Work Text:
8 January 2018
It doesn't sound right. It's just not working. There’s something off, and he can't figure out what. Frustrated, he sighs and leans back on the chair.
He's been at it since eight thirty this morning, but the only thing he's been successful at is worsening his caffeine dependency. He hasn’t even had lunch yet, but he's already on his fourth mug of coffee.
He swirls in the chair and glances at the clock behind him.
1:04.
It's later than he was expecting. The clock hands have been dragging all morning, but they finally seem to be moving at an acceptable speed. He'll be forced to take a break soon, and he's grateful for it.
He sighs and stands up, stretching his arms high above his head. He drops back into the seat, then leans forward to press play on the screen.
The annoying melody fills the room.
He resists 30 seconds before he shuts it off. He swears at the screen. He needs to figure out what is making it sound so wrong, what it needs.
He looks away from the screen and to the pictures next to it. He keeps them there because they ground him, never failing to make him feel calmer.
There's three, all framed and all unmoving (for the benefit of the Muggles he works with). One is a group photo of seven young boys, standing on the edge of a pool in swimming trunks, making faces at the camera. One is of a boy. He's pretty, with a big smile that scrunches up his eyes. He's leaning on a tree trunk, pink hair messed up by invisible wind. The last one is his favourite.
Two young men, dressed in black robes, fingers intertwined. The one with the blond hair is holding a parchment. They're wearing matching gold rings. It's their wedding, the day they eloped.
He rubs the band on his finger, eyes on the photographs but mind back to the music.
He starts it again, but it’s soon interrupted by a knock. Clicking on the mouse, he turns it off. “Come in.”
The door opens. “Hey.”
“Hey.” Yoongi turns to look at his saviour.
“The security guys and the people at reception let me through. Didn't even ask where I was going.” Jeongguk walks in and closes the door.
Yoongi nods. He doesn't mention that the entire office is in possession of a list of people that have free access to the building and him, at all times, no questions asked, no matter what. Doesn’t tell him there’s only seven names on the list, his being one of them. If it slipped and Seokjin were to find out, Yoongi'd never hear the end of it.
“Shall we?” he says instead, standing up. “You wanna eat here?”
“Subtle.”
That's not the reply Yoongi was expecting. He follows Jeongguk's gaze.
He’s staring at one of the framed posters on his wall. It's new, just finalised. Half of a man's face taking up half the frame. It’s the cover of his third album, due to come out in ten days.
“It's the first time you can tell it's Jimin.”
Next to it are two other similarly huge posters, the covers of his previous two works. They both feature a man, in different poses and different lights, but his face never visible.
Yoongi slips his hands in the pockets of his sweats. “Different album, different emotion, same muse.”
Everyone knew it was Jimin in the others as well. It wasn’t a secret. But this time, Yoongi had felt louder in his writing, bolder in his production. It'd felt right to show off Jimin in the same way.
“It's beautiful,” Jeongguk comments, solemn.
“Thank you.” Yoongi smiles. He’s proud of it. “We used the same photographer that shot the others. You're the first to see it. Well, apart from Jimin.”
“Tae's gonna freak out,” Jeongguk says.
Yoongi doesn't have to look at him to know he's smiling. The way his voice shapes around the name gives it away. He chuckles. “Yeah, probably.”
Taehyung thinks Yoongi using Jimin as the model for his album covers is romantic. He's stated as much several times.
“So.” Yoongi pushes the chair beneath the desk. “You wanted to get lunch?”
Jeongguk nods. “Yeah.” He's still facing the posters.
“Upstairs' okay?”
Finally, Jeongguk turns towards him. “Actually, could we go out somewhere?”
“Of course.” Yoongi studies him.
He'd thought Jeongguk's request to meet up was unusual, but now he's sure that something’s off.
It’s not as if Jeongguk hasn’t been to the studio before. He has, and they've met up for lunch before too, just the two of them. It's not often, as most times it's a bunch of them that get together, but it happens. Usually though, it's Yoongi that invites him over. This time, Jeongguk had owled him. That'd been unexpected. Not only that he'd asked, but that he'd written instead of bringing it up during one of the evenings they'd all spent together recently.
Now, Yoongi can tell that this is not just a simple lunch. There’s definitely something on Jeongguk’s mind. He wonders if it has something to do with the moving.
Taehyung and Jeongguk have spent the past six months looking for a house, renovating it and preparing for the move. Yoongi does not doubt for a second they are more than ready for it, but it still is a big step.
“Have a place in mind?” he asks.
“No, but somewhere Muggle, maybe.”
Yoongi nods. It’s probably better that they don’t get mobbed if Jeongguk wants to have a serious conversation. Yoongi may get recognised anyway, but at least Jeongguk will be safe.
“There’s some good places around here.” Yoongi grabs his jacket. “How about Italian?”
“Sounds good, thanks.”
Yoongi slips on his jacket and checks he has all he needs. His wallet is in the left pocket, and his wand is tucked away safely in the internal one. He locks the studio and they walk out.
He nods at all the people that salute them and make way for them.
“It always feels like I’m walking with the king or something,” Jeongguk comments when they’ve reached the lobby. A security guard is waiting for them, door held open.
Yoongi glances at him. “A tad absurd coming from you, mmh?”
Jeongguk shrugs. There’s a small smile on his lips. “I didn’t change the future of a music company.”
“You and Hobi won the Falcons two Championships.”
“It’s a team effort. Very different.”
“So is this,” Yoongi argues. “I couldn’t have made music if they didn’t allow me to.”
They’ve reached the end of the street and Yoongi guides them to turn right; there’s a small Italian restaurant he likes two streets down.
Jeongguk tilts his head. “Yeah, but it’s your talent alone that brought the company out of bankruptcy.”
“Did you ask me to lunch to praise me and my music?”
The smile drops from his face. “No.” He tongues at his cheek.
They cross on the zebra lines at a small intersection and turn right again.
“You good? Should I be concerned?” Yoongi asks. He wonders again if the move has something to do with Jeongguk’s strange mood.
Jeongguk gives a shake of his head, but his expression doesn’t convince Yoongi. He leaves it for now.
They walk the last few feet in silence.
“Here.” Yoongi points to a small windowed door. “Let me open the door for you.”
Jeongguk snorts. “Thanks.”
It’s a family owned place in central London, and it’s one of Yoongi’s favourites. It’s small and unpretentious, the furniture a little worse for the wear but the food absolutely delicious.
The owners know Yoongi quite well and they welcome him with wide smiles.
“Good afternoon, Mr Min.”
“Hi.”
A waiter comes forward, two menus in hand. “Table for two?”
“Yes, please.”
It’s quite busy, the low buzz of people chatting and the clinging of tableware filling the room.
Yoongi and Jeongguk are shown to a table further away from the window, slightly hidden by the leaves of a big indoor plant.
“Would here be okay?”
“Absolutely, thank you.”
The waiter places the menus on the tablecloth and leaves with a nod.
They chit chat until their orders are taken, but Yoongi is just biding time, waiting for their water and bread baskets to be brought for them to have some privacy.
“So,” he says, taking a soft bun and breaking off a piece. “What’s up, Guk? You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Jeongguk replies immediately. He reaches forward to run his fingers on the stem of his glass. His eyes follow the movement. “I need to ask you something.”
Yoongi nods. “Of course.”
“You cannot tell Taehyung we had this conversation, or anyone else. It’s between us.”
Yoongi nods again.
Seconds go by without Jeongguk saying anything. Yoongi keeps silent too, giving him time and space.
The fingers on the glass still, and Jeongguk looks up. "About a month ago, Taehyung asked me what I thought about getting married."
Yoongi makes sure to not show any reaction. He just gives another nod.
He's not particularly surprised. He didn't know they'd been talking about marriage, but it would make sense that they have. Jimin often says he doesn't understand what they are waiting for.
What is perplexing is how tormented Jeongguk looks.
“Okay,” he comments, when Jeongguk doesn't continue.
Jeongguk stares. “I was expecting another reaction.”
“What were you expecting?”
“Surprise maybe. I don’t know… Something.”
Yoongi plops another piece of bread in his mouth. “You and Taehyung have been together for a long time. You love each other. You just bought a house. Marriage would not be that surprising.”
Jeongguk looks down to his hands, splayed on the table.
“It's okay if you don't want to get married though,” Yoongi continues. “I'm sure Taehyung would understand.”
“That’s not–” Jeongguk shakes his head. “That's not it.”
Yoongi waits for him to elaborate.
“Taehyung asked me if I'd ever thought about it.” Jeongguk's index finger draws small circles on the fork's handle.
Yoongi stays quiet.
“I hadn't,” Jeongguk whispers. He looks up. “Well. Only once. A long time ago.”
Yoongi doesn't get a chance to reply because their food arrives. He waits for the waiter to leave before he does. Maybe asking questions will help Jeongguk unravel his worries. “Would you want to get married?”
“Yes,” Jeongguk replies without hesitation. The thought seems to have him overwhelmed.
Yoongi twirls spaghetti around his fork and brings them to his mouth. Jeongguk stabs a few penne, but doesn't show any intention of eating them. Yoongi watches him patiently.
“I don't know if I can,” comes eventually.
Yoongi's eyebrows raise. “Marry Taehyung?”
Jeongguk pokes his cheek with his tongue again. He looks to the side, then down to his plate. “Make him that happy.”
Yoongi doesn't think there is anything that Jeongguk would be better at than being Taehyung’s husband. Besides playing Quidditch, maybe.
He was in the middle of taking another swirl of pasta but he puts the fork down and focuses solely on Jeongguk. Before he can find the nicest way to ask Jeongguk if he has lost all sense of reality and make him reason, Jeongguk speaks again.
“I hadn't thought much about marriage before because I have everything I want,” he explains. He looks up and meets Yoongi’s eyes. “You know… Taehyung, you guys, a house…” He ticks off his list, gyrating the fork he's holding.
Yoongi smiles softly.
“Getting married isn't really something I thought was close for us.”
“It doesn't have to be, if that's not what you would like, Guk.”
“That's not it.” Jeongguk goes back to stare at his plate. This time, he lifts the fork and shoves some pasta in his mouth.
Yoongi does the same, giving him time.
They munch in silence for a minute.
“I don't know if I'm ready to make Taehyung as happy as he deserves. I was so unprepared when he brought it up… I’d never thought about it at all, and I didn't even realise he was talking about marriage at the beginning!” Jeongguk drops his head, a hand coming to cover his eyes.
“Of course I want to marry Taehyung. I mean…” The hand slides down. “Being married to Taehyung…” his voice trails off, thick with emotion. He looks up and Yoongi sees the same emotion reflected in those big bright eyes of his. “I– I mean…” He doesn't seem to find the words to finish.
It's fine, though, because Yoongi gets it. Better than anybody else probably. He's beginning to understand why Jeongguk came to him. “I understand, you don't need to explain,” he reassures him.
Jeongguk shakes his head.
Yoongi pours them some water and takes a sip.
“I am worried I blew it. He was thinking about marriage, and it hadn't even crossed my mind! I was too busy thinking about– About I don't even know what! The house!?” Jeongguk sounds devastated.
“I'm sure you didn't blow anything. You couldn't possibly, with Taehyung.” Yoongi smiles. “And there's nothing wrong with focusing on something as big as buying a house together. It's important.”
“Yeah, but Tae was thinking about the bigger picture, of course.” Jeongguk sighs, voice low. “I just can't believe I didn't even consider it… What must he have thought?! Who dates Kim Taehyung and doesn't think about marriage?!” He brings up a hand to cover his eyes again. He looks unconsolable.
It's endearing. Especially as Yoongi can imagine the face Taehyung would make if he heard this. “Jeongguk, it's okay, really. I'm sure Taehyung isn’t hurt by it. I’m sure he understands.”
Jeongguk looks back up and nods. “Yes, of course, it’s Tae,” he waves the words off with his fork. “But that's not the point. I wasn't prepared, and now everything I’ll do– I am worried it will seem forced, or something. Like I am doing it because we talked about it… I wasn't prepared to talk about marriage. I'm not sure I can be prepared to ask for it.”
“Of course you can, if that’s what you want. Whenever the time feels right.”
“Taehyung told me to think about it and that we didn't have to… But that’s not it. I want to be married to him. I just don't know how to tell him.” His eyes fleet between Yoongi, the wall behind him, and his glass. His food is barely eaten. Before Yoongi can reply, he continues. “All I want is for Tae to be happy.”
Yoongi tells him what he should already know. “You make him happy, Jeongguk.”
Jeongguk huffs a smile, looking away. Yoongi can tell he wants to disagree but knows he can't. Not without getting an earful.
Seconds pass, and Yoongi eats, content with giving him the time he needs to sort through his thoughts.
“How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
Jeongguk finally meets his eyes. “Ask Jimin to marry you.”
“You know the story.” He swallows his last bite of pasta and brings his napkin up to wipe his mouth.
“Yes. But how did you make it special?”
Yoongi doesn't understand. He thinks of that day. It'd been special, because Jimin was special, because what it meant was special. But it'd been simple, just a moment shared between the two of them, asking a question he already knew the answer to. Not extraordinary. “Do you think it was special?”
Jeongguk stares at him with a confused look. He opens his mouth to speak, then closes it. He glances away, then back. “When you proposed, Jimin was so happy. I had never seen him that happy before.” He holds Yoongi's gaze. “That's the first and only time I thought about marrying Taehyung. It wasn't– It wasn't like a promise or anything, but I remember looking at Jimin and thinking about if I would ever be able to make Taehyung that happy.”
For the first time since they started talking, Yoongi doesn't know what to say. He tries to find words to respond while Jeongguk, seemingly embarrassed, catches up on eating.
“Is this what you wanted to ask me?” Yoongi finally says.
Jeongguk looks up from his plate, chewing. He nods.
Yoongi nods, too. “I think any way you do it, Taehyung will be happy. It’s what he wants.”
Jeongguk shakes his head. “It’s not enough.”
“Jeongguk, ther–”
“I want him to know that I want this just as much as him. More. I want him to know that I’ve thought about it, I’ve planned it, I’ve given it everything I have. That I made an effort, that I love him, that he’s the most important thing in my life.”
The way the words rush out of him, fast but firm, unwavering, makes Yoongi pause.
“I just want to make him happy,” Jeongguk adds, voice small. “I need help.”
Yoongi is pretty sure he’s never seen Jeongguk this desperate.
“Guk, nobody makes Taehyung as happy as you,” he says. “I mean it,” he continues, when it seems Jeongguk may interrupt him to argue. “Really, whatever you do, especially if it’s you asking him, it will make him very happy.”
“But I–”
“Listen to me, Guk. I gave Jimin what he, I, we wanted. I could’ve waited, you know? I didn’t even need to get married, but I knew Jimin really wanted it, so I asked. I was worried, he'd barely graduated. I thought maybe it was too soon, but he convinced me he wanted it and knew it was coming.” Yoongi smiles, remembering Jimin and Jihye giggling over pictures of rings. “He was making plans, so I just thought of how to make it the most surprising and asked him sooner than he expected. I don’t think it was that special to be honest, I was just going for surprising.”
“Jimin was glowing for days.”
Yoongi shrugs. “It was just us.” He’s a bit overwhelmed by the direction the conversation has taken. Jeongguk stating Jimin’s happiness so candidly makes him emotional. “Whatever you do, will be the right thing. I mean it.”
Jeongguk places the fork in his plate. He looks to the side.
“Jeongguk. This is Taehyung we're talking about. You know him inside and out. He wants to marry you. You asking him will be all that matters.”
Jeongguk meets his eyes. After a second, in which he seems to be weighing the words in his mind, he nods.
Yoongi wants to distract him from doubting himself more. “What ideas have you had so far?”
The question seems to flick a switch in Jeongguk. “This is also why I wanted to talk to you. I want your opinion.” For the first time today, he sounds eager to talk. “I’ve just started thinking about it, but I want to propose. Properly. Asking the question and with a ring and a setting. I think it should be just us two when I do it. Somewhere special to us, maybe the greenhouse at his parents… I want to design the ring…” He smiles. “That’s all for now.”
“That sounds perfect,” Yoongi smiles. “What kind of ring do you want?”
“I was thinking maybe Goblin-made...”