Taehyung’s Morning

“Woah, is that a smile I see?” Jimin’s staring at him with wide-eyed curiosity, a glass of orange juice in hand.

“Mmm. I woke in a good mood this morning,” Taehyung replies as he takes the glass of yellow liquid being offered.

“Good. I love when you smile Tae. Does the nice hyung from last night have anything to do with your good mood?” Jimin’s tone is playful.

“I can neither confirm nor deny if hyung has played a part. I will, however, say that I had a dream about a very adorable grumpy cat last night.” Taehyung swallows down the glass of orange juice and walks out of the kitchen.

“Grumpy cat?” Jimin questions. “Hey, you haven’t had breakfast.” He yells after Taehyung.

“I’ll eat after I shower.”

Taehyung hums as he walks the hallway of their tiny two-bedroom apartment. It’s been a while since he’s woken up ready to face the day, wanting to face the day. He feels light, carefree, and happy, like he can meet any challenge the day brings and actually overcome.

An idea pops into his head as he steps out of the shower.

“Jimin-ah,” Taehyung shouts, sticking his head out the bathroom door, too excited to wait.

“What?” comes the reply from down the hall.

“We should get a cat.”

“A cat?”

“Yeah, but a grumpy looking one. Like the memes and stuff. A cat that looks like it’d slap you if it could, like it’s just over all the . I want that cat.”

“You want a cat that wants to slap people?” Jimin’s voice is getting closer.

“No, just looks like he wants to, but is really sweet and kind,” Taehyung explains through the door.

“Your cat reminds me of a hyung I work with,” Jimin says with a laugh.

“Do you like this hyung? Because your voice is doing that thing it does when you like someone.”

“You know, it should be creepy, the fact that you know me this well, but it’s not.” Jimin giggles on the other side of the door.

“It’s my good looks and smashing personality. They disguise my hidden creeper, lulling you into a sense of calm.”

“Uh-huh, sure. Anyway, a cat would be fun. Let’s talk about it later.” Taehyung can hear Jimin walking away. “Also, breakfast is ready.”

“I’ll be there in a bit.”

Taehyung dries off and walks across the hall to his room. Once dressed, he strolls back into the kitchen.

“Wow, you look really hot. Seriously, what’s going on?”

“What do you mean? Can’t a fellow look nice just because?” Taehyung asks as he shoves toast in his mouth.

“You have a meeting today, don’t you?” Jimin gives him a knowing smile, “I know you as well as you know me, Kim Taehyung. You like nice hyung, don’t you?”

“So, about the cat-” Taehyung tries but fails to change the subject.

“Oh no, cat talk is for later. Nice hyung talk is what’s on the agenda for now.”

“I dislike you a bit right now.” Taehyung looks down at his eggs. Yoongi’s not a topic he can discuss, mostly because he has no idea why he feels so intensely about someone he just met.

“You could never dislike me. I’m lovely, and you love me,” Jimin says matter-of-factly, and Taehyung can only agree.

“Mmm… sadly it’s true,” Taehyung says with a giggle, ducking out of the way just in time to miss

Jimin’s arm swinging in his direction. “Violence isn’t the answer, Minnie.”

“It is today,” Jimin says. “I have a late flight tonight. I won’t be home for dinner.”

“Okay.” Taehyung gets up from the table, looking at his watch. “Gotta go. Have a safe flight Jimin-ah. See ya later.”

“Thank you. Have a good day,” Jimin replies, “and Tae?”

“Mmmm.”

“Don’t let anyone steal the smile you woke up with, okay?”

“I won’t. Love you Minnie.” Taehyung ruffles his friend's hair on the way out of the kitchen.

“Love you more.”

Taehyung kept his positive attitude when he walked in to find a mountain of work on his desk, none of which actually belonged to him. He held tight to his positive outlook when the secretary forgot to order him a meal for the office luncheon, which left him paying for his own food. He clung to his positivity like a man hanging from the side of a cliff leading to a thousand-foot fall when he was blamed (once again) for a mistake that he didn’t make.

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By the time Taehyung reaches the door of his support class, his positive attitude has been replaced by a need to scream and yell and beat the out of all the harassing, unfair, minute details of his day which have stacked one on top of the other and are now mountain-sized.

“Hey,” a voice says from behind him.

Hey. It was all that was said. The voice is familiar and warm and gruff, and it hits Taehyung how much, how much, how ing much, he needs to hear that voice, wants to hear that voice. He’ll forever blame his next set of actions on his emotional breakdown, on the stress of his day, and on the fact that Yoongi said “Hey,” because it sounded like an invitation.

He feels Yoongi stiffen then relax when he walks directly into the man’s arms like it was a door to walk through or his favorite sweater (the one with the holes that his grandma gave him when he was fifteen). Yoongi