The first time that it  happens, he isn't aware. He thinks that he's half asleep or maybe just on the verge. It's felt like that before – especially after a show. He's dazed and crazed. It's different enough the next couple of times but not exactly so. Still, he says nothing. But by the fifth time that it happens, he knows that they've stumbled into some freaky-friday bull.

 

He looks down at his knobby fingers that can't play the piano anymore because they don't have the brain to go with it. He tries banging out the only tunes he knows - thinking maybe he's fingers will catch his brain up. It doesn't happen, so he runs to Jimin's bedroom, where he knows he's left his body. His real body.

 

Jimin and Yoongi are curled up against each other. Jimin's face in Yoongi's - Taebody's - neck. They don't wake up when Taehyung throws the door open. Brass knob crashing into the wall - maybe causing permanent damage. Tae only cares about this big dumb man that has his hands gripped into Jimin's t-shirt.

 

Tae rips Yoongi away from Jimin and onto the floor where he tries to scramble up - all long limbs and messy hair. Swearing words Tae never knew his mouth could make.

 

---

 

After Yoongi has hauled his off the floor and their arguing has woken up the entire dorm:

 

"It's not my fault! You don't think I wanted this to happen to me -" 

 

"To us. I'm trapped in your body just remember that -" 

 

"Right. Like it's such a burden -" 

 

"You were spooning my goddamn boyfriend -"

 

"In your body! Grow the up!"

 

They exchange curse words and almost fists until Namjoon comes barrelling down the hall. Jimin is holding Yoongi back and Jungkook grabs Tae's thin Yoongi arm, and pulls him away.

 

"What the hell is going on here?" Namjoon barks. All of the others are either in a state of sleepy confusion, or in Joon's case, anger. "Will somebody please tell me? You both had a lot to say a minute ago." 

 

"He did something to me-" 

 

"Oh here we go. It's not like I wanted to be you! Get that through your thick skull! Or mine. , you know what I mean." 

 

"Well I didn't do anything." Tae pulls away from Jungkook and crosses his arms - Yoongi's arms - in front of his body.

 

"Okay. What I'm getting here is that you guys have switch bodies?" Jin looks between the two of them.

 

Jungkook laughs, Jimin backs off and Hoseok wipes an eye, sleepily. "Is this a movie?" He mumbles. 

 

Namjoon scoffs. "Yeah, right. That doesn't happen." 

 

"It did. It happened to me - "

 

"Us. Both of us. God, you're dense.". 

 

Taehyung lunges at Yoongi. He'll beat himself up if he has to. This time it's Jin who grabs him. Tae doesn't want to be in Yoongi's weak, old-man body. If he was himself, they wouldn't be able to hold him back. Well, he'd be himself, so - 

 

He finally clues in. Yoongi didn't do anything. They've switched by a freak accident, and not for the first time. They might be this way for a long time. Maybe forever. He stops struggling then falls onto his - Yoongi's - knees on the floor. He doesn't know what to do.

 

"Yoongi? Are you - "

 

"I'm Yoongi. Me. That's Taehyung."

 

Tae feels arms around him and it's Jimin on the floor beside him. Mumbling in his ear. "It's okay. It's okay. We'll figure this out." 

 

He's sure that he'll never get used to being in Yoongi's body or switching like this. He lets them take him into the living room to talk about what happens next. 

 

---

 

Tae learns how to laugh with Yoongi's voice. And Yoongi teaches him a bit more piano. The moments they are each other become more frequent and last longer, so that they are now half inside themselves and half inside the wrong body. It begins to seem almost normal. The other guys will always ask. "Tae? Yoongi?" when they're not quite sure. But sometimes they don't. That makes Tae a bit uneasy. Like they don't care anymore.

 

But Jimin always asks. Even when he knows. If Tae's body is in bed with him, it could be either of them. There's no room for assumption. And slowly neither of them are waking up beside Jimin.

 

"I know." Yoongi confesses with his own lips when Tae confronts him about it. "I've been giving him some space. I guess you have too?" 

 

"It's not like that." But what is it like? He can't exactly get it on with his boyfriend while he's in Yoongi's body. He reminds Yoongi of that. 

 

"Well no. Obviously." Yoongi blurts. 

 

"Obviously." Tae repeats. But, maybe someday it might have to happen if he wants to continue being Jimin's boyfriend. He can't imagine the alternative. Because to be apart from Jimin would be worse.

 

---

 

But there comes a point where it almost breaks them. Taehyung can't live like this and also be with Jimin, he tells himself. He has to break up with him. They're already so close to that point.

 

Only, Yoongi is a softy. "You can't have with him in my body. I'm not comfortable with that yet." he says. "And don't expect me to do it in yours." 

 

"Oh, no. Absolutely!" Tae isn't sure whether to be excited or angry. He wants to be with Jimin. As himself. And be sure that it's him next to his soulmate in the morning. This arrangement will have to be enough.

 

---

 

At first, Jimin hates the idea. And he has every right to. "It's like cheating." It feels that way to Tae as well. But they don't have many options.

 

"Do you want to – break up, then? I understand this is hard for you. Maybe even more than me. At least I can tell who I am after I switch." 

 

"It's your body - bodies. I really want to be with you. I love you. Will you really be okay with this?" 

 

And Taehyung isn't. He isn't fine, okay, alright - with any of it. He doesn't want to have to choose, but Jimin is right. "I will be. And we don't have to do anything we don't want to. That includes Yoongi." 

 

---

 

"Tae?" 

 

It is. Of course it is. But he's not himself  when he crawls into Jimin's bed. They should just share a room. Or they should have before all this happened.

 

Tae had come to in Yoongi's room - more studio than bedroom. His head lolling from lack of sleep. He knows he - Yoongi - must have fallen asleep, even a little bit, or they wouldn't have switched. Tae's real body is lying on his bed with Yoongi getting a good night's sleep. Safe and sound.

 

"You really resent him don't you?" 

 

"I've got nothing against the guy." Tae is telling the truth. He's really lucky that Yoongi is so understanding about this. "Except –" Except this:

 

He doesn't want Yoongi's nose in Jimin's collarbone. He doesn't want Yoongi's slim and pale fingers pressing along Jimin's NEVERMIND tattoo. He especially doesn't want Jimin to respond to how good Yoongi's mouth makes him feel.

 

And when it's not Taehyung in the morning, Yoongi will have to peel himself out of the circle of Jimin's arms.

 

---

 

It becomes easier for them to be comfortable in their new skins. Even when the days as each other become longer. Where it seems like Yoongi has become silly, and Taehyung more serious. And sometimes, particularly when they're drunk, the lines between them become blurred. Taehyung can be himself no matter what body he resides in. And Jimin loves him no matter what. Sometimes, he thinks that he's going to be okay living like this. Just like Jimin said it would be.