Work Text:
It's a chilly October night. Jo trails after his bandmates, exiting the venue after a concert and a Weverse live. The concert went really well, but the live did not. Rather, the live went fine. But after it ended, a staff member told Taki off for 'being too loud,' and ever since then, everyone's mood has been down.
Fuma and K jumped to Taki's defense immediately, and everyone else joined in, but the staff member said he knows better and they should all heed his advice for their image's sake. It's all bullshit, in Jo's opinion. He'd never say that out loud, but he's allowed his private thoughts, isn't he? Taki is funny, and loud, and sometimes over the top, but that's his charm. He always means well and everyone always loves him for it. When he gets just a tad too loud, the older members know how to calm him down without hurting him. Why did this man think he knew better? He was a new hire, too, brought from the Korean branch of the company. Barely two months with them, and already he thought he could boss them around. Jo wishes the man would have told him off instead. It's not right to see Taki like this.
He can see out of the corner of his eye that Taki has a spring in his step, and a smile on his face. It's all exaggerated. The smile doesn't reach his eyes – it's more of a grimace. Taki's more sensitive than people know, and Jo is sure he'll spend the night mulling over this, wondering if there's something wrong with him.
They're approaching their cars and belatedly, Jo realizes he won't end up in the same one as Taki. That won't do. He wants to keep an eye on him, make sure he's ok. He quickens his pace but Euijoo slides next to him, puts an arm around him. Jo is forced to tear his gaze away from Taki.
Euijoo notices and offers him a tight smile. “It was wrong, what he said.”
Jo nods. “It was.”
He misses his chance. Taki is ushered into the first car by K, Fuma and Yuma, and maybe it's for the best. All of them know how to comfort him. Euijoo gently nudges Jo into the second car, and then he's surrounded by couples.
He puts on his headphones and stares out the window until they reach the hotel.
*
He shares a room with Fuma, who is in the shower when Jo makes it into their room. Jo showered at the venue, so he just changes into his pyjamas and sits on his bed. Then he paces around. Then he sits back down. Then he paces again. That's how Fuma finds him.
“You ok there, Jojo?”
Jo nods. He sits back down. “Is anyone with Taki?” He can't stop thinking about it – everything was perfect, they were all happy, and then this had to happen. Taki has a single room. Jo doesn't think he should be alone tonight.
Fuma's face softens.
“K-hyung has to go back to Tokyo, he'll come back the day after tomorrow for the concert. Harua and Maki wanted him to go into their room, though.”
“Oh.” Jo feels dejected. Of course Harua and Maki will take care of Taki. Those three are inseparable. Better them than Yuma, he supposes. Jo is glad nobody can read his mind.
Fuma gives him a quizzical look. He moves to his suitcase to grab a shirt. “We can ask, though. Maybe he didn't go,” he says airily.
“Right,” Jo says.
“Do you want me to ask?”
“Please,” Jo replies, all too eagerly.
Fuma smiles and grabs his phone. He puts it on speaker, Maki picks up. It turns out Taki didn't go to Harua and Maki's. He wanted to be alone.
That sounds wrong. Taki is not like him. Jo likes being alone when he's melancholic. Taki needs cuddles and jokes and distractions.
“You could go to him, if you want.” Fuma voices what Jo's been wanting to do since he saw Taki walking to the car. Still, it's surprising. Is he that obvious?
“He wants to be alone, though?”
“Eh,” Fuma shrugs. “You know how those three are when they get together. Too chaotic. Maybe he wants something quiet.” He pauses. “You're quiet.”
“Yes,” Jo nods. “You wouldn't mind?”
Fuma laughs. “I'd love the alone time. Barely get any these days.”
Jo knows he means it. Every single one of them needs to be alone, sometimes. It's just that Jo can't stomach the idea of Taki being alone tonight. Maybe he's wrong, but...it wouldn't hurt to check.
“Ok. Right. I'll go then,” he says awkwardly, then starts for the door.
“Jo?” Fuma stops him. “Get a bag. You might need to stay with him.”
Jo is surprised at the insight. He figured he might end up falling asleep with Taki, but he didn't need anything for that. Still, he grabs a bag and stuffs it with a change of clothes and underwear, a toothbrush and his new book. Maybe Taki will want to sit in silence?
He's about to go again when Fuma puts a hand on his shoulder. “Jo. You know he's going to be fine, right?”
Jo nods.
“We all know that guy was wrong. But these things will happen. We just have to deal with them,” Fuma says. Jo has a feeling he finds his worry excessive. But Jo can't help it.
“It's just - ” he starts, “how could anyone say that to him?”
Fuma hides his smile behind his hand. “I know, right? But he has us. He has you. We love him as he is.”
“We do,” Jo agrees.
Fuma hugs him and Jo leaves the room. Taki's room is just around the corner. As Jo's walking to it, he wonders if someone's beat him to it. Yuma, probably? He's rooming with Euijoo, but now that K left, maybe Euijoo will want to go to Nicholas, who's alone, and maybe Yuma went to Taki instead? Of course Yuma would want to comfort Taki. They're close. Very close. Jo thinks about turning back around, but what is he going to say to Fuma?
He has to go on.
He knocks on Taki's door. Waits. Knocks again.
He's about to give up when he hears the handle turn.
“I said I want to be -” Taki is speaking, but then he sees Jo. “Jo-kun?” His face lights up in a beautiful smile. That's more like it. That's exactly what Taki's face should be doing at all times.
“Hi, um...” Jo gestures to his bag, “Fuma-kun kicked me out,” he lies. He doesn't know why he said that. Why did he say that? What's wrong with wanting to spend time with Taki, and admitting so?
Taki looks at Jo's face, then the bag, then back again. He raises an eyebrow. “Did he?”
Didn't fall for the bullshit, then.
“No. I just -” Jo gestures vaguely behind him. “I can go?”
Taki opens the door wider. “No. You can come in.”
Jo sighs, relieved, and follows him inside.
The bed is still made and the place looks immaculate, which is very out of character for Taki.
“I. I thought, maybe, you wanted some company?” Jo says in a small voice. “I-I know you said you wanted to be alone, but maybe...”
“How do you know that?” Taki interjects.
“Fuma-kun called Maki?”
Taki laughs. “I wanted a quiet night. I can do quiet with you.”
“Yes,” Jo nods vigorously.
They're just standing at the foot of the bed. The room is quite large, with beautiful mirrors all around, a plush couch, a huge TV, and a luxurious bathroom with a tub. Jo regards Taki. He seems relaxed, unbothered. Maybe he really did get over it? But Jo doesn't know. He can't risk it. He has to make Taki feel better, for certain.
“Shall I run you a bath?” He blurts out.
“What?” Taki says, startled.
“I – I mean...” he doesn't really know. His dad used to run baths for his mom when he was little, to help her relax. It seemed like a good idea. Jo's never run a bath for anyone before, but Taki deserves one.
Once it becomes clear that Jo won't speak anymore, Taki says “Ok.”
Jo's surprised. “Really?!”
Taki shrugs. “Why not?”
Right. Why not? Jo tosses his bag on the floor and walks to the bathroom, confidently. He looks at the tub. It's really quite big. He looks around. There is a shower gel, but nothing fancy. Maybe he should ask Harua for a bath bomb?
“Maybe I should ask Harua for a bath bomb?” he shouts over his shoulder.
Taki is right behind him, and Jo jumps when he hears his voice so close. “Why?”
Jo shrugs. “It would be pretty.”
“Ok,” Taki says again. Jo's noticing he's not very talkative tonight. Maybe it's Jo's fault. Maybe he would be talking more if someone else was here. But Jo tamps down the doubts. Taki let him in and wants him to stay.
Jo walks to the door, Taki trailing behind him. “Jo-kun?” he asks, tugging at his sleeve. “Don't be too long.”
Jo's heart beats faster as he walks to Harua and Maki's room.
Harua answers the door. Jo can see Maki on the bed they're sharing, sounds coming from the tv.
“Jo-kun!” Harua says.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Can I ask for a favor?”
Harua looks sort of delighted. Jo never really asks for favors. “Sure!”
“Do you have a bath bomb I can grab?”
“I-I do have one, it's only one though...” Harua trails off. He loves his bath bombs with a passion.
“It's not for me. It's for Taki.”
“Oh. I'll go get it then. Come in.”
Jo walks into the room and Harua shuts the door. Maki laughs at the exchange. “Oh, so you wouldn't give it to Jo but you'll go get it cause it's for Taki?” He shakes his head, pretending to be jealous.
Harua shrugs. “You know how it is.”
Everyone loves Taki.
Jo knows Harua would have given him the bomb, too. It just might have taken more time. Jo rarely asks for things, and Harua would gladly give them to him. It's different for Taki, though. Sometimes Jo thinks Taki could ask for the world and all of them would scramble to get it for him.
“Is he doing ok?” Maki asks.
“Yes, he. He looks happy,” Jo says. Not happy, exactly, but content?
“You'll sleep at his?”
“I suppose.”
“We could come with, we're watching The Greatest Showman. We could put it on.”
Jo frowns. He loves them, and Taki loves them, but he needs quiet, now. “I think he wants a chill night.”
Maki smiles at him. “Sure. You guys have fun.”
It's not a bad deal for Harua and Maki. Neither them nor Nicholas and EJ get enough time alone, and Jo is sure they are glad that Jo is taking care of Taki so they don't have to worry.
Harua walks out of the bathroom with a bath bomb. It's pink, with golden glitter. “Give Taki a hug from me, yeah?”
Jo grabs the bomb and smiles. “Yeah.”
*
Taki is in the bathroom when he comes back. The water is running and the tub is half full already.
“I should be doing that,” Jo says.
“Nah. It's all right,” Taki says with a small smile.
Taki's leaning against the counter. Jo sets the bomb there and sits on the toilet lid. They watch the water fill the tub. “It was Harua's last. But he gave it for you.” He wants to make sure Taki knows he's loved. “You also have a hug from him.”
Taki laughs, the sound airy and clear. “Well, where is it?” He makes grabby hands for Jo.
Jo gets up. Taki gets away from the counter. They put their arms around each other. Jo thinks he might be holding on too tight – he always fears he's crossing the line, with Taki. Taki holds on tighter. His forehead touches the crook of Jo's neck. Jo wonders if he can hear his thunderous heartbeat. Taki pats his back, comforting. It's meant to be the other way around. Jo caresses Taki's back, slowly and carefully. He feels so awkward, like a fish out of water. Why does he have to be like that? Why can't he be confident and bold?
Taki lets go of him. He looks normal. Jo can see his own reflection in the mirror. His cheeks are flushed. He shakes his head and looks away. The tub is almost full now, and he quickly turns the tap off. He throws the bomb in, and they watch as the water foams pink.
“I'll leave you to it, then,” Jo says and turns to leave.
Taki grabs his wrist. “You won't stay?”
Jo can see the sadness there, the uncertainty. Taki is fine, will be fine, but he needs to be taken care of first.
“You want me to -” he gestures at the tub.
Taki nods. “It's very big. It can fit us both.”
Jo feels a lump in his throat. Taki just - asked him to have a bath with him. Just – what the fuck? How is this his life? He tries to be nonchalant when he says, “Sure. It's, uh, nothing I've never seen before.” What the hell is wrong with him? Yeah, they've all taken showers together a few times, especially back in the early days of the group, but what does that have to do with anything? Why is Jo so awkward?
Taki's laugh sounds more like a snort, but he doesn't comment, and Jo is grateful for that. Despite Jo's bravado earlier, he turns around when Taki starts to strip. He hears him get into the water, opens his eyes when Taki says,“I'm not looking, I'm not looking!” His hands are in front of his eyes in an exaggerated gesture, and Jo can't help but smile. It's been two years and he's still not used to the way Taki makes him feel.
Jo strips and gets in. The water is just the right side of hot, the pink bubbles covering its surface almost entirely. Jo settles on the opposite side of Taki, making sure his knees don't touch his. The tub is big enough that it's almost doable – but small enough that they brush against each other sometimes. Jo can feel his ears getting hot. He pretends to wash his face with the glittery water, just so he can cover his ears. A glitter gets in his eye. Because of course it does.
Taki closes his eyes and leans his head on the tiles.
Jo gets the glitter out and stops putting the dangerous water on his face. He clasps his hands together under the water.
He feels so awkward. He can't help but imagine someone else in his place. Maki, maybe. He'd be confident and make jokes. Harua falls into step with Taki, always. They'd be in sync together no matter what. Yuma would be – Jo shudders. He's glad Yuma's not here, and that it's him instead. He wonders if Taki would prefer Yuma over him, though. He probably would. Why didn't Yuma offer to stay with Taki tonight? Jo supposes he mustn't have, or Taki would have accepted him instead.
The intimacy of the moment doesn't escape Jo. But he's not stupid – he knows this doesn't mean much to Taki. Taki's affectionate with everyone. He's got a bleeding heart, and their jobs are to protect it, always.
“You deserve to be happy.”
“Huh?” Taki opens his eyes. He looks relaxed.
“You should be happy, always,” Jo mumbles.
Taki smiles. “You too.”
He doesn't get it.
“No, I mean. You should always be happy. Nobody should ever make you sad.”
Taki cocks his head. “That doesn't make sense, though?” He seems amused.
Jo shrugs.
“You don't mind being sad,” Taki says after a while. “You welcome it.”
It's true. Jo likes feeling things. He doesn't mind sadness. He lets it pass through him, knowing it doesn't ever stay long.
“That's different,” Jo says, stubbornly.
“How?”
“People should – they should be careful with you.”
Taki frowns. “Because I'm fragile?”
Jo really puts his foot in his mouth sometimes, doesn't he?
“Because your smile – it's...” Beautiful. The word gets stuck in Jo's throat. He should say it, because Taki deserves to know, but maybe he's expended all his courage for tonight.
Taki lets it go. They sit in silence, the water getting lukewarm and then cool. The pink bubbles are starting to dissipate.
“Do you want to go first?” Taki asks after a bit.
“You can go.” Jo makes a show of closing his eyes. Taki gets up on the opposite end of the tub, holding on to Jo's knee for a brief moment. Jo closes his eyes harder. Taki rinses himself off, splashing hot water on Jo, who doesn't really mind.
After Taki gets out, Jo pulls the plug and watches the pink water disappear down the drain. Then he takes his sweet time rinsing off. He feels off balance, like he sometimes does with Taki, in a way that's entirely his own fault. Naturally, when they're together, the atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed and funny. But Jo's feelings make it complicated. He can get lost in his thoughts, or stare for too long, or laugh harder than anyone else, or feel his heart beat alarmingly fast. Sometimes he thinks everyone can tell, but they leave him alone about it because they pity him.
“Jo-kun? Where are you?!”
But Taki wants to spend time with him, so does anything else matter, really?
Jo hastily pats down his hair and then wraps the towel around his hips. He didn't bring his change of underwear in the bathroom, since he didn't plan on joining Taki. He power walks to his bag and back to the bathroom.
When he's out again, clean and changed, Taki is lying on top of the covers, holding a couple of face masks. He proffers one to Jo. “We're doing self care.”
Jo smiles and grabs it.
“Lie down. I'll put it on for you,” Taki says.
Jo's mouth is dry. He just has to get used to feeling like this around Taki. It was always going to happen, has been happening for months and months. It's no big deal. “Ok,” he lies down and closes his eyes.
Taki's hands are cold. The mask is even colder. It feels heavenly on his skin, after the heat of their bath. Taki is diligent about it. “Your face is so small,” he whispers, admiring. Jo can't help but smile.
Once Taki is done, Jo opens his eyes. “Your turn.”
Taki lies down next to him. Jo opens the mask and tries not to freak out. Just be normal. Taki looks really pretty like this, so relaxed and at ease. The moment that Jo tries to put the mask on though, he puts his tongue out. Jo giggles. “Come on. My mask will fall off if I laugh too much.”
Taki stays still then, and doesn't comment when Jo takes too long to put the mask on. Once he's done, Taki grabs his phone and takes a few selfies of them. They do peace signs and duck lips, and a pose where they're sorta cuddling.
They lie in silence for a while, until it's time to remove their masks. Jo feels very moisturised and very happy.
“We should probably put a movie on,” Taki says.
“Mhm. What do you want?”
“I dunno. Whatever you like is fine with me.”
Jo opens his eyes and turns to look at him. “A thriller?”
Taki scrunches his nose. “Sure!” he says in a high pitched voice.
Jo smiles. He will spare him. He looks through the available options and settles on some Korean movie. It looks like a drama, maybe with a touch of romance. Taki tends to enjoy those.
A bit later, they're watching a scene where the male protagonist is shaving his facial hair. “He's so handsome. I wish I looked like that,” Taki sighs.
“You're handsome,” Jo says mindlessly, because he is. Taki is extremely handsome.
Taki snorts. “You don't have to coddle me.”
“I'm not,” Jo says firmly.
“It's fine, Jo-kun,” Taki says, dejected. “The rest of you are handsome and I'm – cute, I guess” he shrugs.
Jo turns to look at him. He can't believe his ears. Is this because Taki's in a bad mood? “What are you talking about? You're very handsome.”
Taki wraps his arms around himself. “Ok,” he says, not sounding convinced at all.
Jo feels desperate. He touches Taki's shoulder and tries to get him to look at him. “Why are you saying such things? You look good. You are the most handsome.”
Taki laughs out loud. “The most?”
Jo nods, sincerely. “Yes. To me, you are...” beautiful. He doesn't say the last part out loud, but he thinks Taki understands him anyway, because he looks at him strangely.
“Thank you, Jo-kun,” he says in a small voice.
Jo gets it, then. Taki is just humoring him. He doesn't believe him and he doesn't understand. What Jo just did was too dangerous, too revealing, but Taki understood none of it. Maybe it's for the best.
Jo sighs and settles back on his pillow. The handsome protagonist is now running to his office, in a cliché scene where he spills his coffee and drops his documents. Taki really does look better than him, Jo thinks. There's nothing about him that's not pretty. Jo knows they're a handsome bunch, and maybe it's easy to get lost in comparisons, but Taki isn't lacking in anything. His eyes are pretty. His mouth is pretty. His body is pretty. His round face is pretty. His squishy cheeks are pretty. His smile is the prettiest. Jo glances at him. He seems relaxed again, the conversation about his handsomeness left behind.
It still stings Jo, though. In one night, he has had to watch a random guy tell Taki off, and then Taki put himself down.
In an odd way, Jo doesn't think he could do this without him. They're not the closest, not really (despite what Jo might wish for), but Taki really is everyone's sun. They all find the strength to keep going just because he's there.
It's strange that the most beautiful people are the ones that doubt themselves the most.
*
Once the movie finishes, Jo looks around, fidgeting. It's almost 11pm, and they're both exhausted. They have a round of interviews scheduled for tomorrow.
“Should I – go? Or do you want me to-”
Taki raises an eyebrow. “You brought a bag.”
“I can – take it back.”
“You can stay,” Taki smiles. “Unless Fuma-kun will miss you?” he adds as an afterthought.
Jo scrunches his nose. “Nah. I don't think he will.”
“Ok.”
“Ok.”
They brush their teeth. Jo's feet are cold and Taki lends him some socks. They are a bit too small on him, but they have tiny little ducks on them, and they're blue. They're so very Taki. Jo wiggles his toes and smiles.
They get under the covers. They've slept together before, but not many times, and not for a while. Jo's crush wasn't as debilitating back then (it's been growing and growing – Jo faintly wonders when it will swallow him whole), but he'll cope.
They've turned off the lights, for Jo's sake. Taki would normally leave a little light on, but he says he's not afraid when someone's there with him. It's not entirely dark. The city lights penetrate the heavy hotel curtains, and Jo can see the outline of Taki's face masked in shadow.
He feels like he should say something, address the elephant in the room. “You're not too loud, you know.”
“Hm?”
“What he said. Doyun-ssi. The fans love you as you are.”
Taki laughs. “I am loud, though.”
“As loud as you should be,” Jo counters.
Taki smiles at him. “I didn't mind, by the way,” he lies. “Not much, anyway. I've had worse.”
Jo hasn't witnessed any of it. He's glad. “I didn't like it,” he mumbles.
Taki flicks his nose. Jo blushes.
“You're protective of me.”
Jo nods. It's true. He's not alone in it, either. All of them feel the same way, even Maki.
“Thank you,” Taki says. Jo finds his hand in the dark and squeezes it. Then he lets go. Best not to indulge - though he's a hypocrite. He knows exactly what's going to happen now and he's anticipated it for hours.
“Good night, Jo-kun.”
“Good night.”
Taki turns his back to him, and Jo settles on his back, staring at the ceiling. He's in for some kicks and punches first, because Taki's restless when he sleeps, but when he finally settles down he'll cling to Jo in some way. Jo doesn't expect to sleep much, but he doesn't mind the sacrifice.
*
Half an hour later, Taki's changed positions a total of twenty-eight times. He's kicked him on the shin twice and elbowed him on the ribs once.
Jo hasn't moved a single time.
In the end, Taki's arm finds its way around Jo's middle, and his face settles on the crook of Jo's neck.
Jo stays still as a statue and waits for sleep to claim him – or a kick on the knees. Whichever comes first.
(It's a kick).
*
Jo wakes up feeling well-rested, all things considered, but there's a weight on his chest. Taki moved around more during the night, but he's now fully lying on top of Jo's chest, his legs tangled with Jo's. One of Taki's arms is resting on his abs, and Jo is...holding it. Not only does Jo need to pee, but he's now experiencing heart palpitations. It's not even fully dawned outside. Great.
“Eeeh?” Taki exclaims from his chest.
Jo panics, because their position is way too intimate, and closes his eyes, pretending to be asleep.
Taki shakes him. “Jo-kun? Jo-kun! Wake up. Are you having a nightmare?”
“Mmm?” Jo opens his eyes.
Taki sorta climbs off him, though their legs are still tangled.
“Your heart was beating so fast! What did you see? Was it scary?” He looks genuinely concerned.
“I...” Jo's at a loss for words.
“You forgot already? Huh. I thought that happened like, ten minutes after waking up,” he muses. God, he's chatty in the mornings.
“A sock was trying to eat me,” Jo blurts out.
Taki screeches. “Really?!”
Jo smiles, despite himself. His heart isn't beating any slower, and he still needs to pee. “It was a really big sock!”
“What color?” Taki asks, very seriously.
Jo panics. He blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind. “Blue! With ducks on it!”
Taki reels back in feigned shock. “Jo-kun!” He pulls back the covers and looks at Jo's feet.
“My sock tried to eat you! I'm so sorry!” He's giggling fully now, and Jo himself is tearing up from laughing.
After they both go to the bathroom, they check the time. They don't need to be up for another hour, and they take full advantage of it. But first, Taki makes Jo remove his socks and hits them theatrically before stuffing them in his laundry bag, just in case.
*
Their day is packed with schedules. First they do a radio show, then a photoshoot, then two separate interviews, and then they film some vlog content for their youtube channel. Jo goes to an aquarium with Nicholas and Maki, while Taki is off to an amusement park with Yuma and Fuma. Euijoo and Harua go thrift shopping, much to Nico's dismay. Jo finds some time to draw in between everything, and what he draws is...blue socks with ducks on them. And a little sketch of Taki, which he tears off his sketchbook and hides in his wallet.
By the time they assemble, K is back from Tokyo, and they all head off to dinner.
“Wanna watch a movie with me?” Taki asks him after they're done eating. They're next to each other waiting for their cars to arrive.
Jo's surprised. He took his bag back this morning and showered in his own room, expecting to sleep there tonight, but it looks like Taki wants him around again.
“Yes!” he says with a smile. Yuma notices them from across the table and smirks at Jo, which is perplexing.
They head back to the hotel in different cars. Jo shares a car with Nicholas and Euijoo, who are asleep in the front, and Yuma, who sits next to him at the back.
“He's never going to notice unless you tell him, you know,” Yuma says with no preamble.
Jo's blood rushes to his head. “What?!”
“Just saying,” Yuma shrugs.
Jo stays very still and hopes Yuma will get distracted by something and then get amnesia and forget these words ever came out of his mouth.
“You're not going to say anything?” Yuma asks, smirking again. He's all-knowing. It gets on Jo's nerves sometimes.
“I don't know what you're talking about.” Ignorance is the best defence? Or something.
Yuma rolls his eyes at him. “Seriously. He'll never catch on. You have to like, say it.”
Jo doesn't know what to do with that. He has a burning question, anyway. “I thought you liked him?”
“I do,” Yuma says.
Jo's heart sinks.
“I just like someone else more. Way more.”
Jo's heart comes to the surface. He's really been putting it through it today.
At Jo's quizzical look, Yuma says, “Don't ask.” He sighs.
That's another mystery, then. Who could it be? One of the taken ones, maybe? Euijoo or Nicholas? Or Maki? Or...what if...
“Why don't you do something about it?” Yuma presses, and Jo gets distracted from his thoughts.
Because he doesn't even like me like that. “I'm fine with the way things are,” he settles on.
“Why?”
Jo thinks about it. He's not lying, he is fine with the way things are. He's blessed to be living this life. “It could make a mess,” he says at last.
“They are doing great,” Yuma gestures at the couple sleeping ahead of them. “Harua and Maki too, surprisingly.”
Jo laughs at that. The way Harua and Maki get along is surprising. He remembers K in particular freaking out when they got together, thinking they were too young and too immature to not fuck things up. But it's been over six months and they haven't caused the group a single problem. If anything, they're too well-adjusted and affectionate.
Jo knows that K-kun is still freaking out, waiting for the other shoe to drop, but the truth is the maknaes have exceeded all expectations so far. As for Nicholas and Euijoo, they clash and bicker more than the little ones, but it's all in the name of fun. They like pushing each other's buttons. Jo thinks they like knowing how much they affect each other, and it makes sense. He's never witnessed two people be more in love. It's kind of embarrassing to be around them sometimes. They've never had a big fight either. They make it work.
That still doesn't change the fact that Taki doesn't see Jo in that way, and the whole conversation is irrelevant.
Jo's been silent for too long and Yuma nudges him, but just then the car comes to a stop. Jo thanks his lucky stars for the rescue. He loves Yuma, and oddly enough he's relieved that someone knows what he's going through, but he doesn't want this to become a thing.
Yuma pats his back as they exit the car. “Think about it.”
Jo nods, knowing full well that he will do no such thing.
*
“We could watch a thriller tonight!!!” Taki exclaims. They're on top of his bed again, freshly showered and moisturised.
Jo took a shower in his own room, but then he wheeled his suitcase and all his belongings to Taki's room. They have a concert tomorrow and then they will head back to Tokyo, so it made sense for Jo to bring everything here.
Jo lets Taki pick the movie, and Taki looks up several titles to make sure they're not too gory or disgusting before settling on a psychological thriller.
“Do you mind if I shout?”
Taki tends to screech when he gets too scared or too happy or too excited.
“No,” Jo says with a smile.
*
Taki does end up shouting, and screeching, and hiding his face behind his hands, and headbutting Jo's chest and staying there, while Jo pats his back awkwardly and thanks his lucky stars that the light is too dim for Taki to see him blush.
After the movie is over, Taki is too exhausted so they go to sleep immediately.
The night is much of a repeat of the previous one, except Taki settles down and cuddles him faster.
Oh, and Jo's not wearing socks this time, so he can feel jolts of equal parts happiness and panic whenever their feet touch.
*
They go back to Tokyo and the closeness of those two days is gone. They do spend time together, but not as much as Jo would like – and one time, when Jo is delighted after Taki invites him to go out for sushi, they happen upon Maki in the hallway and Taki invites him along too.
Maki is one of Jo's best friends, but he can't help the disappointment that settles in his stomach at the interruption.
But Jo tells himself he should get a grip – Taki didn't ask him out on a date, and he'd better stop hoping for things to change. Especially not when he's not doing anything to change them.
On the bright side, Yuma hasn't cornered him again. He sometimes smiles mischievously when he sees Jo and Taki sitting together on the couch, or laughing at some silly Tiktok, but he leaves Jo alone.
Jo hasn't forgotten that Yuma has a secret of his own, and maybe he understands Jo's predicament on a deeper level.
*
A couple of weeks after they're back home, Taki and Jo head to the convenience store to buy snacks for the members.
They choose all the different kinds, and as they head to the till, Jo's phone rings. It's his mother. She doesn't usually call him out of the blue, so he's a bit worried and picks up immediately, heading outside so as not to disturb the other customers.
Thankfully it's nothing bad – they have a break this weekend and she called to ask him what he wants to eat, so that she can get her shopping done on time. As Jo's speaking to her, Taki interrupts him to ask for his wallet, since Jo is the one who has the money with him.
Jo hands it to him mindlessly and goes back to his conversation with his mom. After he's done, he heads back inside and finds Taki holding the bag with all the snacks and Jo's wallet, and a sheet of paper. He's grinning at it and offers the same smile to Jo as he approaches.
“Why do you have this in there?” he proffers the piece of paper to Jo and Jo startles back in horror.
It's the drawing he did of Taki at the hotel, and then hid in his wallet so that nobody could find it in his sketchbook. It's unmistakeably Taki, too, with his pink hair and his moles in all the right places. Jo realizes now that it was stupid to hide it. He's drawn the members multiple times, Taki included. It's never been weird but he had to make it weird.
“I just -” Jo scrambles to find an excuse.
“Yes?”
“I-I drew it yesterday? I meant to give it to you. Today.”
Taki's face lights up. He doesn't question the fact that the drawing has pink hair but his hair is now back to black. “Thank you! It's really, really amazing!”
It's not, really. It's just a quick sketch that Jo did because he had some time to kill and Taki wasn't there and he was missing him.
But Taki takes to affection like a sunflower does to the sun, and Jo can tell he will treasure this little sketch as if it were an expensive portrait.
“I am going to hang it up in my room,” Taki says and fishes into the shopping bag for Jo's wallet. “Here,” he gives it to Jo and Jo grabs the bag too, despite Taki's protests.
They walk back to the house and Taki shows the drawing to everyone. Yuma is particularly delighted with it, and compliments Jo for getting all the details right. Maki is jealous that Jo doesn't spontaneously draw portraits of him, but Jo's fairly sure he's done it before. Taki grabs the sketch from Harua's hand so he doesn't damage it, and goes to his room to hung it up.
Jo feels embarrassed but extremely pleased.
*
A few days later, Jo stays at the company later than everyone else for vocal practice. The rest of the members left hours ago, scattered to shops and restaurants and home to see their families for the afternoon. Jo doesn't mind – he doesn't need to go out as often as some of the others do, and he saw his family a week ago. He gets more than enough social interaction and stimulation from his work, and he's looking forward to a relaxing evening now that he's going back home.
He opens the door to familiar sounds of laughter (Taki's, in particular) and his first instinct is to smile.
But when he sees what's happening, his blood goes cold. Taki's on the couch, and Yuma is straddling him and tickling him. Their faces appear to be very close and they're both giggling. Taki is trying to get Yuma off of himself, but obviously he's not trying that hard.
Jo swallows. What did Yuma say? He does like Taki. He just likes someone else more. Maybe he changed his mind? Jo resolves to go to his room and forget about this whole thing. He never plans to confess to Taki, so what's the point? Taki would be very happy with Yuma. They get along well. Or this might be completely innocent – they are both extremely touchy-feely people and they're often like this even when people are around. Whatever it is, the fact remains that Jo doesn't want to witness it.
He doesn't get what he wants, though, because he kicks his shoe too hard and it makes noise and Yuma raises his head and sees him. They just stare at each other for a second, and then Yuma scrambles to get off of Taki. Taki rolls around and sees Jo too, and Jo's ears are burning.
“Jo-kun! I'm so glad you came! You saved me!” Taki says amid giggles.
Jo forces a smile and nods mechanically. He can feel Yuma's eyes on him but he doesn't dare look. Yuma has every right to do whatever he wants and Jo's reaction is silly. He just needs to be alone and sort himself out. He hates when he's irrational like this.
“How was practice? Have you eaten?” Taki says as he gets up. “We have -”
“I have a headache,” Jo says and flees the room.
The last thing he hears before he shuts the door is Taki asking if everything is all right, and Yuma telling him to sit down.
Jo sits on his bed and buries his head in his hands. This is the exact kind of situation he never wanted to be in. Jealousy, possessiveness, the inability to control his emotions. Why does love have to come with these vile things? Jo's normally very good at managing himself. He reasons that he's tired, and didn't expect to see what he saw. Usually, there's some build-up. He doesn't just randomly walk into rooms and find Yuma on top of Taki. Not that it would be wrong if he did. Yuma and Taki can do whatever they want. It wasn't even anything bad, or...inherently romantic? It could be, though.
Maybe Yuma's crush is so hopeless that he decided to pursue Taki instead. Jo wouldn't blame him. He doesn't owe Jo anything.
He's starving, but he won't go back out. He feels too ashamed and too vulnerable to face the others. He thinks Yuma and Taki are the only other people in the house. They both love staying in.
Jo slumps miserably on his bed. He's not used to these feelings. He wonders how the couples bear seeing their boyfriends be so touchy with everyone else. And Taki's not even his boyfriend, not even his best friend.
Barely ten minutes later, Yuma walks in with a tray full of hot rice and chicken wings. He sets it on the night stand next to Jo and sits beside him on the bed.
“Thank you,” Jo says, truly grateful. Yuma, ever the cat, headbutts his shoulder in response.
“Were you jealous?” His voice sounds airy, playful.
“No!” Jo exclaims a little too loudly. He cringes.
Yuma chuckles. “I'm not trying to steal Taki from you, you know that, right?”
“He's not mine to steal,” Jo mumbles.
“He very well could be if you were a little bit brave,” Yuma says seriously.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Yuma smacks him on the arm. “Why are you so stubborn?! That's not the Jo I know.”
Jo laughs. “What's 'the Jo you know' like?”
“Polite. Easy-going. Listens to his elders,” Yuma raises an eyebrow.
Jo smiles, despite himself.
Yuma pats his back and looks at him with sincerity. “I'm not going to do such things any more. You're my friend and I don't want to make you sad.”
Jo feels so bad.
“I - you can't do that. I want you to be yourself.”
“I can be myself from a little more distance,” Yuma shrugs. “He's just so adorable, you know? Makes you want to squish him.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jo mumbles.
“I don't like him like that though!” Yuma exclaims.
Jo doesn't know what to say. Did the crush go away? Did Yuma's bigger crush reciprocate? Is Yuma giving Taki up because of Jo? And does any of it matter? “Ok.”
“But you should speak to him, dummy.” Yuma flicks his forehead.
Ouch.
“What if he doesn't like boys?” Jo voices a concern he's had for a while.
“Eh. You're you,” Yuma gestures at Jo's general direction. “If he were to make an exception for anyone...”
“Don't say that!” Jo buries his head in his hands, again.
“I'm joking! Seriously, I don't think you need to worry about that. We're all fruity around here,” he says, and wiggles his eyebrows at Jo.
Jo giggles and Yuma laughs along with him, then gives him a quick hug.
“Eat your food and come out,” he says sternly. “Taki's worried, thinks you're upset about something.”
Jo nods, feeling a lump in his throat. Taki tends to know how people are feeling. Jo just has to make him believe his feelings have nothing to do with him.
*
Jo was fully planning on finding Taki and asking him to play a game together, he truly was, but he just...stalled for a bit, an hour or two, using his new mystery book as an excuse. He wasn't actually reading it, just mindlessly turning the pages and wallowing in his misery.
It's no surprise that Taki comes to find him first. Taki loves people to a fault, and would never let any one of them suffer in silence.
He approaches him like he would approach a wounded animal, and politely asks to sit next to him. Jo smiles at him and scoots over on the bed, shutting his book. They stay in silence for a while.
“Did you have a good practice?” Taki eventually asks, hesitantly.
He's trying to find where the problem lies.
Jo nods. “They said I'm getting better every day,” he says, trying and failing to keep the pride from his voice. He wants Taki to admire him, and feels a little bit pathetic for that.
Taki pats his back. “I'm glad. I love your voice.”
Jo turns to look at him. “I love your voice, too.”
Taki beams at him. “Thank you.”
Silence falls over them again.
“I think I know why you're upset,” Taki says eventually. Jo looks at him, alarmed. “You were jealous, weren't you?” Taki says, and Jo wants to flee. “You like Yuma-kun.” What?!
“What?!”
“Yes,” Taki nods. “But there's nothing between us! We don't like each other like that. You don't have to worry, I'll back off -”
“Taki -”
“Not that I ever stood a chance against you, though, just saying! I mean, if I liked him. Which I don't,” he shrugs.
Jo frowns. Taki has this whole thing terribly wrong.
“Why do you say such things?”
“Between the two of us, there couldn't be any competition,” he shrugs. He doesn't even look upset about it, he looks like he's stating a fact.
Jo's heart sinks. He puts his hand on Taki's knee. Taki looks at it but makes no comment.
“I wish you wouldn't put yourself down like that.”
“It's true though. Who would pick me over you?”
“I would,” Jo says firmly.
Taki gapes at him.
“Taki – I would.” Jo turns around to face Taki fully now, make sure he understands what he's trying to say. “I would pick you over anyone.”
Taki just shakes his head. “You don't have to -” and Jo knows what comes after that. You don't have to lie to me. You don't have to coddle me.
But Jo means every single word and he has to make Taki understand.
So he grabs his face and kisses him. It's just a firm press of lips against lips. It's nothing fancy, nothing elaborate. It's just so Taki understands, he tells himself. But Jo did it without asking and he's horrified and he's panicking and he recoils, fast as lightning, and runs out of the room without even looking at Taki.
Nicholas is in the hallway when Jo runs out, and he looks concerned, so Jo just yells ''bathroom!'' and shuts himself inside it.
What the hell is wrong with him?
*
They all have to eat breakfast together the following morning, because they're leaving for a photoshoot at 8 am.
Jo drags his feet out of bed. He has no idea if he slept even for five minutes. He certainly doesn't feel like it.
Last night, he stayed in the bathroom until K-kun came back home and knocked on the door, wanting to shower. Jo's only salvation was that he didn't know that he had been shut in there for longer than an hour.
He didn't see Taki or anyone else on the way to his room. The guilt and the anxiety was killing him, and he tossed and turned for hours, until his alarm forced him out of bed.
Fuma and Yuma are already in the kitchen drinking their morning coffee when he walks in. For the first time since getting in the group, Jo wishes he could stay away from everyone. Yuma eyes him, concerned.
“Did something happen last night? You look like -”
“Yuma!” Fuma-kun scolds him, knowing what the next word was going to be.
“What?! I was gonna say he looks like he didn't sleep.”
“I'm fine, thank you,” Jo makes a cup of coffee and joins them at the table.
Yuma looks unconvinced. Fuma is glancing between the two of them, trying to puzzle out what's going on.
Just then, Taki appears around the corner. Jo feels his face heat up, and tries to hide behind Fuma's box of cereal. Yuma and Fuma look at him oddly, then notice Taki.
“Fuma-kun! Yuma-kun, Jo-kun!” Taki walks into the kitchen with the brightest smile on his face, and greets them all warmly. Jo's nerves calm significantly. He thought Taki would hate him, but all Taki does is pat his back and sit next to him.
“What?” Taki asks when he notices everyone looking at him. “I didn't put my shirt backwards again, did I?!”
*
Jo and Taki ride in separate cars. Then they're in different units for the photoshoot. Jo tries to steal glances at Taki as often as possible, just to make sure he's not mad at him, but Taki doesn't look mad at all. He charms the photographer, jokes around with everyone, runs around with boundless energy, and flashes Jo a blinding smile when their eyes meet.
Jo never meant to, but he begins to hope.
*
As much as he would have liked to, Jo doesn't get any alone time with Taki for the entire day. He wouldn't know what to do with it if he got it, but it's annoying nonetheless.
When they're back home, however, Taki finds him again. Jo's alone in his room, Harua having gone to spend time with Maki, and Taki approaches him with a small smile on his face.
“Jo-kun!” He says cheerfully as he sits down next to him.
Jo's ears are hot. His face is probably flaming red too. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Taki says back.
Then the awkward silence comes. Taki looks ahead and fidgets with his hands, and Jo can't bear to look away from his profile. He should gather the courage to say something.
“Was yesterday an accident?” Taki beats him to it.
“What?!”
Taki turns to look at him. He seems embarrassed. “Yesterday. Was it -” he waves a hand between them - “accidental?”
Jo swallows and looks away. Taki must be politely giving him an out. What sort of accident could have made Jo grab hold of Taki's face and kissed him full on the lips?!? Jo looks at Taki's expectant face. “No.”
“No?”
Jo nods.
“So you – you meant to do it?”
Jo can't help but look at him again, but no words can come out of his mouth. Once more, he nods.
Taki looks stunned. “Ok,” he nods to himself. “Cool.”
Jo chuckles. He doesn't know what's going on but it doesn't look half bad. “I mean – it wasn't planned,” he says eventually.
Taki focuses all his attention on him, waiting for him to continue to explain.
“I just – You're my favorite,” he says inadequately. “So.”
“You like me?” Taki beams at him.
Jo nods. “I do.” No point in trying to hide it anymore.
Taki wraps his arms around him. They stay like this for what feels like ages, and Jo feels like crying. He still doesn't know what's going on. Confessing to Taki was never an option, but he's just done it. And it seems to be going...well?
Taki pulls back and lets his hands rest on Jo's shoulders. “Me too,” he says. He says it like it's obvious, like it didn't even need to be uttered but it was, just so Jo wouldn't be alone in his confession.
Jo's eyebrows shoot up. This can't be real life. “Really?!”
“Yes!”
“W-why?!”
“What do you mean why?!” Taki says in between laughter. “You're -” he gestures at him, “Jo!”
Jo's heart sinks. Is this going to be about his looks? “What does that mean?” he says in a small voice, and Taki's demeanor shifts immediately.
He massages Jo's shoulders and looks at him sincerely. “You're the kindest person I know. You're hard-working and thoughtful. You're super talented at everything you do and you're very funny. Also -” he stalls for a bit, thinking about his next words, “you're really weird.” He beams at him. Jo's heart melts. “Oh, and gorgeous,” Taki adds as an afterthought. “You're kinda nice to look at,” Taki shrugs.
Jo chuckles. He feels tears welling up in his eyes. He doesn't know what to do with himself, with all this happiness. “You too.”
Taki perks up. “Gorgeous?” Jo nods. “Hard-working?” He nods again. “Talented?” “Thoughtful?” “Funny?” Jo laughs as he's nodding again and again. “And weird?” Taki finishes with a dramatic flair and Jo chuckles.
“Yes.”
“Cool,” Taki says.
“Yeah.”
“We like each other,” Taki makes sure to point out.
“Yeah.” Jo is malfunctioning.
“Could we – maybe...” Taki gestures between the two of them.
Jo looks at him, lost, and Taki closes his eyes. He leans forward a bit. Jo's mouth is dry. He's so scared, so out of his element. He likes Taki too much to fuck this up. He's the most wonderful, unique, amazing person he's ever met. How can he be good at this whole dating thing? Oh god, are they even dating? They haven't even -
“Ahem!” Taki clears his throat pointedly. His cute face looks amused, but Jo glances down and sees his balled fists. He's probably just as nervous as he is.
Jo steels himself and closes his eyes. He leans in, loses his balance, opens his eyes. He puts his hand on Taki's shoulder to steady himself. He closes his eyes again. Leans closer. Their lips meet. Taki sighs. Jo puts his other hand on Taki's cheek, like he's seen in the movies. He's basically winging it, but it feels good. Taki's lips are cool and minty. Jo realizes he brushed his teeth before coming over. A giggle bubbles up in his throat but he wills it away. Taki's hand comes up to rest on his waist. Their noses brush. It feels ticklish, but he could get used to it. Being so close to Taki makes him dizzy. He never thought he'd have this. Jo pulls away just to open his eyes and check that this is truly happening, thinks better of it, pecks Taki's lips and nuzzles his nose.
They look at each other. Taki's lips are very pink, his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright.
Jo should be brave, for once.
He extends his hand to Taki. “Be my boyfriend?”
Taki looks at his hand, then at his face. Then at his hand again. “Is this like, a business proposal?” he asks sweetly.
Jo retracts his hand and buries his face in it. “I don't know what I'm doing,” he mumbles.
Taki laughs with his whole chest and takes Jo's hand away from his face. “I'll be your boyfriend,” he laughs sweetly and kisses his nose. “I don't know what I'm doing either,” he shrugs.
Jo supposes they'll have to figure things out together.
*
They have to separate for a bit, after. Taki leaves Jo's room to shower, but promises to come back and sleep with him. After he's gone, Jo stares at the back of the door, shell-shocked. He wants to jump around, to burst into to giggles, to go to the living room and shout that they're dating, he's that happy.
He doesn't know how Taki would feel about that though. They didn't discuss if they'll tell the others. He figures they will, eventually, but keeping it secret for a while sounds nice.
Though Taki might be too excited to hide it.
Jo smiles to himself, thinking about Taki's happiness. Thinking about how he plays a part in it, and how he'll make sure to play a bigger part from now on. What can he do to put a smile on Taki's face? How can he make his insecurities go away? Where can he take him on dates? Which plushie should he buy him, which hat, which bracelet? Should they get matching things, or would that be too much? Oh god, Jo is now a boyfriend. He has new responsibilities, and he can't wait to take them on.
*
Taki comes back, freshly showered and wearing some cute pyjamas with little bears on them. Jo smiles at them and Taki looks down, self conscious.
“I like them,” Jo says. He likes Taki with his bear pyjamas and his duck socks and his hundred plushies and his genius jokes and his incomprehensible thought processes and his playfulness and his seriousness and his immaturity and his empathy.
Taki beams at him, having no idea about all the love that exists inside Jo just for him. Jo will have to show him.
Taki moves to lie down with him on the bed. Jo doesn't mind that his pillow will get wet. Come to think of it, he doesn't mind most things if it's Taki doing them. He makes Taki pass over him to get to the side close to the wall, and settles in next to him.
Taki hooks his leg over Jo's. “What if I kick you down?” he asks.
“Oh. I don't mind,” Jo shrugs. If Taki kicks him down, he'll just have to get back up. No big deal. He's going to be the best boyfriend in the world, just for Taki. Because he deserves it.
“You're too nice, Jo-kun,” Taki says seriously. He plants a wet kiss on Jo's cheek and Jo's heart is in his throat.
He kisses Taki's cheek too, just because he can.
He can kiss Taki. If anyone told him this even 24 hours ago, he would have laughed in their face.
“I saw Yuma-kun outside,” Taki says. “He knows something is up.”
“Oh?”
“Said I looked too happy for no reason.”
“You always look too happy for no reason, though,” Jo replies.
“Exactly! That's what I said.” Taki high fives him.
Jo fiddles with the bedsheet, staring ahead. He wouldn't mind telling everyone. It's not like they can reprimand them for being together. If Nicholas and Euijoo can date, and Harua and Maki too, then Jo and Taki have every right to be together as well. He doesn't think Taki would have a problem with it either. They just need to discuss how to do it. He wants Taki to be comfortable. “Hey, can you look at me for a second?” Taki asks.
Jo turns around in surprise. Maybe he wants to discuss something serious. Taki holds his face and places a lingering kiss on his lips. “I love that I can do that now,” Taki says.
Jo smiles. “Me too.” He kisses Taki again, and then some more. They're both smiling so hard that they can't kiss properly, but Jo wouldn't change this for the world.
During a kissing break, Taki lies on his chest and asks, “How long have you liked me?”
Jo thinks about it. “Ah, like, a year and a half? A bit more, maybe?”
“What?!” Taki shoots up in surprise.
“What?” Jo asks, looking around nervously. Did he say the wrong thing?
“Did you say a year and a half? Not a month?”
“Ah, it. It's a year. And a half.” Jo mumbles.
Jo grabs his face and kisses him enthusiastically. “I can't believe it!”
“Well, it's true.”
Taki settles down once more, runs his fingers along his chest. “Why didn't you say anything sooner?”
“I. I didn't think I stood a chance, really.”
Taki shoots up again. “You can't be serious!”
Jo just shrugs. “How long have you liked me, then?”
Taki fiddles with the bedsheet, looking away. “I never really thought about it, until recently,” he says after a long pause. “I didn't even think it was an option.” He sounds embarrassed.
Jo thinks someone else in his place might be disappointed that Taki hadn't been pining away for him this entire time, but Jo is glad for it. Still, he's curious. “Why?”
“I never thought I stood a chance,” he says solemnly.
Jo cracks up. Taki bursts out laughing. They fall off the bed and land on the floor in a tangle of sheets and limbs.
“You can't be serious,” Jo imitates Taki amid fits of laughter.
“Sorry, I was just being realistic.” Taki says.
Jo hates this, but he knows it's something that only time will mend. It's sweet, that Taki finds Jo so handsome, that he thought he was out of his league. It's just unfathomable that he can't see the same beauty in himself.
"I mean honestly, you were acting kind of weird lately," Taki continues. "I was wondering why that was, but yesterday you got upset and I thought you might like Yuma?" he rambles on, "I thought I cracked the code, but then-"
"I like you. Only you." Jo says simply.
*
They don't bother getting back into the bed. Jo pulls his pillow down and they lay their heads on it, facing each other, legs tangled and way too close.
“I've always liked you,” Taki says in a small voice. “I mean, I loved spending time with you and thought you were very kind and handsome. I just never thought...” he trails off. Jo places his hand on his cheek, caresses it. Taki closes his eyes, preening like a cat. “It would be like going to the moon.”
Jo frowns. “You could go to the moon if you wanted to.” He fully believes it, too. Even NASA would be happy to have Taki among their ranks. He'd make everything more beautiful just by being there.
Taki chuckles. He snuggles closer to Jo and kisses his neck. “I'm tired.”
Jo finds his hand in the dark. They fall asleep tangled together, and Taki doesn't even kick him once.
*
The first thing they do when the alarm wakes them up is giggle. Jo thinks if a happiness meter existed, it might not be enough to measure the happiness he's feeling right now. He might literally break it and set a new record. He feels like he could fly.
He kisses Taki's forehead and Taki melts to the touch, holding him close. Jo wishes they could stay like this, but they have another busy day ahead of them. He helps Taki up and they gather everything from the floor. Taki leaves to get the washing machine running, and Jo gets dressed for the day. They meet again in the bathroom, the sounds of everyone else running around to find lost socks and pants. They brush their teeth next to each other, Taki making weird faces while Jo tries not to swallow his toothpaste. They rinse off and Taki has some toothpaste on his nose, so Jo removes it. Taki looks so cute that Jo can't hold himself back from kissing him. Taki makes a pleased sound and wraps his arms around him.
Mid-kiss, the door bursts open. Jo and Taki are a beat too late in pulling apart, and Jo turns around to find Maki gawping at them.
Jo turns back around to look at Taki. He seems amused. Then he looks at Maki again. He seems...not shocked?
“HARUAAAAAAA!” Maki shouts as he's running away from the bathroom.
Taki offers Jo a toothy smile. “Everyone is going to know now.”
Jo smiles at him. “Ok.”
“Ok,” Taki nods.
They walk out hand in hand, and chaos erupts.