This he knows, is not his bed.

The mattress feels too bumpy and the sheets rub too softly, as if caressing his skin. Yoongi cracks an eye open, attempting to survey the area with little effort. He moves carefully, not wanting to wake up the body beside him, if he hasn’t already.

He pulls his legs into his body slowly, feeling the roughness of his jeans rubbing against his legs contrasting against the cotton sheet over top of him. The body stirs beside him, mumbles something unintelligible as they turn over to face Yoongi, but remains asleep.

Yoongi lets out a sigh of relief as he looks over Jimi’s sleeping face, each of the younger’s features somehow softer, if that’s even possible as he sleeps. Yoongi can’t find it in himself to deny that it feels good lying beside him, waking up next to him though nothing happened the night before. It’s a certain type of clarity he supposes, to not have to worry about the hazy drunken memories from the night before that he would almost certainly try to forget.

No, even though he was drunk, he didn’t drink himself into a zombie like state that had him grappling at the strings in his mind to piece together the events of the night. Yoongi had been very much aware of what he was doing last night when he waited outside of Jimin’s house for him to return. He was very much aware of what he was doing when he kissed him, and he was very much aware of the way Jimin felt against him as he kissed him back.

Just as much as he was aware that Taehyung was not the one he was kissing. But he’s really trying hard to not think about that detail.

Jimin shifts beside him again, his body stretching against Yoongi’s own as he stares down at him. The younger’s eyes open slowly, blinking lazily twice before staring at Yoongi properly. There’s something in them that Yoongi isn’t too sure what to call, though he does not look away. He feels a strange comfort, laying here beside a guy he barely knows, looking at each other after a night of uninterrupted sleep and feeling just that, content and rested.

Jimin is the one to look away first, stretching his body again, the pops and cracks resounding around the quiet room as Yoongi watches him. Jimin’s gaze does not come back to fall upon Yoongi’s again, instead opting to focus on the ceiling above them with an almost determined stare. Yoongi’s brow crinkles in confusion, curious as to what the red head is thinking.

“Why did you come here?”

Jimin’s voice takes him of guard and he blinks slowly, staring at him curiously. “Why?”

Jimin nods, working through Yoongi’s question, keeping his eyes on the ceiling as if he were actually afraid to look at Yoongi. He doesn’t speak again, prompting Yoongi to think up a response that will not offend him. “You want me to be honest?”

Jimin turns to look at him then, a smile on lips though his eyes speak a different story, one that is far from happiness or even Yoongi’s contentment. They’re guarded, and Yoongi finds himself wanting to know why. “Of course.” His voice is stiff and practiced a stark contrast to the carefree sing song of his voice when he’s met up with him previously.

The way Jimin is looking at him, as if a single wrong word could cause his whole word to crumble has Yoongi forming his words in his head with the utmost care. He can’t lie to him, that would get them nowhere, but he doesn’t necessarily have to tell him every tiny detail either.

He sighs heavily, feeling the weight of the world once again resting heavily on his shoulders, his content feeling leaving him the second he decided it would be the right choice to tell Jimin half-truths. Of course he knows it’s wrong, but he hardly knows the guy.

Because what does Yoongi owe Jimin anyway?

What does Jimin owe Yoongi?

What does Taehyung owe all of them?

What do any of them owe the other that could be so great that they’re all caught up in this mess of their own doing? Each of them playing a part, each of them having a hand in the decisions that got them to this point.

What does Yoongi owe Jimin?

Nothing more than an explanation as to why he showed up at his house drunk the night before and kissed him.

He could defend himself by saying that he didn’t expect it to mean so much to Jimin, a man whose name he only heard recently. A man who has apparently always been in the background waiting for Yoongi to notice him. But Yoongi can’t be blamed for that. Because Yoongi himself doesn’t notice the little things, and the small actions that the people around him do. He can’t see something unless it’s right in front of him screaming for him to notice.

Yoongi only cares about two things.

His music and Kim Taehyung.

And only one of them has never let him down.

Still, he can’t deny that he has feelings for Jimin, even if he can’t decide what they are yet.

“Tae kicked me out.”

He finally says it, allowing the words to hang in the small space between them. He told the truth, it’s now up to Jimin to decide what to do with it.

They keep eye contact as Jimin thinks of a reply, trying not to show the hurt that he feels is all consuming. Is that the only reason why he would come and see him, because of Tae? Can there be no action on Yoongi’s part without Kim Taehyung pulling the strings one way or another? Jimin’s beginning to believe that maybe there can’t be. He only has one question. “Why?”

“We fought about you, I guess.” The way he says it feels like a slap across the face to Jimin, the way the words leave his lips as if Yoongi couldn’t care less about them.

If Yoongi really thinks about it, the essence of the fight was his feelings for Tae, but it was amplified because of what Tae was trying to do with Yoongi and Jimin.

Jimin shifts and sits up; folding his legs up behind him so he can face Yoongi properly, his arm resting against the mound of pillows he finds it absolutely necessary to have on his bed. “About me? Why?”

To Yoongi’s surprise Jimin himself looks quite taken aback by the revelation. Yoongi knows for sure that Jimin knew about Tae wanting to set them up; he’d told him himself the first night they were introduced properly. Even told Yoongi that he was interested in him, so why does the information of Yoongi fighting with Tae about Jimin surprise the younger so much?

“I hurt you yesterday, didn’t I?” The question takes Jimin so off guard for a few second he has no idea what Yoongi is talking about, just as he’s opening his mouth to say as much, Yoongi continues. “I mean yesterday at your dance studio, with the scene I caused with Jungkook and Taehyung.” Yoongi pauses, almost as if he’s unsure of what he’s saying. “That hurt you, didn’t it?”

Jimin knows that’s not something he’s going to forget for a long time. The way Yoongi pulled Jungkook away from Tae as if he were saving his boyfriend from some abuser. The only problem was that Yoongi in that situation was the unwanted attention that caused the events that led to them being right where they are now.

Jimin nods, staring down at the sheet, pulling at a loose thread between his fingers. “Yes, you did.”

“That’s why we fought about you. Because Taehyung wanted me to see you and not him, because he’s never seen me like that.” He stops, as if the words themselves physically hurt him. “He told me that he won’t love me, that he can’t. And I guess that just drove me crazy.”

“You love him?” The words spill from Jimin’s lips before he can stop himself; he immediately puts a hand against his mouth, wishing desperately that he could take them back.

Yoongi shrugs, as if the whole situation didn’t matter, though Jimin can tell from the distant look in his eyes that there’s a knife twisting in his heart, held by the unknowing grip of Kim Taehyung. “I guess I do.”

“I’m sorry, Yoongi.”

“For what?”

“For putting another stress on you, at a time that just seems wrong.” Jimin shrugs, trying to find his words. “I told Tae it was a bad idea to introduce us, though if I’m being honest it’s what I wanted. I just didn’t know it would cause so many problems for all of us.”

Yoongi stares at him as if he’s seeing him for the first time. He stares at Jimin, his mind blank, until Jimin gets out of the bed and asks if he wants any coffee. He nods, following after him with a newfound feeling of respect for the red head.

Of course Yoongi will remember later, that after all that he still didn’t apologise to the person who just might deserve it the most. The one who apologised to him for something that was not even his fault.

He never apologised to Jimin.

Because he didn’t know he had to.

 

~~.~~

Tae is beginning to wonder how he managed to fit all his belongings into one suitcase and a duffel bag the night he first moved in. Surely he hasn’t brought that much stuff in a year, yet as he tries to cram everything in, he knows that it’s just not going to work.

With a huff he throws the bag to the side, the mere thought of trying to fit everything in giving him a headache as he leans back against his bed, his head in his hands as he’s reminded of why he’s doing this in the first place.

Min Yoongi.

A man with an outward persona as if he doesn’t give a damn about anything cares so deeply that even Tae himself is shocked. How could Yoongi act like that in front of all their friends? How did the reality of the two of them get so twisted in the elder’s head that he thought it was okay to ‘save’ him from his own boyfriend?

Though Tae himself will admit that being affectionate with Jungkook in front of Yoongi like that was wrong, he shouldn’t have to make the choice between the two of them. Though, looking back down at the duffel bag pushed to the side, he knows that he’s made his choice.

He made it long before today. He made it when he chose to date Jungkook and he made it again when he pushed Yoongi away after the drunken kiss. 

He made it when he finally gave into Jimin and introduced him to his stubborn roommate, a choice he’s not entirely sure he’s happy with. That’s not to say that he didn’t want to, no that would be wrong, it’s more the fact that it’s like Yoongi was his. Yoongi was his in a way that if it were to be said out loud would sound twisted  and unhealthy, because though Tae himself was aware of Yoongi’s feelings after some time, a part of him that he doesn’t like too much relished in the attention that Yoongi would give him.

Of course Tae knew that this couldn’t last forever. But he’s only human, and though he knew that Yoongi and he would never work, no matter how attractive he thinks Yoongi is, they aren’t compatible for much more than a slightly dysfunctional, if not sometimes frustrating friendship.

But that is hardly something Tae believes he needs to apologise for.

Though maybe now, sitting on the floor of his messy room, that friendship is now over as well.

 

Reluctantly he grabs his duffel again, trying to squeeze more clothing in as he tries not to dwell on what seems to now be his past.

He glances up at the clock seeing it’s half three and realises he’s been sitting down for three hours trying to get his things together. He stands up, stretching out his legs as they almost collapse underneath him. He moves to his bed and is beginning to fold up the sheets when a loud knocking sounds throughout the apartment. For a second he thinks it’s Yoongi, finally coming back after he disappeared, but that is quickly squandered when he remembers that Yoongi has his owns keys and would not be knocking to be let in.

He trudges over to the door, pulling it open quickly; he’s surprised when he finds Jungkook standing on the other side, coffee and a takeout bag in his hands.

“Hungry?” He asks, as Tae moves out of the way to let him in, shutting the door behind him and turning the lock.

“Thank you,” He beams, peeking into the bag to find two burgers and steaming chips. He pulls one of the chips out and puts it in his mouth. “I haven’t eaten all day.”

Jungkook steps forward, his hand caressing the side of Tae’s face. “What’s been keeping you so busy? You should be taking care of yourself, Taetae.”

Tae shrugs, smile still on his face. “I just lost track of time.”

Jungkook’s eyes grow dark as he takes in the words, obviously sensing something in them that Tae didn’t disguise hard enough. “Have you been thinking about Yoongi?”

Tae’s eyes go wide and he automatically looks down into the bag, reaching inside for the food in an effort to distract Jungkook from his obvious thoughts. “W-Why would you think that?”

“It would be the obvious thing to do after a fight like that.” Jungkook states bluntly, leaving no room for Tae to even try and argue.

In an effort to hide his discomfort of the topic he laughs. “Well you know me; I’ve never done the most obvious things.”

Jungkook laughs with him, grabbing the coffees from the bench. “Let’s eat then.”

 

They make it through two movies before Jungkook gets up, leaving Tae snuggled under a blanket on the couch as he goes in search of the bathroom. Tae feels content in the moment, his stomach full, his mind clear and his lips slightly swollen from the kisses that Jungkook can’t stop himself from given.

He feels right.

Content.

Enjoying the last night be will spend curled up on the couch, doing something as simple as watching movies and he knows that he’s going to miss it.

It’s moments like this he knows that at any second everything will change. This particular time the change comes in the way of Jungkook calling to him from down the corridor, his voice barley reaching him and he gets of the couch to see what his boyfriend wants.

He finds him standing in his room, his eyes on the bare bed and the bags sitting by the door.

“What is this?” He asks his tone unsure as he glances back at Tae with concerned eyes.

Tae looks down, pulling the blanket around his body tighter in a sense of comfort he knows it won’t bring in the moment. “I don’t think I can live here anymore.”

“Because of Yoongi?”

“Because of Yoongi’s feelings and my actions and the way I always seem to mess everything up.” He says it louder then he meant to, but Jungkook doesn’t react, he knows that Tae is tired and frustrated, but he can’t keep blaming himself for something that is not entirely his fault.

Instead he sighs, taking a step closer and placing his hand under his chin, forcing the elder to look at him. “Do you have feelings for Yoongi?”

The question catches Tae of guard and his eyes widen, showing Jungkook all he needs to know, but he still speaks, his tone low and unsure. “Yes. But not in the way I have feelings for you. Yoongi is different, he’s silent and hard to read and grumpy and generous. He’s frustrating and kind, and he knows what he wants and he goes after it.

“You are kind and funny and outgoing and so much like me that I believe makes us more compatible. Yoongi for me is better as a friend; the dynamics are more centred then.” He stops to breathe and Jungkook opens his mouth to reply when Tae cuts him off.

 “When I first met him, the night that I found that crudely written piece of paper advertising a room for rent I thought that the world was finally on my side. That from that night on I would have a place to sleep that was for longer than a few nights at a time. When he opened the door with that trademark scowl on his face I knew instantly that I was going to drive him crazy and that would work for us.” He pauses again, but this time Jungkook only waits for him to continue, knowing full well that he has more to say.

“Did I think that perhaps eventually something more would happen between us? Of course I did, in fact I actually counted on it. But Yoongi never showed his feelings as anything more than small gestures that for the most part I overlooked, and maybe that was my fault. Maybe I should have paid more attention when I too harboured feelings. But he moved to slow, and only confessed after I caused him to fail a class and he had alcohol messing with his brain. But in the end he was too late. I already had you. But I still allowed myself that one kiss, just to know that I didn’t waste my time on him, but I would be stupid if I ever thought that. He was just too late, that was all.”

“And besides,” He shrugs, “Jimin has been going on about Yoongi ever since he first saw him and I would be a terrible person if I tries to get in the middle of that. Jimin deserves to be happy, I just wish Yoongi would open up his eyes and see him.”

Jungkook allows the silence to stretch on, staring at Tae like he was waiting for him to burst into tears, but he doesn’t, of course he doesn’t. Tae is if anything strongminded. But he was making the wrong choice tonight. “You can’t leave.”

“W-What?”

“You can’t move out. You know that Yoongi will never forgive you if you did that. You know that he’ll bury it deep inside and it will eat away at him. You know that neither of you will recover.”

Tae looks lost, his body looking so small in the blanket wrapped around him. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Fix things. Talk to him. Because if you walk out that door you know that your relationship will never be repaired.”

Tae is shocked by the words of wisdom spilling out of Jungkook’s mouth. Never has he heard the younger speak with such a clear direction before. He almost wishes he’d gone to him about his other problems before, but he feels that this is a special case. “Maybe you’re right.”

Jungkook smiles, the heaviness of the conversation instantly lifting from their shoulders. “You know I’m right. I don’t like the fact that you’re living with a guy that’s in love with you, but from this point on I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. But if he gives me trouble for this, I’m telling you now that I’m not going to hold back.”

Tae walks forward and hugs him, feeling comforted as Jungkook’s arms wrap around him. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.

~~.~~

The day slipped away from them as Jimin and Yoongi lounged around the apartment. Yoongi wasn’t in a particular rush to get back home and Jimin seemed content to have him there, even if they have barley talked since the morning as they watched whatever they both deemed watchable on tv.

Eventually Yoongi’s stomach growled and he got up to search the kitchen for food, finding to his annoyance mostly protein packed bars and energy drinks. He laughs quietly to himself; sure that his is what his fridge would looked like, minus the protein, if Tae never stocked the fridge. He turns around to ask Jimin if he wants him to order something for them only to find the red head standing not far from him, giving Yoongi a look that has him raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“Jimin?”

Jimin says nothing as he makes his way over, coming to stand right in front of Yoongi causing the elder to take a step backwards, hi back coming in contact with the bench behind him. “What are you doing?” He asks, though he already knows he’s not going to get a response.

Jimin moves in closer with a determined look in his eye. Yoongi’s own glance down at Jimin’s lips which are only inches away and unconsciously his own. Jimin smiles before closing his eyes and placing his lips against Yoongi’s, the elder doing nothing to stop him. Because isn’t this part of the reason why he’s here? Because of his attraction to Jimin?

Jimin doesn’t let the kiss stay soft for long, almost instantly swiping his tongue against Yoongi’s closed lips. He opens them instantly, eager to see this part of Jimin. He’s very aware of the fact that this is the first time Jimin and initiated a kiss between them. And he can feel the difference that the lack of alcohol makes. Not on the actual kiss itself, no they have always been good. But on the mindset that the two are in during. Both knowing that this is what the other wants, with no doubt that they’re only doing it because of the inclusion of alcohol.

Jimin’s tongue moves against Yoongi’s, soft moans falling from both of them as Jimin pushes against Yoongi’s hips with his own, the elder having nowhere to go because of the bench which seems to be why Jimin cornered him in such a way.

Jimin eventually moves back, a smile on his face that Yoongi wants to wipe right off. With his lips or his hand he’s not quite sure, but he smiles back, because maybe Jimin is the right one and this is just what he needs.

“So you want some food then?” Yoongi asks, his stomach reminding him of what comes first.

Jimin laughs but agrees, dialling the closest pizza restaurant.

~~.~~

Yoongi leaves late that night, leaving Jimin with the promise to call him now that he has his phone number, and with a final kiss he heads off.

It’s not until he’s outside his apartment block that the fear of seeing Tae again comes back to him. He’d tried to use the walk home as a way to clear his head and in a way he did, but now standing outside, he can’t remember a single thing he planned to see to him.

With a huff he walks inside, it will be better for all of them to just get this over with and have everything go back to normal. Or as normal as it can get these days. He stops outside of their door and takes a deep breath, fishing for his key in his pocket before stepping inside the dark apartment. He walks through slowly, looking for any sign that Tae had fallen asleep somewhere that wasn’t his bed.

He sees light flooding out of Tae’s room as he makes his way down the corridor. He stops in front of the open door and leans against the wall as he watches Tae working on something on his desk. The younger is yet to notice him as his headphones cover his ears. Yoongi takes the time to glance around the room though he notices it looks emptier than he remembers.

It clicks when he notices the bags to his right and his stomach drops, causing him to feel slightly nauseous. He looks back up just as Tae notices him and takes off his headphones.

“Yoongi?” His tone sounding unsure in the quiet of the room.

“Are you leaving?” Yoongi asks quietly, glancing at the bags packed by Tae’s door.

Tae follows his eyes, a hint of a smile on his lips that Yoongi doesn’t quite understand. Jungkook’s words once again sound in his head and his smile grows, knowing that in the end he made the right choice for himself.

“I was.” He replies, his smile growing. “But Jungkook convinced me to stay.”

Yoongi nods slowly, hovering for a second before leaving Tae to his thoughts. He sits down on the couch in the living room thinking that there must be a way he can pay off his debt to Jungkook. And soon.

Because he got Tae to stay and that is not something that Yoongi himself would have ever been able to accomplish.