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No one really expects him to be next in line to knock down the jenga tower, especially when that line included Namjoon, resident klutz of the group.
But when Hoseok ends up pulling out the wrong block with shaky hands and topples the whole thing to the floor with a clatter, he’s more caught up in defeat than he is the punishment, even with Jimin and Yoongi dancing hysterically around him. He lost to Namjoon, for fucks sake.
“Your punishment…” Yoongi starts, skimming through the list of punishments in relation to the symbol carved onto each jenga block. He cackles with laughter, waggling his eyebrows suggestively,
“Your punishment is to kiss someone!”
And suddenly everything feels like some twisted form of deja vu, what with Yoongi being overly excited that two of his members are going to kiss while the rest are practically chanting Taehyung’s name like they’re at some kind of a basketball game. He’s wondering how in the hell he’d gotten the same punishment twice even with an entire year of recovery in between because the chances are so unlikely, yet here he is, reminiscing in the memory that was Rookie King.
The kiss with Taehyung two years ago had been awkward, to put it simply, because Hoseok’s ninety-nine percent sure he’d stolen the poor boy’s first kiss (and his innocence, basically). But in retrospect, he’d also been ninety-eight percent sure Taehyung had been crushing on him, always clinging to him lovingly or staring absently with hearts and stars in his eyes whenever Hoseok caught him looking. There was just something in the way Taehyung smiled at him that Hoseok knew there was something more than mere admiration as an inspirational figure.
The events leading up to the kiss were exactly the reason it became awkward because Taehyung was young and naive, and his interest in Hoseok was nothing but puppy love, or so Hoseok believed. Hoseok remembers pulling his shit together right before their kiss because Taehyung had been so evidently nervous, and there was really nothing else he could do but feel bad for the poor kid. Taehyung’s hands had been shaking as much as his lips.
Hoseok doesn’t blame him for being nervous. Hell, not when Taehyung was getting his first kiss in front of an audience and a dozen or so cameras filming it so the rest of the world could be in on it, too.
But the kiss had left a pretty significant dent on their relationship, and all throughout their Skool Luv Affair and Dark and Wild album promotions, something changed between them. Hoseok isn’t sure if the fire between them simmered down or grew in tension, but either way, the following year found them both becoming close to other members within the group. Never once did they bring up the incident, and although it’s far too late now, Hoseok knows it had been the reason for the distance.
But that was two years ago. Taehyung is two years older now, two years more mature, two years less innocent and naive, and two years closer to completely stealing Hoseok’s heart when he doesn’t notice it. But that little information was for Hoseok and Hoseok only.
And now, with the members excitedly ushering him to kiss Taehyung for the punishment, there’s a heavy feeling in his chest when he forces a laugh and glances at Taehyung, who’s staring at him with an unreadable expression, an intensity in his eyes that Hoseok can’t seem to pick up on.
“Come on, you have to kiss Taehyung since you guys already did it, anyway,” Yoongi calls out with raised eyebrows pointedly.
“What, does it say that in the fucking ‘band mates kissing rule book’ or something?” Hoseok says, grabbing a jenga block and chucking it at Jimin’s chest. He sighs deep within his chest, but he doesn’t turn the suggestion down, and he notices that Taehyung doesn’t seem to have any objections either.
“Do it for the fans!” Jimin says, dodging the block and falling on his side.
“That’s exactly what it says in the band mates kissing rule book,” Namjoon nods in approval, flashing a thumbs up animatedly with that face of his.
Hoseok gulps, not taking his eyes off Taehyung for a second. He knows he’s fucked, and there’s no way he can turn this situation around. At this point, he and Taehyung are both forcing smiles so hard it’s starting to look uncomfortable and leaning more towards constipated. Taehyung finally tears his gaze away to lightly slap at Jimin’s arm to get him to shut up, but there’s nervousness in his movements, Hoseok can tell from silently watching over him for so many years now.
Eventually the members shove them together, and suddenly he’s kneeling on the floor in front of Taehyung, who’s trapped in place in Jimin’s strong arms but not exactly struggling either. But looking at Taehyung this close, Hoseok can finally understand the strange expression on his face that he failed to understand earlier, and it’s the same exact expression Taehyung gets right before live broadcasts or when he’s called in privately to talk to the CEO. He’s nervous, and maybe scared, and Hoseok can see that clearly as he locks gazes with Taehyung, eyes always giving him away even in the most complicated of moments.
Taehyung may be two years older, but it’s only now that Hoseok realizes Taehyung’s heart still longs for him, and it hits him like a bag of bricks.
“Hurry up, I’m hungry,” Namjoon urges, standing off to the side aloofly, not paying attention to the fact that two of his members are about to kiss - again. No one takes anything seriously in Bangtan, maybe only Seokjin, and Hoseok is pretty sure he could be sucking face with Taehyung right now, and the others would still go about their business as casually as Jimin getting rejected by Jeongguk. Elephants simply did not exist in rooms for Bangtan.
Taehyung visibly gulps, but he’s a lot more composed from the first time. “Hey,” Hoseok says gently in an attempt to calm Taehyung, or so he convinces as his own heart threatens to burst out of his chest. He reaches out to graze fingertips lightly along Taehyung’s sharp jawline to the tip of his chin, hoping the others don’t notice the tenderness in his actions. Taehyung has always been beautiful up close.
Taehyung laughs then, glancing away shyly before looking back up, “Let’s just do this, yeah?”
And they do, lips coming into contact much faster than the first time because they’ve somehow learned in the past years to cut out all the stalling and just get to the point already.
Taehyung’s been watching a heap of dramas lately, and Hoseok had been dabbling in chick-flick movie territory, so he blames (thanks?) the indirect experience for their “new and improved” kissing skills. No one even laughs or flinches this time, and Hoseok thinks that, in itself, is an improvement.
There’s no nose scrunching, no tight lips pressed into firm lines, no shut eyes from what’s about to happen. There’s no hands forcing their faces together or shying away at the last minute. No, there’s none of that, and Hoseok doesn’t quite remember when he’d become so relaxed as his lips inched towards Taehyung’s, doesn’t recall moving his hand to gently cup Taehyung’s chin, and when did Taehyung wrap his fingers around his forearm?
For a split second before they kiss, Taehyung opens his eyes and looks right into his, like he’s silently wishing for something that Hoseok will never come to understand. Suddenly a wave of hidden emotions flood Hoseok’s chest as the past two years flash before him, the way Taehyung had always silently longed for him when he was too busy clinging to Jimin, and in that moment before the distance between them closes, Hoseok realizes it takes two people to ruin a relationship. So he kisses Taehyung in place of apologies, awkward situations, stiff hugs, anything, as if the distance between them from the past months and years could close like it never existed.
Taehyung hums against his mouth as Hoseok tilts his chin up to deepen the kiss before realizing there’s a camera and five other guys watching him and pulls back so quick the gasp that escapes his mouth becomes audible. Hoseok almost leans forward, searching, until the feeling of watching eyes pressures him. Now definitely wasn’t the time for a make out session with your bandmate.
“So, who wants to watch the Lion King?” Taehyung asks casually a few minutes later as Jimin lets him go. Suddenly everyone resumes what they were doing, and Hoseok has to question if the kiss had happened at all.
“Hyung, we have vocal lessons,” Jeonnguk says, tossing jenga blocks in the air and catching them in one hand.
“Yeah I know, I was hoping you would forget,” Taehyung frowns, not meeting his eyes.
Hoseok glances away as one of the staff members walks up to him and taps his arm. “We’re going to cut the kiss when we upload the Bangtan Bomb, so don’t worry about it. Just take a picture kissing the mirror, and we’ll upload that instead.”
Before they leave the practice room to head to their dorms for a change of clothes, Hoseok feels a set of eyes on his back, but when he turns around, Taehyung is messing around with Jeongguk and Jimin.
What Taehyung doesn’t know is that Hoseok had caught sight of him in the rearview mirror, absently running his thumb along his bottom lip on the way back home with the faintest of smiles in the corners of his mouth.
It takes exactly one long week, but Hoseok finally decides that today was the day to confront Taehyung.
As dance practice finally comes to an end, Hoseok convinces Jimin to follow the rest of the members back to the dorms to get a good night’s rest. Jimin always stayed for a few extra hours to practice, alongside Jeongguk, but thankfully they were both too tired tonight for any extra, strenuous activities. He seriously needed to talk to Taehyung in private, and it was going to happen, even if that meant locking them in the nearest storage room.
“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” Hoseok half whispers, grabbing Taehyung’s wrist and pulling him back into the now empty practice room.
“Oh, yeah, sure hyung,” Taehyung says with raised eyebrows before retreating back into the room. “What is it?”
“It’s just,” Hoseok glances around before yanking Taehyung into one of the recording rooms, closing the door behind. Much better. “I need to talk to you about… the kiss? We really need to talk about it, Tae.”
Taehyung tenses up, and suddenly he’s looking everywhere but Hoseok’s face, fidgeting uncomfortably from where he’s standing. “No, uh, it’s okay, really. There’s really nothing to talk about. It was just a punishment, you know? Don’t worry about it!”
Hoseok sighs and glances down, “It’s not a punishment when both ends have been wanting it for the past two years, Taehyung.” The way Taehyung grows silent, Hoseok knows he’s hit the nail right on the fucking head.
“I mean, I know we haven’t been the closest of pals these past… months,” Hoseok says, mostly as a euphemism for a long ass time. “But I don’t want this affecting this, us, any longer.” He motions between them.
“Could’ve fooled me…” Taehyung mumbles, still avoiding eye contact.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Hoseok says, surprised, taking a curious step forward.
“It means you’ve been neglecting my existence ever since the first time we kissed,” Taehyung forces out, hands tense at his sides as he frowns at the floor.
“That’s not true, Taehyung,” Hoseok refutes, squinting his eyes in confusion. He really needs Taehyung to look at him. “Where did you even get that idea?”
“I don’t know, maybe when you stopped giving a fuck about me? I mean, honestly hyung, you flinch every time I so much as rest a hand on your shoulder,” Taehyung says shakily and finally looks up at Hoseok with a pained expression. “Even the fans noticed, and you didn’t?”
“I-“ Hoseok starts, but he’s at a complete loss of words. Was he really that oblivious? “Taehyung, I’ve always cared about you, okay? I just, you were young, so young, and I didn’t want you mistaking puppy love for anything more.” Hoseok finally chances a step closer, itching to reach out and just pull Taehyung against him if it meant not having to watch Taehyung shatter before him.
“No,” Taehyung mutters, voice quiet. He blinks and shakes his head slightly. “I may have been a kid, hyung, but I knew what I wanted, want. You didn’t have to blatantly choose Jimin over me.”
“I didn’t choose anyone,” Hoseok argues, reaching up to run a hand down his face. But he couldn’t deny it because Taehyung was mostly true, and thinking back on it, Hoseok may have acted out of fear. “I just didn’t want you regretting anything.”
“Then why has it felt like you’ve been avoiding me all this time?” Taehyung almost whispers, and his expression pangs Hoseok so deeply he reaches a hand up to clutch at his chest.
“I just, I didn’t know how to deal with it. I’m your hyung, and I’m supposed to be taking care of you,” Hoseok says, dropping his hand to his side. “Not hurting you.”
“You could’ve given me a chance,” Taehyung says. His expression is softer now, the tension lessening ever so slightly.
“You could’ve confronted me about it,” Hoseok throws back. He’s not entirely at fault here.
“It’s kind of hard when the person you’re trying to confess to either avoids you or spends most his time fondling other people,” Taehyung comments, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pockets. He looks so vulnerable Hoseok almost reaches out to touch him, but the thought makes him realize he hadn’t actually genuinely reached out to touch Taehyung since forever. So he does reach out, wraps his fingers gently around Taehyung’s forearm to pull him closer, like he’s a grain of sand waiting to be washed into the sea.
“You idiot… it’s not that I chose Jimin over you. You need to understand I wanted to give you room to grow so you’d be able to understand your feelings,” Hoseok mumbles, reaching up to rest his hand at the side of Taehyung’s face. Taehyung doesn’t respond for awhile, but he reaches up to cover Hoseok’s hand with his own.
“Can I,” Taehyung says, biting his lip a little. “Is it alright if I kiss you? You know, for once without a fucking audience and cameras watching.”
Hoseok laughs, the sound breaking the stillness in the room, like bell chimes in an empty room. Taehyung laughs too, and his smile is so breathtaking Hoseok finds himself thumbing at his bottom lip. He presses his forehead against Taehyung’s and sighs through his nose, so close that Taehyung’s eyes cross slightly when he makes eye contact with him.
Hoseok doesn’t waste another second before pressing his lips against Taehyung’s, soft and slow because they have all the time right now, without the rush of the staff or the worry of the cameras catching intimacy beyond bandmates. In this moment, Hoseok can feel Taehyung’s racing pulse as his hand presses into his throat, he can smell fruity candy and those damn pocky sticks he and Jeongguk are always eating. And even when his tongue slides past Taehyung lips, Hoseok can taste the sweetness that’s not from the candy or snacks.
When he cheats his eyes open slightly to watch Taehyung, he finds himself smiling into the kiss; Taehyung looks beautiful in the way he has his eyes closed so deeply, focused completely on Hoseok’s mouth, taking in the new experience fully with both his hands resting against Hoseok’s chest. Hoseok nibbles on his bottom lip, pulls back to press kisses on his cheekbones, on the tip of his nose where Taehyung’s beauty mark is. He presses one last kiss to his lips and leans his head back completely.
Taehyung leaves his eyes closed for a few seconds longer before slowly opening his eyes to stare longingly into Hoseok’s, the same expression Hoseok had seen years ago when they were introduced to each other for the first time. Hoseok reaches up to ruffle his hair, smoothing down loose strands.
“I’m sorry,” Hoseok whispers between them, strictly for Taehyung’s ears even though he knows they’re alone. “I’m sorry for ever making you feel neglected and replaced. I never, never intended for that.”
Taehyung nudges his nose against Hoseok’s before leaning down to press his face into Hoseok’s neck. “I just, I want to take stupid selfies together and dance to girl group songs with you, too. And maybe if we have time, go buy some bubble tea and blow the tapioca balls at Yoongi while he’s asleep.”
Hoseok laughs against Taehyung’s hair and shakes his head. He turns and presses a kiss to Taehyung’s temple, nuzzling his nose into the soft hair. Kissing felt so much nicer, easier, when they were alone.
“Well, we have time right now, and I’ll bet Yoongi’s taking a quick nap at the dorms right now?” Hoseok suggests, waggling his eyebrows with a wide grin.
The night ends with all hell breaking loose as Yoongi threatens to set both their beds on fire and Taehyung with a healthy amount of bubble tea down his shirt as Yoongi holds him still between his legs. Hoseok ends up washing Taehyung’s back before they head out to practice.
A few days later, Yoongi is still finding tapioca balls stuck in his hair during hair and makeup, throwing death glares their way each time, but Hoseok doesn’t regret it one bit.
And although Hoseok has to sneak kisses to the back of Taehyung’s neck in the dark before they head up on stage or hold his hand secretly under the tables during interviews, Hoseok thinks he can get used to it, Taehyung’s kisses all for himself.
No audience. No cameras.