Chapter Text
“I can’t believe you’ve been my patient for months now and this is only our first time meeting face to face.” Seojoon’s smile is warm and inviting as he holds his office door open and gestures for Jungkook to come inside. Jungkook who feels just as nervous as he did for their very first online session. Taking the seat in the big cushioned chair, twisting the ring on his finger aggressively while Seojoon returns to his own seat. "Well, you’ve been back in Chicago for two weeks right about now, yeah? How have things been?”
“Everything’s been good.” He chews at his lip, finally growing a little less anxious. “Really good, actually. I–I don’t know. It just seems like…a lot of things happened all at once over the last couple of months. So being back home, finally, it’s relieving. Being able to kind of let everything go and move forward? It’s nice.”
“That’s fantastic to hear. How has your grandmother been?” Jungkook spends longer than Seojoon probably intended talking about her. Talking about the way she tries to act strong most days but it comes out in small things. She’ll be mid sentence and suddenly just stop entirely. Excusing herself and coming back moments later as if nothing ever happened. Jungkook isn’t sure if she’ll ever move past that stage of the grief. He can only imagine how it feels, seeing as he doesn’t have any real experience with the feeling at all. What little experience he does have, is nowhere near the capacity of the grief a mother who loses their child feels.
Seojoon, scribbling at his notes, nods, “Grief doesn’t only apply to death. I think, the further life goes on, when someone has passed–the grief is more about other things, like our memories with the person, than the actual death itself. Which is why for you –your grief feels different. Because you already did the grieving, long ago when you accepted that you’d never get what you wanted from that relationship and allowed yourself to remove yourself from the situation. There was nothing left for you to grieve at that point so you shouldn’t feel guilty for that, ever. You shouldn’t feel guilty about anything.”
Nodding Jungkook unclenches his fists, “I think I’m finally starting to realize that myself…and the whole, not feeling guilty thing. It was hard initially, especially when we first got home. Anytime I saw my grandma upset, I just felt sick to my stomach over the fact that I’m not? If anything, I’ve never felt more relieved to not have this invisible shackle waiting to pull me down.” he rubs over his jeans and speaks quieter “but y’know, Haejin and Taehee and Taehyung and You–I mean, really everyone who knows , just helped me accept the fact that my feelings towards Yeseo do not negate my grandma's and they’re both allowed to exist. So it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
The man continues writing and letting the space fill with just their breathing before he looks up with a bright smile, “So what does bother you then? Anything? Nothing ? Are you just on a freshly graduated high and loving life right now?”
It feels difficult to answer and unfair if he’s honest. Not unfair to himself but unfair to Seojoon, because the man has a job and he’s worked so hard at helping Jungkook bit by bit. but truthfully…things just do feel really fantastic right now.
He doesn’t want to drag himself down by talking about sh*t that will still be there in the back of his mind on a day when he does feel like talking about it. So he says, “Yeah, I guess you could say that. The rush and excitement of being home. The new baby niece--family--starting to learn how to look for our own place. It’s all overwhelming, in the best way…I don’t have time to think about any of the negative stuff right now.”
Seojoon’s timer goes off just as Jungkook finishes speaking, which has the man smiling as he puts down his pen. “Looks like we don’t have time for it today either, so just keep riding the wave of excitement and I’ll see you again in three weeks.”
Walking down a few blocks and across the street to the address where Taehyung said he’d be waiting for him, Jungkook is simultaneously excited and disappointed to find a hair salon. Entering immediately and spotting where Taehyung is seated in a chair, big grin on his face seemingly seconds before losing the luscious locks of hair he spent the entire hockey season growing.
Taehyung waves him over, just before Jungkook was going to take a seat in the lobby.
Holding up his phone, “Which one do you think I should do? Go shorter because it’s summer time? Or keep a little bit of the length?” “Maybeee in between? Don’t cut it all off, but cut enough that you’ll feel the difference.”
Taehyung looks through the mirror at the woman waiting patiently with a cheeky smile, “Verdicts in, you heard him, take me somewhere in the middle of the pictures I showed you.” She laughs and raises her scissors playfully, “You’ve got it.” Scrolling through various listings on some real estate app Namjoon sent to them both, Jungkook’s ears catch the sound of someone overly excited to speak to Taehyung. One glance up from his phone has his eyes rolling impossibly hard at the site of a woman from Hyeri’s birthday.
If he remembers exactly, her name is Luisa and unfortunately Hyeri and Luca are still best little friends. This woman doesn’t bother him, even a little. So he’s not going to act as if he is. But his attention is suddenly much more on their conversation and less on his phone.
She says, “The kid’s team was invited to some community training camp with the Blāckhawks, are you apart of that?” Jungkook’s foot bounces angrily from as Taehyung responds, “No, they’re letting the vets handle that one. But Jungkook and I are attending as Hyeri’s guardians.”
Jungkook feels the woman’s eyes on him so he looks up, waving and smiling and doing his best to not look as annoyed as he feels. Her attire makes it obvious she works here. So can’t she get back to her own clients and leave Taehyung alone with the sweet girl who is already handling him?!
She does finally leave, allowing the girl doing his cut to finish. Taehyung, once again, excitedly flagging Jungkook over once his hair is freshly cut, dried and styled. “What d’ya think baby?” “Most handsome man in the world, no doubt.”
He very carefully runs his fingers through the now much shorter locks of hair, “Was the growing it out thing like… NYU specific? or can I look forward to this annually?” Taehyung’s brows raise through the mirror instead of responding.
Once the girl doing his hair, removes the protective cloak, she smiles at Jungkook, “I’ve got an opening on my books, do you want a freshly graduated cut too?” He considers it… his hair is now slightly passed his shoulders, a bit longer than he typically likes.
Which is how he ends up sitting in her chair, but as soon as the protective cloak is placed on himself he freezes, “actually—maybe…um, just, can you just cut it a little? not really change the style or anything?”
She smiles sweetly and turns his chair, “Of course, we can just trim you up if that’s what you want.”
Jungkook is soo grateful. But ends up muffling a laugh at the reflection of Taehyung nodding with thumbs up through the mirror. Apparently he is not the only one who has a thing for long hair.
It takes them awhile to get home from their adventure into the city. But taking care of his session with Seojoon, haircuts and Taehee’s arrand request was a successful day. One that ends even better, when they finally get back to a house full of their family. Yoongi just barely getting Hana out of her carseat when they walk through the door. Taehyung’s hands clasping immediately, before reaching grabby hands towards the baby, “Perfect timing hyung, give her to Taetae.”
Babies grow quickly. That much is painfully obvious. Hana is already starting to smile and coo and make all kinds of noises at them when she’s being held.
She smiles especially big when Taehyung talks to her in this special little baby voice he crafted just for her. No, Jungkook doesn’t have countless sneakily filmed videos of his fiancé baby talking their niece… (he does and Yoongi does too.)
As soon as Jungkook took to holding Hana himself, so that Taehyung could join Yoongi and Hyeri in the backyard — the baby fell asleep. Which means he will be holding her for as long as she seems fit, although he isn’t complaining too much.
Taehee sits beside him on one of the patio sofa’s when they join the others outback. “How was Seojoon’s today?”
“It was great. I thought it might be awkward being in person for the first time, but we just snapped right back into it.” Hana’s little hand has managed to take hold of his shirt, Taehee reaching over to fix her sock with a giggle, “this little girl is definitely loving having her uncles home. she gets all of the attention she could ever need.”
Jungkook finds it cute the way Taehee so obvious wants to ask him, but she doesn’t. Until Haejin joins them and does it for her, “You two find any places worth looking twice at on that app from Namjoon?”
He shakes his head and speaks quietly, “Nah. Nothing has really called out to us just yet.” They both nod and pretend to be indifferent about his response. but Jungkook overheard them in the kitchen a few nights ago, he knows they’re more than willing and eager to have them living here as long as possible. They’d probably add onto the house and have Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon and Hana move in, if they asked them too.
❅❅❅
How exactly did Taehyung suggesting their friends move in to his brother’s old place end up with him and Jungkook being given the duty of one last deep clean before they fly in? He’s not entirely sure. It feels pretty f*cked up if you ask him!
Although, he isn’t complaining entirely. Especially not when they’ve finally finished the kitchen and he has Jungkook seated on the counter. Hands rubbing over strong thighs.
Jungkook’s fingers tugging at what’s left at the hair on the back of his neck, sighing all prettily into their kiss. Yeah, of course he can’t complain. Pulling apart to actually finish what they came here to do, Taehyung groans when they get to the third bedroom, “I’m just ready to go home and relax in our bed, is that too much to ask?”
“You mean you’re ready to go home and play your playstation all night with Mingyu and Fulton?” He holds the clean cloth against his chest as he shakes his head, “ Baby …I can’t believe you think I would lose out on precious valuable sleep over a video game—“
“Xay already told me you morons have plans, nice try.” dusting his hands together Jungkook sighs playfully, It’s okay, I’ve got a date myself.”
“A date.” Taehyung drops the cloth to the soap bucket “With who ?”
“Hob and Jin for drinks and catching up. Maybe Skyler unless he decides to stay home with Jimin.” Disgruntled grumbling is barely audible from where Taehyung is wiping at the walls, “If he knows what’s good for him he’ll stay with Jimin.”
Jungkook laughs through his eye roll. As easy as it is to tease Taehyung for his grudge holding, it’s always adorable how pouty he gets. He’ll never get tired of it. Even if he says, “You don’t get to have attitude, you’ll be so caught up in your game you won’t notice I’m gone”
Taehyung is finished with the spot he was working on and kneeling beside Jungkook within seconds. Hand gentle on his jaw as he turns him into let their lips brush, “I always notice when you’re gone and I’ll have attitude whenever I damn please. Especially if it involves someone I know is going to be hitting on you all night and I’m not there.”
Jungkook loves kissing him. He loves looking at him. He loves bickering with him. He just loves him. “You act like his whole obsession doesn’t involve you also being there, I’m practically useless by myself babe.”
Disagreeing instantly, Taehyung takes the extra cloth and helps Jungkook finish the last wall. “You’ll be the best thing in that damn place.”
Jungkook is embarrassed. He just assumed they were going to the bar that they always go to. He didn’t realize they were going all the way into the city. If he did realize that, he would’ve taken the ride that they offered.
Slipping on his boots and working on the GPS to tell him which trains he needs to take, Taehyung startles him.
Large hands slipping up under his jacket and gripping the exposed skin of his sides, “Wait a second for me to grab the keys, I’ll drive you.” “No, it’s fine really. It’s my own stupid fault and I need to learn this train system better anyway.”
Taehyung’s already off in the kitchen coming back with keys and a soft hand guiding Jungkook out the front door, “Trains will stop running at midnight baby love, so you’re not going to get much learning done tonight anyway. Let me drive you. I want to.”
Smiling once he’s in the passenger seat, Jungkook sends a text to let them know he’s on his way before turning to face Taehyung, “You just want to see if Skyler is there.”
way before turning to face Taehyung, “You just want to see if Skyler is there.” “No. Of course not, my sole purpose is ensuring the love of my life gets to and from his destination safely.” Taehyung’s hand finds his own easily.
Tugging it into his space and pressing countless kisses to the back of it. Watching him drive, Jungkook huffs, looking out the window, “I’m gonna fail my driving exam next month. I haven’t had nearly enough practice time.”
“You aren’t going to fail. If you want to practice more we can, just obviously not when you’re going to be drinking.” "Well of course, I wasn’t talking about tonight.” he leans across the center to Taehyung’s shoulder “I really wish I didn’t have to do this.”
“I mean.. you don’t have to. But it’ll be nice to have once you’ve done it baby.” He’s not wrong. It will be nice to know that in the back of his mind if he wants to drive anywhere he can. But Jungkook isn’t exactly the type to want to drive anywhere, anyway.
Maybe he’s just gotten so used to walking everywhere that if he goes too long without it, he gets antsy with the need to move. Thankfully, Haejin’s home gym has been majorly helping out with that.
heir workout sessions are better than ever now that he’s upgraded his equipment. The nonchalant addition of a punching bag didn’t go unnoticed even if Haejin tried to act as if he was planning on buying it anyway.
Although now Hyeri decided she wants to learn how to box too. Which Taehyung said wasn’t a bad idea, especially with her miniature hockey aspirations and the ratio of boys to girls in the co-ed little league is very much uneven.
Pulling up to the club they’re meeting at, Jungkook feels nervous. Hoseok said they’re already inside but there’s kind of a small line out of the door. Hand tightening in Taehyung’s, Jungkook voices softly, “Maybe….I can tell them I got sick. Or better I’ll say you got sick and needed me to take care of you. That’s way more believable.”
Taehyung lets go of his hand, in favor of gently rubbing over the side of his throat as he pulls Jungkook in for a kiss, “You’re going to have fun, Jin knows the guy who runs this place. They’re probably going to come—” obnoxious knocking on the tinted car windows has him jolting from their kiss, but Taehyung’s hand tightening to hold him in place keeps him right there. “I’m talking to you, baby— don’t be rude. ”
Jungkook does not need to go to this club. He can go home. Right now . That’d be perfect, actually, especially when Taehyung kisses him even harder. Fingers digging into his skin as he tongues over Jungkook’s lip piercing before catching it between his teeth.
“Hyung is their pick up service tonight, but if you want to leave sooner just call me. I’ll be up.” Jungkook’s eyes roll as he pouts, “You never answer your phone when you’re playing games.”
“You’re normally home. This is different, I’ll answer.” Taehyung presses one more kiss to his lips. “Go. Before they attempt to break in.”
The door opens and Seokjin peaks his head in with an obnoxious sound of displeasure, "It’s kind of cold out tonight for you to be leaving me standing here!”
“He better come back to me in one piece, hyung.” Taehyung just barely catches sight of Skyler on the sidewalk and glares. Pointing his direction while making eye contact with Seokjin, “And that one better keep his hands to his damn self.”
“Tae—” Jungkook leans in to kiss his cheek, “Thanks for the ride, baby. Love you.”
“I love you more.” Taehyung’s head is shaking as Jungkook leaves. Mumbling something about Skyler as the door closes and Seokjin’s arm wraps around Jungkook’s shoulders.
“I was wondering what took you so long. I should’ve known.” “It would’ve been even longer, I didn’t realize we were coming here. I almost had to take the train.”
Seokjin and Skyler lead them right passed the bouncer and into the noisy place. It’s a nicer club than the ones he’s been to so far. With tall ceilings and luxury light fixtures. Jungkook groans, “The drinks are stupid expensive here, aren’t they?”
“Relax.” Seokjin laughs “I’ve got all of our drinks taken care of tonight. I’m just glad you made it. Hob’s getting the next round right now.” They spread across a few very comfortable chairs in a section off to the side.
They can still see the entire place, but it’s not as crowded as the tables and chairs closer to the dance floor and the bar. Seokjin immediately starts talking about something that happened before Jungkook got there.
Involving a girl hitting on Skyler and even going so far as to buy him a drink. “I have never, since the moment we met, seen him speechless. He was actually in shock. Poor girl looked mortified because he just stood there.”
“I didn’t know how to respond!” Skyler whines “I’ve never been hit on by a girl. At least not since I was a kid. I had no idea what to say.”
“Well the immediate response would be that you’re not interested.” Seokjin flicks him in the forehead. Jungkook curls into himself as he laughs, “You can’t be boy crazy and girl crazy Sky. Pick a crazy and stick with it.”
Hoseok chimes in, just in time. “Or y’know…focus on the two boyfriends that you already have. That’s probably the smartest decision.”
Taehyung’s barely been on the couch with his snacks and such around him to join their game lobby, when his phone starts ringing. Except it’s not Jungkook, it’s Lewis. “Hello?”
“Hey, sorry to call you this late in the evening. For some reason my texts wouldn’t send, anyways, all of the new members of the team are set to be in Chicago by next weekend. Which is perfect because it’s just in time for the G.O.A.L event with local little leagues. I know you were planning on being your sister’s guardian for the event. Is there any chance someone else can do that? We got a higher turn out than planned on the RSVPs, so the marketing girls were talking about bringing in you newbies run some of the fun side activities and give out gear, while the vets work on other drills as planned.”
It feels ridiculous to say no. It also kind of feels like he can’t say no? Jungkook was going to come anyway, so Taehyung has no doubt that he won’t mind. As long as he remembers to mention it to both of them tomorrow.
“Yeah, that’s fine. Does Gyu know? He’s in Vermont…and was supposed to be until our first locker room meeting next month.” “Oh sh*t, really? I didn’t know he wasn’t in town. I don’t think he mentioned that.”
There’s the sound of Lewis typing in the background as he sighs “I’ll call him. It was one thing when it was vet members only. But if all the new players and rookies are going to be there—he really should be too."
After the call and loading into the game, Taehyung hears Mingyu curse into the mic. Calling for Xaden and groaning. “One sec guys…I’ll be back.”
Fulton’s voice pops in carefully, “That didn’t sound good. We gonna load in or wait?”
“Yeah… let’s go ahead and load in. They’re gonna be talking for a while probably…”
“Why what happened?”
“Nothing, but we’re being called to work an event that originally we weren’t asked to. So now Gyu needs to be in Chicago next weekend when he’s supposed to be in Vermont until the end of June.”
“Damn.” Fulton sighs “I gotta report to Detroit in a few weeks myself. Finding a place out there is tough.”
Finding a place anywhere is tough.
Taehyung has probably looked at thousands of listings for houses and apartments and hasn’t found anything worth putting money into. Admittedly, he has added unnecessary pressure on himself to find the perfect place.
Which is not really possible—but it’s going to be their home. Their first home, that’s solely theirs. He can’t help that he wants it to be everything Jungkook could ever want and more.
Thinking of Jungkook immediately has Taehyung wondering what he’s doing right about now. If Skyler’s keeping his distance. If everyone is keeping their distance. If he’s dancing all sexily in those tight ripped jeans. Ugh.
After who knows how long worth of talking about anything and everything, Hoseok stands up and grabs Jungkook’s wrist, “C’mon, let’s go dance before the alcohol sets in too much and I get sleepy. I’ve got to take advantage of the other two being on daddy duty while I can.”
They both bust out laughing when Skyler jumps up right behind them, only to be pulled down into Seokjin’s lap by the belt on his waist, “I don’t think so baby, but you’re cute for trying.”
He can barely hear Skyler arguing as they walk away, “I can’t believe you’re stripping me of this beautiful opportunity to grin—I mean, bond with one of your best friends—”
Now out of earshot and further into the dance floor, Hoseok laughs as he dances, “I seriously think on your wedding day, he’ll be trying to get in bed with you still.”
The music is good and Jungkook feels good and comfortable and happy. Even if their conversation at the table reminded him that he hasn’t even begun looking for a new job now that he is in Chicago for good and needs to replace the café.
For right now he’s just carefree and fully enjoying his evening out with friends. That is, until Hoseok disappears to follow a waitress walking around with a tray of drinks.
Jungkook doesn’t have any desire to be standing here by himself, especially not dancing like an idiot. That’s only fun when Hoseok is dancing like an idiot alongside him.
A hand ghosts his side, but the touch was so minimal he expected it to be an accident, except it stays on his hip. The guy obviously trying to get in closer.
Which has Jungkook turning around instantly to tell him to f*ck off. But he doesn’t have to, because Quinn’s eyes nearly pop out of his head as he raises both hands and steps away, “I am so sorry—oh god, not you —”
“—Not interested.” is all Jungkook says, awkwardly looking around to see the direction Hoseok walked off to when Quinn laughs. “Me neither. I don’t really want any of your brother’s rage. Not after last time.”
“What happened last time?” Hoseok pops up from behind Quinn. Two drinks in hand, one of which he places in Jungkook’s. Jungkook who shakes his head, “Nothing—I—”
“Hey Q.” Hoseok smiles softly. “How’ve you been? Heard you went to a different parlor, I hope they’re treating you well.”
“Yeah…I had to go deep into the city to find someone that would give me a chance after everything—” Jungkook downs his entire drink at once, tugging at Hoseok’s arm. “Let’s go back to sit down, I’m kinda dizzy.”
“You can go bub, I’m gonna talk to Quinn for a minute.” Jungkook tugs him harder, “I don’t wanna be alone with Seokjin and Skyler sucking face. Please.” Hoseok gives him a look. A pointed one with his brow raised, but Quinn backs out on his own. “I’m actually heading out of here for the night. See ya.”
They’re not even back to the table before Hoseok grabs his wrist and spins him around, “What do you know that I don’t?”
“Nothing! I just don’t like that guy.” “Really? When did you meet him?” Gesturing across his chest, Jungkook sighs, “He did my piercings…it was kinda awkward.” and apparently Yoongi used creative methods of handling him afterwards but we don’t need to talk about that.
Except it only takes Hoseok a few seconds of racking his own brain before he shakes his head and rubs a frustrated hand over his face. “So when my husband said he was looking for a new piercer dur to a difference in style that they separated from amicably. The ‘ difference in style’ , was that he made you uncomfortable and the ‘ amicable separation ’ was Yoongi breaking his face? Am I right?”
“I—I don’t know.—” Hoseok nods and flops onto one of the chairs, “He doesn’t do that sh*t anymore, but finding out new things that he kept from us still f*cking sucks.”
“Quinn was—super inappropriate while doing my piercings. Not that it makes it okay—but y’know…”
“It’s okay, I know that he doesn’t ever go after anyone unprovoked…don’t worry.”
“Please don’t be mad at him now, it was so long ago—” Hoseok’s smile reaches his eyes, “I’m not mad...more annoyed than anything…but I am going to talk to him. I need to know if there’s any other people I should avoid talking to in public.”
After Jungkook gives Hoseok a complete rundown of his piercing session. Hoping to soften the blow of Yoongi’s…incident. Skyler and Seokjin are back at the table with a tray consisting of eight shot glasses. Jungkook is so thankful he doesn’t have to take the train home.
Yoongi’s text just after two in the morning, warning of Jungkook’s…. condition… .has Taehyung a bit nervous. He fully anticipated Jungkook drinking, that’s literally what they went out to do.
these last few weeks have been so good. He doesn’t want Jungkook to end up crying over something silly that he can’t control. Also, y’know, parents and little sister sleeping. That’s a part of the problem too.
He’s sitting on the porch waiting for Yoongi’s car to pull up and when it does, the backseat door flings open before the car is even completely stopped. Taehyung’s on his feet and walking over there just at the time that Jungkook excitedly stumbles into his arms. “Taehyungie I missed you so much!”
“Did you now?” keeps an arm around Jungkook’s waist after waving his brother on. Guiding him into the house where he thinks he’s whispering. (he is not) “In the car—when you dropped me off—Tae, you should do that again .”
Taehyung lifts his gaze from where he’s unfastening Jungkook’s boots, “Drop you off at a club? Are you wanting to make a habit of nights out?” Jungkook’s freed foot stomps against the hard wood. Pouting and huffing, “No! The other thing.”
Standing and keeping a light grip on his fiancé's waist, Taehyung tilts his own head, slight smirk spreading across his face, “Not a damn clue what you’re talking about.” Hazy sparkly eyes grow more frustrated by the second. Jungkook taking hold of Taehyung’s wrist to guide one of his hands to his own neck. Positioning it exactly where he wants it, eyes rolling back when Taehyung squeezes, just barely. Chuckling as he does, “You look thirsty, baby love. Let’s go get you some water.”
“No.”
“That wasn’t a question, I was telling you that we are going to get you some water.”
Jungkook drags his feet the entire way into the kitchen. Very clumsily hopping onto the counter. It’s so annoyyying that Taehyung won’t just….just grab him. God . It’s not like he’s asking him to pull the moon down from the sky!
His eyes water against his will. Chest heaving and puffing out his cheeks when Taehyung faces him with a water bottle in hand. Unscrewing the cap and gently guiding it to his lips, voice a soft whisper as he does, “There’s my baby.”
Only after placing the bottle on the counter does Taehyung reach up to wipe the few stray tears from his cheeks, “What are you crying for, hm? You that against hydrating yourself?”
“Want you.” Jungkook sniffles. Taehyung’s hands hook beneath his knees to tug him to the very edge of the counter. Standing perfectly between his thighs as he kisses him softly, “ And I you , but you need to relax for a little bit first. I only want to take care of you. Is that alright? You can watch the rest of this movie with me and then we will go to our room.” Jungkook would probably agree to anything Taehyung says right about now.
As those hands grip his thighs even tighter. Lips so wonderfully warm and soft against his own. Over and over and over again. He’s fine. Really. As long as Taehyung keeps kissing him like this.
Only he doesn’t. Instead he brings Jungkook into his arms and places him on the sofa. Grabbing a blanket to toss over him before pressing play on the tv and sitting down himself. Jungkook is trying to watch the movie. He is. But Taehyung’s got his legs extended and spread. Lap looking so unbelievably inviting.
It’s hard to focus on anything other than the burning all over his skin as he scoots closer. Closer and closer and closer. Head against Taehyung’s shoulder and nuzzling against the side of his neck. Jungkook stops for a moment.
Weighing the potential outcomes of him trying to still get his way. There’s not a single outcome that Jungkook doesn’t like and they all end up with Taehyung’s hands on his body.
So he returns back to his nuzzling attack. Gentle swipes of his nose as his hand curls around Taehyung’s arm. Then he’s kissing the skin instead. Fluttery little pecks down onto his shoulder. Further and further.
Taehyung’s neck moves to the side to give him even more access and Jungkook loses all sense of rationale. Carefully moving himself into his favorite seat and dragging his lips all the way up until they collide messily.
Those hands are too soft on the sides of his body. He can barely even feel them. Jungkook whines into the kiss. Voice soft as he whispers, “Taehyungie— please .”
“We’re supposed to be watching a movie.” Taehyung laughs into the kiss. Leaning his head back on the sofa and leaving Jungkook no choice but to rise up a little bit. Arms braced on each side of Taehyung’s head, “I don’t wanna watch a movie. I want to kiss and I want your hands on me. SO bad.”
“You have two moods when you’ve been drinking, sad and horny.” Taehyung sighs reluctantly. Hands fitting over that waist and squeezing it in his palms. “So you can understand how conflicting this is for me every time.”
“Well…I won’t be sad anymore if you just do something.”
Taehyung is in disbelief honestly.
Jungkook is completely f*cking shameless.
Settling back into Taehyung’s lap and using the weight of himself just right . Soft drags of his hips that grow harder and harder when Taehyung’s hands tighten on his waist to guide him. He feels crazy. The way his body comes to life and craves . As if he’d die this very second if he doesn’t get Jungkook under him. Then those perfect lips press into his own. Desperate whisper of a moan breathed against him, “you feel so good Tae, could feel even better—you—you could…”
“Shhh. Did you forget where we are little demon? Or are you that desperate to get off you can’t possibly wait until we get to our room?”
Taehyung has learned recently more than ever, that when Jungkook is especially turned on—his brain lets go of everything. Including the part of him that gives a f*ck about being in a compromising position. So he has no choice but to stand with Jungkook in his arms. Careful steps down the hallway and into their bedroom where Jungkook wastes absolutely no time. Mouth seizing his own and making Taehyung’s entire body tremble. He nearly f*cking drops him. But of course he doesn’t.
He would never.
He does however, lower him slowly. Taking every last bit of his sweet time in getting those clothes off of Jungkook’s body and pressing his lips all over him. Jungkook’s frantic hands yank at Taehyung’s shirt, flinging it off and dropping to his knees all before Taehyung can even decide what exactly he wants to do with him.
It’s incredibly hard to think about anything when Jungkook starts mouthing at his clothed co*ck. Hands fumbling for his shorts and tugging them down, with a satisfied hum, “f*cking finally.”
Something in Taehyung snaps.
Feels that haze spreading in his mind and his body when he takes a step backwards, leaning down and grabbing Jungkook by the chin, “Enough of the attitude or I won’t give you anything. You’re acting like an impatient slu*t right now.”
“I am impatient.” Jungkook’s lashes flutter. Sitting so prettily on his knees. Arms slack at his sides as he speaks “I’ve been waiting all night. Patience was gone hours ago.”
“Is that what you did?” Taehyung shakes his head with a scoff. Stepping back towards the bed until he can sit at the edge of it. co*ck in his hand as he strokes slowly. Excruciatingly. Amused by the way Jungkook watches him, so obviously hungry for it. “Spent your entire evening thinking about co*ck.”
“Thinking about yours .” Jungkook corrects. Crawling across the floor until he’s between Taehyung’s legs. Head resting on his knee as his mouth waters. “and your hands . And your lips . You. Just you. Taehyungie. I want you so bad. ”
Taehyung takes hold of those gorgeous locks of hair and guides Jungkook towards his length, slowly. Pulling him away when he gets too eager, “ Is the attitude done with for the night? Are you going to let me love on you now ?”
“I’ll let you do anything.” Jungkook leans the tiniest bit forward, dragging his tongue across what he can reach of Taehyung’s length and groaning when he does. “Please. I want it.”
Taehyung’s about to pierce his own lip from how hard he bites down. Watching the way his baby licks at his co*ck so desperate for any taste he can get. Loosening the hold he has on his hair, Taehyung lets him go a bit further. Suckling at the tip and whimpering when he does. It’s too easy to scoot further off the edge of the bed. Watching his entire length disappears behind pretty barely glossed over lips.
The sound that rumbles from Jungkook’s throat and vibrates around his co*ck has Taehyung’s arms going completely slack. Head back as he rolls his hips forward, “ Just like that baby, god f*cking damn.” Jungkook is more fervent than normal. Sucking at his co*ck as if it’ll disappear. Taehyung would tease him if he weren’t seconds from blowing over just like this.
Deep moan falling from his lips, he sits up and beckons, “C’mere.” Only Jungkook doesn’t move, he grips at Taehyung’s thighs and bobs his head even faster. Sucking the f*cking life out of him.
and more importantly, pissing him the f*ck off.
“Jungkook. Now .”
He still doesn’t. He opens his mouth wider. Taking Taehyung’s length to the furthest depth of his throat and moaning lewdly around it. Taehyung moves quickly. Vicious hand gripping the front of Jungkook’s throat and forcing him off of his co*ck. Guiding him further and further until he falls from his knees to his ass.
Further and further, until Taehyung has him pinned to the floor below him and just barely able to breathe. “ What the hell is up with you today? Is it so difficult for you to follow basic instructions?”
Jungkook’s eyes open and they have the audacity to sparkle . Lips curling into a smirk just as Taehyung’s hand grips tighter. Eyes rolling back as he moans. Of course. Of course. Of course.
“ All of this tantrum throwing because you want to be choked. My f*cking god, baby. You’re insane.”
And Taehyung loves him more than anything in the world.
Dips down to kiss those lips hotly. Mouths ajar, tongues desperately chasing after each other as Taehyung fumbles around for the lube that’s on top of the bed. Barely managing to reach it with his free hand. Releasing his hold on Jungkook’s throat enough to adjust their position. Knelt between those legs as he fixes his eyes on the ones that are barely even coherent, slips a finger in so easily. Jungkook’s body arching off of the floor as he takes it. Taehyung guides a second one in near instantly.
Returns his other hand to Jungkook’s neck but he doesn’t squeeze. He rubs over the place where his handprint is barely visible and sighs, “ this happens on my terms. I’ve told you that. I have to be in the right mindset to keep you safe. Do you understand me?”
“You always keep me safe.” Jungkook’s grinding down into Taehyung’s palm. Taking the fingers inside of him and whimpering as he does. “ Love it. Love your hands. Love feeling them. Love knowing that I only get to breathe if you let me.”
Chills erupt throughout every fiber of Taehyung’s being.
Seriously on the verge of tears himself as he f*cks into Jungkook and tightens the hold at the base of his throat. “ I love you.” He speaks softly. Ironic, the sweet way he presses the words into Jungkook’s lips as he f*cks into him roughly. Forced to take a bruising hold of his hips to keep him in place to take it all.
Leans back just to take in the sight of him.
All flushed and gorgeous laid out on the damn floor . co*ck hard and dripping against his god-like stomach. Sexy little piercings sparkling and driving Taehyung insane. But nothing, nothing, nothing is better than that face.
Those sparkly eyes and his swollen lips parted as he moans and the way his hair fans out around him. Taehyung is never going to get enough of this. How could he ever? Leans down to kiss him again because he needs to—but Jungkook. Jungkook is so f*cking filthy. Opens his mouth and lets his tongue roll out of his mouth and Taehyung gives him what he’s wanting easily. Spits on his awaiting tongue and watches in complete disbelief as Jungkook’s eyes roll back and feels the thighs around his waist tremble.
He came.
Just like that.
Taehyung never stood a chance of not going insane. Kisses him with everything he has as he f*cks into him harder. The sound of their bodies and Jungkook’s whimpers on his tongue pushing Taehyung right over the edge he’s been dangling on since Jungkook started grinding into his lap on the sofa. Jungkook’s heels dig into the back of Taehyung’s thighs. Holding him in place as he f*cks every bit of his release into him. Sighing all happily and f*cked out as he does , “feels so good.”
“You do.” Taehyung responds easily. Voice soft as he pulls out and runs a hand through Jungkook’s hair. Gentle kisses to every single mole on his perfect face. Tracing down his entire body until finally standing and taking hold of his hands to guide Jungkook to his feet as well.
Only a tiny bit concerned about the haze still visible behind those eyes, Taehyung asks softly, “How are you feeling now, baby?”
“Love.”
Laughing softly as they make their way to the bathroom. Tub filling and warmth filling the room. Taehyung feels warm too. “You feel love?”
“Love. Loved . Love you. Loved by you .” Jungkook’s arms wrap around Taehyung’s middle. Voice a whisper, “I know I’m a lot sometimes…you love me anyway. Love .” Wrapped around each other in Jungkook’s favorite type of bubble bath, Taehyung’s lips rest against his shoulder. “Gonna love you for the rest of my life, baby. Bratty, drunken, horny attitude and all.”
❅❅❅
Weeks ago he was content with the leisurely pace in which they were house hunting. But suddenly they have a jam packed day. There are three places for them to go look at in person. Although after talking in bed this morning, they feel pretty confident that they aren’t going to want any of them…but if they don’t start actually taking action and going beyond the app—they never will find anything. It’s just so easy to stay where they’re comfortable.
Like right now, as they sit at the dining room table while Hyeri dances to her K-pop music videos in the living room.
Taehee and Haejin cooking breakfast together and talking mindlessly about something. Taehyung knows he is lucky and that he was blessed with parents who have no problems with their being here—but last night was a perfect example of why he wants their own space.
Jungkook is tapping at his phone rather aggressively when Taehyung leans over into his space. One leg hooked over his knee and wrapping arms around his shoulders, “Who’s got you angry first thing in the morning?”
“I’m not angry…just texting Xay and Wes and Jay….all simultaneously—but separate from the group chat.”
“not separate from the group…” Taehyung laughs softly “What’s going on?”
He starts explaining how Xaden is struggling with Mingyu leaving. Wes weighing the pros and cons of living with Jayce and Blake. Jayce thinking he f*cked things up by suggesting Blake take the third room. He thought it was a good idea and would make Westley feel less pressure if one of their friends was there too. Taehyung just keeps holding him and listening. Content right in this spot as he drops a kiss to Jungkook’s cheek, “They’ll all figure it out. Don’t stress over it baby—”
“Do you guys have to cuddle at the kitchen table?!” Yoongi’s teasing scolding voice breaks into their conversation. Jungkook’s cheeks flushing bright red while Taehyung rolls his eyes as he sits up. “Good morning to you too Hyung.” If there’s one thing Taehyung knows like the back of his hand, it’s when his brother is in a bad mood.
Right now, Yoongi is in a bad mood.
That much is obvious. As he drags his feet over towards their parents with the car seat in hand, “Thank you for watching her last minute. I’m sorry.”
Haejin hugs him tightly. Dropping a kiss to the top of his head, “Don’t worry about it son, is everything alright?”
“Yeah…we just need to take care of some things at the house.”
Taehee looks to be questioning it but she doesn’t. Only getting Hana out of her carrier and kissing Yoongi’s cheek, “Well go do what you need to do honey.”
Yoongi walks past Jungkook and Taehyung, loosely hugging around their shoulders, “Sorry—you guys can cuddle all you want. Love you.”
A chorus of ‘loves you’ fill the room as Yoongi leaves. Hyeri begging him to stay for one song with her but the look on his face as he reluctantly tells her no and leaves makes Jungkook feel sick to his stomach.
“it’s the lying, Yoongi. The lying!”
“This isn’t something you keep from us! You promised. ”
“I know that!” he throws up his hands in frustrating. Pacing in their new living room and shaking his head. “When I told you both that I was done with all of that years ago it was the truth! I can’t help that a couple f*ckers decided to cause problems. But Quinn—I didn’t even do anything majorly. We just got into it after his suspension. I explained to him how inappropriate it is to hit on clients, taking advantage of his position and making them uncomfortable and the way he talked about Kook as if he was asking to be hit on, pissed me off so I punched him. Then I fired him and let the piercing tattooist collective know that he had an incident with a client. They should be aware that he’s the type to make people uncomfortable if they’re going to hire him.”
Namjoon starts talking about how he understands and loves the way Yoongi fiercely defends his loved ones. But Hoseok’s face twists. All emotions dropping as he crosses his arms, “A couple. Who else?” Steps closer and scoffs “Don’t you dare lie. Who, When, Why.”
Yoongi looks down at his feet. Hands tucked in his pockets as he groans, “I was about to propose…I didn’t—I couldn’t risk losing you both.”
“About to propos—” Namjoon chokes on a gasp. “— Evan . You’re the one who mugged him?”
“I didn’t mug him! I literally just scared him. That’s all. So that he stays the hell away from my family. Little f*ck deserved it.”
“You seriously—that was thanksgiving. ” Hoseok’s voice is louder. Booming through their living room. “Yoongi, come the f*ck on. You did more than scare him. You totaled his car.”
“Yeah and he got Kook assaulted. Handcuffed and suffocated in a storage locker where he ended up sliced by a rusty old hockey skate. If you expect me to regret what I did, I don’t. I would’ve done so much worse.” Yoongi’s eyes water. “If I didn’t love the two of you so f*cking much, I would’ve done worse.”
Hoseok and Namjoon are both silent. The three of them just standing in this living room and staring at each other. Not a single one dares to open their mouths to speak. So Yoongi sucks in a breath and does it, “I’m sorry for not telling you…but I meant it. When I proposed and I told you both that our future means more to me than anything else. I meant that. I’m never going to do anything to risk this. Us. Hana. That’s all.”
“Can you really promise that though?” Hoseok says quietly.
Namjoon doesn’t even look at him, “You didn’t just hide it, you lied . You lied directly to me on the phone. I called you that night .”
“I’m sorry.” Yoongi says simply. He doesn’t know what else to say. All he can say is that he’s sorry. “I wish I would’ve told you—but I was so scared. I didn’t want to f*ck up everything—”
Hoseok takes a step closer. Still too far to touch but close enough to really look into his eyes, “There’s nothing you could ever say or do that would make me stop loving you and I know Joon feels the same. But broken trust can only go so far Yoon.” Namjoon joins them. Arms crossed that come undone as he steps behind Yoongi. Arms curling over his shoulders and kissing against his ear when he feels him start to cry. “No more. You promised . It’s not just the three of us anymore. Hana changes everything.”
“I know.” Yoongi’s hands reach up to hold onto Namjoon’s arms and turns into the kiss that he gives him. “I’m so sorry.” Hoseok’s arms wrap around them both. Letting comfortable silence replace the tense air around them. Yoongi meant it when he said he’ll never risk this.
He couldn’t survive with out it.
Exactly as expected, the three places they view are a complete bust. First on the tour list was a house not far from Taehyung’s old high school. Followed by an apartment one city over, and ending with an apartment downtown.
They felt absolutely nothing walking through all of them. Seated near the riverwalk and enjoying some lunch, Jungkook says quietly, “I think I’d rather wait until something we like comes available closer to everyone. Rather than looking all over the surrounding area just to find something.”
Taehyung is stuffing his face but he nods in agreement. Cheeks all full as he tries to hurry. “I agree with you completely, baby love.”
Barely getting home just in time for Hyeri to beg them to play outside before the sun goes down, they both follow her easily. Haejin joining them outside with Hana in arms.
Maybe the reason nothing sat right with him is that Jungkook’s not entirely ready to be away from this. He just had no idea living with family could be so good.
and judging by the way Taehyung is giggling as he does backflips on the trampoline with Hyeri— Jungkook is confident he feels the same way.
❅❅❅
“Damn baby, where are you off to dressed like that?” Combing his hair into place, Jungkook rolls his eyes at himself for blushing as his eyes meet Taehyung's through the mirror, “I have an interview this morning.”
“An interview for what?” He turns to face his fiancé rather dumbfounded, “For a job Taehyungie…you know that thing that supplies my bank account with money? Kinda need one of those.”
Taehyung’s annoyance is transparent, “I thought your grad program is paid for.”
“It is.”
Taehyung looks at Jungkook as if he is the one making ridiculous statements, “…so, what do you need a job for right now?”
“Have you some how forgotten that money is required for literally everything in life?”
“No, I know that. But like…” Taehyung shyly taps his fingers on the counter. “…you didn’t have to even make a dent in your savings because of that scholarship you got this past year. And anything else— I can take care of . So, like, why?”
Cleaning up his things off of the counter, Jungkook sighs, “I’ve told you a hundred times all of the sugar daddy comments were jokes. I do not want you to be the source of my finances, nor do I want to rely on you in that way. Especially when I already rely on you for too much.”
“You don’t rely on me for anything though..” Taehyung looks as if he has something else to say but he doesn't. Only stepping closer and hugging Jungkook around the waist. “If you want to do something then go for it…but maybe, don’t do the whole working a crazy amount of hours thing again.” Jungkook can’t help the way he smiles as he leans in to peck Taehyung’s lips, “Wasn’t planning on it.”
All of them hanging out in the kitchen while a very nervous Hoseok and Namjoon are attempt feeding Hana her first baby food is more entertaining than Taehyung thought it would be. He knew his brother was over paranoid about every little thing, but to see that all three of them are? Is hysterical. Yoongi sits beside him with a plate of the lunch Taehee made for everyone, when he looks up in confusion, “Where’s dad and Kook?”
Taehyung trying to hide the way he sags in his seat has Taehee laughing through her response, “Jungkookie has an interview today and dad saw it as an opportunity for practice driving into the city.”
Yoongi reaches over to poke Taehyung right in the cheek, “what’s wrong little guy?” “Nothing” “Okay, if you say so…” Yoongi looks away
turning his attention back to his daughter who is visibly enjoying the freshly pureed fruit medley Taehee prepared for her. Meanwhile a refilled plate is put in front of Taehyung, his mother wearing a teasing smile, “is my baby a grumpy bear this morning? Eat more.”
“I’m not grumpy…I just don’t think Kook needs to have a stupid job. He has more savings than anyone our age and I can handle literally everything else.”
“Jobs are more than just the income honey…it’s a sense of self. Responsibility, purpose. Things that we know Jungkookie cares a lot about.”
“Yeah well his existence is purpose and he will have his sense of self when he graduates and can get the job he is studying so hard for. He already is responsible…so i’m not understanding any other reasons.”
Hoseok starts laughing, turning to look at Taehyung with adoration on his face, “you are very passionate about him not working, why?”
It feels silly. Taehyung’s cheeks going softly pink as he picks at the plate in front of him, “I laid off the sessions with Wooshik so we could spend more time together this summer…that’s not really happening if he takes up a job.”
Hyeri scribbles angrily at her coloring book, “Yeah! I think Taetae is the right one! Jungkookie is supposed to do lots of coloring with me too and he’s not even frickin here!!”
“Hyeri! I’ve already told you not to say that.” Taehee scolds. Shaking her head and chuckling to herself, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you kids…”
Walking out of the library, Jungkook is ready to disappear into Haejin's car and never resurface again. It must be obvious because the man is already laughing from where he is leant against the car, "What's wrong kiddo, how did it go?"
"Horrible. Awful. Embarrassing. I can never come back to this library ever again." Haejin's hand is warm as it squeezes his shoulder, "Do you want me to drive us home then? So you can tell me all about it?"
Jungkook agrees and does tell him. Tells him how the lady asked him all kinds of questions about library software--which he obviously has no experience with so how would he know the answers? and then she wanted him to describe himself. His personality. Why he wants to work there. Jungkook just kind of froze up, he hasn't had to interview for anything in years. His brain was not functioning properly.
Rubbing his hands over his face as he remembers it all he groans, "and the worst part, the one question I should be able to answer with my eyes closed-- 'tell me about the best book you've read recently?' I stumbled over my words so much she probably doesn't even think I know how to read!"
Haejin looks at him when they're stopped at a red light, all kinds of warmth and adoration on his face, "I have no doubt that you are being too hard on yourself and were as brilliant as you always are. Whether you get the job or not."
Entering to a full house is relieving. Even if Jungkook kind of was looking forward to becoming one with their bed and removing himself from existence until his brain stops replaying his responses…..he’s excited to have a different type of distraction.
He falls right into the two seater chair Taehyung is lounging in. legs falling over his lap and tugging the blanket from the back of it over himself entirely.
Yoongi chuckles from where he is seated on the floor in front of Namjoon and Hoseok. “Hana was excited to hear about Uncle Kookie’s interview…”
“Hana has nothing to be excited for because Uncle Kookie is an idiot. Let’s talk about anything other than my interview, please” Taehee and Haejin exchange glances before Namjoon changes the subject to Hana officially eating. Even if it’s just fruity mush it was something. Which turned into Taehyung teasing them for holding their breaths every time the spoon got near her mouth.
Hoseok is helping Hyeri learn some choreography that’s playing on the TV
when Taehyung takes hold of Jungkook’s hand, voice soft, “I’m sure you were great baby love. If they don’t hire you it’s because they can’t justify having someone as intelligent as you simply putting away books all day.”
Even if Jungkook knows well that he bombed his interview, he appreciates Taehyung’s confidence in him anyway. Taking the kiss that the man leans over to press to his nose happily.
the five of them taking Hyeri outside to play while Hana sleeps soundly in Taehee and Haejin’s room, is pretty much the only way to ensure the little girl doesn’t run in and wake up Hana every five minutes under the guise of “She’s sooooo cute I just wanna look at her!!!”
While the others are busy attempting to play hide and seek. Yoongi sits in the swinging chair beside Jungkook, “I dunno what exactly you are looking for. full time or part time or whatever — but i need someone to run the desk for us during our busy hours. If you’re interested.”
Jungkook gasps softly, “Are you offering me nepotism right now? Not even an interview?” Yoongi nods, “Yeah, I’m so picky about hiring people I’ve been looking for months but Jimin and my piercer are getting fed up with my process. We need the help honestly.”
“What are the hours…I, I don’t know anything about like the logistics of tattoos or piercings what if people have questions or—
“If anyone has a question you don’t know the answer to one of us will answer it. The majority of the job will be phones and checking people in. So don’t worry too much.” It must be obvious by his face that he is worrying too much because Yoongi smiles, “You don’t have to take the job, bub. I just know it would be a lot easier on you and Taehyung if you had something low maintenance, and I need someone I can trust. so it’s a win-win. and you know our shop is close by.”
Jungkook doesn’t vocalize how much he would absolutely love working with Yoongi. Mostly because he wants to think about it…his biggest worry is somehow messing something up.
Hours later they’re leaving for the evening. A bundled up Hana safe in her car seat that Jungkook is distracting with silly noises. Yoongi approaches and gently pats his shoulder, “take a few days and let me know what you think. i’d really love to have you.”
“I will, thank you..” they all exchange hugs on their way out the door while Hyeri is whining about having to get ready for bed. Taehyung is questioning as soon as they get in their room, “What was hyung talking about?”
“Oh, he just mentioned looking for someone to run the front desk at his shop.” Taehyung is silent for a few minutes too long. Which has Jungkook expecting more of the job protest.
Except what he says is, “isn’t he only looking for reallllly part time help? I thought he mentioned needing someone just a couple days a week when they’re super busy.”
“Yeah, sounds like it would only be Thursday, Friday and Saturday for some hours each day, occasionally a fourth day thrown in here and there if they need it.”
Taehyung nods as he gets undressed for their shower, eyes all round and adorable when Jungkook joins him, “That seems nice…and not too many hours and it’s so close by…” Nodding Jungkook giggles, “Yeah, it’s a pretty ideal situation honestly.”
“So… are you going to say yeah? No more interviews at places that might want to take you from me even longer than that?” Taking the cloth over Taehyung’s body, Jungkook sighs, “I want to. Just nervous.”
“Don’t be. Hyung would be the best boss ever and understanding and he knows you. I can’t think of a better situation.” Taehyung’s hands fit over his hips and pull him closer “then y’know…I didn’t lay off my sessions for nothing…and I could come see you while you’re working.”
Jungkook loves being close to Taehyung like this. Loves feeling those hands in his hair. Even if he scolds his fiancé, “I only get you like this for a little longer…I’ll need something to fill my time before school starts when you’re busy with professional athlete things.”
Taehyung huffs as they finish up and get ready to slip into bed, “and what better way to fill your time then hanging out with Hyung? You’ll have down time too, to read or draw or anything you want. I bet he’ll pay you well.”
Jungkook rolls his eyes with a laugh, “If I didn’t know better I’d think you two were in on this together. With you playing recruiter for the role of Tattoo shop receptionist”
Taehyung rolls atop him. Pinning Jungkook’s waist between his legs and arms with his hands, “I will always advocate for the best possible option. In this case the best possible option is you working in a safe, chill, well known, nearby , environment.”
He’s too busy getting distracted by the lips that meld into his own to respond. All soft and warm yet vicious and mind numbing. Jungkook has to focus on the way Taehyung’s body is pressing into his own right now—he’ll accept his sudden job offer tomorrow.
❅❅❅
It was a long morning for Taehyung and Jungkook retrieving Jayce from the airport. With all kinds of traffic and an accident bringing them to a complete stop multiple times. Though the opportunity was a good one for Jungkook to get as much information as he can out of Jayce. Because Westley has been as secretive as ever. In fact, he’s been even more secretive since they started playing around with the idea of being together.
So much so, that he has no choice other than to ask frankly, “So what are you two doing? Are you just f*cking around? Or are you going to be together seriously? How does Blake feel about living with you two?”
“Blake just doesn’t want to hear anything he shouldn’t.” Taehyung laughs from the driver’s seat. “At least that’s what he told me. But otherwise, he doesn’t care and is actually looking forward to it.”
“Yeah…it should all be okay” Jayce speaks softly from where he’s sitting. “We um…we’re kind of, not doing anything at the moment. Wes didn’t feel comfortable attempting the long distance thing. We still talk every day and stuff, but it’s—it’s not like we’re waiting for the moment to see each other again, you know? I mean. I am. He isn’t. Or maybe he is. I’m not sure. I kinda just decided that I’m not going to get my hopes up for anything, one way or the other. I like him, a lot. Like a lot, a lot. And I want to be with him, but if being with him only happens because I pressure him into it…then I don’t want it at all.”
“You aren’t pressuring him into anything.” Jungkook turns to smile at him. “He wants to be with you. He’s just terrified and obviously struggling to navigate it. I’m sorry Jay.”
Taehyung is drumming at the steering wheel, clearing his throat as he speaks up, “Your feelings matter too, so don’t just go along with whatever Wes says. You’re allowed to speak up for yourself and your wants too.”
Jungkook would absolutely love to tease Taehyung about coming to Jayce’s defense but he worries if he does, he’ll never freely do it again. So he simply agrees, “Wes will never know what’s on your mind if you don’t tell him! but let’s focus on getting you moved into your place! Yoongi said the boxes you shipped arrived a couple days ago. He moved them into the living room.”
Just as Jungkook and Jayce are putting his clothes onto hangers, Taehyung gets back from picking up their food. Which has Jungkook flopping onto the couch in relief, “this smells sooo good.” Taking the plate Taehyung serves to him first, Jungkook settles back comfortably. Digging into his pizza when Jayce joins them.
“Thank you guys for helping me out today. I feel kinda discombobulated right now. It’s all kinda not setting in yet. That I’m… I dunno on my own? I guess. Away from home but not at school.” his voice cracks a tiny bit. “Feels weird being without my brother too.”
Jungkook’s elbow nudges his side, “Well the good thing about you ending up here, is that you’ll definitely never be alone. Even if sometimes you wish you were.“
Taehyung gasps from where he was seated on the floor between Jungkook’s legs, “Baby, are you implying sometimes you wish you were alone?”
“Never Taehyungie. Only speaking hypothetically of course.” He really does mean it.
Jungkook’s most favorite part of living here is that he doesn’t ever feel alone anymore.
Westley:
Hi.
You haven’t texted yet today…did you land okay?
Jayce:
Yeah.
Kook n Tae picked me up and we started
unpacking my sh*t right away.
I only just sat down now that they left.
Westley:
All alone in your new place.
How does it feel?
Jayce:
Weird.
I’m ready for you and Blake to move in already.
Westley:
Speaking of that…I was thinking about moving sooner.
Just kinda ready to start the new chapter and maybe catch a few of my team’s games this season.
Is that okay?
Jayce:
I mean that would be a question for Yoongi right?
If you’re asking me the answer is yes.
You could’ve moved in yesterday.
Westley:
Didn’t wanna crash your party if you were looking forward to having the first two months to yourself.
Jayce:
I miss you, Wes.
Of course I’m excited for you to get here as soon as possible.
Westley:
I need to work out a few things, talk to Blake and decide when it works out best then.
Because we were originally planning on flying in together.
Jayce:
Let me know what you decide.
Westley:
I will.
I miss you too, by the way.
A lot.
On their way home, Taehee calling comes through the car speaker. “Hey, Ma. We’re on our way back.”
“Oh shoot, how close are you?”
“Near the high school, why do you need something?”
She exhales as if annoyed with herself, “Yes! I completely forgot Hyeri went to Luca’s after summer camp today! Can you and Jungkookie please pick her up for me? I’ll text you the address right now it’s only a few streets over from the school!”
Taehyung agrees easily and Jungkook of course would never mind anything that has to do with Hyeri. but he can’t help feeling a tiny bit annoyed over the fact that woman has access to Taehyung via her son. Even if it’s very minimal access. It’s obvious she sees it as an in .
It only takes them a few minutes to pull up to the house that Taehee sent them too. Though when Taehyung puts the car in park, Jungkook grabs his forearm, holding him in place and leaning in to kiss his cheek, “I’ll run up to the door and grab her.”
Taehyung doesn’t question him at all. Not that Jungkook leaves much room for him too. Rushing up to the door and knocking quickly. Luisa answers with a big smile on her face, that falters almost instantly, “Um—can I help you?”
Jungkook has to force himself not to roll his eyes. Is she seriously pretending not to recognize him? Hyeri’s sprinting through the woman’s house and loud voice does all of the talking for him, “Jungkookie!!! Mama didn’t say you’d pick me up!!”
“Hi sis. Taetae and I are your surprise chauffeurs today.” She jumps right into his arms while Luisa quietly tells them both to have a good day.
Jungkook has some words swirling in his mind that he decides best not to put to use. Only walking towards the car where his man is waiting with a little too much childish pride blossoming in his chest.
❅❅❅
Agreeing to watch Hana for an evening so that her three dad’s could go see a movie together, was a no brainer. Taehyung and Jungkook already said yes before Yoongi could finish asking. Deciding to just make the ten ish minute walk that it takes to get to their new house, Taehyung takes the chance to grab Jungkook’s hand and lock their fingers together, “I feel like we haven’t held hands like this in a long time.”
Jungkook pauses for a second, thumb brushing over Taehyung’s as he nods with round eyes, “I think you’re right. We don’t have daily walks across campus anymore to get our hand holding fix in.”
“I don’t like it.” Taehyung huffs. Tugging him a little bit closer. Making their way into the already opened door. Exchanging a look at the sound of complete silence inside of the house. Confused and kicking their shoes off, Taehyung calls out, “Hyung?”
When they get no response, it’s even more concerning, considering their car is very much in the driveway. Just a few steps down the hallway and into the room that they can barely hear Hana’s sound machine playing through, do they find Yoongi, Namjoon and Hoseok all asleep on their bed. Hana is awake in the crib beside it. Eyes wide and looking around the room, little arms waving as she blows raspberries all to herself.
Taehyung picks her up quickly. Shushing her with a giggle as she makes a loud noise of excitement. Jungkook carefully sits on the bed next to Hoseok, looking at Taehyung, “Should we wake them? I don’t want them to miss their movie.”
“I’m not sure…they look really tired. We were a little early anyway…let’s just go in the living room and see if they wake up on their own before it gets too late.”
Hana has this little mat that lays out on the floor, with arches that cross over from each side dangling toys for her to play with. Jungkook is filming a short video of her playing to send to their family group chat, while Taehyung works hard at getting her food ready in the kitchen before she starts screaming for it.
Laying beside her and laughing when her hand catches onto his finger, instead of the toy. Jungkook swears he feels his heart quadruple in size. Speaking softly to her when Namjoon comes running out of their room—visibly out of breath when Taehyung walks out in front of him. Chuckling softly and stopping him by the shoulders, “Relax, hyung. She was awake when we got here, so we decided to let you guys finish your nap.”
“I thought I heard Kook in here but I had to be sure…” he exhales softly hands running through his own hair. Moving closer towards the living room where he can see Jungkook and Hana playing on her little mat. “Okay, I’m going to wake the other two up so we aren’t late. Thank you guys again for this, my parents were supposed to watch her but my dad got really sick all of a sudden so obviously we don’t want her to get it.”
Taehyung gently shoves him down the hallway, “You don’t need to thank us—we’re happy to help. Now go, or you really will miss your movie.”
Jungkook gets waaaaay too much enjoyment watching the way Taehyung dotes on Hana. Carefully feeding her and immediately wiping away any little mess that she makes. When Jungkook teased him that she’s only going to get more messy to just wait, Taehyung said, “A princess deserves to be clean no matter what.”
Which is silly and so unbelievably endearing he can hardly stand it. Not very long after she eats, Hana is already rubbing her eyes as if she’s sleepy again. It doesn’t take long at all before her breathing has slowed and they’re carefully placing her in her crib. Sound machine and baby camera on, as they make their way to the living room on tiptoes.
Jungkook takes a seat in Taehyung’s lap with no hesitation. Fingers carding through the back of his hair as he speaks softly, “Y’know that whole thing on TV where guys use their nieces or nephews to pick up women? I didn’t understand that before you. I kind of understood it, watching you with Hyeri, or the kids at games. But I definitely get it now.”
Palms slipping over his thighs, Taehyung laughs softly, “What exactly is it that you get, baby love?”
“It’s unraveled a whole new layer of attractiveness. As if you needed anymore. You’re already the most attractive man in the entire world. Why did you have to go and be all loving and affectionate too? How am I supposed to survive?”
Taehyung kisses him delicately. Plush lips moving against his own even when a smile is breaking through, “I have to fight for my life every time you interact with my sister or my niece…I think it’s only fair that you suffer a little too—”
“It’s not the same—so much better when it’s you.” Jungkook shakes his head, fingers tangling just a tiny bit tighter. Getting slightly frustrated at just how short the back of Taehyung’s hair is, irritated that he can’t grip onto it like he used to.
Huffing as he settles back and accepts defeat, links his fingers at the back of Taehyung's neck instead. “Maybe we should not have kids of our own, I don’t know if I’d survive witnessing you as a father, Taehyungie.
My heart might combust entirely, then you'd be a widow and I'll be damned if someone else is going to marry my husband and be a step-parent to my children.”
Taehyung cannot help the loud laugh that tumbles out. He tries so hard to muffle it by burying his face into Jungkook's shoulder, "You've definitely taken on some of my dramatics baby, I'm so sorry. The only person I would ever parent hypothetical children with, is you."
Hands rubbing up and down Jungkook's sides, Taehyung gnaws on his lip, "I've actually been thinking-well, wondering, really-because we haven't talked about it...um, when do you want to, y'know, do the whole marriage thing?"
“I mean… I was ready when you asked me…” Jungkook feels his cheeks burning as he smiles “…but we kinda promised everyone we’d do the real wedding thing so I guess we have to actually plan that. Our first stop should be looking at your hockey schedule, don’t you think?”
“The entire regular season game schedule is already available, I just have to check with team events once we decide on when exactly you’d like to have it.”
Jungkook feels his stomach swirling repeatedly, leans in so that their noses brush a he pouts, “Maybe this weekend… we can sit down and try to do some planning?”
“Whenever you want, sweet love.” Taehyung takes hold of his chin, thumb rubbing along the sharpness of his jawline before kissing him gently “I’ll stay up all night and plan the whole thing tonight if it’s what you want.”
“This weekend is fine.” Jungkook nods through his giggle. Pressing their lips together because he can’t contain himself any longer, “Just kiss me for now.”
Hana has only been awake for a few minutes when her dads all make their way back into the house. Hoseok and Yoongi immediately crawling on the floor beside where Taehyung is playing with her.
While Namjoon sits next to Jungkook with a smile, “Was she good for you two?” “Yes! She slept the majority of the time, she only just decided to wake up and play some more.”
Taehyung joins them two on the couch, “How was the movie?”
“Good!” “Okay.” “It sucked.”
“Damn, everyone’s a critic…” Taehyung tsks, standing and reaching for Jungkook, “C’mon baby, let me walk you home before your curfew.” Jungkook laughs through his eyeroll, “Of course, I can’t be late getting home.” Taking Taehyung’s hand and following him out. According to Hyeri, they were late getting home. Judging by the way her hands are on her hips, hair not even combed yet from her bedtime shower judging by the way Haejin follows behind her with a brush. “I wanted to see Hana too!!!! We all could’ve colored!!!!”
Taehyung grabs the brush from his dad, crouching behind her angry body, “I’m sorry sis. You were at Luca’s when we went over and Hana was already asleep when you got home.”
“I didn’t even want to go to Luca’s! I wanted Jungkookie to get me again!” She huffs. Eyes rounding out once Taehyung has finished combing her hair and hugging him around the shoulders, “Can I not go to summer camp tomorrow pretty please? I’ll be good and have grown girl manners all day. Please Taetae, can I stay home with you and Jungkookie tomorrow? Pleeease.”
Taehyung looks up at Jungkook who already has that look on his face the one that’s telling him to give her whatever she wants. “Only if ma and dad say yes. Go ask them first.“ She sprints immediately down the hallway towards Taehee and Haejin’s bedroom.
While Taehyung hooks an arm around Jungkook’s waist, “What do you think baby, we can get some wedding planning done tomorrow instead? i’m sure the flower girl would love to help. and by help i mean draw pictures of what she wants her dress to look like.”
Jungkook nods and takes the chaste kiss Taehyung presses to his lips easily, just in time for Hyeri to come bumbling back in. Bouncing off the walls with excitement for her ‘ Taetae and Jungkookie and Hyeri day ’ and admittedly Jungkook is pretty excited too.
“Okay, hold on, let me start the list from the top. Gyu, Yoon, Jin, Joon, Min will be with me. Xay, Wes, Jay, Hob—”
Jungkook interrupts Taehyung by dropping his head to the table, “Maybe, we don’t need to do the whole groomsmen thing…I can’t possibly choose and it will look ridiculous if we just line up all of our friends.”
Doodling in her note pad and munching on what is left over from her breakfast, Hyeri gasps, “You promised to do the reallll thing!” “Of course, Hyeri-girl. The flower girl is set in stone. Don’t worry.” Jungkook smiles at her, “Have you gotten any inspiration for your dress?”
She lifts up the page, an unclear image is shoved in their faces that they both try their best to decipher what exactly it is that she is envisioning.
Only for Hyeri to point to it matter of factly, “Both Halmeonies said that I should wear one of my special dresses if the colors match. But…but on the princess movies they wear bigggggg dresses like this with lots of ruffles!”
“Those big ones are typically actual wedding dresses sis…” Taehyung rests his chin on his palms as she stares blankly at him, “ Yeah , Taetae. Because it’s for your and Jungkookie’s wedding? Duh !”
Taehyung tries to work at making a list of their groomsmen again. Who decided that having a group of people standing there with you was a good idea anyway?
The working groomsmen roster just ends up turning into an overall guest list. Which surprisingly was easy enough to put together, even if Taehyung knows his parents will be adding at least two dozen extended family members to it. Watching as Jungkook looks over the list of potential weekends they decided on, Taehyung smiles unconsciously as the gears turn in his baby’s head. Clearly mapping out something, (likely entire weddings) , in his mind to decide which weekend he likes the best.
When Jungkook looks up and groans, “The holiday season is kind of special to us…you know? So I liked that time the best….but you have so many games…the only day that works—you have a game both the night before and the night after.”
Taehyung is a bit frustrated too, “Unless you want a summer wedding…that’s probably going to be the case on any weekend baby love. So if you want to do it over the holiday season, I’ll make it work—I just won’t get to take you on that luxurious honeymoon until later.”
“I will be in school anyway, so yeah the vacation part would have to wait.” Jungkook’s face and ears and stomach and chest and fingers all start burning and tingling at once. Excitement and a tiny bit of embarrassment over just how excited he is, rushing in. Only getting worse when Taehyung scoots closer. Legs all tangled under the table as his arm wraps around him to point at the December side of the calendar, “what about the 31st?”
Jungkook was staring rather firmly at that date too… thinking about how fun it would be—but then, “It’s kind of selfish to steal a holiday for our wedding isn’t it?”
“It’s new years eve, people are going to be out getting drunk anyway. It’s literally perfect, they’ll get to party for free.”
“Wait…we need to check with Fulton and Vance’s team schedules—”
“I already did that.” Taehyung moves to grab the notebook page where he wrote all potential weekends down. “I only gave you the ones that all three of our teams had the same day off. Which was not very many.”
Heavy inhales and exhales are followed by Jungkook’s soft voice, “This is way more stressful than I thought it would be—” Clasping his hands together and standing up, Taehyung laughs sweetly, “Alright, that means we’ve done enough wedding planning for one day. Colors decided on, guest list done, date kind of chosen—let’s go get some fresh air.”
Hyeri squeals and takes off immediately to get her shoes on. While Jungkook steps into Taehyung’s space, eyes all round as he pouts, “I’m sorry I ruined it.”
“You couldn’t ruin anything if you tried—I was starting to get a headache looking at all of the names and dates for so long anyway.” hooks fingers in the belt loops of Jungkook’s jeans to pull and remove the last sliver of space between them, “I love you.”
“I love you too…” “Me too, let’s go!” Hyeri yanks onto both of their hands “Taetae, where are we going?”
“I’ve been craving some of those candied fruit skewers, I figured we could go to that little plaza grandma likes to go buy her and Jiah kitchen stuff from. There’s usually someone there selling them.”
Hyeri’s eyes light up, just as he expected. Mischievous smirk on her face as she climbs into the backseat, “…is this supposed to be a secret? Because I’m not allowed to have those anymore.”
Shrugging and looking at Jungkook who is in the passenger seat questioning their exchange, Taehyung smiles, “I have no idea what you’re talking about sis, c’mon buckle up.”
Only a few minutes down the road Jungkook speaks quietly below the sound of Hyeri’s playlist, “What is the candied fruit and why is Hyeri not allowed to have them anymore?” Taehyung barely manages to recap at the very beginning of last summer, when they went to this plaza with their grandparents and Yoongi. Coming home with all things necessary to make their very own tanghulu — which they did well on. So well, that Hyeri became an addict. That same night around two in the morning Haejin found her alone sitting in the kitchen floor with an empty tub that was once filled with all of the extra skewers. “Oh my god, how did she not get a stomach ache?”
“Oh she did. She threw up, everything , everywhere . So much that Ma took her to the emergency room because she was scared of her being too dehydrated.”
Hyeri shouts over the song “I wasn’t even sick because of the fruits Jungkookie! I was just sick .”
“Is that right?” He looks at her with a teasing smile “I’m sure it had nothing to do with you inhaling an insane amount of sugar all at once.” Pulling into a giant parking lot, Taehyung smiles, “She’s been clean for an entire year, I think she can handle one skewer without going into a full relapse.”
Hyeri is yanking at Jungkook’s shirt, waiting for him to crouch so she can climb on his back. Hands secure under her little legs as they walk. Jungkook shakes his head, “As long as we don’t take any extras home…and I am not taking the blame for this.” Taehyung reaches to flick beneath his chin with a bright smile, “Don’t worry baby love, I’ll handle everything.
They had a clear cut mission.
Eat fruit, walk around a little bit and go home.
Simple, easy, risk-free.
Except Taehyung may have forgotten that Hyeri’s music video interests have slowly started budding into full blown obsession. So he should’ve been prepared, but he was not .
Hyeri nearly strangles Jungkook from how tight she squeezes when they pass a store with giant posters all over the windows. “Taetae, I want to look! Jungkookie please take us in there!!” patting his arms to get her to let go, Jungkook is obviously confused.
Sighing, Taehyung pulls her from Jungkook’s back. Tight grip on her hand, “do not touch anything and hold my hand the entire time. Okay?” She nods and bounces the second they step inside and can hear music playing.
Taehyung turns to Jungkook who is flipping through an album of little cards with faces on them, “I guess this is your first K-pop store visit.” Jungkook giggles as he follows them, “Have you been here often?”
“No, only a few times with Hobi-hyung. Dad brought Hyeri here a few months ago for the first time and she lost her mind. I figured the magic would’ve wore off by now. Clearly I was wrong.”
Hyeri, isn’t even looking at the isles of stuff. She’s taken to standing right in front of the big TV like a zombie as the same videos she watches on a loop at home, play. Jungkook, who was the designated holder of Hyeri’s skewer, is summoned urgently. Her little head bobbing and shoulders swaying, as she eats the grapes one by one.
Taehyung got distracted looking at a small rack of jewelry when a hand on his shoulder startles him. Twisting around angrily, but it alleviates at the smile from Haejin, “You didn’t tell me you kids were coming here?”
Taehyung exhales, “Dad you can’t just creep up on us like that! I have Kook and Hyeri, I’m on ultra defense mode right now.”
“Wait, what are you doing here?” Haejin shrugs, “Ma wanted to buy Hyeri a new CD because she got a 100% on her summer homework. buuut I don’t know if that’s happening now…”
Taehyung watches in slow motion as Taehee moves from the isle she was in to standing behind Hyeri. Who is completely clueless. Dancing and singing in her own little world when the skewer is swiped right out of her hand, “Jungkookie, I have one more—“ her eyes pop out as she looks at Taehee, who’s arms are now crossed, “Did you coerce Jungkookie into buying you tanghulu? You know you aren’t allowed to have this anymore, monkey. Not after last time.”
Haejin holds Taehyung back by the shoulder, “Not today, ultra defense man. The princess has to get scolded every now and then too.”
“But…” Taehyung’s voice softens “It’s my fault. This was seriously 100% my idea. She didn’t even ask for it, I brought it up.”
Haejin only laughs, “It’ll be good for you to not take the fall for her on things, kiddo. She’s becoming a big girl now.”
“I’m not taking the fall for it—“
Jungkook’s voice interrupts them all. His hand gently on Taehee’s forearm, “I’m sorry, mom, I didn’t know she wasn’t supposed to have it. I’ve never had them before so Taehyung wanted to bring me to try it. Hyeri only had this one.”
It takes all of three seconds for Taehee to look between each of them before she reaches to squeeze Jungkook’s hand. “It’s fine, I guess . Only this once.”
They all leave together, Hyeri’s new CD in tow, while Haejin takes over carrying her. Taehee’s got a hand curled around each of Taehyung and Jungkook’s biceps as they walk, “Sooooo did you two get any planning done this morning? or did sis keep you busy?”
Jungkook mumbles quietly, “We would’ve got more done but I suck at this stuff.” “I don’t believe that for a second. Is there something I can help with?” his and Taehyung’s eyes meet only momentarily before Taehyung smiles, “No, Jungkookie is being hard on himself as usual. We actually did well today, but if you have people to add to the guest list—“
Taehee sighs, squeezing both of their arms as she speaks excitedly, “I was thinking, maybe it will be easier if you give me your guest list and I’ll add it to mine. It’ll take something off your plate anyway.”
Jungkook is way too quick to agree to it. Taehyung laughs to himself, poor thing has no idea how massive his mother will make this wedding if they don’t put a cap on it.
Taehyung moves his arm to wrap around her shoulders, “I don’t know about that, Ma. You’ll have the entire city of Chicago and Daegu showing up. I’m not sure we want it to be that big.”
She playfully pats his cheek, “You only get married once, honey—”
“If you’re lucky!” Haejin spins back to face them, big smile on his face. “Joking aside, I’ll make sure to cut her list in half… twice .”
Taehee’s eyes light up, “Oh! I think Luca’s mom used to be a wedding planner, maybe she can help us! That way Jungkookie doesn’t have to be so stressed. Planning a big wedding is a lot to take on. I can talk to her if you want?”
Hand up, Taehyung shakes his head, “No thanks, if we decide to get help we’ll hire someone—” “I mean.. if she already has experience.” Jungkook tucks his hair back, doing his best to show nonchalance
Taehyung cannot help but burst into laughter. So much so that both of his parents look incredibly confused. Jungkook only shrugs as they reach the parking lot, “We can talk about it more later.”
Taehyung just keeps laughing, even while Jungkook helps Hyeri into the backseat. Music on and attempting to change the subject.
but Taehyung doesn't let him, “You do not seriously expect me to believe you would be comfortable with that woman helping with our wedding.”
Jungkook turns the music up just a tiny bit. Leaning into Taehyung’s shoulder as he giggles, “I mean, I think I would get a lot of enjoyment watching her plan our wedding.” he settles back into his seat with a sigh as Taehyung’s fingers loosely tangle with his own, “but I suppose being petty isn’t really a priority. We can just make sure your mom invites her.”
“You are unbelievable.” Taehyung brings Jungkook’s hand to his lips. His fiancé's mild possessive tendencies never fail to melt his heart and make him want to get him alone.
❅❅❅
Westley:
Hey.
What are you doing this weekend?
Jayce:
Working some community event with kids.
You?
Westley:
Oh, I forgot about that.
Um, nothing then…ha
Jayce:
Nothing, what?
Westley:
I was going to fly in this weekend but I’ll just wait until next weekend.
You’re going to be busy with that event.
Kook is too I’m pretty sure because of Tae’s lil sis.
Blake can’t move until the end of July like our original plan.
Soo, I’ll just wait.
I guess that ruins the surprise though.
I mean, I told you already.
So it’s not really a surprise anyway.
Not that it would be a surprise either way. Like it’s not a big deal.
But yeah, I’m moving next weekend I guess.
Jayce:
The event is on Friday for younger kids and Saturday for older ones.
I have nothing going on Sunday or any day after that until June…
Westley:
Oh okay
Jayce:
You should come.
Sunday.
Really, you should come right now…but of course you can’t.
So.
Westley:
I’m going to see what’s available last minute.
I haven’t even looked at flights yet, I should’ve done that first.
Jayce:
Also, you moving is a big deal when I haven’t seen you in an entire month, Wes.
And you don’t like facetime…
Westley:
I can barely manage a conversation via texts…Facetime is even worse.
Jayce:
Yeah.
I know.
Westley:
What do you mean?
Jayce:
I don’t mean anything by it.
Just that I know you don’t like calling, or anything other than texting.
Westley:
It’s not that I don’t like to…
Jayce:
Yeah
Westley:
You seem…upset.
I dunno, I thought you’d be happy.
I was excited to tell you.
Jayce:
I am happy.
I can’t wait to see you.
But if I’m being completely honest. I’m nervous.
Westley:
Nervous for what?
I don’t have to live there with you, I can find a different place.
Jayce:
That.
That right there.
It’s like you are constantly looking for the next thing you can use as an excuse.
I know you have a lot of conflicting thoughts and feelings and I get that.
But sometimes—I dunno, I just wonder if it’s really all of these ‘things’
that get in the way or is it that you just don’t want it.
This.
Me.
I’m a big boy, you’re not going to hurt my feelings by letting me down easily.
The not knowing, does hurt.
I hate that I have to think 1000 times before I say anything to you.
I didn’t have to do that before.
It’s probably my fault anyway.
I don’t know what I’m saying right now.
I’m tired.
I’ll text you tomorrow.
Westley:
Can I call you?
Please?
❅❅❅
Jungkook is nervous. Not only is he responsible for Hyeri today, but he is responsible for Hyeri at an event where Taehyung will be working. For his job. As a professional athlete. Jimin was going to come in Taehyung’s absence for moral support—but he had too many clients booked to justify calling off. So now, he has no choice but to suck it up
Mentally preparing himself to go around a bunch of people he doesn’t know and he won’t even be able to hide in Taehyung’s arms if he gets embarrassed or uncomfortable.It’s likely all going to be fine—he’s way better at these kinds of things than he used to be. He does a good job of putting on a brave face though.
Sitting in the living room with Hyeri while Haejin gets ready for work—”Are you sure you don’t want me to take off and go with you two?”
“No, no, we’re fine. Don’t worry!” Haejin crouches in front of Hyeri who is adding little red bows to the ends of her braids. “You will be on your absolute best behavior for Jungkookie right?”
She nods excitedly, but before she even opens her mouth, Haejin continues, “Taetae is working today. Do you understand? It’s not like school events we've gone to before.
You can’t jump on him and talk his ear off, just save anything for the car ride home. Listen to your coach and the hockey players you’re with.”
“I’m going to be good!!!” “Hyeri.” Haejin sighs “I’m serious.” She leans back and crosses her arms, “I know how to be good papa and Jungkookie already told me about not talking to Taetae!”
Laughing Jungkook reaches over and fixes her crooked bow, “You can talk to him if we see him, but you can’t sprint across the place just to find him.”
“Will Gyu-oppa be there?” Hyeri asks suspiciously. Which has Haejin standing with a groan, “The same rules apply to Gyu and anyone else you see that you might know.”
The front door opens as if on queue. Mingyu walking in tapping his wrist playfully, “Where’s Tae? I texted him ten minutes ago that I was here.” Jungkook did think that Taehyung was taking extra long in the shower
but he wasn’t expecting to find him pacing back and forth in their bedroom. Stopping him with a hug around his middle, Jungkook pecks his lips, “Mingyu’s here to pick you up.”
“I’m terrified of today.” “Why?” “I don’t know…we’re going to meet everyone today. Like everyone.” “I mean…you’d have to meet them eventually right? It’s your team.”
Taehyung’s arms loosely hang over Jungkook’s shoulders. A repetitive string of kisses that quickly change from swift and chaste, to deliberately languid pressings.
A step backwards and then two and then he’s seated on his mattress, tugging Jungkook into his lap with a groan, “I just want to stay right here. I’m not ready to be an adult with a job yet.”
Foreheads pressed together, Jungkook smiles sweetly, “At least your job is pretty f*cking awesome.” Hands closing over Jungkook’s sides, Taehyung groans even louder, “How am I supposed to see you wearing this and keep my cool?”
Face flushing immediately, “Oh...I’m changing.” He barely manages to reach beside Taehyung where he already has a shirt picked out, “I just want to blend in, also it’s an event for kids.”
“That’s true—besides, noone else deserves to see you anyway.” Taehyung reluctantly gets up from where they were sitting.
Digs around in the closet until he finds one of the many shirts he got from Lewis at his signing. Holding it up to Jungkook’s frame, with a pleased hum, “Wear this instead. It’s fitting of the event.”
Loud knocking on his bedroom door interrupts them, “Tae, we’ve gotta go! Are we seriously going to be late to our first responsibility?” He’s about to say something snarky, when another knock comes
Xaden’s voice makes Jungkook’s face light up, “I guess Kook doesn’t need to ride with me after-all…”
Taehyung’s smiling from ear to ear when Jungkook looks at him in disbelief, “Surprise? Xay is taking my spot with you and Hyeri. So while she’s busy doing the activities you won’t be alone.”
“You knew he was coming with Mingyu?!” Flinging the door open, Jungkook shoves right past Mingyu and hugs Xaden excitedly, “You ass, you acted like you were busy with your parents today!”
Xaden laughs as he hugs him back, “Not really a surprise if I tell you, Kook.”
Mingyu looks at Taehyung with a head shake, “How come you aren’t excited to see me after a month?” Taehyung laughs, throwing an arm around Mingyu’s shoulder as they walk, “I’ve seen you my entire life. You could’ve been gone for a few more months and I would’ve been okay—”
Taehyung is doing everything in his power to remain calm and cool.
But walking into the same place that he and Mingyu came to as teenagers to meet their favorite players — as players of that team feels like he’s stepped into some type of dream.
Except it isn’t a dream, it’s very real. Real when they’re standing in a closed off room surrounded by all of their teammates. Jayce’s arms come around both of their shoulders as he speaks quietly, “LC could’ve given us a heads up about the jerseys? Aren’t we some sore thumbs or what.”
Their coach, Glenn quiets everyone down. Going into a detailed breakdown of how these two days of events will progress. It sounds like a fun time, for most of them anyway. His eyes fall on Taehyung, Mingyu and Jayce as well as two others guys standing beside them. “Boys, it’s a pleasure to welcome you. I know it’s a bit earlier than we originally told you to report, so thanks for making time to be here. It’ll be good to have the entire team together for this. We’re going to have our new members manning the tables up front. Macy will get you your practice jerseys so you match everyone and explain what you’re doing! Everyone else, get with Isaak and Ivan, they decided on the groupings for the sessions outside.”
Outside, there’s several mini blow up arenas. They can already see the lines forming in the parking lot waiting to be let in. Taehyung definitely isn’t scanning the parking lot trying to get eyes on Jungkook and Hyeri. He is focused on the task at hand. The current task, given to them by Macy who they’ve since learned is the head of their marketing department, is to stand at the opening table. Mingyu will be giving out wristbands to all of the kids and adults who enter. Taehyung and Jayce will be giving the kids tee shirts.
While the other two new players, who are not rookies to the league, but just new to the team — are in charge of the snack and beverage table. Mingyu has arranged all of the wristbands successfully as he turns to them with a big goofy smile on his face, “I feel like we got the easy part of the job, once everyone’s in and registered—we’ll just be chillin.”
“I doubt that.” Jayce shakes his head “I’m sure we’ll be redirected at some point…” Macy stands between their tables and the entrance gate, smiling warmly, “I’m going to be snapping a bunch of pictures just pretend I’m not here. Unless you have a question, then I’m here.” Everyone filters in group by group. It’s a bit more overwhelming than they anticipated. But by the time they get through the first group and onto the second, Taehyung and Jayce have worked out a solid system for shirt distribution.
Mingyu is running his wrist band table smoothly—that is until the third group enters and Hyeri’s squeal rips through the excited voices of her team mates. The squeal that she muffles herself with her hand. Taehyung can’t stop smiling between her and the way she squeezes Jungkook’s hand. Jungkook who’s eyes catch onto Taehyung’s for only a split second. Before his cheeks flush and he guides Hyeri up to Mingyu’s table.
“Hi there young lady, can I have your name to write on your wrist band?”
Hyeri’s jaw falls open, as if in complete disbelief. Mingyu quickly laughs and reaches to pat the top of her head, “I’m only kidding Hyeri girl. Are you excited to play some hockey today?”
Nodding she bounces in place, rambling about how Wooshik showed her a really cool trick that she wants to try with the ‘real’ hockey players. After Mingyu gives Jungkook and Xaden both their wristbands, Taehyung already has Hyeri’s ready. Tag and sticker ripped off and discarded so she can slip it right on. She stops at Jayce first, head tilting as if trying to decide which of the ‘ look-a-likes ’ he is.
Jayce extends knuckles to her, which has her eyes lighting up as she returns it, “JJ! Where’s the other one?”
“Hey girlie. My brother is back home.” Nodding towards Taehyung, Jayce smiles at her, “ Your brother has your shirt.”
Moving along the line, guided by Jungkook’s hand and Xaden’s gentle pat on her back. It’s honestly adorable the way she sucks in a breath. Cheeks all swollen and puffy as she tries to restrain herself. Taehyung walks around the table. Crouching in front of her and bringing the shirt over her head. “Have lots of fun, sis. Love you.”
Little legs wiggling in place, she jolts forward and gives Taehyung a two second long hug, “Love you Taetae, I hope you get to watch me some.”
“I’m sure Jungkookie will record you for me. Go along.”
Watching them walk until they're out of sight. He sags back and groans.
Jayce laughing as he does, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing—I just love them.”
“Sappy ass.” His face brightens when the next parent and child are in front of them. “I mean—hey little guy, what size shirt are you?”
After the kid and father have moved along. Taehyung squeezes Jayce’s shoulder, head shaking, “Brain to mouth filter needs to turn on Jay.” Luca and his mother are next in line. Taehyung really shouldn’t be surprised, but he is taken back when Luisa entirely ignores Jayce attempting to talk to them and moves in front of Taehyung instead. “Hi. You fit in well as a Blackháwk.”
Nodding Taehyung tries his best not to show any annoyance. Especially with Macy somewhere taking pictures of them constantly. Instead he smiles down at Luca, “Sup buddy. Tell my friend Jayce here what size shirt you need and we’ll get it for you.”
Her gaze stays on Taehyung, hand tucking hair behind her ear, “It’s a shame they have you guys running this table, the kids would definitely benefit from your talent—”
“We’ve got an entire team of insanely talented guys. They’re going to benefit plenty today.”
Luca stops in front of Taehyung with a shy smile, “Thank you, sirs. Um Jayce and um-Tae-um-Taehyung.”
Sweet kid, it’s a shame his mom is so damn annoying, “No problem. Have a good time!”
Hyeri’s group is walked towards one of many areas. It’s so cool to see how extravagantly they set this up. Taehyung wasn’t lying when he said they go all out for community events. He recognizes Isaak as soon as they are inside of what is a mini-outdoor rink with inflatable goals. “It’s the fiancé! What’s up man?” eyes shifting to Xaden too, “and the boyfriend—who I heard is the next NYU hockey captain? Sick.” He looks down at Hyeri and smiles, “Who might you be?”
“I’m Hyeri! I have your jersey!” her face blossoms a light shade of pink as she smiles. “and my—” she stops, huffing to herself. Isaak looks between her and Jungkook in confusion as to why she suddenly halted her excited talking. Jungkook finishes for her, “This is Taehyung’s little sister. She’s trying not to do the whole, telling everyone who her brother is thing.”
Isaak’s smile reaches his eyes as he reaches to give her a high five, “You’ve got a cool jersey and a cool big brother? You’re one lucky girl, if I do say so myself. Why don’t you go stand over near the other kids at this goal post. You can be on my team.” She runs off excitedly. Attempting to drag Jungkook with her, but he lets go of her hand gently, “Xay and I are going to watch with the other adults, remember?”
She nods nervously before continuing over towards them. Their group is blended with one of the other’s and it’s obvious that her shy-ness is taking over. Xaden and Jungkook make their way towards the group of parents standing beside the inflatable. Xaden who leans in with a soft voice, “They look good in their jerseys. Gyu didn’t tell me they were able to get their preferred numbers?”
“I’m pretty sure they just got those today, so I doubt they even knew.” Glancing over his shoulder and trying to peak around the inflatable towards the table where Taehyung is sifting through boxes of T-shirts. Jungkook groans into Xaden’s shoulder, “He does look sooooooooooo good.”
Luisa approaches them, smile on her face, “Hi, again.”
“Hey.” Jungkook nods. Xaden looking at the woman before looking at Jungkook too.
“I’m Luisa, my son Luca and Hyeri are best friends.” she extends a hand to Xaden who takes it hesitantly. Jungkook doing the introducing on his behalf, “This is Mingyu’s boyfriend, Xaden. He and I are Hyeri’s chaperones since the better half’s are working today.”
“Wow.” She nods and raises her brows as she looks to the kids, “Lucky girl and lucky chaperones, it would seem.”
Xaden gives a look to Jungkook that tells they will absolutely be discussing this woman later on, for now though they just watch the kids. It’s really cool how well the players engage with them. They do a few playful drills and games before starting an actual little scrimmage. Jungkook’s camera going the entire time.
Hyeri may bumble on her skates a little bit, but she has way more control out here in her sneakers. Which means she’s able to use all of those tricks she brags about learning. She just barely picks up the puck and tosses it at the net one of Taehyung’s team-mates are guarding. The guy curling over and laughing, “This little one already plays better hockey than you, Sands.”
Isaak who’s shaking his head as he gives Hyeri a high five, glaring at the other player, “Watch it Coop, save it for the locker room. Put on your good sportsmanship hat today.”
The event moves along smoothly. Every group is officially in the gates and at their stations. The three of them have reorganized and cleaned up both their and Mingyu’s station. Macy approaches with her big camera in hand, “I’m gonna take the three of you inside the rink and get some shots of our Rookie’s for socials. I’ll just have you set up the stuff for the older kids event tomorrow and I’ll take pictures of you doing it. Sound good?”
Well, no. Taehyung had hoped he’d get to go watch the groups, Hyeri’s specifically—but they’re here to work. So all he does is nod and agree just like Jayce and Mingyu do. He’ll have to hear all about it, later.
Just before it’s time for all of the kids to pack up and head home, a nice woman starts lining everyone up along the big wall with the team’s logo on it.
Jungkook feels so silly, chest buzzing with excitement when the players start filing into the space behind and around the kids. Taehyung, Mingyu and Jayce all disappeared for a little while so he wasn’t sure if they’d get to see them again at all before the event is over.
But sure enough they’re joining the picture like everyone else. Taehyung’s eyes find Jungkook’s for a millisecond and a wink, before he does a quick scan of the crowd. Moving over to the opposite side of the group where Hyeri is sitting cross legged on the ground.
Crouches down into the open space beside her, Jungkook is so glad his phone was already out when her face lights up at the realization it’s Taehyung beside her. They take a few group pictures before the players wave everyone off for the day.
Taehyung swoops her up into his arms right after the picture. Letting her tell him allllll about her fun time, as the groups dissipate one by one.
A man Jungkook has not met yet, calls for all of the players so he walks Hyeri over to Jungkook and Xaden. “I’m not sure how long we’re gonna be, do you three wanna just meet us at the house?”
“That’s fine.” Jungkook nods and takes over Hyeri’s hand holding. Caught entirely off guard, as his eyes lock onto Luisa and Luca, right at the same time as Taehyung leans in to kiss his cheek. “See ya, baby.”
Mingyu runs up behind them, too. Slipping something into Xaden’s hand and kissing his ear, “They had us busting our asses today! I’ll tell you about it at home.”
Then their boys are running off and the three of them are met at the gate, unexpectedly. Luisa’s displeasure towards them is obvious but she smiles at Hyeri, “Luca wanted to invite you to get an early dinner at the pizza place across the street.”
Jungkook already knows they will have to suffer through this. Hyeri loves Luca and she was sooooo well behaved today. Her little hand squeezes in excitement but it’s obvious she is waiting for approval.
“We can join them if you want, sis. You deserve it.” She bounces at first but stops immediately, “Can Taetae and Gyu-oppa and JJ come have pizza too?”
Xaden smiles at her, laughing at her eager eyes, “I’ll text Gyu and tell them to meet us over there.”
Hyeri jumps to hug Jungkook before running up to Luca, the two of them talking about the activities the whole walk to their cars. Luisa is silent, which is best case scenario, in his eyes.
The pizza place has a small arcade room, where Hyeri and Luca run off too as soon as their order is placed.
Although they aren’t gone long, Hyeri’s arms wrapping around Jungkook’s legs as she pouts, “Jungkookie, these games need coins to play them and you only get coins if you put real dollars in the coin machine!!”
He sighs dramatically, “Oh no, how will you get real dollars? You better ask if they’re hiring help in the kitchen—“ Her eyes crinkle as she giggles, hugging him tighter, “I’m too little to work in a kitchen, I just wanna play!”
Fishing out his wallet and giving her “real” dollars to get coins with. Xaden speaking the moment she’s out of sight, “All that talk about how Taehyung and Yoongi spoil her, as if you’re any different.”
He knows Xaden is only teasing, but his stomach still churns a bit at the idea that a kid playing games is considered being spoiled. “It’s not spoiling… kids should get to do fun stuff.”
Xaden nods with a laugh, “Oh definitely, I needed big brothers like you three when I was a kid. I didn’t have anyone to give me arcade money when my parents weren’t around.”
The waitress returns with their drinks and the cheese sticks Jungkook and Xaden ordered to share. Luisa clears her throat after sipping her water, “So, how did you two meet the boys? Seeing as you obviously aren’t locals.”
Xaden taking over the conversation is a relief because Jungkook is one more snarky tone of voice from this woman away from losing his sh*t. He talks all about them meeting at school. Last summer together, fall break, winter break, spring break, their future .
Luisa asks plenty of questions too. Questions that make it obvious she’s fishing for information. As much of it as she can. Jungkook is mid-bite when she says, “Well I hope you two know how lucky you are. Those two are highly coveted around here. Have been for awhile—“
“How old are you?” Xaden interrupts her, wiping at his mouth when he shakes his head, “Luca and Hyeri are the same age right? and you’re his mom? so that makes you how many years older than us, exactly?”
“I—“ her eyes widen as she flattens her skirt under the table. Shock all over her face. “I was a young mom, so surprisingly enough, I only have a few years over Taehyung in age. I went to school with Yoongi. So I’ve been around for awhile.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” Xaden settles back with a smirk “Still, definitely old enough to not be acting like a jealous ex girlfriend over two men who don’t even know who you are other than in relation to a child.”
Jungkook does not want to cause a scene. Hyeri’s having such a great day. But Luisa looked pissed off, face reddened. He squeezes Xaden’s wrist gently, “Xay—“
“Don’t worry, Kook. That’s all I have to say. We came here so Hyeri can enjoy pizza with her friend. Not be interrogated about our relationships” Luisa chuckles into her drink, “Wow. Who knew a few innocent questions could ruffle feathers? New relationship things I guess—“
Jungkook’s hand would have broken the cup in his hand if it were plastic instead of glass. “By the way, Luisa. Taehee mentioned extending an invitation for you and Luca, to Taehyung and I’s wedding. That is, if you’ll be able to keep the burning questions to yourself long enough—“
“Burning questions about what?” Taehyung’s hand gently slips around the front of his throat. Tilting Jungkook backwards and capturing his lips, rather feverishly. Chills spreading all over Jungkook’s skin as he sinks into the kiss.
Smiling at the same time as Taehyung does, “Hey baby love, where’s Hyeri?” “Her and Luca are playing arcade games.”
Taehyung doesn’t even acknowledge the woman at the table who’s gone dead silent with a red face. Only hurries off to find Hyeri, while Mingyu and Jayce are already picking at the appetizers in front of them.
Mingyu’s arm falls like a magnet to the back of Xaden’s chair, tugging him closer, “Pizza hasn’t come out yet?”
“Nah, should be any minute though. They said it would take awhile. I guess that’s the benefit of the arcade.” Luisa barely mutters a single word, when Taehyung returns with Hyeri clinging to his back and Luca right beside them. Both kids absolutely talking his ear off about today and he is nothing if not an attentive listener.
Jungkook is just too busy being attentive himself, attentive to the way Luisa stares at his fiancé. That visible longing in her eyes has his blood boiling. Her gall is truly unbelievable, and absolutely f*cking shameless.She does finally open her mouth, attention falling on Jayce, “I’m Luisa, Luca’s mom. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“Oh—“ he’s cut off by Hyeri excitedly talking from her chair. “That’s JJ and guess what he’s a lookalike! His brother Vancy looks juuuuust like him!” Jayce laughs as he winks at the little girl, “What she said, my twin brother’s back home. He plays for Toronto.”
“Wow. Your parents must be proud, two professional athletes? Impressive.”
Jungkook swore he wasn’t going to let her get to him, but the words just fall out, “He’s in a relationship too. You’ll have to look for an impressive hockey player elsewhere.”
Thankfully both Hyeri and Luca are too busy talking about something involving the coloring paper in front of them to care.Taehyung’s hand warm and soothing over his thigh squeezes for his attention. Jungkook’s face burning red as he grumbles under his breath, “I’m ready to leave. This pizza is taking forever.”
“We can take it to-go, if you want—“ “No, no it’s fine.” Jungkook settles into Taehyung’s side. Chest all fluttery when there’s a couple gentle kisses pressed to his neck just as their pizza finally is served. He can’t wait to get the hell out of here.
They get home right after Taehee and Haejin have walked through the door. Taehee seated on the sofa and ready to listen to everything Hyeri has to say.
Haejin however, makes his way right to Taehyung. Squeezing his shoulders with a big smile, “Wow. That jersey looks amazing on you kiddo. How was your first day on the job?”
“It was good, fun. Everyone is really chill, Isaak took a few minutes and introduced us to the rest of the guys before the event started.” Jungkook is admittedly a little awestruck too. He could listen to Taehyung talk endlessly.
Finger mindlessly tracing the patched seven on Taehyung’s shoulder when he feels Haejin ruffle the top of his hair, “Thanks for being the monkey’s zoo keeper today. Was she good for you and Xaden?”
“Yes, she was perfect.” Taehee gives him a look from across the room that Jungkook busts into laughter over. “I’m serious! You guys wouldn’t believe how well behaved she was! She also impressed Tae’s teammates with her tricks!”
Taehyung has learned that no matter his age, his mom will always squish his cheeks in her palms. Just like right now. As she gets into his space and kisses his forehead, “I’m so proud of you, my baby bear.”
He and Hyeri start playing living room hockey, as if they haven’t already had enough of the sport today. While Jungkook taps away at his phone from the sofa. Taehee plopping beside him and wrapping an arm around his shoulder, “Did you have a good day, honey?”
“I did….” his chest starts burning again just thinking about her “….until I didn’t. Luca’s mom is … not exactly pleasant to be around. I am 100% not interested in her having anything to do with the wedding.”
Okay… i t’s not that he was deliberately tattling on her like a toddler. He’s simply a boy confiding in his mom. That’s all. He can’t help if Taehee’s warm eyes sharpen instantly. Sitting up right and facing him, “What did she do? Did she say something to you?”
“She’s made it obvious that she’s interested in Taehyung. Or, maybe she’s just one of those people that’s interested in hockey players period, because she gave Xay a bunch of attitude too. It was just so awkward and uncomfortable. I hate it.”
“Interested in Taehyung, how ?” Taehee scoffs under her breath “Romantically? Is she on drugs?” Haejin takes a seat on Jungkook’s other side, “Who’s on drugs?”
“Apparently Luca’s mother.” Taehee squeezes Jungkook’s knee lightly, “I’ll handle her. She won’t have any attitude left when I’m through—“
The three of them watch and cheer on Hyeri and Taehyung’s living room face off. Jungkook sipping the smoothie Haejin gave him, feeling a little too smug in the comfort between them both. He really loves being here.
Jayce is pacing back and forth. He hasn’t talked to Westley in three days. It’s driving him crazy with thoughts of his own stupidity, but the truth is that he couldn’t handle calling Westley the other night.
If he called him he would’ve said something he didn’t mean and every day since then he’s been too terrified to reach out. Jungkook’s comment at dinner felt as if his best friend reached right into his chest and yanked his heart out.
He’s not in a relationship but he really wishes he was. With one person. One person who he doesn’t even have the courage to talk to right now.
He did not order food. So the knocking at the front door is concerning, only for him to stand there in shock when he opens it to find Westley awkwardly holding onto the handle of his luggage.
“I was in for a long night on the street if you weren’t home…” “Wes, what the hell?” Jayce just stares at him. For a few seconds too long before grabbing his suitcase and wheeling it inside.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were on your way? I could’ve called Tae and Kook and picked you up from the airport.” “Well, I asked you to call me the other night and you left me on read… so I took the hint that you didn’t want to talk to me.”
Jayce turns and faces the hallway. Fist against the wall lightly as he groans, “That’s not true at all. I always want to talk to you, I just—“
Westley wedges himself between Jayce and the wall, hands gentle on his shoulders before sliding up to cup his face, “I’ve been really unfair to you and I’m so sorry for that.
I’m not looking for a reason to run from this, if anything I’m constantly trying to find reasons to run into it. Full force. Hence me showing up here several months before I have to report for my team.”
Jayce breathes slowly, eyes looking anywhere but at Westley. Which makes him groan, “Why won’t you look at me?” “Cuz.” “Because why?”
Hands ghost along his sides and cause all of the oxygen to escape from Westley’s lungs, “Because if I look at you I’m going to want to kiss you.” “Is that supposed to be a problem?” Westley’s head tilts. Small smile spreading on his lips, “I’ve really, really missed you.”
Jayce’s heart is near exploding in his chest when he squeezes Westley’s sides in his palms, “Wes…” “What is it?” His voice is teasing. Nudging his nose against the other’s, “A month and three days is all it took for you to get over me?”
“What if you change your mind tomorrow? You decide that I suck and you didn’t miss me after all?” “That’s not going to happen…” Gnawing on his lip, Westley steps into the only bit of open space between them.
dropping his arms to Jayce’s shoulders, “I wish I didn’t make you feel that way. I’ll be so much better about it, Jay. I promise. I know I’m all over the place, but don’t give up on me yet.”
Somehow that must’ve been the final trigger because Jayce’s hands slide to his hips. As gentle as they always are. Voice low and rough as he confesses, “Don’t think I’m ever gonna be able to give up on you.” Sealing the words with a kiss before Westley can change his mind.
❅❅❅
“This unit is by far the best value of everything I’ve shown you—” The woman goes onto outlining all of the details of the property they’re walking into. It’s the only house that’s come up in weeks, close enough to the little area they restricted their house hunt down into. As soon as they walk in, Taehyung is impressed. Most of the houses they’ve looked at weren’t anywhere near as updated as this one.
Their realtor points it out, “Most young people don’t care about updated features when they’re looking for a starter home—but I definitely think it’s worth paying close attention to. There is another listing two blocks over, it’s a hundred thousand dollars cheaper but the needed renovations alone are not worth the savings.”
Jungkook’s hand is tight in his own, tucked inside of Taehyung’s jacket pocket as they walk through it, “We plan on living wherever we buy for a long time—so I don’t want to cut any corners. We’re in no rush to move…”
“Oh of course, I read that in the email, it’s just that the housing market is so fickle right now. If we don’t take advantage of the options available, I’m not sure if we’ll be able to stay in your preferred budget. Especially in this area, the prices are increasing on a day to day basis.”
Namjoon warned him that this woman was pushy, but that even if it’s annoying—she’s pushy where it counts too and she’ll fight for them if they end up in some type of bidding war for a place they really love. Taehyung is trying to think of a polite way to tell her to back off, but Jungkook speaks up softly, “If waiting means we have to go a little bit outside of our budget, than that’s fine. We accounted for changes to the market when we decided on a budget anyway so we have room to move around if we have to. Thank you for the advice though. We’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
Taehyung squeezes the hand in his pocket three times, he loves him sooooo much.
As much as he had intentions of making it a point to not show too much interest—this palce is damn near all of their check boxes from the ideal list they made. From the decent sized back yard, to the number of bedrooms, the small balcony in the master bedroom, down to the massive tub in the attached bathroom, paired with a separate shower. The realtor steps down stairs to let them explore a bit on their own—Jungkook’s eyes light up as soon as she walks away. “I don’t want to say it.”
“Then don’t.”
“but…”
Taehyung presses a kiss to his forehead, “I know, it’s perfect.”
Jungkook gnaws on his lip…”I don’t really want to move yet…but I also don’t want to miss out on this place and it’s so close to everyone. We could walk home from here and it’s close to grandma’s too—”
The woman returns with a warm smile, “We still need to see the basem*nt, are you guys wanting to? Or have you had enough of this place?”
“We’d like to see the rest of the house, forsure.”
She guides them to what is two mirrored rooms downstairs, with bookshelves lining each of the furthest walls. The left side, with it’s crisp white walls and shelving and bright lights illuminating everything. While sturdy wooden fixtures and a projector screen decorate the other side, “The owners had a his and hers vibe going on down here—I guess the wife wasn’t willing for the entire basem*nt to be a mancave. Not that that’s an issue for the two of you—but that’s the reason for the contrasting rooms. The sellers agent did mention that if you want it, the projector and screen can stay—it cost more to have it uninstalled and repaired than to just buy a new one for their new place…but obviously all of the books will go. She’s not willing to part with her personal library.”
“Of course not—” Jungkook laughs softly. Taehyung’s hands cup onto his waist as he squeezes past him to look at the furnace room, “It’s not like you’d have any issues filling them yourself, huh baby?”
Returning upstairs to the living room, which is all open to the kitchen and the dining room, their realtor offers them a big smile, “This is the longest you two have looked at any of the listings—is it safe to say you like this one?”
“We do…” Jungkook hesitates. Taehyung’s arm loosely wraps around his shoulder, “Can we talk about it over dinner and I’ll text you if we decide to put in an offer?”
“Of course, you’ve already heard all of my warnings—so if you want to move forward, let me know as soon as possible and I’ll do everything I can to get you to closing.”
All at once Taehyung’s stomach is in absolute knots. It was all fun, fantasizing and looking online and being too picky as they roamed various apartments and houses—but finally standing in one that he could actually imagine their entire lives in is terrifying…and so exciting he can barely breathe. Jungkook is quiet as they drive towards the Italian restaurant they’re eating at for dinner.
Taehyung hands over his palm easily for Jungkook to drag his finger along the lines of, “Wanna share your thoughts?”
“Not anything special…I’m just excited and nervous and feeling a lot of things all at once.” His voice is so quiet compared to the way he spoke earlier, “I love the idea of a spacious home. We talked about wanting to have plenty of room for, y’know, stuff in the future—but all I can think about is right now. When you’re gone and I’ll have all of that space all to myself.” his stomach kicks at the same time as Jungkook’s finger stills against his palm, “I lived in a huge house all by myself before—I’m terrified of feeling like that again.”
Parked and turning to him entirely, Taehyung brings Jungkook’s hand to his lips gently, “You’ll never live in a place like that again. Even if it’s empty of people every now and then, it’ll be filled with so much love you’re probably going to suffocate in it and want to leave.”
“I know…it’s more like unconscious thoughts I guess. The majority of my feelings are so happy. I’ve already decorated every wall in my mind—”
“Damn baby, that was quick—I was too busy adding to my list to think about anything else.”
Jungkook seems confused as they get out of the car, only to playfully smack Taehyung’s shoulder when he realizes what he’s talking about, “Were you seriously thinking about f*cking while I was thinking about our future kids in that house?!”
“I mean…if you put it that way, we were thinking about the same thing.”
Jungkook’s jaw drops completely open, face burning as red as the tomato on the sign as they enter the restaurant, “Every time I think there’s nothing you could say anymore to surprise me—you pull something out of left field.”
“Woah…” Taehyung huffs as they take a seat. “…Westley has only been here for a week and you’re already making baseball references.”
“It’s just a figure of speech, baby—everyone says it, noone thinks about the correlation to baseball.”
As they finish their meal and talk about the things they liked and disliked about the place—ultimately, all of Jungkook’s split second worries fade to nothing. Even on the weekends when Taehyung is out of town, he’s literally less than a ten minute walk from their entire family and a short drive across town to all of their friends. They could buy a house that was exactly identical to the one he grew up in and it would never feel as miserable. It couldn’t ever.
Not when he loves the person he’ll be sharing it with so much.
Taehyung sends the text notifying the realtor that they would like to move forward with making an offer before paying their bill to leave. Both of them just kind of staring at each other and the sent message…waiting until she sends a gif of a woman jumping in excitement. They burst into a fit of excited laughter as they get up to leave. Jungkook hugging Taehyung from behind once they’re outside, “I’m so happy I get to do life with you.”
“You’re telling me….” Taehyung leans back into the hug, turning to press a noisy kiss to his baby’s cheek, “I had no idea life could be sooo damn good.”
❅❅❅
Taehyung and Yoongi are in the backyard with Taehee, digging up some starts a squirrel must’ve ruined, so that she can plant new ones—when Hyeri comes busting out of the backdoor. She’s making a loud trumpet sound with her mouth, while Haejin guides Jungkook by the shoulders out to greet them. Embarrassment is all over his face when Haejin smiles, “I present to you, the newest, licensed driver, in the family.”
“You passed?!” Taehee is tossing her gardening gloves to the ground as she hurries over to him. Pampering kisses all over his face, “There’s nothing you can’t do, Jungkookie.”
Yoongi is giving him a double handed high five, “You know what that means—”
“What?” Jungkook is unsure. Taehyung waiting his turn, chuckles, “You’ll be the designated driver for everything for the next like six months.” Shocked and obviously not enthused about that, Haejin squeezes his shoulder before Jungkook can refute, “Don’t worry kiddo, getting the license is enough. You only have to drive when you want to.”
“This is bullsh*t!” Taehyung shouts playfully, thought the scowl on his face kind of seems like he means it. “You made me drive during rush hour traffic into downtown, the day after I got my license.”
His mom cups his face, teasing tone as she mimics his pout, “Because of that, you have no issues driving you and Jungkookie anywhere you need to go—aren’t you thankful we taught you well?”
In the passenger seat, while Jungkook drives them towards his grandma’s place. Taehyung looks over at him with a warm smile, “Buying a house, getting your license, what’s next baby love?”
“Getting married, hopefully.” he sticks his tongue out as he parks. He doesn’t get very far, before Taehyung’s arm is hooking tight around his waist. Dragging him over to the side of the house and keeping a firm grip at the base of his throat, “There’s nothing to hope for, that’s as good as done already and don’t you think for a second otherwise.”
“Of course not.” Jungkook bats his lashes, fingers dancing their way up Taehyung’s shirt to curl around his collar, “But just for curiosity’s sake, what would happen if I said it’s not done until my name is changed?”
Taehyung’s hand tightens as he kisses him, “I’ll take your pretty ass to the courthouse right now, little demon.”
Giggling and absolutely melting into the kiss his fiancé gives him, Jungkook feels absolutely weightless. Sweet words tumbling off of his lips, “In my mind we’ve already been married for several lifetimes, Taehyungie. This is just another one to check off the forever list.”
Jiah puts them both to work as soon as they get inside. Endless containers ready to be filled with the fresh batches of kimchi. Taehyung is elbows deep lathering the mixture over all of the leaves. Jungkook is finishing drying the airtight containers and listening to his grandma tell them how her and Taeyeon are planning another Korea trip. This time for September.
Something that Jungkook has loved getting to see, is this playful side of his grandma. A side that only seems to come out when Taehyung or Yoongi are around. Because as she is filling one of the many containers, she shouts something that he doesn’t understand.
Playful frustrating in her tone that Taehyung snaps right back at her with. Waving a covered leaf in his hand as he shouts just as playfully, ‘halmoni, jie jalmosi anieyo!’ She gets real close and squeezes one of his cheeks, ‘Joshimhaseyo, Taehyung-ah!’ Before sending a wink Jungkook’s direction and returning to where she was cutting down some of the bigger leaves.
He loves listening to them interact this way—and he loves that she gets to feel comfortable. But he isn’t afraid, at least not anymore, to admit that he’s a little jealous. Maybe that’s not the word…he just, feels left out. Leans into Taehyung’s side and huffs, “What did you get yelled at for?”
Taehyung who now has a different pair of scissors as he laughs, “Apparently my lathering techniques could use some work. She told me there’s several uncovered spots and that the kimchi would’ve been dry. I said it’s not my fault and she told me to be more careful.”
Sampling the bowl in front of him before starting to help fill containers, Jungkook huffs, “I’m going to dedicate some of my spare time to learning—that way I’m not the odd man out on these little arguments. I can’t let Fulton learn Korean before I do and he’s already a step ahead with his K-drama addiction.”
“I’ll help you baby, I’m not fluent, by any means—but I know enough to keep up with these snippy grandparents of ours—”
Jiah flings a small piece of cabbage at him, Taehyung moves quick to catch it with his mouth, brows raising as he does. Snarkily spouting off a bratty sounding, ‘ thank you ’, in Korean. Which Jungkook does already know. As his grandma disappears down the hallway, Taehyung with freshly cleaned hands stands beside him. “Alright baby, first lesson. You need to respect your elders. From this moment on, for the sake of your education, it’s only right that you refer to Yoongi and myself as hyung.”
Jungkook gets this mischievous look on his face. It has Taehyung’s stomach flipping over as those glossy lips curl into a smirk. Arms wrapping around Taehyung’s shoulders, sultry little, “ Yes, hyung. ” rolling off his lips, followed by an obnoxious kiss nearly knocking Taehyung off of his feet. Jungkook pulls back with the goofiest smile, “Best. Brother. Ever.”
Taehyung’s face cringes as he cups onto Jungkook’s hips, putting enough space between them to make sure he sees the disapproval, but Jungkook is too busy laughing hysterically to care. Taehyung pinches beneath his chin and tsks, “Failing your first lesson, you’re doomed from the start.”
❅❅❅
A random invite to literally everyone for dinner makes a very full house. A table full of rowdy boys that are all through the moon with excitement as they have plates stacked mountain high with the food Taehee, Haejin and their moms spent all day preparing.
Taehyung, leaned against the counter, has Hana in one arm and a burger in the other. While Yoongi and Jungkook are trying to help set up the new inflatable goal posts Haejin had delivered.
Of course it was only because he saw them in the videos from Jungkook and thought it would be a great addition for days like this one. It definitely isn’t because Hyeri talked for three days straight about how cool it would be to have one in the backyard.
Taehyung laughs at all of their friends scarfing their food, “Every last one of you acting like you haven’t eaten in weeks.” He gets a plethora of curses and complaints and ‘screw offs’ from the five that are older than him.
the other four, however are just eating their hearts out. Mingyu groaning, “I thought I wouldn’t get any of your parent’s food until the end of the summer. I’m savoring it.” Xaden and Jayce both nod, making a noise that says they agree.
While Westley sips on his soda shyly, “I’ve only ever had food like this the times we’ve been here. It just hits different when it was cooked—“
“—with lots of love.” Taehee interrupts sweetly. Smiling at all of them before reaching to take her granddaughter from Taehyung, “You need to get a real plate too, honey. and Jungkookie. make them come inside, the goal post can wait.”
but it’s too late apparently. because there’s the distant sound of Yoongi and Jungkook trying to stop her, before a puck comes flying through the glass window near the back door.
Hyeri can be seen sprinting behind the storage shed, while Taehee glares at Haejin, “This. Is. Why. We. Don’t. Play. With. Real. Pucks. In. The. House. Someone could’ve been hurt!”
Haejin grabs beneath her chin with a soft laugh, “Technically, she isn’t in the house, angel. but this is on me.” he holds up a plastic bag that looks like some type of netting. “this was hidden at the bottom of the box.”
“Oh really?!” Taehee scoffs “The thing that catches the pucks! Seriously?!” Namjoon and Hoseok are quickly doing their best to clean up all of the glass. While the entire kitchen erupts into laughter.
❅❅❅
Surprising, even himself, running Yoongi’s front desk is easy. It’s been a couple of weeks since he started and Jungkook is already pretty confident manning the front on his own now. When Yoongi and Jimin sat him down to give a thorough warning on some of the, less than kind people that pop in the shop from time to time—he kind of laughed it off.
He shouldn’t have. Because the guy in front of him is causing a scene and being a total f*cking asshole. “I told you, Yoon always gets me in. Let me talk to him.”
Jungkook sucks in a breath, “I’m sorry, like I already said, he’s on his lunch break right now and is booked down to the last minute of our schedule today. He has a four hour window open Saturday that I can take you down for.”
The guy stands, growing visibly frustrated as his hands flail, “Look here, smart ass—I get that you’re new and trying to follow all the rules, but regulars have certain perks that others don’t. Get me Yoongi.”
Clearing his throat, Jungkook keeps his voice level, “Again, I apologize but there’s no room in his calendar for perks. You can either take the slot for Saturday or send a request for a different appointment day through the website if you don’t want to book through me.”
The guy scoffs, “Damn right I don’t wanna book through an incompetent jackass.” Jungkook’s eyes widen as he stares at the calendar in front of him, feeling really confused on how this guy’s failure to book his preferred time slot is in anyway a result of his incompetence.
Yoongi’s footsteps are so fast down the stairs, Jungkook thinks he fell. He’s relieved to see that he didn’t.
But slightly panicked when he sees the anger on Yoongi's face, “What’s your problem, Raph? Don’t ever f*cking talk to my little brother like that. Don’t ever talk to anyone who works here like that or we’re going to have a serious problem.”
No! No problems! Jungkook lightly touches the back of Yoongi’s arm, “It's all good, he just wanted a walk-in with you, today.”
“I’m booked.”
Jungkook grumbles softly, “I know, I told him—”
Yoongi’s eyes fall on the guy who’s face is growing red either with embarrassment or anger. Likely both . "If he told you I’m booked, why the hell are you still standing here talking sh*t?”
“You fit me in anytime I walk-in…it’s never been an issue before.” Yoongi's hand raises to cut him off, “I’ve got more business now. It’s been months since I’ve seen you last. Jimin and I can barely keep up. Sorry, but what Kook said, goes. I’ve got nothing until Saturday.”
Head falling back, the guy groans, “C’mon man, I’ll throw you double the money if you fit me in tonight. I wanted to have this piece done and healed before I leave the country next week.”
Jungkook is slightly annoyed at how well money talks. Yoongi would be stupid not to accept— “No can do. I’m booked means I’m booked. I appreciate the offer but I’ve got a family to go home too.”
Yoongi grabs the pen Jungkook was fiddling with from him gently, annoyed brow raising at Raph, “So do you want the Saturday slot, or are you going to find someone else to get you in tonight?”
His eyes shift between the two of them before he huffs, “Put me down.” Sending Jungkook a partial nod before leaving. Yoongi’s eyes are on him instantly, “You come get Jimin or myself when someone’s giving you problems.”
“I can handle a little attitude.” “I know that you can handle it, but I didn’t ask you to work for me so you could get sh*t on by customers. This is supposed to be an easy part time gig, not stressful for no damn reason.” “Yeah, well—”
Yoongi is already stopping him, when his next client comes in. He gestures her towards the stairs, but not without sending Jungkook one of those looks that screams, ‘I meant what I said.’
Slightly annoyed pout on his face, Jungkook pulls out the book he was reading before Raph came in and get's comfortable in his chair. Way too damn over protective or not--he's really glad he gets to work with Yoongi.
After a brief meeting with Lewis Chapman to discuss agents moving forward now that they are officially in the league—Taehyung, Mingyu and Jayce stop by a pub for some food and a few beers. Though the entire time they’re sitting there, Jayce’s knee is bobbing like crazy. Chewing on his nails and making both Taehyung and Mingyu have to stifle their laughs. “What’s going on with you?” “Nothing—just, it’s nothing.”
Mingyu squeezes his shoulder lightly, “You can talk to us about relationship stuff Jay. It doesn’t have to be some big secret. We already know you’re banging Wes.” Taehyung kicks Mingyu’s shin at the same time as Jayce refutes immediately
“There is no banging. But I do need help…it’s just—I don’t know when I’m being too much. Like now, I was thinking this pub is only a few minutes from our place, I could totally text him to come join us. We live together, I need to back the f*ck off.” he hesitates, “Right?”
“Everyone’s different—so it’s hard to speak for Wes. But typically when you like someone, you want to spend more time with them, not less.” Taehyung nods at Mingyu’s words adding his own,
“You’re gonna drive yourself crazy if you over think every little interaction. Especially living under the same roof. I promise it’ll go better than you think if you just let the cards fall into place. You like him, he likes you. If you wanna hangout, invite him.”
Mingyu sends Taehyung a wink, finger waving playfully, “Take it from the expert of swooning his roommate.” The little comment has Jayce cracking a genuine smile for the first time all afternoon. and it has Taehyung chucking the biggest tater tot on his plate at Mingyu's head.
Mingyu laughing so hard he has to catch his breath, “C’mon, how many more years before you stop getting all red in the face when I give you sh*t?
“A million wouldn’t be enough.” Taehyung grumbles. Jayce leans back with his arms crossed, curious look on his face, “In the spirit of opening up — I never would’ve known all that sh*t went down between you guys. You never acted any different with each other.”
Taehyung wants to crawl into a hole and die. Right now. Not really, he wants to get home to that fiancé of his, obviously. He just doesn’t want to have to think about the complicated beginning logistics of that fiancé becoming his.
Mingyu doesn't seem bothered though, stealing another tot from Taehyung's plate. "Told Xay this before too, dating Kook was more like-just having a really close friend.
He was also way different back then. The Kook I knew and the Kook you all know, since he's been with Tae, isn't the same guy." Taehyung feels so f*cking awkward.
Even though Mingyu continues, "In a good way though. Also, it was kinda funny watching Tae try to pretend he wasn't having a crisis every time Kook breathed his direction. After awhile I felt bad for the both of them. I love Kook and I love this f*ck face. So it is what it is."
Fist clenching in his lap, Taehyung feels a vicious cringe tremor throughout his entire body, "You guys can enjoy making fun of me right now. Just keep that energy when we talk about how two weeks later both of you were getting down and dirty with Xay at a party."
Mingyu is leaning forward, likely to object this sudden topic switch, when a soft gasp interrupts them. "Mingyu?" Taehyung watches the annoying ass smirk spread on Mingyu's face when the voice gasps even louder, "Taehyung, f*cking , Kim!"
As soon as he feels an excited hug being wrapped around his shoulder, Taehyung as politely as possible, removes her arms and shifts as close to Jayce as he can.
Mingyu resting his chin on his hands, smile growing even bigger, “Damn, Cece. Long time no see, how are you?”
Jayce catches onto Taehyung’s struggle, way too quickly. Face lighting up into a cackle! “Ohhh. I’m witnessing a Prom King and Queen reunion right before my eyes!”
Mingyu leans cackling like an evil, f*cking, witch, “Kook is gonna beat your ass for saying that and I’ll watch him do it.”
Cece’s face lights up, smile soft and warm as she takes the open seat next to Mingyu, “I saw the post about your engagement on instagram. He’s gorgeous—” she looks around and quickly stands up, “—oh god, is he here? I don’t want to steal his seat.”
Taehyung laughs at the panic on her face, “Nah, he’s gonna be here in a little bit though.” Mingyu gestures towards Jayce, “This is obviously, Cece. We went to school together forever.”
She snorts into her palm, “Yeah, until these two decided to up and move to the other side of the f*cking country. Only to end up right back at home after-all.”
There’s a tiny bit more small talk of introductions, before she fixes her eyes on Taehyung and Mingyu specifically, “How’s it feel officially being home? I’m surprised you two even come out in public anymore with your local celebrity status and all.”
“Definitely not celebrities. We’ll enjoy the luxuries of our favorite places as long as we possibly can.”
Jayce chuckles, “We should be good, there’s enough vets to get all of the attention. We should get to enjoy being under the rookie radar for a little while.”
All busy catching up and talking about university life, Jayce missed his phone buzzing. So he startles a bit ridiculously when there’s arms lightly resting on his shoulders.
Westley laughing beside him, “Did you not see me walk in? You looked right at me?” “I definitely did not.” Jayce stands up quickly. Guiding Westley into the chair he was in and stealing a new one from an empty table.
“This is Cece, Tae’s ex girlfriend. Cece, this is um—” he freezes. Jayce gets an annoyed elbow to his side, “I’m Westley, who apparently is so forgettable the guy I’m dating doesn’t even know my name.”
Jayce flicks him right on the forehead, “I do know your name! I didn’t know if I could call you my boyfriend or not!” Westley raises a hand stopping him at once, leaning forward and giving Taehyung the nastiest look, “I’m sorry, did Jayce say this is your ex-girlfriend?”
“Oh my god.” Taehyung drops his forehead to the table. While Cece fills the tense air, “I see Tae is as fun to tease as ever. That was years ago.” Her hand extends to Westley, who is hesitant to shake it. Though he ends up doing so anyway.
Not without leaning behind Jayce’s chair and whispering to Taehyung, “Does Kook know she’s here?”
“Of course he does! I texted him as soon as she showed up.”
Her face flushes, “I’m sorry, I was just really excited to see old friends. I didn’t—I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.” Right at that moment Jungkook walks through the pub doors. Excited smile on his face as he hurries over to them, greeted by Taehyung’s hands on his waist and soft kiss to his lips—he barely gets to the middle of his rant about the asshole from this morning when his eyes land on the girl standing awkwardly beside the table.
“Hi?” he looks around at the rest of them, who have horrible poker faces. Taehyung’s hands squeeze his hips a little tighter, “Remember those pictures my parents love to show you of me with that stupid hair cut and acne all over my face?”
Jungkook nods slowly, eyes widening as he laughs, “ Oh , is this Cece?” The entire table seems to be holding their breath. Which has Jungkook feeling a little weird. “Did something happen before I got here?”
“No!” Mingyu says quickly. Jayce filling in, “Just, y’know, exes, awkward…”
Jungkook’s eyes roll, heavily , offering a kind smile to the girl who looks like she’d rather be anywhere than here in this moment, “I’m Jungkook, Taehyung’s fiancé.”
“I know! You’re like all over his instagram.” blushing as she waves her hands in front of her, “I mean that positively! It’s super cute! My mom is obsessed with you two.”
Jungkook is too busy giggling, so Taehyung has no choice but to hook a finger at his belt and tug him down into his lap. “You can finish telling me your story baby—what happened with some asshole this morning?”
The entire table tunes in. Attentively listening to what happened, when the rest of their food and another round of beers is delivered. Cece’s phone ringing interrupting the conversation, “Oh sh*t, I totally forgot I’m supposed to be meeting someone across the street!”
She jumps up and waves to them all, “It was nice meeting the three of you and catching up with everyone. Maybe we’ll see each other around at some point.” She’s hardly out of ear shot, when Jayce turns to Jungkook, “Are you in a super good mood or what?”
“Huh? I mean. Yeah, I am, but not for any particular reason. Why do you ask?” Jungkook makes this ridiculous noise as he finishes the food in his mouth.
“Did you guys expect me to come in here and go all jealous psycho and yell at the girl? For f*cks sake, Taehyung may as well have been a baby when they dated.”
His drink is empty so he sips from Taehyung’s instead, “We literally just signed paperwork to put in an offer on a house—I’m not worried about a childhood ex and I’m kind of offended that you all thought I would be.”
Mingyu looks appalled at the new information. “What the hell, Tae, how do you not share that? You’re buying a whole damn house? That’s huge news!”
“We aren’t buying anything yet… that’s why I didn’t mention it. We’ve only made an offer, I’m not getting my hopes up after all the warnings our realtor gave us.”
Jungkook however, is already showing Westley and Jayce pictures of it. Talking all wistfully and excited and calling it ‘perfect’. So much so that Taehyung realizes he will have to do anything to make sure they get it.
On their drive home, with Taehyung’s hand tight on his thigh, Jungkook speaks softly, “Can I ask you something?”
Taehyung squeezes the skin beneath his palm playfully, “Anything, you know this baby love. What’s up?”
“Cece doesn’t seem like the mean girl cheerleader that Skyler and well, everyone else, acted like she was.” How many cringeworthy conversations will he be forced to endure in one day? Taehyung is surely reaching his limit.
But he laughs anyway, “I mean I haven’t talked to the girl in more than four years, but she did seem different. Maybe university softened her up.” he tilts his head “but she really was a bitch back then. Namjoon-hyung, hated her. He kept trying to get Yoongi to break us up.”
Jungkook muffles a giggle. Looking out the window when Taehyung tugs at his thigh, "What's so funny?" "Nothing." "Spill, little demon. I'll pull this car over."
Jungkook takes hold of the hand on his thigh, bringing it to his lips as he laughs through the kiss he presses to it, "You've got an extensive history of awkward dating encounters, baby. Your first childhood boyfriend, became your brother's high school sweetheart and husband. Then you know, mean girl cheerleader and high school jock cliché. Followed up by older man off and on again relationship, who is about to be your agent for your literal career. We obviously can't forget the whole, stealing your bestfriend's boyfriend, thing."
Taehyung just stares, jaw on the floor as Jungkook dumps all of his dirty laundry out between them. "I thought the one person I'd be safe from today, was my sweetest love. Clearly, it really is a demon sitting beside me right now."
He moves his hand so that their fingers are tangled together tightly, pulling Jungkook's hand into his own space as he tsks, "You don't really have room to talk on that last one baby--or do I need to remind you?"
"remind me how?" Jungkook is giggling hysterically now. "Are you going to move us back into the dorms to teach me a lesson?"
Home and parked in the driveway Taehyung reaches over gently. Fingers curled around Jungkook's chin while his thumb drags around the curve of his lips. Uses his thumb to pull at the plush bottom lip, smirking as he does,
"I have the image of you with all those damn pastries engraved in my brain." Jungkook is doing everything in his power to pretend he isn't flustered, "That's the lesson? A reminder of me being a pig?" Taehyung brings him as close as possible, without letting their lips touch
"I also remember the way you looked at me. How badly you wanted me. Even then. You can make fun of me all you want, baby love-but we both know that at any given moment I could've had you exactly where I wanted you."
The fluster is impossible to hide now. Jungkook's nose and cheeks and ears and neck, burning bright red. "And what about it? This is silly anyway. The past should stay in the past."
Taehyung kisses him to silence, voice a low whisper as he chuckles all the same, "Of course, my baby. Past in the past . Whatever you say."
❅❅❅
“Oh, hold on honey. I’m actually going to drop off Hyeri today.”
Haejin continues helping Hyeri put on her rain coat, brows raising as he questions, “Is there a reason for why you are suddenly switching up our routine? It’s completely out of your way to go to the summer camp, angel.”
Hand gentle on her husband’s cheek she smiles, “I know, but somethings are worth going out of the way for… just this once.”
The man laughs as Hyeri looks up at him just as confused, but excited none the less to ride in “Mama’s fancy car to camp.” As she takes off running down the hallway to say goodbye to Taehyung and Jungkook, Haejin get’s a tight hold of his wife’s waist, eyeing her suspiciously sharp gaze, “No claws.”
“What do you take me for? There will be children present.” Taehee kisses him softly, “Have a good day, I’ll text you when I get to the office.”
He watches the girls walk out to the car and shakes his head in laughter. Laughter at his stunningly gorgeous wife, who has the audacity to question where their kids get their fire from, as if she isn’t the fuel source her damn self.
Hyeri is all a bundle of energy this morning.
Bouncing on the balls of her feet as they wait for the camp instructors to open the front doors and allow them in. Her and Luca and some of their other friends talking about the big soccer game they’re going to play today after lunch and pre deciding their teams.
Luisa laughs beside her, “I don’t know how they have the energy. Soccer during the week, hockey on the weekends…what are we going to do when they start having real games?”
Taehee straightens the sunglasses on her face, not yet. Not yet. Not yet. She only nods slightly, “This is my third go-round with a rambunctious child in sports, you get used to it.”
“Oh, I can only imagine the handful Taehyung caused you as a child! He has so much energy on the ice even as an adult. I’m sure it was much worse back then.”
Thinking back, Taehee almost feels like a moron for not catching onto it sooner. There’s been countless times when Luisa has gone out of her way to mention Taehyung specifically. But that’s nothing new, Taehee and Haejin both are used to Taehyung being the center of conversation amongst all of their friends. It’s one of their most incredible sources of pride—but right now she just feels so infuriated. Watching the kids be guided into the camp building, she turns around quickly, “He absolutely was a handful and still has been up until our sweet Jungkookie came along. Noone could take care of my wild boy like he does. I’m so grateful. Both of my boys were blessed to find loving partners. Which allows Haejin and I all the time in the world to keep Hyeri in line.”
It’s humorous, the way she has no ability to conceal her emotions. Huffing under her breath as they walk towards their cars, “I saw Jungkook and a friend at the G.O.A.L event. They have quite the attitudes on them, those two—must be a New York thing.”
Her heels damn near screech on the sidewalk with how quickly Taehee moves in front of Luisa. Bringing her to a complete stop as she lifts her glasses to the top of her head, ensuring every last bit of her words are heard, and felt, as she glares, “I too would have an attitude if a woman so carelessly expressed interest in my partner. Then to have the audacity to act as if they were the ones being rude? I’m almost impressed Luisa. If not so disgusted by your behavior. So let me make something very clear. The moment you make my kids feel uncomfortable, you are no longer welcome in my home or around my family. Unfortunately, that includes Luca. So keep that in mind the next time you think it’s a wise idea to speak anything other than kindly to Jungkook. Have I made myself clear?”
Luisa’s jaw falls open, sputtering over herself as she clutches the strap of her purse, “I’m not sure what you think took place but surely there’s a misunderstanding–I was only…”
“Are you calling my son a liar?” Taehee’s brow raises as she smirks, stepping close enough that the pointed toe of her shoes force Luisa’s sneakers to take a step backwards, “Surely, you aren’t. You can’t possibly be that stupid. So let me end this conversation here, because Hyeri loves Luca and frankly I do too. I’d rather not cost them their friendship because you don’t know how to keep your eyes to yourself and your damn mouth shut.”
❅❅❅
Waking up to 156 unread text messages has Taehyung wanting to go right back to sleep. Unfortunately, he has no choice but to open them. Seeing as they are all from the brand new group messaging app Macy added them to at the event. He is particularly careful though, Jungkook is sleeping way too comfortably on his chest to risk waking him.
Keeps one hand gently tracing up and down his spine as he scrolls to the very top of the message log. Finds the brief introduction Macy made for them and the two other new players, Asa and Ran. They’re both on their second and third years in the league, which as much as he doesn’t want it to, adds even more pressure. As more talent comes up and players move around, the solid spots on the team will fill up and disappear in blinks of an eye.
When he and Mingyu talked over mentioning no trades to Lewis, they were expecting to be laughed at. Securing their first year with their request was a f*cking miracle but not something they will likely ever see again. If they want to stay here, they’re going to have to work ten times as hard as they ever have in their entire lives to prove that they deserve it.
He hadn’t realized his hand stopped it’s gentle grazing of Jungkook’s back, that is until the sleepy man grumbly reaches for his wrist, dragging it back to his shoulder and whining until Taehyung does it again. The text messages will have to wait, slips the phone under his pillow and brings both hands to rub over Jungkook’s shoulders, “You’re up early, baby”
“You stopped.”
Taehyung laughs softly, bringing his fingers into the messy black curls, “I’m so sorry, how dare I stop the prince’s morning massage. Please forgive me, your highness. It was a mistake I will surely never make again.”
“Good.” A sleepy eye opens as he smiles softly “I’ll pardon you just this once.”
Dragging their way into the kitchen, Taehyung finally decides to seriously go through the rest of the messages. Macy is requesting social media handles to be used for future posts and giving them information about dress requirements for their first practice next week. If he thought Coach Lee chose silly things to make them get dressed up for.
Having to wear a suit to a damn practice feels ridiculous. She mentions it’s only so she can make a cool video reel to share of the line up to give fans something to look forward to during the off-season. He thinks any hockey fan would much rather see some action shots during practice, but what does he know.
Looks up to where Jungkook is eating his second bowl of cereal, focusing on something intently on his laptop. “What do I have to do to get you to work your steaming magic on one of my suits before next Thursday?”
“Nothing—you know I love helping you with stuff like that—” he stops himself, finger to his lips as he makes an excited little noise, “Actually, you can agree to going to a Cubs game with Jayce and Wes this weekend! That would be perfect repayment!”
“And so it begins…” Taehyung sighs, head shaking as he shovels a spoonful of cookie shaped cereal into his mouth, “…fine. I guess I can sacrifice one day to help your little besties shake off their weirdness.”
Jungkook laughs all big and beautifully, typing something before looking back up to him. “They are seriously so weird. Seeing how Jayce is with Wes, makes me so curious how the hell he ended up in bed with Mingyu and Xaden but I also do not want a recap of that so I’m fine not knowing.”
“It was a game or something, I think is what he said.”
A cringeful tremor racks down Jungkook’s spine as he shakes his head, “Anyways, yes. You, me, the weirdos on a date this weekend. I’ll have your suit steamed and ready—but why?”
“Apparently the media girl wants to film us dressed up entering the facility to post to socials. It feels silly, I know they do that for games but for a practice? Come on.”
Shrugging, Jungkook leans back into his seat, glasses pressed high on his nose as he smirks, “I dunno baby, you look so good in them. You might as well make them your everyday attire. I would happily steam them every night if it means getting to see you in it.”
When that beautiful fiancé of his gets up to drop his bowl to the sink, Taehyung can’t resist the urge to get hands on him. Lips soft against his ear as he whispers softly, “You’d only want to take it off of me as soon as it’s on, it’d be a waste of your time, baby love.”
Jungkook’s arms curl around his neck once he turns, sweet smile on his face, “Anything that results in you over or under me, is never a waste of time.”
Taehyung’s phone starts ringing as soon as Jungkook gets out of the car to head into work for the day. Isaak has called him several times, but their other captain, Ivan, has not. So Taehyung is a bit nervous to answer it. Knots tangling up viciously in his gut,
“Hello?”
“Hey Kim number one, how the hell are ya?”
He laughs, hoping it hides the nerves in his voice, “I’m good, man. What’s going on?”
“Oh nothing, I just figured noone’s mentioned to you rooks about the training camps this summer. There’s a few of them going on. Most of the team is heading to Minnesota, but there’s one in Boston and Toronto too. Isaak and I are headed to Toronto. There’ll be all kinds of guys from the league, the AHL and even a few college boys that could swing the money to train. You don’t have to or anything–but I think it’s one of the best ways to get ready for the season and we train really hard together for a few weeks. If you’re interested, let me know and I can make arrangements and figure out the fees and stuff.”
He knew there were training camps, obviously–but he didn’t realize it was like…an unspoken thing everyone goes to. Especially with the way Lewis talked about local trainings during off-season. It’s definitely not something he can decide immediately, “Can I call you back?”
“Yeah, yeah, no worries–I’ve gotta call Kim number two and Jayce. I figure that one will want to go with us to Toronto and train with his brother. But yeah, just let me know in the next few days if you want to get signed up and Isaak and I will do all the dirty work for you guys since it’s your first time.”
The call ends and Taehyung has no choice but to dive face first into the couch.
He’s so happy.
He literally gets to live out his dream–but he never thought about all of the ways that living out your dream can suck.
Yoongi taking the day off to go with Namjoon to Hana’s doctor’s appointment makes for a very quiet day in the shop. So quiet that Jungkook and Jimin end up sitting at the front desk together, doodling away. Well, Jimin is working on an actual sketch for someone coming in later today.
Jungkook is putting his imaginations to paper in doodle form. He knows that they’re not supposed to get too excited—but he can’t help the way his chest flutters when he thinks about if their offer is accepted. All of the things he wants to do and the countless ways they will get to make the house their home.
The eyes peeking over his shoulder have him bashfully trying to cover his page, “I’m not snooping at your sketches!”
“You’re the one who prints the stencils you don’t have to snoop.” Jimin ruffles his hair with a laugh, “What are you drawing?”
“Tae and I put an offer in on a house—so just, stuff like that.”
He didn’t know this topic was a source of contention. But the way Jimin’s smile falters before coming back as he eagerly asks all kinds of questions about the place. Only after Jungkook has shown him all of the pictures, does Jimin sigh. “Seokjin’s been talking about buying a house. But—”
“Don’t do this again!” Jungkook interrupts him. “Don’t let your doubts or strange expectations ruin something good. What you three have is really good, Min.”
Jimin’s smile grows a bit wider, “I’m not, Kook.” chuckling as he drops his pencil. “My problem is that, I kinda want to move in with him? I’ve been thinking about getting a place too. But I don’t know how to bring it up. Also, I know Sky isn’t ready for that step—So I don’t want to make him feel like he’s on the outside if I did move in with Seokjin. It’s just complicated. But yeah, I’m definitely not going to do anything to f*ck it up. At least not intentionally.”
With all of the times he’s been around them, Jungkook has been impressed by how well they work. Especially with all of the issues between Jimin and Seokjin and Skyler before—he won’t ever admit it, but he didn’t picture this throuple lasting a month. Let alone as many months as it has. Taking into account Jimin and Seokjin’s years long history—it wouldn’t be strange for them to live together. But Jungkook knows nothing about throuples and he definitely doesn’t want to give bad advice, so he just shrugs, “Why don’t you talk to Yoon about it? He and Joon lived together before they even met Hobi. I know it’s not the same thing—but maybe, maybe Hobi is the better one to ask actually. That may help you decide how to approach it.”
Jimin runs hands through his hair, “I actually had planned on talking to Hob about it, but then he had to go on another travel assignment, so here we are.”
Jungkook snorts, “You act like we don’t have cell phones”
“I have too many questions for a phone call, I need to take him out to dinner as payment for the interview I’m basically going to be putting him through.” Jimin laughs quietly, “Hey, I never did say thank you to you. By the way. I know I was kinda bitter about the harsh truths you kept giving me—but if you never told me things the way you did, I don’t know if I would’ve made any progress. Definitely not enough to get myself a spot in Seokjin’s life again. And Skyler’s for that matter. So, yeah, thanks for that.”
Focusing back on their doodles, Jungkook still doesn’t know what about him made Jimin seek advice anyway. Considering all of his relationship experience has taken place over the last three years. But he’s really happy to have been able to help people he’s grown to love, get to a better place.
And he’s extra excited to go home and cuddle up to his hot fiancé after work today, but what else is new.
Walking into the shop at the end of the night, Taehyung is enjoying the sight of Jungkook tidying up way too much. “Oh I’m sorry, we’re closing for the night—“ those round eyes light up as soon as they land on Taehyung. “I didn’t even text you yet!”
“I know, I was getting hangry. If you werent ready to leave I was going to pick up food while I wait.” Jungkook grabs his bag and turns off the small lamp at the desk, “Nope, I’m ready. Jimin literally just walked out the back door.”
“Why didn’t you text me sooner than? You would’ve been here alone.” Eyes roll as he leans into Taehyung’s side, “and I would’ve been just fine. How was your day? Do anything exciting without me?”
No. He absolutely did not. All he did was wallow in agony thinking about leaving for weeks. He waits until they’re seated inside a cheap burger place, feet tangled under the table.
Hand gently reaching to grab Jungkook’s on top of it. Thumb tracing the ring on his hand, “So apparently the summer training camps aren’t really… local. There’s main ones in several cities but—“
“none of those cities are Chicago I’m assuming?” Jungkook smiles softly “It’s okay, I already expected to basically lose you once you go active next week. This is apart of the job.”
Taehyung leans down to kiss his hand before speaking softly, “I’m worried about the house. If things start moving and progressing while I’m gone—“
“Paperwork can be done remotely and I have more than enough people here to help with anything I need.” Jungkook doesn’t mention at all the way his heart cracks just a tiny bit at the thought of doing this thing they’ve been looking forward to without him physically here. He won’t give Taehyung any reason to feel guilty about his literal job.
“Don’t stress about this, or the house, or me, okay? Where are the training locations at? Do you have to go to all of them or??” Taehyung explains the varying locations and that it doesn’t really matter where they go but that its important they go somewhere .
He mentions, reluctantly that Fulton and Jayce already said yes to training in Toronto with Vance. So visibly nervous for Jungkook’s reaction. Which is why he has no choice but to smile, “Any of those options is still away from home, so if you want to head to Toronto. Do it.”
❅❅❅
Jungkook is in a deep sleep on the sofa while Taehyung is making way too much noise on the NBA game he’s playing with Mingyu and Fulton. The headset he’s wearing may as well be pointless when he makes as much sound as he does. Haejin sighs through his chuckle as he goes to the front door that’s had knocking for five minutes Taehyung didn’t seem to hear. “Hello, is there a Jungkook Jeon at this residence?”
Of course, that somehow gets Taehyung’s attention. Headset coming off, he’s right behind Haejin in an instant. Speaking before Haejin can stop him, “Who's asking and why?”
The man nods and smiles softly, “My name is Hank. I do apologize, I can only discuss the matters of my visit with Mr. Jungkook Jeon. If this isn’t a good time or if you have a phone number I can reach him at—”
“Jungkook is my fiancé and he isn’t home right now. So do you want to tell me what this is about or not?” A business card is placed in Taehyung’s hand as the man nods, “Please give this information to Mr. Jeon and have him call me when he has a chance. Thank you.”
Haejin closes the door behind him, taking the card Taehyung holds out easily, “Ah.” “What—what is it?” He exhales softly, “It would appear Yeseo must’ve left something to him in her will. This is a law firm who specifically deals with end of life processes, living wills, etc.”
Taehyung’s eyes roll so hard, Haejin pinches his cheek, “They’re gonna get stuck like that. Stop it.” “Every. f*cking. Time. We get to a place of peace and calm, this wicked witch comes barreling in. I swear to god it’s like she has a timer—”
Haejin takes his hand and squeezes it gently, “It’s okay. She can’t harm Jungkookie in the form of a will and he doesn’t even have to accept it. It’s entirely up to him.”
It’s obvious in his eyes that Taehyung wants to argue that statement, very much so. But all he does is angrily plop onto the floor, returning Jungkook’s hand that’s dangling off the sofa to his shoulder and getting right back into his noise making.
Taking the business card, Haejin goes into his wife’s study where they locked the letters and book he was given at the hospital. He figures better to give Jungkook the opportunity to deal with all of it one last time–than holding onto little pieces to sprinkle out as his life goes on. Because Taehyung is right about one thing, every time Jungkook gets settled again, those people have a real knack for f*cking everything up.
When Jungkook opens his eyes, Taehyung is asleep on top of him. Which immediately makes for the best way to wake up ever. Fingers running through his hair when Haejin’s voice calls distantly from the kitchen, “Jungkookie is that you getting up?”
Grumbling out a tiny, “Mhm.” He hears Haejin laughing, “Can you come in here for a minute? If the big baby will let you.”
The big baby, does not want to let him, apparently. Taehyung’s arms and legs holding him in place. “No. Comfortable. You stay.” Jungkook waits for a few minutes, he’s pretty damn comfortable himself. When Taehyung finally starts stretching. Face buried into his neck that quickly turns into chill inducing kisses, that Jungkook doesn’t have the power to turn away.
Especially not when those lips make their way up to his own, long deliberate pecks slipping into a dangerous territory very quickly. As his jaw falls slack and Taehyung takes the opening eagerly to taste him. Fingers digging into his hips and pressing him into this sofa as if he has no care for anything at all. Guiding Taehyung off of him was torture. But he did it, no matter how reluctant.
Scrolls through his phone just for a few moments, long enough to catch his breath before Haejin’s head peaks around from the kitchen, “I was wondering if you fell asleep again, c’mere kiddo.”
Joining him, his eyes immediately fall to the kitchen table, where there is a business card alongside the two letters and book he gave Haejin months ago. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing’s going on, but a man came by the house earlier wanting to speak to you. Taehyung took his business card. He wouldn’t give us any information, but judging by the firm he represents–it’s likely that Yeseo left something to you in her will.”
“Of course she did.” Jungkook shakes his head as he laughs, complete disbelief on his face. “So what do I have to do?”
“Well, that’s up to you. You certainly don’t have to contact him and they would just move her will on to the next of kin. But I only brought these things out because I figured if you’re opening up that chapter again, maybe it’s better to do it all at once? Or if you want to close it all, we can close it all at once too. Whatever you want to do.”
Taehyung is leaned against the wall, staring at the both of them. Jungkook isn’t sure what he wants to do, but if he’s being completely honest, he did tell Seojoon at his last appointment that he wishes he didn’t throw away those letters. Simply because he wants to know what Jungsik thought was so important in them to bring to the hospital while Yeseo was dying. But sitting in front of them, he’s just not sure at all if that’s really what he wants. He’s not even sure if he cares anymore.
He does however pick up the business card, flipping it over before sighing, “I think at least I should call him, only because if she left something for my grandma, I know she would want it. I'd hate to be the reason she doesn’t get it.”
“That’s understandable.” Haejin smiles at him, sliding a smoothie across the table that Jungkook takes happily. “Do you wanna call him now? Or I can have mom see if she can set up an appointment and go with you to talk to him?”
“I’ll just call, hopefully that’s all I have to do.” When the number is dialed, he feels Taehyung’s arms wrapping over his shoulders. Head rested atop of his own when a voice comes through, “Family Rights Attorneys at Law, this is Hank.”
“Hello, I believe you were trying to get in contact with me, my name is Jungkook Jeon.” “Oh, yes yes, one second. Let me get into my office.” There’s a bunch of rustling and foot steps and the sound of a door closing before the guy comes back on the line.
Only after answering a string of questions to verify who he is, does the man get to the chase, “I was contacted by a firm out in California, regarding the last will and testament of a Yeseo Jeon, formerly Yeseo Chun. As her only child, you are the first beneficiary listed so I would be going over the details of that with you right now, if you have the time?”
“Um…okay, that’s-yeah, that’s fine. But, can you tell me who the other beneficiaries listed are? Or have you contacted them already?”
“Oh, well there actually weren’t any other beneficiaries listed. It was explicitly stated in her will for all assets to be distributed to her only child. So following my conversation with you, any assets that remain would be sent down the line of kin, should it be necessary.”
Jungkook sucks in a heavy breath. Anxiety quickly bubbling up and spreading throughout his entire body. “Alright then, go ahead.”
“There is quite a bit listed here so bare with me as I review everything outlined. First and foremost we have the trust account at SF Holdings. I can send over secure documents for you to fill out and return in order to move all management rights of the account into your name. And then we have–”
Jungkook already feels a migraine coming on, “I’m sorry, what exactly is the account? What would I be taking over management rights of?”
“Ah, it was an account where she had funneled investment profits and various other funds into over her career. It’s grown exponentially and is currently valued at just under two hundred thousand dollars.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Jungkook laughs “Um, no thank you. You can pass those rights onto her husband. I don’t want anything to do with their investments or business handlings.”
The guy seems appalled, judging by the silence, before he chuckles, “Alright, well I suppose that handles the next item on the list which is the company she manages. Seeing as there was no estate executor priorly arranged, all documents that we have do point in your direction. Should you forfeit those as well, we would then move down the line as well. But this does also include the majority shares of the company as well, which will otherwise be forfeited to the board–” Tone dull, Jungkook feels his fists clenching, “Forfeit it. Next.”
Taehyung pulls up the chair beside him, lifting Jungkook’s legs across his lap and massaging at one of his calves. “Mr. Jeon, I need you to understand that as soon as you grant the permission to forfeit rights to these assets, there is nothing I can do to reverse that action.”
Fists clenching even tighter, Jungkook just knows his voice comes out harsher than he means it to. “I understand, very well. Thank you. Carry on.” One of Taehyung’s hands gently works between his fist, forcing it open rather gently before locking their fingers together.
“Her property in San Francisco will automatically be transferred into the rights of her husband, due to his name on the deed. But there are two vehicles she owned which would be put into your name.”
“Pass those on as well.”
The man exhales a bit dramatically, it’s obvious he was expecting this call to go differently, “Finally, we have four different banking accounts. The value of all of her active stocks have since been sold and funneled into the primary savings account she held. The other three accounts have ranging balances. The total of all accounts, after the funds used to finance her funeral services, has a sum of 2.95 million dollars.”
Taehyung’s hand suddenly stopping it’s movement tells him that his fiance heard that too. Both of their eyes nearly popping out as he asks softly, “I’m sorry, you said how much?”
“2.95 million.” he clears his throat, “There are also various accumulations of additional assets with lower values that have been itemized. I will send over the documents to the email address you gave me. There is a separate document for each asset that you need to sign whether you are waiving or taking control of. So please be sure to go over them thoroughly. If you would prefer to come in office, I am happy to help you fill out each document.”
Jungkook can hardly breathe, as he looks at Taehyung and Haejin both. Fingers tightening around the phone, “Maybe if I could come in office to fill them, that would be best? It also gives me some times to properly think and discuss things with my family.”
“Of course, that’s usually what happens.” The man laughs. “Let’s aim for Friday at nine a.m, does that work?”
“Yes, it does. Thank you for your time.”
“Of course, Mr. Jeon. Have a great day.”
Haejin takes a seat across from him, “So, what did he say?” Taehyung whistles from beside him. Head shaking as he waits for Jungkook to respond, “Um, basically, she left well, everything to me. including a whole lot of money, two cars and her company to me. Specifically.”
Jungkook rubs his hands over his face. “At first I wanted to tell him no to all of it. But…if any of it could help y grandma–after all she went through in the first place. I’d like to at least be able to do that for her.”
It’s evident Haejin has thoughts on the matter that he’s keeping to himself. Jungkook hates that, brows furrowing as he huffs, “Pops if you have something to say please tell me.”
“I don’t.” he smiles, genuinely “I was only thinking that after everything. All of the hard work from the time you were just a little one. If the only thing she left you with were some finances that could help you breathe easier while you’re in graduate school–maybe it wouldn’t be a horrible thing to accept them. Of course, you know that you need nothing from her and will be well taken care of regardless. I personally, just feel that it’s the least she could do. For all you’ve endured at her hands.”
If Jungkook thinks about Haejin’s words, a part of him agrees. But the part that’s louder, is the shrill voice he hears saying ‘I gave you everything.’ if he were to take even a single penny from her. And he refuses to let anything in his future be tainted by her ever again. Reaching for the letters, he folds the envelopes over in his hands. Knees bobbing as he grabs the book too. Turning to Taehyung nervously, “I think I need to go see my grandma. Is that okay?”
“You don’t need my permission, let’s go–” Taehyung stops himself, turning around to see Jungkook gnawing on his lip. He steps forward to press a soft kiss to his forehead, “You wanna go alone, is that it?”
All Jungkook can do is nod and Taehyung doesn’t mind. Okay, he does mind. Only because he’s got no clue what those useless wastes of space would’ve put on those letters–but the fact that Jungkook wants to open them at all shows how much he’s overcome. So he pouts, “Can I at least wait in the car? I won’t bother you guys the whole time. I promise.”
Hiding his face in Taehyung’s neck, Jungkook barely mutters a whispered, “thank you” because anything else feels like too much right now.
❅❅❅
“Hi my baby boy.” her hug is impossibly warm. So warm Jungkook almost bursts into tears immediately, “Why is our superstar staying in the car? I made some of those sweet rice cakes he loves.”
Jungkook smiles softly at her, “He’ll come inside in a little bit. I wanted to talk to you about some stuff.” "Well come on in then, what's on the agenda today? Are we getting more wedding planning done?"
Shaking his head, Jungkook opens up his bag, laying out the book and envelopes on her coffee table he's knelt in front of. "I was going to read these today...and I just felt like, I could only read them over here. Is that okay?"
She moves from her favorite chair that she sits in all day long and kneels beside him, arm tight around his shoulders, "Anything that you ever need from me, is always okay."
Jungkook’s fingers tremble when he tries to open the envelopes. Jiah’s gentle hand reaching forward to tear them open. Leaving each one laid out before him.
To Jungkook
Love, Mom
There’s really no good way to start this, so I suppose I’ll just get right into it. Your grandmother gave me so much freedom. Too many freedoms. At one point I remember being a young girl who wanted nothing more than to be successful and make her mother proud. But then I was the Korean girl. The one who didn’t look like all of the others in my classes. God forsaken private school, she mustn’t have thought about the way I would be treated in there. It’s not entirely her fault, she meant well. Soon enough though, it wasn’t the school or the classmates that I hated, it was myself. I hated my hair and my face and the slight accent when I said certain words. I hated the smell when I opened the metal containers she packed my lunch in. So I told her. I wanted to use more English at home and I didn’t want disgusting smelling foods anymore and I certainly didn’t want to be associated with anything else that was weird or different.
I wanted to blend in. Desperately.
So desperately that I couldn’t tell you at what point I entirely lost sight of myself. Because suddenly, I didn’t really think about mom anymore. Not in the way I did when I was younger. I probably resented her the moment I realized she put me in an environment systemically designed to cast me on the outside. My motive was pure spite at that point. I wanted to reach the top because I could. Because I was smart and hard working and I deserved it. More so than the demonic girls I grew up alongside.
Insert me, a college girl, for the first time not feeling like an outcast because my peers were a ridiculously diverse group of people. The funny part is, as soon as I found a group of Asian Americans in my university, I clung to them. I was just so relieved to not be the sore thumb but it didn’t change much on the inside. It makes sense that by then I was already too far gone, too rotten. It’s easy to say that now, as I replay everything but back then it didn’t feel that way. I felt conflicted.
A part of me wanted to be tied to my culture, to my mother. But the part of me that won was the part that hated her for ever leaving me in a place like this to begin with.
What was the point? She always loved to remind me of how hard she worked so I could have a life here. A life of what? A life of being ridiculed and made fun of my entire life? Anyways, the point is that I was in between a lot of things.
Dong-wook was one of them.
I’m not going to sit here and wax pathetic poetic over a man who didn’t care about me back then and doesn’t care about me now. I have no explanation for why I’ve even entertained his presence since I thought he made contact with you. Probably that stupid little girl who thought she was going to marry the football player with the pretty smile, is still somewhere deep inside of me doing cartwheels thinking it’s some type of fate bringing us back into each other’s lives. Even if I’m laughing to myself while writing this. Even as I know that Dong-wook would never care for me even a fraction of the way your father does.
It’s easy to hate Dong-wook.
Easy to despise him for the things you already know and so many things that you don’t.
But the truth is that I will never be able to hate him, because if there hadn’t been him, I wouldn’t have you.
I expect you would have ripped this up or burned it by now, but if for some reason you’re still reading. I don’t really have a whole lot to explain my actions. I wanted, no, I needed you to be different than me. I needed you to have all of the things that I didn’t. And in doing that, I realize now that I took so many things away.
I didn’t want you to have ‘friends’ or get close to the kids at school, that’s true. Because I was absolutely terrified of you coming home one day crying because they made fun of your eye shape or your weird name. But your father wanted that name for you so badly, I had no choice but to permit it. How could I reject him of anything when I was willingly handing over a child I knew wasn’t his to begin with?
You and that damn sport, that you wanted so badly to play—and I’m sorry for ripping you from it, really, I am. But you have to understand that at the time, I was looking at the numbers. You weren’t very strong as a young boy and you cried…so much. So out of the entire country, of boys your age who would grow up with the same dream, what were the chances? There are roughly 1400 men that play for Major League Baseball, do you know how many of them are Asian? 24. I know you saw an evil woman who wouldn’t let you play your fun game but all I was trying to do was save your broken heart.
My entire life, from the furthest back that I can remember, was lived with a broken, aching heart.
And then came that boy.
My god, I felt as if you threw me right into the pits of hell when you came home talking about that f*cking boy. The ghost of my past, Dong-wook himself, resurrecting in the form of an all-star hockey player, solely with the purpose of destroying my son just like he destroyed me. I will acknowledge the wrongs in my feelings, but I can’t help the fact that I felt them. My desire to keep you from feeling all of the same heart breaks as I did, was genuine. You don’t have to understand it—Looking back, I barely understand how I didn’t realize what I was doing wrong.
The intentions weren’t abuse.
Two weeks before you were born, I told your father I wanted to give you up for adoption. I told him that I was just finally reaching the stage of getting a promotion from the internship I graduated from. It was a highly paid profession in an amazing field.
I couldn’t give that up.
The day I made that decision, I received a letter informing me I had been terminated and no longer needed going forward. They sent what was in my desk to my mother’s house in a tiny brown box address to Ms. Chun. As if I hadn’t been working in that office for four years. As if I hadn’t busted my ass for that promotion.
It was discrimination of some kind, be it for the pregnancy or the fact that I was a woman, an Asian woman even worse. There was no reason to terminate me and they did it anyway. So I gave birth. You were born and you had those big round eyes and just a few little straggled strands of hair and I told your father I wanted to start our own investment company.
So we did.
And it was all for you.
Everything, I have done since the moment you were born, was for you.
I’m sorry that I did it horribly.
I’m sorry for all of the ways that I hurt you.
I’m sorry that in trying to give you what I didn’t have, I took away everything else.
None of that was my intention and there’s no coming back from it all at this point. I probably won’t ever send this letter off to you. Simply because I’m prideful and I know that nothing I put to this paper will change the damage I’ve already done.
You will forever hate me for the things I have done.
Just like I will forever hate my mother for giving me this life to begin with.
I guess that’s the sh*tty thing about generations—in rash attempts at fixing what the previous ones broke, we only ever end up doing more damage.
For what it’s worth, I love you. I’ve loved you since I first felt your foot jam into my ribcage at three in the morning on the fourth of July because you didn’t like the sound of the fireworks. I think you’re the only person in this entire world that I have any love in my heart left for.
And I broke you anyway.
To My Son,
- Jungsik
I’ve started and restarted this letter countless times. I’ve written you letters before we were ever given this assignment. I’ve drafted emails and text messages. Recorded voice memos that I deleted immediately. I’ve bought plane tickets to Chicago and New York and Chicago and New York and Philadelphia and New York.
You’ve given me a whole lot of the feelings buried in your heart in regards to the way we raised you, so I hope that if you consider reading this. That you’ll give me a proper chance to give you the feelings in mine.
When I met your mother, I knew from the first moment I saw her that I wanted to spend the entirety of my life holding her hand. She was beautiful and brilliant and so funny I could never keep myself from smiling around her. I don’t think you’ve ever gotten to see that side of her. The woman I fell so deeply in love with, disappeared rather quickly. At the snap of an evil finger, she was gone. Broken into pieces by a man I hated and I took advantage of the opportunity. She was everything I ever wanted and I wanted her.
Not long after we started seeing each other, she tells me she’s pregnant. I think in the back of my mind, I knew. I saw her screaming and crying outside of Dong-wook’s dorm and convinced myself it was just remnants of anger. Carried her back to my own and held her as she cried herself to sleep over another man and I never stopped holding her.
I’ve held her in so many tantrums, fits of rage, crying and screaming. I’ve screamed along side her too, I know that. I’m in no way excusing anything she ever did to you and I’m certainly not excusing my part in it all. I imagine that she’ll tell you some parts of why she was, the way that she was in her letter, so I won’t go too deeply into a story that isn’t mine to share. But I am selfishly hoping, wishing, that if you do read her letter—that you can even slightly see, why I didn’t stop things sooner.
I watched her be broken and I heard her cry over all of the ways she wanted to be different. All of the things she would do to prevent you from being broken too. I stood by her side as we built a company from the ground up, with the sole purpose of having big shiny doors for you to one day walk into with your head held high because it was yours.
Nowhere in all of our planning, did either of us consider the way your years away at University would’ve effected our family. I noticed it the first year you were gone. When you didn’t come back for any of the small breaks throughout the year. I wondered, “Why wouldn’t my boy want to come home? Does he really not miss me at all?”
The summer time came and I was angry.
Your mother cried every single night of your first year at college and I couldn’t believe how ungrateful you were. To run off and pretend as if she didn’t exist after I watched the things she did in the name of you — I was blinded too. Blinded by her and blinded by myself. My own selfish emotions. I wondered if it was because of me. I wondered if somewhere, some tiny part of you that was Dong-wook through and through, was trying to break her again. Even repeating those split second thoughts right now into this letter makes me sick to my stomach.
I have replayed the day that I took you from the hospital and demanded you into the clinic so many times, it’s as if I relive it every single day. Because as angry and bitter as I was. At you and your mother and Dong-wook and myself for being so willfully naiive. The moment that test result came in, my heart was broken. Not because you weren’t mine, like I said, I’m pretty sure I already knew, even if I hadn’t admitted it to myself.
I was heart broken because my biggest fear was about to come true, you were going to find out that there was nothing tying you to me and I was going to lose the only reason I woke up in the morning. By the time this all happened, I was already planning to leave your mother. I decided I wanted to leave her on a random day during your second year at NYU. When she and your grandma got into a brutal fight over a phone call from you.
Your mother was so concerned with the fact that you called Jiah instead of us—she didn’t even bother to ask any of the things that mattered.
How you were?
How your classes were going?
If you had any friends?
If you were happy?
It’s ironic, that the entire time I wondered if you were happy, I was too much of a f*cking idiot to realize I was apart of the reason you weren’t.
So then it was out, you knew. And when we all fought in the kitchen and your mother ripped your sweatshirt, those teary eyes that you looked up at me with are burned into my memory. Because it was as if in that exact moment I was replaying every single time in twenty two years you had looked at me that exact same way and I turned the other direction. This time I didn’t and you came to me and for the first time I acted as the barrier between you and your mother as I wanted to so many times before.
But it was all too late by then.
The damage was done, I know that.
You asked me on the phone if I remember the day that you cried for me in your room and the reason that I couldn’t give you a response is because I wasn’t hearing you through the phone. I was hearing that little boy. The one who loved me, so much more than I ever deserved. The one that I would give absolutely anything for one more chance to hold him properly and make sure he knew how much I loved him.
How much I will always love him.
Nothing can be erased, I’ll never ask you to forgive me for any of it because I know that you can’t. But if there’s even a chance, the tiniest possibility, that I could earn a spot again. Even if that spot is a text once a year. Even if it’s a post card from wherever in the world that boyfriend of yours takes you to. My heart hasn’t functioned properly since the moment you left and I’m not sure if it will ever function normally again, now that I have no choice but to live with the damage I’ve done.
I don’t know what will happen after these sessions, I don’t know if it will matter at all. I don’t know if divorce papers will be finalized and if your mother will run off into the sunset with Dong-wook, leaving me to rot in the mess we made together. But I know that I’ll live every single day until I die, praying for a call from you.
I love you more than you could ever know and I’ll forever hate myself for making you feel otherwise. I will always be watching you and hoping for you to live with the happiness I should’ve protected from the moment I signed that paper claiming you as mine.
And if this lifetime isn’t good enough, I hope that there is another one, where you are yet again my son and we spend our Sundays practicing baseball together and I’ll love you more than anything in the entire world.
If he doesn't open the book right now, while his heart is pounding and his fingers are numb, he's not sure if he ever will. So before his grandmother can ask him any questions he rips the thing open. Page after god-damned scrap book page. Of pictures from him as a baby adorned with little comments of his habits, written in the same handwriting that had the audacity to spew anything about love. As if she ever loved him. She didn't.
You don't treat people you love that way. No amount of sob stories written into sh*tty letter head that would've fallen under a tax write-off, can change any of it. Jungkook doesn't realize he's ripping the pages out of the book.
Not until he notices a huge gap. Right around when he assumes would've been age three or four, it skips. several pages, before it picks up again. but the handwriting is changed. there's no more sharp cursive with perfect points and i's and t's. its rough and looks more like chicken scratch than anything. and it's recent. it's countless pages that were the beginning of something, before they were scratched out entirely. he rips those out too. rips every single one and drops them to the floor. What was the point? what was this supposed to prove? that they tried?
he raises the entire book the throw it across the room, only for Jiah's hand to gently grasp onto his elbow, soft whisper in his ear as she tugs him in for a hug, "now now baby boy, grandma doesn't own these walls so let's keep the damage to the book only, okay?"
Crumbling into her hug, he's not sure how long he cries. If it was long at all. He's not sure why he's crying either. If it's anger, or frustration or sadness. He has all of these feelings swirling up inside of him and no way to make sense of any of it.
That is until Jiah's front door opens, Taehyung's nerves evident in the way his voice trembles, "I'm sorry, baby -I know I promised, but, it's just been so long-"
It's a teary eyed blink and a sharp inhale to catch his breath before Jungkook is up and moving himself right into those arms. The ones that have been nothing but warm and loving from the start.
The ones that even when he didn't deserve it, loved him all the same and never for a second made him feel otherwise.
Taehyung, who doesn't use his own problems as excuses and only ever reminds Jungkook time and time again that love isn't supposed to hurt. Love and being loved, is supposed to feel like this .
Jiah moving towards the letters snaps Jungkook out of his locked-in-Taehyung’s arms-trance . Quickly moving to stop her, “I don’t think you should read these—I…I think they were just meant for me.”
Her eyes soften as she cups his cheek, so quick to see the flicker of fear in his eyes, “Baby boy, there’s nothing in these letters that can hurt me more than things my child has said to my face. I was only wondering what they would’ve possibly tried to say in apology—if you don’t want me to read them, I won’t. They’re yours.”
“It’s—” at first Jungkook nods, but his stomach just doesn’t feel right. So he grabs the letters softly, “I think I’d rather if you don’t.”
“Well then let’s at least go have some tea and take a few moments to catch your breath.” Stopping in front of Taehyung Jiah hugs him so tight. “Hi superstar, thanks for checking on him.”
“I’m checking on you too.” Taehyung just barely whispers, “You ok?”
“Oh, I’ve done all of my crying. I’ve been doing my crying for several decades now.” A soft pinch to both of his cheeks, she smiles, “I made some snacks for you, come eat.” Taehyung follows her into the kitchen. Immediately wrapping his arms around Jungkook from behind, face pressed into his nape. “Do you wanna talk about it now? Or later?” A quiet ‘ later ’ is spoken against him.
Jungkook sagging back into his arms happily. Only moving himself to the table instead when his grandma brings over two glasses of warm tea and plates. “Grandma, I actually do have something else to talk to you about. She —she left me a lot of things. And I, well I was going to forfeit the rights to the majority of it all immediately—but I wasn’t sure if there was anything you wanted…”
He pulls the list Taehyung made for him that was folded in his pocket. Fingers trembling, “I’m sorry, it’s a little crinkled up…um but that’s everything she’s leaving me. If—anything on that list, if you want it. I’ll go through the process with the lawyer and get it to you.”
Jiah looks over the list, up and down and flips it over. Fingers running over the words written as she seems to be contemplating silently. Her eyes flicker between Taehyung and the list and Jungkook and the list and then finally
she's just smiling warmly at both of them, “There were only three things I wanted when she passed and I’ve already got them. So you do whatever you feel is best with the things she left behind. I know you’ll do well whatever you decide.”
Jungkook and Taehyung both just kind of look at each other, before Jungkook clears his throat, “Grandma…she left a lot of money. I—I thought, I figured, maybe you would like to have some of it? To be more comfortable, for your grandmas-take-Korea trips?”
Bursting into laughter, she shakes her head. Reaching over to brush her fingers over his, “I’m just fine, baby boy. Don’t worry about me. Do whatever you need.”
“But—” Shaking her head, Jiah only sips her tea. “I don’t need any of it, alright? I’d much rather see all of that go to use elsewhere. Like that pretty house you two are looking at, have you heard back from the realtor?”
Taehyung opens his mouth to speak, but Jungkook cuts him off, abruptly “We, I’m not keeping any of this. I’m waiving my rights to all of it. I don’t want any of her money touching anything we do going forward…so that’s why, I was assuming you would want it.”
Jiah’s eyes fall to Taehyung, who is sitting there without a single word. Obviously letting Jungkook decide for himself, as he always does. But she can’t just not say something. So she does, “When you were sixteen and started working at your very first job, if they, back then, had said, ‘here is an account with more money than most people ever see in a lifetime', would you have said no?” Confused, he sputters, “No—but, I wasn’t, it was different . I’m different.”
“I know, my precious boy. I know how different you are and I love how different you are—but at the end of the day, it was her responsibility as a mother to build a better life for you. She may have failed on so many fronts…but if the one thing she managed to do right, was create a wonderful pool of financial security that you can move through life knowing your bare minimums are always taken care of—I think you should take it. And honestly? I think you’d be a bit foolish not to.”
“I don’t want my bare minimums taken care of by her.” Jungkook’s voice breaks, fists clenching in his lap. “All she’s ever done for me was bare minimums.”
Jiah nods in understanding. The table falls silent for awhile before she sighs, “I can’t tell you what to do and at the end of the day, you are the one with the rights to the estate. I just think that for all the hurt, at least there would be something that could produce some good. Even if you never spend a dime of it—even if you put it away and your own kids—” The legs of his chair screech across the wooden kitchen floor as he stands, “My own kids would never have anything to do with her existence. Ever .” Tears like Taehyung has never seen before spread like vicious little wildfires down Jungkook’s cheeks. Shaking hands wiping at them quickly, “I’m sorry—I, I need a second.” before he’s disappearing up the stairs and the sound of a door closing is the only thing filling the suddenly suffocating space of this room.
Taehyung nibbles on the snack Jiah served, for the sake of not being rude even if he feels sick to his stomach seeing Jungkook this upset. When the woman speaks softly, “I wasn’t trying to hurt him…I, I’ve just watched him struggle for so long. Watched him leave early in the mornings to go work at that damn hospital instead of sitting at home like a little one should do during their summers off—I know he only views that money as being tied to her…but he earned it. His entire life, every last penny in these accounts, he earned one way or another. For every tear and broken dream and—” her own voice cracks as she exhales slowly, “— god , my child couldn’t have made a bigger mess of this all. I don’t even know what to do.”
He has a lot of thoughts about it all. On the one hand…that’s a lot of f*cking money and Taehyung agrees with Haejin and Jiah both—Jungkook deserves every single thing that woman was worth. He deserves more than that. He deserves things that he could never get back. But on the other hand, Taehyung is going to spend his entire life making sure Jungkook, and any potential miniature Jungkook’s , never want for anything.
Walking around the table, he hugs Jiah lightly around her shoulders, “You don’t have to worry about Jungkookie and his needs anymore. I know it’s kinda hard to turn that off, considering you were the only one who did for so many years but he’s well taken care of now. And I have no doubt that he’s going to want to fund every last bit ours and any future children’s needs with the degree he’s working so hard for. So if you could use any of those finances, please tell him.”
Her hands clutch onto his forearms and squeeze tight, “I am so grateful to see how cherished he is now—but I’ll never be able to stop myself from wanting the best for him.” She exhales heavily “Additionally, I don’t need any of that. My child was rotten to the core, but she didn’t leave her mother with nothing. She set me up with a large retirement trust years ago, that I just became eligible to access last month.
Although I figure back then, it was Jungsik’s doing. I’m sure she would’ve preferred not to, considering how many times she threatened to wipe everything I have from under me.” Jiah turns away from Taehyung, with watered eyes, “Please go upstairs, I know you’re dying to. And I don’t want him to be upset or think that I was trying to push anything on him.”
When Taehyung opens the door to extra bedroom, he closes it near instantly behind him, at the sight of Jungkook sitting with his knees to his chest and crying into his arms. Wedging his own arms where he needs them was difficult from the angle, but Taehyung just manages to get his fiancé in his arms and moves them both to be seated on the bed.
Jungkook moves quickly, until he’s planted in that lap with his legs entirely wrapped around Taehyung and crying into his shoulder. Slow steady breaths as he rubs his fingers up and down Jungkook’s spine Taehyung lets out a whispered laugh between them, “There’s very few instances where I enjoy the sight of your tears, baby love and this is not one of them.”
Jungkook let's out a giggle that's damp with emotions. Fingers coming to pinch Taehyung’s sides as he mumbles, “Are you really being nasty right now of all times?”
“Who said anything about being nasty?” Taehyung leans back just enough to get a hand around Jungkook’s perfect chin and kiss him softly. Plush, gentle kisses to his lips, then to his tear-stained cheeks, then to his nose and back to his lips.
“She didn’t mean to trigger you with that suggestion, you know. She was only trying to highlight the same thing dad did, there are so many things you were owed growing up that you didn’t get. They love you and want to see you get everything you deserve.”
“I don’t want what I deserve from her.” Jungkook whispers. Taehyung’s heart feels as if someone is taking a knife and slowly carving around every single vein watching those eyes that he loves to see sparkle, instead fill up with tears and dull with pain.
“Then you don’t need it.” Taehyung kisses him again. Deliberate and oh so soft, “You will get every thing you deserve in this life and it will solely be from your own hard work and all of the goodness you put out. The universe is going to pour back into you, over and over.”
Jungkook’s fingers slip up to the back of Taehyung’s neck, making their way up his hair line until he gets high enough where the length is finally starting to be just enough to tangle in again. Voice barely audible when he kisses Taehyung in return, “It already did. I’ve gotten everything, more than everything. Anything going forward is just extra on top of it all.” Jungkook keeps taking small little kisses from his lips.
Small little kisses that rather quickly transition into a level of desperation seeping into it that’s dangerous, too damn dangerous for this. For right now. For this location. Taehyung’s hands fold over his waist, in an attempt at signaling him to stop, but Jungkook takes it for a different signal. The kind that has him moving up onto his knees and using all of his strength to guide Taehyung onto his back.
Lips and teeth making vicious little attacks on his skin, Taehyung lets it go on for a few seconds too long. Before he f*cking snaps himself out of it just when that perfect body moves against his own.
Hand curling at the front of Jungkook’s throat and putting space between their kiss as he focuses on steadying his labored breaths, “ Later . I promise. Not right now, not while you’re like this. Okay?”
Nodding and nudging their noses together Jungkook speaks softly, “I love you, Tae. Love you more than anything in the world.”
All those carved out veins of his heart heal themselves and pump right back to life when a barely visible smile spreads on that face he treasures, so damn much. Taehyung’s own smile making it’s way through, “ and I love you even more than that.”
Finding Jiah in the living room, Taehyung is unsure what Jungkook is going to say. Though he’s admittedly relieved when the first thing Jungkook does is lean over the back of her chair and hug her. “I’m sorry for storming out like that—“
She’s up on her feet and rounding the chair, bringing him in for a tight hug and holding onto the back of his hair, “You have absolutely nothing to apologize to me for. I’m sorry for saying words that upset you. Whatever you decide, I know will be the best decision for you.”
They sit around the living room for a little while longer, Jungkook finally eating some of the rice cakes and asking softly, “You said, earlier, that you already got the three things you wanted. I—Can I ask what they were?”
Obviously hesitant, she gets up and leaves the room without a word. Coming back minutes later with a small wooden box in her hand. Fingers brushing over the detailed carvings and the broken hinge,
“One of them, was this. My omma, hand carved this for me when I was still in her belly with the birth flowers of the month I was due. The funny thing is, I was born just a few days late, so it didn’t really match anymore but she made it for me, that was all that mattered.
When I was pregnant, I added the birth flowers of the month before my child’s due date, to be funny. And she ended up coming early, so it happened to be the right flowers.
It felt right at that point to pass the jewelry box on. I honestly didn’t think she kept it and I never wanted to ask. Jungsik let me into the house after her funeral which is when I found it.”
She opens it up and then pulls out a tiny picture. It’s faded and tattered and just hardly legible is the image of two older, three young men and one young woman, holding a tiny baby in her arms. “This was the last family picture I got to be apart of, before my big brother and I left to come here with my child. She told me she lost it when we moved into that big ole house, but it was right in the same drawer where I found this box.”
Jungkook holds the picture in his hands carefully, voice quiet, “I didn’t know you had brothers. Let alone one that came with you here—he, is he alive?” Her voice is gentle, if a little broken, “I’m afraid not, baby boy. He passed away right about the time Yeseo was entering high school. He worked for an oil company and there was a mishap on the rig that only one member of his crew survived. My brother was not that one . It caused a lot of trouble because he was the one sending money back home, the main incentive behind our parents expensing the cost of our immigration was his promise to continue taking care of them and our siblings.”
Jiah chokes on a sob before clearing her throat and wiping at her face. Taehyung gently folding a tissue in her trembling palm, “I’ve done things I wasn’t proud of in my lifetime too. My brother left what he had in my name and it wasn’t a whole lot, but it was enough to pay for the university schooling my child needed to actually get somewhere. I had to put her first …even if it cost me my family. She was my family. She was mine . And my brother loved her. He would’ve wanted that to go to her, so I did the most selfish thing I’ve ever done in my life that I still hold some guilt for to this day.”
Jungkook has moved closer to her, apology all over his face, “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have asked…”
“Stop apologizing to me, please.” She smiles and holds his cheeks as she kisses his forehead “I’ve wanted to talk to you about my family for a long time. Even if I have regrets, I feel immense pride when I think about them. What they did for me, what that path led to. Even if my child turned out soured—well, I just figure that’s karma for my selfish decision in the first place. But it got me you. So it would always be worth it.”
Standing up, she straightens out her sweater and puts on a smile, “The third thing I wanted wasn’t actually a possession—I wanted her to be buried beside my brother. Hopefully they’re somewhere together, much happier than they were here. I didn’t want her to be buried alone. It helped me find peace with it. Burying your child…well, that’s just not something you are ever prepared for. But enough of all of this—I was so excited to see you two pull up in the driveway I hate that our visit has turned sad so quickly. Tell me something good.” It’s hard to follow that up with anything at all.
Taehyung isn’t sure what to say and he knows Jungkook is likely feeling the same. He does end up filling the empty space though, “Taehyungie might be going to Canada for a couple weeks.”
Gasping, he leans back to the side of the sofa, “My leaving is what you consider something good?” Jungkook pulls Taehyung back up by the wrist and laughs softly into his shoulder, “No, of course not. But watching you do exciting stuff, is.”
A solid hour of Jiah asking countless questions about NHL happenings and what it all means and details of the house and when will wedding invitations go out — ends with her laughing at Taehyung and Jungkook bickering over what type of food they’re going to serve. “You two should just let your grandma’s make the menu, so Taehee and Haejin can enjoy the wedding and you both can worry about the more fun things on the list”
Taehyung and Jungkook both share a look that says they don’t find that to be a horrible idea. but Jungkook only holds the hand that’s in his own tighter, “we want the entire family to just enjoy it, no stress or responsibilities put on anyone. including the grandmas.”
“its not stressful if we’d love to do it baby boy. but no matter what as long as the day ends with you two happy thats all that matters.”
An empty house greeting them shouldn’t be as exciting as it is for Jungkook. He’s not sure why Taehyung loving him, the way that he does, makes him feel this way. This buzzing that isn’t satiated by anything and won’t be. Not until he gets those hands where he wants them.
It can’t be helped, there’s absolutely nothing stopping him from kneeling right between Taehyung’s spread legs when he sits on the sofa. Though he doesn’t get to do much of anything before he’s being guided to his feet and tugged into that lap instead. Taehyung’s hands smoothing over his sides as Jungkook pouts, “You promised, later. It’s later. ”
“I know what I promised, I promised to take care of you later, that’s what I want to do.”
“You always take care of me, sometimes taking care of me, is letting me take care of you too.”
Taehyung’s lips curl into a smirk, fingers dancing along Jungkook’s jawline before dragged him into a kiss, “You’re in no position to take care of anything in this moment, baby. You’ll be falling a part within seconds—when are you going to realize that when it comes to this ? I always know what’s best for you.”
“But—”
Taehyung holds his chin tighter, voice quiet and deep against Jungkook’s lips, “ right now , what’s best for you is relaxing and letting me unwind you.”
Eyelashes fluttering open slowly as he pulls back from the kiss, Jungkook’s fingers toy with the collar of Taehyung’s shirt, “I want it though.”
“Want what?”
He scoots back a little bit. So that his ass is comfortably on Taehyung’s thighs as his fingers brush down his chest, over his stomach and stopping at the waist of his jeans. Thumbing over the button, Jungkook feels his mouth watering just at the thought of getting them off of Taehyung’s body and getting what he wants. “ You want to suck my dick, is that it baby?”
Very carefully, Jungkook climbs out of Taehyung’s lap and returns to the floor between his legs, leaning on one of those thighs as he nods and catches his bottom lip with his teeth, index finger dragging down the seam of Taehyung’s jeans and applying pressure with his palm to the obvious bulge. “ I do, want it so bad, Taehyungie.”
The knowledge of having some hours to spare before they’re no longer alone, shouldn’t give Taehyung the confidence that it does. As he let’s Jungkook peel the jeans off of his body, face all flushed and excited . Pretty little whor* just can’t believe he’s going to get what he wants for once without having to beg. Truth be told, Taehyung doesn’t have the strength in himself to say no to anything Jungkook wants right now. Especially after using every bit that he had to not f*ck Jungkook stupid into the guest bedroom of his grandma’s house—yeah, Taehyung simply is too weak at this point.
Head falling backwards as he feels Jungkook’s lips trail up the skin of his thigh, but when they suddenly stop, Taehyung’s eyes are on him instantly. Overwhelmingly endeared at the sight of him waiting patiently, he’s never patient. He chooses the one time that Taehyung doesn’t give a damn to actually follow rules? Leaning forward to brush his fingers back through those curls, Taehyung tugs him in for a kiss. Sinking teeth into that plump bottom lip as he murmurs softly, “You don’t have to ask me for anything today, sweet love. Take whatever you want, it’s all yours anyway .”
He knew what he was saying, but Taehyung really wasn’t quite prepared for the enthusiasm Jungkook would suddenly start vibrating with. Hands that were just kind of limply rested atop Taehyung’s thighs, glide to the inside and grip impossibly tight as Jungkook licks up the length of his co*ck. Moving one to take proper hold at the base of it, stroking a few times and licking the tip as he does. Taehyung’s eyes are stuck at the back of his head when Jungkook finally takes the entire length down his throat. It makes no f*cking sense how he’s able to take it all, so eagerly, so aggressively. Pretty mouth working over him diligently, as if it’s the last opportunity he’ll ever have to get this co*ck in his mouth.
It feels like it’s been forever since Taehyung hasn’t had to resort to holding his breath to keep silent, so when a growl of moan makes its way out from the deepest pits of his stomach. He can practically feel the way Jungkook squirms because of it. Thighs likely pressing together with his co*ck nestled between them for any bit of friction as he sucks at Taehyung’s dick like his life depends on it.
‘Baby, my baby, you have no idea how f*cking good you feel—so hot around me, can’t get enough.’
‘ Me neither.’ Jungkook pulls his lips off, eyes shimmering with that lustrous glaze as he lulls his head to the side, dragging the head of Taehyung’s dick across his lips with a breathy little moan, “ Love getting you like this just because of my mouth Taehyungie—all loud and desperate for me to keep going—it’s so..”
Taehyung takes ahold of the back of Jungkook’s hair and guides him to take the length back into his mouth before he can finish that sentence. ‘Get to it, so I can f*ck you properly—I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t get inside of you.’
Jungkook does not like that Taehyung said he can have whatever he wants and is now trying to hurry him up. It’s so, so, so rare for Taehyung to just let him have his way with him like this. Jungkook too, wants to be f*cked so bad he might cry if it doesn’t happen. But it’s not his fault that he loves the feeling of Taehyung’s thighs shaking under his palms when he closes his throat around his entire length. Those moans that tumble from Taehyung’s mouth have Jungkook’s own dick damn near weeping he’s so turned on. Leaking between his thighs as he bobs his head and takes it all. Only pulling back because he has no choice, because Taehyung’s fingers in his hair were the first warning and as much as Jungkook loves getting in trouble when his fiancé is like this—he really wants to keep Taehyung where he is in this moment.
A tiny bit demanding but more soft spoken and giving . Crawls back into that lap because Jungkook wants to take everything that Taehyung is willing to give him. Starting with the searing way those lips mold against his own. Parting just so Taehyung can get the shirt off of Jungkook’s body, before letting his hands rub all over him. His shoulders and his back and his waist and his sides and up over his stomach—not stopping until he’s got both hands cupped just below his chest and drags his lips down to one of his nipples. Makes quite the show of toying with the piercing between his teeth, tugging and biting and pulling back until it’s all puffy and red. Swollen around the gems before flicking his tongue over it with a growl, ‘goddd f*cking damn—’
Having a dick in his mouth is one way to keep Jungkook’s noises under decent control, but there’s nothing helping him right now. Especially not when the way he’s sitting has their lengths rubbing against each other perfectly. Little rolls of his hips earning him just the right amount of delicious friction and paired with the way Taehyung’s attack has moved to the other side. Hands gripping so hard he can barely breathe and making allll of those noisess against his chest. He can’t handle it. Gets a hand in Taehyung’s hair and whimpers rather pathetically under the feeling of that tongue. Vicious and fervent around his swollen nub, “Tae-you…it sounds—s’hot, want, want, want’
“What do you want?” Taehyung kisses all over his chest. Hands making their way down to his hips as he guides Jungkook to rock into his lap properly. Both of their eyes falling to the way their co*cks glide together with the movement and soft moans filling the space between them before Taehyung presses their mouths together with a hushed growl, “Actually, I think it’s time I take over, baby love.”
Smoothly glided onto his back, Jungkook feels the delirium slipping in all too easily. Especially when Taehyung slips a blanket over their bodies before sealing their lips together again. Jaw falling open as that tongue that made him dizzy, makes him even dizzier—Jungkook is so gone. So gone . So gone. His entire body is numb and he just wants Taehyung to take. Everything. All of it. All of him. He can’t formulate any words, especially not with one of those hands tight on the side of his throat. Thumb digging into his chin and holding him in place as Taehyung leans back from their kiss. Eyes all glow-y and radiant when he looks down at Jungkook with the sexiest smile, “Holy sh*t, I can’t believe you’re going to marry me in six months.”
Then he’s pressing inside of him and Jungkook’s arms desperately reach behind himself for the arm of the sofa. Needing the hold to allow his body to move properly. Back arching and hips grinding at just the right angle, meeting each of Taehyung’s slow thrusts in a way that has them both moaning rather shamelessly into this room. Taehyung’s hand tightens at his throat, hips slamming a little harder when Jungkook’s mouth parts and he dives in to taste him. All hot and sloppy and the best of the best kinds of kisses he ever gives him. The kind that have Jungkook trembling and whimpering and mewling into it. Each deep pressing of Taehyung’s co*ck inside of him, has him floating. So much so that the words didn’t quite register, not yet anyway. Not until Taehyung’s pace increases and Jungkook’s taken to gripping the man’s shoulders, just in complete awestruck amazement that he gets this.
He gets to be loved by someone who treasures him as if he were the single most important thing on the entire planet — and then he f*cks him until he can’t even remember what planet he’s on, all the same. Eyes flashing open right when Taehyung’s mouth presses against his own, not really in a kiss but just breathing in each other’s oxygen and soft moans and he speaks gently, “can’t wait—but also, kinda feel like I already am. Just not official yet. I’m yours. Everything about me belongs to you, Taehyungie—”
‘f*cking hell, my god, you can’t—’ Taehyung f*cks his release into him and barely even gets a solid grip and stroke out of Jungkook’s length before he’s spilling too. All over his hand and their stomachs when Taehyung kisses him through it. “You know you can’t say sh*t like that, baby—I, I lose my mind—”
“But it’s true. I do belong to you.”
“No, you don’t belong to me. You belong with me. There’s a difference, baby love.”
Jungkook’s eyes slightly darken once Taehyung’s pulled out of him but he makes no motion to let him pull away, “ I’m aware that there’s a difference and I’m telling you that I belong to you. Only good thing about my entire life is being yours, don’t take that from me. ”
Really, he’s being playful. He means it, to some extent. Means it in the way his eyes open in the morning because he can’t wait to see Taehyung’s face and he isn’t terrified to go to sleep because his dreams of their life together overpower any of the nightmares he’s ever had. But Jungkook doesn’t mean it the way Taehyung takes it. As Taehyung cleans them both quickly and drags his lips over every bit of visible skin. “ There are, so many good things about you. Your life. Your existence. I may be a part of that, but don’t you dare talk down on my baby. Noone is allowed to do that, but especially not you.” pulling Jungkook into his space, Taehyung keeps his voice as firm as possible, “Because if you think for one second that there is nothing good about you other than me —then I’ve done a horrible job of loving you.”
Comfortable in his lap and slightly floaty, Jungkook’s arms rest lazily over Taehyung’s shoulders, eyes filled to the brim with tears of bliss and tears of love and tears of excitement when he smiles and kisses him with everything that he has. “The only reason that I know what love is supposed to feel like is because of you. That’s what I meant. All of the good things, could’ve never existed if you didn’t help me find them. I love belonging to you because I am loved so well by you.”
❅❅❅
Helping Hyeri do some rearranging in her bedroom, Jungkook lost track of time a little bit. Taehyung opens the door to tell him they need to leave soon to pick up Westley and Jayce. Jungkook is floored not only by the fact he isn’t ready but more so that fact that Taehyung is ready. With a hat on backwards and a jersey that looks a little too good. “Where did you get that?”
“I’m a Chicago native, do you really think I didn’t have anything to wear to the game?” “I have never noticed that in the closet. Ever.” Taehyung shrugs and tries to turn away,
but Hyeri giggles from beside him, “Mama bought Taetae a new shirt to wear because she knew you were going!” he sends the little girl a glare but she only hides behind Jungkook and clings to his legs.
Meanwhile Jungkook coos, lips pouting obnoxiously, “You look so handsome in your brand new clothes for our date, baby.” “That’s it!” Taehyung slams the hat to the floor and disappears into the hallway, “I’m not f*cking going!”
After finishing putting the last poster on her wall, Jungkook hurries into their bedroom where his clothes are already laid out. Storming right over to his sulking fiancé and sitting sideways across his lap
slipping the hat back into position and kissing him sweetly, “You really do look very sexy in your new jersey and you know the backwards hat thing does it for me. Don’t be a brat, Taehyungie.”
“The only brat is you ! I’m doing this for you and you have the audacity to make fun of me.” Jungkook makes a pitiful noise against Taehyung's lips, “I’m so sorry…however will you forgive me?”
In the blink of an eye he’s on his back with Taehyung between his legs and vicious teeth nipping at his neck, “Did you lock the door?” Jungkook forgets what he came in here for when Taehyung’s got his legs over his shoulders and has him muffling himself with a pillow.
Scrambling to get dressed far too many minutes later, Jungkook huffs, “We’re going to be late!” “And who’s fault is that?” Flicking beneath Taehyung’s chin, Jungkook doesn’t give him the satisfaction of an answer.
But the hand that takes a tight grip of his back pocket, tugs him backwards, spinning right into those arms where Taehyung’s brows cinch together, “Where’s my kiss?” “We’re literally going together?”
“Yes, where you’ll be too busy between the baseball and the besties to even notice my existence.” Jungkook rolls his eyes but leans in to give Taehyung the kiss he’s whining for anyway. As if he’d ever complain about feeling those lips against his own.
Listening to Jungkook, Jayce and Westley talk about things. Taehyung makes some discoveries of his own as they sit in this ridiculous traffic waiting to park.
First is that Jayce and Westley are two sides of the same idiot coin and second is that he’s not surprised at all the way they cling to his baby for help every three seconds. They’d be completely f*cking doomed without him.
Making their way to one of the few club seating areas, Taehyung and Jungkook both are eyeing all of the different food options while a handful of guys approach Westley. All big smiles and warm greetings.
Once Taehyung has both of their plates in hand they make their way back. Westley’s face lights up, “This is one of my best friend’s, Jungkook and Taehyung—”
“Taehyung Kim, in the f*cking flesh! There’s no way!”
The guy steps forward to shake his hand, but Taehyung only offers a half smile, “Sorry, um—if we went to school together, I’ve got sh*t memory.”
“Nah, man. We didn’t, I’m a huge hockey fan. My old man is too.” He slaps a playful hand on Jayce’s shoulder, “My dad watches college hockey super intently and he was stoked when we found out Chicago was getting three of the NYU five.”
The guy then turns his head towards Jungkook and smiles, “Sorry about that, I kinda just fanboyed all over your husband. It’s nice to meet you, I’m Donnie.” Jungkook with his face bright red, doesn’t really correct him—mostly because he’s overwhelmed and would like to get to their seats away from all of the people as soon as possible. Taehyung’s hip nudging against his own, gestures him forward. So Jungkook smiles politely after their brief introductions, eyes landing on Westley and Jayce, “We’ll catch you guys in the seats.”
Puffing out a large breath as soon as Taehyung’s putting the plate of nachos in front of him, “I am so not ready for you to be famous. I’ve been trying to prepare myself for the last year and it still catches me off guard every time someone gets excited about meeting you.”
Chuckling, Taehyung's eyes roll, “I’m not famous, baby love. Realistically there’s a very small number of people who could actually recognize me in public. It just feels like a lot because we always happen to be in spaces where sports fans usually are.”
Angrily munching on his chips, Jungkook leans his head on Taehyung’s shoulder, “It’s okay that you’re famous—I just have to get used to it.”
“Oh my god, I am not…”
“Excuse me.” Taehyung turns around at the sound of a small voice.
A little boy is standing there with one of the hats they were giving out at the G.O.A.L event. “You’re, um, you’re T-T..” he looks over his shoulder, face bright red at his dad who is encouraging him
whispering into his ear before he looks up with a bright smile “Taehyung. You’re Taehyung. You, are a Blàckhawk and um, you’re a really good player too, I—I was at the place—.”
Jungkook is smiling from ear to ear as he eats more of his nachos and watches Taehyung fumble over his own words just as much as the little boy who nervously asks if he can sign his hat.
As soon as the little boy is retreating back up the stairs with his dad, Jungkook’s tongue prods at his cheek as he smirks, “What was that you said about not being famous baby?”
Taehyung leans in and bites the chip right out of his hand, “Again. We are at a place where sports fans are—it doesn't count. Besides, he literally saw me three weeks ago at an event, so it really doesn't count.”
Right around the time the game is set to start, Jayce and Westley finally make their way to the seats. Joining them and going on about some of the guys that are also joining the team with him next year.
Jayce reaches behind Jungkook to poke Taehyung’s shoulder. Taehyung who eyes Jayce’s arm, slowly removing it and replacing it with his own, “Yes?” “Did you read that text from Macy about Thursday?”
“I haven’t touched my phone since we got here.” “Apparently the GM is coming in to talk to some of the players, which is another reason she’s emphasizing the suit thing. But here’s the problem, I didn’t bring any suits here, where can I buy one at?”
Taehyung can’t help the way he laughs, “I’ll ask my mom where we got them, I’ve been using the same ones for the last few years. Did you get your flight booked for Toronto?”
The color leaving Jayce’s face, paired with the quick way both Jungkook and Westley snap to look at him tells Taehyung that he was not supposed to mention that right now. He tries to save it, “—I mean, if you’re going. I wasn’t sure if you made up your mind yet.” But Jayce only nods with a half smile, “Yeah, I booked it last night. I take off the Monday before the camp starts up.”
Jungkook leans forward to land eyes on Westley, “I was going to text you later about us finding something to do while the meat-heads are busy training in Canada.”
“Yeah, that sounds great.” his eyes shift to Jayce before falling back to Jungkook, “A little heads up would’ve been nice, but I guess I should’ve been expecting it. If I wanted more time before the chaos started I should’ve moved here sooner.”
It falls silent between the four of them, mostly because the game officially starts and they’re all eating.
but Taehyung can’t help to lean into Jungkook’s ear, “Did I just ruin our double date?” To which he gets a kiss that he wasn’t expecting, and Jungkook's quiet giggle, “You could never ruin anything, Taehyungie. But we really have to work on those reading the room abilities.”
“Wes…”
“I’m not upset, Jay.” The firm hand on Westley’s wrist stops him from storming into his own bedroom, “then why haven’t you looked at me properly since we left the stadium?”
“ Because !”
“Because why! Because you’re upset? I’m sorry. I was planning to talk to you about it tonight, I swear.” Westley turns into him and catches Jayce entirely by surprise when he’s crowded against the doorway. Smooth arms curling around his neck and the most fervent kiss he’s received from his boyfriend to date, nearly knocking him off of his feet. but it’s the words.
The words are what kills him.
When Westley’s voice all soft and miserable whispers into his lips, “I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time with you. I haven’t looked at you because when I do I want to burst into tears and punch myself in the face simultaneously.”
“No time spent with you could ever be a waste, Wes.” Jayce is way too quick to get an arm properly around Westley’s waist.
Slow steps into the room, he lets his foot gently close the door behind them. The knots in his stomach explode all at once when Westley grips harshly at the sides of Jayce’s shirt and tugs him towards his bed, “Sleep here , tonight.”
“I—“ Jayce is obviously unsure. The tightened way he holds onto Westley’s hips as he hovers above him makes it clear he wants to, but the tiny glimmer in those beautifully sweet eyes show that he’s terrified. “—I don’t want to mess anything up with you. It’s been so good.”
Westley is terrified too.
He’s been terrified for so long but he’s way more terrified of the wedge he in unintentionally shoved between them growing wider and wider as time goes on without conquering his fears. “Jay, I really don’t want to lose any bit of the time I have with you before you leave. Will you please sleep here?”
Jayce exhales shakily before bringing a hand to Westley’s jaw and kissing him harder than he’s ever allowed himself to, “C’mon baby, haven’t you figured out by now that I’ll do anything you want me to?”
It was Taehyung’s idea to walk down to the small ice cream shop after they got home. A tiny little extension of their date reserved just for the two of them. Neither of them were expecting a phone call this late in the evening. Jungkook’s working at his ice cream cone before it melts, when Taehyung gasps into his phone, nearly dropping his own ice cream, “Are you serious?”
“I’m very serious. I don’t know how I missed the email it came in first thing this morning, I’m so sorry. Is there any chance you two can come by my office tomorrow for some paperwork?”
“Yes, absolutely. We’ll be there just text me the time.”Jungkook’s heart is at his feet when Taehyung turns to him. Big beautiful smile that he can’t fight off so the only thing he can think to do is pull him in by the back of his neck for a kiss. “Tae—“ Jungkook melts too easily. f*ck the ice cream, he’s the one in a puddle on this sidewalk with the way Taehyung kisses him. Incessant and gentle and sooooo loving, when he finally pulls back, “We’ve got closing paperwork to go sign tomorrow.”
“Closing paperwork… as in –“ Jungkook can’t even say it. Too scared to somehow ruin it at the very last second, but Taehyung says it for him, “-We’re one step closer to being homeowners, baby.”
