Work Text:
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yoongi
i’ll meet u at 2 okay?
jungkook
see you then! ^^
yoongi
:]
yoongi sighs in relief, falling backward onto his naked mattress. he turns his head to the side, then turns to the other side, getting a view of both opposite walls. he sighs once again, this time because he’s dramatic.
“i can hear you sighing from the kitchen! shut up!”
yoongi sighs louder.
“i will smack you, don’t think i won’t!”
the corners of yoongi’s lips quirk up. it’s satisfying how, even after years of being roommates, he can always get a response out of seokjin.
he stares at the ceiling, burns holes into the glow-in-the-dark stars jungkook had happily scattered all around when he came over yesterday. some of them form famous constellations, others shapes. yoongi swears he sees a smiley face over in his peripheral. knowing jungkook, he would’ve said it was created to make yoongi himself smile in return. it’s amazing how well jungkook knows him.
a knock on his door interrupts his musing. seokjin peeks his head in, adjusts his posture so that he’s leaning against the frame. “you stopped sighing. i came to investigate.”
“fuck off, hyung.”
“respectful as always, love to see that in a man.” seokjin roves his eyes over the bare walls and the multitude of boxes hanging out on the floor. yoongi sits up, tries to ignore seokjin’s judgemental look. “when are you going to unpack? it’s been a month, yoongi-chi. you can’t live out of boxes forever, you know.”
yoongi sighs, raising and lowering his shoulders for emphasis.
jin rolls his eyes. “you can’t sulk forever, yoongi. look, i’m sorry jungkook didn’t ask you to move in with him, but seriously, i’m way better than him. i cook, i clean, i make sure you don’t drool in your sleep. what more do you need?”
“i’m not sulking,” yoongi mutters, breaking eye contact as he’s known to do. “i’m not. jungkook can live wherever he wants. and we’re eternal roommates, i already know that.”
“well, then.” jin shoots him a pointed look, gestures to all the cardboard. “get a move on. take the time to unpack today. or are you just going to sigh all day?”
there’s a gleam in yoongi’s eyes, but before he can say or do anything, jin promptly walks swiftly away with a “nope, don’t wanna hear it.”
when seokjin is finally gone, when yoongi can hear him puttering around in the kitchen trying to decide which drawer to store their new cutlery, yoongi does sigh again, but this time under his breath.
he isn’t sulking, no matter what seokjin says, but he’s not wrong about yoongi’s expectations for him and jungkook. they haven’t been dating long, just a few months, but they’ve been friends for years now. sure, it might be a little too soon relationship-wise for them to move in together, but jungkook was always at jin and yoongi’s last apartment, always with yoongi and always saying how yoongi would be his ideal living partner (“no walking in on tae and jimin-ssi having sex in the shower again, just you and your cute smile!”).
when jungkook decided he wanted to break away from tae and jimin’s overbearing parental-like presence in his home life and find his own apartment, the timing lined up extremely well with jin’s announcement about the end of their apartment’s lease. yoongi wasted no time telling jungkook, strongly hinted at the possibility of jin wanting to live on his own and of yoongi having to find a new roommate. he was met with a bunny grin, hope rising like warm fluffy bread, and was told that jungkook would keep a look out for roommate ads online, hope deflating like a sad clown’s balloon.
ultimately, jin and yoongi stayed together, finding a nicer, newer complex that was closer to jin’s workplace and yoongi’s studio. jungkook ended up finding a place near his university, something small and clean, per jungkook’s words.
but yoongi wouldn’t know now, would he? after all, jungkook has been moved in for weeks now, and not once has jungkook offered for yoongi to come over, for yoongi to help him set up his gaming equipment, for yoongi to pick him up from his new home for date night. sure, he knows the general location where jungkook lives, but he doesn’t know the apartment number, nor the exact address. yoongi knows nothing, and it frustrates the hell out of him.
he wants to ask. god, does he want to. but he’s scared, and he’s not sure why. maybe there’s an actual reason why jungkook hasn’t asked him over yet, maybe he doesn’t want yoongi to come over at all, maybe jungkook is tired of yoongi and wants his space, maybe—
“yah!”
and just like that, yoongi is shrouded in darkness. a soft, graceful darkness that smells like cotton and jasmine. yoongi pulls his warm freshly-dried bedsheets off his head, glares at jin with what he hopes is a promise of pain and suffering.
“oh, put that glare away, yoongi-chi. you’re no more threatening than a newborn kitten,” jin chuckles, propping the laundry basket against his hip with one hand. “by the way, you were meeting jungkookie soon, weren’t you?”
“yeah, pretty soon.”
yoongi is afraid of the answers jungkook holds, but at the same time, yoongi would fight for him and jungkook with every fiber of his being. which is why instead of sighing, yoongi smiles, and does so freely.
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yoongi arrives at the boba shop with five minutes to spare. he isn’t even surprised to see that jungkook is already at their meet-up spot.
“hyung! you made it!”
yoongi smiles, oh-so-fondly. “i told you i would, didn’t i?”
jungkook giggles and grabs yoongi’s hand, swings their arms once, twice. “so where are we headed today, hyung? movies? bowling?”
“hm. secret,” yoongi teases, sticking out his tongue.
“aw, no fair.” jungkook pouts, but it does nothing to damage his beauty. if anything, it enhances his cute factor. “it better be someplace great.”
they start to walk in the direction yoongi pulls them. their arms swing again.
“oh, trust me. you’ll love it.”
as they walk, jungkook chatters about his last hang out with jimin and taehyung, what they were up to, where they went, what they ate, etc. all the while, yoongi listens with rapt attention, not wanting to miss a detail. all the while, yoongi breathes and drinks in the company of his boyfriend. all the while, yoongi revels in the familiarity of their twined fingers and smiling palms.
jungkook is dressed comfortably today, just as yoongi had advised him to. black bucket hat, jean overalls, plain t-shirt. it’s cute, very jungkook of him. yoongi thinks to his own bucket hat sitting in his unpacked boxes, wishes he had put his stuff away so that they could match today. but thinking of those boxes reminds him of his earlier mood, and yoongi’s smile falters.
it’s unfortunate how well jungkook knows him, because the younger spots it immediately.
“hyung?” jungkook stops them, releases yoongi’s hand in order to cup the elder’s cheeks. there’s a worried expression painted on jungkook’s features, one yoongi regrets to have placed. “what’s wrong? you looked... really sad.”
yoongi regards jungkook for a moment, takes in those furrowed brows and concerned doe eyes, takes in the line of his pressed lips and the never-wavering stare into yoongi’s own gaze. finally, yoongi cracks a smile. “i’ll tell you later. it’s something i’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”
this doesn’t do anything to relieve jungkook. “is everything okay? can i help in some way?”
yoongi simply shakes his head. he grabs jungkook’s hands, lifts onto his toes, places the lightest of kisses on jungkook’s lips. then, he twirls jungkook around, shows him what’s been behind him all this time.
when jungkook finally registers what he’s seeing, he gasps. “hyung, you brought me to a dog cafe?”
yoongi grins. “they just opened last week. i thought it was about time the best couple graced them with their presence.”
jungkook giggles, and his eyes are light. questioning, as they haven’t forgotten their previous conversation, but still. light, happy. it’s all yoongi can ask for. “let’s go in, hyung, i’m so excited!”
the inside is lovely. pastel shades and floral lighting with the smell of espresso hanging in the air. yoongi already feels at ease.
jungkook has already made a beeline for the first dog that approached them. “hyung, oh my gosh, he’s so cute! what’s your name, little pup, what can i call you?”
one of the cafe workers makes her way to them, smiles genially. “welcome. his name is chalupa. if you’d like, you’re welcome to take a seat while i bring you the menu.”
jungkook is much too enthralled by the little corgi so yoongi pipes up instead. “that would be wonderful, thank you. is anywhere fine?”
“wherever you’d like. i’ll make a note that you have chalupa with you. and um,” the waitress smiles, shyly, “will you both be wanting our couples’ menu? we have an assortment of desserts made specially for partners.”
“oh, um, that would be n—”
“yes, please!” jungkook interrupts from behind yoongi, still petting chalupa behind his ears. “we’re a couple, aren’t we, hyung?”
jungkook’s tone is light, gleeful, and absolutely meant to embarrass yoongi in public.
and it works, as evident by yoongi’s burning red ears.
yoongi guides jungkook (and the held baby chalupa) to a table in the corner by the window. they don’t have to wait long for the menu to be brought to them. yoongi opts for an americano, jungkook a peach black tea. they go ahead and order the most popular dessert on the couples’ menu, a pair of raspberry almond crisp cups, and even ask for some dog biscuits for chalupa.
the drinks and biscuits arrive first, the dessert follows soon after. all the while, chalupa stays by jungkook’s side, seemingly captivated by the boy’s energy and infectious happiness. yoongi doesn’t blame him, because he too is a victim of the blessing that is jeon jungkook.
other dogs come to say hello as well, probably as to why their friend is spending so much time with these strangers. jungkook, yoongi is thrilled to see, gets excited with each new pup coming closer to their table. the dogs are cute, affectionate, and lovable, everything yoongi wants jungkook to experience, and the smile on jungkook’s lips doesn’t fade for even a moment.
eventually, the waitress from earlier whistles and the dogs rush back to where she is, enticed by the smell of the dog food bag in her hands. jungkook pouts as the dogs, including chalupa, leave their table, but they’re still within sight as they chow down so jungkook remains pleased.
yoongi’s taking another sip of his americano when jungkook speaks.
“hyung, can you tell me?” jungkook reaches over, grasps yoongi’s free hand in his, entwines their fingers loosely. “what had you upset earlier?” he asks softly.
yoongi gulps down his espresso, doesn’t dare meet jungkook’s eyes. “it’s... stupid. i don’t want to ruin our day with those small worries. today is a day for you to smile.”
“but, hyung.” jungkook’s tone is gentle, but his words are heavy. “how could i smile when you’re not able to? how could i possibly smile when my cutest hyung is in pain?”
yoongi lifts his eyes, sees the concern swimming through jungkook’s own. finally, he sighs, because that’s what he does best. “i was just... thinking earlier. about you. us.”
jungkook’s thumb brushes over the back of yoongi’s hand. “yeah?”
“i, um...” the words stick in yoongi’s throat, but he forces them out, wanting to meet jungkook halfway. “i guess... i know you were moving for a while, and you hadn’t settled yet, but now... i was wondering if there was a reason you hadn’t invited me over.”
yoongi notices when jungkook stops rubbing circles into yoongi’s skin, notices when he stiffens up. “ah. my apartment. my new one.”
“yeah.” yoongi searches jungkook’s face for some semblance of an answer, of anything really. “is there... something wrong with it, kook-ah? is there anything hyung could help with?”
“it’s, it’s dumb. it’s really dumb.” jungkook’s still holding onto yoongi’s hand, but his body is pulling into itself, as if trying to make himself smaller, to hide from the world. “it’s... a small apartment.”
yoongi blinks. “well, it’s made for one,” he says slowly, trying to understand. “it’s not like the two-bedroom you shared with jimin and taehyung.”
“yeah. yeah, you’re right.” jungkook’s voice is small, and yoongi has to listen carefully to hear him. “but, hyung... it’s really small. it’s...” jungkook struggles for words, looking conflicted, but finally, he groans. his back collapses against his chair, and he lets go of yoongi. yoongi misses the warmth already. “hyung, i don’t like my apartment.”
yoongi frowns. “what? i thought you—”
“i didn’t want you to worry,” jungkook says, biting his bottom lip. “i know you would’ve offered to help, because of course you would, you’re you. but hyung, the apartment is smaller than small. it’s not in the greatest condition, it barely gets hot water every day, it...” jungkook looks down at his lap. “it’s all i could find. it’s all i could afford.”
oh.
oh.
it doesn’t come up often, yoongi’s financial situation versus jungkook’s. it’s something yoongi learned a long time ago, that jungkook preferred not to address the obvious wealth gap between their two families, apparent in how they grew up and what schools they went to.
even now, when yoongi isn’t with his parents anymore, he has a good job, a stable job, at a company that values his work. jungkook, on the other hand, is still a student, and has to work part-time. his parents help out as much as they can, but it isn’t a lot, yoongi knows. to look at it another way, yoongi never had to take out a student loan, but jungkook already has four.
yoongi’s about to say something, anything, but is unfortunately interrupted by a flying ball of fur.
“oh my gosh, hi baby!” jungkook’s giggles ring through the air as chalupa lands in his lap, and yoongi’s heart sings at the sound. “all done with your food, baby? good boy! you’re such a good boy!” jungkook pets chalupa fondly, rubbing his ears and even deigning to give him a nose kiss.
yoongi is very jealous of the corgi.
“bun,” yoongi starts, voice just above a whisper. he tries again, louder. “kook-ah.”
“mm?” jungkook looks up, a smile on his face. it doesn’t reach his eyes.
as chalupa settles on jungkook’s lap once more, yoongi lays his hand flat on the table, palm up. jungkook doesn’t hesitate, introduces his own palm to yoongi’s. their hands embrace, and lightning zips through yoongi’s arm and into his rib cage.
“jungkook-ah. i hope you know i would never judge you for what you can and can’t afford. you know that, right?” yoongi asks. it’s almost a plea.
jungkook’s eyes soften. “of course, i know. but hyung, i also know you would do your best to help me, and i don’t want that. i can’t depend on you like i usually do.”
yoongi raises a brow. “when do you ever depend on me? you’ve never asked me for anything, jungkook, ever. you hardly let me get you presents.”
“hyung, i don’t want you to think i’m dating you for your money,” jungkook huffs. “i don’t want to take advantage of you. you already bought me a gaming chair for my birthday, and then new bluetooth speakers for christmas, but i can’t have you do any more than that. it isn’t fair to you.”
yoongi stays silent at that. there’s no use arguing with jungkook, because his love is a stubborn bunny and won’t take no for an answer. but what jungkook doesn’t realize yet is that min yoongi can be just as stubborn, if not more.
“jungkook-ah.”
“mm?”
“you know i love you, right?”
just as yoongi expected, jungkook freezes, eyes shocked and wary as he judges yoongi’s expression. “w-what? you—”
“i love you, bun, i love you.” yoongi’s words run hot, feel fierce. it’s thrilling, finally being able to say the big ‘l’ word out loud to jungkook without any beat of hesitance. “and taking care of you is my literal love language. it has nothing to do with you taking advantage of me.”
“but, hyung, i—”
“but nothing.” yoongi searches jungkook’s eyes, yearns to see the glimmer shine over the stress. “do you love me, jungkook-ah?”
jungkook turns scarlet.
“bun?”
jungkook splutters, busies himself with the cutie chalupa, rubbing vigorously behind the little one’s ears. “of course i love you,” he says finally. “how could i not? i love you, i’ve always loved you, and i always will.”
“then believe, bun. believe in me, believe in us, believe in yourself. we’re okay, baby. we’re okay.”
jungkook finally lifts his gaze, tentatively meets yoongi’s. they share soft smiles. soft, a little uncertain, but kind, loving. befitting of them, yoongi thinks.
he jumps when a cold nose touches his hand, the one that’s not still holding onto jungkook’s hand. when yoongi looks down, he’s delighted to see a boy worthy of the title mr. fluffy. “hello there, handsome,” yoongi says in a lilted voice. “what’s your name?”
a waiter passing by with some drinks comes into view. “the sheep dog’s name is norris. he’s a little reserved with strangers at times, but he likes to pick his favorites when they come in. norris seems to have taken a liking to you.” and with that, he walks away to deliver the drinks on his tray.
jungkook is practically bouncing up and down in his seat. “a new friend! hyung, we need more dog biscuits! order more biscuits!”
yoongi laughs, giving norris some well-earned head pets. “if you behave, i’ll order some more.”
“hear that, chalupa? we need to behave.” jungkook giggles, eyes crinkling and nose scrunching. “we need to behave now, okay?”
god, yoongi is so whipped.
“whipped like butter.”
yoongi blinks, hand pausing on top of norris’s head. “i said that out loud?”
jungkook beams, but says nothing, leaving yoongi to assume the worst.
“also, why butter? cream would be better. oh, wait. no, don’t sin—”
“smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover~”
yoongi groans, groans more at jungkook’s satisfied cackle. “i am never singing idol songs for you again. you never let me live.”
“cute hyung.” jungkook gives chalupa another nose kiss, eyes laughing when chalupa nuzzles into his stomach, before clearing his throat. “hyungie. thank you. for... you know.”
yoongi doesn’t look at jungkook. instead, he focuses on norris, focuses on the sheep dog’s big soulful eyes, on his pretty white and brown coloring, on his neatly trimmed nails. yoongi doesn’t look at jungkook, so instead he speaks to norris.
“pup,” he whispers non-discreetly. “wanna know a secret? yeah? well, in case you didn’t know, i would do anything for my boyfriend. anything. and that’s the truth.”
norris barks in agreement, and chalupa follows suit.
jungkook’s hand grips yoongi’s a tad bit tighter.
yoongi doesn’t let go. he won’t ever let go.
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jungkook
hey hyung!
how about some coffee after work?
yoongi
that sounds amazing
where do you want to meet?
jungkook
actually
i was thinking
you could come over?
to my apartment i mean
i have a nice coffee maker
yoongi
i would be honored
thank you for having me over bun
jungkook
no hyung
thank you
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