sweet night

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/24904885.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Relationship: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V
Character: Jeon Jungkook, Kim Taehyung | V
Additional Tags: Summer Love, Sleepovers, bed sharing, Fluff, Smut
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2020-06-25 Words: 15264

sweet night
by thestarsabove

Summary

Jeongguk keeps ending up in Taehyung’s bed.

Notes

Prompt:

Jeongguk is best friends with [_]. One day he sleeps over, but b/c she’s a girl, he has to
sleep in her brother’s room. He’s heard about Taehyung all the time, but he always misses
him whenever he hangs out with his best friend. He goes up to Tae’s room, and that’s where
they meet for the first time. After that night, he just can’t stop bumping into Tae.

-JK and his best friend have no feelings for each other, at all
-the friend can be any girl you choose, or you can change it to a guy character.. but then you
would have to tweak the details a bit
-debating whether Tae should be like the sweetest, nonchalant boy who asks to cuddle with
JK to help him sleep, OR a Tae who likes to flirt and tease JK, esp. after seeing how easily
flustered he gets

*can be a one-shot
*if a full fic, the writer has free range on where they want to take it;
fluff/smut/secretive/etc.
*If any, KookV
*Feel free to change tags, ratings..

(Sorry I’m very indecisive, as you can tell.. But if you choose my prompt, I’ll be grateful
for whatever you write! All I ask for is a happy ending, thankyouu ♡)
See the end of the work for more notes

“So,” Jihyo says, blowing an almost transparent pink bubble with her gum and letting it pop. “My
parents don’t believe you’re gay.”

Jeongguk blinks at her upside down. He’s lying horizontally across her bed, legs propped up
against the wall and head hanging off the edge. “Uh. What?”

Jihyo rolls her eyes, adjusting herself on the cheery pink bean bag chair she’s seated on.
Discovering Jihyo’s high school bedroom has been the highlight of Jeongguk’s summer to date -
literally everything is pink, and there are idol group posters everywhere. Their shared love of boy
bands and girl groups is actually one of the first things they’d bonded over, but he’d still teased her
mercilessly for it.

“They think you’re my boyfriend,” she says, looking vaguely appalled at the thought. “And that
I’m just lying and saying you’re gay so that we can share a bed and fool around.”

“Ew.” Jeongguk rolls over onto his stomach, his expression now matching Jihyo’s. “You know I
love you, but not like that.”

Jihyo snorts. “Trust me, it’s mutual.” She sighs, resting her chin on her knees. “Sorry, though.”

“Not your fault,” Jeongguk says. “Is that why the door is still partly open?”

Jihyo nods, looking annoyed. “It’s stupid, even if you were my boyfriend, I’m still an adult.”

Jeongguk shrugs. “My parents would be the same way. ‘My house, my rules,’ that whole thing.”

It’s been hard adjusting to living at home with his parents after getting a taste for independence this
past year at university. He loves them and everything, but they’re kind of strict and he already feels
himself going a little stir crazy. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t have many friends from his
hometown to hang out with, which is why he’s planning on spending as much time as possible at
Jihyo’s house this summer.

Even if her parents think he’s trying to mess around with their daughter on the down low.

“Ugh,” Jihyo groans, head flopping back against the beanbag. “I’m already ready to go back to
school.”

“Tell me about it,” Jeongguk says. He’d had a great first year, met some cool people, made a few
friends, got laid way more than he was expecting to. His confidence had gotten a major boost, but
being back home makes him feel like he’s being retrofitted into his shyer, lonelier high school self.
“So do I have to sleep on the couch, or something?”

“No, you can sleep in my brother’s room,” Jihyo tells him. Jeongguk perks up a bit at this. He’s
never met Jihyo’s older brother, but he’s seen pictures and he’s kind of hot. More than kind of, if
Jeongguk is being honest with himself. “He’s out for the night.”

“Cool,” Jeongguk says, mildly disappointed that he won’t be able to meet Hot Brother in person.
At least he has a bed to sleep in for the night. “Thanks.”
He and Jihyo hang out for a while longer, listening to boy bands and commiserating some more
about the frustrations of moving back in with their parents. Jeongguk tones it down a bit because
he doesn’t want to sound like too much of a sad loser, but the truth is he’s had a pretty shitty first
two weeks of summer vacation. He’s working a dumb job taking pictures at kids’ birthday parties,
which should be cute in theory but so far has been mostly sticky and annoying. He spends most of
his free time playing video games or wandering around his neighborhood with a video camera,
trying to find something interesting to film (spoiler alert: there isn’t anything). Either way, it’s been
pretty lonely, which is why being around Jihyo (even if her parents keep coming in to check on
them every 15 minutes) feels so refreshing.

After the sixth time Jihyo’s parents poke their heads into her room, eyes scanning the several feet
of space between Jeongguk and their daughter suspiciously, they decide to call it a night. Jihyo
leads the way to her brother’s bedroom, which, unlike hers and her parents, is located on the
ground floor of the house.

“Perfect for sneaking out,” she says, shaking her head with that air Jeongguk has only ever seen
people have towards their siblings. Annoyed but fond. Annoyed that you’re fond. “Lucky.”

“Did he sneak out a lot?” Jeongguk asks, curious. He knows Jihyo did in high school, not to do
anything particularly bad, more just for the thrill of it. Jeongguk never had, and it makes him feel
oddly wistful, like he’d missed out on some sort of seminal teenage experience.

Jihyo rolls her eyes, that same fondness still on her face. “All the time. My parents even caught
him a few times and they didn’t really care. Tae’s too charming.” She huffs. “Jerk.”

Jeongguk laughs, looking around the bedroom they’re now standing in. The thing that stands out
the most to him is how colorful it is, the walls painted a pretty cerulean blue that’s mostly covered
by an assortment of artwork and photographs. There doesn’t seem to be any clear order to how it's
all arranged, a stark contrast to the neat rows of black and white pictures Jeongguk has hanging in
his own bedroom, but he finds he kind of likes it anyway. It makes the room feel vibrant, alive.

“Is he an artist?” Jeongguk asks, still gazing around. His eyes keep coming back to a large painting
of a rainbow hanging over the bed, the colors beautifully rich.

Jihyo nods. “Mostly painting, but he likes taking pictures too.” She smiles. “Like you.”

It’s silly, but it makes Jeongguk feel a flicker of recognition, a tug of curiosity for this person
who’s filled their bedroom with so much beautiful art. He hopes he gets to meet Jihyo’s brother at
some point this summer.

“So anyway, like I said, he’s gone for the night so the room’s all yours,” Jihyo says, gesturing
vaguely towards the double bed that’s pushed into one corner. It’s covered by a simple blue quilt,
almost the same color as the walls. “Make yourself comfortable, come get me if you need
anything.”

“Okay,” Jeongguk nods. A small, dumb part of him feels suddenly sad at being left alone, but he
pushes that aside. “Thanks.”

Jihyo hugs him, murmuring goodnight before she slips out the door and closes it behind her.
Jeongguk stands in the middle of the room for a few seconds, not sure what to do with himself.
He’d been tired before but now he feels a little restless, his mind too active for sleep.

He sets his backpack down on the floor and goes through the motions of getting ready for bed
anyway, changing into boxers and a t-shirt and washing his face and teeth in the bathroom down
the hall. When he returns to the room, he settles on the bed and tries to occupy himself with his
phone for a bit before he gives up, tossing it aside with a soft thump. Then he looks around the
room again, that same curiosity tugging at his mind, and decides a little innocent snooping never
hurt anyone.

A little thrill rushes through him as he pops up off the bed, and he tells himself it’s okay as long as
he only looks at stuff that’s out in the open. There’s more than enough on the walls alone to keep
him interested, and he browses it all as if he’s in a museum, standing with his hands clasped behind
his back as he examines each photograph and piece of art. Hot Brother’s style is a bit abstract, and
the paintings all pop with a bold mix of colors, just like Jeongguk had noticed when he first walked
in. The pictures mixed in among them reconfirm that Hot Brother is, in fact, very hot, with a pretty
smile and eyes that make Jeongguk feel like he’s staring into his soul. It seems like he’s popular
too, if the number of photos showing him surrounded by several other smiling people is any
indication. It makes Jeongguk miss his life at university, where he had also been the kind of person
to smile for pictures with a group of friends around him.

Aside from the business of the walls, the room is filled by the bed, a desk with a closed laptop
resting on top of it, and a bookshelf holding books, CDs, and a haphazard array of other knick
knacks. Jeongguk spies a tiny tiger figurine, a stuffed bear, and a jar of colored pencils; there’s also
a snow globe with a photo of Hot Brother, Jihyo, and their parents inside. Beside the bookshelf is a
dresser, its top surface covered with many of the same items as Jeongguk’s, just not quite as
organized - comb, deodorant, some loose rings and earrings. There’s one other door in the room,
presumably opening to a closet, and a calendar open to Van Gogh’s Starry Night hangs from it by a
purple thumbtack. Jeongguk notices the month is wrong and wonders if Hot Brother had forgotten
to change it, or if he just likes the painting.

All in all, it’s a good room, Jeongguk concludes. It feels lived in, loved, homey even though
Jeongguk’s never been here before, never even met its primary occupant. It makes him want to
meet Jihyo’s brother even more, get to know the personality that goes with the room.

Once he’s inspected everything he can without getting super creepy and opening drawers, he
crawls back onto the bed, propping himself up against the headboard and unlocking his phone
again. He’s still not that tired, but he supposes maybe he can play a game until -

There’s a sound from outside, and Jeongguk startles, glancing over at the window that’s just beside
the bed. He’s alarmed to find it slightly open, probably to let in some of the cooler night air, and
his alarm grows into full-blown panic when a set of fingers appears, pushing the window further
up. Fuck, he thinks, wondering if he has time to make a break for the door. It would really be just
his luck for Jihyo’s house to get broken into the one night he’s staying over.

Before he can make any sort of move towards the door, a boy tumbles into the room, his means of
entering a sort of half somersault that seems far more complicated than the situation warrants. He
has ashy blond hair that’s currently a wavy mess on his head, and all it takes is a glimpse of his
profile for Jeongguk to realize that this is not, in fact, an intruder, but rather Hot Brother himself. In
the flesh, in his bedroom that Jeongguk just finished snooping through, and still very much
unaware that Jeongguk himself is here.

“Uh,” Jeongguk fumbles.

Hot Brother startles, his whole body jolting violently as he whips around to look at Jeongguk.
Jeongguk is abruptly hit by the full force of his face, which, it turns out, is even more perfect in
person, even when twisted in confusion.

“Hi?” Hot Brother says, getting to his feet. He’s dressed in a long-sleeve polo with thick red
stripes, dark denim shorts and white Keds on his feet. Jeongguk thinks he would look like a 14
year-old whose mom had dressed him if he wore that outfit, but this boy somehow pulls it off.

“Hi,” Jeongguk breathes, slightly overwhelmed. He wonders vaguely whether there’s an

appropriate protocol for this situation.

Hot Brother cocks his head to the side, observing Jeongguk. He’s remarkably calm for someone
who just encountered a total stranger in his bedroom in the middle of the night. “Not to be rude,”
he says, “But who the hell are you?”

“Oh, sorry,” Jeongguk rushes to say. He really wishes he was wearing something more than boxers
and a thin t-shirt right now. “I’m Jeongguk. Jihyo’s friend from school?”

This seems to register with Hot Brother, and they both relax a bit. “Oh, yeah,” he nods. His voice is
surprisingly deep. It’s sexy. “You’re the one my parents think she’s dating, right?”

“Yeah,” Jeongguk confirms nervously. He hopes this guy isn’t the kind of older brother who
automatically hates any boy who breathes in the direction of his sister. “But I - umm, we’re not.
We’re just friends.”

“Cool,” Hot Brother says, apparently satisfied with that answer. “I’m Taehyung. Jihyo’s older
brother.”

He extends a hand, which Jeongguk takes. It feels big and warm around his own.

“Nice to meet you,” Jeongguk says, still feeling a bit awkward.

“You too,” Taehyung replies. “Umm. Again, not to be rude, but what are you doing in my bed?”

“Sorry,” Jeongguk says again, scrambling to his feet. “Uh, your parents didn’t want me sleeping in
Jihyo’s room, since they thought we would, like - you know?” He feels his face start to heat, and
he plows on before Taehyung can dwell too much on the possibility of Jeongguk messing around
with his sister. “So they said I could sleep here since you were gonna be out for the night.”

Taehyung nods, frowning. “But you and Jihyo aren’t actually a thing?”

Jeongguk shakes his head. “I’m, uh - not really into girls.”

“Ah,” Taehyung says. Then he laughs. “Me neither.”

Jeongguk’s heart rate picks up.

“So really it would be more appropriate for you to sleep in Jihyo’s room,” Taehyung observes,
clearly amused. “But such is the price of heteronormativity.”

“Umm, I can go,” Jeongguk offers, even though he’s not entirely sure where he would go. Maybe
he can sleep on the couch, or sneak back into Jihyo’s room and hope her parents don’t find out and
murder him. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were coming back - ”

“It’s no big deal,” Taehyung says, waving his hand dismissively. “I wasn’t supposed to be home
tonight, but… plans changed.” His mouth pulls down, and for a moment he looks distracted by
something beyond the walls of this room. Then his attention snaps back to Jeongguk, grin
returning. “But, anyway, don’t worry about it. You can hang here.”

Jeongguk blinks at him, not entirely sure what Taehyung means by “hang here”. Like, hang out?
Sleep? Most importantly, will Taehyung also be “hanging here”?

“Okay,” Jeongguk says, hoping the answer to that last question is yes. “Are you sure?”

“Totally,” Taehyung nods. “I like getting to know Jihyo’s friends. Besides, I wouldn’t mind some
company.” Perhaps it’s more vulnerable than he intended to be, because he falters then, eyes
widening. “Unless you were ready to go to sleep!”

Ignoring the fact that it’s well after midnight and he’s already dressed in his pajamas, Jeongguk
shakes his head. He wasn’t that tired anyway. “No, I’m down to hang.”

Taehyung smiles, and it’s so genuine and bright that Jeongguk feels a little blinded by it. He
wonders what Taehyung’s original plans were for tonight, who would be stupid enough to pass up
the opportunity of hanging out with him. “Cool.”

He kicks off his Keds and flops down on the bed, gesturing for Jeongguk to join him. Jeongguk
does, albeit a bit more conservatively, sitting upright with his back pressed against the wall and his
legs stretched out in front of him.

“So, Jeongguk,” Taehyung says, propping his head up on one hand as he regards Jeongguk.
“What’s your story?”

1 AM

Talking to Taehyung, it turns out, is just as easy as talking to Jihyo. Jeongguk is usually a bit
reserved around people he doesn’t know well, but something about Taehyung coaxes him out,
makes him want to talk. He thinks it might have something to do with how sincerely interested
Taehyung seems in everything he says.

They start with the basics.

“How’d you meet Jihyo?” Taehyung asks.

“We were in the same orientation group at the beginning of the year,” Jeongguk explains, smiling
at the memory. “Jihyo said Twice was her favorite group in one of the ice breakers and we bonded
over that.”

Taehyung laughs, visibly fond. “Typical.”

“After that we just started hanging out a bunch and eventually made the same mutual friends,”
Jeongguk continues. He loves all of the friends he’d made this year, but he definitely feels the
closest to Jihyo. “She’s really easy to talk to. And we have the same sense of humor.”

Taehyung grins. “That’s awesome. I’m glad she made such good friends this year.”

“It’s funny because I do pretend to be her boyfriend sometimes,” Jeongguk adds. “When guys are
getting too aggressive.”

“That’s good,” Taehyung says. “I mean, I’m not the kind of weird brother who wants to protect her
virtue, or whatever. But it’s nice to know she has someone looking out for her.”

“She definitely does,” Jeongguk nods, feeling a rush of warmth for his best friend. “She looks out
for me, too.”

Taehyung’s answering smile is soft. “I’m glad. Did you have a good first year?”
“Yeah, I loved it,” Jeongguk says, a bittersweet pang in his chest. “I’ve really been missing school,
actually.”

Taehyung looks sympathetic. “Yeah, I get that. I had a really hard time my first summer back at
home. And it’s still kind of an adjustment each year.”

Jeongguk doesn’t know whether it’s reassuring or not to hear that. He’s at least glad to know he’s
not the only one who’s struggled.

“You’re going into your last year, right?” he asks, hoping it’s not too weird that he knows that.

“Yup,” Taehyung confirms. “It’s so weird, I can’t believe it. I don’t feel ready to be a real adult.
Although I am definitely ready to move out.”

It’s strange - Taehyung’s only two years older than him, and yet he’s already thinking about stuff
that still seems far out of reach to Jeongguk. He wonders how he’ll be feeling when he gets to that
point, what will have changed in his life by then.

“What’s your major?” Jeongguk asks.

Taehyung glances around his room, grinning. “I think you can probably guess.”

“Art?”

Taehyung nods. “Major in art, minor in economics. Gotta keep the options open, you know.”

Jeongguk does. He hasn’t declared his major yet, but he’ll probably end up doing something
similar.

“So all of the stuff on the walls is yours?” Jeongguk asks, gesturing vaguely. He kind of figured,
but he’s still curious.

“Yeah,” Taehyung says, a little proud, a little rueful. “I sort of can’t stop, sometimes. It helps me
when I get anxious.”

Jeongguk can relate to that, too. He glances up, at the painting that’s now hanging directly over his
head. “I like the rainbow.”

Taehyung looks pleased. “Thanks. Me too.” His gaze wanders up to the painting, then back down
to Jeongguk. “What about you? Have you decided on a major?”

“Not officially,” Jeongguk says. He hates it when his parents pester him about it, but he doesn’t
mind telling Taehyung. “But I think I’ll probably do photography. And, yeah - maybe an econ
minor, or something.”

“You’re a photographer?” Taehyung asks. He looks genuinely curious, and it’s so nice since
Jeongguk hasn’t really had anyone to talk to about this since the school year ended.

“I mean - I want to be,” Jeongguk acknowledges, a little shy. “But yeah, I take a lot of pictures. I
like to film stuff too.”

“That’s really cool,” Taehyung says, pushing up and rearranging himself so that he’s sitting cross
legged on the bed. His limbs are long, but they suit him; he moves easily, comfortably. Even
though it’s only the third week of summer, the exposed skin on his calves and forearms already
looks tan. “What do you take pictures of? People? Scenery? Bits of trash on the sidewalk?”
Jeongguk’s laugh bursts out of him before he can really control it. “Trash doesn’t really inspire
me,” he says grinning. “I like doing still life the best. Indoor or outdoor. A lot of black and white.”

He’s always liked capturing the simple things - the steam rising from a cup of coffee, dead leaves
on a park bench. The small details of everyday life, captivating in their own way if you can catch
them at the right angle, in the right light.

“Nice,” Taehyung nods, looking impressed. Jeongguk bubbles with a mix of pride and excitement.
“I’ve always liked taking pictures, but I mostly end up just taking them of my friends.”

Jeongguk refrains from mentioning that he had noticed that during his careful inspection of the
decor in Taehyung’s room.

“Are you doing anything related to photography this summer?” Taehyung asks.

Jeongguk’s excitement dies. “Sort of,” he says, scratching the back of his head self-consciously.
“I’m working for a photographer in my town who does, like, family photos and stuff. Mostly taking
pictures at rich kids’ birthday parties.”

“You sound really enthusiastic about that,” Taehyung observes, his tone lightly teasing.

“I don’t love it,” Jeongguk admits. “A lot of the parents are annoying, and it’s usually hot and
loud.” He sighs. “Not exactly the sick photography gig I had in mind.”

“I get it,” Taehyung says sympathetically. “I actually did face painting at kids’ parties the summer
between my first and second year. One of several jobs.” He shrugs good-naturedly. “But hey, gotta
start somewhere, right?”

Jeongguk nods, slightly appeased. “Yeah, you’re right.”

2 AM

“Do you like cereal?” Taehyung asks. They’ve been talking about their favorite foods, and it seems
to have awakened his appetite.

“I like pretty much all food,” Jeongguk says. “So, yes.”

“Cool,” Taehyung nods. “Want some?”

They climb off of Taehyung’s bed, tiptoeing out into the dark hallway in the direction of the
kitchen. Jeongguk can barely see anything, his eyes still adjusting to the darkness, but Taehyung
seems to know the way by heart. He rescues Jeongguk from nearly walking into a wall, grabbing
his hand and tugging him out of the way just in time. Jeongguk’s heart races, but he knows it
doesn’t have anything to do with the injury he very narrowly avoided.

Taehyung doesn’t let go of his hand until they reach the kitchen.

He flicks on a single overhead light and quietly pulls out bowls, spoons, and a box of cereal,
directing Jeongguk on where to find the milk in the refrigerator. When they have their materials
assembled on the kitchen counter, Taehyung turns to him, a serious look on his face.

“Before we do this, I need to ask you something,” he says. Jeongguk’s heart rate picks up again,
wondering what Taehyung is getting at. “Do you put the cereal or the milk in first?”

Jeongguk blinks at him. “Cereal,” he replies. Then, for added effect: “Duh.”
Taehyung is silent for a second. Then his mouth spreads in a slow grin. “Thank god. I knew I liked
you.”

Jeongguk smiles back, feeling a little giddy.

They pour their cereal, then their milk, Taehyung hopping up on the counter to eat his while
Jeongguk simply leans against the edge. It gives Jeongguk an eyeful of Taehyung’s very long, very
nice legs, from where his shorts have ridden up slightly around his lower thighs all the way down
to his ankles. The sight makes something warm curl in Jeongguk’s stomach, and he resorts to
shoveling more cereal into his mouth in hopes of distracting himself.

“You’re a fast eater,” Taehyung observes as Jeongguk’s spoon clinks against the bottom of the
bowl.

Jeongguk looks up at him sheepishly, mouth still full of his last bite of cereal. It’s true, but in this
case he also had ulterior motives.

He shrugs, swallowing. “I’m a growing boy.”

Taehyung’s eyebrows lift, an amused smile on his lips. “I can see that,” he says with a wink.

It’s lucky Jeongguk doesn’t have any cereal in his mouth at the time, because he almost certainly
would have choked.

Taehyung slips down off of the counter, taking Jeongguk’s bowl and washing them both quickly in
the sink.

“My mom hates it when I eat this late,” he explains, passing a bowl to Jeongguk to dry. “Gotta hide
the evidence.”

They put their dishes away and shut off the light, creeping back down the hallway as if they were
never there. This time, Taehyung takes Jeongguk’s hand right away, and Jeongguk feels like every
nerve ending in his body has shifted to the place where his skin meets Taehyung’s, a pulsing
warmth in the darkness.

“Don’t want you running into anymore walls,” Taehyung murmurs, a smile in his voice as he tugs
Jeongguk along.

It ends too soon, Taehyung releasing him once they step back into the light of his bedroom.

“How are you feeling?” he asks. “Tired yet?”

“Not really,” Jeongguk says, shaking his head. If anything, he’s kind of keyed up, body humming
with that opening-up feeling of meeting someone you really connect with. He can’t imagine going
to bed now, not when he could stay up talking to Taehyung instead. “I’m kind of a night owl.”

“Me too,” Taehyung nods. “My parents keep saying I’ll grow out of it, but I dunno. I like the
nighttime. I see way more potential at 10 PM than I do at 8 AM.”

Jeongguk smiles to himself because he’s the same way. If he’s learned anything tonight, it’s that he
and Taehyung have a lot in common, from big stuff to small stuff. He just wishes his heart would
stop doing that weird flip-flopping thing every time he thinks about it.

“Is that why you used to sneak out a lot?” he asks. He’s oddly curious about it; Jeongguk was the
kind of kid who used to lie in bed thinking about sneaking out without ever being brave enough to
actually try it. Not that he would have had anywhere to go if he did.

Taehyung side-eyes him, eyebrows raised. For a moment, he looks like something out of a movie,
beautiful face, mischief in his eyes. He’s so pretty that Jeongguk feels himself physically ache with
it. “Did Jihyo tell you that?”

Jeongguk blushes a little, nodding.

“Yeah, I guess that’s probably why,” Taehyung concedes, looking thoughtful. “I never really
thought about it, honestly. It’s not like I wanted to rebel, or anything. I think I was just restless,
maybe. Curious.” He laughs. “I’m still like that, honestly.”

Jeongguk thinks he could have figured that out himself even though he’s only known Taehyung for
a handful of hours. It’s evident in the energy that vibrates off of him, the sincere, open way he asks
questions.

“Also, frankly, it’s my parents’ fault for sticking me in the only bedroom on the first floor. They
were practically setting me up to sneak out,” he adds, laughing. “Wanna see my escape route?”

“Hell yeah.”

Taehyung beckons him over to the window, pushing it up further and shifting to the side so that
they can both stick their heads outside. The night air is warm, still a little muggy, humming with
the sound of insects. It’s nice, much more bearable than the heavy daytime heat, but Jeongguk
finds himself more preoccupied with the press of Taehyung’s bare arm against his own.

“Forgot to put the screen back in,” Taehyung mutters to himself, gesturing to the screen that’s
propped up against the side of the house directly below the window. “Probably got distracted by
the random boy I found in my bed.”

Jeongguk snorts, elbowing him lightly, determined not to think of the potential layers of meaning
behind Taehyung’s words. Of himself as a boy in Taehyung’s bed, a boy Taehyung takes to bed. It
sends a shiver up his spine despite the heat outside.

“So, I mean, it’s a pretty easy escape route,” Taehyung explains. It’s difficult to see since their
bodies are blocking most of the light from the bedroom, but Jeongguk can tell they’re looking out
over the backyard, a small garden tucked up against the side of the house. “The garden is the
trickiest part, took me a while to figure out the best route around the plants. Had to be careful about
hiding my footprints in the dirt, too.” He smiles to himself. “But yeah, basically I’d just pop the
screen, tiptoe around the plants, then sneak around the front. Usually I’d walk a few blocks and
then one of my friends would pick me up.”

“And what would you go do?”

Taehyung shrugs. “Usually we’d just drive around listening to music, or go get something to eat.
Sometimes we went to parties.” He bites his lip, looking coy. “Occasionally there’d be a cute boy
involved, maybe some backseat action.”

Jeongguk feels his whole body heat at this. He’s never hooked up with someone in the backseat of
a car, hadn’t done much hooking up period prior to this past year, but suddenly he can picture it in
vivid detail. Taehyung stretched out under him, or maybe in his lap, the air thick with the sound of
their breathing, crackling with the tension between them.

Jeongguk swallows. He really needs to get his imagination in check.

“Did you ever get caught?” he asks, hoping his voice doesn’t sound as strangled to Taehyung as it
does in his own ears.

Taehyung glances over at him, eyebrow cocked in a way that, Jeongguk is quickly learning, means
trouble. “In the backseat?” he says teasingly, lips quirked. “Or sneaking out?”

Jeongguk fumbles a bit, scrambling to collect himself. “I meant sneaking out.”

Taehyung grins, shaking his head. “Had a few close calls, but nope. Never got caught doing either,
actually.”

“Impressive.”

Taehyung shrugs, grin widening. “Guess I’m just that good.”

Jeongguk really needs this conversation to move away from the subject of Taehyung half-naked in
the backseat of a car. Luckily, Taehyung does that for him.

He nudges Jeongguk lightly, bending down to pick up the window screen from its resting place in
the dirt. “C’mon,” he says. “Help me pop this back in?”

3 AM

Some time after 3 AM, Jeongguk finally works up the courage to ask a question that’s been on his
mind all night.

They’re back on the bed, Taehyung sprawled out on his stomach, arms folded under his chin and
propped up on a pillow. Jeongguk is leaning against the wall again, shoulders slouched from
encroaching sleepiness, but he feels shy about lying down next to Taehyung. He’s probably
building up the significance too much, but in his head the action seems bold, almost suggestive,
and right now his nerves are winning out.

“Can I ask you something?” he says instead.

Taehyung blinks up at him, then nods. “Sure.”

“What were you actually supposed to be doing tonight?”

Taehyung is quiet for a while, long enough that Jeongguk is worried he’s somehow overstepped.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” he hurries to add.

Taehyung sighs, shaking his head. “It’s fine.” He smiles ruefully. “It’s just - kind of embarrassing,
honestly.”

Jeongguk offers him what he hopes is an encouraging smile. “Try me.”

Something in Taehyung’s expression softens then, his eyes lingering on Jeongguk’s face before
dropping down to the quilt beneath them. “I told my family I was staying over at my friend Jimin’s
house,” he explains. “But I actually was, umm - on a date, kind of. With a guy I was hoping to
spend the night with.”

It’s stupid that this revelation makes a small flame of jealousy spark in Jeongguk’s chest. Or maybe
envy, more accurately. He envies whoever this guy is, capturing Taehyung’s interest, getting to
take him on a date.
“It’s this guy from school who I’ve kind of had my eye on for a while,” Taehyung continues, finger
tracing along a path of tiny stitches in the quilt. “We were dancing around each other pretty much
all semester but nothing ever happened. And then he randomly asked me out, and I just - ” he clears
his throat, smiling sadly as he looks up at Jeongguk. “I thought he was for real, you know? I
thought he actually liked me. But, uh, tonight - he just wanted to get straight to hooking up. And
when I didn’t want to, he got - well.” Taehyung grimaces. “Kind of nasty.”

The envy Jeongguk had been feeling turns into something else, something like anger. He doesn’t
know Taehyung that well and he’s never met this guy he’s talking about, but anyone who pressures
someone into sex is a piece of shit in Jeongguk’s book. He hates that Taehyung had to deal with
that, especially from someone he actually cared about, someone he thought he could trust.

“What the fuck,” Jeongguk says indignantly. Taehyung’s eyebrows lift in surprise. “That’s so
fucked up.”

“Oh,” Taehyung says, looking a little taken aback. “I mean - yeah. It is.”

Jeongguk nods vigorously.

“I just feel kind of dumb,” Taehyung continues, giving a sad little shrug. “Like, I should have
known that’s all it was. It was stupid of me to expect anything else.” He sighs. “And it’s not like - I
really do like hooking up, you know? Just - just not - ”

“Not when the person you’re with is an asshole who makes you uncomfortable?” Jeongguk offers
helpfully, still stewing.

It seems that Taehyung can’t help but laugh at that, the sound slipping out almost accidentally.
“Yeah. Exactly.”

“You’re not dumb,” Jeongguk says quietly. Taehyung regards him with that same soft expression,
like he likes what he sees when he looks at Jeongguk. It makes Jeongguk’s stomach tingle. “It’s not
dumb to want to see the good in people. Maybe it’s naive, but it’s not - if people are shitty, that’s
on them. Not you.”

The softness on Taehyung’s face melts into a real smile. “You’re right,” he says. “Thanks,
Jeongguk.”

He says it so earnestly, and Jeongguk finds he likes the feeling of being able to help, of making
Taehyung feel better about what happened. It’s something he wants to keep doing until Taehyung
forgets he even had other plans tonight, until he decides being here with Jeongguk was a way better
alternative anyway.

“What did you do?” Jeongguk asks. “When he got nasty?”

“I told him to fuck off and got out of the car,” Taehyung says. “And then I walked home.” He
frowns. “That part was a bit anticlimactic.”

Jeongguk snorts. “Still, good for you.”

Taehyung brightens. “Thanks.” He plucks at the fabric of his quilt, considering. “It’s just
disappointing, honestly. Sex is always better when you actually like the person.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Jeongguk admits.

The truth is, it still hasn’t even been a year since he’d had sex for the first time. When he’d gotten
to school, he’d been eager just to get it over with, get some experience under his belt so he could
stop feeling so clueless. There had been a handful of one-night stands, a decent amount of fumbling
and awkwardness until he finally started to get the hang of it. And it had been fine, had certainly
made him more confident sexually, but he’d never felt connected to any of the people he slept with.
A part of him wonders what that would be like, to touch someone as more than just a body, to truly
be intimate with them.

“Yeah?” Taehyung doesn’t look judgmental as he observes Jeongguk, just curious, maybe a little
sympathetic.

“Yeah,” Jeongguk nods. “People mostly just hook up at school. Super casual.”

Taehyung cocks his head to the side, thoughtful. “Do you wish it was more than that?”

Does he? Jeongguk doesn’t know. There have certainly been times when he’s felt a sort of an ache
in his chest, a craving for something more meaningful, less fleeting. It usually passes quickly
enough, maybe because there’s never really been a person for him to attach that feeling to.

Now, though. Now he looks at Taehyung and wonders what it would be like, wonders how
intimacy would feel with him.

But maybe that’s just his hazy 3-almost-4 AM brain talking.

“I guess,” he settles for saying, hoping his thoughts aren’t too obvious on his face. “Sometimes.”

“Me too,” Taehyung nods. “Sometimes.”

They lie in silence for a few seconds, both of them lost in their own thoughts, maybe. Jeongguk
doesn’t know what Taehyung is thinking about, but Jeongguk is thinking about Taehyung. About
sex. About feeling connected to someone.

Eventually, he says: “I’m sorry your night got ruined.”

Taehyung rests his cheek on the back of his hand and looks up at Jeongguk, a half smile on his
face. “Not ruined,” he murmurs. “Upgraded, if anything.”

Jeongguk can’t help it; he knows his face heats at that. He looks down, fingers twisting in his lap.
Is it normal to be this into someone just hours after meeting them?

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Taehyung confirms. “I’m really glad you showed up in my room tonight. I’m glad we got
to hang out.”

“Me too,” Jeongguk says, dragging his gaze up to meet Taehyung’s. “You’re - yeah. This has been
a really fun night.”

Easily the best night he’s had since the summer started, but he keeps that detail to himself.

4 AM

“Shit, it’s after 4,” Taehyung says, looking at his phone. “I might need to call it a night.”

Jeongguk nods sleepily, barely suppressing a yawn. He’d been trying to hold out so that he could
keep talking to Taehyung, but at this point there’s no avoiding the fact that sleep is coming for him.
“I can, umm - I can go take the couch?” he offers, attempting to summon the willpower to move.
Taehyung has been super chill about letting him hang out, but he doesn’t want to assume that
extends to actually sharing a bed.

“You can stay,” Taehyung mumbles, rubbing at his eyes. “The bed’s big enough to share.”

He says this all very casually, as if the suggestion doesn’t make Jeongguk’s heart practically
catapult out of his chest.

“Unless that makes you uncomfortable,” Taehyung adds, probably misreading whatever
Jeongguk’s face is doing right now.

“No, umm - no,” Jeongguk rushes to clarify. He probably won’t sleep a wink tonight but that’s not
really a concern right now. “I’m not uncomfortable, I just - you’re sure? I don’t want to impose.”

Taehyung shakes his head, still looking very calm about this whole thing. “You’re not imposing,”
he insists. “It’s cool, seriously. I wouldn’t have offered otherwise.”

“Okay,” Jeongguk nods, then continues nodding until he realizes he probably looks weird and
abruptly stops. “Sure, umm - thanks.”

“No problem,” Taehyung says with a smile. God, Jeongguk wants to kiss him. “Oh, I should warn
you, though - I tend to, umm, latch on to stuff when I sleep?” His smile turns slightly bashful.
“Including other humans.”

Jeongguk stares at him, struggling to put together the pieces of what Taehyung is saying.

“So, like, if you wake up to me spooning you - I apologize.” He grins lopsidedly, this absolute
teenage dream of a boy who’s just implied he’s going to cuddle Jeongguk in their sleep.

Surely, Jeongguk must be hallucinating.

“Oh,” Jeongguk says, trying very hard to keep his cool. “That’s, umm - yeah, no big deal.” He
scratches the back of his head, butterflies bubbling up in his stomach. “It is your bed.”

He excuses himself to use the bathroom one more time, splashing cool water on his face and trying
to get his nerves in check. It’s not like anything’s going to happen, they’re literally just sharing a
bed. And possibly spooning. There’s no reason to freak out.

(There’s every reason to freak out.)

When he returns to the bedroom, Taehyung has changed into pajamas, and Jeongguk is both
disappointed and relieved that he wasn’t there to witness that. He’s lying half under the covers on
the side of the bed that’s pushed up against the wall, leaving space on the outer edge for Jeongguk
to climb in. He does, slipping beneath the sheets and angling his body halfway towards Taehyung
because the prospect of facing him full-on is a little overwhelming right now.

“Comfy?” Taehyung asks.

Jeongguk nods, even though comfortable isn’t exactly the word he’d use to describe how he feels at
the present moment. The bed itself is soft and cozy, but his stomach is still jumping with nerves
and his brain keeps supplying unhelpful fantasy scenarios, most of which involve him and
Taehyung passionately kissing.

“Yeah,” he says anyway, because in no way does he have the nerve to try to make a move on
Taehyung right now.

“How do you fall asleep?” Taehyung inquires. His eyelids look a bit droopy from tiredness, but that
same curiosity is still in his eyes. “Like, I usually start on my side, and I have to be holding
something.”

There’s a bunched-up sweatshirt in his arms now, maroon and worn-looking. Oddly, Jeongguk’s
first thought when he sees it is to wonder if it smells like Taehyung. Probably because he’s
practically delirious from staying up until after 4 AM.

“Umm, usually on my back,” Jeongguk says. “Sometimes my legs fold weirdly, like if I was sitting
cross-legged kind of.”

Taehyung’s nose wrinkles up in a smile. “That’s cute.” Jeongguk’s heart thumps. “Weird, but
cute.”

Jeongguk huffs, rolling his eyes. Taehyung tries and fails to suppress an enormously large yawn.

“Alright, I give in,” he sighs. “Time for sleep.”

Jeongguk hums in agreement; now that he’s lying down it’s game over, his exhaustion
overpowering even the anxious energy that comes from being around Taehyung.

Until -

Taehyung props himself up on one elbow, leaning forward so that his upper body is hovering over
Jeongguk. The air shifts and Jeongguk breathes in the smell of him, lingering cologne and
something faintly sweet, maybe a moisturizer. He’s close enough that Jeongguk can feel the heat
radiating from his body, and for one, wild moment Jeongguk is wide awake, is angling his face up
towards Taehyung, heartbeat frantic in his chest.

But then Taehyung’s arm is extending past him, reaching for the lamp on the bedside table,
flipping the switch to off. Thankfully, mercifully, Jeongguk realizes this before he can do
something moronic like try to kiss Taehyung, and darkness descends just in time to hide his
embarrassment. He lets out a tiny puff of air, extremely conscious of the way Taehyung seems to
linger over him for an extra second before sliding back to his side of the bed.

“Night,” he murmurs, the richness of his voice simultaneously soothing and exhilarating.

“Night,” Jeongguk whispers back.

He falls asleep thinking there’s no way his dreams can top the night he’s just had.

***

When Jeongguk wakes up the next morning, it’s with Taehyung’s arms wrapped around him.

Kind of.

Really, it’s more like Taehyung’s arm flung across his chest, Taehyung’s forehead and nose
pressed against his shoulder. It’s not exactly the sexy spooning scenario Jeongguk had imagined,
but it does mean Taehyung is touching him, so he’ll take what he can get. Plus, Taehyung is a
really cute sleeper, the part of his face Jeongguk can see almost angelically peaceful, and it does
something funny to his heart.
He yawns, trying not to shift around too much and disturb Taehyung as he re-acclimates to being a
part of the conscious world. Based on the sunlight spilling through the bedroom window and the
sounds of movement elsewhere in the house, he guesses it must be pretty well into the morning,
maybe 10 or so. He doesn’t have anywhere he needs to be until later in the afternoon, so he relaxes,
content to let Taehyung snooze on him for as long as he pleases. He wonders if Jihyo is up yet, if
she’ll come to check on him at any point - what she’ll think when she discovers him in bed with
her brother. She’ll probably find it kind of hilarious that, in not believing Jeongguk likes boys, her
parents unwittingly put him in a position to share a bed with their son who also likes boys, and who
now happens to be a boy that Jeongguk likes very much. But she also has a habit of being able to
see right through Jeongguk, which means she’ll almost certainly be able to tell that he’s
inconveniently developed a bit of a crush on her older brother. He hopes she isn’t too pissed about
that.

Before he can get too far down that thought spiral, Taehyung shifts against him, grumbling to
himself as he slowly wakes up. He lifts his head, hair half-matted and smooshed down weirdly
over his forehead, probably from being pressed against Jeongguk’s shoulder. His eyes still look
heavy, lips pushed out in a disgruntled pout as he blinks and looks around. Taehyung had told him
last night (earlier this morning?) that he wasn’t much of a morning person, and this is clear proof
of that.

“Morning,” Jeongguk greets when Taehyung’s unfocused eyes settle on him.

“Hey,” Taehyung replies, voice hoarse in a way Jeongguk should probably not find as sexy as he
does. He lifts a hand to rub at his eyes, and regrettably it’s the hand attached to the arm that had
been draped over Jeongguk’s chest. “Sorry for using you as a pillow. Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, fine,” Jeongguk nods. “Just woke up a minute or two ago.”

“Cool,” Taehyung says. Unfortunately for Jeongguk, he looks just as pretty in the mid-morning
light, even in all his discombobulated sleepiness. Maybe the air around them doesn’t feel quite as
magical as it had last night, but Jeongguk still feels something inside of him being tugged towards
Taehyung. The problem is, he’s not quite sure what he’s supposed to do about that.

There’s a knock on the door and Jihyo appears before either of them can respond, eyebrows raising
when her gaze lands on the bed. She glances over her shoulder, probably checking for their parents,
then slips inside and shuts the door behind her.

“Well good morning, sunshines,” she says, climbing onto the foot of the bed and settling in with
her legs crossed. She has a shit-eating look on her face that Jeongguk has come to learn generally
means trouble. “Wasn’t expecting to find you here, Tae.”

“People usually wait for a response after knocking, you know,” Taehyung points out, his tone
sarcastic. “It’s considered common courtesy.”

“Oh, sorry,” Jihyo says, not looking sorry at all. She lifts a hand to her chest, all faux concern.
“Am I interrupting something?”

Jeongguk feels his ears heat at the implication behind her words, and he determinedly avoids
making eye contact with either of the Kim siblings. Taehyung, on the other hand, scoffs and rolls
his eyes.

“Maybe,” he retorts, making Jeongguk’s ears burn hotter. “Don’t see how it’s any of your
business.”
“Jeongguk is my best friend and you’re my brother, it’s definitely my business,” Jihyo tosses back
just as easily. They’re clearly very used to this sort of verbal sparring, but there’s no real heat
behind their words.

Probably sensing that he’ll be the weaker link, Jihyo redirects her attention to Jeongguk.
“Jeonggukkie,” she simpers, voice falsely sweet. “Did my gross older brother try to seduce you?”

Taehyung makes an offended noise beside him.

“No,” Jeongguk replies. He wishes. “Nothing happened. We just, umm -” he chances a glance over
at Taehyung, stumped for how to describe what had happened last night. “We hung out for a
while.”

Taehyung grins, nodding. “Yeah. We’re friends now,” he says. “Guess you’ll have to share, Jihyo.”

“Get your own friends, loser,” Jihyo snarks, finding Taehyung’s foot through the covers and
tickling it. Taehyung squeals, trying to kick her away. “Why are you even home? Weren’t you
supposed to be at Jimin’s?”

Taehyung’s face falls just the slightest bit, and Jeongguk feels bad, wants to comfort him
somehow. “Yeah. Change of plans,” Taehyung says casually. “Came home late.”

Jihyo hums in acknowledgement. “Sorry, Jeongguk. Wouldn’t have put you in here if I’d known
Tae was going to come bursting in in the middle of the night.”

“It’s okay,” Jeongguk says. It had been so much more than okay. He looks over at Taehyung again,
smiling a little shyly. “We had fun.”

Taehyung smiles back at him, and shit, the butterflies are back. This is quite a predicament that
Jeongguk has found himself in.

Jihyo clears her throat, and when Jeongguk’s gaze snaps back to her, he finds her looking back and
forth between them, eyebrows once again raised. Luckily, she doesn’t comment on whatever she’s
thinking.

“Alright, whatever,” she says. “I’m taking my friend back now. Jeongguk, breakfast?”

“Sure,” Jeongguk says, even though he’s a little reluctant to leave Taehyung. He feels like they’ve
been in their own little bubble, removed from the rest of the world, and it’s strange to think about
just going back to normal.

“He likes cereal,” Taehyung comments slyly, and Jeongguk shoots him a look, trying not to smile
too obviously.

Jihyo just looks confused and a little annoyed. “Okay?” she says, nonplussed. She redirects her
attention to Jeongguk. “I was thinking we could go out. You don’t have to be at work till later,
right?”

Jeongguk nods. “Yeah, sounds good.”

“Thanks for the invite, Jihyo, I’d love to join but I actually have other plans,” Taehyung interjects.

“No you don’t,” Jihyo retorts, rolling her eyes. “But I can’t grill Jeonggukkie here about what
actually happened last night if you come with.”
With a smirk, she flicks Taehyung’s foot, leaping off the bed before he can retaliate.

“Rude,” Taehyung huffs, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Nothing happened,” Jeongguk repeats, but neither of them seems to be listening to him.

“Come on, Guk, let’s go,” Jihyo says, cocking her head towards the door. “I’m starving.”

Jeongguk climbs out of bed obediently, daring to look back at Taehyung once he’s safely on two
feet. “Uh. Thanks for letting me share your bed,” he says. He wants to ask for Taehyung’s number,
or if they can hang out again, or something, but he feels weird doing it with Jihyo right here.

“My pleasure,” Taehyung replies. “You’re welcome any time.”

Then he winks, and Jeongguk just about melts straight through the floor.

“Oh my god, ew,” Jihyo groans, stomping over and taking Jeongguk by the wrist. “Stop hitting on
my best friend.”

Taehyung just grins, looking pleased with himself. He lifts his hand in a little salute, waving as
Jihyo tugs Jeongguk towards the door.

“See you around, Jeongguk.”

***

Despite his best efforts, Jeongguk does not, in fact, see Taehyung around. Or at least, not as much
as he’d like. He goes over to Jihyo’s house a few more times over the course of the next several
weeks, but it always seems to be when Taehyung has other plans, waving a simultaneous hello and
goodbye at Jeongguk as he heads out the door. Jeongguk knows Taehyung has a lot of friends and
is probably just hanging out with them, but he can’t help but wonder if he’s going out on dates
sometimes as well. It’s irrational, but he also can’t help the slight twinge of jealousy that he feels
when he thinks about that.

One night, Jeongguk even sleeps in Taehyung’s bed again, because Jihyo’s parents still don’t
believe he’s gay even though he’s harboring a growing crush on their son. This time, though,
Taehyung really is out for the night, and Jeongguk ends up feeling like a fool when he stays up far
later than he should waiting, hoping that Taehyung will magically appear through the window
again. Instead, all he gets is a glimpse of him the following morning, Taehyung returning home
just as Jeongguk is leaving.

After a few weeks, Jeongguk is starting to resign himself to the fact that it had been a one-time
thing, a fluke coincidence that had brought him and Taehyung together for a night. It’s stupid for
him to keep pining over it, especially when they’d only really spent a few hours together.
Taehyung has probably barely even thought about it since then.

But then, just when he’s about to fully give up hope, he actually does see Taehyung around. At a
child’s birthday party of all places.

It’s a sweaty, sticky afternoon, and Jeongguk is in some very wealthy family’s backyard, taking
photographs of the family’s daughter and her friends as they run around like maniacs. The parents
have really gone all out for the party, fairy lights strung up everywhere, music playing from an
elaborate speaker system, and a bunch of different stations set up with different activities for the
kids to do. Jeongguk doesn’t really understand why all of this is necessary for a seven year-old’s
birthday, but he has to hand it to the party planner, Seokjin, for convincing the parents to splurge
on all of this. It’s why Jeongguk himself is getting paid, after all, so he’ll keep his doubts to himself
and keep on taking pictures.

It gets a little harder to focus on that particular task, though, when he spots a familiar face seated
behind the face painting station on the other side of the yard. It’s Taehyung, a pair of hot pink
sunglasses pushed up into his hair, garish floral-print shirt unbuttoned just a bit too far to be 100%
appropriate at a children’s party. But he has a vibrant rainbow painted on one cheek, a purple heart
on the other, and he’s smiling widely as he paints something onto the cheek of the little boy
standing in front of him. Even without being able to hear their conversation, Jeongguk can tell right
away that Taehyung is great with kids, just from the way the boy seems completely at ease with
him.

Without even really pausing to think about it, Jeongguk makes his way over to him, almost like a
magnetic force is tugging him closer. Taehyung catches sight of him when he’s a few feet away,
his smile widening impossibly further even as he stays focused on his artwork. Up close, Jeongguk
can see that he’s painting the little boy’s face to look like a tiger, and he’s done a pretty damn good
job of it too.

“Looking good,” Jeongguk says, both to the boy and Taehyung. They both cheese up at him. “Can
I take a picture?”

The little boy nods, and Jeongguk crouches down, disregarding his initial instinct to get Taehyung
in the frame and focusing on the boy and his tiger face paint instead. By the time he straightens up
again, Taehyung is finished, lifting his hand to give the kid a high five.

“Roar,” Taehyung says, grinning.

“Roar!” The boy growls back, calling out a thanks before running off to join his friends again.

Taehyung’s attention shifts to Jeongguk, and Jeongguk feels suddenly shy, restless under the
weight of it. He looks so effortlessly good like this, with his hair swept off of his forehead and a
tan on his skin.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Taehyung greets, sweeping a hand out over the table. “Can I interest you
in some face decor?”

Jeongguk has a moment where he imagines Taehyung’s nimble hands on his skin, tongue between
his teeth and face close to Jeongguk’s as he paints. He decides it’s probably for the best that he
doesn’t put himself in that situation while he’s supposed to be working.

“No thanks,” he says regretfully, pushing his little fantasy away. “I thought you didn’t do face
painting anymore?”

“I don’t, really,” Taehyung replies. “But the girl Seokjin had booked apparently bailed at the last
minute, so I’m doing him a favor.”

“You know Seokjin hyung?” Jeongguk asks, curious.

“Yeah, we have a few mutual friends,” Taehyung nods. “He throws a pretty kickass party.”

“Seriously,” Jeongguk agrees. He doesn’t think he’s ever been to a party this nice period, and
certainly not as a child.

“So, are you coming over to ours again any time soon?” Taehyung asks casually, glancing up at
Jeongguk from where he’s rearranging a few paints. “I feel like we haven’t really gotten to hang
out since that night you stayed over.”

The question makes something spark in Jeongguk’s chest, a glimmer of the hopefulness he had felt
that first morning after spending the night with Taehyung. Maybe Taehyung is just interested in
being friends with him, but if nothing else this means he wants to hang out with Jeongguk again,
has maybe even been thinking about it in times when Jeongguk isn’t right in front of him. Jeongguk
will count it as a win.

“Yeah, I’m actually coming over tomorrow,” Jeongguk says, trying not to sound too eager. “Jihyo
and I are doing a movie marathon.”

“Nice,” Taehyung replies. “I’m gonna be around tomorrow, so I’ll see you.” He wiggles his
eyebrows playfully. “Maybe I’ll crash the movie marathon for a bit.”

“For sure,” Jeongguk nods. “The more the merrier.”

“I’ll be sure to tell Jihyo you said that,” Taehyung says with a wink. “Just kidding, I won’t subject
you to her wrath.”

Jeongguk snorts. He knows Jihyo and Taehyung are close, but it’s fun to watch the ways they tease
and mess around with each other. As an only child, it makes him a little wistful for a sibling of his
own.

A little girl bounds up to them then, announcing that she wants a rainbow on her cheek just like
Taehyung’s. This reminds Jeongguk that he should probably stop trying to flirt with the face
painter and get back to his own job as well.

“I should go take some more pictures,” he says, backing away slowly. “See you tomorrow,
though?”

Taehyung flashes him a thumbs up and a smile, and Jeongguk walks away with a new bounce in
his step.

***

The following day, Jeongguk arrives at the Kim household a little before dinner time. Jihyo
answers the door, but he sees Taehyung over her shoulder, waving at him from the living room.

“Jeonggukkie!” he cries. “Perfect timing, we were just talking about what to order for dinner.”

Jihyo rolls her eyes, stepping back to let Jeongguk inside. “Taehyung has no friends of his own so
he’s crashing our plans instead,” she explains.

This is obviously categorically untrue since pretty much every other time Jeongguk has been here,
Taehyung has been out with friends, but he decides not to point that out, letting Jihyo and
Taehyung bicker instead.

“Jeongguk is my friend now too, Jihyo,” Taehyung says petulantly. “Don’t be selfish. You have
such good taste in friends, I just wanna share.”

Jihyo grumbles to herself, grabbing Taehyung’s phone from his hands so that she can browse
through the food menus he has open. Meanwhile, Jeongguk privately thrills at the fact that
Taehyung seems so eager to hang out with him.

They end up ordering a bunch of fried chicken, cracking a few beers and settling in on the couch
while they wait for the food to be delivered. Jihyo sits in the middle because she’s the smallest, and
Jeongguk tries not to feel too disappointed at the missed opportunity to sit pressed up close to
Taehyung. It’s probably better for the sake of his own ability to focus on the movies, anyway; god
knows he wouldn’t be able to pay attention to anything else if his body was touching Taehyung’s.

By the time the food arrives, they’ve made their movie choices, and Jeongguk feels immensely
content biting into a delicious piece of chicken as the first movie starts to play. He loves Jihyo
dearly, but there’s something about having a third person there that makes it feel a little more
special, a little more like an event. And it doesn’t hurt that he happens to have a crush on said third
person.

Towards the end of the second movie, Jeongguk feels a nudge against his shoulder. He looks over
to see Taehyung gesturing at Jihyo, who is now zonked out against his shoulder with her mouth
hanging open. Like any best friend would, Jeongguk whips out his phone and quickly takes a
picture of her, saving it for future blackmailing purposes. Taehyung gives him a thumbs up and
they both laugh silently before returning their attention to the movie.

With Jihyo asleep between them, Jeongguk finds himself becoming more conscious of Taehyung’s
presence, the fact that it’s essentially just the two of them hanging out now. He kind of wants to
strike up a conversation, but he also usually hates it when people talk too much during movies, and
if Taehyung is like that too he doesn’t want to be rude. Instead, he settles for sneaking occasional
glances over at Taehyung, watching the light from the TV playing over his face and catching his
reactions to different scenes.

As it turns out, though, Taehyung apparently doesn’t mind talking during movies, as evidenced
when he turns to Jeongguk halfway through Train to Busan and asks in a whisper: “If you could be
in any movie, what would it be?”

So yeah, maybe Jeongguk isn’t really someone who likes to talk during movies, especially because
he loves this movie, but he finds (not surprisingly) that he doesn’t mind making an exception for
Taehyung. Taehyung, with his inquisitive mind and thoughtful questions that Jeongguk always
finds himself wanting to answer.

“Like, as an actor? Or to just get completely dropped into the world?”

“Second one.”

“Definitely a superhero movie,” Jeongguk replies without hesitating. Taehyung grins at him.
“Probably Iron Man. What about you?”

Taehyung tilts his head like he’s considering. “Probably some dumb rom com, honestly. I’m a
sucker for a good love story.”

Jeongguk has the unbearably cheesy thought that he’d also like to be in any rom com that
Taehyung is in. Preferably as the dashing love interest who sweeps Taehyung off his feet. Or vice
versa.

“You’re a romantic?” Jeongguk asks, his voice still low so as not to disturb Jihyo.

Taehyung nods. “Hopeless.”

And now that he thinks about it, Jeongguk hasn’t met a lot of boys who would express that so
freely. It’s one of the things he likes the most about Taehyung, how unashamed he is, how
unabashedly himself. It makes Jeongguk feel like he can be himself, too.
“Yeah, same,” he admits.

Taehyung looks delighted to hear this. “Do you like dramas?”

Does Jeongguk like dramas? Oh, just a bit. Enough to stay up late watching them pretty much
every night in high school, hidden under the covers in his bed so his parents wouldn’t notice.

“Love them.”

Taehyung’s delight seems to grow. “Wow, this is amazing news,” he says. “I knew I liked you.”

Jeongguk feels like he’s in a drama right now with the way his breath catches when Taehyung says
that.

“We should definitely watch together some time,” Taehyung adds.

Jeongguk is saved from having to garble out an answer by a loud noise from the TV, making them
both startle and jump slightly. Jihyo mumbles to herself, squirming a bit against Taehyung’s
shoulder, but ultimately doesn’t wake up.

They get caught up in the action again and end up watching the rest of the movie in relative
silence, occasionally commenting on a particularly gross or gory scene. By the time it ends, it’s
well after midnight, and they’re both yawning and ready for bed. Taehyung nudges Jihyo awake
gently, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her upstairs to her bedroom. It’s sweet to see
how tender he is with her, especially given that when she’s fully alert the two of them are usually
bickering or teasing each other.

While Taehyung is occupied with Jihyo, Jeongguk busies himself with getting ready for bed. Since
both of the Kim siblings are home, he’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight, which wouldn’t be a
problem except he knows he won’t be able to stop thinking about Taehyung in his bed just down
the hall. He hopes the movie marathon (plus all that chicken and beer) made him sleepy enough
that he’ll just pass out before his brain can get too carried away.

He changes into sleep clothes in the downstairs bathroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth
as well. His eyes adjust to the light enough that he can barely see anything when he steps back out
into the dark hallway, which is how he ends up nearly walking headlong into Taehyung.

A pair of hands land on his hips, steadying him, followed by Taehyung’s voice murmuring “Whoa,
careful” from somewhere extremely close to Jeongguk’s face. He blinks rapidly, willing his eyes to
adjust, but he can still only make out the vague outline of Taehyung in the darkness.

“Sorry,” he says hoarsely, acutely aware of each individual finger of Taehyung’s that’s currently
splayed across his waist. His heart is thumping hard in his chest, warmth spreading out from the
places Taehyung is touching him to fill his whole body. He’s been with other people, done things
far more explicit than this, but he’s never felt so electrified by human contact as he does right now.

Time seems to warp around them, and Jeongguk can’t tell if they’ve been standing here for 10
seconds or 10 minutes, if it means something that Taehyung’s hands are still on his waist or if he’s
just blowing it out of proportion in his head. He wishes he could see the look on Taehyung’s face
right now, wonders whether it would give him any indication as to whether he’s thinking about
kissing Jeongguk too.

But then Taehyung’s hands fall away, and the spell is broken as he seems to take a slight step back.
“No worries,” he replies, and Jeongguk wishes he would come back, come closer again. “Just
don’t want you crashing into any walls.”
Jeongguk snorts. “Thanks.”

There’s a pause, during which time Jeongguk frantically casts around for a way to prolong this
moment, this night. If he was a braver person, he’d take a step forward, or think of something
clever and vaguely flirty to say, but it’s 1 in the morning and his brain is tired and he’s too afraid of
making a fool of himself.

“Okay, well,” Taehyung says, breaking the silence. “Sleep well, Jeonggukkie. See you in the
morning.”

Jeongguk’s heart sinks, but he nods before realizing that Taehyung probably can’t see him. “You
too. Night.”

He slips past Taehyung and continues down the hallway to the living room, flopping down on the
couch and covering himself with a light blanket. Conscious of Taehyung still just down the hall, he
resists the urge to groan audibly, but he can’t stop himself from replaying the moment over and
over again in his head, thinking of all the ways it could have ended differently. He’s so caught up
in his own thoughts that he fails to notice a single, telling detail - he never hears the sound of
Taehyung’s bedroom door being shut behind him.

***

Two weeks later finds Jeongguk once again in Taehyung’s bed, albeit unfortunately without
Taehyung in it. They’d seen each other in passing when Jeongguk had arrived earlier that evening,
chatting briefly before Taehyung had left for his friend Jimin’s house (allegedly). Jeongguk and
Jihyo had spent the night like they often did, listening to girl groups, stalking celebrities on
Instagram, and complaining about the limitations of being home for the summer. Jihyo had even
convinced Jeongguk to let her braid his hair, so now Jeongguk has two mini pigtail braids on his
head, tied neatly with little pink elastic bands.

It’s late, or early, really, somewhere between 1 and 2 AM, and Jeongguk is trying to convince
himself that it would be stupid (not to mention pathetic) to even think about staying up any later
just in case Taehyung comes home. Scratch that, he has convinced himself, but that doesn’t stop
him from taking a little longer than usual in his nighttime routine, lingering in the bathroom and
scrolling almost sightlessly through his phone once he gets into bed. Eventually, though, he’s
forced to give up, and he switches off the light and shuts his eyes, settling in for the night.

He’s in that vaguely surreal, liminal space between waking and sleeping when he hears a noise that
sounds like a thud. His mind registers it as a part of whatever pseudo-dream state he’s entering, and
he continues to drift until he feels the sheets moving around him, the presence of another body -

He startles awake, or at least he thinks he does, blinking up at the sheepish look on Kim
Taehyung’s face. Kim Taehyung, who appears to be straddling him at the moment, one hand on
either side of Jeongguk’s shoulders. So yeah, maybe Jeongguk is still dreaming.

“Tae?” he mumbles out, still not fully coherent. “Am I dreaming?”

Dream-or-real Taehyung giggles, the puff of it hitting Jeongguk’s face briefly before he clambers
off of him and onto the other side of the bed.

“No, sorry, that was such an inopportune time for you to wake up,” Taehyung says, embarrassed.
“I was trying to get to the empty side of the bed without waking you, I swear I wasn’t creeping.”

“It’s cool,” Jeongguk assures him, now fully awake and taking stock of the situation. After all
those weeks of wishing for this exact thing to happen, Taehyung is here, in bed beside him. “Sorry
to steal your bed again, do you want me to move to the couch?”

“No,” Taehyung replies, and he says it so intently that it makes Jeongguk’s heart stutter in his
chest. The next second though, he’s back to playful. “I like to cuddle, remember?”

Yes, Jeongguk does indeed remember. Vividly.

“Right,” Jeongguk nods. Keep it together, Jeon. “What happened to staying over at Jimin’s?”

Taehyung shrugs. “Just decided I’d rather be home.” He surveys Jeongguk, enough ambient light
coming in from outside that they can make out each other’s faces. His lips quirk up in a smile. “Did
Jihyo put braids in your hair?”

Jeongguk flushes, a self-conscious hand rising to his hair. He’d completely forgotten about those.
“Oh, yeah - ”

“She does that to me, too,” Taehyung laughs, batting Jeongguk’s hand away and examining one of
the pigtails. “They’re cute.”

Jeongguk’s not too sure about that, but Taehyung’s hand is in his hair and that’s pretty much all he
has the mental bandwidth to process right now. It feels like the other night in the hallway, a single
point of contact making his whole body light up, and he finds himself unable to repress a slight
shudder.

Which, unfortunately, Taehyung seems to notice.

“You good?” he asks, and Jeongguk thinks he must know, or at least suspect. Because lying here
face to face in the silvery semi-dark, Taehyung’s fingers still resting lightly in his hair, Jeongguk is
starting to suspect too.

“Yeah, I’m - ” he clears his throat, unsure of where to go from here. He thinks back on the past few
weeks, to the other moments that have felt like this - Taehyung leaning over him to turn off the
bedside lamp, Taehyung’s hands on his hips in the darkened hallway - and he realizes he doesn’t
want this moment to play out the same way. He doesn’t want to fall asleep wishing he had acted
differently, fantasizing about what might have happened if he’d been just a little bit braver.

“I’m - ”

“Jeon-”

They both start speaking at the same time, then cut off just as abruptly, regarding each other with
wide eyes. The moment feels heavy, the air weighted down with the things they almost said.

“You go,” Taehyung breathes.

“I just, umm, wanted to say - ” Jeongguk begins, and then he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath,
and kisses Taehyung.

It’s short but slow, in that it doesn’t last long but it still feels deliberate, unhurried. A press of their
lips, a question, a “just checking” - is this what you wanted too, or have I really just been
dreaming? He allows his mouth to fall open just slightly, slotting neatly against Taehyung’s, and
even though it’s brief, it immediately feels right.

To him, at least. Taehyung hadn’t physically recoiled, so Jeongguk’s thinking that’s probably a
good sign, but he still wants to be sure they’re on the same page.

He pulls back, a little anxious and a little dazed as he opens his eyes and tries to gauge Taehyung’s
reaction. He doesn’t really get a chance, though, only gets a glimpse of Taehyung’s smile before he
feels a warm hand on the back of his neck, guiding him forward until that smile is pressed up
against his mouth.

And oh, yeah, this is good, this is definitely good, because Taehyung is smiling and holding him
close and speaking the words “I was hoping you would say that,” directly into Jeongguk’s mouth
and really, this is the best reaction Jeongguk could have hoped for.

And then they’re kissing, and it’s not brief anymore. It’s not a question, it’s an answer neither of
them can stop repeating, over and over against each other’s mouths. Their lips move together
easily, still not rushed but definitely heated, Jeongguk’s tongue teasing into Taehyung’s mouth,
Taehyung’s fingers tugging lightly at Jeongguk’s hair. It’s like they’re gathering speed but very
gradually, the intensity ramping up one notch at a time, the anticipation between them almost
palpable.

Then Jeongguk rolls forward, and that kicks them up another two notches, because now
Taehyung’s body is half underneath him, now Taehyung’s hands are up the back of his shirt,
burning a path along his spine. It’s almost crazy how much Jeongguk wants him, how badly he
wants to get his hands and mouth on the places only his eyes have been before. He’s so
overwhelmed that he ends up just sort of face planting into Taehyung’s neck, leaving kisses and
grazing his teeth over the skin there until Taehyung lets out what sounds like a breathy giggle.

“Ah, sensitive,” he gasps, smile bright when Jeongguk pulls back to look at him. “Feels good, but
I’m - ah - ticklish.”

Naturally, Jeongguk dives right back in, because who would he be if he didn’t immediately exploit
this new information? He brushes his lips over Taehyung’s neck, the pressure deliberately light,
and feels something chaotic happen in his chest when it makes Taehyung giggle again.

“Unfair tactics,” Taehyung wheezes, threading his fingers through Jeongguk’s hair and yanking
him - gently - away from his neck. Jeongguk just grins and contents himself with kissing
Taehyung’s mouth instead, still marveling a bit that this is happening at all. He’s never really been
with someone and had it feel like this, like he wants to savor every moment for what it is, sink into
every fleeting sensation. Usually it’s just a rush to get clothes off, to get each other off, a frantic
scramble that never really leaves him feeling much at all.

He likes this way a lot better.

“Jeongguk,” Taehyung breathes, tugging at Jeongguk’s hair again. Jeongguk breaks the kiss and
looks down at him, feeling momentarily gobsmacked by how gorgeous Taehyung is - especially
like this, half-lit by the moon and a bit disheveled from making out with Jeongguk.

“Just so we’re clear,” Taehyung says, suddenly looking anxious, and Jeongguk’s stomach drops.
“I, uh - I kinda like you? Like, I mean, as more than just - ” he gestures between their bodies.
“This.” His eyes widen. “I mean, I like this too! A lot, like, you’re stupid hot and - well, now I’m
rambling, I’ll just - god. Yeah.”

He closes his mouth, embarrassed, but Jeongguk is completely charmed. Because a rambling Kim
Taehyung is an adorable Kim Taehyung, at least in Jeongguk’s opinion, and if he wasn’t
absolutely smitten before he certainly would be after that little confession. Which, by the way -
best thing Jeongguk’s heard all summer. Maybe ever. He can’t stop fucking smiling.
“I kinda like you too,” he murmurs, swooping down to peck Taehyung on the lips.

Taehyung loops his arms around Jeongguk’s neck, still looking a little shy. He bites his lip. “It
might be more than kinda,” he admits, not quite meeting Jeongguk’s eyes.

Jeongguk feels absolutely giddy. He could probably float up out of this bed right now if it weren't
for the fact that he wants to stay permanently glued to Taehyung’s body.

“Way more,” he agrees, nuzzling into Taehyung’s cheek. His mouth hurts from how hard he’s
smiling. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the first night.”

Taehyung is grinning now too. “Cool, because same,” he says, kissing Jeongguk’s jaw. “And the
other night in the hallway - ”

“God, yeah,” Jeongguk nods fervently. “Pretty much all the time, I can’t stop thinking about y-”

He’s cut off by Taehyung’s mouth on his, and it becomes immediately clear that he’s not holding
anything back anymore. A thrill zips through Jeongguk at the way they’re kissing now, like they
literally can’t get enough of each other, like they can’t break apart or they'll die. He can hear it in
the way they’re breathing, harshly, through their noses, the noise loud in the otherwise silent room.
Jeongguk doesn’t know why he finds it so sexy but he does, everything heightened, everything
narrowed down to the two of them.

It’s overwhelming in the best way possible. He’s aware of Taehyung everywhere, and in some
ways it’s like a blur, but there are these little details that jump out at him, sticking in his mind. The
pull of fabric as their hands search for more bare skin, Jeongguk’s up, up, practically to his armpits,
Taehyung’s tugged aside to expose a shoulder. Taehyung’s skin, smooth and soft, the faint scent of
a citrusy body wash clinging to him. The thin blue sheets that twist and tangle around their legs as
they move, eventually getting so bothersome that Taehyung lets out an aggravated huff and kicks
them all the way off the bed. The way it feels when Taehyung stretches back out, body over
Jeongguk’s, the length of him unmistakable against Jeongguk’s thigh.

Jeongguk groans, hips arching up to meet Taehyung’s, suddenly feeling too hot in his thin t-shirt
and boxers. There’s so little fabric between them, and Jeongguk is so acutely aware of that fact
right now, of how stupidly good it feels every time Taehyung shifts against him. They’re both very
much in the same boat, that much is clear, and it’s a relief as much as it makes Jeongguk flush
from head to toe.

Any shred of chill that Jeongguk had left goes out the window when Taehyung’s hand lands on the
bare skin of his hip, thumb brushing over his hip bone where it juts out over the waistband of his
boxers. The hand keeps moving, and Jeongguk knows where it’s heading, and suddenly he forgets
how to breathe. Which should be impossible, like, scientifically speaking, but it’s like his whole
body just goes on pause for a second in anticipation of what’s about to happen.

“Okay?” Taehyung asks, hesitating with his hand hovering over the front of Jeongguk’s boxers.
He’s deeply grateful that he decided to go with a boring striped pair today rather than, say, his
dorky Iron Man boxers. Although Taehyung appears to be wearing a pair that’s decorated with an
army of tiny cartoon zoo animals, so Jeongguk doubts he would have judged.

All Jeongguk can do at first is let out a sort of weird humming noise, and for a second he’s afraid
that his brain might actually be melting due to extreme arousal. Luckily, his vocal chords manage
to pull through for him, and he breathes out a rather desperate-sounding yes while nodding
vigorously. Taehyung nods too, licking his lips, and Jeongguk has noticed him doing that before
but in this context it’s almost unbearably sexy.
They start kissing again as Taehyung’s hand fits over the front of Jeongguk’s boxers, tracing the
shape of him and stroking experimentally. Jeongguk feels hypersensitive, every touch making him
jump, fingers flexing against Taehyung’s hips. He can feel the warmth of Taehyung’s palm through
the worn material, the friction so good that his mind essentially goes blank.

Then Taehyung’s hand dips beneath the waistband of his boxers, skin on skin, and it’s officially
game over for Jeongguk.

“Holy shit,” he chokes out, half into Taehyung’s mouth, half against his cheek, and he’s pretty sure
he feels Taehyung fucking smile in response, the smug bastard. Unfortunately, Jeongguk is way
too turned on right now to come up with a snarky comment, and ends up just continuing with:
“Tae, fuck, Taehyung.”

“Dirty mouth,” Taehyung chastises, still smirking, but Jeongguk can tell from the strain in his
voice that he’s affected by this too. Jeongguk pinches his side in retaliation, rolling his eyes,
although both efforts are somewhat undermined by the way his hips keep twitching up into
Taehyung’s touch.

“You’re so hot,” Taehyung murmurs, conciliatory, and it makes Jeongguk’s face heat, makes him
arch up further off the bed. “Look at you, your body, you have fuckin’ - abs - ”

He says it like it annoys him, even as he stares down at Jeongguk’s stomach with obvious
admiration. Jeongguk looks down too, and he has to admit his abs do look pretty good right now,
thrown into relief by the moonlight and glistening slightly from what can only be sweat and pre-
cum. Nice.

“What about my thighs?” he asks, a little breathless, because through the haze of his own pleasure
he’s also noticed the way Taehyung is moving against him, Jeongguk’s thigh trapped between his
legs.

“Yeah,” Taehyung nods, his hand stuttering as it moves over Jeongguk. “Really - really nice.”

Pleased, Jeongguk lifts his leg slightly, up into the heat of Taehyung’s crotch, and Taehyung’s eyes
flutter shut briefly, a needy sound slipping past his lips. It’s so devastatingly sexy to be able to do
that to Taehyung that Jeongguk almost comes right then.

It’s a little awkward and a little messy, as a first sexual experience with anyone is often prone to be,
but Jeongguk doesn’t mind. They want each other, and they’re figuring it out together, and that’s
exhilarating in its own right. All the little mistakes and imperfections just make it more personal to
them, and Jeongguk wouldn’t have it any other way.

Well, he might have made himself last just a little bit longer, if he was really asking for things, but
when it comes to Taehyung, Jeongguk knows he never stood a chance. A few twists of his wrist,
his voice in Jeongguk’s ear, and Jeongguk is done for, white-hot pleasure ripping through him. He
just lies there for a few seconds, stunned, recovering, until he registers Taehyung still moving
against him.

Taehyung makes a surprised noise that quickly dips into something more erotic when Jeongguk
flips them, pressing his thigh solidly between Taehyung’s legs and kissing him senseless. His eyes
are shut tight, fingers digging into Jeongguk’s shoulders as Jeongguk showers him with praise.

“You sound so good,” Jeongguk whispers, kissing Taehyung’s cheeks, his nose, his chin,
swallowing the whines he lets out. His hips are rolling shamelessly against Jeongguk’s leg now,
and it’s insanely hot. “You feel so good, I want you so bad, come on, Tae - ”
And then Taehyung is gone, too, and they’re coming down from it together, breathing heavy,
bodies sticky and sweaty, but feeling so, so blissed out.

“You were right,” Jeongguk breathes, rolling off of Taehyung and flopping onto his back, their
chests rising and falling in tandem. “It’s way better with feelings.”

Taehyung turns his head to face him, grinning widely. Hair falling over his forehead, cheeks
darkened with a flush, he looks like every good thing in the world. “Told ya.”

They take their time cleaning up. Taehyung lends Jeongguk a t-shirt and a pair of boxers to change
into, clearly well-worn but soft and clean. The t-shirt is oversized, and Jeongguk likes the way it
swallows him up. Likes wearing Taehyung’s clothes even more, the intimacy and the symbolism of
it. What’s mine is yours, because you are mine.

(Maybe.)

Jeongguk half expects things to get awkward when they get back in bed, but instead, they just get
giggly. Taehyung keeps reaching over and floofing his hair; Jeongguk retaliates by poking him in
the stomach; they kick each other under the sheets (resurrected from the floor) and then somehow
end up making out again. Possibly they are both still a little giddy from the events of earlier that
night.

“I have a confession,” Taehyung whispers when they’re both starting to get a little drowsy. Maybe
he’s hoping Jeongguk won’t hear, but he does.

“Wha’s’it?” Jeongguk mumbles.

Taehyung swallows, tugging idly at one of Jeongguk’s pigtail braids. Jeongguk is too sleepy to bat
him away at this point.

“I left Jimin’s because I was hoping you would be here,” Taehyung admits, his voice still quiet.
“Like - in my room. I wanted to hang out with you alone again. Like that first night.”

If Jeongguk were more awake, this news would probably send his heart into overdrive. Right now,
though, he just feels impossibly warm and content, a smile spreading slowly across his face.

“That’s embarrassing,” he giggles. Taehyung pinches him, offended, but Jeongguk continues on
unfazed. “S’okay, though. I’m embarrassing too.” He yawns, the sleepiness making him honest. “I
stayed up late hoping you’d come home.”

“Damn. Whipped,” Taehyung teases, even as he visibly melts at Jeongguk’s words.

“You’re whipped,” Jeongguk retorts weakly.

“You betcha,” Taehyung agrees, wiggling closer to Jeongguk. It’s not like this is news to anyone,
but his face is ridiculously pretty up close. “So since we like each other,” he says, making
Jeongguk’s heart do a happy little flutter. “I guess that means I should probably take you on a
date.”

“I wanna take you on a date,” Jeongguk protests.

Taehyung snorts. “You get very whiny when you’re sleepy,” he observes, his tone suggesting that
he finds it cute. Jeongguk decides to just roll with it instead of feeling embarrassed. “But okay, how
about this: I’ll plan the first date, and you can plan the second date.”
“Second?” Jeongguk whispers.

“I hope so,” Taehyung says softly.

Jeongguk has to physically restrain his feet from kicking happily.

“Me too.”

The hot stretch of summer ahead of him suddenly doesn’t seem so bleak to Jeongguk, not if he can
spend it with Taehyung. Going on dates, getting to know him better, kissing him (for hours on end,
preferably). Still, there’s one thing on his mind, something that he needs to get off of his chest.

“D’you think Jihyo will be mad?” he asks.

He hasn’t exactly told her about his crush on Taehyung, although from the way she looks at him
sometimes, she might already know. Jeongguk isn’t exactly subtle and Jihyo has always been good
at reading him. They haven’t talked about it, though, and he hopes she doesn’t view it as some sort
of betrayal for him to date her brother.

To Jeongguk’s relief, Taehyung is shaking his head. “She’ll probably pretend to be annoyed,” he
says. “But she’ll actually be happy for us.”

Yeah, Jeongguk thinks. That sounds like the Jihyo he knows and loves. He’s going to talk to her
about it anyway, though, and make sure she’s comfortable with it. That she knows she isn’t any
less important to him just because he has a massive heart boner for her brother.

“Cool,” Jeongguk says. He yawns again.

“Time to sleep?” Taehyung asks.

Jeongguk nods.

“Can I cuddle you?”

Jeongguk hums, and after a bit of logistical maneuvering Jeongguk ends up on his back, Taehyung
pressed up against his side with one arm draped over his waist. It’s not something Jeongguk is used
to, sleeping like this, but he feels cozy and content all the same.

“Night,” Taehyung says, his breath against Jeongguk’s shoulder.

“Night,” Jeongguk replies. Just like the first night, he knows there’s no way his dreams can outdo
the night he’s just had, but this time, he thinks the future just might.

***

The next morning, Jihyo walks in on them making out. Which isn’t really how Jeongguk had
intended for her to find out (they hadn’t even brushed their teeth yet, but Taehyung had been so
cute and soft and close), but at least it’s all out in the open now.

“I fucking knew it,” comes a voice that is neither Taehyung’s nor Jeongguk’s, and they startle
apart. Apparently they had been too caught up in each other to register the sound of the door
opening, but when they look over Jihyo is standing there in her pajamas, arms crossed and a
distinctly unimpressed expression on her face.

“Uh,” says Jeongguk.

“Morning,” says Taehyung. Compared to Jeongguk, who’s rapidly turning red, he seems decidedly
unfazed by this interruption. “Guess we’re still learning the nuances of knocking, are we?”

He wipes his mouth rather pointedly and Jeongguk really wishes he didn’t find that quite so
distracting.

Jihyo rolls her eyes, kicking the door shut behind her. “I guess you’ve been busy learning the
nuances of my best friend’s mouth,” she fires back.

Taehyung smirks. Jeongguk considers smothering himself with a pillow.

“It only just happened,” he feels obligated to clarify. He doesn’t want Jihyo to think he’s been
hiding this from her. “Last night. I swear.”

Jihyo sighs, her hands dropping to her sides. “I’ve been wondering how long it would take,” she
says. “You guys are so obvious, it’s disgusting.”

“Thanks Jihyo, that’s so sweet,” Taehyung snarks.

“Shut up, you’re already on my shit list,” she snaps back.

“Please don’t be mad,” Jeongguk interrupts, pleading. He couldn’t bear it if Jihyo was genuinely
upset at him for this. “Please? I know siblings are supposed to be like, off-limits, but I - ”

He trails off, realizing abruptly that he doesn’t know how to finish that sentence in a not-
embarrassing way. Sure, he and Taehyung had said they liked each other last night, had even talked
about going on dates, but what if Taehyung is rethinking things this morning? What if it had all
just been said in the heat of the moment?

Both Kim siblings are watching him intently now, clearly interested in whatever he has to say next,
and Jeongguk silently curses.

“But you...?” Jihyo prompts, and Jeongguk can feel Taehyung’s gaze boring into the side of his
head. He flounders, trying to find the right words, until he feels the lightest brush of fingers against
his own under the covers. Taehyung, twining their pinkies together, a small act of reassurance.

Jeongguk falls a little bit harder.

“I really like him,” he admits, wishing he couldn’t actively feel his face and neck heating up.
Taehyung squeezes his pinky more tightly.

“Ugh, god,” Jihyo huffs, rounding on her brother. “And you? Are you for real or are you just
messing around?”

“I’m not messing around,” Taehyung says immediately, shaking his head vehemently. He glances
sideways at Jeongguk, expression slightly shy. “I really like him, too.”

Jihyo eyes them both suspiciously, mouth set in a thin line as she considers what they’ve said.
Eventually, she makes a “hmph” noise, arms once again folding over her chest. “Fine,” she says.
“This is nauseating, but if it’s what you both want, I’m happy for you.”

The hint of a smile tugs at her lips, and Jeongguk feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his
chest. He catches Taehyung’s eye and they share a somewhat giddy smile.

“Also, if things go south with you two, I am not picking sides.”

 Taehyung frowns. “We haven’t even been out on a date yet, don’t talk about that.”

“Just saying,” Jihyo says, throwing her hands up. “Wanna get breakfast?”

“Like, the three of us?” Jeongguk asks cautiously.

Jihyo nods. “If you two are gonna be a thing, you better get used to a permanent third wheel,” she
says, turning and heading for the door. “Come on, I’m hungry.”

Jeongguk grins, sharing another look with Taehyung. Hanging out with his best friend and boy-
who’s-definitely-more-than-a-friend for the rest of the summer? He thinks that sounds just fine.

End Notes

Thank you for this very fun and adorable prompt! It was so fun to write!

Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!