Archive of Our Own

Imagine Yoongi, calm and sweet and sure of himself (and his bisexuality) hanging out with Jeongguk one day—Jeongguk who’s a little shy but fully comfortable with his hyung, straight but a wonderful ally~

The two of them casually hanging in Yoongi’s bed as they often do (Jeongguk asked if he could come keep Yoongi company while he played Animal Crossing because there’s just something about his friend that has him wanting to be around him at all times…) when Jeongguk repositions himself to get more comfortable. He leans back, expecting to feel a fluffy pillow against his back but instead feels his hyung’s warm, firm chest, his eyes going wide in surprise. 

“Oh,” he breathes out, body going rigid against Yoongi’s. “Sorry hyung.”

He begins to move forward again but suddenly there’s a gentle hand on his stomach, coaxing him back onto Yoongi’s chest. 

“You’re okay, Guk, I don’t mind,” Yoongi’s soft, deep voice sounds in his ear. Jeongguk’s doe eyes go even wider, and he tilts his head to the side as subtly as possible to see if Yoongi is—for some reason—just messing with him, but his hyung isn’t even paying attention—his brows are furrowed as he reads something on his phone, teeth already nibbling at his bottom lip distractedly. 

Jeongguk can feel the blush spreading on his cheeks, because—he and Yoongi don’t do this. 

They’re close, sure, have been for years. And they go for the occasional hug, when called for—birthdays, reuniting after a long time apart… y’know, the typical amount of contact between two platonic bros. 

But they don’t… cuddle.

They don’t just touch each other casually, intimately, when it’s just the two of them alone on Yoongi’s bed in a dimly lit room. 

Jeongguk’s first instinct is to panic, honestly, because he doesn’t want to make Yoongi uncomfortable. Doesn’t want him to think he’s coming onto him, or attempting to cross some invisible line that’s existed between them since they met several years back.

But… friends can cuddle, right?

That’s what Jeongguk thinks as he relaxes into Yoongi’s body, suppresses a shiver at the feeling of Yoongi’s large hand resting on his tummy. That’s what he tells himself as Yoongi sighs absentmindedly, his warm breath tickling the hair at the nape of Jeongguk’s neck.

It’s what he thinks as he returns to his game, hoping that Yoongi doesn’t notice that his character has been walking into a wall for about thirty seconds now. 

For about a minute he sits there, body slowly but surely relaxing until he’s fully lying against Yoongi’s chest, Yoongi’s hand now resting on his hip. It’s not there intentionally, no, Yoongi just didn’t bother to move it after coaxing Jeongguk backwards.

But the strange thing is, Yoongi’s fingers brushing against his hip through his shirt has Jeongguk feeling this weird fluttery feeling in his chest that he’s never once felt around any of his friends, especially not Yoongi. 

They sit in comfortable silence for a couple minutes, though Jeongguk’s brain is loud.

What does this mean? Am I making Yoongi uncomfortable? Does he enjoy this, too—the feeling of our warm bodies pressed together, the casual intimacy?

And if Jeongguk weren’t already spiraling enough, suddenly Yoongi’s hand disappears from Jeongguk’s hip… instead moving to his hair a moment later. 

Yoongi switches between gently scratching at Jeongguk’s scalp and carding his long fingers through Jeongguk’s hair, the touch so light it nearly feels like Jeongguk has dreamt it. 

But he hasn’t. It’s real. Very, very real. 

Jeongguk can tell by how slow & lazy the movement is that Yoongi isn’t really paying attention to the action, and it has Jeongguk wondering.

Is this a familiar position to Yoongi? Someone lying back against his chest, Yoongi’s fingers in their hair, everything soft, soft, soft. 

Is this something he does with his other friends? He tries to think about how Yoongi is with Namjoon or Taehyung or any of their other friends but he can’t recall ever seeing Yoongi like this with them. 

Or… is it an act of intimacy reserved only for those Yoongi has something with, a stepping stone to something more?

…Does Jeongguk want more?

He so badly wants to sigh, let his eyes fall shut and head loll back against Yoongi’s shoulder as he focuses on nothing but the touch, but… that would definitely be taking it too far. 

So instead he bites his lip, focusing intently on his game as Yoongi continues stroking his hair because if he doesn’t he might do something stupid like nuzzle into the milky skin of Yoongi’s neck or blurt out what are we?

He doesn't know how much time has passed when Yoongi clears his throat and shifts a little, fingers slipping from Jeongguk’s hair, Yoongi seemingly coming back to himself. It feels like an eternity yet at the same time nowhere near long enough. 

“Ah, I hate to say it,” Yoongi begins, and Jeongguk pauses his game, craning his neck to stare at Yoongi, wide-eyed. “But as comfortable as I am, I gotta work early in the morning. I should probably get to sleep.” 

It takes Jeongguk too long to answer—his brain’s a little foggy still, utterly blissed out from the feeling of Yoongi’s gentle caresses. “O-Oh yeah, of course,” he says, jerking forward as if he’s just been caught doing something he’s not supposed to. “Uh… goodnight, hyung.” 

Jeongguk doesn’t even glance back at Yoongi as he crawls off the bed and gathers his stuff, tripping over his own feet when he hurries to the bedroom door. 

“Um, Guk?”

Jeongguk stops, eyes wide as he turns to look back at Yoongi. His brows are furrowed. 

“Y-Yeah?” 

“Are you okay?” he asks, looking mildly concerned. “Sorry, I didn't mean to kick you out so abruptly. Are you okay to get home by yourself? Hyung can drive you if—“

“No!” Jeongguk blurts, Yoongi snapping his mouth shut. “I can—I'll be fine. Night!” 

“Goodnight,” Jeongguk hears Yoongi mumble in slight confusion as he opens the door and slips out, hurrying to the front door of Yoongi’s apartment. He gives Hoseok, Yoongi’s roommate, a distracted ‘hey’ when the man greets him, a look of slight confusion replacing his sunny smile when he sees what probably looks like panic on Jeongguk’s face. 

It's not until he’s back home in the comfort of his empty bed that Jeongguk lets himself spiral. 

There's one thing he knows about himself: He’s straight. He doesn’t like men. Never has. He's perfectly okay with the fact that Yoongi does, has never felt weird about it in any way. But as for himself? He's pretty damn sure of his sexuality. 

But… he can’t deny that he felt something while lying back against Yoongi’s chest, something that he’s never felt with any of his other friends. 

An unfamiliar, heavy—though not unpleasant—sort of feeling in his stomach, contrasted with a light, fluttery feeling in his chest. 

…Butterflies? 

That's what he’d call it if he felt the same feeling around a pretty girl he was interested in. But with his Yoongi hyung?

And this train of thought naturally leads him to the next butterfly-inducing question…

Did Yoongi feel it, too?

It seemed like such a natural thing to him, almost like he’d expected Jeongguk to lean back against him. Is this going to make things awkward between them? Should he say something?

No, no, he doesn’t think he has the guts. 

He doesn’t end up seeing Yoongi for another few days, not because he’s intentionally avoiding him (…okay, perhaps just a little bit) but because their schedules haven’t aligned. 

But one afternoon Jeongguk’s phone buzzes with a text from Yoongi and—god dammit. The simple ‘wanna come over?’ message has those same stupid butterflies swarming in his chest again. 

He texts back ‘yes’ before he can chicken out, and a while later he’s back at Yoongi’s apartment, the two of them sat in Yoongi’s bed like they had been previously. 

They decide to watch a movie this time. Because movies are perfect for when you don’t know how to fill the space, right? 

It’s not that Yoongi and Jeongguk usually have any issues with awkward silences or dead end conversations, but… Jeongguk doesn’t think he can hold a conversation with Yoongi right now; doesn’t think he can stare at his pretty face (has he always been this pretty?!) and try to act like he doesn’t want to be cuddled up against his hyung again in a way that’s a little too intimate to be platonic. 

So after a short, surface-level conversation about how both of their days went, they decide on a movie. 

Jeongguk couldn’t even tell you what it’s about. 

No, all he can focus on is the space between him and Yoongi—too far, too much space. He wants to close it so badly, wants to shift until he’s snuggled right up against Yoongi’s side, his head on Yoongi’s shoulder. 

But that would be weird, wouldn’t it? 

Jeongguk sneaks a glance at Yoongi when he hears the older man yawn, suppressing a giggle because he looks like a sleepy kitten doing so. 

“Tired, hyung?” he asks quietly, chest fluttering when Yoongi turns and smiles at him. 

“Ah, yeah,” he replies, dark lashes fluttering a bit in a way that definitely shouldn’t have Jeongguk hyper-aware of the movement, of the tiny shadows cast on Yoongi’s rosy cheeks. “Had to get up early again today. Why are you so far away?” 

He says it so casually, like it’s the most natural question in the world, like it doesn’t have Jeongguk’s breath catching in his throat. 

“W-What?” 

Yoongi chuckles, an endeared smile on his face.

“You’re sitting on the very edge, looks like you’re about to fall off the bed. Plus, hyung’s cold and you’re like a human heater. C’mere,” he says, motioning for Jeongguk to move closer. 

Jeongguk doesn’t even think twice before obeying, stomach flipping as he shimmies over until he’s mere inches away from Yoongi’s warm body. 

“Come on, don’t be shy,” Yoongi says, gently tugging on Jeongguk’s arm until he’s pressed right up against Yoongi’s side. Yoongi drapes the nearby blanket over both of their legs, his right thigh snug against Jeongguk’s left one, before relaxing against Jeongguk’s side. 

This is the closest they’ve ever been save for the incident from a few nights prior, close enough that Jeongguk can feel the gentle rise and fall of Yoongi’s shoulders as he breathes, close enough that he can almost hear his steady heartbeat.

It takes Jeongguk a minute to relax into Yoongi’s side, but once he does, he feels more safe and comfortable than he ever has in his whole life. 

And when, about halfway through the movie, Yoongi’s hand finds Jeongguk’s under the cover, fingers curling around Jeongguk’s… he’s too sleepy and content to question it. He lets out a satisfied hum as he further intertwines their fingers, his head gently falling against Yoongi’s shoulder as Yoongi rubs his thumb back and forth over Jeongguk’s hand. 

It doesn’t take long for Jeongguk to drift off, not when Yoongi’s shoulder is pleasantly warm against his cheek, when Yoongi is caressing Jeongguk’s hand so gently. He doesn’t know how much time has passed when he feels Yoongi shifting next to him, eyes blinking open as his brain wakes up, registers that— oh, is Yoongi trying to get away from him? 

He panics just a bit at the realization, that perhaps he’s just made Yoongi uncomfortable by falling asleep on him, because Jeongguk is straight and they’re just friends and there’s some invisible line within their friendship that Jeongguk just crossed. 

Jeongguk reluctantly lifts his head from Yoongi’s shoulder, and he begins to squirm away, sleepy apologies falling from his lips. 

“Hey, hey, shh no it’s—it’s okay, Guk-ah,” Yoongi interrupts as his fingers curl around Jeongguk’s upper arm, his voice a soothing rumble that immediately has Jeongguk’s body relaxing. “Didn't want you to move, just—my arm was falling asleep,” he says with a soft chuckle, and Jeongguk’s cheeks heat up when he realizes he’d been leaning his full weight against Yoongi’s arm. 

“Oh, I—‘m sorry,” Jeongguk mutters in embarrassment, but Yoongi just smiles, shaking his head and ruffling Jeongguk’s hair affectionately. 

“Don’t apologize, just wanted to make us more comfortable. Here,” he says, and Jeongguk’s eyes go wide when Yoongi pats his chest. “Lie back.” 

Jeongguk just blinks at him, wondering if his sleepy brain is just misinterpreting the action, but after a moment of silence Yoongi chuckles again, this time reaching out to place his hands on Jeongguk’s shoulders. He gently coaxes him back until Jeongguk is lying against Yoongi’s chest, the very same position they’d been in just days before. 

Jeongguk’s heart races as his foggy brain finally grasps the situation, realizes that he’s lying on Yoongi again, the two of them much closer than just friends should be. 

But although he should probably feel scared… he doesn't. He just feels safe, warm, comfortable. Home. 

He lets out a soft sigh as he wiggles a bit, settling fully against his hyung’s chest, the side of his head pressed to the crook of Yoongi’s neck. 

He doesn’t even question it when Yoongi’s arms snake around his waist, pulling him closer, when he feels something that feels suspiciously like a kiss against his hair. 

He doesn't question it when one of Yoongi’s large hands settles on Jeongguk’s stomach, when the other drifts upward to trace invisible shapes on Jeongguk’s chest. 

He just lets himself fall, sink deeper and deeper into Yoongi’s warmth, his presence against his body feeling more and more right the more time passes. 

Jeongguk has never been the little spoon, never been the one to be cuddled rather than the one to cuddle. With all the girls he’d been with, it was always implied that he was the one that was supposed to hold them, dote on and take care of them the way Yoongi is to him now. 

And he loves that role—he really does, but…

There’s something so wonderful about letting go, about literally sinking into his hyung’s arms and letting himself be taken care of. It’s a feeling he really thinks he could get used to. 

“Comfortable, jagi?” Yoongi whispers when Jeongguk sighs contentedly, the term of endearment spoken in Yoongi’s voice sounding like warm honey to his ears, surprisingly not feeling out of place in any way. 

“Mm,” Jeongguk hums in answer, his eyes fluttering shut as he brings his right hand to rest on top of Yoongi’s where it lay on his stomach. 

“You've been working so hard, haven’t you?” Yoongi murmurs into his ear, finger still moving ever-so-slowly along the surface of his chest. “So busy with work and school. and you never let anyone take care of you the way you need. Hyung worries about you,” he practically coos, cheek nuzzling Jeongguk’s hair. “Glad you’re letting me take care of you now.” 

“‘M fine,” Jeongguk dismisses, though he’ll admit that—yes, he has been extremely stressed between work and school, and his current lack of relationship leaves him feeling incredibly touch-starved and lonely. There’s never a release to the bad feelings, never anyone to come home to and sink into their warm embrace for comfort. 

“Fine bein’ alone,” he adds, because he doesn’t want his hyung to be worried. 

“I know you are,” Yoongi says with a chuckle, another barely-there kiss pressed to Jeongguk’s hair. “Doesn’t mean you have to be.” 

This is the last thing Jeongguk remembers before he drifts off, gently lulled into a peaceful sleep by Yoongi’s warmth and reassurance. 

He’s a little disoriented when he wakes to find that the tv has been switched off, that the room is lit only by the soft glow of the lamp on Yoongi’s nightstand, and—

Oh. He realizes as the bed underneath him moves just slightly that it’s not a bed at all, that he’s still lying back on Yoongi’s chest. And Yoongi still has his arms wrapped around Jeongguk the very way he did before, as if time had stopped just for them, preserving this moment for as long as they both needed it. 

Yoongi must be extremely uncomfortable by now, pinned to the bed by Jeongguk’s body, though he hasn’t moved an inch. 

That's the thing, about Yoongi—he never complains, never scolds; cares for his friends like they’re precious, like he has so much love for them that it overflows into his actions, pours out from his callused fingertips. 

Jeongguk remembers always thinking how lucky Yoongi’s significant other would be, always wondered how in the world he didn’t have one already. 

And perhaps now, with his guard completely down, he can acknowledge the tiny spark of hope that seems to always accompany that thought. 

“Hyung?” Jeongguk croaks out, craning his neck to look back at Yoongi, who’s already watching him with such tenderness in his eyes that Jeongguk feels mere moments away from melting. 

“Hi, sleepyhead,” Yoongi whispers, Jeongguk’s eyes fluttering shut as Yoongi rakes his fingers through Jeongguk’s hair. “You staying here tonight?” 

Jeongguk frowns in confusion. “Stay…?” he trails off when he processes the question, realizes that Yoongi is asking if he’s sleeping here. “Oh, no, no, I won't—I'll leave. Sorry.” 

His whole body seems to protest when he lifts himself from Yoongi’s sturdy chest, his heart sinking when Yoongi’s hands slip from his body. 

“Hey, no, wait,” Yoongi says, placing a hand on Jeongguk’s shoulder before he can stand from the bed. Jeongguk turns his head to look back at him with wide eyes, his heart clenching in anticipation. 

Please tell me to stay , it says hopefully, before Jeongguk can even really process the feeling, question what it means that his heart seems to know with such surety what it wants. 

“I can't let you make your way home when you’re this tired. Just stay the night, okay? It’s no big deal.” 

“Okay,” Jeongguk says immediately, his heart clenching as he takes in the satisfied smile that creeps onto Yoongi’s face. 

They get ready for bed then, Yoongi chuckling when Jeongguk whines in protest, wanting nothing more than to be cuddled in bed with his hyung right this moment . But he follows obediently anyway when Yoongi gestures toward the bathroom, pressing a fresh toothbrush into Jeongguk’s hands before grabbing his own. 

They brush their teeth side by side, Jeongguk flushing pink when he glances at Yoongi in the mirror to see that the elder is already staring at him, sleepy eyes settled affectionately on Jeongguk’s face. 

He's almost glad their mouths are both stuffed full with toothpaste so that he doesn’t blurt out something dumb in nervousness, ask why Yoongi is looking at him like that (because he doesn’t know if he’s prepared to hear the answer quite yet). 

Once they’re done in the bathroom Yoongi offers Jeongguk some comfy clothes to change into, Jeongguk sighing when he slips them on and is hit with Yoongi’s warm, soothing scent; lavender fabric softener mixed with a touch of the spiced, woody cologne he uses. He didn’t realize until this moment how much he loved Yoongi’s scent, how much it felt like home to him. 

Jeongguk watches as Yoongi slips under the covers and makes himself comfortable, snuggling against his pillow before looking up at Jeongguk expectantly and—

Shit. Jeongguk hadn’t stopped to consider this part. 

The part where he has to get back into bed with Yoongi, this time without the sound of the TV to cover up the racing of his heart; no longer a half-decent excuse to cuddle with his hyung.

Because now he’s realizing how domestic this all feels, how non-platonic it is. How, now he doesn’t have the excuse of being sleepy during a movie to be close to Yoongi, but how the desire is still very much there. 

“I don't bite, y’know,” Yoongi says, rousing Jeongguk from his thoughts, Jeongguk blushing when he realizes he’s just been staring at Yoongi. “C'mon, I'm tired. Come cuddle so we can sleep.” 

Jeongguk nods, attempting to swallow his nerves as he climbs into bed next to Yoongi. He settles in facing Yoongi, a good bit of space separating them, though his whole being screams in protest, wanting nothing more than to be pressed right up against Yoongi again. 

Yoongi seems to sense this, and he does Jeongguk the favor of moving closer himself, shifting until there’s only a foot of space between them, their faces mere inches apart. 

They just stare at each other for a few moments, Yoongi’s calming aura soothing Jeongguk’s frantic one, his mind a stormy mess of thoughts. 

What is this thing that he’s feeling? Why does being so close to Yoongi give him butterflies, why does glancing down at his pouty, petal-pink lips fill him with a desire he hasn’t felt in quite a long time? What does it all mean? 

“Hey,” Yoongi breaks the silence, his brows furrowing as he seems to register Jeongguk’s distress. “What are you thinking? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” Jeongguk blurts out reflexively, because he doesn’t really even know what’s wrong, doesn’t know what he’s allowed to ask or say to Yoongi in this quiet little bubble that temporarily surrounds the two of them. 

“Jeonggukkie,” Yoongi says, a touch of scolding in his voice, though it’s incredibly gentle. Jeongguk closes his eyes for a moment when Yoongi reaches up to push some hair out of his face, tuck it behind his ear. “You can talk to me. You know that, right?”

“I know,” Jeongguk says honestly, because he does know. Yoongi is always the first person he runs to when things get hard, the first person to spill his jumbled thoughts to when something weighs heavy on his mind. 

“So…?” Yoongi prompts, but it’s patient, in no way demanding. Just a soft reminder that Yoongi is there, that Jeongguk can trust him with his heart just as he always has. 

“Yoongi, what does this all mean?” Jeongguk blurts out before he can second guess himself, before he can chicken out. “I mean— this,” he stresses, as if that clarifies anything. “W-What are we doing?” 

“What do you want it to mean?” Yoongi asks, and Jeongguk is caught off guard by the utter lack of surprise in Yoongi’s question. Like he knew exactly what Jeongguk was thinking, exactly what he was going to say. 

“I… I don’t know,” Jeongguk answers honestly. “I'm… confused.” 

Yoongi just stares at him for a moment, expression nearly unreadable as he studies Jeongguk’s features. Jeongguk almost thinks he sees a hint of surprise on Yoongi’s face, but he could be imagining it.

“It's okay to be confused,” Yoongi says after a moment, much of Jeongguk’s nerves disappearing when Yoongi reaches up to stroke his jawline with the back of his hand. “You don’t have to have any answers, you can take your time to figure things out. I'll be here. There’s no rush.” 

And Jeongguk… Jeongguk knows . If he stops kidding himself, he knows what it is that he’s feeling, recognizes the butterflies in his stomach for what they are.

But he doesn’t know if he’s quite ready to admit it yet. At least not out loud. Needs more time to process it all, work out his own feelings. The last thing he wants is to drag Yoongi into his uncertainty and confusion, string him along when he hasn’t really figured things out yet. 

There’s no rush, Yoongi’s words swirl around in his mind, soothing his racing thoughts, the ache in his heart. 

Yoongi has always been patient. He'll wait for Jeongguk to work things out, Jeongguk knows he will. 

“Okay,” Jeongguk whispers, feeling guilty that he isn’t able to say anything else, that he can’t be honest with himself or Yoongi yet. 

But Yoongi just smiles, and Jeongguk watches with wide eyes as Yoongi brings his hand up to his mouth, kissing his own fingertips before reaching out to press them gently to Jeongguk’s cheek. 

A silent message, in the most respectful way possible— I know. I feel it, too. But I won't rush you. Take your time.

Jeongguk’s cheek tingles where Yoongi had just pressed an almost-kiss to it, and he can’t help but long for more, can’t help but wonder how Yoongi’s actual lips would feel against his cheek, instead. 

“Now let’s sleep,” Yoongi whispers. “Turn around.” 

Jeongguk does as told, and suddenly Yoongi is pressed loosely against him from behind, one arm hooked around Jeongguk’s waist, forehead pressed to Jeongguk’s hair. Jeongguk can feel his warm breath ghosting over his skin, can feel Yoongi’s lips lightly pressed to the nape of Jeongguk’s neck, though he doesn’t kiss him. 

“Goodnight, Jeonggukkie,” Yoongi whispers against his skin, and within a minute, Jeongguk is fast asleep.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Jeongguk takes more days than he’d like to admit ‘working things out,’ going over everything that’s happened in his head, finally allowing himself to examine Yoongi from a lens that isn’t necessarily platonic. And true to his word, Yoongi doesn’t rush him. 

He checks in, occasionally, texting Jeongguk to ask how his day went or if Jeongguk wants him to drop some food by his place. And Jeongguk texts back with shaky hands, his heart fluttering with every response he receives, the puzzle pieces clicking further into place the more Jeongguk thinks about his best friend. 

Jeongguk feels something for Yoongi. Something more than what he’d thought before, something romantic. He keeps going over the facts in his head, repeating to himself everything that he’d admitted to himself thus far. 

He's not straight. He has feelings for Yoongi. he wants to kiss Yoongi. 

He wants… something with Yoongi. Something more than what they have. 

And it’s not until Yoongi texts Jeongguk a picture of himself on an uneventful thursday afternoon—he’s holding a stray kitten he’d found on his walk home, teeth and gums on display as he smiles blissfully at the camera—that Jeongguk decides to do something about it. 

He barely remembers to lock the door behind him as he exits his apartment, running down the stairs and out the door. 

He should probably call Yoongi first, make sure he’s even home, but he’s far too impatient to wait for Yoongi to answer, too antsy to stay still. 

He practically runs all the way to Yoongi’s apartment, which he realizes as he reaches Yoongi’s door was a bad idea because now he’s breathless and a little sweaty; his face probably flushed pink from exertion. 

He forces himself to push forward though, a giddy laugh escaping his lips as he knocks on the door. 

“Jeongguk?” Hoseok says in surprise as soon as he opens the door, and Jeongguk’s face falls just slightly when he realizes it isn’t who he really wants to see. “Are you—are you good? Do you need—"

“Is hyung here?” Jeongguk interrupts, too eager to really feel bad about being impolite. 

“Umm, no,” Hoseok answers with a slight frown. “Sorry. He left a little while ago, but—"

“Jeongguk?” 

Jeongguk swings around at the sound of the voice he really longed to hear, his heart nearly bursting as he watches Yoongi approach. 

There's a long moment of silence where the two of them just stare at each other, time seemingly standing still, no one in the world but the two of them for a few blissful moments. 

“Ahh, there he is,” Hoseok eventually says, something like understanding in his voice as he watches Jeongguk and Yoongi stare at each other. “Well I'll just be in my room,” he says, and Jeongguk glances over at him in time to catch the knowing look on his face. Is Jeongguk really that obvious?!  

“Have fun you two.” 

“Jeongguk,” Yoongi repeats as Hoseok retreats, Jeongguk’s head snapping back over to look at him. “You okay?” 

“Yes!” Jeongguk blurts out, because he is—he’s more than okay. “Yes, yes, I’m—hyung,” he rushes out, nearly tripping over the words in his excitement. 

“Yes, Jeonggukkie?” Yoongi asks, a small smile appearing on his face. 

“Hyung, I'm—I'm ready. I know.”

“Do you, now?” Yoongi asks with a chuckle, finally walking forward to close the distance between them. He stops just a couple feet away, looking endeared. 

“Yes, yes I—I was thinking about it, and I just—I don't know, it’s all very new to me, y’know? Very… strange. Um—not that I’m saying it’s weird!” Jeongguk blurts out frantically, eyes wide. “No, it’s—it just feels strange to me, because I’ve never really stopped to consider the idea that—that I might—”

“Jeongguk, breathe,” Yoongi interrupts, placing both hands on Jeongguk’s shoulders as he laughs. Jeongguk snaps his mouth shut, obediently taking in a much-needed lungful of air. “Let's go inside, hm? We’ll talk.” 

Jeongguk just nods, feeling embarrassed all over again as Yoongi places a hand on his lower back, gently ushering him inside. He guides Jeongguk to the kitchen, where he tells him to wait as he pours him a glass of water and instructs him to drink it. Once Jeongguk finishes gulping down the whole glass and sets it on the counter, Yoongi intertwines their fingers and tugs Jeongguk toward his room. 

He gestures for Jeongguk to go sit on the bed as he closes the door behind them, Jeongguk’s eyes glued to his pretty side profile, his round cheeks. 

“Ah, did you get the picture I sent you?” Yoongi asks as he turns back to Jeongguk, clearly attempting to defuse the tension, and Jeongguk nods. “Wasn’t that kitty so cute? She ran up to me when I was just leaving work, and I swear to god I was so close to taking her home with me but—"

“I wanna kiss you,” Jeongguk blurts out, Yoongi freezing in his tracks at the outburst. Jeongguk bites his bottom lip as soon as the words escape him, feeling mortified because—yes, while it’s not a lie, it’s not exactly the very first thing he’d wanted to say to Yoongi after coming to the realization that he did. 

“Oh?” Yoongi says, seemingly composing himself as he continues walking toward Jeongguk, the corners of his lips just barely tugging upward. “Do you really?” 

“No, I didn’t—I mean yes!” Jeongguk interrupts himself as he quickly stands from the bed, his eyes wide. They’re only a couple feet apart now, and Yoongi’s calm, self-assured aura is a stark contrast to Jeongguk’s frazzled one. “I do, of course I do, but that’s not what I—ugh. this isn’t going well,” he says with a pout. 

“I think it’s going great,” Yoongi protests, smirking as he teasingly pokes one of Jeongguk’s cheeks. “Please, tell me more.” 

Jeongguk sighs, trying to tamp down the exasperation he feels, to get his stupid emotions under control. He’d pictured this going so much smoother in his head; imagined himself calmly telling Yoongi his feelings, looking suave and confident while doing so. He's irritated with himself that he’s already fumbled the confession. 

“Okay, well, um,” Jeongguk starts, eyes darting around the room nervously. “I guess I—I thought I only liked girls. In fact I was so sure of it. So when that night happened, when I was lying back on you and felt a weird fluttery feeling in my stomach I was… really confused, to say the least.” 

“That's understandable,” Yoongi says calmly, Jeongguk leaning into his touch when he reaches up to cup Jeongguk’s cheek. “You thought you knew yourself inside and out, so it was a big shock when you realized you maybe didn’t.”

“Yes,” Jeongguk breathes out, relieved that Yoongi is being understanding about the whole thing. The last thing he’d wanted to do was make it sound like he was disgusted by his feelings, that he didn’t like the idea of wanting Yoongi in that way. It wasn’t like that at all—it simply felt foreign to him. 

“I hadn't ever thought of you in that way, or any man, for that matter, but—but I just felt so… so warm with you holding me like that. Warm and, uh… safe? I mean not that you can’t feel those things in a platonic way, but—ugh, I don’t know how to say any of this. I'm sorry.” 

“Don’t be sorry, jagiya,” Yoongi soothes, closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around Jeongguk’s waist. He pulls him closer, until their bodies are touching, their foreheads resting together. It’s crazy how fast the touch soothes Jeongguk, how much less nervous he feels now that he’s in Yoongi’s arms. 

“Like it when you call me that,” Jeongguk says before he can stop himself, his arms coming up to wrap around Yoongi’s neck for support. 

“Mm, I know you do,” Yoongi says with a chuckle. “You practically purred when I said it a few nights ago. So cute.” 

“Hyung,” Jeongguk whines, burying his face in the crook of Yoongi’s neck to hide his blush. Yoongi just laughs, his large hands traveling along the expanse of Jeongguk’s back in attempts to soothe him. 

“Don’t be embarrassed. I’ll call you all the pet names your little heart desires, sweetheart,” Yoongi answers, which only makes Jeongguk’s face flame even more. 

“Hey, look at me?” Yoongi says after another endeared laugh, and Jeongguk reluctantly pulls back to look at Yoongi with a pout. “Let's make this simpler, hm? Don’t overthink. Just tell me what’s in here,” Yoongi murmurs, placing the gentlest of touches against Jeongguk’s heart. 

The action is so sweet, so quietly affectionate that suddenly Jeongguk doesn’t feel so nervous anymore. 

“I like you, hyung,” Jeongguk whispers, his heart skipping a beat upon hearing the words spoken aloud. “I like you as more than a friend.” 

Yoongi smiles, rubbing a gentle circle above Jeongguk’s heart before sliding his hand up to cup the back of Jeongguk’s neck, his other hand cradling his face. 

“As do I, Jeongguk-ah,” Yoongi replies, with all the tenderness in the world pooled in his eyes. “I like you so much.” 

“You… you do?” Jeongguk asks, though he’s not really surprised. He'd probably known it long before he’d admitted it to himself; knew by the way Yoongi looked at him, like Jeongguk was the first drop of sunshine after a hundred rainy days. Knew by the way Yoongi always paid extra attention to Jeongguk, always orbiting close to him and doting on him more than he did the rest of their friends. 

Knew by the way Yoongi was always there, always knew just what Jeongguk needed when Jeongguk didn’t even know himself, always offering the most sturdy, reliable shoulder for Jeongguk to lean on whenever he needed it. 

Yoongi would do anything for Jeongguk, he’s realizing. And Jeongguk would do the very same. 

“I've liked you from the very day we met,” Yoongi says, sounding so incredibly sure. Jeongguk’s eyes go wide, because that was—what, three, four years ago now? 

“Remember that?” Yoongi asks.

“Of course,” Jeongguk breathes out, because he remembers it like it was yesterday. “Tae introduced us at that party. Neither of us wanted to be there.” 

“I know,” Yoongi says with a snort. “We'd known each other for all of five minutes before I asked if you wanted to go get some fresh air real quick.” 

“And we never went back inside,” Jeongguk says, giggling at the memory. He’d been hesitant at first, the idea of being alone with a stranger more than a little terrifying, but it was much more appealing than staying inside a hot, crowded, noisy house for a minute longer, so he’d taken the chance. Followed Yoongi into the cool autumn air. And he’d never felt so immediately at ease with someone.

“Mhm,” Yoongi hums, pressing an endeared kiss to the tip of Jeongguk’s nose. “You know when I realized I liked you?” 

“When?” Jeongguk breathes out, eyes wide. 

“The moment you opened up to me,” Yoongi answers. “You were so reserved at first, a little closed off, which I completely understood. We’re both introverts, and I was a stranger you’d met less than an hour prior. But then we walked to that little convenience store, bought snacks and walked along the Han river, and—well, I asked you about music. And you just blossomed.”

Jeongguk watches in awe of the way Yoongi looks at him, eyes nearly sparkling as Jeongguk sees a reflection of his own feelings in Yoongi’s pretty irises. He wonders how he didn’t see it before, how he didn’t notice the way Yoongi looked at him. 

“You immediately became so giddy, opened up like a beautiful flower as you talked about something you were passionate about. And you looked so pretty and happy and captivating while you spoke that I just—I fell. I mean, how could I not?” 

“Hyung,” Jeongguk whispers, his throat suddenly feeling tight. How did he not see it before? How did he not realize he felt the exact same way? 

“But… but I knew where you stood,” Yoongi continues. “I knew that you had no interest in anything more than what we had, and I was okay with that. I mean, truly—being your friend is enough, Guk. I already feel so lucky.” 

“Hyung… I’m so sorry,” Jeongguk says earnestly, suddenly feeling a bit despaired. He can’t imagine how Yoongi had felt all these years, having feelings for someone he’d thought would never return them. Jeongguk wants to kick himself for not waking up sooner. 

“No, don’t,” Yoongi immediately dismisses, his thumb stroking Jeongguk’s cheekbone. “I don't want you to feel—actually, I owe you an apology.” 

“Me?” Jeongguk asks in surprise, furrowing his brows. “Why would you…?”

“That night, when you laid back against my chest,” Yoongi starts, one hand playing with the hair curling at the nape of Jeongguk’s neck. “I read things wrong. I thought that maybe you’d started to wonder if you liked me, thought that was your way of trying to make a move because you were too nervous to actually tell me. So I pushed. I was so eager to finally hold you that way that I didn't stop and communicate first. I should've.” 

“Hyung, no, don’t apologize for that,” Jeongguk says, immediately shaking his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, you—you were very respectful. I didn't feel forced into it or anything like that, so—please, don’t apologize.” 

Yoongi smiles, pressing a kiss to Jeongguk’s cheek this time, the action sending butterflies swarming through Jeongguk’s stomach. 

“You’re so good, Gukkie. Always are,” Yoongi says, which only makes Jeongguk blush more. “I appreciate that. But I still am sorry. It wasn’t until last week, when you said you were confused, that I realized that you really were. That you hadn’t meant anything by what we did.” 

“Not the first time,” Jeongguk shakes his head. “That was an accident. But hyung, I realized after that night that it did mean something. And that night when I slept over… that’s when I realized why I felt the way I did when you touched me. But I was scared.” 

Yoongi nods, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he strokes Jeongguk’s hair. “Are you still scared?” 

“No,” Jeongguk answers without hesitation. “Not anymore. You make me feel brave.” 

Jeongguk’s eyes fall shut in anticipation as Yoongi leans in, as he finally presses his lips to Jeongguk’s. It’s a warm, tender kiss; sweet and a little shy, a little uncertain. But it’s the last puzzle piece to click into place in Jeongguk’s mind, and he can’t help but giggle against Yoongi’s lips as he kisses him back. 

Yoongi laughs as well, and he kisses Jeongguk again, and again, their lips slotting together perfectly—as if they were made to fit together. 

“You make me brave, too,” Yoongi whispers back when the kiss finally breaks, his forehead resting against Jeongguk’s. After a moment Yoongi pulls back, his warm, brown eyes finding Jeongguk’s.

And with all the tenderness in the world, he says, “I love you, Jeongguk-ah.” 

Jeongguk’s breath catches in his throat, the confession unexpected, but not… not as surprising as he thought it would be. No, it doesn’t feel like a surprise at all. It feels like Yoongi is simply speaking aloud something that’s been clear for years, from the very beginning. 

“You don’t have to say it back. You don’t even have to feel the same way; if you never get there, that’s perfectly okay. I just—I’m sorry, it’s been years. I can’t just not say it anymore. I had to—”

“I love you, too,” Jeongguk interrupts, because he can’t hold back anymore, either. Yoongi’s eyes go wide in surprise for just a moment before he’s absolutely beaming, looking happier and more radiant than Jeongguk has maybe ever seen him look. Jeongguk’s heart melts. 

“You do?” Yoongi asks, sounding so incredibly hopeful. This time it’s Jeongguk who leans in to kiss the tip of his nose. 

“I do,” Jeongguk confirms with a giggle. “I'm sorry it took me so long to realize.” 

“That's okay, baby,” Yoongi reassures, pressing another kiss to Jeongguk’s parted lips. “What matters is we’re here now, hm?” 

“Mhm,” Jeongguk agrees, beaming as he stares at his best friend. “There's no place I'd rather be.” 

“Me neither,” Yoongi says before kissing Jeongguk again, then again, then again; so many times that Jeongguk loses count, so much that after a while Jeongguk hardly knows where Yoongi ends and he begins. 

They fall into Yoongi’s bed eventually, limbs tangled together as they take their time getting to know one another all over again; words hushed and kisses languid. 

It’s all innocent, slow, because Yoongi knows Jeongguk still needs time to process everything, get used to the idea of being queer. But to Jeongguk, it’s absolutely perfect.

And all he can think as he drifts off into a peaceful nap wrapped up in Yoongi’s loving arms, is that he’s so glad he’d mistaken Yoongi’s chest for a pillow. 

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

“We’re dating,” Yoongi says, five pairs of eyes trained on him and Jeongguk. The two of them had decided to wait a few weeks before telling their friends, Yoongi respectfully wanting to give Jeongguk plenty of time and space to adjust to his newly discovered identity. 

Seokjin had invited them all to a party at his place, just the seven of them, and Jeongguk and Yoongi had decided that was as good a time as any to come clean. 

“Yes, we’re—he’s my boyfriend,” Jeongguk adds, blushing when Yoongi wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him closer, pressing a kiss to Jeongguk’s temple. 

My boyfriend. The words still feel so foreign to Jeongguk’s tongue, though he finds he loves saying them. Yoongi is his boyfriend. Yoongi is his.

“Um, yeah. We know,” Jimin says, raising a brow at the couple. 

“You— what?” Jeongguk asks in surprise, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head. 

How would anyone know? As far as their friends are concerned, Jeongguk has always been straight! 

“Was it supposed to be a secret…?” Seokjin asks, looking genuinely confused. “You guys really aren’t subtle. I thought it was just, like, common knowledge at this point.”

“It wasn’t fucking—I mean, I’ve always been straight!” Jeongguk says in exasperation. “You guys know this!” 

“Oh, honey,” Taehyung says, walking over to Jeongguk and patting his shoulder as he gives him a sympathetic smile. “You've never been straight.” 

“But—but—” Jeongguk cuts off as his friends all giggle, feeling completely dumbstruck. how could his friends have known if Jeongguk didn’t even know himself?!

“You’re a little too infatuated with Tony Stark to be straight, buddy,” Namjoon adds with a lopsided smile. Jeongguk’s jaw drops. 

“That’s not—I don’t like him like that!” Jeongguk argues indignantly, although— now that he thinks about it… 

“Okay, love,” Jimin says, Jeongguk huffing when Jimin winks at him. 

He’s not truly mad or offended—he knows that his friends mean no harm by their teasing—he’s mostly just embarrassed that everyone seemed to know before him, a little upset that they didn’t tell him sooner so he could’ve had Yoongi a long time ago. 

“Yah, quit teasing,” Yoongi scolds, pressing himself to Jeongguk’s back and wrapping his arms around Jeongguk’s waist protectively. Jeongguk crosses his arms, pouting as he melts into Yoongi’s embrace, lets him press a soothing kiss to his cheek. “We all figure things out in our own time. There’s no shame in that.” 

“Hey, we know that!” Hoseok says, hands raised in defense. “That's why we didn’t trap you two in a room years ago and tell you to get your shit together. Y’know, free will, or whatever.” 

“You knew that we liked each other?!” Jeongguk practically shouts, a fresh wave of mortification washing over him.

“Duh,” Seokjin says, everyone split between laughing and cooing over Jeongguk’s blushing cheeks. “It’s obvious just by the way you look at Yoongi that you’re head over heels, Guk. Also, why do you think Yoongi always offers to peel your oranges for you?” 

“Or offers to give you a ride home because it’s ‘on the way home from work’ on days he’s not even scheduled?” Taehyung adds. 

Jeongguk gasps, spinning around to look at his boyfriend. “Hyung! My work’s, like, a thirty minute drive from your place!” 

Yoongi suddenly avoids Jeongguk’s eyes, looking sheepish and adorable as his cheeks turn a similar shade of pink as Jeongguk’s. “Well, you don’t have a car and I don't want you to have to take the bus home alone.” 

“It’s not—you didn’t have to—oh my god,” Jeongguk mutters, burying his face in Yoongi’s neck. Yoongi laughs despite his own embarrassment, rubbing Jeongguk’s back soothingly as their friends coo over them. 

“We’re just teasing you both,” Namjoon says after a moment. Jeongguk reluctantly turns back around to see that all of their friends are watching them with nothing but fondness in their eyes. “We’re so happy for you guys. Truly.” 

“We really are,” Jimin says, walking over to stand in front of Jeongguk, obnoxiously pinching his cheeks. “My little baby gay, all grown up,” he coos, and Jeongguk hears Yoongi snort from behind him. 

“Okay, okay,” Yoongi says, gently pushing Jimin back to give Jeongguk space. “We just wanted to tell you, and we did so—carry on.” 

The gang only teases Yoongi and Jeongguk for another thirty seconds before they go back to talking amongst each other, Jeongguk’s embarrassment finally receding. 

“That was awful. I’m never telling them anything again,” Jeongguk says as Yoongi snakes his arms around his waist, pulling him closer. “Not even when we get married. They don’t deserve to know.” 

Jeongguk realizes what he said as soon as the words leave his mouth, his heart stopping as he stares wide-eyed at his boyfriend. But Yoongi just laughs, not surprised in the slightest by Jeongguk’s words. 

“Married, hm?” he asks with a smile, leaning in to press a kiss to Jeongguk’s forehead. 

“I didn’t—I just meant—”

“I’d love to marry you, Gukkie,” Yoongi interrupts, pulling Jeongguk into a hug. “When the time comes.” 

Jeongguk relaxes into Yoongi’s embrace after a moment, his arms coming up to wrap around Yoongi’s neck. “Oh. Well, me too.” 

Yoongi hums, eyes scanning the room to make sure no one is looking before his hands drift down to squeeze Jeongguk’s ass. 

Jeongguk yelps, pulling back to look at Yoongi in surprise, his cheeks immediately heating. “Hyung!” 

“What?” Yoongi raises a brow, playing dumb, laughing when Jeongguk rolls his eyes. “Don’t worry, no one—”

“Yah, I saw that! Keep your hands to yourself, you two,” Jeongguk hears Seokjin yell behind him, and he groans, clinging to Yoongi and hiding his face in his neck as he’s done a million and one times since they started dating. He can’t help it—Yoongi just feels like home. 

“Don’t pay any attention to them, jagiya,” Yoongi says, and Jeongguk can’t help but smile at the pet name as he looks up at Yoongi. He forgets all about his embarrassment as his eyes meet Yoongi’s. 

“Now what do you say we get out of here? Y’know, get some fresh air, buy some snacks, walk along the river…”

“Sounds wonderful,” Jeongguk says, giggling at the allusion to their very first meeting. “I love you, hyung,” he says, because he can never seem to keep the thought inside when it comes to him. 

“I love you, too, Jeongguk-ah,” Yoongi says affectionately as he takes Jeongguk’s hand, guiding him to the front door.