Work Text:
She said, “I think your ears are playing tricks on you.”
Sweater zipped up to her chin.
“Thanks for caring, sir, that’s nice of you,
But I have to go back in.
Wish I could tell you about the noise,
But I didn’t hear a thing.”
She said, “It must have been the wind.”
Yoongi didn’t know what he had done in a past life to deserve this job, but he wasn’t going to question a good thing. He had accepted a job as a music producer in his hometown of Daegu and he decided it was about damn time that he moved out of his parents’ house and into his own apartment. It was a nice one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. He had toured it with Jin and once it got the older male’s stamp of approval, he was packing his things in boxes and moving in.
He was pleased with his apartment, but he wasn’t happy about having to walk up the stairs with a large box because someone was in the elevator. He had an apartment on the second floor so the stairs weren’t that bad, but the box he was carrying made him hate stairs. Jin was back at the car with Namjoon so it’s not like Yoongi could shout for one of them to help grab the keys out of his pocket to get into his new home.
He struggled to hold the box with one hand while his newly freed hand rummaged through his pocket for his keys. His hand under the box was shaking. It was going to give out and he was going to break everything in the box. Just as he grabbed the keys, he lost his grip on the box. He gasped when he felt a pair of hands reach out and helped him hold the box. Yoongi’s eyes widened as a silver haired male with a heart shaped smile had come to his rescue.
“Hi! I couldn’t help but notice you needed a hand!”
“Oh, uh, yeah… thanks.”
“Here, let me help you!”
The silver haired male gave no room for objection. He grabbed the keys from Yoongi’s hand, allowing the platinum blonde to focus on carrying the box. The stranger put the key in and unlocked the door, holding it open for Yoongi to walk in. Yoongi let out a sigh of relief as soon as he placed the box on the dining table. He gazed at the silver haired male, who was now pulling the key out of the lock.
“I’m Min Yoongi, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you! I’m Jung Hoseok!”
“Do you… do you live in this complex?”
Hoseok playfully tossed the keys up and down in his hand as he replied, “No, actually, I like to follow people into the complex and tell them I’m a long-lost cousin of theirs so that they take me in and feed me for free. Odds are I’m your long lost fifth cousin seven times removed… so, are you going to feed me?”
Yoongi stared back at the silver haired male, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Hoseok threw his head back and laughed. That laugh was unlike anything Yoongi had ever heard. It was loud, bouncing off the walls like music in Yoongi’s studio. His laugh was accompanied by Hoseok clapping his hands like a happy little seal. Yoongi decided that the sound of Hoseok’s laugh needed to be featured on a song because it was fucking beautiful.
The silver haired male walked over to Yoongi and handed him his key. Hoseok smiled as he stated, “I’m just kidding! I actually live in the apartment right above you so, technically, that makes us neighbors… kind of! I hope you won’t mind the noise you’ll probably hear.”
“I might make a lot of noise, too.”
“Really? How so?”
“I’m a music producer.”
“No way! You make music?!”
Hoseok made Yoongi forget all about how he was supposed to be bringing his belongings into his apartment. Yoongi returned a smile, “Yeah, sometimes I like to bring work home with me so you might hear me working on some songs every now and then. I hope that won’t be a problem but if it is, I hope you’ll come and yell at me for it.”
A light pink blush spread across Hoseok’s face, and Yoongi thought it made him look beautiful. The silver haired male shot back quickly, “I’m sure I won’t mind, as long as you don’t mind if I steal your songs and produce them before you can!”
The two of them immediately started laughing. Hoseok had reached out and held onto Yoongi’s arm. Yoongi felt warm as soon as the other male touched him. This was unlike anything Yoongi had ever experienced with another person. Normally, he couldn’t wait to tell someone to fuck off, but not this time. He thought about asking Hoseok to stay for dinner, but the sound of Jin and Namjoon yelling for his help broke him out of that. Their meeting was brief, but Yoongi could tell that this wouldn’t be the last he saw of Jung Hoseok.
“Hoseok, I think we’re going to get along just fine.”
“We’d get along better if you called me Hobi.”
“Hobi it is then.”
After many hours of Jin pestering Yoongi, and Namjoon sitting back to enjoy the show, the platinum blonde had all his belongings unpacked. Jin arranged all his decorations, so Yoongi would have to take them all down and rearrange them to spite him tomorrow. The platinum blonde was brushing his teeth before bed when he heard some loud noises coming from the apartment above him.
Hobi.
He spat in the sink and wiped his mouth with a towel. He remembered that Hoseok had told him to expect noise, but this wasn’t what he was expecting. Yoongi had told Hoseok that he would play music loud so he expected his neighbor to be loud in the same way, but the silver haired male wasn’t playing music. Yoongi walked over to his bed, furrowing his brow when he heard the noise from upstairs growing louder. He turned off the lamp on his nightstand and then crawled into bed.
His stomach was churning as he focused on the noises he was hearing. He could hear heavy footsteps, as if someone was stomping around. He could hear a man’s voice that didn’t belong to Hoseok. The man sounded angry. His voice was getting louder with each passing second until he was yelling at someone. Yoongi desperately hoped that Hoseok wasn’t on the receiving end of that harsh voice. His heart dropped when he heard Hoseok’s voice respond to the other male. Yoongi had to strain to hear his voice because it was so soft, so scared.
Yoongi shot up in bed when he heard it, when he heard something break. It sounded like someone had thrown a vase, or a bottle, across the room, shattering against the wall. Yoongi didn’t know Hoseok very well, but he could tell that he was far too gentle and kind to ever throw something. Being violent wasn’t something that suited Hoseok, yet it unfortunately appeared that being a punching bag was.
The platinum blonde’s heart was racing, causing his breathing to pick up. He heard a body fall to the floor above him. He could tell by the screams of terror that it was Hoseok. No doubt the silver haired male had been thrown to the ground. He could hear a man yelling at Hoseok to get back up. Yoongi wanted to tell him to stay down, to play dead. A feeling of dread washed over Yoongi when he heard Hoseok sobbing. He was trying to get back up.
Yoongi swung his feet over the side of the bed and held his face in his hands. He could hear the sickening sound of someone being backhanded, or punched. He could hear someone storming away from whoever had fallen on the floor again. Yoongi didn’t know what to do. He could hear everything so he figured he should say something. Was it his business, though? Was it his place to get involved in something that doesn’t concern him? He stood up when he heard Hoseok crying above him.
He would make it his business now.
Yoongi tossed on an oversized hoodie and rushed out of his apartment. He ran to the elevator, pressing the button for the third floor when he was inside. When the doors opened he made a mad dash to Hoseok’s door. Yoongi stood before the door for a moment, thinking it through. He didn’t know what to expect if he knocked, but he knew he couldn’t just sit by and listen to everything that was happening in the apartment above him. He jumped when he heard a door open behind him.
“You’re wasting your time on that boy.”
“So, you hear it, too? The noise?”
“Of course, I do. I live across from him.”
“What have you done about what you hear?”
Yoongi turned around to see a middle-aged woman putting out a cigarette. She rolled her eyes as she replied, “I’ve done the same as you. I’ve knocked on that door countless times but it’s the same damn answer every time. There’s no point in trying to say anything to him anymore. He won’t help himself so I’m done helping him.”
The way she talked made Yoongi’s blood boil. He glared at her as he countered, “You make me sick. I can’t believe you would say something like that when you probably know nothing about the situation he’s in. You hear things, just the same as me, but you gave up and blamed him. I would say I’d beat the shit out of you but I’ll just leave it to your cigarette to kill you slowly.”
The woman nearly dropped her cigarette at his words. She scoffed and then returned to the safety of her apartment. Yoongi knew he was being awfully rude, and on the first day in a new complex, but he didn’t care. This woman had the audacity to try to stop him from helping his newfound friend. Yoongi had to try. He couldn’t hear the things he heard and not do something about it.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door. He winced when he heard a man shouting at Hoseok to answer the damn door. He could hear soft footsteps walking around before the door opened, revealing the silver haired male. Yoongi’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped at the sight of the smaller male. There was a black eye starting to form, but that wasn’t it. Hoseok was wearing a quarter zip sweater. It went high on his neck, but not high enough to hide the bruises from someone’s hand wrapped around his throat. Some bruises were fading and others looked fairly recent.
“C-Can I help you, Yoongi?”
Yoongi blinked a few times, trying to register that the little voice that spoke to him was Hoseok. This wasn’t the same Hoseok he had talked to earlier. The Hoseok he had met before radiated like the sun. The Hoseok he met earlier had a smile that took the shape of a heart and he had eyes that seemed to sparkle. This Hoseok looked small and tired, like the light in his eyes had been snuffed. He felt like he had met two different Hoseok’s. The happy one that came out during the day, and the terrified one that was brought out when the sun went down.
Hoseok opened the door wide enough so that his lithe body could fit in it. It looked like he didn’t want to show any more of the inside of his apartment than he had to. Yoongi wondered if Hoseok had done that so he could keep the horrors inside hidden and away from the outside world. From what Yoongi could see, there was a shattered bottle on ground and beer splattered on the wall. Someone had tried to throw the bottle at Hoseok.
Yoongi was brought out of his thoughts when he saw Hoseok tilt his head in confusion. The platinum blonde sighed before he admitted, “Hobi, I heard… I heard some things that really concerned me. I heard some noise coming from your apartment and I just… I’m worried about you.”
For a split second, Hoseok’s eyes widened. Yoongi was surprised when he saw Hoseok send him a small smile, “Oh, Yoongi, I think your ears are playing tricks on you.”
“Wh-What? But, Hobi-“
Yoongi couldn’t finish his sentence because Hoseok had cut him off with a forced smile, “Thanks for caring, Yoongi, that’s nice of you, but I have to go back in. I wish I could tell you about the noise but I didn’t hear a thing.”
“Hobi, I know what I heard.”
“It must have been the wind.”
Hoseok sent an apologetic look towards Yoongi before he retreated into his apartment. Yoongi stared at the door, half expecting Hoseok to open it and tell him that it wasn’t the wind he heard. Yoongi’s shoulders sagged. He barely knew Hoseok but he felt like he had let him down. He felt like he had a responsibility to Hoseok, especially after what he had heard. Maybe he should’ve pushed the door open and went inside so he could beat the shit out of whoever dared to hurt Hoseok. Maybe he should’ve taken Hoseok’s hand and guided him down the stairs to the safety of his apartment. Maybe he should’ve done more.
There was nothing more Yoongi could do at the moment. He turned around, glaring at the woman across the hall when she opened her door. She was leaning in the doorway with an all-knowing smirk on her face. Yoongi wanted nothing more than to smack it off her face, but he didn’t feel like going to jail tonight. She crossed her arms as she eyed Yoongi.
“He told you it was the wind, huh?”
“Fuck off.”
Yoongi started to walk down the hall towards the elevator. He froze when he heard her calling after him, “Like I said, you’re wasting your time with him. You could do this every night but it won’t work because he doesn’t want help.”
The platinum blonde whipped around, causing the woman to take a fearful step back into her apartment. His eyes darkened as he snapped, “Like I said, fuck off. I’ll do this every night until he realizes he deserves better than this. You’ve got some nerve talking about him like that when you’ve got just as much blood on your hands as that asshole in there.”
“Don’t compare me to him!”
“I just did.”
“Take it back!”
“Hell no.”
The platinum blonde trudged over to the woman, who was now cowering in fear. He pointed a finger at her as he growled, “You hear more than I do so you know what’s going on in there but you do nothing about it! He could fucking die in there one night and you wouldn’t even bat an eye! What you’re doing is just as bad as what he’s doing because you’re enabling it! If you can listen to what’s going on in that apartment and not feel a thing then you’re fucking disgusting.”
He left the woman shaking in the doorway, not even bothering to respond to her when she called after him. She wasn’t worth his time. Yoongi stepped into the elevator and leaned his back against the wall. He ran a hand through his platinum blonde locks. He couldn’t believe it. He would’ve never expected that Hoseok was trying to warn him earlier about the noise he would hear. Never in a million years would Yoongi have thought that Hoseok was warning him about the sound of domestic violence coming from above him.
He didn’t remember walking out of the elevator or making his way back to his bed. All he could think about was how Hoseok shined brighter than anyone he had ever met, but the light was being forcefully put out at night. Yoongi tried to get some sleep that night, but he was restless. He couldn’t stop thinking about Hoseok and if hearing the horrible sounds from above him was going to be an every night thing or if this was a once-a-week sort of ordeal. Whatever it was, Yoongi didn’t like it. He prayed that this would be the last time he would hear Hoseok sobbing. He prayed that this would be the last time he saw bruises littering Hoseok’s honey toned skin.
But he knew his prayers fell on deaf ears.
Yoongi woke up the next day feeling groggy. He was tossing and turning all night. It seemed that he couldn’t get a good night’s sleep while knowing that Hoseok was in a dangerous situation above him. He sighed as he slowly made his way into the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. He was going to need it if he was going to survive the rest of the day.
As he walked down the street to get to work, he kept thinking about all that he had to do for the day. It was his first day at his new job and they wanted him to not only start working on a list of songs for an artist’s upcoming album, but he also somehow had to find someone who was willing to help create the choreography for some of the songs. Yoongi was fine with writing songs and composing the music for them, but choreography? Yoongi could do many things, but he could not dance.
Originally, Yoongi was supposed to be the one coming up with the choreography but that was a no from him dawg. He would have to find someone to create all the dances. He walked into the building and was immediately hit with music blaring through the halls. But as soon as the music came, it left. It was like the music could only be heard when a door was open. Yoongi knew he should just go to his studio and start working on songs, but his curiosity got the better of him this time.
He walked down the hall, trying to find the source of the loud music. He poked his head into the windows of the doors until someone caught his eye. Inside one of the dance studios was none other than Yoongi’s silver haired sunshine neighbor, Hoseok. He was wearing a pair of black joggers and a cropped white hoodie that showed off his toned stomach. Yoongi could see that he was wearing a black headband to help keep his silver bangs out of his face while he moved. Hoseok was moving his hips around loosely until the part of his song he was going to dance to came on.
If Yoongi had a coffee in his hand he was sure he would’ve dropped it as soon as he saw Hoseok dancing. His movements were quick and precise, while also showing off his perfect hourglass figure in the process. Hoseok moved like he had been dancing his whole life. Yoongi had never seen someone so fluid while they moved. It was like there wasn’t a single bone in his body and the way those hips moved was unlike anything Yoongi had ever seen before. Yoongi thought that Shakira needed to take a seat because Hoseok's hips really don't lie.
While Hoseok was certainly a talented dancer, there was something else that was captivating about him. It was his heart shaped smile and the way it remained on his face throughout the entire dance. He could be doing fast movements for the dance but that smile didn’t budge. He could be shaking his ass and running his hands over his body but that beautiful smile was still plastered on his face like the most stunning piece of artwork Yoongi had ever seen. Yoongi shook his head with a smile, the Mona Lisa had nothing on Hoseok.
Yoongi remained there lurking outside the door until the song was over and Hoseok had stopped dancing. Yoongi could see that his chest was heaving, as if it had taken a lot out of him to dance like that. Yet, that smile was still there. The platinum blonde took this as his moment to open the door and walk in to applaud the dancer. Hoseok nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the sound of Yoongi clapping. He turned around and immediately started blushing, hiding his arms behind his back.
“Aish, how long were you watching?”
“I saw the whole thing.”
“Was… was I good?”
“Hobi, you were incredible!”
The way Hoseok blushed when he heard those words was such an endearing sight. He had gone from bursting with confidence while he was dancing to becoming small and shy when he was receiving compliments. Yoongi’s eyes softened when he saw that Hoseok had dimples that looked deep enough for him to dive into. Hands down, Hoseok was the most beautiful person Yoongi had ever seen.
Yet, Yoongi was starting to remember that he couldn’t have Hoseok. For starters, they had just met so they still had a lot to learn about one another. Second, Hoseok seemed to be in a complicated relationship with his current lover. Third, Yoongi didn’t even know if Hoseok wanted to be out of that relationship despite knowing the silver haired male shouldn’t be in it. Yoongi wanted nothing more than to free Hoseok from the man who had his claws dug deep into him. Yoongi wanted his arms to be a place Hoseok would feel safe in, be it as a friend or as a lover. He would take whatever Hoseok was willing to give him.
“What are you doing here, Hobi?”
“I work here, Yoongi!”
“Really? What do you do?”
Hoseok wandered over to his black bag on the ground and drank some water. He sent a smile towards Yoongi as he answered, “I’m a choreographer for the company! I help artists, or groups, develop their dance routines! I have a lot more free time on my hands now that the choreography is finished for my last artist so I figured I’d just play around in here.”
This was music to Yoongi’s ears. It felt like the stars were aligning for him. First, Yoongi met someone who was as bright as the sun, then he found out he worked at the same company as him, and now he’s discovered that Hoseok is available to create choreography for new music. Well, Yoongi would have to ask if Hoseok would be down to create dance routines for the music he was going to produce.
“Hobi, can I ask for a favor?”
“It depends.”
“On what?”
The silver haired male walked over to Yoongi, still keeping his arms behind his back. His eyes flashed from side to side before he whispered to Yoongi like he was telling a secret, “It depends on if you’re going to ask me to help you bury a dead body or not. I’m on the NIS’s most wanted list so I’ve been trying to lay low these past couple months. If you need help burying a body, I’m not saying I have the perfect place for that… but I have the perfect place for that.”
“You know,” Yoongi shook his head and activated his gummy smile, “sometimes I can’t tell if you’re joking or being completely serious! I know I shouldn’t, but even if you were a mass murderer I’d still think you’re fucking cute.”
Hoseok gasped at those words and his cheeks immediately started to feel like they were heating up. Yoongi’s eyes widened as he tried to explain, “Oh, shit, did I say that last part out loud? Fuck, I hope this doesn’t make things weird between us because I was really hoping that you could help me out with the choreography for the songs I’ve going to create!”
“You… you really think I’m cute?”
“Hobi, I think you’re fucking beautiful.”
Hoseok bit his lip. He brought one of his arms out from behind his back so he could shyly tuck a loose strand of silver hair behind his ear. He avoided Yoongi’s gaze as he returned, “No one’s… no one’s ever called me beautiful before. It’s been a long time since someone even thought I was cute.”
Yoongi felt his heart shatter in his chest. He didn’t understand how Hoseok had never been called beautiful before, let alone no one had called him cute for quite some time. Yoongi didn’t understand how the man living with Hoseok never thought to appreciate the silver haired male. Yoongi refused to refer to that man as Hoseok’s lover. He was nothing more than a roommate. He did not deserve to be deemed to be a lover. A lover would make it their mission to cherish the person they’re with, and that was not what Hoseok’s roommate was doing.
“You… you really want my help?”
“Hobi, I need your help.”
“Are you sure? There’s plenty of other-“
“But none are like you.”
The dancer gasped at those powerful words. His eyes were wide and scared as he quietly asked, “What’s so special about me, though? I don’t understand why you want me.”
There were tears glistening in Hoseok’s eyes and Yoongi could only hope that they wouldn’t come running down those precious chipmunk cheeks. Yoongi’s heart could only take so much heartbreak in one day. Seeing Hoseok make himself look so tiny was cute, but Yoongi didn’t want him feeling small. He hoped that one day he would be able to see Hoseok shine with confidence. He got a glimpse of confident Hoseok when he was dancing and he knew he wanted to see it again. Hell, he might even want to see it for the rest of his life but he knew better than to get ahead of himself like that.
Yoongi slowly reached a hand out, giving Hoseok time to push him away if he didn’t want to be touched. Yoongi’s hand rested on Hoseok’s hip. He felt the silver haired male stiffen at first but he quickly relaxed under his large hand. Yoongi’s other hand gradually made its way to Hoseok’s cheek, causing the dancer to stare into his dark brown eyes. The blush on Hoseok’s face made Yoongi feel something. It made him feel like he had a chance.
The dancer leaned his cheek into Yoongi’s hand. The platinum blonde had a gentle smile on his face as he murmured, “Everything about you is special, Hobi. I know you can’t see it now, but one day I hope you’ll be able to see just how much I want you, and why I want you. I wish… I wish I could give you what you deserve.”
Yoongi pulled away from the smaller male, much to both of their dismay. Hoseok was missing the warmth of Yoongi’s hands on him. Normally, he would’ve been scared of another man touching him, but he wasn’t afraid this time. There was something about Yoongi that made Hoseok feel safe and secure. There was something about Yoongi that gave him hope. Hoseok wanted to know what made Yoongi so special.
“Okay, Yoongi, I’ll help you.”
Yoongi’s gummy smile was back on his face as he threw a fist in the air to celebrate. Hoseok was laughing as he watched Yoongi attempt to dance. The silver haired male smiled as Yoongi looked at his watch, giving a sheepish look when he realized he was late. The two friends bid each other farewell but Yoongi couldn’t help but pause in the doorway. He looked back at the silver haired male, who had started to dance again. Yoongi shook his head with a small smile.
“Maybe we’ll help each other.”
When the day was done, Yoongi walked back down to the dance studio to see if Hoseok was still in there. He smiled when he entered the room and saw his friend packing up his belongings in his bag. Hoseok was surprised to see Yoongi return to him, but he welcomed the platinum blonde, nonetheless. He bit his lip and nodded when Yoongi asked him if it would be alright to walk him home.
The walk home was innocent. Yoongi and Hoseok were still learning about each other, but it felt like they had always known one another. Hoseok had made the comment that they must have known each other in a past life. Yoongi had merely smiled and nodded back, not trusting his voice at the moment. As they walked back to the apartment complex, their hands would brush against one another’s. It was like they were silently hinting that they wanted to hold hands, but they didn’t.
They took the elevator, giggling to each other when they pressed all the buttons so the elevator would go to every floor. It was a bittersweet feeling when Yoongi exited the elevator. He knew what that meant. He sent one last longing look to Hoseok, forcing a smile to the silver haired male. He wouldn’t be able to protect him when the elevator doors closed. Hoseok gave his friend a pained smile as the doors started to close.
Hoseok would be traveling to the third floor, back to the man who treated him like shit. Yoongi didn’t want Hoseok to go into that war zone that he called home, but there was nothing he could do about it until the dancer left the relationship. It didn’t feel like Yoongi could do much to help his friend. An idea popped into Yoongi’s head and that’s when he ran towards the elevator, sticking his arm in between the doors to make them pop open.
“Y-Yoongi, what are you-“
“I need you to listen to me, Hobi.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Yoongi entered the elevator and placed his hands on Hoseok’s hips. There was a desperate look in his eyes as he smiled, “I promise I’m not playing tricks on you. You’re always welcome to come into my apartment. You could stay there for an hour or two if you ever need a friend.”
Hoseok’s breath hitched when he heard those words, as well as the sound of the elevator doors opening to let him know that they were on the third floor. Hoseok nodded to Yoongi before reluctantly removing himself from the taller male. He walked out of the elevator but he turned around when he heard the sound of Yoongi holding the doors open once more.
A few tears slipped down Hoseok’s face at the sight of Yoongi’s eyes begging him to come back. Hoseok’s heart was breaking when he heard Yoongi say softly, “We can talk about the noise when you’re ready, but until then…”
Yoongi looked down, trying to hide the fact that he was close to crying, as well. He blinked away the tears. He didn’t want to cry in front of Hoseok, especially when he was already crying. It felt like someone had shot him in the heart when he saw Hoseok crying. He was beautiful when he cried, but the only time he should cry is when he was laughing too hard. Yoongi removed his hand from the elevator doors, allowing them to close. Yoongi looked up, sending a sad smile to his friend.
“I’ll say it must have been the wind.”
“How’s life been in the new apartment, hyung?”
“It’s been really good. You should visit sometime, Kook.”
Yoongi had been in his new apartment for a solid three months now and he had grown to like it more than he thought he would. He lived close enough that he could walk to work, which he did with Hoseok now. Hoseok would be waiting outside his door every morning with two coffees in his hands and bright smile on his face. Of course, there would also be bruises on his neck and black eyes that were lightly covered in makeup, but that was a work in progress.
Every night for the past three months, Yoongi took the elevator to the third floor and knocked upon Hoseok’s door whenever he heard noises. It was the same song and dance every night. Yoongi would tell Hoseok that he heard some concerning sounds coming from his apartment, but each time the silver haired male would dismiss it and blame it on the wind. The wind hadn’t blown loud at night since Yoongi had moved in, but he chose not to say anything about that.
“How’s that boy who lives above you?”
“You mean Hobi?”
“Yeah, any luck with him?”
Yoongi shifted his phone so that he had Jungkook on speaker. Yoongi was reorganizing a shelf with his favorite records, sighing to his friend, “I want to say yes but I keep hearing that jackass beating Hobi so I also want to say no. He hasn’t left that guy so I haven’t had one peaceful night.”
“Have you thought about going to the police?”
“So many times, Kook.”
“What’s stopping you from calling them?”
The platinum blonde froze, holding a record in his hands. He peered down at the record as he answered, “It’s… it’s not my place, I guess. I could call the police but what if I don’t have enough evidence to get that asshole arrested? They could play it off like the noises I hear every night are nothing to worry about. Calling the police would probably earn Hobi another beating, too. It would kill me to know he got hurt because of me.”
He could hear Jungkook releasing a deep breath on the other end. Jungkook shifted his phone before he replied, “Yeah, I understand, hyung. I don’t even know Hobi and I’m worried about him. He sounds like he really makes you happy. What is it that draws you to Hobi so much? What do you want, hyung?”
“I just… I just want him to be happy.”
“With you?”
Yoongi blushed at that question. He had thought about being with Hoseok many times. Even the thought of being with Hoseok made him happy, and that’s how he knew the dancer was special. He could brighten Yoongi’s day just by smiling or standing outside his door with a cup of coffee. It was the fact that Hoseok had always woken up earlier than he had to so he could get coffee for Yoongi that made his heart want to burst. Hoseok was more grace than Yoongi thought he deserved.
“I wouldn’t mind it if he was happy with me,” Yoongi held the record close to his chest, “but if being with that piece of shit makes him happy then… fine. If he leaves that asshole and finds someone else, then that’s fine, too. His happiness is my happiness, even if that means he’s happy with someone else.”
“You’re whipped, hyung.”
“Maybe I am.”
“I hope he leaves that awful man.”
Yoongi blinked back his tears when he heard the maknae’s gentle words, “I don’t know Hobi but I really want him to be happy, and I especially want him to end up with you. You’d treat him really good, wouldn’t you? I hope he leaves soon. No one deserves to go through what he’s going through. I just… I wish he knew he wasn’t alone.”
I wish he knew he wasn’t alone. Yoongi dropped his record on the ground, but thankfully no damage came to it. Jungkook heard the sound of something falling, prompting him to ask Yoongi what had dropped and if he was alright. Yoongi was tuning Jungkook out. He was starting to think that he wasn’t doing enough for Hoseok, but he didn’t know how to do more without making it feel like he was trying to make him leave his horrible roommate. Jungkook’s words gave him an idea.
“That’s it, Kook!”
“Huh? What’s it?”
Yoongi was pacing back and forth, trying to piece his thoughts together, “Hobi only has me and that piece of shit sharing an apartment with him. What if… what if he hung out with our friend group? I’m sure they would love him and then… and then he wouldn’t feel so alone! He wouldn’t just have me at that point. He’d have the rest of you, too. What do you think, Kook?”
He stared at his phone, waiting for the younger male’s response. He smiled when he heard Jungkook giggling, “Hyung, I think that’s a great idea! I think Hobi could be just what our group was missing! They say that seven is a lucky number so bring him with you when we all hang out next time!”
Yoongi and Jungkook spoke into the night. Jungkook was having a good first semester in college, which made Yoongi happy. He was still undecided for his major but he was leaning towards art since he had more talent in his pinky than most had in their entire being. Yoongi wished that he was closer in age to Jungkook so he could be at college with him to keep an eye on him. He had to learn to let go of Jungkook. He knew Jungkook was going to find who he was going to be in the world. He had to let Jungkook stumble so he could figure out how to walk on his own, sort of like how he had to do that for Hoseok, too.
Just when Yoongi was finished reorganizing his room, the noise began. He looked up when he heard the familiar sound of a body hitting the floor, followed by yelling. It sounded like it was time for Yoongi to make his nightly appearance in front of Hoseok’s door. Yoongi threw on a jacket, shaking his head as he walked out of his apartment. He found it ironic how Hoseok would be outside his door in the morning but he would be outside Hoseok’s door when the night came.
He turned around to shut his door and that’s when he heard the sound of someone running down the stairs. Yoongi froze. He knew the sound of those footsteps. That was Hoseok. He whipped around, his eyes widening when he saw Hoseok sprinting down the stairs. Yoongi quickly locked his door and chased after the silver haired male. He ran after Hoseok, following him to a nearby park. He had called after Hoseok, but he didn’t think that he could hear him.
Yoongi saw Hoseok run towards a large water fountain in the center of the park. He stopped running to catch his breath. He watched as the dancer sat down on the edge of the fountain, pulling his knees to his chest, and then placing his left cheek on his knee so he could watch the water. The platinum blonde slowly made his way over to Hoseok, making sure to kick a rock along the way so he would hear him approaching.
He sat down a few feet away from Hoseok, pulling left leg up and bending his knee so he could rest his arm on it. Neither male spoke. Yoongi just gazed across at the silver haired male. There was special something about the way the moonlight danced on the water and reflected on Hoseok’s skin. He looked stunning, like something out of a dream. Hoseok reminded Yoongi of the sun, but even when the night came he still found a way to shine. Even when the sun was supposed to be gone, Hoseok was still there.
“I need help, don’t I?”
Those sad words broke Yoongi out of his thoughts. One by one, tears streamed down Hoseok’s face and dripped onto his clothes. Hoseok’s shoulders were shaking as he resisted the urge to sob. Yoongi had never seen Hoseok look so broken and defeated before. Sure, he had seen Hoseok after a beating but he never looked like this. He never looked like he was ready to give up before. Yoongi gulped and slowly nodded to his friend.
“Yeah, Hobi, you need help.”
“I should leave, shouldn’t I?”
“You should. Why don’t you?”
“Because it hurts.”
Yoongi furrowed his brow, utterly confused by those words. Yoongi wanted to ask Hoseok what he meant by that. Of course it hurt, he was being beaten on a daily basis, but that’s why he should leave. He was being hurt so he shouldn’t be staying in that dangerous situation. Yoongi didn’t understand why Hoseok would willingly stay with someone for the sole reason of obtaining pain.
“You wouldn’t get it,” Hoseok tried to bring his legs closer to him, which made him look smaller than he already was, “but, the only way that I know that I’m alive is because it hurts. I don’t love that man, I never did. I stay there in that apartment with him because he keeps me from feeling numb. He helps me feel alive.”
“Hobi…”
Yoongi scooted closer to the younger male. He reached out and held one of Hoseok’s hands, “Hey, it’s okay. You’re right, I don’t understand but I want to. Talk to me, Hobi. What makes you feel like taking a beating will keep you from feeling numb? Why do you feel like pain is the only way you can feel alive?”
Slowly, Hoseok lifted his head to stare up at Yoongi. There was a fearful look in his eyes, as if he was afraid Yoongi would leave if he heard about all the terrible thoughts that lived in his head. He stared at the hand resting on top of his own. Yoongi’s hand was bigger than his. It was like Yoongi’s hand was a security blanket with the way it shielded his, with the way it protected him from the world.
He nodded to the platinum blonde. Yoongi grew closer, giving Hoseok his undivided attention when he spoke, “Would you believe me if I said it’s not always happy in my head? I’ve got all these demons hiding underneath but nobody can see them but me. I… I used to hurt myself. I used to take a razor blade to my arms because that was the only way I could feel something. It helped at first, but then… it wasn’t enough.”
Hoseok removed his arms from around his knees so he could show Yoongi the scars he wore like tattoos. Carefully, Yoongi traced his fingers over the many scars that littered Hoseok’s honey toned skin. He had wondered how he had missed these, but then he remembered the only time Hoseok wore t-shirts was when he danced. Even when he danced his arms were always moving too fast for him to catch the scars, and when he wasn't dancing he was hiding his arms behind his back.
Yoongi found a particularly harsh scar, causing him to rub his thumb over it. Hoseok looked towards the fountain with a small smile, “He told me that he loved me by the water fountain back in Gwangju, but I told him I didn’t love him. He hit me that night and it felt good. I thought it was the lesser of two evils by picking him over the razors. With him, there wasn’t the fear of cutting myself too deep and accidentally killing myself. With him, I could feel something every night without running the risk of dying. With him, there were no feelings, no strings attached.”
The platinum blonde continued to rub the scar, which seemed to put Hoseok at ease. The silver haired male avoided Yoongi’s gaze as he whispered, “It helped that he was an alcoholic. I’d give him drinks on purpose because I wanted to get hit. It was fine at first, but it’s been feeling like it’s too much recently. It doesn’t feel good anymore… it just hurts.”
“When did it start to just hurt?”
“Around when you arrived.”
That made Yoongi stop rubbing the scar. Hoseok shifted his attention to Yoongi when he felt the soothing feeling of his thumb on his skin cease. The silver haired male was starting to wonder if he had said too much. While he was thinking that he had overwhelmed Yoongi, the music producer was thinking about how Hoseok might have feelings for him. The pain he was receiving hurt now because it didn’t make him feel alive anymore. Maybe, just maybe… something or someone else was making him feel alive.
“Can I… can I try something, Hobi?”
“What do you want to try?”
“I want to kiss you.”
Hoseok’s face immediately start to heat up. Yoongi gave a soft smile when he saw that pretty rose-colored blush dust across Hoseok’s face. His eyes were wide, almost vulnerable. Those light brown eyes were reminding Yoongi of a baby deer, or maybe a little squirrel. He looked like he was completely in awe from what Yoongi had said. He looked like he couldn’t believe that Yoongi wanted to kiss him.
“W-Why? Why me?”
The older male stood up, grabbing Hoseok’s hands and bringing him to his feet. Yoongi placed his hands where they belonged on Hoseok’s hips as he answered, “You really don’t know how beautiful you are, do you? Everything about you is beautiful from the way you’re oblivious as fuck to the way your laugh fills a room. I know you’re beautiful because you’ve been through some dark shit, but you’re still smiling. You’re still here.”
Hoseok closed his eyes, tears flowing down his cheeks like little rivers. Each word Yoongi spoke was echoing through Hoseok’s mind, “You’ve had it rough, but the fact that you’re still here says so much about you. You want help. You want someone to help you. I’m here for you, Hobi. I want to help you. I’ve wanted to help you since the first day I met you, from the first night I heard you. If you told me about all of this… then you’re trying to heal.”
“I’m broken, Yoongi. You can’t fix me.”
“Hobi, you’re not broken.”
“Yoongi, you can’t just-“
Hoseok’s eyes shot open when he felt Yoongi’s lips on his, causing his words to become stuck in his throat. This kiss felt better than any pain he or someone else had inflicted on him. He had been kissed before, but not like this. He could feel everything. He could feel the love Yoongi felt for him in the way the older male completely dominated the kiss, taking over with no room for complaints. Hoseok’s eyes slipped closed as he returned the kiss with the same fervor.
He wanted Yoongi to know that he felt the same way without having to say it. He wanted Yoongi to know that he felt an attraction for him from the first day they met, from the first time their hands touched when he helped Yoongi with his box. He wanted Yoongi to know that he appreciated all those nights that he came up to his apartment to check on him, to make sure that he was okay even though he knew he wasn’t. It was the fact that Yoongi continued to make that effort that made him so attractive to Hoseok. When Yoongi wanted something, or someone, he made sure he stopped at nothing.
Hoseok cried into the kiss. He cried because he wished it didn’t take months of getting the shit beat out of him to realize that he loved Yoongi, and vice versa. He cried because he wished he had followed Yoongi back into the elevator the night he told him that he could come into his apartment whenever he needed a friend. If he had taken Yoongi up on his offer that night then he could’ve gotten the help he needed sooner. He could’ve been like this with Yoongi sooner.
Eventually, they pulled away, both of them panting as they gazed into each other’s eyes. This time, Hoseok’s eyes didn’t look scared, nor did they look vulnerable. There was a sparkle in those chocolate brown eyes that Yoongi had only seen a couple times. Seeing Hoseok stare at him like he was the one who put all the stars in the night sky was something that made Yoongi’s heart pound in his chest. He could feel how much Hoseok wanted him. He could feel how much Hoseok loved him through that kiss.
Yoongi leaned in, stealing a quick kiss before he grabbed Hoseok’s hand. Hoseok blushed at the feeling of Yoongi’s larger hand in his. He smiled as he pressed himself against Yoongi’s side, soaking in the warmth that seemed to radiate from the platinum blonde’s entire being. Yoongi could say that Hoseok was like the sun, but that’s how the silver haired male felt about him. Yoongi had a gummy smile on his face as he led the way back to the apartment complex.
“Come on, Hobi. Let’s go home.”
“I’m home when I’m with you.”
Yoongi remembered how Hoseok had told his supposed lover he was moving out. Yoongi was waiting outside the door, as per Hoseok’s request. Yoongi had come to realize that not only was Hoseok extremely oblivious, but he was also very stubborn. He refused to have Yoongi come inside to tell his roommate he was moving out. He said that this was something he had to do on his own. He had to face his demons head on, and in this case his demon was the man who had been abusing him.
Yoongi remembered hearing the same sickening sound of someone getting hit, and that’s when he heard Hoseok cry out in pain. The older male was going to open the door to protect Hoseok, but as soon as he reached for the doorknob the roommate opened the door and stormed out. Yoongi was going to chase after him and annihilate him, until he heard the sound of Hoseok groaning.
Hoseok was on the ground, rubbing his face where he had been backhanded. Yoongi rushed to his side, pulling his hand away to inspect the area. He could see the red hand print from the man, no doubt there was going to be a bruise on his cheek the next day. Rage was bubbling within the platinum haired male. He wanted nothing more than to commit a crime that day.
“He fucking hit you!”
“I deserved it this time.”
“Hobi-“
“I told him to go eat a bag of dicks.”
The platinum blonde went from feeling nothing but rage to feeling an abundance of pride. He pressed a kiss to Hoseok’s forehead, mumbling into his skin, “I never want to hear you say you deserve to get hit, okay? I will say that I’m proud of you for telling him to eat a bag of dicks, though. That was a nice touch.”
Yoongi remembered helping Hoseok move out of his apartment and into his. He didn’t realize just how dull and empty his apartment was until Hoseok moved in. Yoongi’s apartment looked like that of a dungeon before Hoseok moved in and made the place look and feel like a home. It was like everything Hoseok touched or rearranged brought warmth. Yoongi truly felt like he was coming home when he entered the apartment now, and he credited it all to Hoseok.
Yoongi remembered taking Hoseok to his first therapy session. They were both nervous. The platinum blonde was nervous that therapy might not work, but then he smiled. He remembered that therapy works if you let it, if you talk. Hoseok was the most talkative person Yoongi had ever met. He could talk to a brick wall and never grow bored. Hoseok was nervous that therapy might expose things in his past that explained why he had this sick need for pain.
Therapy brought many tears and rage filled tantrums, but it also brought comfort and closure. He learned that he never truly processed the neglect he faced as a child. His parents never had time for him. They were so focused on giving all their love and attention to their daughter that they nearly forgot that they had a son. Hoseok realized that the only way he was ever able to get their attention was if he acted out, causing them to lash out and hit him to try to keep him in line. That was when the desperation for pain came from. When he was hit he would be reminded of his parents and how the only time they cared about him was when they were beating him. The beatings tied him to his parents, tied him to what he thought love was.
Hoseok cut those ties.
Yoongi remembered bringing Hoseok to meet his friend group. His friends were immediately smitten when they saw Hoseok give his heart shaped smile. The maknae line was head over heels for Hoseok and they didn’t even know his name. Taehyung, being the unfiltered human that he is, asked if Hoseok was single. Jimin pretended he was searching for a velvet box with a ring in it so he could propose to the silver haired male. Jungkook pounced on the smaller male, hugging him close to his chest and telling him that if Yoongi didn’t ask him on a date then he would.
Namjoon and Jin were more subtle with their attraction to Hoseok, but Yoongi could still tell it was there. Jin was the one who removed Jungkook from the silver haired male. He even went as far as to take Hoseok’s hand and bow, kissing the back of his hand in the process like a true gentleman. Namjoon tripped over his feet and fell to the ground, prompting him to make use a lame pick up line on him.
“Help, I’ve fallen for you and I can’t get up.”
Yoongi’s friends knew they had fallen hard for Hoseok when they heard his contagious laughter. Hoseok fit in with Yoongi’s friends like he had always been a part of it. In time, he proved to be the leader of the maknae line, often pampering them with hugs and kisses but also getting into trouble with them. Hoseok was someone who enjoyed being affectionate with his friends, and he appreciated that they were all just as loving.
His friends. Those were powerful words to Hoseok. He never really had friends before. He looked to each of his newfound friends. Jungkook acted like Hoseok’s bodyguard, while also being a precious little bunny. Taehyung was the shameless flirt, but he was someone who had little to no trouble activating Hoseok’s heart shaped smile to accompany his boxy one. Jimin was stuck to Hoseok like glue, as if they were best friends with each other in a past life. Namjoon acted like the friend group’s leader, but he was so gentle with Hoseok that he could make the dancer relax just by his mere presence. Jin was a child for how old he was, but he also acted as the group’s resident mother hen.
It had taken Hoseok some time to realize that these people weren’t just his friends, they had become his family. Hoseok didn’t have a good family history behind him. He had a mother and a father who never thought he was worth the time that they gave him. He had a sister he barely knew because they were never allowed to be close due to the amount of control their parents had over her life. Hoseok looked to his friends now and thought of them as his family. They weren’t related by blood, but that didn’t matter.
Yoongi was smiling at Hoseok now.
They were getting ready for the party to celebrate the massive success of the album Yoongi produced and Hoseok choreographed. The album was a hit right off the bat and then the music videos with Hoseok’s choreography sent the artist over the top to idol status. After the triumph of the newfound idol, the company not only demanded that the two of them work together more often in the future, but they wanted to show their appreciation. It was safe to say Yoongi and Hoseok made the company a lot of money.
Hoseok was pressed to Yoongi’s side as they entered the ballroom the company had rented out. The silver haired male nervously squeezed Yoongi’s hand, “I haven’t been to a party this big in a long time. Hell, I haven’t been to a party in a while. Are you sure I don’t look out of place?”
“This is our party,” Yoongi brought Hoseok’s hand up to kiss the back of it, “how could you be out of place? This is our night, Hobi. It’s all about us. I want you to enjoy yourself tonight so if anyone gives you a hard time or even looks at you in a way you don’t like… let me know and I’ll fucking destroy them.”
“No, you won’t, Yoon!”
“For you, I’d fight a whole army.”
“Aish, you’re going to make me blush!”
“I hope you do. You look beautiful when you blush.”
As if on cue, a dusty rose-colored blush appeared on the silver haired male’s face, causing Yoongi to give a gummy smile. All it would take now is a kiss to his cheek to make his lover turn as red as a tomato, so that’s exactly what Yoongi did. He smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to Hoseok’s cheek. Yoongi threw his head back and laughed as he noticed that even the tips of Hoseok’s ears had become a light shade of red.
The night consisted of the couple mingling with other people in their company, and of course, Yoongi crafting many more attempts to make Hoseok blush, which wasn’t hard. All Yoongi had to do was tell him he was pretty and Hoseok was ready to melt into puddy in the older male’s hands. It was rather endearing, if Yoongi did say so himself. It warmed his heart to know that he had that kind of effect on Hoseok, to know that the desire for love overpowered the previous need for pain to feel alive.
Yoongi and Hoseok were sipping from their glasses of champagne when their boss clinked their own glass with a spoon, gaining everyone’s attention immediately. All eyes were on their boss, who sent a warm smile to the couple. Everyone followed the boss in raising their glass into the air to toast to the music producer and the dancer.
The platinum blonde wrapped an arm around Hoseok’s waist, pulling him close to his body as they listened to their boss, “I want to make a toast to two men who couldn’t be more different, but also couldn’t be more similar. I want to make a toast to two men with work ethics like nothing I’ve ever seen before. To Min Yoongi, who stays up until the break of dawn working on one song to ensure that what he produces is nothing less than an absolute gem. To Jung Hoseok, who dances until his legs give out on him just to guarantee that he is only giving the best choreography. Together, these two men have created an idol.”
Hoseok smiled as he looked up at Yoongi and then back to their boss, “Together, you two have created the best work duo this company has ever seen. I’m starting to realize that if you two stick together there’s nothing you can’t do, be it in work or in the beautiful love you two share for one another. I hope you both stay with us for a long time and I wish you both many happy years together. Thank you for always giving everything you are in everything you do.”
“To Yoongi and Hoseok.”
“To Yoongi and Hoseok!”
Yoongi kissed his lover’s head before chucking his drink back. He looked down and that’s when he saw that Hoseok had finished his drink faster than him. Yoongi bit his lip, muttering under his breath that he was one lucky man. This caused Hoseok to throw his head back and laugh. Yoongi loved it when his lover laughed like this, loud and utterly obnoxious and clapping his hands wildly, as if he was applauding someone for winning an award.
Many drinks later, Hoseok was grabbing Yoongi’s hand and dragging him onto the dance floor. Yoongi had told Hoseok numerous times before that he had no rhythm. Not a single bone in his body moved the right way when he danced, thus prompting the sprinkler to be his go to dance move. As you can tell, the sprinkler dance never got him any dates. If anything, it got him questionable looks.
Yoongi realized long ago that he could not deny Hoseok of anything. If Hoseok wanted to dance, then he would dance. If Hoseok wanted him to dive into the ocean and punch a shark in the face, then he would do just that. When it came to Hoseok, there was nothing Yoongi wouldn’t do for him, especially if he knew it would make his lover smile.
So, they danced together into the night. They would go from Hoseok grinding on Yoongi with the older male whispering the lyrics into the silver haired male’s ear to ballroom dancing together like they were the only two in the room, like they were the only two that mattered. Some of Yoongi’s favorite moments were when he stopped dancing to admire Hoseok’s on the spot choreography to songs that he deemed were his favorites, which was almost every song.
Somehow, they stumbled back to their apartment after one too many drinks. Hoseok was leaning heavily on Yoongi, giggling when the platinum blonde told him he was a lightweight. Hoseok was planting soft kisses to Yoongi’s cheek as he fumbled with unlocking the door. Yoongi was struggling, it was already hard enough to stand up without wobbling but now he had to worry about those addictive kisses being pressed to his skin while trying to put the key in the lock. Eventually, Yoongi managed to open the door and guide his lover inside. The two of them fell to the floor after they tripped over each other’s feet.
Even drunk, Yoongi made sure he checked his lover over to make sure that he wasn’t hurt from the fall. Yoongi’s eyes widened when he felt Hoseok cup his cheeks and press a kiss to his unsuspecting lips. His eyes slipped closed, smiling into the kiss. Yoongi was unsure if he would ever have this, if he would ever have Hoseok. Hoseok started out as the pretty little silver haired male that helped Yoongi with his boxes and he ended by being the pretty little silver haired male who helped make his neighbor’s heart whole.
When the two lovers pulled away, they immediately started giggling. Hoseok remembered how he could’ve never done any of this if he was still living upstairs with that asshole. Now, he could stumble into his apartment drunk, now he could come into his apartment and feel safe. He didn’t have to irritate his roommate to get him to hit him, all so he could feel something, so he could feel alive.
Hoseok gave a dopey smile as he looked to Yoongi, to the man who had saved him in more ways than he would ever know. Yoongi not only saved him from an abusive situation, but he had also saved him from himself. Yoongi saved him from a toxic mindset of believing that he deserved the pain, and that he needed the pain to feel alive. Yoongi saved him from a life of pain, some of which was pain he purposefully inflicted on himself.
Yoongi showed him that there were other ways to feel alive. Now, Hoseok felt alive whenever he was dancing or teaching choreography to up and coming artists at the company. He felt alive when he would go to Yoongi’s studio and help out with one of the songs he was working on. He felt alive when he was with the rest of their friend group. He especially felt alive when he was basking in the glow of Yoongi’s presence. He found that he didn’t need to feel pain to feel alive. It was never pain he needed. It was love.
The drunken pair had started snickering at each other, telling their lover that they were drunk. This would cause the other male to argue that the other one was more drunk. The two of them bickered like an old married couple until they burst into laughter. Their laughter was loud enough that someone had come to the door knocking, asking what was going on in there and if they could keep it down. Yoongi and Hoseok just looked at each other and smiled, the same response in both of their heads.
“It must have been the wind.”