The next weeks are a challenge to Taehyung in the sense that everything involving Jeongguk is a challenge.

Okay, maybe that was a bit of an overstatement.

But, Taehyung is attempting the impossible here! Or how else could it be called when you're trying to hide a birthday present and keep it a surprise when it's literally the single only thing the birthday boy has wished for? That's why - in Taehyung's humble opinion - the whole operation should be considered an extreme sport.

At least it feels pretty extreme to him to not let Jeongguk on about how he's gotten his hands on Cirque du Soleil tickets ages ago. And arranged a small vacation for them. He had to beg their boss not to let anything slip. Hopefully Namjoon is more secretive than Jimin. Much more, or his cover gets blown.

But here is the thing. Making sure that nobody - himself included - doesn't prematurely run his mouth is one thing. It's something else entirely to keep the two tickets hidden away from Jeongguk's prying eyes.

Because with every passing week the younger is making himself more at home in Taehyung's apartment.

He gradually brings over several changes of clothes so he doesn't have to stop by at home before going to work. Slowly but surely carves out his own corner of toiletries in the bathroom. Where once nothing more than a toothbrush in a cup were sitting, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, toothpaste, lip balm and whatnot are filling up an entire tile now. 

He also started to bring his own food and store it in Taehyung's fridge. Healthy and fresh stuff to make smoothies and cook proper meals. Jimin is not allowed to ever find out that Jeongguk is almost as big on healthy food as him, or else Taehyung will never hear the end of it. Well, at least with Jeongguk he can still eat fried chicken wings or pizza. The younger seems to be a man of extremes in that regard. It's either greasy and super unhealthy, or food b with vitamins and promises of a long life. Nothing in between.

Jeongguk also began to bring over his favorite games and movies.

And... and his favorite .

Needless to say they had much fun with that already.

In short, Jeongguk is integrating himself into Taehyung's home in a way that almost feels permanent. And with each new thing he brings and leaves at his place, Taehyung quietly wonders if the younger's own flat is half empty by now.

He loves it, loves every part of it.

Can't help but smile all dopey whenever he finds a new thing Jeongguk left behind. It feels like a manifestation of Taehyung's innermost feelings. Just like Jeongguk is taking up more and more space in his heart and mind, he does so in Taehyung's home now, too.

From time to time the mere thought makes Taehyung stop dead in his track. Then he has to take some deep breaths to collect himself and will away the wet sheen glazing over his eyes. He never thought it possible to feel so much for one person. Jeongguk truly brings the whole kaleidoscope of emotions. From back when Taehyung couldn't stand his guts to now where a single look at an adorably excited Jeongguk is enough to keep Taehyung going for an entire day.

Sometimes, usually in the early hours when Taehyung wakes up to a sleeping Jeongguk beside him, he wonders how big his heart is. Because the heart is said to be responsible for love and all the good stuff, right? So Taehyung wonders, since he met Jeongguk and later on realized just how badly he fell for him, if his heart has grown. To make more space for all those feels.

(Once he's fully awake he wants to slap himself for such a dumb idea. But in those minutes between slumber and wakefulness it makes perfect sense to him.)

Alas. 

Back to the problem at hand. 

Because Taehyung is a er for his boyfriend and only wants the best for him, he purchased the Cirque tickets as soon as Jeongguk told him about it. Picked some of the best seats. And now he's struggling to relocate them before Jeongguk can discover them.

For with each new addition of Jeongguk's belongings to Taehyung's household, the younger starts opening and using more and more cupboards, drawers, boxes and whatever else. Meaning, that with every passing day less and less places are safe from him.

And Taehyung is starting to turn desperate.

Part of him is constantly on edge now whenever Jeongguk is home. Which is most of the time. Hell, he even got his own keys. He can get into Taehyung's apartment without him watching his every move. And there are only so many places for Taehyung to hide the tickets.

Which leads us to the here and now, where Taehyung is watching with bated breath how Jeongguk makes his way through the several drawers of the walk-in closet. It's Friday and they thought about going out to HOPE, have a good time on the dance floor and maybe meet up with Hoseok. Jeongguk has asked to borrow one or two things from Taehyung's wardrobe. (It's been so damn obvious he just wanted to explore the walk-in closet like a nosey child.) And who is Taehyung to tell him no?

The problem is - well okay, there are several problems. For example Jeongguk picking something that makes him look so drop-dead gorgeous Taehyung gets a honest-to-god heart attack. But the main problem is, the tickets are hidden in there! Taehyung put them underneath the black velvet cushion in the drawer where he keeps all of his jewelry neatly lined up.

The drawer Jeongguk just pulled open and is now eagerly inspecting.

Taehyung swears he is going to faint any second. He doesn't dare to move a single muscle, fearing he'll give himself away. Can just helplessly watch how Jeongguk plucks up one ring after another and tries them on. Gosh, the slim silver one that's got a band of rhinestones running one round through the center looks so ing good on him.

Next, Jeongguk takes a look at the different necklaces. Tries to pull out one of them but it's stuck and oh god, Taehyung can already see how the whole cushion is lifting up as Jeongguk keeps pulling, no no nononononono-

Taehyung shoots up from his place at one of the ottomans. Grabs Jeongguk's arm to pull him away from the Drawer of Danger, then turns him around with a little too much force. Anything to get Jeongguk away.

They go crashing into one of the wardrobes with enough momentum to shake up the whole thing. Somehow Jeongguk manages to grab a hold of him and keep the worst of the impact from Taehyung.

And just like that, the tables have turned. After being the one to launch the attack, Taehyung is now the one pressed against a white polished door with Jeongguk hovering over him. Enticing mouth hovering way too close to be platonic.

Nothing about Jeongguk and him has ever been platonic but that's a topic for another day.

It's so easy to stare. Especially when Jeongguk subconsciously his lips.

And.

Taehyung can't have that.

The plan might've been to stop Jeongguk from seeing the tickets - and maybe get a nice kiss out of the whole thing - but that does not mean Taehyung is ready to yield control in the matter of two seconds.

So he goes into the offensive. Dives forward to connect their lips with all the pent up heat and energy from the pure stress that is keeping a secret from Jeongguk.

He falters.

Jeongguk isn't responding for several seconds. He stands stiff like a rod. And with that bit of panic still coursing through Taehyung's veins, it makes him a little insecure. Is he coming off too strong? Does Jeongguk suspect something? Why doesn't he kiss him back?

Taehyung gives a tentative bite to the younger's lower lip, something that usually works to break his last inhibitions.

He gets lucky.

The little sting finally pulls Jeongguk out of his stupor and he opens his mouth for Taehyung, hands coming up to tangle in the older's hair. 

And, oh.

It's always so easy for the two of them to catch fire.

Ever since their very first kiss, it takes no time for the heat to devour them from head to toe. So it shouldn't come as a surprise how Taehyung is already left breathless in the blink of an eye. Jeongguk is that good. Breathtaking in every sense.

Still, Taehyung finds himself caught a little off guard at how greedy Jeongguk is. How he pushes Taehyung into the door until he physically aches and right back into the older's mouth with so much fervor.

Taehyung thinks he might go cross-eyed as he watches Jeongguk. As he forces his eyes to stay open despite that white hot lust burning him. This way he sees it all, how when Jeongguk's kiss borders on the edge of frantic, his whole body curves around Taehyung.

There is not a hair's breadth of air between them.

And Taehyung, Taehyung takes it all. Is so eager to deliver in his own rights and give back at least some of that pleasure he is gifted.

Because isn't that what everything boils down to? 

Them gifting themselves to each other in whatever way?

Gosh, he's become such a sap.

Taehyung groans into Jeongguk's mouth and forces his attention back to the here and now. Less thinking, more kissing, sir.

Jeongguk is all too happy to oblige his unspoken request.

One hand comes up Taehyung's leg and slides down to his knee, until the younger can properly grasp it and pull it up, directing Taehyung to wrap both legs around him. Taehyung is an easy man. He feels muscles working beneath him, he's a goner.

Jeongguk doesn't even flinch as the older all but jumps into his arms, just presses him even harder into the varnished wood and swallows the little squeal.

Taehyung stops thinking altogether.

Tickets who?

They don't go to the club that night.

It's been a verdict by a whisker at some point, until Jeongguk turns back around to him and silently looks at Taehyung with half-lidded eyes from where they lay next to each other in bed. They've been going two intense rounds and are just calming down, legs entangled and air conditioner blasting on the highest setting.

Taehyung holds the stare. Has taken his own sweet time taking in every detail of the vision that is post- Jeongguk and decided there is no way he will let anyone else see the younger like that. He refuses to share that gorgeous and literally glowing Jeongguk with the world.

He languidly stretches and then flops onto the younger. Not high enough for a proper kiss, as he instead ends up facing a broad and chiseled chest, s already perked. Eh, that'll do too.

"Mmm, let's stay in tonight?"

One of Jeongguk's hands comes up to cradle the back of his head and direct him to one rosy bud.

"Sounds fantastic,", the younger breaths.

Taehyung grins and parts his lips.

Come Saturday morning, Taehyung sneaks out of bed before Jeongguk even has the chance to stir, and tip-toes to the drawer with the tickets. Pulls them out of their hiding spot and then sneaks into the living room to put them in one of his big statement vases.

There is no way Jeongguk will look there. Not when the vase is filled with those large fluffy grass tuft things (Taehyung thinks they might've been reed in their former lifes but who knows, really?) and there's been that one time where Jeongguk accidentally got a mouthful of that stuff and kept coughing out fluffy flakes for the next hour.

He's not going to look here, ever.

...Hopefully.

Taehyung ends up relocating the tickets three more times.

First, he puts them in the furthest corner of the freezer but then he remembers that out of Jeongguk and him it's not him who cooks regularly. So he takes them out of the freezer again (they still look good to go, thank you!) and puts them behind the cover of his book with National Geographic photographs.

But- wait! Didn't Jeongguk say he really likes photography and maybe would've become a photographer in another life? Uh-oh... Too risky.

So not even one day later Taehyung fishes the tickets out of the book again and puts them, lo and behold, in the seam of the bedroom curtains. Pushes them a good bit to the middle so they can't flap out of the fold when someone pulls the curtains open.

That place at last feels safe enough. Taehyung keeps the tickets there.

Phew.

He bets he got at least a handful of gray hair thanks to all that mess.

There is one instant, right before The Big Day, where Taehyung all but forgets about the tickets and everything.

It's during their lunch break, with seemingly half of the whole company meeting up for lunch at the closeby ramen restaurant. The small place is packed.

Taehyung ends up being squished between Jeongguk and Namjoon. He's a little terrified. It's the first time he's pressed into the side of a boss. And on top of that, his boss!

Several topics are floating around in the air like little clouds and creating a merry cacophony that's underlined by constant slurping and animated laughter.

Somehow last night's dreams come up as new matter of debate.

Jeongguk, who's already finished two (!) servings of toku shoyu ramen - is eager to join the talk.

Taehyung is not half as fast but that's at least partly because he's so busy staring at Jeongguk's two empty bowls. Like, what the hecking heck, where did the food go?!

"Oh shoot, I had a celeb vision last night," the youngster exclaims, all happy bunny smile.

Baekhyun gives him a wary look. He's clearly not used yet to Jeongguk's unfiltered and not-so-grumpy reactions. It's okay, Taehyung thinks. Baekhyun, Minjae and the others will warm up to an actually approachable Jeon Jeongguk sooner or later. No matter how much they've been talking about him behind his back.

(Nevermind Taehyung used to do the same, long long ago. That's been in another life, he swears.)

 Next to Baekhyun, Yugyeom nods furiously and signals Jeongguk to continue.

"What celeb we talkin'?"

Jeongguk puffs out his chest. A waitress appears out of thin air behind him, takes the two empty bowls away and places a third one right in front of the youngster.

Taehyung watches in mild horror and fascination how half of the bowl's content makes it into his boyfriend's mouth within three seconds.

After one big gulp of gatorade, Jeongguk remembers to answer.

"RDJ," he exclaims proudly.

There are oh's and ah's up and down the table. Some of the ongoing talks suddenly shift to superheroes.

Taehyung is a little confused, to say the least. Is RDJ like, a comic or something?

Yugyeom grins at Jeongguk and then gets up to high-five him over the table.

"Legend, man. Good for you! Wish I dreamed of him."

Uhm.

Okay so... RDJ is a 'he'?

Taehyung is still not sure what's going on. Especially as everyone in hearing range starts to nod at what Yugyeom just said.

Is that RDJ guy a big deal? Has Taehyung been sleeping on him or something? Just what the is going on?

Jeongguk is still preening, smiling like he just won the lottery and. Enough is enough. 

Taehyung gives a slight pinch to the younger's thigh.

The younger instantly shifts so he can lean closer and hear Taehuyng whisper over the ambient noise.

"Gguk... who is RDJ?"

"WHAT?!"

Jeongguk bolts up and away from him as if he just got burnt.

"You-you don't know Robert Downey Junior?"

The table goes very quiet for one breath as every pair of eyes fixates on Taehyung.

Then, pure chaos breaks out.

"No way, no ing way!"

"How can you not know him? How can anyone not know him-"

"You don't ing know that literal legend? Have you been living under a rock?"

"This is a joke, right? Tell me this is a joke..."

Taehyung shrinks away from all the accusations being thrown his way. Disoriented, he blinks at his boyfriend.

"Uhh...?"

"Babe, he plays Iron Man," Jeongguk mutters. Half comforting, half irritated. It's a weird mix. Taehyung is not a fan.

But, Iron Man? He can work with that name.

Kinda.

With slowly brightening expression - finally he's on the right track of what's going on here - he snaps his fingers. 

"Wait, that's from, from some comics, right? Like, what are they called? DC?"

That time, it's not only their table that goes eerily quiet.

It almost feels like the world is holding its breath while looking at Taehyung and judging him so damn hard.

Then, the whole restaurant explodes.

"IRON MAN IS NOT DC!!!"

Jeongguk is a cruel man.

The very same night after the RDJ incident, he denies Taehyung his fall-asleep cuddles.

"I'm not cuddling with some uncultured swine who doesn't know one of the best actors to ever exist," the younger says into the darkness and keeps his back turned to Taehyung.

Wow.

That's the birthday boy for whom Taehyung has gone at great lengths to make the next days special?

He's floored.

Just why the did he have to fall in love with that idiot?

Like. If you think about it... Jeongguk, out of all people, honestly?!

.

No, just no.

Taehyung gets something that's a little bit like revenge the next morning.

(It's not, not really. Not when he tends to take pity on his boyfriend way too easily these days.)

Late at morning, Jeongguk all but bolts upright and loudly exclaims,

" I'm gonna die!"

That's.

Who the hell wakes up like that?

Taehyung stares at him from where he'd been scrolling through Pinterest on his phone as if he just encountered an alien.

But Jeongguk doesn't care about the weird look he gets and instead starts the day with launching himself into a panic attack at full speed.

"I can't believe I didn't hear my fourth alarm, Joon's gonna skin me alive, it must be almost noon already and I haven't even brushed my teeth, ohmygod did I have a deadline for my project today? I can't even remember. I bet I did. I'm so dead. , , , -"

"Babe."

Jeongguk turns towards Taehyung with an unholy screech.

"What?!"

It takes all of the older's willpower not to burst out laughing. Or coo at his adorably lost boyfriend and pinch his cheek. Or roll his eyes. He can't even decide what he's holding himself back from, just that he should better keep his cool until Jeongguk no longer thinks he'll be shot at sight the next time he steps foot into the BT Design office.

"Gguk," Taehyung tries again with an assuring hand on the younger's arm. "We got today off. And tomorrow"

Jeongguk silently looks at him for a very long time. Eyes him with an incredulity as if he just declared that one plus one equals 514. Slowly his brows draw together until there is a little wrinkle forming between them.

"I, no?"

"Yes."

"No, what the ? I didn't even take days off."

Taehyung hopes his smile looks as calm and collected as it feels. He used to take drama classes at school but that's been long long ago so he can't be sure.

"Maybe not, but I did. We are going on a tiny vacation the next three days. It's all arranged, Namjoon gave me the green light weeks ago."

"..."

It feels like at least two hours pass before Jeongguk pushes past his stupor where he's just sitting slouched on the bed and blinking at Taehyung.

"...What?"

Taehyung chuckles. He gives a little pull to the arm that's closest to him. Jeongguk sags down like a bag of spuds and half buries the older under his mass.

"I promise I'm not kidding. And for all I know I haven't gone mad either," the older vows. "But tomorrow's your big day, right? So I arranged a little something."

Jeongguk looks up from where he's sprawled all over Taehyung, props his chin up on his chest and gapes. A little drop of drool starts pooling at the corner of his mouth and Taehyung watches, forever endeared, how it slowly slips down Jeongguk's chin and starts to pool on his own chest in a wet little patch.

Drooling shouldn't be cute like that.

What the actual hell.

(But it's not just anybody slobbering on Taehyung, it's Jeon ing Jeongguk. And it's been long since known that Taehyung has become very biased as of lately.)

Eventually, Jeongguk seems to realize what he's doing as he pushes himself off the older and starts furiously wiping at his mouth. And then at the entire face, while turning bright red in an impressively short time.

"Uh, so, you said vacation, right?"

Jeongguk doesn't even look at him anymore as he sheepishly scratches at his neck.

Taehyung grins. That's certainly one way to divert the attention.

"Yes," he drawls.

And maybe he sounds like a douche bag but teasing a flustered Jeongguk is just so much fun. Only for a bit.

Jeongguk too notices the tone and scowls at the blanket he started twisting between his fingers.

"Vacation as in, we are going away?"

Taehyung hums in a purposefully ambiguous way.

The scowl on Jeongguk's face deepens.

Aww.

"Okay okay," Taehyung concedes and fails to keep the laughter out of his voice. "Let's just say, you might want to pack a little bag for three days and have it ready by 4pm."

Jeongguk immediately twists around to have a look at the alarm clock. Taehyung pushes himself up and then bodily rolls over him until he's even closer to the clock. It reads almost 10am.

Jeongguk's little panic swings back full force.

"Oh that's only six hours!"

He scrambles out of bed and almost face-plants on the sleek floor in his hurry to get to the bathroom.

Taehyung props himself up and hollers after him.

"Oi. Oi, Gguk! What would you possibly need six hours for to get ready, hm?"

"I don't ing know!"

The bathroom door slams shut and leaves an equally smitten and resigned Taehyung behind.

Almost to the minute six hours later they reach Incheon airport. Taehyung has literally no idea what took Jeongguk six freaking hours because he knows for a fact that his duffel bag is majorly filled with one (1) black hoodie.

(Taehyung packed a chic change of clothes which he's sure fits Jeongguk. He knows his boyfriend and can vouch that the younger didn't pack anything to dress up. No way. So, if Jeongguk learns what all this is about and feels underdressed, Taehyung got him covered.)

They come to a halt right in front of the entrance, with screeching tires and all. Taehyung huffs.

Seokjin all but kicks them out of his Mercedes and shouts at them to run for their lifes. Seriously, the only reason Taehyung asked his hyung to drive them is because he didn't want to come back to an empty parking spot where his car poofed into nothingness in the two days they are gone. 

The boarding goes smoothly and Jeongguk's tension slowly morphs into anticipation. Apparently he really likes flying but barely has done it so far.

Taehyung should have figured.

Adrenaline junkie confirmed.

He booked two window seats in business class right behind each other. Jimin says Air Canada has a great business class and he trusts his friend on that one.

So now they are getting settled in their almost pod-like seats, with Taehyung having taken the one behind Jeongguk so the younger has to turn around and adorably peak over his own seat to talk to him.

Hush, he did not plan for that!

He didn't, okay?

With a woeful smile, Taehyung peers out of the window.

It's still a while until they'll be off. The sun hasn't even started setting yet.

He relaxes, leans back into the cushions and systematically starts to organize himself. Drowning out the background noise is easy enough with how small the business class is. There are just a couple rows of seats, with maybe twenty seats in total. Probably a couple more. Taehyung can't be bothered to make an accurate count.

He's just in the middle of leafing through the little bag of toiletries that sat on his place, when a kind flight attendant makes her round and hands out the menus.

Mere moments later, there is a little gasp from in front of him, followed by a familiar mop of dark hair popping up.

"Tae, is that normal? They're serving prawns here?!"

Taehyung chuckles.

"Yeah, I guess. Why, caught your interest? Wanna go for the appetizer, then?"

Jeongguk hums and scoots back into his own seat.

Taehyung can still hear him muttering about the prawns and 'what the actual ' five minutes later. He fondly shakes his head.

A bit later, right after he showed Jeongguk where he can change the setting of his seat from sitting to relax or sleep mode, the flight attendant makes her round again, this time simultaneously collecting the ticked off menus and handing out a welcome drink.

Making sure he's got his boyfriend's attention, Taehyung sniffs the glass loudly.

"Ahhh." He sighs. "A brut, classy." 

He even goes at lengths and makes an overly dramatic chef's kiss gesture, much to Jeongguk's delight who's already giggling.

"You are such a snob."

Taehyung opens one eye to peek at the younger.

"Hm? What was that? You wanna fly economy class all on your own on our way back?"

Jeongguk splutters.

"I-I never said that!"

"Uhum, thought so."

Halfway through his Marvel movie marathon - there will not be a repetition of the RDJ disaster, thank you very much -Taehyung's eyes get too heavy to stay open any longer. Begrudgingly he has to hit pause, just when Starlord was doing the dance battle. He fumbles for the sleep mask he earlier saw in the bag, takes out the headphones too and plugs them up with his soothing jazz playlist, then grapples for where he pushed blanket and cushion under his seat hours ago.

Time to catch up on some sleep.

The last thing he thinks before properly dozing off is that it's a shame he can't fall asleep in Jeongguk's arms tonight.

He grimaces at himself.

You are insufferable, Kim Taehyung