Taehyung leans down, keeps his eyes locked on Jeongguk's. Ready to drown in the midnight gaze he's growing so familiar with.

It's just a slight brush when their lips meet, barely more than a whisper. A kiss more chaste than Taehyung would've thought possible with the way Jeongguk's been staring at him.

The younger lets him lead, he realizes. Holds himself back to see how Taehyung wants to do this.

A sudden wave of fondness floods through the older, warm and gentle. He buries a hand in Jeongguk's tousled hair and gives him one long look. Jeongguk keeps his expression open for him. Like a well-worn book where one can flip to any page. Shows both his anticipation and trust for Taehyung clear to see.

Taehyung feels his heart expand, thinks he feels himself falling in love with Jeongguk just a little more at how vulnerable the younger makes himself in front of him. He knows, there are only few people Jeongguk lets close like that.

A little smile plays around Jeongguk's mouth as if he knows exactly what's going on inside the other. Taehyung rolls his eyes.

"Brat," he mutters against the younger's lips. Swallows the chuckle he gets in answer.

His tongue darts out to at Jeongguk's lower lip. The hands around his waist tighten, fingers burying in Taehyung's skin. He sighs into Jeongguk's mouth, tilts his head just like so, ready to deepen the kiss.

He's stopped before going any further.

With a loud crash the door bangs open and a loud voice fills the room.

"I'm back you dickheads!"

They jerk apart, eyes wide on the open door. A familiar figure is hovering in the doorway.

"So you guys have been face," Jimin accuses with narrowed eyes.

Taehyung blinks.

"Uh..."

"I knew it! ing idiots, I've been gone for what, five minutes, and then have to come back to this, you are unbelievable-"

"Park Jimin," Taehyung snaps, "you are very welcome to leave, the door is right behind you."

His chest is heaving with the effort of pushing those words out. Never, in all those years, has he thrown out his bestest best friend before. Something the older is well aware of.

Jimin's face falls, his whole demeanor changing. 

"But," he gives Taehyung a crestfallen look, mouth wobbling, "but I brought breakfast..."

Taehyung sighs. Abandons the whole idea.

As if he could really kick out his best friend. 

"Alright, breakfast it is."

Next to him, Jeongguk groans and falls back into the cushions..

Taehyung gives him a slap on his chest.

"Hush. You better be nice to Jiminie if you want us to have a chance together."

Behind Taehyung's back. Jimin throws a devilish little grin at the youngest and sticks out his tongue.

Jimin makes himself at home in Taehyung's apartment for the rest of the week. Keeps a close eye on the two youngers, much to Taehyung's and Jeongguk's dismay.

"We don't need a curfew," Taehyung dares to mutter on Friday evening.

The three of them are watching "Lord of the rings" together, with Jimin stretched out like a cat in the middle of the couch. Head deliberately rested on Taehyung's lap and feet stretched out towards Jeongguk. Keeping the two youngers at man's length apart once more.

"Yes you do," Jimin states. Snickers at the way Gimli is struggling to keep up with the other members of the fellowship.

Taehyung nips him in the side, nods in the direction of the tv.

"You do realize you are not much taller than him, yes?"

Jimin slowly turns his head. All amusement gone as he looks up at Taehyung.

"Kim Taehyung," he says with deadly calm voice. "You better start running now."

Taehyung just snorts,

"Tae, I still don't get what problem your million dollar model friend has with me," Jeongguk grumbles from his end of the couch.

Taehyung turns his head towards the ceiling and silently prays for strength.

Over the past days Jeongguk has taken to ignore Jimin and only speak with Taehyung about him, not with the model himself. The sole reason for that probably being pettiness. The younger's initial hesistance to tick off a famous model is long gone and now it seems the two of them are in a cold war or something.

It's getting weirder by the day.

The other evening, Jimin and Jeongguk had a fierce eating contest to see who can eat more. It ended with both of them taking turns hanging over the toilet. Idiots, Taehyung swears.

Then Jeongguk noticed how much Jimin likes to use nicknames with Taehyung and decided to do the same. Which lead to both him and Jimin coming up with the most excessive sentences and squeezing in as many different nicknames for Taehyung as possible. And where Jimin had reserved his exclusive right to call him Taehyungie and Tae-Tae, Jeongguk decided to adress him with just Tae from now on.

Taehyung is both endeared and annoyed.

Which brings them back to the current situation. And to Jeongguk's legit question. For Taehyung has been wondering about it non-stop too.

"Beats me," he admits.

Jimin huffs in his lap.

"Are you dense?" He hoists himself up and spits the next words at Jeongguk. "You hurt Tae-Tae bad enough for him to drive himself to the brink of exhaustion, shattered his self-esteem and turned him into a shadow. And yet you have the gall to ask why I'm being like this? You really think I'm letting you have him just like that? ing delusional, that's what you are!"

Taehyung pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. The movie in the background long forgotten as the three men try to sort out themselves. It's almost tragic. What a shame, Taehyung thinks. One of the best movies running and nobody pays attention.

"You've been rooting for us to get together since day one, why do you have to be like this now?"

"Because he doesn't deserve you!"

Taehyung huffs.

"Jimbles, we've been talking this out, it's all been just a big misunderstanding. We are good again and you know it so stop making a fuss. And please," he rubs his face,"stop talking about my mental condition."

Jimin shrinks back into himself at the last part and pouts.

"I don't trust this though. Have you really talked it out properly?"

"For 's sake, yes we have!"

It's Taehyung who says it. Jeongguk is smart enough to remain quiet, knows Jimin wouldn't listen to him anyway.

"I'm not convinced," Jimin persists. "I think you haven't talked nearly enough."

And Taehyung, really, he's had enough.

"Well, how am I supposed to talk it out when you don't give us room to breathe?!"

 They have a long staring match, Jeongguk restlessly fidgeting around somewhere in the background. 

It's Jimin who looks away first.

"Alright," he mutters. "I'll go out for a bit. You talk. I have to prepare stuff for my next shooting anyway."

With that, Jimin gets up, grabs a jacket and leaves.

"Pretty sure he doesn't need a jacket. That scorching summer's keeping the nights piss warm nowadays," Jeongguk mutters.

He scoots closer to Taehyung until their sides are pressing into each other like puzzle pieces. Taehyung lets him, revels in the physical contact that's gotten so sparse with Jimin hovering around all the time.

Taehyung snorts, shrugs. "He's a model. It's all for the aesthetics for him. You'll never catch him dead with an outfit that's not thought-through up to the colour of his shoe laces."

"Diva."

"Yeah, a little bit."

Jeongguk chuckles, buries himself even more into the older's frame. Taehyung's arm slips around the younger's shoulders, tugging him even closer. Angling his head so he can bury his nose in Jeongguk's fluffy black hair. God, he needed that. Has always been one to crave closeness.

"So." Jeongguk clears his throat and pulls away, taking Taehyung's hands in his own at the protesting whine coming from the older. He pulls up his legs and fully turns, so he's completely facing Taehyung. "We should probably talk."

And that's what they do.

Reluctantly at first, Taehyung demuring at coming out with the whole truth. Pressing out each sentence through tight lips and avoiding eye contact at all costs. The whole opening up thing goes tantalizingly slow, like pulling out one tooth at a time.

But they manage, somehow.

Even though it takes a good deal of patience and reassurance from Taehyung's side, and a never-ending stream of apologies from Jeongguk's side once the younger come to learn just how deeply his actions have affected the older.

Their "talk" - which at the end is less of a talk and much more of a continuous whine from Jeongguk's side - ends with the younger grasping Taehyung's hands tight enough to cut off the blood circulation and vowing that he will do everything in his power to show Taehyung just how much of an amazing person he is.

"You are not- how could you ever think- I mean honestly, how could you ever even entertain the thought of being a bad guy?"

Jeongguk's voice raises higher the more desperate he turns to get his point across.

"Listen."

He presses close, takes Taehyung's face in both hands and gives him one of those scorching looks. Voice turning from desparate and borderline frantic to dead serious while he Taehyung's cheeks with tender fingers. The gesture a stark contrast to the fierce fire burning within his eyes.

"Listen, you are the kindest, most gorgeous and pure-hearted person I know. Don't ever, ever, think otherwise, hyung. You are a treasure. None of those depraving thoughts of yours are justified, none, you hear me? It is I who's been in the wrong, not you, never you."

Taehyung doesn't fight the sting in his eyes this time. Allows himself to be so vulnerable with Jeongguk and lets him see what his words are doing to him as his eyes overflow and warm tears glide down his cheeks to disappear between Jeongguk's spread out fingers.

Jeongguk places the ghost of a kiss on Taehyung's forehead, on one of his eyelids, then the other. Wipes his tears away and keeps muttering apologies like a mantra.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Tae, please don't cry, I'm sorry..."

The tears stop flowing eventually and Taehyung lets himself be dragged in a tight hug, grapples at Jeongguk's shirt and hides away in those strong arms.

"So show me," he whispers into Jeongguk's shoulder. Hates how his voice cracks, how weak it sounds.

Jeongguk's grip tightens just a little more.

"I'll show you."

And with the dedication filling each word, with that steady voice, there is no room for doubt.

It's a promise.

That's how Jimin finds them later. Holding onto each other tightly, as if trying to prevent the other from breaking apart.

Jimin takes one look at the couple and then quietly goes to collect his things. Is out of the door with a breathed 'goodnight' and disappearing into the warm summer night in a matter of minutes.

Yet no matter how much they want to stay like this forever, they have to let go of each other at some point.

'Some point' meaning when Taehyung's stomach grumbles so loud Jeongguk jerks away with big eyes and whips his head around, requesting to know whether or not there's been a dog here all the time and nobody told him.

The accusation with which the younger says it makes Taehyung snort but it goes down the wrong pipe and he ends up choking on his own spit, Jeongguk slapping his back and apologizing without having an idea what happened in the first place.

So much to parting with grace. Yeah, that went classy.

Once Jeongguk is convinced that no, Taehyung did not hide a dog from him for the past months, he's just really hungry, the younger springs into action and runs into the kitchen, pulling open all the drawers in a big flurry.

"Do you like gaeran mari? There are all the ingredients here, I think. I'm not very good but I can try fixing you some? Only if you want, of course."

Jeongguk is rambling, staying there surrounded by opened drawers and several random things he's taken out and placed on the counter. Like Taehyung's smoothie maker, a cuccumber and a pack of flour. Taehyung is not quite sure what the younger needs those things for but okay. He's not a chef. (So isn't Jeongguk, but out of the two of them Taehyung is even further away from being one, let's be honest).

He just nods, thankful at the prospect of some kind of food filling his stomach soon. Food Jeongguk is willing to make for him. On his own. Bless. Taehyung is absolutely going to devour whatever the other plates him.

"Ohmygod, I'm such a sap," he grumbles under his breath.

Jeongguk blinks at him.

"Huh? What'd you say?"

"Uh-"

Taehyung gulps, panics.

"I said Lee Jordan is fab!"

Jeongguk nods enthusiastically as he gets to work on that promised rolled egg omelette.

"Super that. He's by far the best quidditch commentator Hogwarts has ever seen."

Taehyung kicks the wall hard enough to make it hurt.

"Yeah, that's... that's what I just said, yeah. Uhum. Totally."

Jeongguk turns towards him, cracking open an egg with one hand and- why is that so y?!

"Everything alright, hyung?"

"Yeah I'm, I'm great!"

The younger hums, smiles. "You are."

Taehyung flings himself at the wall and bangs his head against it.

"That's not what I meant!", he whines.

"Tae? Are you sure you're alright?"

Jeongguk does sound concerned now but Taehyung can't focus on that as the younger approaches with his rolled up sleeves, muscular arms on display and all and ugh.

"Yes. No. Leave me alone, let me be miserable and stop looking so ing hot!"

Taehyung flees back to the couch and dives into the cushions, face first.

He can't possibly handle the visuals of a cooking Jeongguk. How did he never notice before how absolutely lethal the younger looks while working in the kitchen? For 's sake.

Jeongguk, that little (big) tease, does notice of course. Purposefully keeps his sleeves rolled up, makes a show of flexing whenever he needs to retrieve another bowl or the chopsticks or literally anything. Keeps sending playful winks at Taehyung who is trying so so hard not to look at the younger.

Taehyung never was good with staying adamant.

So yeah,  he caves. Props himself up on the couch and shyly peeks in the kitchen.

Soon enough he's shamelessly oggling Jeongguk. The younger is all too eager to indulge him if that satisfied little smirk playing around his lips is any indication to go by. Taehyung feels very much ready to salivate at that sight alone.

It's then that Jimin lets himself in unannounced once more.

The door flies open, Jimin breezing in with all his model glory, giant sunglasses and facemask still on.

"I forgot my favourite lotion," he declares, waltzes into Taehyung's bedroom and is back in the hallway the next moment, small toilet bag in one hand.

He halts, squints hard at Jeongguk who's frozen mid-plating, doe eyes gone wide and chopsticks hovering in the air, the piece of omelette roll between them slowly sagging down.

When Jimin turns around to Taehyung, his mouth is pressed into a thin line which, mind you, is a feat in itself. Considering how ridicculously plump Jimin's lips are. Taehyung stores away that little piece of information for their next Big Best Friends Argument.

('You shouldn't be so full of yourself if you can't even make a proper thin line of disapproaval with your mouth, Jim-Jams. Hah! Or something.)

"Be careful who you trust, Tae-Tae. Salt and sugar look the same."

Jimin says, and bulldozes his way out, door banging shut behind him.

A distinct squelch snaps the two youngers out of their daze. Both look down at the sad puddle that used to be a piece of omelette roll. Then Jeongguk slowly lifts his head and they lock eyes.

"...He does know that raw cane sugar and Himalayan salt are a thing, yes?"

"I wouldn't bet on it," Taehyung huffs.

"Oh lord."

"Yep."

Jeongguk manages to save the remaining parts of the meal and even goes at lengths to cut up some veggies. Plates them in a geometrical pattern. Husband material all over the place. Wow. 

Dinner happens like that, with Jengguk sitting down right next to Taehyung on the couch, plate on his lap and feeding Taehyung. Opening his own mouth too silently whenever he offers the older another bite. Taehyung is so ing endeared.

And yes, he did notice Jeongguk made dinner for him, and him only. Not for himself. Blatantly putting Taehyung's needs before his own as if it's the most natural thing in the world. It makes the older's head spin, in a good way.

But. 

No matter how much Taehyung absolutely loves to be pampered and cared for, Jeongguk is still his dongsaeng. Taehyung is responsible for him, at least to some degree. Has, no, wants to make sure the younger is eating properly too.

Now Taehyung is a lost case in the kitchen and most definitely cannot whip up something delicious for Jeongguk the same way the younger did for him. But he has a phone, money and some very capable friends. Getting Jeongguk stuffed should be no issue.

Taehyung takes his time savouring the last bite. Lets the fluffy egg melt on his tongue and swallows it down slowly. The last bite of Jeongguk's meal for him. Gosh.

He his lips, hums, and gives Jeongguk a sweet smile.

"Thank you."

Jeongguk looks at him as if he's just gotten shot.

"Uh."

The smile widens into a grin. Cocking his head to one side, Taehyung asks,

"So what would you like to eat now?"

Jeongguk blinks.

"Huh?"

"You too need some dinner," Taehyung declares and pokes Jeongguk's chest. 

Sturdy and hard. . Don't get hard about poking his perfect chest, idiot.

Now Jeongguk is slowly grinning too and shaking his head.

"I don't need anything, hyung."

Taehyung pouts.

"Yes you do. You didn't have any dinner yet."

"I'm  good, I promise. I'm not hungry." Jeongguk is outright laughing in Taehyung's face, bright and clear. Rude.

Taehyung's frown deepens.

"But-"

He gets cut off by the younger taking his face in both hands in a similar fashion as eariler, all soft and tender and warm.

"Don't worry about me so much, Tae."

Jeongguk's pressed his forehead against Taehyung's, the words hushed in the space between them, so close Taehyung can almost taste them.

"You're asking a lot," he admits.

How the hell is he supposed to not worry about Jeongguk? When the younger has become so dear to him? What a stupid thought.

"I'm really not though."

Jeongguk's thumbs are back to over the older's cheeks in a manner as if he's something fragile that could break any moment. Taehyung closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He could get used to that. Loves how Jeongguk's hands feel on him. How the younger treats him like a treasure, is so careful with him despite all that gall of his.

"Just focus on getting better and let me do what I can, yeah? I asked Joon-hyung and he says you are not allowed to return to work for the rest of the week at last. And preferably the week after too."

Taehyung splutters.

"What- but I have work-"

The hands on his face squeeze and squeeze until Taehyung can no longer speak and his squished mouth gapes open like a fish.

"No you don't! Your health is a thousand times more important than any website building request."

"Says mister 'top list golden maknae'," he tries to argue but it's really more of some incomprehensible spluttering.

Jeongguk seems to get the gist, however.

"I never said I'm a good example," he hisses, pinches Taehyung's cheeks until his eyes starts to water.

Tender and loving treatment who? Yeah no, not when Jeongguk is being a brat.

And. Like.

How dare he trying to keep Taehyung from his work?

"Listen, you little ." Taehyung tries his best to glare at the younger despite his squished cheeks. "You can't keep me away from work."

"Oh, but I think I can."

Jeongguk lets go of his face - finally, Taehyung's hands shooting up to massage his aching cheeks - and trails his hands down the older's neck, over the curve of his shoulders, his back and down, down, down. Until he reaches the Taehyung's clothed and gives it a hearty squeeze.

"I do have my ways of keeping you away from the office building, trust me."

Taehyung hates how that one squeeze is enough for him to go boneless and sag against the younger's frame. How he turns to putty in his hands with just that one motion.

Yeah, 'hate' is the fitting word.

Especially when Jeongguk brings up one hand and starts thumbing on the waistband of Taehyung's trousers.

He absolutely hates that.

"You are such a nuisance," Taehyung snarls.

Flings out his arm to where he knows he keeps the ceiling fan remote squished between the couch cushions and blindly turns on the thing while his other hand grabs Jeongguk's neck to pull him down in a fierce kiss.

Except.

Jeongguk is not reacting the way he hoped. Instead of answering the kiss with the same intensity, the younger has gone stock-still, lips not moving at all. And then, to Taehyung's horror, Jeongguk pulls away completely. Ignores the way Taehyung tightens his grip on the other and instead pushes away until he's sitting upright.

Already Taehyung starts to panic and fall into a dark deep hole.

Why did he pull away? Was I being weird? Am I a bad kisser? Did I scare him off? What did I do wrong, does he not like me anymore, ohmgod-

"You have- you have a ceiling fan?!"

Taehyung halts.

What.

What the hell.

"...Yes...?"

He eyes Jeongguk cautiously, not sure if the younger is playing him or being serious. The ceiling fan has been there for years, he just doesn't switch it on that often. Usually doesn't have a reason to, unless, well.

Jeongguk turns his face down to Taehyung again, eyes big and sparkly and all and oh yeah. No. That's not played, no way. What Taehyung sees there is pure excitement, nothing less. Taehyung silently curses. He can't even be mad at Jeongguk for ruining their moment, not when he looks adorable like that.

"That's so cool," Jeongguk declares, voice b with glee. "Does it have various settings too?"

Wordlessly, Taehyung lifts the small remote and shows off the three buttons labeled with 'low', 'med' and 'high'.

Jeongguk's eyes go even wider.

"Daebak," he breathes and makes grabby hands. "Can I- can I press a button there?"

And what's Taehyung gonna do, say no?

As if.

Still a little confused by the whole thing, he hands over the remote, smiles at the way Jeongguk accepts it with such careful movements as if it were some kind of treasure.

His smile grows a thousand times more fond no doubt when he watches Jeongguk turn off the fan, then turning it on again and ramping it up to the highest level. All the while excited exclamations of 'oh's and 'ah's are dropping from his mouth. Cute. Taehyung can't deal.

"Oh, right."

Jeongguk switches it off but then, like an afterthought, switches it on again at the lowest setting, sheepish look flitting over his face. 

"Why did you even turn it on? It's not like, scorching hot in here or something."

Taehyung presses his mouth together, raises both eyebrows exectantly. Jeongguk gives him a blank stare.

Okay, he doesn't get it then.

"M sick, remember?"

"Yeah but then why-" Jeongguk blinks. Gapes. "Oooh. Right. That."

Taehyung is not sure, should he or should he not facepalm?

...Maybe another time.

Jeongguk purses his lips.

"But it's not hot in here, and I didn't make you any kind of spicy food."

Taehyung faceplams.

"Well, it was about to get hot in here," he deadpans. "I was about to initiate a hot make-out session and just wanted to be prepared in case things got a little out of hand. But clearly it didn't go as planned."

"...Oh."

"Yeah."

Jeongguk fidgets around, then puts the remote control on the couch table. Sits up straight, slaps his hands on his thighs and declares proudly, "Okay, if that's the case, I'm ready now."

Taehyung huffs.

"Yeah no."

Way to kill a mood.