Chapter Text
Jungkook hated crowds. Hated the press of strangers, the heat and sweat of so many unknowns crowding around him. He hated dark, loud places too. He didn’t startle easily, but had always been sensitive to volume. All in all, a concert seemed like the worst place in the world.
Dark, loud, full of strangers. He normally wouldn’t have bothered, but he’d heard the favoritism and the plea in the off-handed, calculatedly casual way Yoongi had asked him to come along. Yoongi knew he hated crowds and dark, loud places. Yoongi knew, but still he asked, looking over his shoulder and mumbling the request in such a way that it seemed more suggestion than invitation.
But now, with his voice mostly gone from screaming wildly and singing loudly, his arms and legs sore from all the jumping and confined dancing he’d done, he was sweaty and exhausted and completely delighted.
Yoongi wasn’t much better, communicating entirely in nods and grunts. “You take the first shower, hyung. I’ll just–”
Jungkook was too tired to protest when Yoongi shook his head, pulling Jungkook’s wrist and dragging him along behind as he kicked off his shoes, peeled off his layers and climbed under the water that had barely had a chance to warm up. Jungkook shivered but didn’t complain. He was still giddy with the rush of amazing music and the communal abandon found in large groups of people all enjoying the same thing loudly and in disjointed unison.
It wasn’t romantic or sexy, just necessity, but Jungkook didn’t spare a thought before running his fingers through Yoongi’s hair, massaging his scalp and grinning as Yoongi melted under his touch and the curling steam from the now scalding water.
They tripped into their rooms, clothes still clinging damply. Jungkook settled under the covers, squirming and wiggling until he was perfectly comfortable. Yoongi stood in the doorway, watching over him, like he always did, a glass of water in his hands.
“Thank you, hyung. I had a great time. I really loved it.” Jungkook’s voice was raspy and rough. He giggled a little at how silly he sounded. “I love you.” It was almost an afterthought, a fact always known though rarely said.
“You should drink this,” Yoongi said, setting the glass on the nightstand. “It’ll help that trainwreck of a voice you’ve got.” Jungkook reached out for Yoongi’s hand, lacing their fingers together.
“I’d ask you to tell me a bedtime story, but you sound like a bag of rocks in a blender. Sit with me?” Jungkook asked. Yoongi nodded and scooted Jungkook over with a bony hip before resting a hand on Jungkook’s chest and rubbing gently.
“Sleep now.” It didn’t take long for Jungkook’s breathing to even out and deepen. Yoongi let his head drop to the pilllow. He knew he should move. Go back to his bed. Go do something productive, like nap or whatever, but the kid was so warm and soft, he just let his eyes drift close. Just for a few minutes. Just a nap, then he’d get up and do all the shit that needed to get done. Just a few minutes.
He hardly realized he was saying it, but he was warm and sleepy and full to the brim with a deep joy he was almost too scared to name. “I love you,” he sighed before stepping off the edge of waking and into sweet dreams of music.