Seokjin was restless. There was sleep pulling at his consciousness demandingly, but something was stopping him to give in, even though he really tried. The soft breathing next to him was so alien that he found himself listening to it with a morbid curiosity, counting the seconds between the inhales and exhales and kept himself from sleeping.

It was always quiet here. He wasn’t used to anyone invading his space, his habits, his learned pace, but suddenly this boy was here and everything crumbled under his onslaught. Even though he was a quiet sleeper – he didn’t mumble, toss or turn, and he didn’t even kick or tried to hug him in his sleep. He just lied there, silently, with evened breathing, and Seokjin was still a bit too much aware of his presence.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. It was already one in the morning and he hadn’t slept a bit. He turned his head to the side; his eyes already accustomed to the dark enough to see the silhouette of Jungkook’s body sleeping peacefully, and watched him with a slight frown. He expected him to put up a fight about the sleeping arrangement – or just throw a scene, really, especially after the living room moment.

He sighed and his side, facing the boy. He looked so damn innocent like this – expression relaxed, lips slightly parted, and surprisingly long eyelashes fluttering momentarily under the vivid dreaming. Who would say he could make such a ruckus – or be so masterfully manipulative? Seokjin wasn’t blind; he could see Jungkook pulling the strings when the opportunity presented itself like he was learned to do that by every day basis. He could do that to Seokjin with scary precision – maybe even too easily, until he got what he wanted.

Well, the goal should have been similar for both of them, Seokjin mused. After the talk he had to admit there was truth in the words and the longer he was exposed to the boy’s influence, the more he felt the barriers were lowering themselves in order to accommodate him.

Just carefully.

It wasn’t only Jungkook who lost his control in the living room. Seokjin felt himself slipping as well, slowly letting go of the careful balance he maintained until then, and if there wasn’t the sudden effort from Jungkook to get his shirt off, he would probably be far too gone to stop him if it continued. There was a faint burning lingering in his wrist until now, but before it seared a lot, almost too much, like it was fighting against something and he couldn’t point a finger on it.

The point was – kissing was, well, nice. He had nothing against it, albeit he probably should have. But for some reason there was nothing – no regret, no refusal, only the acknowledgment the dark brown haired boy was a wildcard and able to get him where he wanted him almost effortlessly.

And now they were in the bed, maintaining the proximity for the bond to settle itself down, and Seokjin just couldn’t stop his brain from thinking and keeping him away from the requested slumber.

It was the sole presence. The added weight on the mattress, the warmth he could feel even though they weren’t as close, the occasional shift that moved the surface, like it disturbed him no matter how hard he tried to ignore it.

Did he even call his mother? Seokjin wasn’t sure. Everything happened relatively fast and got rather wild at some point that he stopped thinking about it until now. His family had to know already about the bond – they knew Jungkook had a soulmate, right? Especially if the initial sickness kept him up for the whole night throwing up, no way his mother would overlook it. And the mark…

Seokjin huffed and flexed his marked hand as if in response to it.

The happy lot. Yeah. Maybe he was, after all. Maybe it was the interesting part to get to know his soulmate, to find the hidden charms – because they were there, he already knew. Jungkook was smart, he was even reasonable when he wanted to and didn’t feel the need to dare Seokjin to do something crazy again. He was sensual and responded easily to touches – it seemed like the physical part of the relationship wouldn’t pose a problem.

He stopped, cringing a little. Was he seriously thinking how a possible could go? Why did it even came to his mind so easily? He wanted to lock him up somewhere just this very morning and suddenly he wasn’t even opposed to touch him on daily basis?

Well, fine. Another quality Jungkook had – he was persuasive. Very much so. His arguments were valid and his apparent inclination to push Seokjin into something more intimate was starting to bear fruit. Easy kissing. Easy touching.

Not so easy sleeping.

A sudden mumble cut his thoughts off and Jungkook was shuffling closer, reaching for Seokjin’s form blindly. He considered avoiding his grabby hands, but then thought better of it and remained in position, until the boy crossed the line of his bed side and buried his face into Seokjin’s chest, breathing out in satisfaction and growing quiet again.

“A hugger mood then,” Seokjin huffed; trying to find a comfortable position for both of them, and Jungkook hummed in his sleep and swung one of his hands around Seokjin’s waist, keeping him on a spot.

Probably still better than being kicked off the bed, he mused. He couldn’t shake off the tenseness though and as much as the warmth was pleasant, the sleep was successfully deferred indefinitely.

***

Four in the morning.

Seokjin found himself dozing off from time to time, just to flinch awake when Jungkook took a little sharper breath or moved a bit, his hands grabbing Seokjin's shirt occasionally. He was like an octopus, refusing to let go and even pushing long enough to intertwine their legs together that Seokjin gave in at some point.

He surely was an adaptable one, no doubt about that, and apparently a heavy sleeper as well, since nothing woke him up – not Seokjin’s movement, not his breathing, not touches.

And, well, yeah, there were touches. Curious ones, just because he didn’t know what to do when he couldn’t sleep, so he tentatively reached for the dark brown hair, running through it to find out what kind of texture it had. Soft and smooth for the touch, he mused. Jungkook didn’t even stir at it, but Seokjin wasn’t risking any more attempts and let it be. It would be hard to explain anyway.

He yawned; glancing back at the clock to remind himself how he hadn’t slept almost at all and the time was reaching five, and then looked back at the dark brown hair that was peeking from under the covers and his shirt. It seemed like he inched closer and closer during the night and Seokjin sort of expected him to climb on top of him at some point.

Hugger for sure.

“You’re really something,” he whispered, his hand tentatively reached for the hair again, gently his head until his fingers brushed along the nape of Jungkook's neck where the mark had been.

It was strange, knowing about the placement, knowing what it did. Like a dangerous zone that wasn’t wise to breach, like it could pull him deeper while he still thought of struggling. He hesitated, his hand hovering above the skin, and then he pulled away, rather resting on the bare crook of his neck. The baseball dress he gave him for sleeping was rather big and somehow the available skin showed to him now was a perfect place to touch. His fingers brushed over it gently, following the line of the bone all the way to the joint already partly covered by the collar of the shirt, where he stopped with a soft hum, drawing abstract shapes in a deep thought.

“Tickles.”

Seokjin stopped like somebody froze him when he heard the sleepy voice. The boy stirred a little, then moved slightly higher, circling his arms around Seokjin’s neck, pulling closer. His lips brushed over Seokjin’s throat until he snuggled on his shoulder and breathed out contently.

Seokjin waited almost without breath, but the breathing of the boy evened once more and after several seconds it was apparent he fell back asleep.

Seokjin didn’t dare to touch him again.

***

The heavy weight on his side was probably the main thing that woke him up. He blinked sleepily against the shimmering light that was trying to fight through the crannies in between the curtains and moved slightly, just to realize the weight was actually preventing him.

“Look who’s back from the dead,” he heard above him and groaned. He felt like he slept maybe an hour – and from the look at the clock, yeah, he probably did.

“Jungkook,” he grumbled, trying to push the dark brown hair boy off him, since he was apparently sitting next to him and leaning over his side like a puppy. “Let go of me, you octopus.”

“Oh, a hugging night I guess?” the boy laughed above him and didn’t move an inch, of course. “Lucky you. Still better than kicking, isn't?”

“I swear, if you’re not going to let me sleep for at least another hour, I’m going to do some kicking myself.”

“Grumpy,” Jungkook definitely had been grinning, he could hear it in the tone of his voice, but the weight finally disappeared. “Haven’t you slept the whole night?”

“I tried not to suffocate the whole night,” Seokjin uttered dryly and grew even more annoyed when the sleep started to elude him like a snake in water. He was pulled back to the wakefulness without mercy and that made him even grumpier. He rolled on his back, huffing, and immediately noticed Jungkook peering at him from the edge of the bed, the sleeping clothes hanging loosely on him, hair dishevelled. He probably just woke up too by the still a little hazy eyes, and there was a strange, dumbstruck smile on his face too.

Also a phone in his hand.

Seokjin rubbed his eyes, chasing away the lingering tiredness. He was not going back to sleep for sure, thanks to this little brat.

“Have you called your mother that you’re staying here?” he asked a little gruffly and Jungkook’s expression morphed into one that could have been described as oops.

“Uh… yeah, sure…” he mumbled, putting the phone down almost guiltily. “In a different universe, probably.”

“Great,” Seokjin closed his eyes for a while, taking a deep breath. So there was even a possible mother on loose, trying to find her son.

“But she’s chill, she knows I don’t come home at times,” Jungkook shrugged and it made Seokjin frown unhappily. Not something he liked to hear. “I mean, I do come home, of course,” Jungkook apparently noticed, since he hurried with an explanation, and inched a little closer again. “But like… in the morning or you know...”

“I don’t think I want to know,” Seokjin waved his hand and forced himself to sit up. His body felt like after a heavy workout, weak and tired. This sleeping arrangement was bad, very, very bad. He had to think of something else or he was never going to get any sleep.

Maybe he should keep Jungkook under the bed? He would definitely fit. Coming home in the morning, for sure. No way.

“Hey, I’m still sort of a teenager,” Jungkook opposed, but he sounded meeker. Seokjin expected him to fight for it, but it seemed he didn’t want to argue the first thing in the morning. Which was… agreeable. “I tend to do stupid . I mean, I did. Not anymore.”

“Not teenager anymore?” Seokjin gave him a look and the tense posture of his young companion surprised him. It was like Jungkook expected Seokjin to scold him or something – and, well, Seokjin wanted for a while. His teaching habits were dying hard.

“Not irresponsible anymore,” the dark brown hair boy said quietly. “Or, you know. Trying not to.”

Try harder, he wanted to say. Put on some reprimand. But in the end he just nodded and said good. For some reason it looked like it was all Jungkook was waiting for.

*****



“For a guy who sent me a photo of his boyfriend right from the bed, you sure look grumpy.”

Jungkook didn’t even know how to reply to that, so he only grunted when you sat next to him in the cafeteria and smiled a bit too widely for his misery. He didn’t even know why he still considered her a friend after she became a teacher and decided to be all proper – even more than her Hermione Granger style during high school. They hadn’t talked for a year at least, so when she appeared here, in his school, it was actually pretty awesome – especially for her when she found out Jungkook and Seokjin had been soulmates. She was always a huge fan of the soul bonds, although not having one herself. Although she always said yet.

He wondered why she didn’t even stopped at the age difference, but since her ever romantic soul was too invested in it, he assumed she just didn’t care about years or genders or anything, and was apparently more excited about it than he had been.

Which, really, she probably really was, at least after this morning when his self-confidence dropped below zero. There was nothing he was kind of hoping for – yeah, he expected Seokjin to be a little grumpy, since he looked like a grumpy morning person before his first cup of coffee, but that was fine, as long as the grumpiness was going to go away after. Then maybe get into some more kissing, because why not, it was morning and the best way how to get a nice shot of energy and excitement. Get some endorphins flowing and all that , and then maybe even some non-aggressive talking about stupid topics during the breakfast.

He got none. No kiss, no breakfast, no after coffee niceness. Seokjin did make coffee, alright. But then he dressed, disappeared outside to smoke, got back even grumpier since it was rainy and then they started yapping at each other about the sleeping thing, closely followed by pouty silence all the way to the school.

“There is a long way from being boyfriends,” he uttered with a sigh. “I swear we just can’t have a day without arguing.”

“Oh?” she voiced out, worry creased her forehead. “I assumed you kinda… made up? Hence the photo.”

“Nah, just had a trial run, he decided it wasn’t worth it, and we are back to the square one.”

“What?” she stared at him in a quiet shock. It was probably the only thing that made her unhappy about Jungkook having a soulmate – Seokjin’s dismissive attitude. She had a gift to get every little information out of him when it mattered, so she knew about everything that happened between them, and he considered paying her like a psychologist. “Like he’s gonna ignore you again?”

“Nah,” Jungkook rubbed his eyes tiredly and straightened up. “Just the sleeping arrangement. He wasn’t happy about it. Apparently couldn’t sleep the whole night.”

“'Cause you kicked him,” she deadpanned immediately and he gave her an evil eye. Why she always assumed the worst? He wasn’t that bad. And he kicked a girl off the bed only once. And it wasn’t even you!

“I’ve hugged him, thank you very much,” he elaborated in a hiss. Apparently too much for his tastes though, since he called him octopus about five more times during the morning – and not in a fond fashion. “He wasn’t a huge fan.” obviously he was sulking but you didn't bother to point it out.

“Well, it’s pretty normal when you sleep with somebody for the first time,” she shrugged like it was no big deal – and damn, it was a big deal. Jungkook understood not sleeping was always making people grumpy like hell, but Seokjin was able to serve it with even worse tint to it, like it was all Jungkook's fault and the world was depending on his shut eye.  

“I never fall asleep when I am in a bed with somebody for the first time,” she added, probably to make him feel better, and offered a small smile.

“Who likes you again?” he snorted and she hmphed. you was probably the least promiscuous person in the whole Korea, her relationships were always long lived – that was why she had only two so far. Well, only. It was enough when you took things seriously. And she did, in comparison to him.

But hey, he was different now. He had a soulmate. It was the final stop.

“It’s natural,” she just finished her thought shortly. “Just give it a few more tries and he’ll sleep like a baby, I’m sure. If he wasn’t used to it, suddenly having you taking up his personal space must have been… difficult.”

“You’re really trying not to say hard every time, don’t you,” he smirked and she rolled her eyes.

“Because you always make a double meaning remark, you jerk,” she pushed him and Jungkook barked out a laugh. Well, yeah, maybe he did, because he knew she was trying so damn much not to say it and give him ammunition.

“But I mean it,” she grew all serious again. “It’s just a habit. Stepping out of the comfort zone is what matters.”

“Which he doesn’t want to,” he uttered dryly. Seokjin had been all ruffled up the whole morning and when they actually got to the sleeping topic, he insisted not to do it again for both of their sakes. Jungkook didn’t talk to him for the whole ride to school.

“Stubborn,” she sighed and yeah, it was what he had been telling himself too, that Seokjin was just stubborn and brat-ish in it, but after yesterday it seemed like he reconsidered. Until this morning, that is. “Just give him time to calm down, I guess? Maybe he was just grumpy because he couldn’t sleep and you had an urge to nag him until he snapped.”

“Not funny,” Jungkook grouched even more. Fine, he did nag him. And yes, Seokjin snapped. But it wasn’t just black and white, okay? Jungkook was trying to lighten up the mood. Seokjin apparently wanted to have a coffee and a smoke and drown in silence.

Silence was an enemy and Jungkook hated it, so, naturally, they argued.

“Class is in five,” she nudged him gently while standing up. “Keep me updated, will you?”

“If there will be anything to update,” he shrugged unhappily and she disappeared in a crowd. The upcoming class with Minah seemed the worst idea in the whole world.

***

you – 17:41 – [2 attachment]

you -- 17:41 -- Don't ask me how the hell Hoseok bringing that thing along with him yesterday. Namjoon didn't seemed to be angry tho! And here's the best thing ever! 

you -- 17:42 -- He's so handsome today! The girls were swooning over him just now. And he didn't seemed to be sleepy.

Jungkook almost choked when the picture from you came. He was trying to track down his soulmate the whole day, but Seokjin completely eluded him, definitely because he didn’t want to talk at all. Girls swooning over him...ridiculous. Pfft, who's going to like this grumpy guy!

Jungkook – 17:44 – Where the have you found him?! I’ve been trying to track him down the whole ing day!

you – 17:45 – They were with Hoseok on a seminar in the C building since the morning, idiot.

“Oh.”

Not that Seokjin had the need to tell him or anything. Not that he even gave him his number. Which he definitely should have done. Not that they had any classes together today where Jungkook would be able to corner him. Although cornering him meant being ready for the annoyed look, and he didn’t really have the strength for it. But then again – the strength was why he needed to pin Seokjin somewhere and kiss him senseless. Or, you know, peck him. At least a little. Not that Frenching him was mandatory. Just… a little wanted, probably. He wasn’t ashamed to admit kissing him was pretty nice yesterday, especially when Seokjin got into it as well.

“Would you love to share what's on your mind, Jeon?”

Jungkook blinked and then quickly shook his head when he noticed Professor Yifan, clearly comfortable with his students calling him by his first name, was staring at him from his table, arms crossed and eyes challenging.

“Sorry,” he piped, burying lower under his table. He had been spacing out the whole lesson and he was pretty sure Yifan knew it, since he was sharp as the thinnest sheet of paper. He never had troubles with him – too much respect for the guy – but he never really excelled here either. Too lazy, as Seokjin would say. 

Well, at least Yifan had the heart to let it slide.

***

you – 18:53 – He’s so proper.

Jungkook – 18:53 – Where is that bastard now?

you – 18:54 – He's your soulmate, God. Still in common room. I think he’s ready to leave though. You still haven’t talked?

Jungkook – 18:54 – I've heard nothing.

Jungkook had an urge to go and strangle him, because hey, that was so ing unfair. Why he had to be such a ing child and avoid him like a plague? Or just leave him hanging? Not to mention this ing lesson dragged like it was infinite and he had an itch to get up and just leave with no word uttered, and maybe also to hit something.

Preferably Kim Seokjin.

He was tired, cranky and probably little on a withdrawal now – if that was what the freaking bond did after being too long apart, because hey, he haven’t even seen his soulmate the whole damn day. If this was Seokjin's no avoiding rule or spend time together rule, then he was seriously blowing it.

you – 18:58 – He just left.

Jungkook – 18:58 – Throw a bomb after him.

Well, guess there were plus for trying. Not so much for failing so hard. It was a little surprising, but Jungkook wasn’t even that angry, just, maybe, disappointed. He knew getting used to something completely different wasn’t easy but giving up after first attempt just never cut it.

He contemplated writing something more to you, ask her how he looked, if he seemed tired or angry or just his usual self, but he stopped himself every time he opened the new message. What would be the point to know?

“Mr. Jeon,” he blinked, a weird sense of Déjà vu washing over him, but this time it wasn’t Yifan, but Professor Hoseok, who was staring up at him with his arms crossed.

“Sorry,” he mumbled again, hiding his phone in his pocket and rubbing his eyes. Damn, so tired.

“Well, I got used to the fact you’re rarely listening,” the Professor shrugged with a sigh and then nodded towards the door to the class. “I think it’s time for you to leave though. You’re excused.” Hoseok smiles teasingly. That's unfamiliar. Hoseok rarely smile at him. 

“I am…?” he blinked again, not really sure if he was excused as in kicked out for spacing out, or excused because…  The first glance towards the exit told him that it was not because Hoseok took a pity on him.

Nope.

Kim Seokjin was standing at the door with a little impatient expression and when their eyes met, he motioned for him to come – and Jungkook would deny any claim that he almost killed himself while scrambling to get to him as fast as he could.  

“Thanks, Hoseok,” Seokjin said towards the teacher before he closed the door behind them and Hoseok only waved them off with a smirk. Jungkook probably never saw him looking like that, it was pretty disconcerting. He secretly thought the professor and Seokjin were a pair of robots anyway.

“You actually look like the one who haven’t been sleeping,” Seokjin commented right the moment when the silence of the hallway engulfed them. “You looked barely conscious in the classroom.”

“Tired,” Jungkook shrugged, feeling strangely nervous. Were they on talking basis or was this just a polite conversation and an awkward aftermath? He couldn’t tell.

“Tell me about it,” the older man sighed and Jungkook got ready for another octopus reference, because he had been getting that a lot today, so why would he stop? But then Seokjin just reached for him, his hand catching Jungkook by his chin and then pulling him closer to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

All by himself.

Jungkook’s brain froze, unable to actually reciprocate or react for a second, until Seokjin was backing off again, the grip easing off. But that's actually, really-really meaningful enough. Jungkook stayed silent, too speechless to say anything.

“Better?” he had the nerve to ask and the boy didn’t know, he seriously couldn’t tell, because he just got kissed by this guy without even coaxing him into it – and what just happened? That meeting must have given him a different mind-set or something? “Doesn’t look better,” another notion that finally made Jungkook snap out of the shock, feeling the mark heating up gradually, and he shook his head and took a deep breath.

“Not better,” he agreed a little too obviously, but who cares. “I’m sure another try would be more successful though. You caught me off guard.”

“Not a chance,” Seokjin only smirked – really, he was smiling? – and turned around to leave. When he did about five steps and Jungkook was still standing on a spot, dumbstruck, he turned back to him and tilted his head to the side. “Coming?” he looked adorable for a second with that teasing smile, Jungkook thought.

. I take it all back.

.............

To be continued. Lmao.

And I heard Kris will work with Van Diesel for xXx 3...i mean, woah, proud of him!

ing finally. There's a good reason to leave SM after all ;)