Coffee Love #33 - Business Partner
Word Count: 3,037

Date in Chapter: 2017 March 29

Note: Continuation of the Yoonseok ark. Yes. This still has a few more chapters in it because it’s really a big part of character/relationship development. This time warning for larger insecurities on Yoongi’s part. Some anxiety on Yoongi’s part. And unwanted thoughts, also on Yoongi’s part.

Yoongi’s POV

        The mornings never get easier. Before Hoseok, Yoongi was never thrilled about the mornings. They were just the start of another boring day where he was going to do the same activities he always did—work, and hopefully find someone to help relieve him of some stress. That was before Hoseok. With Hoseok, the mornings are something to look forward to. Having some stability in his life, waking up next to the same, amazing person every single day. It’s something that Yoongi always thought would get boring after a while, but that hadn’t happened yet.

When Hoseok is gone for a week, Yoongi can still handle the mornings. He supposes it’s worse this time since he knows how long it’s going to be before Hoseok can come home again.

The dogs are doing better. They’re up and running around and playing with Yoongi again. Yoongi thought that would make him feel better, but it doesn’t. The dogs shouldn’t get used to the fact that Hoseok is gone. They should still be miserable and moping around because Hoseok isn’t here.

Today isn’t likely to be any better than any of the other days that Yoongi has had so far. He has a collaboration project with one of the companies affiliated with his. Other than that, there’s nothing really special to look forward to.

Yoongi smiles when his phone pings with a message. It’s the specific tone that he has set for Hoseok, so he’s sure to check it before leaving from the house. “Do your best today! I’m sending you all of my love! I hope you can feel it. ^^”

Although it doesn’t take much effort to punch a few words into the phone and send a message, Yoongi always appreciates every one of the messages he receives from Hoseok. It’s the little things like this that mean the most.

Jungkook’s POV

        “Don’t forget we’re going downtown today.” Jungkook says, joining Jihoon at the coffee table. In one hand, he’s holding the bag of food that just got delivered to the apartment. In his other hand, he’s holding two mugs filled with the coffees that he finished preparing just before the delivery person arrived.

Jihoon gives Jungkook a questioning look as he takes the to-go bag and removes one of the boxes that contains waffles. “Why are we going downtown today?” The words come out slow as Jihoon opens the box, and Jungkook can practically see the gears moving as Jihoon tries to remember if they’ve had this conversation before.

“I didn’t think you’d remember. That’s why I’m reminding you.” Jungkook tries using a tone that’s guaranteed to assure Jihoon that he’s not upset that he forgot about their discussion from the night before. It was after Jungkook got home from work that he talked to Jihoon about his plans, and Jihoon was already in bed at the time. He easily forgets conversations that he and Jungkook have before going to sleep. “I’m going to check out a few of the tattoo parlors downtown to see which one I can get a summer apprenticeship with.”

“Oh,” Jihoon says, more interested in watching the syrup fill up the holes in his waffle than making eye contact with Jungkook. “I somewhat remember that.”

There is one more part of that conversation that Jungkook hasn’t mentioned yet. “You also promised that you’d let me give you a tattoo once I got my license.” Jungkook reminds him.

Jihoon allows the rest of the syrup to pour out from the container before finally looking up to meet Jungkook’s eyes. He his fingers where some syrup had dribbled onto them, and he sets the empty packet aside. Sometimes it’s so hard to read his expression, so Jungkook just waits for him to say what he’s thinking.

“I’ll agree to anything when I’m tired and just want you to shut up so I can sleep.” Jihoon grabs a fork from the bag and begins slicing his waffle into smaller pieces.

“So that’s a no?” Jungkook assumes.

“Not exactly.” Jihoon says, still mutilating his food. “I’ll go downtown with you, but I can’t just decide on a minute if I’ll get a tattoo or not. That’s a big decision.”

“I mean, it’s okay if you don’t want—”

“But if I decide to get a tattoo,” Jihoon continues, “I won’t let anyone else do it. Only you.”

Jungkook finally understands what it means to have real trust in a relationship. Although he’s never had a reason to not trust Jihoon, it took them a while to get to this point. Quite honestly, Jungkook is glad that they’re finally here. It’s just so much easier when there’s a good amount of trust between the two people involved.

“Good enough for me.” Jungkook assures his fiance, and he reaches into the bag to grab some syrup for his own waffles.

Jimin’s POV

        “For someone who tries so hard to keep me assured that I’m more than just an object for pleasure,” Jimin mutters as Taehyung’s hands slide under his shirt, pushing the fabric up so that he can press kisses to Jimin’s stomach. Jimin sighs, letting his hands fall into place, tangling in Taehyung’s hair. “You sure do love my body. A lot.”

The kisses are open mouthed, leaving a thin layer of saliva behind as Taehyung moves down Jimin’s stomach. Every time he breathes out through his nose, Jimin can feel it on the wet patches of his skin.

“Just because there’s more to love than your body,” Taehyung says as he works his way down to where the waistband of Jimin’s pajama pants are resting on his hips. He nudges at Jimin’s hipbone with his nose before bringing his head up so that Jimin can finally see his face. “Doesn’t mean that your body doesn’t deserve to be loved, too.” He crawls forward, using his arms to hold himself above Jimin, and he brings his head down so that their faces are only centimeters apart. “It’s possible to love every part of you, and believe me when I say that I do, Jimin. I love every little thing about you.”

Jimin is not going to lie. He can be quite easily dominated—has in the past in almost every relationship that he’s been in. What isn’t easy, however, is getting Jimin to feel as comfortable and willing to submit as Taehyung get him to be. Jimin scarcely feels the need to fight Taehyung off because he never feels excessive.

Well.

That’s a lie.

Kim Taehyung is definitely excessive.

But he never tries to take Jimin at inappropriate times.

Actually…

That’s still wrong.

The thing is, Jimin may not always be in the mood when Taehyung is in the mood, and that’s fine. If they’re not both feeling it, they don’t do anything. Taehyung doesn’t try to force himself on Jimin when Jimin just wants to be left alone. He doesn’t come onto Jimin in the middle of a fight, trying to force Jimin to accept it as a means to make up. Instead, Taehyung comes onto Jimin once the fight is over as a means to, say, ‘seal the deal.’

Public and standard ‘appropriate’ times aside, Taehyung only advances on Jimin when the time is right for them. When the mood is right between them.

Jimin likes to think that it’s why they’re able to recover from arguments so easily, and why the trust that their friendship was founded on hasn’t diminished despite the problems they’ve had to face until now. He likes to think it’s why he’s happier these days, and he likes to think that it’s why he and Taehyung will go on forever.

“And I love everything about you,” Jimin returns after another content sigh escapes him, and he’s rewarded and showered with more than enough kisses to make him happy, keep him smiling, and get him bubbling in flustered laughter.

Namjoon’s POV

        The most unfortunate thing about Seokjin getting up and coming to work a few hours before Namjoon is that they don’t get to spend every morning together. Namjoon wakes up on his own, gets himself ready for work and Jinhee ready for daycare. After dropping Jinhee off at the daycare, he makes his way to Whole Latte Love, where his and Seokjin’s story began. That’s probably Namjoon’s favorite thing about this place—that it was where he and Seokjin met, and it’s still a big part of their lives today. Not only is it Seokjin’s first child, it’s also Seokjin’s first love, and it makes Namjoon proud to see him working so diligently to keep the place opened and expanding. He’s sure that it will be a fairly successful business one day—not that it’s not already quite successful.

Today, there isn’t much conversation going on at breakfast. Since Jinhee, Seokjin and Namjoon haven’t had much time to get out and do different things, so there’s really much for them to talk about. Besides, Yoongi has been coming around more often, as if one baby wasn’t enough. Namjoon can’t really complain much, however. He knows that his friend needs the company. And he knows that Seokjin isn’t going to complain, because he knows that Hoseok would kill him if he let Yoongi be miserable by himself.

“You know what we need to do?” Seokjin finally breaks the silence after a few moments. They’re already half-way through Seokjin’s break, so there’s not much time left for decent conversation. “We need to find some activities around town that we can take Jinhee to. Things that would be three-month-old friendly.”

“Sure. That way he gets to do more things that just going to daycare all the time.” Namjoon agrees.

Seokjin is quiet for a few more seconds. “Do you think we’re messing up?” He asks. “You know, since we’re both so busy we don’t have the time to take him out and socialize like he needs?”

While Seokjin normally worries about tiny, insignificant things, this one is actually understandable. Still, not really something that Namjoon is worried about. “He’s getting plenty of socialization at the daycare,” Namjoon assures him. “He’s only just about to be three months old now. As long as he gets love and attention, there’s not a whole lot we can do to mess up.”

Yoongi’s POV

        Yoongi returns to the studio after giving Jihoon some pointers for a couple of his sketches and one of the designs that he’s already started making. He’s finally getting some momentum on that senior project that’s due at the end of the semester for his graduation, so Yoongi’s been trying to go easier on him at work.

Waiting in the studio is Jungmin, the designer that he’s supposed to be collaborating with. They’ve already discussed their sketches and approved what they wanted to do, but now Jungmin is changing his mind as they execute the design.

He walks around the studio, looking at the different fabrics that Yoongi has out and available. His hair is pinned back off of his forehead with a little clip, and he carries a tape measurer on his shoulder—a staple for many designers. His shirt is a low-cut v-neck, and it clings perfectly to his skin.

It takes a moment for Yoongi to realize that he’s paying too much attention to this designer, and he snaps himself out of it

“Well?” Jungmin says, apparently having asked a question that Yoongi didn’t hear.

“Sorry?” Yoongi says, asking him to repeat himself.

“How do you feel about using the teal color instead of fuchsia?” Jungmin asks again.

Yoongi shakes his head, and he cuts off a small strip of both colors, holding it up to the bright green base of the design. “Tell me which one looks better to you?” Yoongi says.

Jungmin grabs the teal strip from Yoongi, and he carries it over to a roll of brown fabric. “I meant if we changed the base color to brown.” Jungmin says. “Were you not listening at all?”

“Why the would we change the base color when we already have the design made?” Yoongi questions, annoyed that Jungmin is trying to up everything they’ve already figured out. “I like the bright vibrancy of this design, and I’m not changing it to more natural tones.”

“Whatever you say.” Jungmin says, tossing the teal strip of fabric aside and stepping over to Yoongi. He pats Yoongi’s cheek with his hand, and smiles. “Just try not to get distracted anymore, okay? I’m here for business, nothing else.”

[time skip]

Seokjin’s POV

        Seokjin is woken up in the middle of the night by the sound of Namjoon’s phone going off. At first he thinks it’s a ridiculously early alarm, but, as he comes to his senses, he realizes that it’s an incoming call. He sits up in bed and reaches over Namjoon to grab the phone from the nightstand. Yoongi.

Of ing course it has to be Yoongi calling them at two in the morning.

“Hello?” Seokjin asks, trying to keep every hint of irritation out of his voice.

“Is Namjoon there?” Yoongi asks. He sounds broken, and it makes Seokjin feel bad for having been annoyed in the first place. He knows first hand what it’s like to have worries and anxiety in the middle of the night, and it’s not something he could ever blame a person for.

“It’s two o’clock in the morning, so I’d hope so.” Seokjin says, glancing back at Namjoon’s side of the bed just to make sure that young is, in fact, there. “But he’s sleeping.”

“Can I talk to him?” Yoongi asks, ignoring Seokjin’s last comment. Again, nothing Seokjin is going to hold against him. He has called Namjoon plenty of times in the middle of the night for anxiety. He knows that Namjoon is a really good person to talk to about your worries.

Seokjin doesn’t say anything else to Yoongi. He reaches over and nudges Namjoon awake, and he hands his husband the phone. “It’s Yoongi.” He says.

Worried, Namjoon snatches the phone from Seokjin’s hand. “Hyung, is everything all right?” Namjoon asks.

Now that the phone is no longer pressed to his own ear, Seokjin only gets to hear Namjoon’s half of the conversation.

“I’ll be over in just a second.” He says and hangs up the phone. “I have to go over there.” He says, and he leans in to give Seokjin a kiss before quickly getting out of bed.

Yoongi’s POV

        Namjoon arrives only a few minutes after hanging up the phone. He enters Yoongi’s bedroom, making Yoongi wonder if he remembered to lock the door or if Namjoon remembered to grab the spare key before leaving.

“Hyung,” Namjoon says, crawling onto the bed and pulling Yoongi into his arms.

It’s a familiar feeling. He used to do this a lot when they were roommates and Yoongi had a really bad night or just needed someone for a little bit of comfort. It’s no where near as reassuring as Hoseok could be, but it’s better than nothing.

“I can’t do this.” Yoongi says, cradling into Namjoon and crying into his chest. It wouldn’t be so bad if he wasn’t having nightmares about going back to his old ways and Hoseok leaving him because of it The thought of something like that is enough to destroy Yoongi. “It’s barely been two weeks since Hoseok left, but…I’m just a piece of . Hoseok deserves better…”

“Hyung,” Namjoon snaps, gripping Yoongi’s shoulders and pulling him up. “What happened?”

“N-nothing,” Yoongi says. “I just…I can’t sleep without imagining myself doing something stupid and ing everything up.”

Namjoon sighs, and he pull Yoongi into himself again. “Look, I know it’s not easy, but you have to have more faith in yourself.” Namjoon says. “You’re not a bad person because you have thoughts.”

“I’m a horrible person.” Yoongi says, his sobs calming a little. “I can’t live without Hoseok for more than a week. Seriously. Once the week is up, I instantly start having thoughts and…just thinking about things that I shouldn’t. I call you in the middle of the night, ruining your sleep because I’m not having the best time. I’m a horrible ing person.”

He feels Namjoon sigh, and his arms tighten around Yoongi. “The fact that you feel bad about things you shouldn’t proves to me that you’re not as bad as you think you are.” Namjoon assures him. “Did you talk to Hoseok today?”

Yoongi shakes his head, crying again. It’s the first day since Hoseok left that Yoongi didn’t get to talk to him. “I tried to call him, but he wouldn’t answer. He’s probably busy or something.” Yoongi says, but he fears the worst in his mind. The only thing he got was that text this morning.

“Look at me.” Namjoon says, nudging Yoongi so that he’ll sit up. “Call Hoseok in the morning. Talk to him. It doesn’t have to be about this. Just talk to him. And, when you get the chance, take a trip out there to see him. I’m sure actually seeing him will help you feel better. Even if you two don’t do anything.”

Yoongi nods this time, and he pushes himself up from Namjoon’s chest. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” Yoongi says, wiping his tears with the back of his wrist. “But I love you.”

Yoongi is pretty sure that’s the first time he has ever said that to Namjoon in their entire friendship, and he means it. It’s a different kind of love than with Hoseok, but Yoongi really likes the connotation it has between friends.

Namjoon smiles. “I love you, too, Hyung.” He says, lightly hitting Yoongi on the shoulder. “Are you good now?”

Yoongi nods. “Yeah, I’m good.” He says.

“Okay. I’m going to go back home, but don’t be afraid to call again if you need me. All right?” Namjoon says, tilting Yoongi’s chin back so that he can look the elder in the eyes.

“All right.” Yoongi mumbles, shoving Namjoon’s arm away. “But seriously. Thank you.” Yoongi says as Namjoon gets up to leave the room.

“Anytime.” Namjoon says, closing the door behind him.