Work Text:
Jin knew his boyfriend well. He would hope so, at least, as they had been dating for three years, and that’d be kinda a red flag if he didn’t know him well.
Jin, with all his boyfriendly knowledge, knew Namjoon was a homebody. He knew he wasn’t the kind of guy to purposely stay out and about after work. He also knew that he overworked himself sometimes.
With all this in mind, Jin couldn’t figure out why Namjoon had been staying out after work recently. It wasn’t very late, not like he was clubbing or something (Namjoon hated clubbing). It wasn’t like he was being unfaithful or anything either, because if he was going to cheat, he would have done it long ago. Besides, they had moved in together a couple months ago, and were happier than ever. So the last two reasons were virtually impossible.
The last possible reason Jin came up with was that his boyfriend was secretly a superhero, which Jin thought was cool but A) probably impossible and B) he’d be worried sick if Namjoon was putting himself in harms way.
And so, Jin was stumped. For all he knew, Namjoon was just staying late at the office. He knew there was a big meeting coming up, and Namjoon always wanted to be 1000% prepared. He’d also noticed that Namjoon had been more tired as of late, which fueled his thinking that it was a work thing and nothing else.
“Hey, Joon?”
“Yes love?”
“I’ve noticed you’re a little more tired than usual recently…everything ok at work?”
Namjoon nodded at his boyfriend from across the dinner table.
“Yeah, it’s ok. I’m just worried about this pitch we have soon,” Namjoon paused to take a bite of the dinner Jin had made.
“Remember not to overwork yourself,” Jin reminded in a caring tone. “I can’t have my baby stressed out,”
Namjoon smiled at him, his gaze soft.
“I know, love. Don’t worry, I’m not,”
That was the last time they spoke about it. Jin didn’t want to press him for information. They were very open with one another, and Jin knew that Namjoon would tell him if something was wrong. So he tried to stop worrying about it, tried to stop thinking about it all together. But it never really went away.
It continued even after the meeting Namjoon had been so nervous about. And so, Jins worried made an encore appearance a few weeks later.
“Hey, Hobi?”
“Mm?”
“Have you noticed something off about Joon recently?”
Hoseok raised his head, a confused expression on his face.
“Something off?”
Jin nodded.
“Yeah, he’s been getting home from work later than usual, and he’s kinda tired…”
Hoseok seemed to be suppressing a smile, but maybe Jin was imagining it.
“Hmm, I haven’t noticed really. If you’re worried, ask him about it,”
“Yeah, I have, but he just says it’s work stuff,” Jin replied, thinking about their conversation from weeks ago.
Hoseok shrugged.
“Then it’s work stuff,” he said simply.
Jin, logically, understood that it was probably work. But emotionally, he was getting more and more paranoid. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Namjoon, he trusted him more than anyone, but he was just confused. And worried. And generally stressed about it.
Jin isn’t completely satisfied with the conversation between him and Hoseok, so he texts Jimin about it.
jinster
yo Jimin can I ask u smth
chim
yea ofc, what’s up?
jinster
have u noticed anything about Namjoon recently that’s out of the ordinary?
chim
mmm…no? he’s been the same
why?
jinster
I was just wondering
chim
maybe he’s cooking something up as a surprise 😊
Jin reread this a few times. A surprise? Like what? If he was planning on proposing, Jin was going to be mad because he wanted to propose. Upon reflecting on this, he decided they could both propose. But the comment was still confusing.
jinster
meaning…?
chim
🤷
Lovely. This conversation seemed to be less helpful than the last. Jin decides if it continues into next week, he’ll just ask Namjoon about it directly.
But the next week, there’s a break in the pattern. On Wednesday, Namjoon comes home from work regular time.
“Hi baby, I’m home,”
Jin looks up from his laptop, bewildered.
“Hi love, you’re home kinda early,” Jin remarks, happily accepting a kiss on the forehead from his boyfriend.
Namjoon mimes offense as he says, “what? Can’t I come home to see my boyfriend?” as he goes to change out of his office clothes.
“You can, you just haven’t been,” Jin mutters to himself quietly.
Namjoon returns from their room and drops onto the couch next to Jin.
“How was work?” Jin asks, resting his head on Namjoons shoulder.
“It was good, we’re starting the project for the pitch from last month, and it seems promising. How was your day?”
Jin worked an at home job, which he much preferred. It meant that any time Namjoon was sick or tired he could be home to take care of him. Taking care of Namjoon was number one on his list of favorite things. Well, maybe number two. Namjoon was always top of his list.
“It was good, I’m making your favorite for dinner tonight,” Jin replied.
Namjoon did a little fist pump (which was adorable).
“God, what did I do to deserve you?” He asked.
Jin grinned up at him.
“You deserve the world,” he said in response, planting a kiss on his cheek.
“I love you so much,”
“I love you so much,”
“We can’t have this argument again.”
“You’re just scared you’re gonna lose ‘cause I love you more and you know it,”
“Mmm, that is highly debatable and very untrue because I love you more,”
“You really don’t,”
“I really do,”
Jin was starting to see why some of their single friends found them unbearable to be around.
Jin made dinner that night. Most couples would maybe switch off on cooking duties, but Jin loved taking care of Namjoon too much to give up that role. Besides, Namjoon was always tired from work and a little bit of a disaster in the kitchen. So Jin cooked for him happily, always relishing the look of delight on his face and the endless amount of praises falling from his mouth.
Jin had missed those extra few hours of Namjoon during his secret after work activity. Having him home reminded Jin just how much he loved having him around. If he was being honest, he’d lock Namjoon in the apartment with him so they could spend all their time together. But that may be a little extreme.
Plus, Namjoon loved his job. Even if it wore him out and could be stressful at times, he loved what he did, and was good at it. Jin would hate to deprive him from that joy.
That was why Jin was hesitant to ask about those hours after work. He didn’t want to be the guy who was unsupportive of his partners job, especially when it made him so happy. And he wasn’t unsupportive, just confused.
Finally, a week or so later, Jin snapped.
Namjoon hadn’t come home early again after that one day, and Jin had returned to his habit of worrying about it a little too much.
But it all came to a boiling point when Namjoon was an hour later than normal.
Jin was panicking. His texts weren’t going through to Namjoon, nobody would tell him where he was. So Jin paced around their apartment, waiting for the moment he’d hear the key in the door.
“Where the hell have you been?” Jin asked as soon and Namjoon entered the apartment.
“There was a lot of traffic on the way home-“
“For four hours? You only work twenty minutes away.”
“My meeting ran long and then there was construction-“
“You’ve been coming home late for, like, a month, and your excuse is that a meeting ran long?” Jin didn’t mean to sound so angry, but he was just so confused.
Namjoon’s expression turned to confusion.
“What do you mean?” He asked.
“Joon, you’ve been coming home like two hours late every night. I figured it was just work or a project, but I don’t know what it is anymore. I wish you’d just be honest with me, I was so worried about where you’ve been,” it all came spilling out so fast Jin could barely process what he was saying.
Namjoon suddenly looked very sad. It broke Jins heart to see him so upset, but he was upset too. He wanted answers.
“Jin-“ Namjoon took a deep breath. “I’m so sorry you’ve been worried. I-I didn’t even know you noticed and- if I’d known I would’ve hidden it a lot better,” Namjoon sighed, leaning on the kitchen counter.
None of this was helping. Jin was still so confused.
“I didn’t want you to find out because I wanted it to be a surprise,” Namjoon continued. “Those hours I’ve been gone after work? I’ve been taking a cooking class downtown,”
Jin stared at him, stunned.
He had been doing what?
“You always take care of me, and I want to return the favor because,” Namjoon inhaled sharply. “I feel like I don’t do enough for you. I just want to love you and protect you and take care of you, but it always seems like you’re the one who always does that for me,
“I want to make your favorite dinner, I want to make sure you’re taken care of. I feel like all I do is accept your love and don’t give enough back,”
Jins mouth hung agape, his heart breaking at the words. Namjoons eyes held so much self-doubt, so much emotion, Jin could have cried.
“Baby,” he said, pulling Namjoon into a hug. “Baby, who says you don’t take care of me?”
He heard Namjoon sniffle into his t-shirt.
“I do,” was the muffled reply.
“Namjoon, do you know how much you’ve done for me? How much you continue to do for me?”
Namjoon said nothing.
“Baby, you being here with me gives me everything I’ve ever wanted. You are my best friend, the love of my life, the main source of my happiness. Waking up with you every morning and falling asleep with you every night makes me fall in love all over again.
“You will always be enough, no matter your ability to cook. You’re more than enough, and always have been,”
Jin held him close, stroking his hair gently.
The pair stood like that for a while, just holding each other and bathing in the other’s warmth.
“Joon?”
“Yeah?”
“Since you can cook, would you like to make something for me?”
Namjoon raised his eyes to meet Jins.
“Only if you help,”
They got to work, getting all the ingredients and utensils they needed. Namjoon took the lead, using Jin as a sous chef. They worked together very well, listening to music and cooking together in perfect harmony.
When the meal was done, Jin set the table and they ate together.
“This,” Jin declared, “may have been the best meal I’ve ever eaten,”
Namjoon smiled at him, a faint blush rising on his face.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” Jin continued. “I’m pretty sure it’s because it was made by love from my wonderful boyfriend,”
Namjoon smiled.
“Now you know how I feel every time you make me dinner,”
Them cooking together became a weekly thing. They would set a day of the week to cook together, each of them finding a new recipe each week. They would go to the grocery store and get the ingredients, then come home and make dinner.
At one point, Jin had an idea.
“Hey, what if we both went to your cooking class?”
Namjoon smiled.
“Really? You want to go?”
“If I’m with you, I’ll go anywhere,” Jin replied.
So the next day, they went to the cooking class together. It was a group with a mix of ages, all of them smiling as soon as Jin and Namjoon entered.
“Oh my gosh,” an older woman said. “Are you Jin?”
Jin blinked.
“Yes?”
“I can’t believe I get to meet you. Namjoon told us so much about you!”
Namjoon flushed bright red and Jin turned to him.
“He has?”
“Maybe just a little…” he said quietly.
The class started and when the teacher was walking around to check on everyone, his eyes widened when he got to Namjoon and Jins station.
“You must be Jin!” He exclaimed, shaking Jins hand.
Jin beamed.
“That I am,”
“Your boyfriend has been telling us all about how much he loves you,” the instructor continued.
“So I’ve heard,” Jin said with a smile, holding Namjoons hand.
“I have to tell you, it’s so great to see people in my classes, and it’s even better when they’re taking them for those they care about,” the teacher smiled at them both before drifting to the next station.
“Look at you, telling all these people about me,” Jin teased giddily.
“I may like you just a bit,” Namjoon said with a smile. “Don’t tell anyone tho, it’s a secret,”
“I’m afraid it won’t be too long till the world knows about how crazy I am about you,” Jin said solemnly.
“Oh?”
“Well once the wedding comes around…” Jin smirked.
“Wedding?” Namjoon asked softly.
“Yeah, our wedding,” Jin smiled. “You ever think about that?”
“Of course I do,” Namjoon replied. “I can’t wait to marry you,”
Jin grinned.
“And I can’t wait to marry you,”
The two of them leaned into a quick kiss.
“Oh, god,” one of the people in the class remarked. “Whoever says love is dead clearly hasn’t seen the two of you,”