, literally every night. So why should I be worried about him being here to have some fun?”

“But you’re here for work. It’s different,” Jungkook hissed, voice coming out a bit too aggressive as his eyes zoned in on Taehyung pushing his back up against some guy. He had moved away from Jimin and was now swaying along to the music with the tall man gripping at his waist from behind, rubbing himself onto Taehyung way too eagerly for Jungkook’s liking. At that thought Jungkook had mentally slapped himself, before forcing his eyes away and back to Yoongi.

“Where’s this all coming from?” Yoongi asked, tracing his eyes over to where Jungkook’s had just been, before a knowing smile took place at his lips. Jungkook hated it. “Ah, I see.”

“Hyung. Don’t.”

“This is about Taehyung.”

“Hyung, please.”

“Jungkook, you do know-“

“I don’t want to know.”

“You do know,” Yoongi repeated, emphasising the words, “that in order for Tae to cheat on you, you have to be together in the first place? Right?”

Jungkook groaned. He had no right to be angry at Yoongi since he technically did place this all on himself. “No,” he tried, “why would I- this doesn’t- he’s just Taehyung, why would I-“

“Jeon, talking about me again?” came that voice, words so slurred that Jungkook didn’t even worry about anything since he knew Taehyung would forget most things by the next morning. “Missed me that much?”

“Yeah, whatever you say, Kim,” he said, getting up from his seat to prepare a glass for Taehyung’s soon to be asked for (lime slice-less) drink. It had become a routine for him and Yoongi, that if both of them were available, he’d always be the one to prepare Taehyung’s drink, something which was never said but Yoongi agreed to.

“I want a straight shot of vodka,” Taehyung had replied, seemingly forgetting about the fact that he’d just caught Jungkook talking about him. Jungkook found it quite odd that he’d ordered something so plain and boring when he normally went for the more expensive options, yet he still started wiping the glass with a cloth. “Besides, I need something real strong so I can forget your dusty ass face while I’m trying to get it on with that guy.”

Jungkook stopped what he was doing to glare at Taehyung, ignoring the way a group of people came over to the bar for a drink, preoccupying Yoongi. “You can get it on all you want but that guy will never pop a boner to your sad excuse of an ass.” It was a lie obviously, since Jungkook had looked at Taehyung’s leather covered ass-way more times than he’d care to admit that evening, eyes always lingering for longer than necessary.

Jungkook thought he’d done it, done enough to get (the sinful looking) Taehyung away from him but Taehyung had just laughed, right in his face. “He already did pop one, Jeon,” Taehyung smirked. “Just by dancing with me. Imagine what will happen when I take him to bed.” Jungkook remembers trying so hard to hide his glare as he zoned his eyes in on the man making his way towards them, the same tall, handsome man that Taehyung had just been dancing with. He swayed slightly with each step he took, drunken eyes focusing only on Taehyung’s back.

“What the fuck do you want from me, Kim?” Jungkook sneered, dragging his eyes back to Taehyung.

The silver haired man merely shrugged. “I just want my vodka shot.”

“Fuck you, you aren’t getting shit.” Jungkook had admittedly slammed the empty shot glass down too dramatically, but he was just trying to prove his point. But apparently that point was just not getting across with the way Taehyung seemed unaffected, smirk growing impossibly wider.

“Why, Jeon? Are we jealous?”

“Why the fuck would-“

“Hey, pretty,” came a new voice, “aren’t you coming back to dance?” The man’s voice was deep (but not as deep as Taehyung’s) with an obvious hint of lust in there.

“Yeah, just waiting for this bartender here, to give me my drink.”

Jungkook had absolutely hated the way the guy narrowed his eyes at Jungkook, sliding up beside Taehyung to wrap an arm around him. “Is he giving you trouble, pretty?” Jungkook scoffed. Did this guy even know Taehyung’s name?

Jungkook knew the conduct, knew that more often than not a customer would be aggressive towards him or his colleagues, and that they’d have to deal with it, not fight back. But Jungkook just couldn’t stop himself.

“What are you going to do about it?”

Jungkook had immediately regretted the words when he noticed Taehyung’s amused eyebrow raise, and to cover for himself he quickly poured Taehyung’s drink sliding it over the countertop. Everything just got even more annoying when the guy at Taehyung’s side smirked in victory, probably thinking he’d scared Jungkook so much that he just had to hand over the drink, when in reality Jungkook was just doing it because he was embarrassed to have let something like that out.

“Here,” the nameless guy scoffed, handing over a won note to presumably pay for Taehyung’s drink.

And even after everything, Jungkook couldn’t control himself. “It’s on me,” he replied with narrowed eyes.

And he hadn’t even regretted it as the guy’s face twisted into a look of angered surrender, taking his money back, giving Taehyung a quick, “meet you on the dance floor,” before stalking away.

And Jungkook had thought that he’d gotten away with it, considering how drunk Taehyung was, so he’d stayed still in his spot not even bothering to run away. But Taehyung had always been full of surprises.

Taehyung still looked amused but there was a spark of anger lighting up his eyes. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing, Jeon, but if you just messed up my hook up chance, this drink isn’t the only thing that you’ll be paying for.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be, babe,” he’d said, coming so close over the counter that Jungkook had held his breath. Fuck. “I know you’re jealous and you really wanna fuck me, right?” Jungkook felt his heart (and dick) twitch. “But that’s never going to happen, Jeon.” And he’d flicked Jungkook’s chin with his long index finger before downing his shot like a pro and walking away, swaying dangerously.

Yet here they are together, seemingly having done just that.

It’s not something Jungkook would have ever imagined happening, sitting comfortably with Kim Taehyung that is. And it’s during this, as the memories of the first time he’d noticed he had ‘Taehyung Feelings’ flitter into his mind, that he doesn’t hate sitting here with the guy, in front of a river. Doesn’t hate it at all. This is bad.

Taehyung does things - that Jungkook is too hyper aware of - every so often, that he can’t help but add to his ‘Taehyung Feelings’ list. Like the way he keeps fluffing up the front his hair with his fingers, making his fringe apear more messy than it actually is. The way he keeps forgetting about the cuffs and accidentally raises his handcuff bound hand to fiddle with the fingers on his other hand, immediately apologising straight after for interrupting Jungkook’s peace. The way he clears his throat every so often, as if he wants to start talking, though nothing ever seems to come out. So Jungkook speaks first.

“Don’t you ever feel like becoming a piece of driftwood and floating away?” he asks, pointing at a stray piece of dark wood that flows along quickly with the current.

Taehyung scoffs and suddenly Jungkook feels stupid. “So you’re a poet now?”

“I was just trying to help.” When Jungkook feels Taehyung’s eyes on the side of his face, he really hopes that he doesn’t notice the definite patch of pink at his cheeks, or at least takes it as a cause of the cold winter weather. As much as he wills the blush away, he keeps the frown at his lips, doesn’t even try to get rid of it.

“I mean, sometimes? I guess.” Jungkook snaps his head to face Taehyung, only to find he’s turned away to focus back on the river. “I get what you mean, about wanting to float away, but if you think about it properly, that piece of wood is still pretty constricted.” Jungkook can’t take his eyes off of Taehyung. “It only goes where the water takes it. It can’t choose where to go. It has to stay right there, surrounded by all this water that’s forcing it into places it probably doesn’t want to go and it stays like that until it reaches the sea, until it’s finally free.” From where Jungkook is, Taehyung seems so be glowing, eyes shining, even in the dullness of the darkening sky. He’s so focused on both the river and his own words that he (fortunately, otherwise Jungkook wouldn’t hear the end of it) doesn’t even notice Jungkook’s staring.

Jungkook’s staring.

Jungkook is staring because Taehyung looks so passionate. So beautiful. “But even then, it could be broken into pieces along the way, you know?” Taehyung continues. “Say it met with a waterfall, where it was pushed into the unknown, only to fall and crack against the rocks. Say it met a sharp turn where the only way it could slow down was by crashing into the sides, again, being forced against the walls of the river, falling apart. That’s why, rather than the driftwood, I’d be the water. I’d be the water, pushing around the pieces I carry because only then could I be safe.”

Jungkook can’t even blink because he knows he’d miss Taehyung. So he just continues staring at him. At his ear, his jaw, his cheek, the tall bridge of his nose, his pouted out lips, his long wispy lashes, his deep, ocean eyes. His eyes? Jungkook finally blinks himself out of it as Taehyung’s face turns towards him, mouth twitching into a small, embarrassed smile. Jungkook wants to say it’s okay, wants to say that he doesn’t need to be embarrassed, wants to scream out loud that he loved it. That he loves-

“Oh, I’m- shit,” Taehyung stutters, “I’m sorry, I-“

“I’ll get you water as a birthday gift.”

Jungkook doesn’t know why he says it, he’s never gotten Taehyung a present before since they’ve never really been on good terms, but he says it anyway. Then there’s silence because Jungkook is so shocked by Taehyung’s words and his own words, that the sound of the river is completely drowned out. Fuck it, Jungkook is the one that’s drowning. Drowning in Taehyung.

“What?”

“Since you love water so much, I’ll get you a bottle of it.” Then an idea comes into Jungkook’s head, despite the tension, and he can’t help but smirk. “Or maybe I should get you that ball gag you were asking for.”

Come to think of it, he should have seen this coming, should have thought about it better before having let the words escape his mouth, especially since he’s noticed Taehyung’s tendency to nudge or shove at him. He knows Taehyung keeps forgetting about the handcuffs, yet he still said it, so he shouldn’t be surprised when Taehyung laughs sarcastically before shoving him hard, subsequently landing them straight in quite the compromising position. In other words, Jungkook falls onto his back, and Taehyung lands straight on top, only just barely bracing his fall by pressing his face into Jungkook’s chest. Really? Bracing his fall? Jungkook’s just landed in freezing grass, the back of his head taking most of the impact, while Taehyung’s landed on the cushion that is Jungkook’s body.

(He loves that he’s just protected Taehyung.)

“Fuck!” Jungkook shouts, raising is free hand up to clutch at the back of his head. “Ow!”

Taehyung stays in his spot for a few more seconds, before lifting his head up to smile coyly at Jungkook. “Mother trucker dude-“

“Don’t.”

“Did that hurt like a-“

“Stop.”

“That hurt like a butt cheek on a stick.”

And there Taehyung goes with the vine again. Jungkook wants to laugh, because he’ll admit that in this situation, totally different to their little talk about his peach-ass tattoo, it’s really funny, but he can’t. Not when Taehyung suddenly starts laughing loudly from above him, eyes crinkled shut, mouth the shape of a box and hands aggressively patting at Jungkook’s chest from how hilarious he finds it. It’s breathtaking. Even when there’s barely a ray of sunlight in sight, especially with the way the short winter day is quickly turning into night again, Taehyung radiates light. Glows. Shines bright just like the sun would, yet Jungkook still can’t find it in himself to blink. Taehyung is breathtaking.

To make matters even worse (or better), Taehyung is still horizontally perched on top of him, their bodies fitting together better than a glove and a hand, better than cardboard puzzle pieces. They fit perfectly. So perfectly, that Jungkook is scared that they’ve been fated to fit together. Because they fit so perfectly, that it can’t have been a coincidence.

Taehyung’s still giggling slightly, creating a beautiful symphony for Jungkook’s ears, and it’s then that he takes the moment to think about this. This little problem of his. He may not be good at mental maths, or doing his laundry on time, or even communicating his feelings to others. But he sure as hell knows those feelings. He’s good at feelings. So he thinks about it. Really thinks about it. And it’s only then, at nearing five pm on a icy Saturday, that he realises. Admits to himself.

Jeon Jungkook is in love with Kim Taehyung.

Deeply in love. Deeper than the water flowing through the very river that carries his secrets with it.

And it’s then that he realises. Admits to himself. That the only reason he’s been putting up a ‘Taehyung Feelings’ front, is quite the childish reason. Reminds him of the times his primary school teachers would joke around with him and his fellow six year old peers, saying that kids only annoyed other kids that they had a crush on. And obviously, it’s not the smartest explanation, probably only a way to get the sticky handed, messy haired boys to stop pushing around the equally as sticky handed, silky haired girls, yet Jungkook still agrees with it.

Jungkook is in love with Taehyung and up until now he’s been putting up a front to gain his attention. To gain every ounce of attention he has to offer because no matter how homeless Taehyung had looked, how aggressive he was, how weird he acted, Jungkook had become infatuated. And that dangerous infatuation had very quickly turned into something even more dangerous.

“Look who’s getting flustered now.”

Jungkook finally blinks. “What?”

“I’m literally only on top of you and you’re acting like a blushing virgin.” Jungkook stares at him for a bit longer, then looks away, deciding not to mention Taehyung’s very obvious (ironic) blush.

“I’m not flustered,” he mumbles, “was just thinking.”

Jungkook stops Taehyung from saying whatever he was going to say next, pushing up from his place on the floor and shifting to get Taehyung off. This is all too much.

And then they’re right back to square one, sitting side by side, looking in on the river. The only difference that Jungkook notices is that they’re sitting closer now, Taehyung’s clothed arm pushing right up against Jungkook’s bare one. Jungkook shivers, and spoiler alert, it’s not because he’s freezing.

“Shit, are you cold?” Taehyung asks, words doing nothing to cut the tension surrounding them. “I completely forgot you’re wearing some thin ass t-shirt. Are you seriously stupid enough to wear short sleeves in winter?”

Jungkook is reluctant to speak. “It’s not even my fault. That dickhead Sungmin-“

“Wait, you know him?”

“Of course I do. He works at the bar with us.”

“It’s just that,” Taehyung says, voice getting suspiciously shaky and shoulders tensing up, “I’ve never seen you two talk.”

“I mean, I don’t really talk to people I don’t like.”

Jungkook watches and feels the way Taehyung relaxes again. “You talk to me though.”

There it is. Jungkook is now caught in a bit of a pickle and he has no idea how he’s supposed to reply to that. He can’t necessarily say things like talking with you is entertaining  or I like you  or I lov-

“He’s a dick.” Jungkook interrupts his own train of thought. “Purposely spilt a drink on my shirt that I specifically picked out for hyung’s birthday. This short sleeve was the only thing I had in the back.”

“Yeah, he is a dick,” Taehyung nods. Jungkook takes notice in the way Taehyung furrows his sharp brows as he keeps his sight forward, eyes jolting around to follow the water.

“Wait, how do you know him?” Jungkook doesn’t mean to make his voice sound accusatory, but it does. He just really hopes this isn’t going where he thinks it’s going. Really hopes that Taehyung’s never been a victim of that dickhead.

“Oh, you know,” Taehyung says, so quietly that Jungkook almost doesn’t hear, “just seen him around.”

Jungkook has always kept things profesional at work, anything from being flirted with by a customer and never getting affected by it, to holding his clenched fists back from colliding with Sungmin’s jaw.

“Good, you shouldn’t get to know him. He’s more than just a dick.” Jungkook wants to stop there but Taehyung’s sudden attention on him has him opening his mouth again to speak. Anything to continue having Taehyung’s attention on him. “A few months ago, when he’d first started working at the bar, one of my close friends, Jooheon, complained about sexual assault. Complained about Sungmin. And I believed him straight away because the first day he’d started, the fucker even tried to get it on with me.” Taehyung is stoic, face completely unreadable. Jungkook continues. “I believed him, Yoongi hyung believed him and a few others did too. The only ones who didn’t believe it were the boss and Sungmin himself.”

“The fuck?” Taehyung finally speaks.

“It gets worse. Because after Jooheon complained, a few other of my colleagues, both guys and girls, started complaining too. Anything from slapping the guys’ butts to groping the girls’ breasts. And it got so bad that at this point we all wanted the fucker gone.”

“But surely,” Taehyung speaks, voice oddly crackly, “surely if that many people complained, he should have been gone?”

Jungkook glances at the river to see that it’s still moving, which means time is still moving. It means his time left with Taehyung is starting to get shorter and shorter, yet here he is, distracting him from doing what they set out to do. The sky is darkening too, since the winter urges the days to go by quicker. Jungkook is wasting Taehyung’s time and daylight.

“Shit, I’m so sorry,” Jungkook worries, hurriedly pulling the both of them up from the floor. “We’ve been here for ages when we were supposed to get to the club. Shit, this is my fault, I’m sor-“

“Wait, Jungkook, slow down,” Taehyung breathes out from behind him as he leads them back over the hill. But he doesn’t stop. “I think you’ve forgotten about my bruised wrist.” Jungkook doesn’t think twice and comes to an abrupt stop. Taehyung smirks and Jungkook immediately regrets stopping because he realises just how scheming Taehyung can be. “Finish with what you were saying about Sungmin.”

Jungkook sighs, scuffing the heel of his trainers around in the grass. He opens his mouth, yet again, ready to do everything Taehyung asks of him. I mean, what harm could it do?

∞

“This isn’t really for me to be saying, but it links to the story,” Jungkook starts, as Taehyung nudges him so they can continue walking to the car, side by side. “While all the complaining was happening, Jooheon came to me one evening, luckily an evening where Sungmin wasn’t working. He was in tears, literally could barely breathe.”

Taehyung nods, to show that he’s paying attention. Very intently at that. Since the words ‘sexual assault’ had came out of Jungkook’s mouth, he has been all ears.

“He said it’d happened again, that Sungmin had gone even further this time, by pushing him up against the wall in the break room and touching him where he didn’t want to be touched, even after he kept saying no.” Taehyung keeps his mouth shut and lets Jungkook continue, all while the beating of his heart gets quicker and quicker. “I told him that we should go straight to the boss and that we could get evidence from the security cameras. But it was that same day that we found out that the dickhead’s hella rich.”

Jungkook pauses as they come to a stand still beside the car, as he pulls out the car keys and ushers Taehyung in. Taehyung wants nothing more than for Jungkook to continue, but he thinks he should stop being selfish, Jungkook is probably freezing. But then again he’s being selfish regardless, considering he’s listening to Jungkook tell this story after he’d lied about having ‘just seen’ Sungmin around, when it’s more than that. A lot more than that.

Taehyung stretches his arm out across the console of Jungkook’s car, as the latter hops in, technique coming to him like riding a bike even though they’ve only had to experience this long process a few times today. Once he’s in, he immediately switches the car on, using the circular button and turns the dial for the heating. Taehyung eyes the way the windscreen has gotten frosted over again; just how long have they spent here and how has he managed to lose track of time with Jeon Jungkook?

“Turns out, Sungmin only works at the bar because it’s his newest form of fun, a way to get rid of his boredom. And his rich father was the one who got him the job in the first place. So it wasn’t the fact that no evidence was there for all the complaints, but the fact that he’s rich as fuck and our boss is just thirsty for money and connections. Jooheon and a few other friends were forced to leave the bar just because of this dick, because they just couldn’t take his shit anymore.” Taehyung feels the frown forming at his own mouth. “And through it all, he stayed cocky and fucking annoying. Just made things worse that he was working yesterday, the one day I decide to have a day off.”

Taehyung feels Jungkook’s eyes on him then and refuses to look back at him, keeping his own eyes trained solely on the digital numbers displaying the time. 6:18 it says and Taehyung reads it over and over again, so many times, that he starts to feel as though he’s being hypnotised by the eight. He’s so focused that he couldn’t have missed the minute change from eighteen to nineteen, even if he tried.

1:19

It’s the time that Taehyung had read from the screen of his phone, vision slightly blurry from all the drinks he’d had so far. He hadn’t told anyone he’d be coming to the club, even went as far as picking the night he knew Yoongi wouldn’t be working, in order to attend the engagement party that Jimin’s family was holding. Taehyung would have loved to have gone too but it was strictly for family and the soon to be weds (i.e Jimin and Yoongi) only, and as much as Mrs Park emphasised that she saw Taehyung as family, he didn’t want to go against her rule. He knew, first hand, that Jimin’s mother could be a scary woman. But that’s a story for another day.

So there he was, wallowing in his own self pity because not only was he not allowed to go to Jimin and Yoongi’s engagement party, he had an important art showcase coming up and he hadn’t even finished half of his oil painting.

“Looking like you’re going to start crying any second now, Kim.” And then there was that.

Taehyung will admit, Jungkook hadn’t bothered him as much that night, mostly keeping away and sometimes coming to stand in front of him, apparently waiting for another customer. But Jungkook wouldn’t be Jungkook if he didn’t bother Taehyung at least a little bit.

“Shut up, Jeon,” Taehyung replied weakly, thumb grazing the lip of his shot glass, before downing the whole thing in one go. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was something else but Taehyung had felt a weird tickling inside his stomach as Jungkook wordlessly pushed forward another shot. “Thanks,” he muttered before downing that one too.

“Shit, maybe that should be your last one for tonight,” Jungkook said, voice raised over the music, as he took back the glasses from in front of Taehyung. Come to think of it, the music was extra loud that night, making his ears ring.

Taehyung nodded at Jungkook’s suggestion because as much as he hated to admit it, he was right. His stomach was beginning to burn with the warning of a certain hangover the next morning.

“I need to piss.”

“What should I do about it?” Jungkook was nonchalant, wiping up a glass.

“I need to piss and the public toilets in this club are fucking disgusting.”

Taehyung saw the reluctancy on Jungkook’s face, the way he looked away from Taehyung for a second, before rolling his eyes. “Here,” he said, thrusting over a small set of keys that he’d retrieved from the front pocket of his apron, “go use the staff ones in the back.”

Taehyung had half the mind to wink at Jungkook, trying to seem as grateful as he and Jungkook could get, as he wobbled up from his seat and headed to the back, vision becoming awfully blurry. He had such a strange feeling in his chest that he almost turned back the way he came to tell Jungkook he’d hold it in, use the bathroom at home. But his bladder was too stubborn.

Everything was fine. He emptied said bladder, had the decency to wash his hands, then locked the bathroom door behind him, dreading the walk back down the white lit corridor, to the main part of the club.

“I’ve never seen you around here,” came a voice. It had come out of nowhere, so suddenly that Taehyung actually flinched. “I’m Sungmin and I’m guessing your name is Pretty?”

It had happened so quick. One second Taehyung had blinked and the next, he was being pushed up against the wall so hard, that he almost couldn’t breathe. In front of him was a tall, ashy blond man, with a smirk plastered at his lips. He had an apron on too, indicating that he worked at the bar alongside Jungkook and Yoongi, though Taehyung had never seen him before.

The way Sungmin was pushing up against him and littering his neck with kisses had him feeling straight up hatred for the guy he had never met. It had him feeling worthless. Powerless.

“Get off me, right now,” he demanded, feeling as Sungmin gripped at his hips tighter, kisses becoming harsher and wetter. “Fuck you,” he added, trying his best to push the man off of him. But the fact that he had alcohol swimming in his veins, made his attempts useless, pushes barely causing Sungmin to budge.

“No thank you, but should I fuck you, Pretty?” Sungmin mumbled into the side of Taehyung’s neck. Taehyung was suddenly left both motionless and speechless as the hands moved from his hips to his behind, unknown palms coming to grope at his ass. “Sounds good to me.” The words came with a subtle squeeze that had Taehyung wincing. “I saw the way you danced on the dance floor, wanna show me your moves?”

“Get. The fuck. Off me.”

The kissing started to get more aggressive with every word that left Taehyung’s mouth, more forceful, more needy. Not to mention the hands that were still gripping his butt. Taehyung tried everything to get the man off of him but to no avail as he only held on tighter.

“You smell so nice. So good for me, Pretty.”

Taehyung just about willed a sob away as he felt a nip at the side of his neck, and used his last bit of fury to shove Sungmin away. He watched as the man was taken by surprise by the sudden force, back landing flat against the opposite wall with a small whimper of pain.

Then he practically ran on his wobbly legs, all the way down the corridor, sighing in relief as the club music became louder and louder. He wanted nothing more than to go home and forget any of it had ever happened but he had a feeling this was something he would never ever forget. And he hated that it meant Sungmin had won this little game of his.

“Um,” Taehyung started, eyes flittering around for a head of ashy blond hair, before landing on Jungkook. “Thanks,” he said, handing the keys back. He was making to leave, barely catching the furrow of Jungkook’s brows.

He didn’t even get to finish hearing Jungkook’s whole sentence before he was sprinting out of the club. “Hey, are you-“

“Hey, are you okay?”

6 :20

And Taehyung is snapped right back to reality.

“Hey,” Jungkook repeats, this time with a tentative hand being placed on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Taehyung blinks then shakes the hair out of his eyes, turning to face Jungkook again. “Yeah, it’s just- it’s just that-“

Taehyung suddenly feels under too much pressure, wants this to be over and done with. It only makes things worse when Jungkook stares at him expectantly, with eyes wide. “What is it? What’s bothering you, Taehyung?” He looks genuinely worried and that just confuses Taehyung, because why would Jeon Jungkook be worried for him?

In the end he decides it’s probably best to let it all out, especially when he remembers the way the hand from last night had gripped at his wrist, with exactly the same amount of force as Sungmin that one time outside the staff bathroom.

“It’s happened to me.” Jungkook’s eyes get impossibly bigger. “It’s happened to me just the same as Jooheon.”

“Taehyung, I’m so s-“

“No. You shouldn’t be sorry. Sungmin should be.”

“Shit, it was that day last month, wasn’t it?” Jungkook asks, as he turns to face the front, hand moving from Taehyung’s shoulder to grip so tightly onto the steering wheel that his knuckles turn white. “When I let you use the staff toilets. Fuck, I knew something was wrong! I fucking-“

“No, stop Jungkook. Don’t get so caught up in this. It’s my problem, not yours.” Taehyung knows it’s harsh, but he’s getting a weird fluttering feeling in his stomach and he needs to will that away.

“But-“

“The only reason I said it, is because I think he has something to do with this. Something to do with why we can’t remember shit. Why I have a bruise on my wrist.”

With those words, Taehyung is shocked to see Jungkook’s eyes becoming darker, brows furrowing in anger, as he pulls out onto the road. He doesn’t even warn Taehyung that he’s going to start driving, doesn’t even tell him to put his seatbelt on. He just drives. Drives so fast that Taehyung is getting sort of worried about laws.

“What are you-”

“We’re going to the club,” Jungkook interrupts, before even hearing Taehyung’s question. His voice is hard, determined. “That fucking dickhead-”

“Slow down,” Taehyung says, watching as Jungkook swerves into the fast lane. “I said, slow down.” When Jungkook doesn’t listen, narrowed eyes set solely on the road and the cars around them, Taehyung decides to take matters into his own hands. Literally.

Taehyung shifts his right hand slightly, causing the handcuffs to rattle, before clasping it around Jungkook’s. His hand is warm (definitely not what Taehyung would have expected after being out in the cold for so long) and has a roughness to it, probably from all the glasses he has to wash on a daily. Taehyung’s only doing this to calm Jungkook down, at least that’s what he tells himself as he wills away the comfort he gets from holding Jungkook’s hand. “Jungkook, slow down.” To emphasise his demand, not for any other reason obviously, Taehyung intertwines their fingers the best he can with handcuffs between them.

Jungkook flinches slightly, hands tightening on the steering wheel, and that’s when Taehyung fully realises what he’s just done. “Sorry,” he says, moving to slip his hand away but is left completely still as a calloused hand squeezes his own hand, fingers fully entwining. Jungkook’s eyes are still on the road, their car having significantly slowed down, and there’s a light tinge of pink at the tip of his ear.

It’s odd and Taehyung can’t tell if he likes it or not. Sure, Jungkook’s hand is rough, contrasting with his own soft palms, just the way he likes his ‘hand holders’ to be, and Jungkook’s hand is such a beautiful milky colour, knuckles more pinky toned, again contrasting with Taehyung’s caramel toned skin, just the way he likes his ‘hand holders’ to be, and Jungkook’s hand fits into his so perfectly that they may as well be two puzzle pieces, just the way he likes his ‘hand holders’ to be. Still, Taehyung can’t decide whether he likes it or not. Because this is Jeon Jungkook.

“ Hello? ” Taehyung is jolted out of his thoughts as the sound of a voice fills the car, getting a quick glance from Jungkook. He had been so caught up in his own mind, he hadn’t noticed that Jungkook had used the buttons on his steering wheel and called somebody, which explains why Yoongi’s groggy voice is suddenly all up in his ears.

“Hello, hyung?” Jungkook replies, moving his eyes back to the road. “You awake?”

“ Well, I am now. ” Taehyung laughs quietly, despite their problem, at the way Yoongi’s voice is coming out crackled, meaning he’d been woken up. “ This better be important because I wasn’t supposed to wake up til an hour later for work. ”

“Yeah this is-“

“ Plus I’m pretty hungover from hyung’s party yesterday. ”

“Yeah, but this is-“

“ Also Jimin and I went a bit hard yest-”

“Ew stop!” Taehyung suddenly interjects, deciding he doesn’t want to hear anymore. Especially not when it’s about his best friends’ sex lives.

“I agree,” Jungkook nods, “stop.”

“ Wait, Tae? ” Yoongi asks and Taehyung actually scoffs as he suddenly sounds more alert. “ Oh yeah, Tae. It’s weird to hear you two agreeing with each other for once let alone hear you together. ”

“Well we’re together and I need your help,” Jungkook speaks, voice low. “Is Sungmin working tonight?”

Just like Yoongi, Taehyung becomes very alert. “What the fuck, Jungkook? That’s not why we’re-”

“Hyung, I need to know now.” Jungkook’s very obviously ignoring him.

“Jeon, you better-”

“ What does Sungmin have to do with this? I thought you guys were calling because you finally figured out-”

“I’m driving this car, it isn’t up to you. We’re going to see if we can find that dickh-”

“Yeah but it isn’t fucking up to you! This is my problem.”

“You’re fucking handcuffed to me, Kim! Of course this is my problem.”

Taehyung can’t believe this, tries to disbelievingly throw his hands up in the air and everything, forgetting about the handcuffs in the heat of the moment despite them being mentioned by his temporary other half. Other half? No. That’s a bit of a stretch.

“You sound like an idiot right now, Jungkook. Just because we’re handcuffed-”

“It means it is now my problem too.”

“That makes no fucking sense!”

“ Sungmin should be working tonight but you don’t need to go and see him because-”

“Thanks hyung,” Taehyung mutters.

“Wait, don’t you two need-”  Taehyung cuts Yoongi off by tapping the end call button on the screen.

“We’re not going there to confront him,” he says, turning to face Jungkook once again, only to find the other completely stoic, like he’s not even taking in what Taehyung is telling him. “You are not going there to confront him. This is my-”

“Your problem. Yeah, I get it but it’s equally as much as my problem as it is yours.” Jungkook is really getting on Taehyung’s nerves now. It’s like he completely forgets about all the time they had just spent together, sitting in each other’s company, and it just feels odd now. Odd to think that they’d spent so long together in the first place and odd to think that Jungkook is actually doing this because he seemingly cares. No, that’s stupid of Taehyung to be thinking. Jungkook doesn’t care. Nor should he.

“This has nothing to do with you, Jungkook.”

“This has everything to do with me!” Taehyung promptly shuts his mouth at Jungkook’s outburst, at the way he takes his eyes off of the road for a split second to look him dead in the eye. “This has everything to do with me,” Jungkook repeats, this time voice coming out quiet. “That night I knew he was in the back, getting ready for his shift, I knew he was there, I knew everything he’d done to Jooheon, to Sana, to Shownu, to practically all of my coworkers. And still, I was so fucking stupid because I let you go to the back, drunk and vulnerable, all by yourself. I let you go and use that damn toilet all by yourself. So yeah, this has everything to do with me. And I want to help. You have to let me help.”

Maybe it’s the slight tremble of Jungkook’s voice, showcasing the genuine guilt he feels, or maybe it’s the way his fingers tighten between Taehyung’s own, that urges him to say no more. To keep his lips sealed for the rest of drive. And for the rest of the drive, he does just that.

They’re at the club in no time, an awkward silence settled in around them, and they take their time getting out of the car. Taehyung knows it’s him that’s slowing the process down, with the way Jungkook tugs softly at his hand (still entwined) over the console, only to have Taehyung lean down to ‘check’ his shoelaces. He wants to go to the club to try and remember what happened-because context dependent memory and all-but he’s also scared to go to the club, fears that he’ll remember more than he wants to.

When they’re finally out of the car, Taehyung comes to yet another halt, this time to pull out Jungkook’s bomber jacket from the crook of his elbow, tugging the younger back to wrap the both of them up.

“Seriously?” Jungkook asks, the first word spoken between the two of them after quite some time. “We’re literally just about to go inside.” And it’s true, because Jungkook has parked a mere few steps away from the entrance.

“It’s evening now,” Taehyung points out, “and so it’s colder.”

Taehyung sees the way Jungkook’s narrowed eyes soften completely and he hates it. Hates the look of pity directed at him because he doesn’t need pity. None of it. “Taehyung. If you-”

“No, we’re going in now. We’re going in.”

He knows it’s a bad habit of his, interrupting that is, but he can’t help it. Not when Jungkook is pitying him. He doesn’t need pity. Doesn’t want it.

“Taehyung, just-”

But Taehyung pulls him forward, striding ahead with his head held high. He’s not scared anymore. No, he can’t be scared. Wasn’t even scared in the first place.

(There it is, another habit of his. Lying to himself.)

To Taehyung’s relief, Jungkook follows along but there’s a slight change in his gait. He walks with his back so straight that his tattoos are peeking out from beneath the neckline of his t-shirt, tips of black patterns coming into view even in the dim light of the darkening sky. Taehyung looks away.

There’s barely any one at the club at this time, considering it’s not even eight pm yet, but there are a few solo drinkers seated at the bar on the other end of the room. Taehyung doesn’t see him straight away, but when his eyes do land on Sungmin and his busy hands wiping up a large pint glass, it’s like he’s bought into a brand new mind. It all comes back to him in a flash.

Taehyung blinked his blurry vision away from Jungkook who was, weirdly, right beside him. There was a large pint glass sat between the two of them on the counter, looking to be half empty. So he and Jungkook were together last night?

Birthday boy, Seokjin was somewhere in the crowd, dancing with his new boyfriend-Namjoon - as promised and Taehyung had to admit, he was proud of his friend. Seokjin’s a very powerful man, from a rich background too, and the fact that he was dating Kim Namjoon, one of the most known, young CEOs in South Korea, just made them the power couple of the century. Taehyung smiled to himself before his eyes landed on two other people in the crowd, snapping his eyes away almost as quickly as his eyes got to Jimin and Yoongi grinding together, a quick “yuck” escaping his lips. Seokjin had also been nice enough to invite Taehyung’s agent, Hoseok, considering he had been at Taehyung’s house when he had initially asked people to attend; something about ‘the more, the merrier’. Yet there Taehyung was, sitting at the bar, with no clue of the whereabouts of his agent and friend.

Taehyung laughed to himself because through his very much drunken haze everything seemed funny. Everything from the way a stranger was throwing up into an expensive looking plant pot near the bathroom doors to the way Jeon Jungkook had his narrowed eyes directed his way.

“Stop making that face,” Taehyung had slurred, “you look ugly as fuck.”

Jungkook sounded equally as drunk. “At least I only look ugly when I make that face,” he hiccuped, “you look ugly all the damn time.”

Being drunk had obviously bought about a weird bit of confidence to Taehyung as he spoke the words he swore to never speak. “You’re lying, Jeon. I see the way you stare at me dancing.” Jungkook’s eyes got impossibly more narrowed. “And you’re always busy behind the bar so you can do nothing but watch. How does that make you feel, Jeon? To watch and not touch.”

The only sounds surrounding them then, were the music blasting through the speakers and laughing people as not one of them said a word. They just stared, Jungkook’s eyes wide and Taehyung trying his best to look cocky. They stared and stared for who knows how long, each second becoming less and less awkward. Taehyung would never admit it aloud, but he kind of loved the way Jungkook’s eyes told him everything. He’d never noticed it before but looking, really looking, allowed him to see that Jungkook’s eyes displayed all the emotions he was feeling while his face never showed a thing. Jungkook’s eyes changed far too quickly from shocked to daring.

Taehyung continued looking into those dark, dark eyes, even when he felt a hand slide onto his thigh. No matter how much he claimed he hated Jungkook, he loved his touch, it was just what he needed, left bouts of tingling in its wake, made him feel more intoxicated than the alcohol did. The look in Jungkook’s eyes didn’t even waver as he finally spoke, voice low. “I can touch you now, can’t I?”

Taehyung didn’t miss a beat. “You can.”

The hand was rising up slowly now, Jungkook’s nails lightly scuffing over the denim of his jeans and Taehyung loved it. Loved it so much he instinctively reached out his own hand to place on top of Jungkook’s tattooed one, following it, guiding it all the way up. He even let his eyes slide shut, head rolling back as the hand wandered up his clothed chest, getting dangerously close to his neck, his face, his-

“Two shots of vodka,” came a voice and Taehyung remembers being startled out of his trance at the sound of glass being smashed down in front of them. Sungmin had been there, lips pursed and nostrils flared out. “Either have the alcohol like you’re supposed to do at bars or get a fucking room.” His voice sounded growly, even over the deafening music.

“Oh please,” Jungkook was saying, the distraction allowing Taehyung to down his shot, “an asshole like you must be loving the show.”

Taehyung couldn’t take it anymore, not with the way he could feel Sungmin’s angered eyes directed at him, drilling holes into the side of his head. He watched Jungkook as he too downed his shot before placing his hand at his exposed forearm. Come to think of it, he’d been wearing that short sleeved top for the whole evening.

“I need the bathroom,” he spoke, trying to not let his voice waver. “Be right back.”

Taehyung didn’t even listen for Jungkook’s reply as he all but sprinted to the dingy bathrooms, passing the oddly placed sofas that were right outside the doors. He thought he’d made it, thought he’d escaped the trapped feeling of being watched by unwanted eyes, but before he could even step through the threshold for the bathroom, he’d felt the hairs at his nape rise. Goosebumps prickle up all over his body. Because there was cold air being breathed right at his ear, a hand gripping his wrist. Taehyung started to feel awfully dizzy but payed it not much attention as he tried to rip the hand off of him.

“Hated seeing that, Pretty.” It was Sungmin; Taehyung would never forget the way his poison dripping voice wrapped around the nickname. “Thought you hated that dude. Hated seeing you get all cosy with him when you’re supposed to be mine.”

“Get-“ Taehyung started but cut himself off when an out of place shiver racked through his body. “Get off of me. Get off.” His legs started to become wobbly then. “Get. Please, get-“ Taehyung tried with all his might to twist his wrist out of Sungmin’s hold, and normally he would have been able to, but he was for some reason feeling weak, his limbs shaking out of their own accord. Sungmin’s other hand began to wander all over his body now, from his waist to his belly all the way up to his neck, his throat. “Stop. Pease.”

Everything started to become unbearable, the way the hand roamed all over him, taking him as some object. The hand on his wrist became tighter too, to the point where it hurt. The mouth sucking and biting at his neck hurt too. Hurt so bad.

“Please,” Taehyung tried but his voice only came out as a whisper, as he became weaker and weaker. This was odd. Why was he feeling dizzy? “Please, you’re hurting me. Please let go.”

“Don’t worry, Pretty. I’ll make you feel good, so good that you-”

There was a shout then and Taehyung could recognise that voice anywhere. The sound of glass smashing made him wince and the sight of beer bottle green made him want to throw up. But then Taehyung couldn’t hold himself up anymore, especially not when he was being pushed backwards, through the shattered glass and all. He felt himself fall, back being pressed into the rough cushions of that oddly placed sofa then-

Then everything went black.

Taehyung shakes his head and snaps his eyes away from Sungmin, who is still wiping up the pint glass, having yet to have seen them. Jungkook is already looking back at him, eyes wide.

“I remembered, Jungkook.”

“Me too.”

∞

Jungkook suddenly feels enlightened, like the lightbulb’s finally turned on in his head. He doesn’t even hesitate to fill Taehyung in on everything, not after he hears the tremble in Taehyung’s voice as he relays his own memory.

“As soon as you left for the bathroom that bastard followed after you and I tried to come as quickly as I could, really!” Jungkook lets it all out panicky, as feelings of guilt start becoming overwhelming. “I grabbed someone’s beer bottle from the counter and I tried to run to you but my legs were becoming really heavy and I was starting to feel dizzy too. But I know that’s no excuse, not while you were being forced to go through all of that. I took the bottle and I saw it, saw the way he was holding you. Taehyung, you were crying. And I wasn’t thinking straight. I tried to throw the bottle at him but I was too fucking dizzy and I missed and then it all happened so quickly and I saw it Taehyung. I saw it. I saw the way he pushed you onto the sofa, the way you went completely still, the way he kept touching you. And I tried to pull him off but my arms were feeling so weak and I was getting too dizzy god damn it; I could barely even see straight. So I started shouting, screaming, hoping that anyone would come. And they did and only then did that bastard get off.” Jungkook breathes heavily as he feels his eyes beginning to sting. Taehyung is looking at him with wide, ocean eyes, just looking, not blinking. They tell him everything that’s on Taehyung’s mind, everything he’s feeling. “I don’t remember anything after that, Taehyung. I saw it though, I saw it all and I could be your witness! We could report him to the police, I can even try to coax the boss to let me see the security footage. I can help you Taehyung! I want to-”

Jungkook is interrupted by a simple touch, the touch being Taehyung’s fingers slipping back in between Jungkook’s own. Their hands are tangled together messily and although Taehyung’s fingers are too long and thin for Jungkook’s wider, calloused hand, Jungkook loves it. It’s a perfect match. And he’s not even being biased just because of his newly found truth about his ‘Taehyung Feelings’ but he feels as though he could get used to this. He loves it so much. He loves-

Taehyung suddenly squeezes his hand, giving Jungkook a wet looking smile, those ocean eyes still in place. Now that he thinks about it, Jungkook doesn’t need to be drowning in that river anymore, not when Taehyung looks at him with caramel eyes so deep that he’s fighting for breath just by looking into them. But right then Taehyung’s face contorts into one of sheer anger, ocean eyes long gone. Sure, there’s still an ounce of sadness in there but it mixes well with the anger, just makes it even stronger. Then Taehyung’s stalking right through the room, that would normally be filled with dancing bodies, heading confidently to where Sungmin is now pouring an old man a glass of whiskey. Jungkook can do nothing but follow along, and it’s not only because of the fact that he’s connected to Taehyung by handcuffs.

“Why the fuck do you do it? What the fuck do you gain?” Taehyung demands, voice booming over the quiet music, spare hand coming to slam down onto the counter. Sungmin looks to startle before his eyes land on exactly who’s confronting him and when the smirk overtakes his lips, Jungkook feels his blood literally boil.

“Well, well, well,” Sungmin says, melodramatically, “if it isn’t the pretty and the pauper.” The smirk still sits firmly at his mouth.

“Cut the shit, Sungmin,” Jungkook intervenes and he’s about to continue when Taehyung squeezes his hand warningly, prompting him to shut his mouth. Again, he just follows along.

“I asked you a question,” Taehyung says, voice quiet, yet dangerous, “so answer it.”

Sungmin has the audacity to chuckle. “So mouthy for such a pretty mouth you have, Pretty. Maybe you should use it for something else. Like, imagine how extra pretty it would look, wrapped around my-”

Jungkook doesn’t let him finish his sentence, laughing in Sungmin’s face as his eyes widen comically. Jungkook’s got both of his hands-pulling Taehyung’s trapped hand with them-gripping onto Sungmin’s shirt tightly, tugging him forward and almost completely over the counter. So tightly that the veins running up his arms become more prominent as he clenches the material in his fists.

“Jungkook, let him go!” Taehyung says trying to pull Jungkook away, pushing him with his shoulder. He sounds angry, like he’s trying to get Jungkook to stop just so he can intervene and land a punch right on Sungmin’s jaw. At least that’s what Jungkook thinks he plans on doing before the both of them are roughly pulled backwards, Jungkook’s back colliding with something hard. Arms are wrapped securely around him and with one quick glance, it seems that Taehyung is (obviously) in the same situation, the both of them struggling to escape such strong grips. And Jungkook is strong himself, having been going to the gym regularly since he turned seventeen, but even these arms that hold him in place are way too tight to even try to escape.

But it’s almost like Jungkook freezes his struggling completely as soon as he notices the multiple men in black suits and dark sunglasses, heading behind the counter and towards Sungmin. Jungkook stops moving, lets himself be held in place, when he notices just how many of these men there are. It’s also only then that he realises that he and Taehyung are no longer holding hands, so he changes that, quickly grabbing onto the older man’s wrist gently, careful not to further irritate the bruise, before sliding his fingers down to intertwine with Taehyung’s. He feels Taehyung falter at first, but that’s only a second because then he’s squeezing, holding on tighter.

“Han Sungmin? We are going to have to ask you to come with us,” speaks the man closest to Sungmin, a black earpiece sitting snugly in his ear with a wire hanging down it and over his shoulder. His lips are pursed and he doesn’t look like he’ll be changing his mind anytime soon, arms folded over his chest and all. Jungkook is slightly intimidated, even when he’s not the one being talked to by the man.

It’s then that Jungkook’s attention is taken off of the scene in front of them and instead towards some hassle that seems to be going on amongst the security guards near the back of the group. Soon enough, Woobin, a plump, middle-aged man, is emerging through the body of intimidating men, looking like the stark opposite of them, what with his dishevelled hair and red face. He just so happens to be Jungkook’s boss and the club’s manager.

“Woobin-ssi,” Sungmin says, sounding oddly calm, as he takes a step away from the man with sunglasses, “what’s going on?” He turns for all but a second, just to smirk at Jungkook and Taehyung, forever an asshole, even when he’s in such a predicament; Jungkook practically feels the blood within him rush through his veins in fury at the thought that Sungmin is going to get through, even this, with not a scratch to both his body and reputation.

“Sungmin-ssi,” Woobin replies, face contorting into one of panic, “please just do as they say.”

The smirk is still at his lips. He’s completely unbothered. “What the fuck do you lot want?” he asks, turning his attention back to the ringleader of the security guards. “Because I don’t have time for this bullshit.”

“We have been asked to arrest you on suspicion of-”

“No, no,” Woobin interrupts as he looks to become even more restless. “There’s no need to say it here. In front of all these people. Sungmin-ssi, just-”

“I’ll ask again, what the fuck do you want?” Sungmin asks, getting utterly close to the guard.

The guard looks completely unfazed as he pulls out a polished pair of handcuffs. “Please turn around with both your arms raised so my colleague can search you.” As if to prove his words, the slightly shorter-but intimidating nonetheless-guard from beside him steps forward.

“If you put a single finger on me, I swear, I will have my father end your career.”

Jungkook just barely hears the sarcastic words scoffed out from Taehyung’s mouth, “ironic, since he’s allowed to put his hands all over others.” Through all of this, Jungkook smiles fondly and squeezes onto Taehyung’s hand even harder.

“Sungmin-ssi, please just listen to them-”

“Or fucking what? They can’t do shit.” Just as Sungmin says it, Woobin is all but pushed out of the way, nearly crashing into the shelves of alcohol from the force. The lead guard is closer to Sungmin than he previously had been.

“Sir, for the safety of yourself and others, please turn around with both of you hands raised.”

“No, I won’t because I know my fucking rights. You have to tell me what the fuck I did wrong before you even try to take me away,” Sungmin shouts, easily drowning out the light music playing in the club.

“Stop acting like you’re fucking innocent!” Jungkook hears and the fact that it’s coming from Taehyung has his eyes widening and grip tightening.

“Tae, leave it to them, just-”

“You fucking liar!” Taehyung’s voice is starting to become wobbly as he growls the words out. “You fucking harassed me and so many other people. You liar. You fucking liar!” Taehyung’s breathing comes out unevenly now, and even though Jungkook isn’t looking at him, he can tell he’s crying. “You- you tried to rape me! You tried to fucking- you fucking liar! You’re a liar! Fuck you.”

Jungkook feels himself deflate at those words, feels his own eyes begin to sting. Taehyung sounds completely exhausted as he pants through his tears and Jungkook wants nothing more than to pull him close and give him the comfort he deserves. But that’s not an option when he notices the switch in Sungmin’s eyes, going from nonchalance to aggression. It’s so inhuman that Jungkook is scared for a moment but that fear is quickly diminished as he feels his own anger make itself known.

“If you take one step this way,” he seethes, watching as Sungmin makes to move, “I will fucking end you.”

But Sungmin, being Sungmin, doesn’t listen. Even as he falters at Jungkook’s tone of voice, he begins to move, trying to get past the guards. That one small movement triggers an entire earthquake.

Every single one of the guards that are present in the room-including the two that had seized Jungkook and Taehyung-rush towards Sungmin. It happens so quickly that in the time it takes Jungkook to blink once, Sungmin is already struggling, belly-down, against the countertop, arms trapped behind his back.

“Let go of me, right fucking now!” he commands as his voice finally starts to waver. He’s very quickly becoming red in the face and Jungkook finds himself laughing at his and Taehyung’s front row seat view. “You have no right to arrest me, I did nothing wrong. Woobin-ssi, call my father!”

“Sungmin-ssi,” replies the worried little man, “your father isn’t very happy at the-”

“Han Sungmin, we are arresting you on suspicion of the spiking of alcoholic drinks with unknown substances,” speaks the man pinning Sungmin down. “You have also failed to comply with our orders and attempted to cause harm to innocent bystanders, which may affect your case. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence-”

Jungkook blanks out there as he turns his head to face Taehyung. They make (wide) eye contact immediately, with Taehyung’s ocean eyes looking to be literal with the amount of water in there. Jungkook probably looks exactly the same and it’s as they make eye contact that they both realise. Drink spiking. Date rape drugs. Whatever you want to call it, it all finally makes sense. The memory of Sungmin handing them both a shot of vodka that they hadn’t even ordered, floods his mind. But they had been way too drunk to even think before downing the shots which explains why they had lost their memory. But now that Jungkook’s thinking about it, how is it that these police officers, who seem to be of very high authority, found out about it all.

“Who the fuck told you all of this?” Sungmin screams out, almost like he’s reading Jungkook’s mind. “It’s all a lie.”

Woobin tries to step forward but fails. “No, I don’t think this needs to be discussed anymore-”

“We cannot disclose much information without the presence of lawyers and solicitors,” the guard says calmly, “but Kim Namjoon-ssi claims to have seen you do it, early this morning at around 1:30 am in the midst of a very busy clubbing night. He went straight to his father and-”

Sungmin scoffs. At least the best he can while being pressed into the marble table. “Kim Namil-ssi? My father has a major alliance with his company. The best of friends, if you will.”

“Sungmin-ssi-”

“Kim Namil-ssi is a powerful man, much more powerful than my father. So if I were you, I’d un-cuff me. Right now.”

“Your father’s contract with Kim Namil-ssi has been terminated.” The words from a panicked Woobin come as a shock but Jungkook gets this bit of relief fluttering in him as his mouth forms into a smile. Probably not the best moment to smile, but he can’t help it. “He ended the alliance as soon as his son told him of what he saw. Sungmin-ssi, please just do as they say,” Woobin worries, forever more concerned about his connections than anything. “Your father isn’t very happy right now and we don’t want to make him angrier than he already is.”

Jungkook smiles wider at that, at the thought that Sungmin isn’t going to be able to escape this one. He’s ruined his father’s largest alliance with one of the most powerful businessmen of South Korea. Not only that, but the beloved heir of said businessman was the one to witness it all, meaning there’s barely a chance, if not, no chance at all, for a future reconciliation. Jungkook feels the grip from Taehyung’s fingers tighten and he can’t help but let his thumb smooth over his. He also can’t help but smirk at the way Sungmin has gone slack as he’s being pulled away by the guard. He’s glaring at them, eyes narrowed murderously. But Jungkook’s not scared. Will never be scared.

“You two better watch out,” Sungmin growls as he’s pushed past them.

“No, you watch out,” Taehyung replies, not missing a beat.

“We’re going to get security footage and you’re going to pay for everything you’ve done,” Jungkook adds. Then he leans in closer, nose almost touching Sungmin’s own, with Taehyung’s hand hanging loosely behind him. “Everything you’ve done to Taehyung.”

Jungkook sees the moment of weakness in Sungmin’s eyes, even if it’s gone in a second. “I’m not scared of you, Jeon.”

Jungkook’s silent for a second, watching as Sungmin struggles to stop the guard from pushing him further towards the exit. He thinks about his hyung talking his mouth off about his boyfriend Namjoon, how Namjoon would do anything for Seokjin, and how Seokjin would do anything for Jungkook. A chain reaction if you will. Then he laughs, right in Sungmin’s face. “You should be.”

He takes a step back again, not waiting for Sungmin’s reply, just in time to watch Sungmin getting hauled away. And then just as quickly as it all had occurred, the place is almost completely empty again, most drinkers having left the bar from fear.

Jungkook finds himself seated beside Taehyung on a mucky bench just outside the club. From here they can see the road then a park, not too far away, yet they decide it’s best to just sit here for a while, let everything sink in. They have yet to find a way to get rid of the cuffs but at this point Jungkook really doesn’t mind at all. He doesn’t think he minded in the first place.

“Did they really need that many people to arrest his weak ass?” Jungkook chuckles, trying his best to lighten up the tense mood.

Taehyung hasn’t spoken a word since Sungmin got taken away and he has this permanent furrow to his perfectly shaped brows. To add to that, he’s still got his hand tightly clasped around Jungkook’s, fingers slotted right in between his. It’s comforting for Jungkook and he just hopes that it’s comforting to Taehyung too, since right now, all he really wants is for Taehyung to be feeling safe and happy. Though, he doesn’t want to bring up anything too deep in case he ruins it all, and so he just keeps babbling.

“I mean, seriously,” he laughs, “I could have easily taken him alone. Why would they need that much security?”

Taehyung finally looks away from the toenail shaped moon in the distance and towards Jungkook, eyes locking immediately. Jungkook just about refrains from bashfully looking away because he’s made it this far in grabbing Taehyung’s attention again, he can’t just let that go. Plus, Taehyung looks so handsome in this light-though he looks handsome all the time-with the single, dim street lamp making his face look like it’s glowing. It makes him look as though he was born to be in such an atmosphere, to be in the spotlight. He looks like art.

“You really think you could take him when you couldn’t even take a spider?” Taehyung laughs, and despite his words, Jungkook is even more enamoured by the way his boxy smile further enhances his beauty.

“Do you really have to bring that up?”

“I mean, it only happened a few hours ago.”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“It’s cute.”

Jungkook feels his eyes widen for the nth time that day. It’s been happening so often he’s worried he’ll have to go see a doctor soon for something like his eyes popping out. But at least he can go with Taehyung, since he seems to be having the same problem.

Taehyung’s quickly reddening face has Jungkook feeling a traitorous bout of hope. Even though he hasn’t admitted to his ‘Taehyung Feelings’ out loud, he gets this weird feeling that what if Taehyung just so happens to feel the same way? What if he likes Jungkook just the same as Jungkook likes him? What if he too is in lo-

“That’s not- I didn’t-” Taehyung cuts himself off, huffing his fringe off his forehead. “I didn’t mean that you’re cute, just that- I mean, it’s cute that you’re scared of spiders and that-”

“I’m not quite sure I get what you’re saying,” Jungkook teases. He doesn’t know how he’s keeping so composed when his stomach is in the middle of a whole gymnastics flipping routine.

Taehyung lowers his gaze to their clasped hands for a while, cheeks still very much pink. Jungkook suddenly feels very conscious and he can’t help the way his index finger twitches. Before he knows it, Taehyung is looking back up again.

“This isn’t as bad as I initially thought it would be,” he speaks lowly. “We got to fight off a spider together, watch a beautiful river flow while speaking some Shakespeare-esque metaphors, and even take down a sexual predator. All in less than a day. Even now, I feel happy just looking at you and your peach-ass tattoo.”

Jungkook makes an embarrassing squeaking noise at that.

“I meant- just that-” Jungkook laughs as Taehyung turns into yet another stuttering mess. “You’re so annoying.”

“I literally breathed.”

“Well, it’s your fault I’m acting like this.”

Jungkook doesn’t think too much into Taehyung’s words, even while he gets more and more bashful, because if he does that, he knows he’ll end up acting weird, saying the wrong things. Instead, he tries to convey his feelings wordlessly, by raising their joined hands onto his thigh and playing with Taehyung’s fingers using his free hand. They’re soft, so soft, that Jungkook might need someone to pinch him in a second to wake him from this dream. Because Taehyung’s hands are perfect and he wants nothing more than to keep them in his grasp for the rest of his life.

And it’s as he’s admiring Taehyung’s fingers that he realises, Taehyung is just letting him do it.

“I could paint you right now,” Taehyung mumbles and when Jungkook looks up, Taehyung already has his eyes set on him. “The mix of the street lamp and the moon is making the most perfect lighting with your nose and lashes casting shadows on your face.” Jungkook raises an inquisitive brow while his heart begins to beat faster and faster. “It’s making you look really handsome.”

“So, what you’re saying is, I can only look handsome in this light?” Jungkook lives for the way Taehyung rolls his eyes before looking away.

“I was trying to be nice.”

Jungkook chuckles, then continues to smooth the pad of his finger over Taehyung’s perfectly kept nails. “I keep forgetting you’re an actual artist.”

The pout that makes its way onto Taehyung’s lips has Jungkook’s heart twitching. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks, before shaking his hair out. “Anyway, I didn’t know you knew I do art. I mean we haven’t exactly spoken about our lives with each other.”

“I’m a good listener,” Jungkook shrugs. “I hear things from Yoongi hyung.”

Taehyung looks at him skeptically, so he decides to elaborate.

“I know you do art for a living and have showcases and sales every once in a while. I know you can’t take spicy food. I know about your tendency to interrupt Yoongi hyung and Jimin hyung’s dates, which Yoongi hyung hates by the way.”

“Oh, I know how much he hates it, which makes it all the more fun.” Taehyung smirks as he looks off into the distance, seemingly thinking about all the fun he has annoying Yoongi. Jungkook finds the whole view of it sort of endearing. “What else do you know, Jeon?”

Jungkook ponders for a moment, all but forcing his gaze away from Taehyung, only to look back at him again a few seconds later. “You’re ambidextrous?”

Taehyung looks mildly shocked at that. “How the fuck-”

“I’ve seen you make out with tonnes of guys,” he says, “and each time you use a different hand to grab their faces.”

Taehyung smirks. “And from that you just assumed that I’m good with both hands?”

“Shut up.”

“What else?”

Jungkook thinks he’s never going to run out of things to say. “I know you don’t like lime? Or at least just the actual slices in your drinks.”

“That shit’s too sour,” Taehyung hums then clicks his finger. “Which explains why you never put them in my drinks anymore!”

“Exactly.”

“And you actually remembered all that stuff about me?”

“I guess.”

It’s quiet then, though that could kind of be classed as a lie because of how loudly Jungkook’s heart seems to be beating. He’s worried that Taehyung’s heard it, that he’s caught on, but then he’s speaking again, quieter this time.

“There’s more to you than I thought, Jeon Jungkook.” The sound of his name on Taehyung’s tongue is refreshing, makes both his heart and stomach flip. Multiple times. It also leaves him speechless as his fingers falter with their caressing of Taehyung’s own. The quiet that had been bearable before, suddenly turns awkward considering this is all new territory for them. Jungkook’s about to say something, maybe joke around a bit, or maybe accidentally spill his feelings, but Taehyung’s speaking first. “Anyways, how are we getting these cuffs off?”

“I’m not so sure that I want them off anymore.” Turns out, it’s doesn’t matter whether Taehyung speaks first or not because Jungkook was going to accidentally spill his feelings anyway.

They’re looking at each other now and Jungkook actually hears his heart crack at the look on Taehyung’s face. “I don’t think-”

Jungkook can’t stop himself anymore. “You don’t have to say anything, Taehyung. I just- spending time with you today has honestly been weird but I feel like I’ve learnt so much about you. Much more in these few hours than I have in the past few years. And it’s helped me come to terms with my feelings too. There’s just something about you, Kim Taehyung, that’s got me locked onto you and it’s not just these handcuffs. And I’ve been feeling like this for quite a while now, but I’ve been too scared to tell you.” Jungkook pauses, taking in Taehyung’s emotionless face. “I think I like you. A lot.”

“What? Why would you-”

“No, I know I like you.”

“No, stop.”

Jungkook’s cracked heart breaks entirely when Taehyung wrenches his fingers out of his grasp, making as little physical contact as the handcuffs will allow. His vision begins to get cloudy, but he wills that all away by blinking rapidly, hoping that Taehyung hasn’t noticed. This is his fault for being so caught up in the moment, for speaking without thinking. Of course Taehyung doesn’t like him back! Why would he even think for a second, that his feelings are mutual when up until a few hours ago, they haven’t gotten along. At all.

Jungkook is a fool.

Just like a fool, he’s fallen for someone he can’t have.

Just like a fool, he’s fallen for Kim Taehyung.

And the worst thing of all? He doesn’t regret a single thing.

∞

Taehyung’s heart beats dramatically fast, sounding just like the beating heart of the protagonist in an action film, running from the antagonist. And Taehyung is running too. Although instead of running from an evil villain carrying a chainsaw, Taehyung is running from himself. From his own feelings.

“Stop,” he says, rather harshly, “just stop, Jungkook.”

The look on Jungkook’s face is heartbreaking, even for Taehyung, but he decides to ignore the furrowed brows and quivering lip.

“Just. Just stop.”

Jungkook seems to break out of it. “I um, I said you didn’t have to say anything and I completely understand if you don’t-”

“Jungkook, you don’t like me,” Taehyung huffs. He knows he’s being way too harsh after Jungkook’s just helped him so much, but he has no other choice. He has to make himself clear. “Please don’t say these things when you don’t mean it.”

Taehyung’s heart stutters at the way Jungkook’s expression changes so quickly, eyes suddenly narrowing. “I mean it, Taehyung. I like-”

“You pity me!” It’s an outburst, he knows, quite the unnecessary one too considering how quiet their surroundings are. But Jungkook is lying to him and he’s not going to take it. “You don’t like me, Jungkook. Don’t get the two confused.”

“Look, I don’t know where you’re getting this pity thing from but I just needed you to know, okay?” Jungkook says, voice coming out quiet yet hard. The softness that had been there is gone and all there is left is the Jungkook that Taehyung knows.

“That’s so believable when you’re speaking like that,” Taehyung replies sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.

Jungkook looks at him disbelievingly. “I said what I said, Taehyung. It’s not my fault you don’t know how to listen. I literally said you don’t have to say anything yet here you are shouting at me when I’ve done nothing wrong!”

“You lied, Jungkook,” Taehyung shouts back. He really can’t help but raise his voice even after Jungkook’s called him out. “You’re lying!”

Taehyung waits. He waits and he waits but Jungkook never replies. He even turns away, facing forward again, acting as if Taehyung isn’t even there. It annoys Taehyung to the core because when has Jungkook ever backed out of an argument? When has he ever turned the other cheek? After speaking such lies (that had made Taehyung’s heart beat quicken uncontrollably), he acts nonchalant, even though Taehyung can clearly see he’s angry too, going by the way his lips are set in a thin line.

The only sound filling the air is Taehyung’s heavy breathing and through it all he doesn’t take his eyes off of Jungkook’s side profile. He’s waiting. Taehyung’s waiting but nothing is happening.

“Why don’t you fucking say something?” he asks, completely infuriated at this point. Jungkook never does this. He never, ever does this. “Just fucking say something.”

“And what do you want me to say?” Jungkook finally speaks, throwing his hands up, dragging Taehyung’s one with his. He doesn’t even sound normal. “Huh? What is it that you don’t understand about me not lying?”

There’s something about this that doesn’t sit well with Taehyung. Jungkook doesn’t look at him, doesn’t raise his voice, doesn’t fight back. For reasons he can’t explain, the thought of it all has his eyes stinging and before he knows it, his vision blurs as his eyes fill with tears.

Is Taehyung crying tears of feeling upset or relived?

Jungkook’s telling the truth.

Taehyung doesn’t know what to do or how to do it. It seems like the only things he’s good at are continuing on with his habit of lying to himself and running away. “I don’t like you like that, Jungkook,” he starts softly, heart racing in his chest when Jungkook finally looks at him too. Taehyung can’t tell if his eyes are watery or if that’s just his own blurry vision distorting the view. He says what he says only because he thinks it’s the right thing to do, not because he wants to. “I think we should try and not see each other anymore. Just to make this easier.”

It’s definitely not relief.

“Um, hey guys.” Taehyung is startled by the sound of Yoongi’s voice as he comes shuffling down the pavement. “I bet you guys are happy to see me.” Taehyung blinks quickly, willing away the tears as he finally looks up at Yoongi. But judging by the falter in his step, he notices. “Is uh, is everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung reassures, hating the way his voice crackles through his words. “Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”

Yoongi looks sceptical, but he still displays his gummy smile as he reaches inside the pocket of his jacket. “Oh, okay. I got the keys!” And with that he pulls out a key ring with a single key hanging off of it.

“What?” Jungkook speaks exactly what Taehyung was thinking and he all but freezes at the sound of Jungkook’s croaky voice.

Yoongi looks between the two of them for a second before speaking up again. “They key? For the cuffs?”

“What?” Jungkook repeats.

“I tried to tell you two over the phone,” Yoongi huffs. “Why would you need to come to the club if I have the keys. Now you two assholes made me come to work way earlier than I needed to.”

“What happened?” Taehyung asks, pulling Jungkook to stand up in front of Yoongi. “We don’t remember shit about the cuffs.”

“What? I seriously thought you knew. Those cuffs are mine and Jimin’s. Thought you would have guessed by the initials carved in on the side.”

Taehyung furrows his brows, before lifting their bound wrists up, inspecting it closer. And surely enough, there engraved into the metal are the letters ‘ YJ ’ in a cursive font.

“Are you kidding me?” Jungkook hisses and Taehyung would admit it but he’s kind of disappointed that he’s this annoyed to be stuck with him when they could have gotten it off sooner. He really has wasted Jungkook’s time and it makes him even more upset. “Why do you guys even have handcuffs?”

“You don’t want to know,” Yoongi smirks, reaching in between them to try and wiggle the key into the lock. “Anyway, we were on our way to the bathrooms yesterday night and we found you two snuggled up on that weird sofa. Well, not snuggled, it looked sort of uncomfortable. Kook, you were literally on top of Tae and I barely saw him at all. Looked like you were blocking him from something.” Yoongi says it all with a smile, acting as if this is all some fond memory of his, which to be fair, it probably is. “We thought it was funny that you two of all people were cuddling so we took you back to Jungkook’s and put cuffs on you for some fun. Jimin even put Jungkook’s underwear on Tae. But we also did it because we’re getting married soon and we just want our two best friends to get along with each other. You know?”

“So we,” Taehyung stutters out, barely having any words at all, “we didn’t...”

“No, you didn’t fuck,” he clarifies with a teasing laugh, “at least, as far as I’m aware.”

The cuffs are finally finally off now and Taehyung sighs in relief as he shakes out his hand, twisting his wrist around in circles. He wants to look at Jungkook, see if he’s feeling as weird as him with the fact that they’re free now. They don’t have to stay around each other any longer. But he can’t. Because he knows if he does do that, he’ll ask for something stupid, admit to something stupid.

( I want you to stay. )

Yoongi laughs awkwardly, yet again glancing between the two of them. “Look, I’m sorry if-”

“I’m going to,” Taehyung starts before clearing the croak of his voice, “I’m going to go.”

“Ah, okay,” Yoongi smiles, “see you later, Tae? Jimin should be at yours soon with an apology takeaway.” Taehyung pointedly looks at him. “Yeah, we planned all this out already.”

Taehyung laughs, albeit weakly, before waving at Yoongi. He’s about to walk off in the opposite direction but he decides on acknowledging Jungkook. One last time. “Um, bye, Jungkook.”

Taehyung looks at him waiting for a few seconds for a reply but all he gets is Jungkook’s averted eyes, as he stares down at his shoes. He never gets the reply.

So he nods one more time at Yoongi, taking in his apologetic expression, before walking away with a frown etched onto his mouth. Now that he’s in his lonesome, having been glued to somebody for the past twelve hours, he allows his mind to be flooded with the thoughts that he oh so badly wanted away.

Taehyung huffs to himself as he walks quickly down the pavement feeling relieved at the thought that his place is only a short walk away from the club. But that means he has less time to think about this, about Jungkook while he’s by himself because he knows in a few minutes he’s going to be having his best friend prying. Jimin knows whenever anything’s wrong, way before Taehyung himself does.

Jungkook had said that he likes him. A lot. Now, that could mean anything. It could mean like-like or it could simply just mean tolerate. Taehyung doesn’t know which one he wants the answer to be but then he thinks properly about that statement. Is he lying to himself again? Probably.

Because even after he’d been the one to just suddenly cut Jungkook off a few minutes ago, right after he’d helped Taehyung through everything, right after they’d finally started to get along, he knows that the tightening in his chest was the equivalent of a heartbreak. It’s stupid, he knows. If he wants Jungkook so bad, why did he have to ruin it all with just a few words?

Try and not see each other anymore? Just to make this easier? Just what on earth was Taehyung thinking? Exactly who would it be making it easier for when with each step he takes, getting further away from Jungkook, he feels his heart getting heavier and heavier. It’s not something he’s ever felt before and just that alone is a scary thing to think about. But the fact that he’s feeling it for the first time about Jeon Jungkook - his supposed enemy - makes it even more frightening and he feels as though there’s nothing he can do to protect himself, except run.

It frustrates him, has his heart pounding in his chest and it isn’t until he’s shoved open his apartment door and clicked it shut behind him, that he lets everything out. The tears run down his face freely as he kneels down onto the floor, legs becoming way too weak to put up with him anymore. He tries not to sob out loud because that would raise suspicions from his neighbours but it’s almost like he can’t help it, especially when a set of warm arms wrap around his shoulders.

Taehyung glances up for all but a second, then he’s squishing his face into Jimin’s neck, body shaking with each cry that leaves his lips.

“It’s okay,” Jimin mumbles, running his fingers through Taehyung’s hair. “It’s okay, let it out.”

Taehyung wants to scream. Scream at Jimin. He wants to scream because he doesn’t have any reason to want to ‘let it out’ because this is all his fault. Shit, he never cries. Why is he crying? He wants to scream. Scream at Sungmin for starting this mess, for fucking with people that didn’t want him anywhere near them, for making people feel vulnerable and unsafe. He wants to scream. Scream at Jungkook for being so fucking caring all of a sudden, for saying he likes Taehyung. For not fighting back.

Taehyung wants to scream. Scream at himself for being such a hypocrite and lying right to his face. For letting go of the one thing he apparently loves.

“I’m sorry, Tae,” Jimin whispers. They’re in Taehyung’s bed now, snuggled under the duvet with Jimin still playing with his hair as he lays on his chest. Taehyung sniffles quietly, not even caring for the way he’s probably staining Jimin’s t-shirt with tears and snot.

“Don’t be,” he barely gets out. They’re the first words he’s spoken since he got home.

“I shouldn’t have- me and Yoongi were just-” Jimin huffs frustratedly. “I had a gut feeling that it would start shit, that I shouldn’t do it, but I still-”

“Jimin, please,” Taehyung interrupts as a single tear rolling out of the corner of his eye tickles his cheek. “Don’t blame yourself. I did this to myself.”

“Tae...”

“I let him go Jimin. Even after he told me how he feels. I’m just too fucking scared of everything and because of that I ruined it all.” Jimin’s fingers don’t stop with their caressing. “You should have seen the look on his face, Jimin. All these years I’ve been convinced that he hates me but that look on his face when I said bye to him. That was hatred. That was pure hatred, not the look he’s been giving me for all these years.”

“He doesn’t hate you.”

“Who wouldn’t fucking hate me?” Taehyung says, so loudly that he hurts his worn out throat. “All I know how to do is wind people up and that just makes them hate me even more. Even Sungmin. God, the only reason he did that shit was because I winded him up.”

“Sungmin? That rich boy?” Jimin suddenly sounds alert and Taehyung realises his mistake. Because he’s never told Jimin about any of it. “What has he done to you, Tae?”

And Taehyung thinks there’s no point hiding it anymore. Jungkook’s going to tell Yoongi which means Jimin will find out either way. So he spills everything. Even as the memory of it all has tears threatening to fall yet again, he lets it all out without giving Jimin a single glance. He knows if he catches sight of Jimin’s face, he’ll start balling and that’s not what he wants.

“Oh, Tae,” Jimin mutters, sounding a tad bit angry. “Why didn’t you tell me? You went through it all alone? And I didn’t even fucking notice. I’m such a shitty-”

“This is why I didn’t want to tell you,” Taehyung whines, finally looking up at Jimin. He’s got his plush bottom lip worrying between his teeth and his eyes look oddly glossy. “I knew you’d find a way, any fucking way, to blame yourself. But it’s not you’re fault, it’s mine.”

“Tae, what the fuck? It’s not your fault. How could it be your fault? He fucking sexually assaulted you. It wasn’t your fault.” Jimin says it with passion, fervour and it seems that in that moment he notices the state of Taehyung’s wrist. “I’m so fucking sorry,” he repeats, removing his hand from Taehyung hair to instead softly trail over the bruise. “The bruise hadn’t set in when we were putting the cuffs on you two, so I didn’t even notice. I’m so fucking sorry, Tae. Did it hurt?” Jimin has tears freely rolling down his cheek now as he speaks hysterically.

Taehyung doesn’t reply, only looks back at Jimin’s chest and squishes his face into it. He doesn’t want Jimin to see that he’s crying all over again but he’s sure he knows anyway, judging by the dampening of his t-shirt.

Taehyung isn’t feeling great. Not at all. And it’s his own fault.

All he can do is thank any greater being out there for providing him with a Park Jimin.

As well as continue lying to himself.

∞

“It hurts like shit,” Jungkook mumbles into his pillow with the way he’s flopped belly down on his bed.

It’s been nearly a week since Taehyung left him but there’s still this heaviness to his chest that he just can’t ease away.

“I know, Kook,” Yoongi says, rubbing a hand up and down on his back. “Heartbreaks are meant to hurt.”

“But not like this,” Jungkook whines, flipping over so he’s lounging on his back.

“Shit, you look like shit.”

“Gee, thanks.” Jungkook rubs his eyes, swollen and painful from both lack of sleep and continuous crying. “I’m hurting and you’re only here to tell me about my appearance. Thanks so much, hyung.”

Yoongi tuts before thwacking at Jungkook’s forehead. “Look, I know you’re hurting, I know-”

“It hurts so bad, hyung. So bad,” Jungkook interrupts and it’s only then that he lets his voice waver. Because it really does hurt. Every time he so much as thinks about Taehyung and his silver hair and his symmetrical face yet unsymmetrical ocean eyes - oh that double-lid and that mono-lid-and his plush pink lips and his long, slender fingers, he feels his heart ache even more. Feels the butterflies in his stomach begin to twitch again before being shot right back down. Because Taehyung’s left him.

“I know, Kook,” Yoongi repeats, voice softer this time. “I know. I know that this all probably feels like shit because I also know exactly how much you like him.” Jungkook opens his mouth to deny but Yoongi’s giving him a pointed look, prompting him to shut it again. “I know that even though Tae can be a bit of a coward, he likes you too. A lot. But just because he doesn’t want a relationship with you, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. I can’t stand to sit here and watch you feel sorry for yourself when you’re stronger than that. I know you are. Plus you haven’t been to work for like a week and your bills aren’t going to pay themselves.”

“But, hyung,” Jungkook says, “it fucking hurts. And on top of that I feel like I’ve lost my passion for bar-tending, only because I know he’ll never show up there ever again. It fucking hurts.” Jungkook pauses as he feels a single tear roll down his cheek, which Yoongi is quick the wipe away. “Why do I let him hurt me, hyung?”

Yoongi sighs, before pulling Jungkook in. He latches onto Yoongi tightly - almost pulling the smaller man down and top of him - feeling the way he rubs his hand gently up and down his back. “I don’t know if you’ve heard of this before,” he whispers, “but it’s said that the person you care about the most, is usually the person you’d allow to hurt you the most.”

And that’s how Jungkook finds himself arriving a whole week late for work. Don’t get him wrong, he still feels like shit, but he’s also tired as shit. Tired of feeling helpless, tired of feeling hopeless, and most of all, tired of missing him.

He’s lucky that his manager Woobin, has been way to caught up in the Sungmin situation to even care about him taking so many days off, and it makes it easier for him to stroll into the club without the fear off being fired.

“Hey, cutie,” says a high-pitched voice, completely dragging him out of his distracted trance, “can I have a shot of vodka?” Jungkook blinks at the young man, his curly, brown hair and his short fingers tapping at the table top. He’s not like Taehyung. “Pretty please?” Yep, nothing like Taehyung. He would never say please.

Jungkook blinks again at his expectant smirk, as the guy’s probably taking his staring as checking out. He wants to scream, shout, that it’s nothing like that. “Uh yeah, sure.”

Jungkook works with quick hands, pulling out a shot glass and filling it with alcohol. No matter how distracted he is, he’s never gotten a drink wrong in his entire life. The music playing tonight isn’t ear-splitting either which he’s grateful for but because of that, all he can hear is humming coming from the guy in front of him as he continues to stare at him. He passes over the drink, expecting him to take it and go but to his surprise he takes a seat, resting his elbows up on the surface.

“So what do you say about taking a break for me?” he smirks, before downing the shot in one quick movement. “I promise I’ll make it worth your time.” The suggestiveness in his tone is enough to have Jungkook grimacing as he too takes a seat in front of him, just to be polite and to let him know he’s not going anywhere with him.

“Sorry I-” he starts but a flash of silver hair catches his eye, somewhere in the bodies behind him. Is it Taehyung? Jungkook mentally slaps himself. Of course it isn’t him. The silver he had noticed is nowhere to be seen anymore and Jungkook just hates himself even more at the thought that he had just imagined Taehyung being here. He’s supposed to forget it all, god damn it. For all he knows, Taehyung already has forgotten about it, so why is he sitting here moping about how much he wishes he was here to boss him around, about how much he wanted to believe that the silver hair was real, about how much he misses him?

“Ah, just been through a bad breakup? A heartbreak?” the man asks, voice sounding oddly content at such negative suggestions. And it’s not even in a sly way as Taehyung probably would have spoken, it’s just plain rude. “How about I help you feel better?” he smiles, hand moving to trail up Jungkook’s forearm that he has rested on the table. He flinches away from the touch, sticking both his hands in between his thighs.

“You seem really nice,” he starts, smiling politely, “but I-”

“Jungkook?”

Jungkook doesn’t even have to look up at the new person because the sound of the voice that immediately brings the butterflies in his stomach back to life, is one he knows too well. “Taehyung?” Jungkook looks up just in time to see the glare that Taehyung has directed at the guy, as the two of them have somewhat of a stare off.

“I um,” he says, dragging his eyes away from him to look at Jungkook, “I was wondering if I could talk to you.” After seemingly a pause of thinking he adds on pointedly, “in private.”

“Actually,” the guy replies, to Jungkook’s surprise, “I was just having a chat with him.”

Jungkook knows he should say no, should tell Taehyung that he doesn’t want to talk because he had been talking to the guy first. He knows he should tell Taehyung that there’s nothing to talk about, that everything is over and he’s forgotten all about it. He should tell Taehyung that, just like him, Jungkook doesn’t care anymore. But the problem is, he cares too much.

“It was lovely to meet you,” Jungkook mutters stiffly to the customer, “but I need to go with him.”

The guy rolls his eyes before jumping off of his seat with a pout. “Whatever. You’re boring as fuck anyway.” Then he’s gone and for some reason Jungkook doesn’t even care about the insult.

“How dare he!” Taehyung’s saying, voice loud as they walk down the hallway to the back room. Yoongi had nodded at Jungkook’s pleading look, urging him to go with Taehyung and assuring that he had the bar under control. But now that they’re alone together, Jungkook wonders if this is regret that he’s feeling, wonders if he should have just stayed with the guy. “I swear, I was going to fight him. Like what the fuck? How can someone be so rude and ignorant, the fuck? You literally are- fuck, you’re far from boring.” Jungkook hates that the butterflies in his stomach are still alive and well, even after being away from Taehyung for so long. He doesn’t hate the feeling but he hates that they’re still so responsive to someone who wants nothing to do with them.

“Tae,” Jungkook sighs mindlessly, coming to a stand still and leaning up against the white wall. The hallway is quiet, save for the muffled music from the main club drowning the silence out. “What are you here for?” He knows it’s a bit cold of him to be saying but Jungkook finds that it’s probably the only way to hide what he’s feeling. “I have to get back to work. What do you want?”

( What do you want from me? )

Taehyung stops blabbering and finally looks up into Jungkook’s eyes. They’re still as deep as he remembers, an ocean of milk chocolate, so enticing that Jungkook wants nothing more than to fall, swim and drown in them. The eyes are pleading but Taehyung isn’t. “It’s not even that busy tonight,” he mutters, lips puffing out into one of his annoyingly cute pouts. To add to it, there’s a light dusting of pink at his cheeks, that puff up like bread due to his pout.

Jungkook doesn’t reply, just shrugs and avoids anymore eye contact with those beautiful eyes. He doesn’t want to do anything stupid.

“It’s just that,” Taehyung starts, voice ominously quiet now, “I’ve been thinking. About all of this.”

Jungkook nods. His heart is beating so fast that he’s worried he’ll need to go to hospital soon and he does everything in his ability to hide from Taehyung what’s going on inside of him. This is unfair. It’s unfair because Taehyung shouldn’t be allowed to make him feel this way, not after he’s the one who ended it.

“I’ve been thinking a lot actually. It’s why I didn’t come to see you sooner.” Taehyung pauses then looks up once again; only then does Jungkook realise he had been staring because they make eye contact immediately. This time he doesn’t look away, even when Taehyung’s stares back intensely. “I realised that I kind of missed arguing with you even though it’s hardly ever proper arguing and more just teasing. I missed the way you always smirk at me every time you think you’ve won when really, I’m always the winner. I missed that goddamn peach-ass tattoo.” Jungkook blinks once, as his heart fires up and starts to beat rapidly. “Jungkook, I missed you.”

And there goes Jungkook’s heart as it, along with all his stomach’s butterflies, fly away completely. It feels so good to hear those words coming from Taehyung that it actually hurts. Hurts so bad. Hurts so good. Because I missed you too. I missed you so fucking much.

But Jungkook isn’t stupid. He may be a bit impulsive, especially while Taehyung’s standing there looking at him with his deep, shiny eyes, but he isn’t stupid. And he understands that Taehyung is probably exaggerating, probably feeling bored, definitely not missing Jungkook.

And that thought has something snapping in him. “This isn’t fair,” he says, hoping Taehyung hasn’t heard the wobble in his voice. “You’re being unfair.”

“What? I-”

“You tried to tell me what I felt when you could have easily just kept quiet and that’s not fucking fair, Taehyung. It’s not fair for you to be here just because you’re feeling bored, and saying you missed me as an excuse?” Taehyung’s eyes are wide but Jungkook doesn’t let that stop him. “I don’t want to play games with you anymore, Taehyung. Not when my heart is on the line.”

“That’s not- Jungkook, that is not-” Taehyung stutters and Jungkook knows for a fact that he’s just imagining the waver to Taehyung’s voice.

Jungkook gives Taehyung a few seconds, but when he doesn’t continue, he knows he’s right. “To be honest, it would have been better if you’d just disregarded my feelings rather then told me what I was feeling. I know for a fact it would have felt better than this.”

“Jungkook-”

“I think you should leave.” It hurts him even more to say those words but they need to be said either way. Jungkook wants Taehyung to stay, but he’s not going to be selfish and hurt himself while he’s at it.

“Please just, please let me explain.”

Jungkook smiles weakly, trying his best to show Taehyung that he isn’t angry with him or annoyed at him in any way. But as soon as he sets sight on those deep, brown eyes (that weirdly look to be watery), he just can’t help but look away as the prickling at the backs of his eyes become too unbearable. “For me,” he decides on, before clearing the crackling from his voice, “for me, Taehyung. Please, just leave.”

Taehyung opens his mouth as if he’s going to say something, but he promptly presses his lips back together, with a slight nod. Then he’s walking away, leaving Jungkook with nothing to stare at but his broad back and his silver hair, swaying with each step.

A common mistake about drowning is that it happens because you’re falling deeper, filling yourself with water. In actuality, your lungs can only fill with water after you’ve drowned. After you’ve died.

It’s then that Jungkook realises. He can’t drown in Taehyung. Because he can try to swim all he wants but it’ll end up killing him before he even gets to have a feel of the warmness of his deep, beautiful eyes.

∞

Taehyung is a strong believer of ‘it is what it is’. He believes that everything happens for a reason and that it happens because it needs to, something no one should want to or try to change. He believes that even if something bad happens, it’ll lead to something better in the long run.

That’s why he’d felt waves of relief run through him when he’d seen the news story on the TV, the same headlines overtaking every single channel.

Han Sungmin arrested and jailed for possession of illegal substances and sexual assault.

Obviously none of them were telling the full story, covering up the fact that not only did he carry the drugs, but he put them in people’s drinks without consent too. But Taehyung couldn’t be happier that at least he’d been jailed, the sentence years yet to be confirmed. He felt even happier that he didn’t have to go in and speak in court, what with all the CCTV evidence that someone had sent in from the club.

To Taehyung, that’s one of the best examples for all bad things leading to good.

This on the other hand, is changing his views. Why did this have to happen? What good is there to be anticipating, when he can barely stay focused on this stupid (well-paid) commission.

It just had to be an oil painting of a river, hadn’t it?

Taehyung sighs, leaning forward in his chair as he lightly strokes his paintbrush over the canvas. Sure, it’s looking good so far, a realistic looking river coming along, but it’s lacking one thing that even he notices. Passion.

“There’s something missing,” his agent, Hoseok had said. “Can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“I know,” he’d replied.

Because with every brush stroke, Taehyung becomes more and more tired. More and more sad. The last time he’d seen Jungkook, he’d went to the club a week ago, ready to spill his secret about the sudden infatuation he has with the guy. He wanted to tell Jungkook that he’d-weirdly-really enjoyed spending time with him, that he wanted to move away from the enemies thing that they had going on, and spend even more time with him. Taehyung wanted to tell Jungkook that he was sorry for letting him go, for not trying to make the thing between them, better.

What he didn’t realise, was that he had hurt Jungkook, if anything to go by the look that was in his eyes and the way that he spoke with a wobbling voice. Sure, he and Jungkook had ‘hurt’ each other before, what with all the insults they insisted on throwing at each other every few seconds, but this time it was different. Because there had been a complete shift in their relationship in less than twenty four hours, one that honestly, Taehyung loved. But then Taehyung just had to go and ruin it all, with a few simple words.

Taehyung dips his brush in the murky green paint and breathes in deeply. Just a bit longer of staring at this river, and it’ll be done and gone with its new owner. Only, it’ll never leave from Taehyung’s brain. Because that moment by the river, with Jungkook bound to his side, is very quickly becoming one of his most fond memories.

“Hey,” comes a voice so soft that Taehyung almost doesn’t hear it. “Let’s take a break, yeah?”

To be completely honest, Taehyung had forgotten Jimin was even here in his apartment, way too stuck in this trance to look up for a second.

“Hey,” Jimin repeats, this time snaking his arms around Taehyung’s shoulders in a half back hug, “it’s okay.” Apparently Taehyung is really out of it because he only realises he’s crying when Jimin wipes a tear from his cheek.

Taehyung sniffles before nodding up at Jimin and pushing away from the canvas. It’s annoying. He’s annoying himself. He has no right to be feeling this way when he’s the one who pushed Jungkook away. Ran away.

Jimin doesn’t say a word, just sits beside Taehyung on the sofa with a gentle hand playing with his fingers, his engagement ring making Taehyung shiver slightly. Jimin’s humming softly too, knowing all too well that Taehyung can’t stand silence.

“Jiminie,” Taehyung whines, squeezing onto his best friend. Jimin only nods, the placating smile still firm on his lips. “I don’t know what this feeling is.” Taehyung’s surprised to find that his own voice sounds this weak, this broken.

“What does it feel like?”

Taehyung is quiet for a second even though the pause is useless because he already knows what he’s going to say. “Like I’m a piece of driftwood,” he whispers, vision clouding over with unshed tears. Jimin brings their hands onto his lap and merely squeezes to let Taehyung know he’s listening. “I feel like a piece of fucking driftwood in a river, running away from all this water that’s trying so hard to ruin me, break me. And all I want to feel like, is the water. I want to be free. I don’t want to be the driftwood.”

Jimin smiles. “Then stop running.”

“I can’t!” Taehyung exclaims, rubbing aggressively at his cheeks to rid of the escaped tears. “How can I, when I don’t even know what I’m running from?”

“Let me ask you something,” Jimin says calmly. “Which one of the two runs? Driftwood or water?”

Taehyung looks at Jimin through blurry eyes, only to find him looking right back. The slight tilt to Jimin’s already there smile, has Taehyung understanding immediately. He laughs, albeit weakly. “What is this? Riddle time with Park Jimin?” After a pause he speaks again. “They both run. Driftwood runs from water and water just runs in general.”

“Exactly. So, to actually know what you’re feeling, don’t you think it’s time to leave the river entirely? You don’t need to be the driftwood or the water. Just be Taehyung. No need for all these fancy metaphors.”

“But then what? It’s not like he’ll ever speak to me again.” Taehyung says, the image of Jungkook and his rare smile burning in his brain. “He has a right to never want to speak to me again.”

“Well then, you show him. If talking doesn’t work, show him.”

That’s how Taehyung finds himself walking down the pavement later that evening, hands shoved deep inside his pockets.

Never in a million years would he have thought that he’d be doing this. Doing this for Jeon Jungkook nonetheless.

Taehyung inhales, then lets it out in a long exhale before walking into the shop. Straight into the sex shop.

∞

“When I told you to go to work rather than mope, I didn’t mean for you to be here way past closing time, still cleaning up.”

Jungkook nearly drops an entire shelf of glasses at the sound of Yoongi’s voice. “Hyung! What the fuck?”

“Please don’t tell me you’ve been doing this everyday since last week.”

“And if I have?” Jungkook retorts, standing up from his crouch and wiping his hands on his apron.

Yoongi frowns at him with a shake of his head. “Seriously, Kook? Go home and get some rest.” Then with an understanding smile, he pats Jungkook’s shoulder. “Overworking won’t solve things. I’m here for you, if you ever need to talk.”

Jungkook shoves his hands into the pockets of his trench coat while clumping down the pavement in his combat boots. It’s that time of the evening where his brain is just completely empty, after hours of using it to overthink (mostly about Taehyung), it’s currently resting. Probably not the safest thing when he’s walking down the dark street way past midnight, but it’s not like anyone would have the guts to attack him anyway, not when he’s dressed as he is.

“Hey, Jungkook-ssi!” calls a voice from behind him, “wait up.” Guess he spoke too soon.

Jungkook stops in his tracks and whips around, two arms raised in front of him in a fighting stance. This guy looks tall, but that’s all he is, lanky. No sight of too much muscle. Jungkook can easily take him.

“Hey, easy,” the guy laughs as he gets closer, pulling off the hat he’d been wearing. “It’s me, Namjoon.”

Jungkook sighs in relief. “Oh, hello, Namjoon-ssi.”

“I’ll walk you this way,” Namjoon says. He’s dressed awfully smart considering how late it is out but that’s a given since he is Kim Namjoon after all. “I actually wanted to talk to you so I went to the club right after I was able to leave the office. Yoongi-ssi was there and told me that I’d just missed you but here I am.”

Jungkook chuckles just to be polite because how is this man so awake right now? “What’s wrong?” he asks, continuing down the street with Namjoon beside him. “Is it to do with Seokjin hyung? Because I already told him that no, I will not lend him my new Juun.J trainers, not even if his rich boyfriend asks me to.” Then with a quick glance at Namjoon, “no offence.”

Namjoon laughs. “None taken. But it isn’t about that. Just wanted to know how you were doing? After all that Sungmin shit, I heard that you sent in the CCTV footage. And let me tell you, that shit is what got him to prison.”

Jungkook can’t help the slight gasp he lets out. “No, no! It was the least I could do after what he did to Taehyung.” Then it’s quiet as Jungkook shuts his mouth at what he’d just said. There he goes again, on and on about Taehyung. “Besides,” he starts again, quieter, “it was you who risked your father’s business to end it all. And for that I am so grateful to you.” After a pause, despite everything, Jungkook decides to add on, “I know Taehyung is grateful to you.”

Jungkook doesn’t see the look on Namjoon’s face as he walks facing completely towards the front. “Oh, it was really nothing. My father and Sungmin’s father’s alliance was pretty minor so losing that wasn’t that big of a deal.” Jungkook nods, to show he’s listening. “But you on the other hand.”

Jungkook perks up at that. “Me?”

“You know how much your boss loves Sungmin, or I guess his money.”

“Yeah, but-”

“You risked your job by sending in all that footage. All for Taehyung.”

Jungkook sighs even as his heart begins to pound. It’s odd to think that Namjoon-someone he barely knows-is the first person to call him out on this. “Please don’t tell me you’re like Seokjin hyung, hinting at how much we’re ‘made for one another’ because I’ve heard enough of that. How do you even know about me and Taehyung?”

“Jin hyung tells me a lot,” Namjoon chuckles. “He tells me all about the ‘two idiots that are very obviously in love with each other to everyone else around them, but insist on arguing all the time’. His words not mine.”

“Nice to know that even people I don’t know, know about mine and Taehyung’s little situation,” Jungkook says sarcastically, to which Namjoon chuckles. “But really, it’s all one-sided. He doesn’t like me back.”

“How do you know?”

Jungkook sighs. “Well, I confessed and he straight up rejected me.”

“That’s tough, man.”

“Yeah. And to make things worse, I actually got myself excited. I thought he liked me back.” Namjoon hums in acknowledgement so Jungkook continues. “We spent hours handcuffed together and I don’t know, I just got a feeling that he might like me back. Anytime we’re together we just argue and insult one another but being handcuffed was different. It was like the true ‘us’ spending time together even though that’s when anyone would expect us to argue the most, being forced to stay together and all.”

Namjoon pats Jungkook’s back softly and Jungkook almost halts in his steps. What was that, just now? Jungkook finds it difficult to talk about his feeling with other people, his hyungs included, but he’d just spilt all his guts to Namjoon after only a few meetings. This is weird. Maybe he’s just too tired to be in the right state of mind. Jungkook promptly sews his mouth shut.

“Well, Jungkook-ssi, to me it seems like he just needs a bit of time,” Namjoon says, obviously not noticing how uncomfortable Jungkook’s just gotten. “If you were that certain on him liking you back, chances are he does like you back. You seem to have realised you like him in that short amount of time but maybe for him it’ll just take slightly longer.”

Jungkook can’t help himself. “But it’s been weeks.”

“People operate at different times. I wouldn’t give up hope if I were you. The least you could do is wait for him, show him just how much you love him.”

“I don’t lo-”

“You love him.”

“I love him.”

“If you really do love him, Jungkook-ssi, you’ll wait for him.” Jungkook nods because if he’s being honest, it’s what he’d planned on doing in the first place. “But know when it’s time to stop.” Jungkook perks up at Namjoon’s words, even as they come to a standstill at the main door for his apartment building. “Obviously it’s going to be painful, but as soon as it starts becoming too painful to handle, don’t wait any longer because you deserve better. But other than that, wait until he comes back to you.”

Jungkook lets out an exhale as he nods up at Namjoon for the nth time. “You’re really easy to talk to,” he says, before deciding to add on, “hyung.” Namjoon’s face morphs into a genuine smile and Jungkook mentally slaps himself for letting his tiredness get to him and make him all sappy. “I’m glad Jin hyung found you.”

They say their goodbyes, promising that this won’t be the last they’ll see of each other, and Jungkook makes his way up the stairs. He’s falling asleep as he clomps up the stairs in his heavy boots, which he hadn’t even thought was possible, and he has a slight sway in his step. Though it’s not to the point where it’s dangerous-at least in his opinion-and it probably won’t end up in him passing out, falling down the stairs and cracking his head open.

Jungkook chuckles to himself at the thought, deliriousness taking over. He thinks he’s completely lost his mind when he walks up to his apartment door, only to find a very familiar head of silver hair... asleep? On his doorstep?

“What the fuck?” Jungkook mutters, kneeling down to get a proper look at Taehyung’s sleeping face, hearing his knee joints click.

Well, yep, it’s Taehyung alright. He’s got his head leaning up against the wall beside Jungkook’s door, neck looking uncomfortably awkward with the angle it’s bent in. His eyes are closed and even in the dim light of this hallway, Jungkook can perfectly make out each individual strand of his long, wispy lashes, that skim over the very tops of his cheekbones. Jungkook feels weirdly wide awake now, and even with everything they’ve been through, he can’t help the sigh of relief and contentment that escapes his lips at just the sight of Taehyung. He can hear quiet puffs of air leaving his mouth and with one soft movement, Jungkook pushes Taehyung’s hair away from his face, allowing said mouth to come into view. It’s pink and slightly parted and looking so, so damn kissable that Jungkook has to physically hold himself back. Taehyung, despite his position, looks so calm, so comfy.

“Taehyung,” he whispers, gently shaking his shoulders and moving his hair away from his face again. “Tae? Wake up.”

“Jimin, don’t touch my paint!” Taehyung says suddenly, eyes widening as he awakens with a start. “Shit, you’re not Jimin.”

“No, I’m not.”

Taehyung looks sheepishly up at him, before his eyes crinkle into tiny crescents, a boxy smile moving to grace his mouth. It’s fucking adorable and Jungkook feels his heart literally stutter in his chest. God, he missed him. This can’t be healthy, can it?

“Hi,” Taehyung says, smiling up at Jungkook so brightly that he’s almost blinded. Jungkook just about manages to contain his own smile, stopping it from slipping through his not ‘Taehyung Feelings’ facade.

Jungkook wishes he could keep having hope the way Namjoon had suggested but now he’s not so sure, what with the impending rejection he’s about to face. He knows exactly how it all goes. Weeks of silence, then a half-hearted ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ leading to a sympathetic smile and a quick wave goodbye. Jungkook knows all about it and it’s not something he’s keen on going through. Especially not from somebody like Taehyung. Somebody his heart has grown way too fond of.

So he keeps the facade raised. “What are you here for, Taehyung?” he asks, not harshly, but not necessarily softly either if he’s judging by the drop in Taehyung’s features.

“I just- it’s just that we-” Taehyung cuts himself off before letting out a frustrated huff. It’s such a big puff of air, that it could push his hair off his forehead. Only, he doesn’t need that, not when Jungkook’s hand is still holding it in place near his ear. Shit. “Oh,” comes Taehyung’s surprised voice, as he completely freezes.

“Oh. Sorry,” Jungkook replies, feeling his eyes widen as he begins pulling away. Though, his eyes may as well just pop out because before he can pull away, Taehyung is clutching on, keeping his hand right where it is.

The only word to describe their position right now, is intimate. Taehyung stares right at him with his forever present caramel ocean eyes, sitting a mere few centimetres away from him. Even with the slight pink that dusts his cheeks, he doesn’t let go of Jungkook’s hand, staring at him with a sense of what Jungkook can only describe, as urgency. And Jungkook is weak so he just lets Taehyung hold on.

“I, um,” Taehyung says, so quietly that it’s almost a whisper, “I know you probably don’t want to see me anymore but I actually was hoping to talk to you.” Those words are enough to have Jungkook’s heart hammering in his chest and to make it even worse, Taehyung’s softly smoothing the tip of his thumb over Jungkook’s.

“You want to talk to me?” he asks, dumbly.

Taehyung nods eagerly.

Jungkook really is surprised that Taehyung would want to talk to him after all that he’d said during their last... confrontation. Yet, he still nods once before looking away from Taehyung entirely, pulling away and feeling as their hands slip apart. Come to think of it, that’s the first time they’ve touched since they’d been handcuffed together, weeks ago.

Jungkook knows it’s cold, knows that he should listen to what Namjoon just told him about having hope, but he can’t help it. That’s why he leaves Taehyung where he is, shoving open his apartment door and stalking inside. Of course, he leaves the door open as an invitation.

As soon as Jungkook is inside he mentally slaps himself up because what is this? Has he really been living in this? There’s a half empty coffee cup on the table, there’s a pair of underwear on the back of the sofa and when he looks to his right at the open kitchen, he notices the sink is stacked with dirty dishes. Fuck!

He hates to do this, especially during their first meet-up after weeks, but he knows his room is tidier which will hopefully save him the embarrassment of Taehyung having to sit in such a messy room.

“Shit,” he says, glancing at Taehyung who’s walked in behind him, “sorry for the mess. Let’s go to my room.”

“I’m fine anywhere,” Jungkook hears, along with the sound of footsteps following behind him.

Luckily, just as he’d expected, his room is tidier than the rest of his apartment and he can’t help but sigh in relief. But that sigh turns into a hitch in his breathing when he watches the way Taehyung perches himself onto the end of his bed, bouncing slightly from the way he’d hopped onto it. He’s got a massive smile on his face, eyes crinkled and all, as he looks up at Jungkook, expectantly. Jungkook just barely manages to hold back his own smile.

“I see that the spider’s gone,” Taehyung chuckles, cocking his head towards the door where they’d conquered the spider together that one time.

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “You said you’d never mention that again.”

“Actually,” Taehyung smirks, raising his index finger up in the air, “you told me not to mention it to anyone else. Therefore I’m allowed to talk about it with you.” This time Jungkook can’t help the small smile that takes its place at his lips. One quick glance at his mirror on the wall and it’s enough for him to notice how much of a whipped idiot he looks like. “Besides,” Taehyung continues, “how could I forget the way you tried oh so hard to protect me. The way you were trying so hard to pull me away from it like it was going to murder me and my whole family.”

“It’s not funny!” he exclaims. Jungkook takes a seat beside Taehyung and tries not to pay too much attention to the way the latter turns to face him with his legs crossed on the bed, shoes having come off at presumably the door. “It was huge!”

“It was barely the size of Jimin’s pepper dick,” Taehyung replies nonchalantly.

Jungkook tries, he really tries to keep it in, but before he knows it, the both of them are cracking up at nearing one in the morning. They laugh so loudly that Jungkook’s worried he’ll get a call about a noise complaint from his neighbours but even at the thought of that, he carries on laughing, all while watching Taehyung laugh.

“Your mouth is huge,” he says absentmindedly, after they’ve calmed down a bit. He immediately regrets it.

Taehyung smirks. “Well, Little Red, all the better to suck your-”

“Okay, okay. I get it.” Jungkook doesn’t want to imagine that right now. Not right before Taehyung is about to break the news to him. That reminds him. “So, did you um, did you want to talk about something?”

Taehyung gets awfully still at that as he places his hands on top of his knees, still completely facing Jungkook, giving him his full attention. “Well, yeah.” Jungkook nods, urging him to continue. “I just- I want you to listen to me. You don’t need to say a word just- I just need you to hear me out.” Jungkook’s heart takes that as the right time to begin hammering in his chest. “Something that I do all the time, is run away. Ever since I was little. Like, times where I always ran away from my mum trying to give me a bath. Or this other time I ran away from a man who was trying to give me my wallet that I dropped. I even remember running away from you after I didn’t pay for my drink at the club.”

Despite his heart, Jungkook snorts at that, the memory clear in his mind. Taehyung had been drunk and at the time they weren’t on the best of terms so Jungkook had physically chased him down the street until he’d got that won note from an out of breath Taehyung.

“You were one fast mother-fucker,” Jungkook chuckles, enjoying the way Taehyung physically relaxes at that, shoulders slumping and all.

“Not as fast as you,” Taehyung laughs. But just as quickly as the smile had appeared, it disappears and he sits up straight again. Jungkook mentally slaps himself for getting too comfortable. “And you really are fast,” Taehyung continues, this time straight faced. “You’re fast at running but you’re also fast at figuring shit out. You know exactly what you want, when you want it and that’s something I wish I could do, Jungkook. To add to that, you know exactly when to stop running. But me? I can’t figure things out quick enough but I keep running until I get far away from that shit.” Taehyung takes a deep breath before frustratedly shaking his hair out. “What I’m trying to say is, I wish I could have run faster and stopped as soon as I got there. I wish I’d figured this out earlier. I wish I’d figured it out the moment you did. And I’m sorry, so fucking sorry for trying to tell you what you were feeling. I guess I was just scared that you actually knew what you were feeling and I didn’t. And my head was even more jumbled after spending so many hours with you.

“Something I never got to do was thank you, Jungkook,” he says, a prominent frown at his lips. “Without you, I know I wouldn’t have been able to do shit about the Sungmin situation and I am honestly so grateful to you. I know you sent in the CCTV footage. But it isn’t just that. When I was with you that day, I felt strength that I’d never felt before and now I know. I don’t care what type of metaphor shit Jimin told me. I would want to be driftwood too, if it means I get to stay with you. No matter how much it scares me to think about all that water that could break us into pieces, I want to be driftwood. With you. I want to try.”

Taehyung isn’t looking at him anymore. He’s looking down at his lap and Jungkook can’t help but admire the way the dim light from the street lamps outside his window, make the tips of Taehyung’s hair and the tops of his cheekbones glow. His heart has calmed down considerably and he thinks he understands what Taehyung’s saying, which has awoken the butterflies in his stomach, but he can’t find it in himself to speak.

Taehyung peeks up at him and what he sees must make him upset because his face drops. Jungkook wants to scream and shout at the top of his lungs, tell Taehyung it’s okay, but he can’t. Taehyung’s wracked him speechless.

“Okay, it’s time for plan B, I guess,” Taehyung mumbles, more to himself than to Jungkook and it gets him sort of excited to see what else Taehyung has in store. “I’m happy that we were handcuffed together and I wouldn’t mind if we were handcuffed together again. And I’m not even just saying that because you remembered shit like the fact that I’m ambidextrous when my supposed soulmate Jimin forgets it all the time, but that’s not what I-” Taehyung cuts his own babbling off, then after a pause, he adds, “I wouldn’t mind being handcuffed again, as long as I’m with you.” He watches as Taehyung shoves his hand into the pocket of his hoodie and what he pulls out next, immediately has Jungkook’s mouth quirking up into a smile.

“What the fuck?” are Jungkook’s first words as he bursts into fits of laughter, pointing at the fluffy pink handcuffs dangling in Taehyung’s grasp.

Taehyung pouts (it’s adorable) but there’s also the ghost of smile at his lips. “It’s not funny, it’s the only one they had at the sex shop!” Jungkook only laughs harder.

To be honest, he doesn’t know how he hasn’t passed out yet. Firstly, he’s exhausted and needs a really long sleep, preferably until one pm the next day. And secondly,  his heart is beating so abnormally-due to the meaning of Taehyung’s words and actions-that, biologically, he probably should be passed out, no, dead right now.

“You- you went to a sex shop?” Jungkook laughs (he’ll admit) obnoxiously. “For handcuffs? I’m never going to let this go.”

Taehyung looks worried now and Jungkook’s heart crackles. He stops laughing, albeit with a bit of effort because Taehyung’s still got the piece of metal and fluff held up in the air. “Wait?” Taehyung asks, a lot quieter now. “Does this mean- do you not-”

“I’m never letting this go,” Jungkook interrupts, grabbing the cuffs out of Taehyung’s hand and placing it on his bed. He then swiftly reaches out and intertwines his and Taehyung’s fingers together. “Just like the way I’m never letting you go.”

Jungkook thinks that the frown on Taehyung’s face had been worth it because he watches the way it morphs completely into his odd boxy smile. He barely ever gets to see it directed at him, normally one he sees at the club when one Park Jimin is around, but he finally gets to see it for what it is. And this up close too.

Shit, they suddenly are really close and Jungkook just hopes Taehyung can’t hear his heart running a 100 metres sprint in his chest.

It’s as they’re here, seated on Jungkook’s bed, that he, for the first time, really really wants to kiss Taehyung. Sure, he’s wanted to kiss Taehyung before but right now he really wants to, but he knows he can’t. It’s too early.

So, instead of leaning in, to Taehyung’s very inviting lips, he lifts their hands up in front of his face before placing a few delicate kisses at Taehyung’s knuckles. The way that that evokes Taehyung’s smile to get even wider is refreshing and Jungkook couldn’t be happier about how this has all turned out.

Turns out, having a little hope, did actually do the trick.

∞

Taehyung feels awkward.

Of course, he’s happy that he and Jungkook have worked things out (his heart flutters just thinking about it) but they haven’t even made anything official yet. Yet here he is, wearing Jungkook’s clothes and waiting for the other as he gets ready for bed in the bathroom.

“I guess, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Taehyung had asked hesitantly, after they’d promised to go on their first date the next day. He didn’t want to leave and he could still feel the ghost of Jungkook’s lips at his knuckles, which was making his stomach butterflies go berserk. But he knew it was too early to suggest staying over for the night.

Apparently Jungkook had thought otherwise. “Why don’t you stay over?” he asked, being quick to correct himself. “I mean, if you want to!”

And that’s how Taehyung finds himself freshly showered, sitting cross-legged on Jungkook’s bed, comfy in said man’s joggers and t-shirt, staring at the bathroom door, and waiting for his own impending doom. He smells like Jungkook and his body wash and something about that has excitement flooding Taehyung’s insides.

Taehyung really knows he’s done for. He doesn’t know why he accepted to staying over when he’s dying to make a move on Jungkook. He has no idea how he’s going to do this. He knows it’s way too early to so much as peck Jungkook on the lips and Taehyung is just. Completely and utterly doomed.

The fluffy pink handcuffs mock Taehyung from their place on Jungkook’s bed.

The sound of the shower turning off has Taehyung finally moving. But the thing is, he doesn’t know where he’s moving to, and in the end all he’s doing is getting up, fixing the duvet that was beneath him, sitting back down, standing back up and staring at the door. It’s safe to say Taehyung’s entire soul leaves his body at what comes through said door.

Jungkook has a towel tightly wrapped around his waist, upper body completely bare save for the tattoos that cover an entire arm and most of his torso. His skin glistens with moisture and Taehyung catches a few droplets of water dragging down the hard abs at Jungkook’s abdomen. Fuck! It’s too early.

“Shit!” Jungkook curses, rushing to his wardrobe and pulling clothes out. “It’s a habit. I’m sorry.”

“It’s a habit to come out of the shower looking like a whole three course meal?” Fuck Taehyung and his nonexistent brain to mouth filter. It’s too fucking early!

Taehyung’s surprised to have Jungkook’s eyes on him suddenly, his body still clad in only his skin. His gaze is unwavering and less wide as it had been previously. In fact, his eyes look slightly hooded.

“I could say the same about you,” Jungkook says, voice low. “You look hot in my clothes.”

Shit. Fuck. Early. Too early!

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

More than two weeks spent apart. Is it really too early?

They move like two pieces of driftwood in a river, being forced together by the strong current. One second Taehyung is standing alone in front of a bed, and the next he’s got another body pressed against his, the force of their bodies crashing together, causing him to take a step back.

All their pent up hatred, anger, attraction, excitement, lust and love plus all the time they’ve spent apart when they could have been together, are forced into this one kiss. It’s filled with a sense of urgency. Want. Need.

Taehyung can’t help the sigh of relief that escapes his lips as he feels Jungkook’s grip tighten at his hips, so strong that their bodies are pressed flush against one another. He tilts his head slightly to better slot their lips together and trails his hands up behind Jungkook’s bare back until they reach his long, damp hair, where he shamelessly allows his fingers to tangle up in.

Not that he’s ever thought about it, but this is exactly how he would have imagined his and Jungkook’s first kiss. Hot and needy. It’s common knowledge that they’re both attracted to one another and it was only a matter of time before they both pushed the ‘hatred’ aside and just jumped each other. Taehyung smiles at the thought.

“Hm, why are you laughing?” Jungkook breathes out in between wet kisses, one hand coming up to grip Taehyung’s jaw and the other moving dangerously far down his lower back.

“Just-” Taehyung starts, only to be shut up by Jungkook’s tongue entering his mouth. “Just-” he tries again, but it’s no use, not when he’s been starving for Jungkook’s lips and can’t pull away. It’s after they pull back for a second to breathe with a string of saliva keeping them close that he’s able to speak. “Just thinking about how much we hate each other,” he says, smiling even wider.

“I don’t hate you.”

“Me neither.”

And their lips are back together in a flash. This time Taehyung feels himself getting pushed backwards gently, and he complies, pulling Jungkook with him. His back lands on the bed with a slight bounce, head nestled into Jungkook’s many pillows. He hears the jostle of the handcuffs coming from the left of him and turns to look up at Jungkook, who’s busy climbing over him and crowding him in against the mattress.

Taehyung smirks at Jungkook.

Jungkook smirks back.

It’s safe to say they do a lot more than use the handcuffs that night.

Taehyung wakes up to light creeping up his face from the afternoon sun. Really? Sun? In the middle of winter? Taehyung groans.

Despite how annoying the sun is being, Taehyung feels at peace. And it very well could be due to the fact that he’s got one Jeon Jungkook wrapped in his arms, with said man’s tattooed arms holding him just as tightly. Taehyung gets a sudden feeling of deja vu, except this time, they’re not handcuffed together.

“Morning,” comes a croaky voice and when he looks up and away from Jungkook’s biceps, he notices the owner of the voice still has his eyes shut. It’s so cute, so endearing, that Taehyung can’t help himself.

“Good morning,” he replies, removing his hand from Jungkook’s back to stroke at the scar on his cheek, loving the way he leans into the touch. “Although I don’t think it’s morning anymore. I think we should get up soon.”

Jungkook merely whines, tugging Taehyung closer to his chest and securing his leg over Taehyung’s. “Don’t want to get up.”

Taehyung coos, snuggling up once more in the warmth that is Jungkook. It takes a few kisses and a lot more cuddles before Taehyung successfully pulls Jungkook out of his bed and even then, he only gets up at the mention of a promised date.

They spend some time getting ready, kissing, eating a late brunch, kissing, answering a call from a worried Jimin and clearing things up, kissing, answering a call from a suggestive Yoongi, kissing and kissing. Then finally, they’re out the door and on the way to the ice cream parlour in town.

“Seriously?” Jungkook had scoffed, speeding down the country roads. “Ice-cream? In this weather?”

“Don’t act like you don’t love the idea.”

“I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Don’t make me handcuff you again.”

“Please.”

In the end, Jungkook loves it just the way Taehyung knew he would (thanks to a private chat he’d had with Yoongi over the phone about Jungkook’s favourite treats while he had been in the bathroom).

The date is like your average cliché, consisting of Taehyung ordering as many different toppings as he can while Jungkook opts for just chocolate sauce and sprinkles. There’s also the insisting of trying each other’s ice-cream, coming more from Taehyung’s end because “how the fuck can you go for something so plain?!” There’s even the reaching out and wiping of ice-cream from the corner of Taehyung’s mouth, which unfortunately makes his heart flutter just the way all the main characters in romcoms say it does.

“God, how many times do I have to tell you not to eat so quickly!” Jungkook exclaims, completely oblivious to the way there are children waiting at the ice-cream counter, ogling at him and his tattoos. “I’m telling you now, you will throw up.”

“Looks like you’ve got some fans,” Taehyung says, ignoring Jungkook’s words and shovelling a massive spoon of strawberry ice-cream into his mouth. He smiles at the wide-eyed little boy, who looks to be the age of six, maybe seven, before cocking his head that way to turn Jungkook’s attention.

“Shit, I don’t know how to child,” Jungkook worries turning back after smiling a forced smile at the young boy.

Taehyung chuckles at that, barely containing his urge to reach forward and squeeze his cheeks. “Well, you’ll have to figure it out because he’s coming over.” He laughs even harder at Jungkook’s constipated expression.

“Hello, nithe to meet you,” comes a voice, words heavily accentuated by the cutest lisp Taehyung’s ever heard. “I’m Jungho.” Presumably Jungho’s mother, rushes forward to apologise but Taehyung is quick to smile at her, letting her know it’s all good.

“Hello Jungho, I’m Taehyung.” He sticks his hand out and coos loudly at the hand size difference as Jungho shakes it hesitantly. “This is my friend, Jungkook.” When Jungkook continues to stare at Taehyung rather than the friendly child, he kicks his leg gently under the table, giving him a pointed look.

“I like Jungkook,” Jungho says suddenly, moving away from Taehyung to get closer to the very awkward looking man.

Jungkook’s smile looks more like a grimace but at least he’s trying. “You like me?” he asks, “is it because our names are similar?” He looks more and more awkward the longer Jungho stares at him.

“Our nameth are thimilar but that’th not why I like you,” Jungho says, sure of himself. His words have Jungkook looking a bit more relaxed as a genuine smile overtakes his lips at the child’s sassiness. “I like your thkin pictureth.”

“Oh, my tattoos?”

“Yeth.”

“Um.”

“I like them too,” Taehyung takes over. “Wanna feel them, Jungho?”

Jungho doesn’t say a word, just nods excitedly with a huge smile on his face. That’s how their date turns into a playtime with a few wide-eyed, toothy-smiled children. And Taehyung loves it because watching an awkward Jungkook start to relax and genuinely smile at the kids has his heart fluttering. It gives him this urge to just pick up a paintbrush and spend hours on painting the masterpiece that is Jeon Jungkook.

“Shit, Tae, can we have kids?” Jungkook asks the question so seriously, eyes fixed on the road in front of him, that Taehyung actually cackles out loud. “What’s so funny?”

“Normally people don’t even kiss on the first date and you’re asking if we can have kids?” Taehyung laughs again, louder this time and just barely managing to stop himself from leaning over and shoving Jungkook because he is driving.

“Well, we’ve done more than kiss already.”

Taehyung scoffs. He can’t contain himself anymore and leans over to pull one of Jungkook’s hands off the wheel, intertwining their fingers and kissing over his knuckles fervently. “Just so you know, I don’t have a uterus.”

“We can make it work.”

Taehyung not only hears the double meaning there but he sees it too in the way Jungkook turns his eyes away from the road for a second to smile at him. It’s a soft smile, just a quirk of his lips, but it causes his once in a blue moon dimples to become visible (seriously, Taehyung’s only ever seen them twice before). Even though they barely have a label on themselves yet, Taehyung knows that they really can make it work. And he means that in terms of everything that there is to a relationship. All this push and pull they’ve played with one another for years, from the moment Jungkook-all long haired and stoic faced-had called Taehyung a hobo to their constant arguing, has finally ended. The rope has broken and if he’s being honest, Taehyung feels like they’ve both won.

And it’s for that reason that Taehyung decides to just go for it, no matter how early it is.

“I really hate Yoongi hyung right now,” Jungkook groans, leaning up against the wall beside Taehyung’s apartment door. Yoongi had called Jungkook while they had been driving back to his place, commanding him to come to work early; something about being packed with horny university students.

“I do too,” Taehyung agrees, coyly sneaking a hand up Jungkook’s arm. “I’m telling him you said that, by the way.”

“Go ahead, he already knows,” Jungkook replies, no hint of anger in his voice at all. “Will I get to see you again?” Taehyung raises an eyebrow at him and a look of realisation sets Jungkook’s features. “I- I mean as in hanging out. Not sex. Although I’d be fine with that too.”

Taehyung doesn’t like this, this unknown layer between whatever they are. It’s unclear as to exactly what they are to one another, even when he knows exactly what he wants. So he speaks up.

“I know a way you can see me again. A way you can never get rid of me.”

Jungkook looks curious, but doesn’t speak.

“I know it’s early as fuck, and people normally wouldn’t do this after the first date. But we’ve basically been dancing around each other for years and I- oh god, Jimin’s going to kill me for seeming so desperate-”

“What is it, Tae?” Jungkook laughs, easing Taehyung’s nerves a bit.

“Be my boyfriend?” he blurts, feeling his cheeks burn up. He’s never done this before, since normally he’s the one being asked but he wants this so bad and there’s a first time for everything.

“What?”

“My boyfriend,” Taehyung repeats. “Jeon Jungkook, will you be my boyfriend?”

Taehyung should feel bad about making Jungkook late for work but he doesn’t, not when he’s got Jungkook’s mouth on his. It’s a sweet kiss, kind of chaste, but still a hint of want in there.

“Is that-” Taehyung says, pulling away for a second, “is that a yes?”

Jungkook smiles, revealing his two bunny teeth, as he cups Taehyung’s face in his hands. He leans in and kisses Taehyung’s forehead softly. “Yes.” He kisses Taehyung’s cheek. “Yes.” His nose. “Yes.” His chin. “Yes.” And his lips. “Yes.”

The only way to describe the way Taehyung feels, is giddy. His insides warm up and he’s sure he mirrors Jungkook’s bright smile almost exactly.

Yeah, Taehyung thinks, they will make it work.

∞

“I miss him,” Jungkook whines, scowling as obviously as he can at the girls eyeing him from the other side of the bar. They’ve been ogling him ever since they got to the club and sure, they’re pretty but Jungkook hates it. Besides, he’s got someone else on his mind.

“Clingy much?”

Jungkook scoffs at that and the sight of Yoongi beside him. “How can you say that when you’ve literally got Jimin on your lap? Is that even allowed, like why aren’t you fired?”

“Hey! Don’t get me involved in your moping,” Jimin snaps, snuggling up into Yoongi’s side. It makes Jungkook want to gag. Seriously, he’s not even allowed to be on this side of the bar. “I swear you saw Tae in the morning though. You should know he has a very important commission to work on.”

“I do, but I’m still allowed to miss him.”

They’ve been dating for a while now, quite a while that the frosty days have melted away into an overly sweaty summer. One that Jungkook would hate even more if he didn’t have Taehyung by his side. Except, he’s not by his side at this very moment, so yes, he hates it.

“How the fuck do you sweat that much?” Yoongi asks, changing the subject as Jungkook scrubs at his wet forehead with a napkin. “Is it even sanitary for you to be serving drinks, sweating like a whole pig?”

Jungkook glares, opening his mouth to retort with a sarcastic comment along the lines of ‘ is it sanitary for you to be serving drinks when you’ve got a whole ass in your hand? ’ when someone speaks for him.

“Hyung, I don’t appreciate you talking to my boyfriend like that.” Jungkook knows, just by the familiar arms around his middle in a back hug, by the soft press of lips at his nape, by the damn smell of his shampoo, that the intruder is in fact Taehyung. And even though Jungkook is feeling hot and sticky in this poorly air-conditioned club, he can’t help but sigh in relief before turning around and pulling Taehyung into a tight hug, all in one quick movement. Taehyung isn’t allowed to be on the serving side of the bar, something he’s chastised him about many times in the past, but right now he couldn’t care less. Not when he has Taehyung’s tiny waist held in his hands, his soft silver hair tickling his face, his gorgeous pink lips-

“Wow, you really do stink.”

Jungkook frowns at Taehyung’s comment, hearing the scoff from Yoongi behind him. “Babe!”

“What?” Taehyung asks nonchalantly, making a scrunched up face all while still holding Jungkook close. “Only I’m allowed to speak to you like that.”

“I don’t want you to speak to me like that.”

“I want to speak like that.”

“Don’t.”

“What? Are you going to punish me?”

Jungkook smirks at Taehyung’s coy expression, pulling him impossibly closer. “If you continue like that, I might just-”

“Excuse me? Cutie with the tattoos?” Jungkook groans at the interruption, immediately knowing the call is directed to him. When he turns slightly, one arm still hooked behind Taehyung’s back, he’s surprised to find one of the girls from earlier, leaning up against the bar. Her little black dress is tight and her hair is dark and flowing, though if Jungkook squints, he’s pretty sure he can see something sticky in there that’s clumping it all together. From that alone, Jungkook knows this woman is drunk. Very drunk.

“What can I get for you?” Jungkook asks, removing his hand from Taehyung (as much as he hates to) and already reaching under the table for a glass.

“Well, I thought you knew what I wanted since you’ve been eyeing me since I got here,” she replies, voice dripping with honey. It’s too sweet for Jungkook’s liking.

“Would you like a drink, ma’am?” Jungkook asks, ignoring her (untrue) comment.

“I want you,” she says, red lips pouted out. “Why are you hugging him when you could be-”

“I’m going to have to stop you there,” Jungkook interrupts, holding up a hand and just barely managing to keep his anger at bay. No one talks shit about Taehyung. Not in front of him at least.

“No, let her say it,” comes Taehyung’s voice, as he squishes up to his side, placing a very obvious arm around Jungkook’s shoulder. Jungkook exhales deeply, dreading what’s going to be happening next. Because he knows for a fact that Taehyung is just as possessive of him as he is of Taehyung. “I want to hear her say it.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I just want to hear you say it,” Taehyung repeats, voice low and kind of infuriated.

Jimin’s voice comes next. “Tae, just-”

“Fine. Why is he hugging you when he could be hugging me close in bed, giving it to me just the way I want it-”

“Oh, you mean the way he was giving it to me last night?” Taehyung cuts in smoothly, tone so casual that Jungkook actually has to hold back a laugh. He also doesn’t miss the way Taehyung’s hand tightens on his shoulder or the way he gets impossibly closer, nose brushing against the side of his neck.

“Fuck you, you little-”

“No, fuck you. Hasn’t your mother taught you not to mess with other people’s boyfriend?

Jungkook wouldn’t admit it out loud but he’s sort of intimidated by the authority in Taehyung’s voice, though he’s kind of turned on too. He has half a mind to wrap his arm back around his boyfriend, subtly pulling him away from the counter. Not that it works.

“Oh, please, I can tell he wants nothing to do with you. Why has your boyfriend been staring at me?”

Jungkook frowns. “Actually, hold on-”

“Probably because you’ve got shit in your hair,” Taehyung laughs, pulling away from Jungkook to get back to the counter top that divides them. “Girl, you have to learn how to clean up after yourself.”

“Fucking come out here right now then,” the girl argues, words coming out slurred as she obviously doesn’t notice how much smaller she is compared to Taehyung. Not that Taehyung is actually going to fight her. Jungkook knows he isn’t. “I’ll fucking clean up the blood for you after I beat the crap-”

“Sooyeon! Oh fuck, I’m sorry,” comes a higher pitched voice, as a girl in shiny heels comes running forward, “she gets hella aggressive when she’s drunk.”

“No, Daeun, let go! I need to fight this motherfu-”

“Bitch you better stop moving so I can pull you away.”

“I need to fight him!”

“Apologise to him.”

“I need to-”

“Fucking apologise!”

It all happens so fast. The new girl, Daeun, wraps both her arms around Sooyeon, harshly pulling her backwards with such a straight face that Jungkook’s sure she’s probably dealt with this before. Multiple times.

The arms around her, also seem to calm Sooyeon down a bit, as she relaxes and lets her head fall back onto her friend. The murderous look on her face is gone and replaced with a rather sleepy looking one.

“Fine,” she mutters for the second time that evening, though the tone has changed significantly. “I’m sorry. You’re pretty.”

Jungkook doesn’t even try to stop the massive smile from gracing his lips as he follows the finger that Sooyeon has pointed at a very shell-shocked Taehyung. “Me?” he asks, brows furrowed.

“Yeah, cutie with the tattoos’ boyfriend. Super pretty. I’d let you fuc-”

“Okay, time to go,” Daeun hisses, clasping a hand over her friend’s mouth. “Sorry again,” she directs at them and then the two girls are gone. Just like that.

Jungkook stares in awe for a second before his mind comes back to him. He doesn’t even warn Taehyung before pulling him towards the back room, ignoring Yoongi’s protests. And he doesn’t even give Taehyung a second to think about anything because he’s too busy pushing him up against the wall of the hallway, attaching their lips together.

“You’re so hot when you’re angry,” Jungkook mumbles into Taehyung’s mouth, loving the way his boyfriend immediately starts kissing back.

“I’m hot, full stop.”

Jungkook pulls away from his mouth, keeping one hand firmly on Taehyung’s waist and the other at his cheek, paying no mind to the way he chases his lips.

“You’re not hot all the time.”

“What?”

“Sometimes you’re annoying. Especially when you climb all over me while I’m trying to play Overwatch.” Taehyung frowns but Jungkook continues. “Sometimes you’re ethereal. I mean you’re beautiful everyday but there’s just times where you look plain stunning, like when we’re on my sofa during sunset. More specifically, that exact time where the sun is orange and sneaks in through the half closed blinds, lighting up your face. And it’s not even something you notice because you’re always too busy on your phone or watching TV.” Jungkook doesn’t exactly know why he’s saying all of this; it could just be his unconscious way of letting Taehyung know that he doesn’t have to worry, especially not about drunk girls at the bar, because he only has eyes for him. And also the fact that Taehyung’s eyes are wide and slightly watery, only egging him on more. “And sometimes you’re just fucking adorable. So innocent and cute even though I know that’s far from what you are. And I don’t think I’ve ever told you this but I noticed it months ago, back when we were handcuffed together. You’ve got these ocean eyes that are so beautiful and brown and deep and they literally tell me exactly how you’re feeling.”

Jungkook smiles as he finishes his speech, quickly reaching up so that both of his hands are clutching Taehyung’s cheeks, swiping away the escaped tear and barely holding back his own. If that isn’t a confession from his part, he doesn’t know what is.

“Really?” Taehyung asks, smiling too. “So, what are my eyes saying now.”

“That I’m the best boyfriend you’ve ever had,” Jungkook teases.

“Close. I’ll tell you what I’m feeling,” Taehyung replies as he too grabs Jungkook’s face. Even after all these months, Jungkook’s heart still flutters at the minor touch. “I’m head over heels in love with you, Jungkook.”

Jungkook doesn’t reply, just lets out an embarrassing squeak, causing Taehyung to laugh through his tears.

They kiss again, this time Taehyung leaning forward first, pressing a smile straight into Jungkook’s own. It’s funny because even as their teeth clash together multiple times, they carry on, albeit with giggles let out in between.

“I love you too,” Jungkook says quickly, before kissing his lips again. “So much.”

And he really does. He loves Taehyung so much, loves his sassiness, his ability to intimidate, his ability to shine just like the sun, his hate for limes, his soft hair.

And those damn ocean eyes.

It’s in that moment that Jungkook knows, that whether it be battling a day handcuffed together or trying not to break into many wooden pieces as the river shoves them around, they can get through this together. They can take over the world if they wanted to.

And that he’s happy no matter where he goes, as long as he’s with Taehyung.

∞

Taehyung sits up in bed quickly, kicking his legs about in anger. The sun has woken him up. Again! And to make matters worse, he and Jungkook along with all their friends had gone out for Taehyung’s birthday the night before, meaning he has a hangover headache as we speak.

Despite this, now that’s he’s awake, he knows he won’t be able to go back to sleep, so he turns in hopes to force Jungkook awake too.

He grimaces at the sight of their hands bound together with that damn pair of fluffy pink handcuffs. Almost a year later, and apparently things haven’t changed.

“Fuck,” he says, shoving Jungkook. “Fuck! Babe!”

“What. What. What?” Jungkook startles awake, eyes widening as he sits up too. “Oh, shit,” he adds as soon as he glances down.

“Oh, not this shit again! Where’s the keys?” Taehyung groans because he sure doesn’t know, for the life of him, where they’d be. And judging by the look on his boyfriend’s face, he doesn’t know either.

“But this isn’t so bad, is it?” Jungkook smirks, coming closer to shove his face into Taehyung’s hair. He’ll admit, it’s cute and he loves it, loves the way his tummy still flips at the show of affection, but fuck no. Not today.

“I hate it.”

“Come on now,” Jungkook teases, “not long ago, you were crying over how much you wouldn’t mind being handcuffed to me for the rest of your life and that you’re so madly in love with-”

“Shut up,” but then Jungkook plants kiss after kiss all over his head and face and he can’t help himself. “I love you.”

“I love you too. But do you love me more than that ball gag I got you for your birthday?”

“Jungkook!”