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The springs in the old mattress thrown haphazardly into the empty, abandoned swimming pool just hours earlier creaked with the added weight of Hoseok as he took a seat. After a few hours of shooting for a new video that would follow up the release of their new mini album, he decided to take a much deserved rest as the rest of the crew reviewed the scenes already filmed. By this time, the sun had begun to set, slowly bathing the sky in a soft orange tint. Hoseok sat with his back to the rays of sunshine glimmering through the pines and oaks surrounding the clearing in which the worn down and graffitied pool lay forgotten by most. Seated cross legged at the edge of the mattress, he leaned back and allowed himself to be supported by his hands propped behind him. In this position, his head naturally rolled back to allow him to be more comfortable.
Now with his face upturned, he began to close his eyes when he heard footsteps approaching. His time to relax was cut short as he turned around to spot a familiar camerawoman in charge of filming the ‘Making of’ footage. He leaned forward and resigned himself to being filmed and asked questions for the sake of the fans who would surely enjoy the scenes behind the well put together video to be released at a later date.
Hoseok nodded in response when she asked for permission to begin recording. She was barely two words into her first question when they heard the sound of a third person approaching them. Hoseok turned his head just in time to see a pair of legs flop down onto the mattress beside him. He recognized them to belong to Taehyung immediately from the blue jeans hugging his considerably less toned thighs. His gaze trailed up the singer’s body and stopped at his seemingly glowing face. The sunlight hit the back of head and lit up his fluffy hair in a soft glow, framing his angelic face. Hoseok made great efforts to look away quickly before his gaze lingered too long and transformed into a look filled with admiration rather than mild surprise.
The newcomer waved a lazy hello to the camera before dropping down from his kneeling position. Taehyung wasted no time in trying to lie down and get some shut eye before they’re called back to continue the filming. With his arms now resting on his thighs, Hoseok looked down at his lap then back at the camera, ready to answer the incoming onslaught of questions. That questions he was expecting, but what he wasn’t expecting was the younger member trying to lay his head on his thigh.
Taken by surprise, Hoseok initially didn’t react to the head being placed gingerly just before his jutting knee. His brain quickly caught up to the situation, and before he knew it he was lightly shoving Taehyung’s head off his lap. When the latter persisted, the gentle pushing turned into large exaggerated movements executed for the entertainment of the potential viewers of the clip capturing this moment of their day. At one point, Taehyung became more vocal in protests, calling out his playful older friend.
The teasing and whining continued until Taehyung sighed and scooted back to give his head room to lay on the mattress. He muttered something that sounded a lot like, “I give up,” with his eyes closed and head resting on his hands clasped together.
The camerawoman stopped recording and got up from her crouching position, apparently satisfied with the unexpected footage. Hoseok watched her leave then turned to glance at Taehyung’s resting face. He looked away feeling a small pang of guilt. He wondered if he had gone overboard with the teasing. He looked back at Taehyung and prodded his slightly chubby cheeks to see if he had already succumbed to sleep. The younger grunted in response.
The usually well spoken rapper couldn’t find words to begin the conversation. Between the options to apologize right then and there or to dismiss the younger, he found neither appealing. He opened and closed his mouth all but three times, unsure what to say, before he decided on clearing up any misunderstandings in private. He looked around and noted there were probably at least a dozen people in sight. Though they were not within hearing range, Hoseok felt the environment to be inadequate for the admission of his guilt and anything that could follow.
“Taehyungie,” he said in a low voice, poking the boy’s cheeks once again.
This time, Taehyung opened his eyes and met the other’s gaze. He stared expectantly, waiting to be given an explanation for being disturbed in his attempts to take a small nap. All the tired boy got for his efforts in keeping his eyes open was Hoseok licking his lips and glancing towards the forest. The singer blearily rubbed his eyes with the back of his curled hand and blinked in confusion.
“Let’s go to the shade over there,” Hoseok tried again.
Taehyung slowly pushed himself up into an upright position, his palms almost flat on the soft cushioning of the prop. Hoseok moved his fingers between the gaps of the younger’s long, slender fingers, entangling them. Taehyung looked down at their intertwined hands. He looked up slowly and expressed his consent in a barely noticeable nod. Hoseok moved his hand underneath the other’s hand to grasp it before giving it a quick squeeze. He stood up, still holding the younger’s hand to help him up as well.
Once they were both standing, they made their way to the wall surrounding them, still connected at the palms and gentle curl of fingers. Fortunately, they were sitting in the shallow end of the pool just moments prior so they wasted no time in making it to lowest rising edge of the pool. They let go of each other to easily climb out of the pool, only to hold hands once again as soon as they were both on the same level of ground.
Hoseok looked to the side to find Taehyung already looking at him with a small, fond smile playing at his lips. They moved to get just a little bit closer to each other, ending up with Hoseok’s other hand holding the younger’s upper arm as they silently made their way through the forest.
Stepping over roots and moving low hanging branches out of the way, they eventually found their way to a much smaller clearing. They could faintly hear excited shouts from Yoongi and Jungkook as they walked towards a wide tree at the edge of the clearing. At that moment, neither cared about what could have gotten the other members so gleeful. They were lost in the moment, the rustling of leaves as a breeze passed over the forest, the flutter of wings as a bird departed from the branch it was perched on, the song of another.
Taehyung’s back collided painlessly with the tree trunk. Hoseok moved to stand in front of him.
Quite frankly, rather than the moment, they were lost in each other. The rapper’s mouth opened slightly and remained agape. Taehyung’s gaze flickered to his parted lips. The younger boy gently began to swing their still entwined hands. They stood like this, just taking in each other in the serenity of the forest. Taehyung reached out to cup Hoseok’s cheek with his free hand.
This finally snapped the older out of his reverie as he remembered the whole purpose of their little adventure.
“Taehyungie,” he said, and without waiting to hear the other’s low hum of a response, he continued. “Was I too harsh on you? Sorry.”
The younger boy cocked his head to the side in confusion. He released his affectionate hold on the other’s face. His hand naturally curled in itself, hovering in between their chests.
“Back there, I mean. When I pushed you off my lap,” Hoseok scrambled to explain.
Realization dawned on Taehyung and his face broke into a wide grin. He caught himself and pulled a ridiculous face, drawing together his eyebrows and pouting, to hide his smile. “Yeah, you really hurt my feelings, hyung,” he said with as much conviction as he could manage, poking at Hoseok’s chest lightly.
Hoseok saw right through him though. He moved closer to Taehyung whose hand now rested flat on his chest, not as a warning but as a subtle, comforting gesture. “You gave up so easily I thought I teased you too much,” he almost pouted.
Taehyung giggled, completely dropping the act. He leaned forward to place a quick kiss on Hoseok’s cheek. “I wasn’t mad or hurt, hyung. I was pretty tired and I thought I shouldn’t bother you too much if you’re not up to the idea. But I wasn’t hurt,” he said honestly.
Hoseok moved ever so closer and tipped his head forwards to rest it on Taehyung’s shoulder. He rested his free hand on the other’s waist. The hand on his chest moved to his back to pat and rub soothingly. He hummed. “It’s not that I was bothered. I was just trying to be playful in front of the camera but it might have gotten a little out of hand,” he mumbled into the shoulder under him.
“It’s okay, hyung. It didn’t get out of hand,” disagreed the singer.
The rapper raised his head to give a peck to Taehyung’s cheek then dropped his head back down. The younger nuzzled his face into the side of Hoseok’s neck. They both began snickering, though neither knew why the other was suddenly so giddy.
Taehyung heard a muffled question. “Taehyungie… Why are you laughing?”
“Because you’re too cute, hyung.”
Silence. Then Hoseok raised his head once again and moved back to stare at the boy he was embracing. He then moved forward to shower Taehyung in kisses as the latter giggled. “No,” a kiss to the cheek, “you’re,” a kiss to the nose, “too,” a kiss to the forehead, “cute,” a kiss to the lips. The last kiss lasted a lot longer than planned.
When they parted, a beat passed before Taehyung posed the same question. “Then hyung, what were you laughing about?”
Hoseok looked down at their joined hands. “I was just thinking about how gross we are. Look at us, we walked all the way here just to be gross and cute.”
Another beat passed. They both fell into another fit of giggles.
When they calmed down, a quiet question broke the comfortable silence. “Can I rest my head on your lap now, hyung?”
That is how the two are found half an hour later by a worried Jimin, asleep, with Hoseok’s hand poised on top of Taehyung’s head where it had been carding through the brown hair laid on his lap.