Work Text:
It’s been exactly seven days since Taehyung’s birthday. The Taehyung’s birthday they’d spent blinded by stage lights and high on adrenaline. The day all the hyungs remembered to coddle Taehyung like they know he (not so)secretly loves to be. The birthday Jeongguk - horror, gasp, blasphemy - failed to tweet about.
Now, in any other situation this would be of no concern what so ever. But this is Kim Taehyung we’re talking about, who not only adores being celebrated and fussed over, but craves the attention and affection of those closest to him.
It’s been exactly seven days since Taehyung’s birthday, and exactly seven days since he started sulking every time Jeongguk was in a 10 meter radius. Living and working together, that pretty much means he sulked 24/7.
And there is something very unbearable about being on the receiving end of Taehyung’s cold shoulder. Jeongguk has to bite his tongue every time he hears Taehyung exaggeratedly huff and puff if he were to approach his hyung. He doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t exactly reciprocate Jeongguk’s attempts to talk, not to mention play, joke around, or nap together, and Jeongguk, having been conditioned to and become reliant on said luxuries of life up to now is facing withdrawal symptoms like a crackhead on rehab. He’s no drug addict though, he’s simply madly, deeply, and insufferably in love with his hyung.
Now hear him out. Jeongguk had this very elaborate plan of locking himself away in Golden Closet to record a cover of Dean’s Half Moon; a song that makes Taehyung weak, and just so happen to post it online on the day, as a secret birthday present for the object of his affection. Because fans would appreciate a new cover while Taehyung would know it was for him. If not for the same reason Jeongguk has in mind, but he would know Jeongguk covered that particular song to please him.
Said plan was all well and good until he got helplessly caught up in the festive season, which meant ridiculous hours at dance practice, schedules packed full and December swooshing by him in a heartbeat, leading him here, a week later, with the song still unfinished on his computer and Taehyung pouting every second they spend in the same space. Walking into the kitchen and hearing Taehyung’s sigh upon seeing him indicates today would be no different. He is a master of theatrics, that’s for sure.
‘Morning, hyung!’ he tries with a smile, because he’s weak and he’s been missing the other terribly.
Taehyung, who’s dressed in pajama bottoms and an oversized hoodie lifts his eyes up from his morning bowl of cereal only to assure Jeongguk sees him jut his bottom lip out into a pout that makes him look adorable beyond words, resulting in Jeongguk’s heart shriveling up in his ribcage.
‘Hey, Gukkie.’ comes the breathy reply, barely audible, and Jeongguk knows this is emotional blackmail and his hyung is playing dirty.
‘How are you? You seem tired, hyung.’
‘Me? Oh, I’m good. Why wouldn’t I be? Everything’s .. peachy .’ Taehyung says as he scrapes the bottom of the bowl with his spoon. Yikes. Jeongguk internally cringes but he’s nothing but determined and he’s dead set on making everything right with his hyung today. Taehyung can’t resist him for too long. He takes a deep breath.
‘Have you decided on what you’ll do with your first day off in ages?’
‘Not sure yet.’ Taehyung replies curtly.
‘Oh, well, I just wanna chill, if only for one day.’ he says with a giggle. ‘I was thinking of maybe ordering some take out and marathoning Haikyuu… if you wanted to join? We haven’t hung out properly in weeks.’ Jeongguk says with a hopeful tone, heart beating fast in his chest. ‘Or we could play games? I’d even let you beat me in Mario Kart once, the generous dongsaeng I am. Or we could play something else. Or watch something else. Whatever you want really. I don’t mind.’
Taehyung seems pensive for a second then he turns to the sink to rinse his bowl.
‘I think I’ll just hang out with Jimin today. He mentioned he was gonna go to the cinema. Thinking about it, I guess I could use some fresh air and getting out of the house.’
‘Oh’ is the only thing leaving Jeongguk’s mouth. This hurt. Yes it is his fault he hadn’t congratulated Taehyung individually, like all the others, but he had that cool surprise he put a lot of effort into and despite everything he hadn’t been able to finish. The idea of simply tweeting him a line after all that planning made him bitter beyond belief. So he didn’t. But Taehyung has been unreasonably cold and Jeongguk’s been paying the price for the past week. Taehyung turning him down like this knocked the last bit of happiness out of him.
‘Oh.. sure. Yeah. Uh, now that I think about it, I probably should do some work. I’ve got a handful of unfinished projects I should have found more time for anyway.’ He croaks out, throat closing up. That makes Taehyung look at him.
‘Didn’t you just say you wanted to chill, even if it’s only for today? Take out and Haikyuu?’ he asks, voice surprisingly missing the nonchalance he’s been treating Jeongguk with lately.
‘Well, they’re not that much fun without you anyway.’ He drops his head down, hoping Taehyung didn’t catch onto how affected he suddenly became. ‘Enjoy your day, hyung!’ And with that, he quickly turns around and walks out the room, not seeing how Taehyung’s face falls into genuine concern, nor that his hyung reaches his arm out in an attempt to stop him.
Jeongguk’s been working on Half Moon for a good couple hours and it’s been a disaster. He just can’t get it right, no matter how many times he tries to record the chorus he finds something wrong and the more time passes the more frustrated he gets. Even despite being a perfectionist, he’s usually pretty much done in a couple days, and yet here he was, struggling with this godforsaken song more than he’d ever struggled with a cover before. It’s like he hit a wall and the feelings just don’t come out right. Not when it counts the most.
There’s a knock on his door and he throws his headphones on the desk with an annoyed sigh.
‘Namjoon hyung, I told you I really don’t want food right now.’ he says, tone harsher than he initially intended it to be, but the stress has been getting to him and Namjoon has asked at least three times whether he was sure about not having lunch with him and Jin. Jeongguk buries his face in his palms and lets out a deep breath.
‘Sorry hyung, come in.’ he calls, already apologetic for lashing out on Namjoon for something he’s got nothing to do with. He hears the door slowly open behind him as he swivels around in his chair, only to find Taehyung standing on the threshold. He’s got a Venti cup of something in his hand and a soft, careful smile on his face.
‘Oh.’ says Jeongguk eloquently, eyes wide with surprise and he feels himself straightening his slouched form in order to look at least a bit composed.
‘Can I?’ Taehyung awkwardly motions at the room with his arm, and Jeongguk nods, watching as his hyung closes the door behind himself and makes his way towards the chair next to Jeongguk’s. Jeongguk is glad he’d removed the ever growing pile of clothes from there just this morning.
‘This is for you.’ he says quietly, placing the Starbucks cup on the desk. ‘Thought you might need it.’
‘Thank you.’ comes the mumbled reply and the younger reaches for it to take a sip. The vanilla latte is warm and delicious, and he savours the taste with closed eyes and a contented hum. Maybe it’s the drink or maybe it’s Taehyung’s presence, the fact that he has come to see him, but Jeongguk already feels some of the tension leaving his body. His eyes suddenly fly open when a tentative hand starts carding through his hair at his nape. Taehyung stills for a second, but Jeongguk isn’t pulling away.
‘Gukkie..’
‘I’m really sorry, Tae!’ There. He’s had enough of the silence that settled around them in the past week. It’s all been so ridiculous and silly and he just wants everything back to the way they used to be.
‘No, no..’
‘Yes hyung, I’m sorry about your birthday, I can ex..’
‘No, Gukkie. Stop.’ Taehyung buries his face in Jeongguk’s left bicep, a habit of his he picked up a few months back, and there’s a peculiar something tugging at Jeongguk’s heart as he does. Oh how much he missed having Taehyung all up in his personal space.
‘ I’m sorry! God, I’ve been so horrible. Gukkie.’ Taehyung suddenly grabs his face in both his hands forcing Jeongguk to look at him. ‘I really wanted to watch Haikyuu and eat take out with you today!’ he says, then wraps his arms around Jeongguk and rests his cheek on his shoulder.
‘So why didn’t you?’ Jeongguk asks with a small laugh while long arms squeeze the breath out of his lungs.
‘Because I’m stupid, and I do things I don’t even wanna do sometimes.’ Taehyung mumbles the words into Jeongguk’s shirt, and Jeongguk has to bite his lip not to react.
‘Do you ever do that? Say what you don’t mean and do what you don’t want even though you know better but you seem to not be able to stop yourself in the moment.. ?’ Taehyung asks and silence settles around them. No, Jeongguk doesn’t really know what that’s like but he wants the sadness in Taehyung’s voice to disappear so, lacking the right response he gently pokes Taehyung’s side a few times until he starts giggling and squirming in his seat.
Jeongguk could never get tired of hearing the other laugh. He wishes he could be the one to make him laugh the hardest. He wants to be everything for Taehyung. He would do anything for him.
Jeongguk watches as the smile slides off of his hyung’s delicate features.
‘I’ he mutters ‘… I really am sorry. I was immature. I would have never even noticed, had it been any of the hyungs.. Ok, maybe Jimin. Ok, definitely Jimin, cause, you know. What kind of a lousy best friend would he be..’ Taehyung jabbers ‘but, I guess..’ he drops his gaze into his lap, ’I guess I just pay too much attention to anything you do.’
Jeongguk’s heart skips a beat at that. Taehyung looks so vulnerable right now, swimming in oversized clothes, fiddling with the hem of his jumper while a rosy blush crawls across his golden cheeks. Jeongguk feels an overwhelming compulsion to kiss him, when;
‘I’m just stupid.’
His brows pull into a deep frown.
‘Don’t you dare ever say that about my Tae again.’ And Jeongguk’s voice is serious and his eyes are piercing when they meet Taehyung’s.
Jeon Jeongguk doesn’t get angry much, but the word stupid when referring to Taehyung makes him mad beyond belief. Hearing it from Taehyung himself hurts him all the more. Ever since they become trainees there have been occasions, too many, where people (assholes) branded Taehyung dumb straight to his face. MCs making fun of the way he spoke, or the quirks he had. Others calling him stupid behind his back. And Taehyung has bottled it all up and battled with himself because of them for a long time, and Jeongguk could only watch while his anger brewed towards the people who hurt this wonderful, perfect boy he cares so damn much about.
‘You’re not. I don’t ever wanna hear that again.’ he says, and a flicker of genuine gratitude swims in Taehyung’s maroon eyes, bleeds into his touch as he slides his hand into Jeongguk’s, fingers fitting between his perfectly. Taehyung scoots his chair closer and rests his head on Jeongguk’s shoulder again, squeezing his hand hard. Jeongguk turns his head and nuzzles into his soft hair.
‘It’s very important to me that you know that, okay?’
‘Okay.’ Taehyung says.
‘You are you, Tae, and that’s perfect. (You’re perfect).
‘Okay.’ he whispers.
They sit there, comfortably silent, hand in hand in the computer’s artificial light when Taehyung leans towards the screen and Jeongguk realises he still has his project, the project open.
‘Gukkie, what song are you..’
‘It’s nothing!’ Jeongguk almost shouts as he scrambles forward to turn his monitor off.
‘But..’
‘I said nothing.’
He doesn’t wanna ruin the surprise. He’ll cover the song for Taehyung and make it his best damn work, even if he cries blood by the end of it.
Turns out Taehyung’s visit and their reconciliation was all the magic he needed in order to finally have a break through. Four hours later, listening to it for the 6th time in a row Jeongguk has to admit to himself he has lived up to his own stupidly critical expectation. It’s finished, and he’s happy with the result. There’s a small smile tugging at his lips as he opens up Twitter on his computer. His fingers stall for a fraction of a second, then with a deep breath he types his message above the link to their blog now containing his newest creation, and clicks tweet before he could second guess himself. Now all he has to do is wait.
And unsurprisingly, only seconds later his phone starts pinging with notifications from their group chat. He doesn’t even dare think about the reactions of fans just yet.
Hope: Whooo are you indirecting Guk?? What have I MISSED???!? :O :O
VocalMonster: Jeongguk?
Jinnie: wow guk, sejin’s gonna be so pissed, haha
AgustD: yo, brat, way to go creating scandals. It’s been too quiet around us since, literally never
Chim: GUKKIE IS THIS WHAT I THINK IT IS?? ADJGLVNFGXN
AgustD: slow clap
Hope: WHAT :OO
Jinnie: jimin what?
Chim: my little baby LOOK AT YOU my heart can’t take this *heart-eyes emoji* *heart-eyes emoji* *heart-eyes emoji*
VocalMonster: ??
Chim: Chill, it’s vague enough to get away with GUK WE NEED ~TO TAKL
TaeTae: whats going on?
AgustD: twt
Hope: GUKS TWEET
Jeongguk watches with baited breath and a hammering heart as the others ramble on for minutes, now complementing the song, but his mind is in overdrive, creating horrible scenarios of what could go wrong, hence he doesn’t even register the praise. He already starts regretting being so forward. He isn’t bothered about the public, he knows he will get away with it, he is bothered about what Taehyung will make of it all.
I, too, pay too much attention to everything you do. His words scream at him from the computer screen when he gets a text.
TaeTae: i’m coming in
He only has enough time to get out of his chair and run his hand through his hair, trying to force the stubborn locks to smooth out on the top of his head, when the door to his room opens and Taehyung marches in without hesitation, throwing himself at him with both arms around Jeongguk’s neck, face pressed into his neck. Jeongguk’s arms automatically circle around his waist, holding him close, like he always does. He is certain Taehyung can actually feel how incredibly fast his heart is beating right now, but at least he doesn’t seem mad, they’re hugging after all, so Jeongguk takes a couple of deep breaths, inhaling the lingering scent of his hyung’s shampoo he loves so much in an attempt to calm himself down.
‘Thank you!’ Taehyung mutters into his neck and goosebumps flood Jeongguk’s body upon the touch of his lips. ‘Thank you so much, Gukkie. It’s beautiful. I don’t even know what to say.’
‘I’m sorry I wasn’t done earlier.’
‘No, no, no, no. No apologising from you, mister!’
Taehyung loosens his arms just enough to be able to look him in the eyes. His long fingers are lightly stroking at Jeongguk’s nape. Taehyung’s eyes are glimmering in the light of his room and his beauty makes Jeongguk truly speechless.
‘If I..’
The words get caught in his throat. Jeongguk is mesmerised by how long Taehyung’s eyelashes are. Red paints his pretty face and Jeongguk just stares.
‘If I wanted to kiss you right now..’ Taehyung breathes out, voice almost as low as a whisper ‘would you let me?’
Jeongguk’s heart stops. Time stops. There’s white noise ringing in his ears. His throat swells up with words he doesn’t know how to say, so he nods, without thinking, and he grins so wide it hurts.
Their first kiss is an enthusiastic clank of teeth as they kiss each other’s smiles. Taehyung giggles into Jeongguk’s mouth and Jeongguk lifts Taehyung off the floor. He lets him down though, when Taehyung starts thrashing in his arms and accidentally knees him in the hip. Jeongguk pulls him in impossibly close. Taehyung pecks the tip of his nose. Everything’s perfect.