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[[ To: Eomma Hyung ]] Okay, the good news, found Namjoon, all limbs accounted for, Yoongi is meeting us at yours with your requested delivery. The bad news: Lost Taehyung, banned from future keggers, possibly fucked my TA in the bathroom.
Jeongguk should have known. He should have known. College parties always end in disaster, like Namjoon's left eyebrow getting singed halfway off, or Taehyung making a fool of himself in front of his latest puppy crush, or Hoseok getting so drunk he thinks doing a kickflip into the pool is a good idea when he can barely swim, or Seokjin locks his keys in the car so everyone has to walk back to their dorms in negative degree weather, or--most recently, as in, tonight--
He slides his thumb over the screen to accept Seokjin's call. He's bracing himself as he brings the phone to his ear, and for good reason, because Seokjin's already yelling at him.
"You did what?"
"Um," Jeongguk says intelligently. He's never been the best at forming sentences, and he's especially prone to short-circuiting in the linguistics department when he's getting yelled at. He knows he looks idiotic, cowering and shirtless outside the Sigma Chi frat mansion, with a drunken Namjoon on the patch of grass at his feet. He spares Namjoon a glance, making sure his hyung's not barfing or trying to escape (as he loves to do when under the influence of alcohol). He's doing neither, so Jeongguk thinks it's safe to give his full attention to explaining himself. "Uh... I fucked my TA."
"You fucked your TA? In Jock Castle?"
"A little bit."
"How do you fuck someone a little bit, Ggukie? I'd really like to know." Seokjin sounds like he's gone full PTA mom, no signs of the childish college student Jeongguk's come to know and love. He hates when Seokjin goes PTA mom.
"Look, it was just--" Jeongguk's sentence unravels in his mouth when Namjoon's wandering hands snake a plucked strand of grass up his pants leg. "--Hyung, stop."
"Did you just tell me to stop?" Seokjin asks, unimpressed.
"No," Jeongguk says immediately. "I'm talking to-- Namjoon-hyung, cut it out--"
"I'm still waiting for that explanation of yours, Gguk."
Jeongguk catches Namjoon's wrist in a killer strong grip. This must be the real reason he works out. Someone's gotta manhandle the hyungs when they're drunk off their ass. "It was just a hand job. Like, a tiny one."
"A tiny hand job," Seokjin deadpans.
"His hands are really small," Jeongguk explains. He scrunches his nose when he realizes he could have left that detail out. Damn his brain, but especially damn Park Jimin for having such cute hands. He can't stop thinking about them.
"You're going to regret so much at your next lecture hall," Seokjin says.
"I know," he groans. "I think Hobi-hyung's still inside, but--"
Namjoon's fingers return to make Jeongguk's life a living hell. This time, Namjoon's aiming for pulling Jeongguk's pants down entirely. Jeongguk doesn't have another free hand, so he starts kicking.
"--I can't go and look for him when I have this to deal with," he finishes with a growl and a particularly vicious kick.
"Respect your elders," Namjoon slurs. He goes down without much of a fight, and Jeongguk lets him fall backward into the lawn.
"I also can't go look for him because Jaebum's pissed at me," Jeongguk adds, almost as an afterthought. Not his fault he broke a designer lamp. Okay, it is, because he's the one who dropped it, but it isn't, because he was just trying to get it away from Namjoon. It would have definitely been broken one way or another with Namjoon in the mix. He'll take partial credit of the blame and nothing more. "He said he'll kick my brooding ass if I show up at his place again."
Seokjin sighs. "And Taehyung?"
"Oh, shit. Taehyung..."
Seokjin clicks his tongue, reminding Jeongguk to maintain formalities.
"I mean, Taehyung-hyung," Jeongguk corrects. What a fucking mouthful. There's a reason he drops the honourific in Taehyung's name, and it's not just because Taehyung totally lets Jeongguk get away with not calling him hyung. "Yeah, he's... Uh, he's gone."
"Gone," Seokjin repeats.
"I know for a fact he's not in that sweaty death trap," Jeongguk confirms. "I saw him leave."
"Where did he go?" Seokjin asks. Jeongguk can tell he's stifling his panic. He's always had a soft spot for the little guy. Well, the tall guy. Taehyung's tall.
"Chill out, hyung. He told me he's gonna stop by the BK and then he'll be on his way to yours," Jeongguk says. He paraphrases Taehyung's gameplan before Seokjin can get onto him for saying chill out. "We're still on for eddies, right?"
"No one calls them eddies, Gguk. But yes. You said Yoongi's also heading to my place?"
"Yep," Jeongguk says. He cranes his neck to check on Namjoon again. He's just smiling, dimples and closed eyes, and itching his tummy. His beanie's about to fall off. Jeongguk tries to make a mental note to ensure they don't leave said beanie behind in the grass when they eventually leave the shadow of Sigma Chi.
"Then, yes. So long as Yoongi doesn't fall asleep on us again, we're still making edibles tonight," Seokjin replies. "Hurry up and get your TA-banging self to my dorm."
"Can do," Jeongguk says, saluting even though Seokjin can't see him.
"I want Namjoon to stay in one piece!"
There's a click and a dialtone and Jeongguk puts his phone in his pocket. He's gotta find a way to get Hoseok outside without infuriating Jaebum any more than he already has, and he's cooking up a plan in his brain (while simultaneously trying to get Namjoon to sit up) when Hoseok solves that problem for him.
"Ggukie! That you?"
Jeongguk turns around, pleasantly surprised until he sees who's attached to Hoseok's hip. Hoseok's an octopus drunk, meaning he turns into a cuddly creature that nobody can shake. He's currently draped all over Park Jimin himself, and Jeongguk's face flares at the sight of the TA.
Swallowing thickly, he returns, "Yeah! It's me. I got Namjoon-hyung."
"Sweet! Look who I found," Hoseok says, all smiles and innocence. He has no idea that Jeongguk has already run into Jimin at this party once.
"Hey," Jimin says shyly. His hair's still messed up. There's a pink mark on his neck and there's nothing partial about blaming Jeongguk this time. He absolutely gave Jimin a hickey.
"Fuck," Jeongguk says in return. Then, emphatically, "Fuck! I'm such an asshole."
Jimin's brow creases and Hoseok's smile falters. Namjoon blubbers with a laugh from the ground.
"I totally left you back there," Jeongguk says.
"Um, yeah... It's okay," Jimin assures him, which is bullshit.
"No, it really isn't. I'm-- There's really no excuse," Jeongguk says. "I just-- I got super distracted 'cause, see, here's the thing. I got a text, right? You remember, 'cause we were about to--" He stops himself when he remembers that Hoseok's present. He clears his throat and skips the details. "--Anyway, we had to stop because I checked my phone. Well, my--our--dealer is meeting us at Seokjin-hyung's with stuff to make edibles, and I'm the one who's paying cash--" Should he be telling Jimin this? Jimin's still a student, but he's got a position of authority at the college. Holy shit, what if Jimin gets Jeongguk arrested after they gave each other hand jobs in the bathroom? He's in too deep to stop now, though. "So it's, like, on me to make sure the transaction gets... transacted. I see the message from Yoongi-hyung telling me he's on his way to Seokjin-hyung's and I just-- poof. Went to gather up the guys. I didn't even tell you goodbye."
"No, you didn't," Jimin says, but he's laughing and covering his mouth with his hand to hide his smile. Jeongguk can see where the edges of it are pushing his eyes into lunette slits. He takes that as a good sign. Maybe Jimin won't turn him in after all.
"Wait a second," Hoseok says.
Jeongguk and Jimin both angle slightly toward him and wait a second.
"This is the guy? Jimin's the guy?"
"I'm the guy?" Jimin asks.
"I thought I was just introducing you to my dancing buddy," Hoseok says. "But Jimin's the guy?"
Jeongguk nibbles at his lower lip. "Yes, he's the guy."
"What does that mean, I'm 'the guy'?" Jimin asks, employing air quotes.
"You're the hot TA he's had a crush on since the beginning of the semester," Hoseok says without hesitating and if he weren't Jeongguk's hyung, Jeongguk would throttle him.
It's then Jeongguk remembers that he's brandishing his abs for all to see. He must have left his shirt in the bathroom. He's a mess. A muscled mess. He ducks his head so Jimin won't see him blushing.
"Wow," Hoseok says. "I had no idea dance class Jimin and hot TA were the same dude! Really, though. I should have known--"
Jimin's laughing with his whole body now, flailing and almost toppling over. He would have if it weren't for Hoseok's octopus self keeping him upright.
With a burst of confidence, Jeongguk raises his head and meets Jimin's smiling eyes. "Hyung, do you want to bake edibles with us?"
Jimin's laughter chokes and he settles down. His smile's lingering, and it warms Jeongguk's insides like an easy-bake oven warms brownies. Damn, he wants brownies. He's tired of playing hyung round-up.
"I'd love to," Jimin says.
Hoseok springs away from Jimin with a burst of wild energy, clapping and yelling as he does. He pulls the boneless Namjoon from the ground and starts crooning, "We're off to see the wizard!"
Namjoon and Hoseok take off down the street because they know the way. Luckily, Jeongguk also knows the way. He doesn't have to stick close to them in fear of getting lost. He can have a breath alone with Jimin there.
They stand around, Jeongguk twisting his gauge piercing between thumb and forefinger, Jimin kicking the toe of his boot into the dirt. They're waiting for the other to break the silence, and Jeongguk figures, fuck it. He'll do it. He'll speak first.
"I'm sorry," he says.
"It's--"
"Don't say it's okay," he interrupts. "What I'm trying to say is, I won't do it again."
"You won't leave me alone after a bathroom hand job again?"
Jeongguk didn't mean that. He was trying to be romantic and suave, like, I won't leave you alone again, but...
"Does that mean you'll jerk me off some other time?" Jimin asks.
Oh, thank god. Jeongguk laughs and Jimin's smile burns him all the way down, makes him feel fluttery and stupid and he loves it. He loves the way Jimin makes him feel.
"If you'll let me," Jeongguk says.
Jimin reaches for him, and Jeongguk takes his hand-- His hand. His tiny, cute hand! Jeongguk starts them down the same path Hoseok and Namjoon staggered on. The Sigma Chi frat house gets further and further away, and out of nowhere, Jimin bursts into laughter.
"What? What is it?" Jeongguk asks.
"Just--" Jimin starts, then stops because he's laughing too much. He catches his breath, sobering just enough to say, "I hope you know, this isn't going to improve your grade."