The first time they meet, it's at daycare.

"Taehyung, Hoseok, you two need to learn how to share." The teacher scolds them, setting the toy between them as she speaks.

"I had it first, though!" Taehyung objects, a deep-set pout on his lips.

Hoseok is shaking his head violently beside Taehyung now, crossing his arms and insisting that "I'm older, so he has to share with me!"

"Do not!"

"Do so!"

The teacher snaps her fingers at them and tells them to behave, that neither will get the toy since they can't share. She dismisses them back to 'recess' ( in daycare, all day is recess, so it's kind of a moot point), where the two boys split up on the playground, kicking at the rocks and sulking- letting their sour moods fester until something snaps.

Taehyung runs up to Hoseok and tackles him, hitting him with hands still plump with baby fat that don't sting as much as he wants, and the older boy hits back. Hoseok shoves at Taehyung, attempting to push him off but only sending them tumbling further down the playground. The other kids dont pay them any mind, and so they get away with it until the tears of frustration have dried on both of their cheeks and Taehyung finds himself shooting the other boy a smile. 

"Even?"

"Yeah."

They spit in their palms and shake on it. They don't have to say it out loud, but it's understood. It's a promise.

 Middle school finds the pair joined at the hip and in gym class.

They're changing clothes as quickly as they can, because the coach promised that they would be playing something fun today. This causes them to- ironically enough- take longer than anticipated because Taehyung has to put his shirt on two different times before he gets it on right and Hoseok puts his shoes on the wrong feet, half way out the door before he realizes it and feels a little bad for trying to usher Taehyung out the door so quickly.

"Today, we're playing basketball."

The pair grin at each other and high five, clapping their hands together and holding them there before Hoseok slides his pinky to twine with Taehyung's, touching their thumbs together as he speaks.

"Promise to pick me if you're captain?"

"Only if you promise too."

And they promise.

However, neither end up as captains and they end up separated, but when Hoseok's team reigns victorious, Hoseok doesn't rub it in. He simply hooks his arm around Taehyung's neck and pulls him into a vice-grip hug. 

"You smell."

"You don't smell any better, Taehyung-ah."

"Fair enough."

They head back to the locker rooms, shower, change and gather their belongings before heading off to their next class. 

"If we'd been on the same team, we would have won for sure." Hoseok assures him, squeezing a hand on his shoulder, and Taehyung beams.

At the end of their middle school years- well, at the end of Hoseok's- Hoseok spends the whole day looking for Taehyung. He'd sprinted home as soon as school was over without more than a glance in Hoseok's general direction, but the glance was enough to worry the older boy and he set off in pursuit.

When he finds him, Taehyung tells him to go away, hits his chest and doesn't stop until he's crying in Hoseok's arms. He's simpering to Hoseok, telling him that he can't just go and forget about him once he's in high school, because he'll be there next year and it's not that far away but Hoseok knows it's Taehyung speak for I'm your best friend, don't replace me, please. 

He simply extends a pinky and wipes Taehyung's tears away with the other hand.

Hoseok could never forget Taehyung. 

Taehyung makes it to high school, and he's almost dizzy with happiness when he finds that Hoseok- while he has other friends- isn't pretending to be too good to befriend a first year and tugs him along everywhere just like they used to. 

Hoseok calls Taehyung at 2 in the morning. 

First, Taehyung is annoyed because he really needs his sleep, but the way Hoseok's voice breaks into a tiny, muffled sob has his heart ripping in two and he's sorry he allowed himself to feel irritated.

"What happened?" He demands, scrambling out of bed and into shoes, not even bothering to tie them before he's climbing out the window and running.

Hoseok just cries, hiccups a little and cries some more. Taehyung doesn't push any further, he just lets his hyung cry. He doesn't speak again until he's telling Hoseok to open his window, climbing in with a little help and dropping his phone when he's pulled into a weak hug. 

The older boy's body is shaking and Taehyung leads him to the bed, pushing him down before pulling him into a cuddle (Taehyung's arms are around Hoseok's shoulders and Hoseok has his arms around Tae's middle- Taehyung could care less about the salty stains on his shirt). 

"He. Um." Hoseok takes a shaky breath and Taehyung grits his teeth. He. Of course. 

"My boyfrie-" He nearly chokes on a whimper and presses his face further into Taehyung's chest. "-Boyfriend cheated on me." 

Taehyung wonders how long Hoseok had been crying before he called, because the other's voice is hoarse and he looks so drained. 

"Did you dump him?" He keeps his tone careful, Hoseok's hair gently as he speaks.

"I..." Taehyung doesn't have to see his face to know that he's biting his lip the way he does when he's nervous. When Hoseok shakes his head 'no', Taehyung has to force himself to calm down. 

He pulls his best friend off of him, sitting him up and cupping his cheeks, expression serious.

"Hoseok-hyung. You deserve better than that scumbag. If he's gonna cheat on you, he's not worth it- not worth you  because clearly he doesn't realize how amazing you are. He thought he could get away with it. Don't prove him right."

Hoseok's eyebrows furrow and he's tearing up again, shoulders trembling.

"Are you sure? Are you sure I'm not just... boring?" He shuts his eyes and hangs his head the best he can with Taehyung's hands on his face. "Why wasn't I good enough?"

Taehyung pulls him into a hug then, shushing him quietly.

"You're more than good enough. I doubt there's anyone out there who you aren't good enough, or even too good for. Really, hyung," He pulls back then and gives a small smile. "You deserve the world."

And when Taehyung holds out his pinky, Hoseok smiles for the first time that day, tears spilling over once more.

College means commitment and dedication. 

Even if that means Taehyung is committed and dedicated to asking Hoseok for help every chance he gets, and that Hoseok is committed and dedicated to getting them a room together (he succeeds only because he's friends with the RA). 

College also means accompanying each other to parties- Hoseok is reluctant to go, but he wants to show Taehyung a good time, so he escorts the boy to places he knows will be less wild, but by no means 'safe'. He forces Taehyung to promise that if he drinks, he won't have more than three and that he won't set his cup down for anything- "but hyung, what if I have to pee? "- "For anything, Kim Taehyung." 

"Fine, I promise."

"Are your fingers crossed behind your back?"

"...No."

"TAEHYUNG."

"FINE, fine," Taehyung puts the pinkies of both of his fingers out this time and Hoseok laughs at him as he twines their fingers together. 

"Truth or dare?"

"Hmmmm.... Truth!"

"Hobi hyung," Taehyung scolds. "You're so boring..."

It's 3 AM and neither of them can sleep. They've gone through two large boxes of pizza and are finishing their third bag of bread sticks as they play. 

"Hey, it's not called 'dare or dare', so I'm well within my rights." Hoseok shrugs, stuffing his mouth with another bread stick as he does so. 

Taehyung is frowning, but he googles 'good truth or dare truths' and sighs, scrolling through them lazily. 

"Just put it in a randomizer," The older offers, and it's not a bad idea. 

"Okay, the first one that comes up is...." He does a one-handed drum roll, which makes Hoseok laugh and he laughs too until he sees the one that came up and his heart is thundering loudly in his chest. 

"Do you like anyone in this room?"

Hoseok squawks and shoots him a questioning look, face heating up and Taehyung can feel his own doing the same. It takes a second, but his hyung manages to assemble himself and replies smoothly. "I'm pretty fond of our Luffy action figure."

"You're gay for Luffy?"

"GROSS, Kim Taehyung! No! He's not even real."

"If he were real, would you be gay for him?"

"No. I'm not interested in him, he's not my type." Hoseok sniffs and looks away, pretending to pout.

"Pirates, pirates, aren't your type? How! Fine then, what is your type?"

Hoseok shuffles a bit and opens his mouth to say something before closing it quickly and muttering a "Only one question per turn."

Taehyung gets dared to put ice down his pants until it melts for the grief he's caused Hoseok, and Taehyung doesn't mind too much because he launches right back into questioning when, without fail, the other picks truth.

"Who's your type?" He insists, leaning forward a bit. 

"What, so now it's who instead of what?"

"Well I hope it's a who, I mean if you're into animals, or dolls..." He gets a serious noogie for that, but it's worth it when Hoseok's blush is still there after he's let go.

"...I can't tell you, though."

Hoseok has to pretend not to see the look of hurt that flashes across Taehyung's features.

"Why? Don't you trust me?"

"Yes, I-"

"Then what the hell, Hoseok?" Taehyung growls, shooting him an incredulous glare.

"Why are you so interested?" The older boy snaps back, sneering irritably. 

The younger pauses for a second, a blank look rearranging his features. Why was he so interested? If the uncomfortable sensation in his chest is any indication, Taehyung decides he wants nothing to do with it and resigns. 

"Will you tell me eventually?"

Hoseok looks weary, hesitating for a moment before holding out a pinky.

Taehyung pesters him for months- Summer break comes and goes with no response and a growing rift between them that is both entirely significant and meaningless. He isn't sure why it bothers him so much, and Hoseok doesn't know why he can't just tell Taehyung.

When school starts again and they're unpacking things into their room, Hoseok chews on his lip before opening his mouth and tentatively calling out. 

"Taehyung-ah?"

"Yeah?" The other calls from a room away, scrambling to poke his head around the corner. 

"I don't wanna start this year with secrets..." He begins and Taehyung is in front of him in a heartbeat, eyes wide with anticipation. 

"You're gonna tell me?"

"If it really means that much to you, yes."

It really does.

"Who... What... my type is," He smiles a little to himself and Taehyung just watches, the corners of his mouth pulling up into a small smile despite himself because whenever Hoseok smiles he can't help himself. "It's you."

Taehyung blinks for a second.

"Yu who? You can't just give me a surname, Hoseok, that's chea-"

"No! No, you, you, Kim Taehyung! If you don't want to live with me, or hate me, or need space, I get it, but please tell me now before I get my room set up- you know how much stuff I have-" 

Taehyung shuts him up with a kiss and Hoseok stiffens.

"Why?"

"You've been my type since you refused to let me play with my toy in peace." Taehyung states simply. 

"Really?"

"Really."

Hoseok gives him a warm smile and it makes Taehyung's heart ache in the best way. 

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Five years later and they have an apartment together. It's tidy in it's own way, and colourful enough to suit their bright personalities. Adulthood means promises over things like washing the dishes and doing the laundry, but it's nice and it's their system, so even when it's annoying neither really minds it. 

On this particular day- June 27, Taehyung notes on his phone- Hoseok is out at work while Taehyung has a day off. He already took lunch to his boyfriend earlier, took care of his chores and was lounging on the couch eyeing the clock. 

Time doesn't move quickly enough today, it seems. 

He fiddles with the box in his pocket nervously as the minutes tick by agonizingly slow. Hoseok will be home in 15 minutes and Taehyung is sweating through his shirt. He's got roses on the table and dinner cooking- a gesture not unfamiliar to them as a couple, but still a nice one and Hoseok will know something's up. Taehyung is kind of counting on that. 

He's busy fretting over the flower arrangement when the lock turns and Taehyung nearly jumps out of his skin. 

"Hi honey, I'm home." Hoseok smiles, pressing a kiss to Taehyung's cheek before glancing at the flowers and peeking into the kitchen. "What's the occasion?"

"I..." Taehyung's hands are shaking and he his lips. 

"You?" His boyfriend laughs. "Did you break something? What's got you so worried? Whatever it is, we can fix it, I promise."

"I need you to promise me something else." Taehyung says slowly.

"Alright, tell me what I'm getting myself into?"

And the orange haired boy slowly slides himself onto one knee, steeling himself as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the little black box. 

"Promise me you'll spend the rest of your life with me?"

Hoseok is smiling so radiantly and holding out his hand that Taehyung thinks he might go blind if he doesn't die from an irregular heartbeat first. 

"I promise."

This time, they don't lock pinkies. They don't touch their thumbs together. 

This time, there's a solid gold band around Hoseok's ring finger that will remind them of their promise every day, and when their lips finally meet, it tastes like hope and a promising future.