One Song Glory [3/3]
Title: One Song Glory [3/3]
Pairing: Yoongi/Jeongguk
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance.
Word Count: 5'829.
Warnings: (none) (The rating is for a bit of language.)
Disclaimer: While the content of this story is inspired by real events and people, any references made are entirely thought up by the author and in no way reflect actual actions and opinions. Any similarities are coincidence.
Summary: When Yoongi gets a call from a stranger in the middle of the night, he never expected to end up driving him home across half of Seoul.
Notes: Cross-posted on AO3 and tumblr. Inspired by the prompt "accidentally called your number while drunk asking for a ride and you actually came au" (credit to xaquaangelx on tumblr), but it got away from me. Title from the song by the same name from the musical RENT. This is for xiajin (because I got you hopeful for Sugakookie fic. I didn't mean this one, but I hope it's okay).
FINALLY YOU GUYS. I DID IT.
Part 1.
Part 2.
November (still)
The first message came on Tuesday.
[from: Jeongguk] watching avengers with jimin and tae-hyung tonight. they say you should come as well to convince you that iron man is the best after all ^^
With a snort, Yoongi put his cell phone aside. He lasted half an hour, editing his most recent article, before he picked it back up and typed back.
[to: Jeongguk] no chance in hell
It was only after he’d sent the text that Yoongi realized it might have come off as rude. He cursed himself for his carelessness, wondering if he should send something else, an emoticon or an explanation or even a picture. He was awful at texting, always came across as an impatient jerk and now he’d probably made Jeongguk sad or angry and he’d get an upset call from Jimin and it’d be a huge headache. Maybe not replying would’ve been better. Modern communication clearly wasn’t Yoongi’s thing. No wonder his friends liked to call him grandpa.
His phone beeped with a reply.
[from: Jeongguk] you only like black widow because she can choke people with her thighs >:(
Yoongi’s lips quirked up. Or maybe he’d worried for nothing.
[to: Jeongguk] …maybe.
Jeongguk answered with a disgruntled emoticon.
On Thursday in the early afternoon, when it was pouring big drops of rain onto Seoul’s busy streets, Jeongguk sent a picture of a huge muffin and a coffee cup, edited with cutesy swirls and grainy filters. do you like sweet things, hyung? his message read.
[to: Jeongguk] they’re not bad.
[from: Jeongguk] i’m having a raspberry white chocolate chip muffin, it’s so good! :D i’m at a bakery near campus with Yugyeom rn. what’re you doing?
[to: Jeongguk] working
[from: Jeongguk] you should take a break, hyung, grab a coffee and sth sweet :) sweet things taste even better when it’s raining
Thoughtfully, Yoongi glanced out at the gray sky outside. Maybe Jeongguk was right.
[to: Jeongguk] i might just. enjoy your muffin
“Hey, Jinyoung,” he called out, already standing to grab his coat. “Let’s get a coffee.”
Jinyoung looked up from where he had his nose buried in a book, squinting at him through his glasses. “Coffee? We never do that.”
“Just get your ass up and let’s go,” Yoongi griped back, yanking a beanie over his head and starting for the door, leaving Jinyoung to hurry after him with murmured curses.
It was on Sunday that Yoongi first felt his stomach tie itself into knots at Jeongguk’s messages.
[from: Jeongguk] hyung, what do i do about a sore throat? T_T
[to: Jeongguk] drink honeyed tea or sth, idk. search online. why is your throat sore?
[from: Jeongguk ] k... i think i practiced too much T_T i have an evaluation tomorrow
[to Jeongguk] you’re an idiot. go to sleep early today.
[from: Jeongguk] i will~
He wasn’t worried about Jeongguk. Singers got sore throats all the time; Jeongguk would take care of it and it’d be fine again. For the first time, however, Yoongi noticed something about Jeongguk’s texts.
They were innocent, everyday messages. Nothing special, nothing consequential, but all the more consequential for that alone. Jeongguk was texting him just because, as if Yoongi was a normal part of his life, someone with whom he wanted to share the small, unexciting moments of his day. Yoongi could feel his stomach roll with nerves at that realization.
It scared him how Jeongguk was so ready to accept Yoongi into his life, how much he seemed to want Yoongi in his life. This was no innuendo-filled flirting building up to sex and amicable parting. This was an offer of building a relationship. And what Yoongi was afraid of wasn’t the idea of a relationship, after all Jeongguk was passionate and ambitious and mischievous and shy and funny and determined and awkward and so many things Yoongi could spend forever uncovering. No, he was scared because Jeongguk was young and vulnerable, reaching out for Yoongi as brazenly as he’d reached out for his singing career, his heart on display. Yoongi was good at seeing through people, reading and judging their characters with an instinctual understanding, but he was terrified Jeongguk was not. That what he saw in Yoongi wouldn’t live up to reality and would just end in disappointment and hurt for both of them.
And yet, Yoongi couldn’t just stop answering Jeongguk. With Jimin as a mutual friend, he couldn’t very well avoid all contact and he had a well-founded suspicion that Jimin would raise hell if he dared to make Jeongguk sad for no apparent reason. More importantly, however, Jeongguk didn’t deserve to be ignored for Yoongi’s own selfish reasons, and in the end, Yoongi also didn’t want to stop. Talking to Jeongguk was entertaining and maybe he looked like a teenager with a crush, but reading the messages made him smile stupidly at his phone. Just thinking about Jeongguk sent waves of warmth tingling through his body.
So Yoongi continued to reply and the messages turned into small conversations. Conversations about stupid things and sometimes profound things and other times mundane things.
He learned that Jeongguk hated waking up, but had almost boundless energy once he’d started his day. After Jeongguk’s muffin message, he already knew that Jeongguk liked sweet things and he got confirmation that Jeongguk also liked hats, mostly beanies and snapbacks. Yoongi learned that the only color variation from monochrome Jeongguk allowed in his closet with any kind of grace was red. From short videos he received, Yoongi could infer that Jeongguk had an uncanny talent for imitation, was pretty decent at rapping and had an addiction to dubsmashing. Pictures and music links told him Jeongguk loved dogs and liked relaxed, atmospheric music. He learned that Jeongguk was ambitious, a perfectionist almost, but was concerned that working on too many areas at once meant only ending up mediocre at all of them. He learned Jeongguk was competitive as fuck and wasn’t satisfied until he had astronomical high scores on his cell phone games.
Talking to Jeongguk felt calming and exciting at once, as if it soothed some uncertain part inside of Yoongi and yet breathlessly wound him up for some nameless event in the future. It felt like a delicate balance. The thought of asking Jeongguk to meet up, just for a coffee and maybe something sweet on a rainy day, crossed his mind but it struck him as too much, too early, too blunt for their fragile understanding. Jeongguk didn’t bring it up either, so maybe he felt the same.
So they continued exchanging messages. Jeongguk kept his promise and texted him about the showcase (got in! \o/ only as a back-up dancer for one of the sunbaes’ performances tho T_T), sent him pictures of food and things he found pretty or linked him to songs he liked. Yoongi answered with dry humor and the occasional shot of his work desk or an album he particularly enjoyed. That was how the first half of winter passed.
-
January
Before Yoongi knew it, he received New Year’s wishes from Jeongguk and realized the showcase was only roughly three weeks away. Jimin had taken it upon himself to make sure Jeongguk had friends present and was pleased to hear from Yoongi that he’d attend both the performance and the following small congratulatory dinner Jimin wanted to throw, no need for blackmail.
Of course Jeongguk danced beautifully, with a flowing grace that spoke of talent and training, and after the event, Yoongi, Jimin, and Taehyung waited for him in the recital hall’s foyer. It didn’t take long for him to appear at their side, flushed and vibrating with adrenaline from the performance. He had dragged a friend over with him, but abandoned him momentarily to let himself be engulfed into bear hugs from Taehyung and Jimin that involved a great deal of shouting and hair ruffling. Once he emerged-a little worse for wear but still smiling brightly-he threw himself at Yoongi, wrapping around him in a warm and solid embrace. “Yoongi-hyung! You came!”
“You did well,” Yoongi murmured to him, squeezing back for a moment.
“Jeonggukie! Who’s your friend?”
Jeongguk broke away, gracing Yoongi with a glowing smile before he turned away to introduce his classmate Youngjae. Yoongi vaguely recognized the name from a handful of text messages. Youngjae looked like a friendly enough kid with his open, easy manner.
From his position a few steps to the side, Yoongi observed their happy chattering. Jeongguk still had little spots of eyeliner on his face that he seemed to have missed when he’d wiped off his make-up, but it didn’t take away from his stunningly beautiful smile. As he laughed in response to a remark by Jimin, Yoongi couldn’t help the fond quirk of his own lips at the sight of the adorably crinkled nose. It was good to see Jeongguk again, especially bursting with happiness like that.
Jeongguk looked over at him, sending him a contagious grin that pushed the corners of Yoongi’s mouth even higher.
“Come on, Kookie,” Jimin exclaimed, throwing an arm around Jeongguk’s shoulders with a bit of effort and snapping his attention back to himself. “Let’s go eat now. We have to celebrate your first official stage appearance.”
“Ah, Youngjae though…” Jeongguk twisted to give his friend a mournful look.
“Of course he should come, too!” Taehyung mimicked Jimin’s position by slinging an arm around Youngjae’s shoulders. Where Yoongi would’ve flinched away from overly friendly contact with a stranger, Youngjae just laughed happily and let himself be led along. So Yoongi trailed after the foursome, satisfied to watch them converse on their short walk to the restaurant. Jeongguk kept turning his head to glance at Yoongi as if to reassure himself he was still there. It sent the contented feeling spreading through Yoongi’s entire body, making his stomach flutter every time their eyes locked.
When they got to the restaurant, they rest of Jimin’s assembled party were already waiting. Taehyung and Yugyeom managed to maneuver Jeongguk to a seat in their middle, leaving Yoongi to keep to the more aged delegation consisting of Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok. Jimin, ever at ease in social situations, squeezed himself in between Youngjae and Kunpimook, already making them grin with off-handed jokes. A cake with candles was brought out almost immediately by well -informed staff, setting out a loud round of cheers and yells. Yoongi clapped wryly to the obnoxious wall of noise, but grinned when Jeongguk caught his gaze with a grimacing smile before he leaned forward to blow out the candles.
“How was the performance?” Seokjin asked Yoongi over the clapping.
“Not bad. They have some promising talent at that school,” Yoongi answered, watching as Taehyung smeared icing on Jeongguk’s rosy cheek. “And Jeongguk did well. Really well.”
“Ah, he worked so hard, our little Jeongguk. I’m proud of him,” Seokjin said sincerely.
Yoongi was, too. He felt like bursting with warm pride to see Jeongguk so satisfied and loved, celebrating this big step toward his dream with all his friends. Jeongguk’s adorable bunny smile never disappeared and he laughed happily over every little silly thing the others came up with, radiant like the morning sun. Even when Yoongi was talking to Namjoon about their old days in the rap underground or to Seokjin about a recent photography exhibition, he couldn’t help the way his eyes always strayed back to Jeongguk, drinking him in. He didn’t seem little at all. He seemed larger than life, thrumming with a contained passion that awed you if you only looked close enough. And Yoongi was looking-all the time. He couldn’t tear his eyes away.
It was warm inside the restaurant; heating, hot food, and a small crowd making for a toasty room. But when Jeongguk looked up to meet his gaze, holding it for a long, breathless moment, Yoongi was certain it wasn’t the stifling atmosphere causing his sudden lightheadedness. Maybe Jeongguk had felt it as well, because he abruptly tore his eyes away, ducking his head almost shyly.
Yoongi found it hard to concentrate on conversation afterwards, so it was good that the party broke up shortly after, dispersing into the cold night with loud goodbyes. He didn’t get a chance to do more than wave to Jeongguk, who was already being dragged away to the subway station by Namjoon’s arm around his neck as they lived in the same general area. Huddling deeper into his coat, Yoongi headed for his car, feeling hot inside despite the biting air. If the evening had served to prove one thing, it was that he was unable to keep a careful distance from Jeongguk even when they weren’t in physical proximity. He was in too deep and already tired of fighting it when it felt like happiness was at his fingertips.
So, Yoongi decided to himself, he’d just roll with it. Let things unfold just as quietly as they’d started, let Jeongguk set the pace, and only nudge gently when Jeongguk was faltering with uncertainty. He was patient. He could do that.
-
February
For the next few weeks, Jeongguk’s pace was that of a snail as he was caught up in the stress of final exams. Yoongi received texts at weird hours with predictions of Jeongguk’s impending death by sleep deprivation and amused himself with sending back torturing pictures of his feet propped up on his coffee table, a movie running on his TV in the background. So cruel! I hate u hyung, Jeongguk usually texted back and Yoongi could practically hear his pout as he read those words, grinning goofily. You can do it, Jeongguk-ah, he wrote back the nights before Jeongguk’s exams.
But finally, Jeongguk was free again. Only a few days afterwards, they met in another restaurant together with their friends, this time for a dinner thrown in honor of Jimin and Taehyung’s graduation. They had a room for themselves to fit their group of eighteen around a large, round table, laden with dishes and bottles of soju. This time, Yoongi ended up squeezed in between Jaebum and, very much to his satisfaction, Jeongguk.
“Hey Yoongi-hyung,” Jeongguk greeted him, looking shyly pleased.
“Jeongguk-ah.” The name felt strangely intimate on his tongue. “Done with your exams?” he asked, even though he knew the answer already.
Jeongguk still nodded happily, a little wan in the face but smiling nonetheless. “We’re on break now.”
“Good, good. Are you going home to see your parents?”
“Ah, no. I’ll stay and pick up another part-time job to earn some money.”
A weird sense of relief settled in Yoongi’s gut. Trying to ignore that, he tilted his head questioningly. “Didn’t you say something about a scholarship?”
Jeongguk shrugged awkwardly. “I applied, but I haven’t gotten an answer yet.”
“Ah. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. You’re doing very well so far,” Yoongi said. Even as he reached out to briefly brush Jeongguk’s shoulder, he wondered how comforting words suddenly came so easily to him. They just bubbled up in his chest in a surge of tenderness that left him raw and helpless.
Jeongguk fairly glowed under his touch and Yoongi was sure his own face must show some of the giddy swirl of emotions inside of him, but around them, the party flowed on without hitch and no one seemed to even spare them a glance. It was warm and very noisy with so many loud people in one place. There was a lot of delighted yelling over the silly party hats Jackson had brought along for Jimin and Taehyung and some more when Seokjin produced a pretty cake decorated with fruit, chocolate letters, and sparklers.
Yoongi noticed Jeongguk sat so close to him that he could feel their arms brushing when they clapped or ate or gestured in their conversation. The contact was a minor distraction for the first two or so hours of the night, until Jeongguk moved his leg so that it pressed against Yoongi’s; then it turned major. Yoongi almost coughed up his bite of food, quickly putting down his chopsticks so he could reach for his water instead. Jeongguk’s thigh was warm and firm against his own. It felt like the touch would burn a hole through his pants. When he shot a look at Jeongguk’s face, though, he seemed immersed in his conversation with Yeonhwa, one of Taehyung’s classmates.
Even a drink of water didn’t quench the heat radiating up Yoongi’s body from their point of contact. It was a strangely heady feeling, to be touching Jeongguk like that in a room full of people, to be pressed against him and feel his muscles shift when he moved in his seat. But Jeongguk didn’t pull his leg away and neither did Yoongi. It was an innocent contact, only that it didn’t feel innocent in the least. It felt like every passing second slowly transformed his blood into lava, crawling hotly through his veins.
Thankfully, Jaebum distracted him from his steady climb towards internal combustion by asking after a common friend. They’d known each other since college days, so their conversation flowed easily from topic to topic, going to restaurants they’d recommend, complaints about inconsiderate neighbors, and travel plans; and before long Yoongi had relaxed into the warm, solid presence of Jeongguk’s leg against his. He was so wrapped up in his talk and the warm, boisterous atmosphere that he didn’t think much about reaching out an arm and slinging it over the back of Jeongguk’s chair. It wasn’t until his fingers brushed the soft material of Jeongguk’s sweater that his brain caught up.
When he glanced over, Jeongguk was looking back, his eyes dark and unreadable. It felt like hours passed as their eyes stayed locked, before Yoongi lifted his hand and dragged it down Jeongguk’s back again, this time deliberately. The way Jeongguk’s lids fluttered made heat bloom in his belly. So he did it again and again, and finally rested his hand on Jeongguk’s warm, broad back. His fingers curled into the soft sweater, feeling for the shift of muscles underneath. With a small hitch of his lips, Jeongguk put a hand on Yoongi’s thigh.
Yeonhwa must have asked something, inaudible to Yoongi over the blood rushing in his ears, because Jeongguk turned back to her. Yet his fingers stayed pressed into the seam of Yoongi’s jeans, flexing absentmindedly.
The unspoken, fragile thing between them seemed to hum in the stuffy air around them. Yoongi gladly turned back to Jaebum to ask after his family, feeling like he could breathe easier when he wasn’t looking at Jeongguk and the way he smiled and frowned and laughed and tilted his head. Yoongi’s whole being was straining towards their points of contact and splitting his focus felt like the only way to deal with it.
Fortunately, it only took another half hour for the party to break up and before long, everyone was standing outside in the cold, saying their goodbyes.
“I’ll drive you,” Yoongi blurted when Jeongguk looked like he was about to tell him good night.
Jeongguk looked surprised before his expression changed to one of bashful happiness. “Alright,” he said quietly. “Thank you, hyung.”
Yoongi waved him off, too jittery for words. Jeongguk didn’t seem to mind his reticence; he just stuck to his side, giving shy goodbye hugs to whoever came over. Stuffing his hands into his coat pockets, Yoongi nodded at vague acquaintances who left in one direction, and gestured Jackson over with a tilt of his chin.
“Did you have fun, hyung?” Jackson asked as soon as he was within speaking distance, latching onto Yoongi like an eager puppy.
“Sure,” Yoongi replied evenly, if just to see Jackson pout at his lacking enthusiasm. “The hats were a nice touch.”
Jackson perked up, grinning happily. “They totally were, right? Joonie said party hats are for kids, but what does he know? All those dusty books must be affecting his big brain.”
“Yeah, it’ll probably shrink to nonexistence soon,” Yoongi replied gravely, which sent Jackson into peals of laughter. He caught Jeongguk’s grin over Jackson’s shaking form and smirked back before addressing his friend again. “Hey, Jackson, do you and Mark want a ride home?”
“Whoa! Really, hyung? But wouldn’t that be a detour for you?”
Yoongi shrugged. “It’s not that much. Jaebum said the bus lines from here are inconvenient for you.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jackson reassured him quickly with an earnest face. “We can just take a cab.”
“Brat. I’m offering to drive you and you talk about cabs.”
He should’ve known Jackson would use the occasion to grab him in a bear hug. “Aw, thank you, hyung! You’re awesome! I’ll tell Mark-be right back!” With that, he scurried away excitedly.
Jeongguk sidled closer until he was a warm presence at Yoongi’s shoulder. “That was really nice of you, Yoongi-hyung.”
Yoongi shot him a disgruntled look. Why did people feel the need to point out his every act of friendliness? “Don’t even start.”
Instead of being offended, Jeongguk just let out an amused snort, bumping their shoulders together.
Yoongi felt warm to the tips of his toes as he stood there, side by side with Jeongguk, watching as the last few stragglers of their group exchanged tipsy goodbyes. Taehyung and Jackson were locked in an embrace, vowing loudly to meet up for drinks often and text every day, while Mark and Jimin’s girlfriend Yoojin looked on in a mix of exasperation and fondness; the latter almost buckling with the way Jimin leaned his drunken weight on her.
“Why did you drink so much?” she asked breathlessly to no one in particular, shifting to grab him more firmly around the waist when he smushed his face in her hair.
“Wanna go home,” Jimin whined, trying to curl into her even more. “’M so tired.”
“Right, you’re tired,” Yoojin muttered sarcastically, but the way she stroked his hair was gentle. When Mark reached out to steady Jimin on his other side, she smiled gratefully.
“We should probably find them a cab,” Jeongguk said sheepishly as Taehyung and Jackson started stumbling around in some sort of botched attempt at a waltz.
Yoongi smiled wryly. “Probably.”
But he did hunt them down a cab eventually, and with some effort, they managed to pile Taehyung, Jimin, and Yoojin inside. After that, it was only a short, two-minute walk to Yoongi’s car which was filled with Jackson’s happy chatter about all the new things people had told him that night. Yoongi and Jeongguk were content to walk in silence, buried into their winter clothes and with their arms brushing. When behind them Jackson switched to rapid English in an effort to draw a verbal response from Mark, they exchanged an amused glance, but didn’t comment.
Their night drive through Seoul was a noisy affair this time. Jackson kept pulling up song after song on his cell phone, apparently determined to entertain Yoongi every second of their ride in a slightly misguided, but adorable attempt to repay his favor. His song selection even managed to entice the quiet Mark out of his shell, and sometimes Jeongguk started singing along lowly from next to Yoongi on the passenger seat.
And although it was loud in the car, Yoongi felt like he was floating in giddiness. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as they drove through the mostly empty streets, Jackson yelling along enthusiastically to his song selection and Jeongguk shaking in nearly silent huffs of laughter at Yoongi’s side. His heart was close to bursting with happiness and he instinctively reached out to give Jeongguk’s thigh a squeeze. When Jeongguk’s warm hand immediately curled around his fingers, Yoongi’s grin grew till it threatened to split his face in half.
Jackson and Mark’s apartment building seemed to appear out of nowhere with how quickly the ride passed by. They climbed out of the car with endless exclamations of thanks, all of which Yoongi waved off, and then it was only him and Jeongguk left in the sudden silence of the car. Jeongguk’s apartment was another half-hour drive away; Yoongi’s roughly ten minutes.
Yoongi smoothed his fingers over the gear stick in a moment of nerves. “Jeongguk.” His voice sounded rough and gravelly even to his own ears. He saw Jeongguk glance over from the corner of his eyes. “Do you need a place to stay for the night?”
The moment of silence seemed to drag on forever; the only sound Jeongguk’s surprised hitch of breath. Then shy fingers slid over his hand still picking at the gear stick, wrapping securely around his own. “Yes.” It was so quiet it was almost a whisper.
Too full with emotions to speak, Yoongi just wordlessly brought his car back into traffic and drove them to his apartment building. Jeongguk only let go of his hand once the car was safely in a parking spot and Yoongi had killed the engine. The biting air outside greeted them familiarly, but Yoongi ignored the cold in favor of tangling his fingers with Jeongguk’s as soon as he’d stepped around the car, lightly tugging him in the direction of his home.
“It’s nice here,” Jeongguk commented, eyeing the tiny park on the other side of the street.
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” Yoongi agreed absently, more focused on pulling out his keys. His building didn’t yet have key pad locks, so he had to fish for the right fit for the outside door. “Come on, it’s fucking cold.”
In response, Jeongguk crowded into his back as he fumbled with the lock, obviously trying to provide extra warmth. It worked perfectly, making a burst of heat bloom in Yoongi’s gut, but he managed to steady his hands enough to finally let them in. Yoongi’s apartment was on the third floor, so they climbed the stairs and with a strange mixture of relief and apprehension, Yoongi opened the door for them to step inside.
It was warm inside and still smelled faintly of the coffee Yoongi had made in the afternoon, probably from the filter still sitting in the coffee maker. Jeongguk was already peering around curiously, even as he pulled off his outside clothes and shoes. Yoongi tried not to think about the coffee table strewn with paper and music albums or his cluttered desk or the dishes in the kitchen sink. Instead, he kicked off his shoes as well and trudged inside. “Come on in. Do you want anything to drink?”
“Ah, no, I’m good,” Jeongguk replied, sounding jittery himself.
When Yoongi turned to face him, he was standing in the middle of his living room space, right next to the worn couch, fidgeting with the hem of his fuzzy sweater. All his curiosity seemed to have evaporated in a fit of nerves and he looked like a skittish animal, shrinking into himself.
Yoongi felt like melting with fondness. “Hey,” he said quietly, taking the few steps back to Jeongguk. He didn’t know how to put into words what he wanted to say, so he just reached up to cradle Jeongguk’s neck like he had done in the noraebang and at that party. It felt familiar already, comforting and electrifying at the same time. It must have had a similar effect on Jeongguk, because he relaxed visibly under Yoongi’s touch and hooked a shy finger into the front pocket of his pants.
“Yoongi-hyung,” he murmured and it sounded like a question.
Yoongi felt just as vulnerable as Jeongguk looked, with the uncertain tilt to his head and bitten lips. Somehow, being alone together in the confines of his apartment made him more nervous than touching Jeongguk in public. Here there were no distractions and no excuses; just Jeongguk and Yoongi’s racing heart. Hesitantly, he stroked a thumb over the short hairs at the back of Jeongguk’s neck and watched Jeongguk shiver almost imperceptibly. It was absolutely beautiful and Yoongi was helpless.
“Jeongguk,” he said again, this time welcoming the way his tongue curled around the name. “I have no idea what we’re doing or what this is, but I want to find out.”
It was out there now, hanging in the air between them.
But Jeongguk, eyes dark and intense, just nodded like it was the easiest decision he’d ever made, his lips quirking upwards into a melting smile and before Yoongi could do more than process the wild relief cursing through him, Jeongguk leaned down and kissed him. It was a glad, urgent, and quick push of lips, just a short burst of happiness expressed in touch. He pulled back again just as fast, but then leaned in once more, slowly and deliberately this time, pressing their lips together softly.
Yoongi responded in the same, gentle, unhurried manner, allowing their lips to slide over each other languidly. After Jeongguk’s display of uncertainty, it was instinctual to let him set the pace for now, let him reassure himself that Yoongi’s decision had been made. Yoongi just reveled in the way Jeongguk’s hands cradled his hips and pulled him close, how much warmth he radiated, how he sighed against Yoongi’s mouth. They kissed slowly right there in the living room, for what seemed like hours, until their lips were wet and swollen and their hearts were racing and everything felt like it was about to go up in flames.
When Jeongguk pulled away, it was with a goofy, stunned smile that Yoongi just knew was plastered onto his own face as well. For a long moment, they smiled dumbly at each other, then Jeongguk suddenly jerked away, his face panicked. “Oh shit, I need to text my cousin that I’m not coming home or he’ll probably call my parents and tell them I’m missing.”
Frazzled Jeongguk was such a funny sight that all the happiness inside of Yoongi burst out of him in an inelegant, snorting chortle.
Through his frantic typing Jeongguk shot him a glare, but it was only half-hearted at best and as soon as he’d hit the send button, he was grinning again. He waved the phone in his hand. “Do you think Jimin-hyung will have a fit if we send him a selca of us?”
Yoongi weighed the amusement he’d get out of that against the hassle of having Jimin on his case this soon. There was no way Jimin wouldn’t keep a close eye on them to make sure he was treating ‘Jeonggukie’ right. Finally, it was Jeongguk’s use of ‘us’ that made his decision. Shaking his head at how he was already turning into a helpless sap, he let Jeongguk snap a picture of them, Jeongguk curled contentedly into his shoulder, the tip of his nose pressed into the line of Yoongi’s jaw.
Jeongguk sent it to Jimin with an accompanying message and a gleeful face. Watching him, Yoongi made a mental note to turn his phone off for the night. But when Jeongguk looked up and grinned at him, looking entirely happy and content with life, he couldn’t bring himself to regret his decision. So he just leaned down and pressed another kiss to Jeongguk’s smiling mouth.
-
March
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jeongguk asked for the millionth time when they were settling into Yoongi’s car, putting on their seatbelts.
“I’m sure,” Yoongi replied patiently for the millionth time.
Unsurprisingly, Jeongguk still didn’t look convinced. “But you could do anything for your birthday!”
“Jeongguk.” He reached over and squeezed Jeongguk’s knee before he went on to release the handbrake. “I want to take you to the studio for my birthday. It’s my gift to myself, okay? Now stop asking or I’ll start to think you’re afraid of singing for me.”
The grimace on Jeongguk’s face told him that he was pretty close to the truth with his last words, although he still couldn’t figure out why Jeongguk was so apprehensive about it. He’d sung in front of Yoongi so often by now that it should be an everyday thing for him. But no matter how unfathomable Jeongguk’s reaction was to him, Yoongi reached over for his leg again as soon as they were safely in traffic, resting his hand there as a warm weight.
The studio was hidden in a non-descript building, a private one owned by one of Yoongi’s friends that could be rented by the hour. Jeongguk looked so downtrodden at the sight of the equipment and the glass wall to the recording room that Yoongi dropped his bag into the available chair and grabbed his fingers. “Hey, if you really don’t want to do this, it’s fine.”
Jeongguk sighed, head drooping until his forehead rested on Yoongi’s shoulder. “No, it’s okay. I just don’t get why you want this so badly. You hear me sing all the time.”
“I want to know what you can really do with your voice,” Yoongi replied and it came out as a mutter because he was embarrassed to admit it; how much in awe he was of Jeongguk’s talent and how excited his music-loving side got at the idea of running him through different styles and ranges and teasing out all the emotions inside of him. “You’re really good, Jeongguk. I just want to know how good exactly, and I want you to know, too.”
Jeongguk groaned into his shoulder, squirming a little. “Why are you so greasy? How am I supposed to say no to that?”
With a huff of laughter, Yoongi flicked the side of Jeongguk’s forehead. “Oh, a little bit of grease and you cave? That’s good to know, hm.”
Resurfacing with a disgruntled face, Jeongguk gave him a look. “I don’t even understand how you can stay so serious when you say stuff like that.”
Yoongi gave him his sweetest grin. “I only tell the truth, baby.”
Jeongguk shuddered in horror. “Oh God, I’ll do it, just don’t ever call me that again.”
“I promise. Just let me record that one song you sang last week when we did the dishes and we’re set. And the one you sang at Hoseokie’s party.” Yoongi paused in pulling out his flashdrive and shot Jeongguk, who was watching him knowingly already, a slightly remorseful look. “And possible the ones you sang when you called me on the phone that first time?”
Jeongguk did the thing where he tilted his head the tiniest bit and gave him a flat look. “Finished now?”
“Well,” Yoongi hedged, “and that one you sang in the car when I gave you a ride that night. The English one.”
“Wow.” Jeongguk looked caught between disbelief and exasperation. “You really like my singing.”
“Yep,” Yoongi replied without a hint of embarrassment because it was true after all. “And you know what?”
Jeongguk’s expression said he didn’t even want to know.
“I also really like you.”
“Oh my God,” Jeongguk whined, covering his face in deep mortification, but he was laughing so Yoongi counted it as a victory.
Pairing: Yoongi/Jeongguk
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance.
Word Count: 5'829.
Warnings: (none) (The rating is for a bit of language.)
Disclaimer: While the content of this story is inspired by real events and people, any references made are entirely thought up by the author and in no way reflect actual actions and opinions. Any similarities are coincidence.
Summary: When Yoongi gets a call from a stranger in the middle of the night, he never expected to end up driving him home across half of Seoul.
Notes: Cross-posted on AO3 and tumblr. Inspired by the prompt "accidentally called your number while drunk asking for a ride and you actually came au" (credit to xaquaangelx on tumblr), but it got away from me. Title from the song by the same name from the musical RENT. This is for xiajin (because I got you hopeful for Sugakookie fic. I didn't mean this one, but I hope it's okay).
FINALLY YOU GUYS. I DID IT.
Part 1.
Part 2.
November (still)
The first message came on Tuesday.
[from: Jeongguk] watching avengers with jimin and tae-hyung tonight. they say you should come as well to convince you that iron man is the best after all ^^
With a snort, Yoongi put his cell phone aside. He lasted half an hour, editing his most recent article, before he picked it back up and typed back.
[to: Jeongguk] no chance in hell
It was only after he’d sent the text that Yoongi realized it might have come off as rude. He cursed himself for his carelessness, wondering if he should send something else, an emoticon or an explanation or even a picture. He was awful at texting, always came across as an impatient jerk and now he’d probably made Jeongguk sad or angry and he’d get an upset call from Jimin and it’d be a huge headache. Maybe not replying would’ve been better. Modern communication clearly wasn’t Yoongi’s thing. No wonder his friends liked to call him grandpa.
His phone beeped with a reply.
[from: Jeongguk] you only like black widow because she can choke people with her thighs >:(
Yoongi’s lips quirked up. Or maybe he’d worried for nothing.
[to: Jeongguk] …maybe.
Jeongguk answered with a disgruntled emoticon.
On Thursday in the early afternoon, when it was pouring big drops of rain onto Seoul’s busy streets, Jeongguk sent a picture of a huge muffin and a coffee cup, edited with cutesy swirls and grainy filters. do you like sweet things, hyung? his message read.
[to: Jeongguk] they’re not bad.
[from: Jeongguk] i’m having a raspberry white chocolate chip muffin, it’s so good! :D i’m at a bakery near campus with Yugyeom rn. what’re you doing?
[to: Jeongguk] working
[from: Jeongguk] you should take a break, hyung, grab a coffee and sth sweet :) sweet things taste even better when it’s raining
Thoughtfully, Yoongi glanced out at the gray sky outside. Maybe Jeongguk was right.
[to: Jeongguk] i might just. enjoy your muffin
“Hey, Jinyoung,” he called out, already standing to grab his coat. “Let’s get a coffee.”
Jinyoung looked up from where he had his nose buried in a book, squinting at him through his glasses. “Coffee? We never do that.”
“Just get your ass up and let’s go,” Yoongi griped back, yanking a beanie over his head and starting for the door, leaving Jinyoung to hurry after him with murmured curses.
It was on Sunday that Yoongi first felt his stomach tie itself into knots at Jeongguk’s messages.
[from: Jeongguk] hyung, what do i do about a sore throat? T_T
[to: Jeongguk] drink honeyed tea or sth, idk. search online. why is your throat sore?
[from: Jeongguk ] k... i think i practiced too much T_T i have an evaluation tomorrow
[to Jeongguk] you’re an idiot. go to sleep early today.
[from: Jeongguk] i will~
He wasn’t worried about Jeongguk. Singers got sore throats all the time; Jeongguk would take care of it and it’d be fine again. For the first time, however, Yoongi noticed something about Jeongguk’s texts.
They were innocent, everyday messages. Nothing special, nothing consequential, but all the more consequential for that alone. Jeongguk was texting him just because, as if Yoongi was a normal part of his life, someone with whom he wanted to share the small, unexciting moments of his day. Yoongi could feel his stomach roll with nerves at that realization.
It scared him how Jeongguk was so ready to accept Yoongi into his life, how much he seemed to want Yoongi in his life. This was no innuendo-filled flirting building up to sex and amicable parting. This was an offer of building a relationship. And what Yoongi was afraid of wasn’t the idea of a relationship, after all Jeongguk was passionate and ambitious and mischievous and shy and funny and determined and awkward and so many things Yoongi could spend forever uncovering. No, he was scared because Jeongguk was young and vulnerable, reaching out for Yoongi as brazenly as he’d reached out for his singing career, his heart on display. Yoongi was good at seeing through people, reading and judging their characters with an instinctual understanding, but he was terrified Jeongguk was not. That what he saw in Yoongi wouldn’t live up to reality and would just end in disappointment and hurt for both of them.
And yet, Yoongi couldn’t just stop answering Jeongguk. With Jimin as a mutual friend, he couldn’t very well avoid all contact and he had a well-founded suspicion that Jimin would raise hell if he dared to make Jeongguk sad for no apparent reason. More importantly, however, Jeongguk didn’t deserve to be ignored for Yoongi’s own selfish reasons, and in the end, Yoongi also didn’t want to stop. Talking to Jeongguk was entertaining and maybe he looked like a teenager with a crush, but reading the messages made him smile stupidly at his phone. Just thinking about Jeongguk sent waves of warmth tingling through his body.
So Yoongi continued to reply and the messages turned into small conversations. Conversations about stupid things and sometimes profound things and other times mundane things.
He learned that Jeongguk hated waking up, but had almost boundless energy once he’d started his day. After Jeongguk’s muffin message, he already knew that Jeongguk liked sweet things and he got confirmation that Jeongguk also liked hats, mostly beanies and snapbacks. Yoongi learned that the only color variation from monochrome Jeongguk allowed in his closet with any kind of grace was red. From short videos he received, Yoongi could infer that Jeongguk had an uncanny talent for imitation, was pretty decent at rapping and had an addiction to dubsmashing. Pictures and music links told him Jeongguk loved dogs and liked relaxed, atmospheric music. He learned that Jeongguk was ambitious, a perfectionist almost, but was concerned that working on too many areas at once meant only ending up mediocre at all of them. He learned Jeongguk was competitive as fuck and wasn’t satisfied until he had astronomical high scores on his cell phone games.
Talking to Jeongguk felt calming and exciting at once, as if it soothed some uncertain part inside of Yoongi and yet breathlessly wound him up for some nameless event in the future. It felt like a delicate balance. The thought of asking Jeongguk to meet up, just for a coffee and maybe something sweet on a rainy day, crossed his mind but it struck him as too much, too early, too blunt for their fragile understanding. Jeongguk didn’t bring it up either, so maybe he felt the same.
So they continued exchanging messages. Jeongguk kept his promise and texted him about the showcase (got in! \o/ only as a back-up dancer for one of the sunbaes’ performances tho T_T), sent him pictures of food and things he found pretty or linked him to songs he liked. Yoongi answered with dry humor and the occasional shot of his work desk or an album he particularly enjoyed. That was how the first half of winter passed.
-
January
Before Yoongi knew it, he received New Year’s wishes from Jeongguk and realized the showcase was only roughly three weeks away. Jimin had taken it upon himself to make sure Jeongguk had friends present and was pleased to hear from Yoongi that he’d attend both the performance and the following small congratulatory dinner Jimin wanted to throw, no need for blackmail.
Of course Jeongguk danced beautifully, with a flowing grace that spoke of talent and training, and after the event, Yoongi, Jimin, and Taehyung waited for him in the recital hall’s foyer. It didn’t take long for him to appear at their side, flushed and vibrating with adrenaline from the performance. He had dragged a friend over with him, but abandoned him momentarily to let himself be engulfed into bear hugs from Taehyung and Jimin that involved a great deal of shouting and hair ruffling. Once he emerged-a little worse for wear but still smiling brightly-he threw himself at Yoongi, wrapping around him in a warm and solid embrace. “Yoongi-hyung! You came!”
“You did well,” Yoongi murmured to him, squeezing back for a moment.
“Jeonggukie! Who’s your friend?”
Jeongguk broke away, gracing Yoongi with a glowing smile before he turned away to introduce his classmate Youngjae. Yoongi vaguely recognized the name from a handful of text messages. Youngjae looked like a friendly enough kid with his open, easy manner.
From his position a few steps to the side, Yoongi observed their happy chattering. Jeongguk still had little spots of eyeliner on his face that he seemed to have missed when he’d wiped off his make-up, but it didn’t take away from his stunningly beautiful smile. As he laughed in response to a remark by Jimin, Yoongi couldn’t help the fond quirk of his own lips at the sight of the adorably crinkled nose. It was good to see Jeongguk again, especially bursting with happiness like that.
Jeongguk looked over at him, sending him a contagious grin that pushed the corners of Yoongi’s mouth even higher.
“Come on, Kookie,” Jimin exclaimed, throwing an arm around Jeongguk’s shoulders with a bit of effort and snapping his attention back to himself. “Let’s go eat now. We have to celebrate your first official stage appearance.”
“Ah, Youngjae though…” Jeongguk twisted to give his friend a mournful look.
“Of course he should come, too!” Taehyung mimicked Jimin’s position by slinging an arm around Youngjae’s shoulders. Where Yoongi would’ve flinched away from overly friendly contact with a stranger, Youngjae just laughed happily and let himself be led along. So Yoongi trailed after the foursome, satisfied to watch them converse on their short walk to the restaurant. Jeongguk kept turning his head to glance at Yoongi as if to reassure himself he was still there. It sent the contented feeling spreading through Yoongi’s entire body, making his stomach flutter every time their eyes locked.
When they got to the restaurant, they rest of Jimin’s assembled party were already waiting. Taehyung and Yugyeom managed to maneuver Jeongguk to a seat in their middle, leaving Yoongi to keep to the more aged delegation consisting of Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok. Jimin, ever at ease in social situations, squeezed himself in between Youngjae and Kunpimook, already making them grin with off-handed jokes. A cake with candles was brought out almost immediately by well -informed staff, setting out a loud round of cheers and yells. Yoongi clapped wryly to the obnoxious wall of noise, but grinned when Jeongguk caught his gaze with a grimacing smile before he leaned forward to blow out the candles.
“How was the performance?” Seokjin asked Yoongi over the clapping.
“Not bad. They have some promising talent at that school,” Yoongi answered, watching as Taehyung smeared icing on Jeongguk’s rosy cheek. “And Jeongguk did well. Really well.”
“Ah, he worked so hard, our little Jeongguk. I’m proud of him,” Seokjin said sincerely.
Yoongi was, too. He felt like bursting with warm pride to see Jeongguk so satisfied and loved, celebrating this big step toward his dream with all his friends. Jeongguk’s adorable bunny smile never disappeared and he laughed happily over every little silly thing the others came up with, radiant like the morning sun. Even when Yoongi was talking to Namjoon about their old days in the rap underground or to Seokjin about a recent photography exhibition, he couldn’t help the way his eyes always strayed back to Jeongguk, drinking him in. He didn’t seem little at all. He seemed larger than life, thrumming with a contained passion that awed you if you only looked close enough. And Yoongi was looking-all the time. He couldn’t tear his eyes away.
It was warm inside the restaurant; heating, hot food, and a small crowd making for a toasty room. But when Jeongguk looked up to meet his gaze, holding it for a long, breathless moment, Yoongi was certain it wasn’t the stifling atmosphere causing his sudden lightheadedness. Maybe Jeongguk had felt it as well, because he abruptly tore his eyes away, ducking his head almost shyly.
Yoongi found it hard to concentrate on conversation afterwards, so it was good that the party broke up shortly after, dispersing into the cold night with loud goodbyes. He didn’t get a chance to do more than wave to Jeongguk, who was already being dragged away to the subway station by Namjoon’s arm around his neck as they lived in the same general area. Huddling deeper into his coat, Yoongi headed for his car, feeling hot inside despite the biting air. If the evening had served to prove one thing, it was that he was unable to keep a careful distance from Jeongguk even when they weren’t in physical proximity. He was in too deep and already tired of fighting it when it felt like happiness was at his fingertips.
So, Yoongi decided to himself, he’d just roll with it. Let things unfold just as quietly as they’d started, let Jeongguk set the pace, and only nudge gently when Jeongguk was faltering with uncertainty. He was patient. He could do that.
-
February
For the next few weeks, Jeongguk’s pace was that of a snail as he was caught up in the stress of final exams. Yoongi received texts at weird hours with predictions of Jeongguk’s impending death by sleep deprivation and amused himself with sending back torturing pictures of his feet propped up on his coffee table, a movie running on his TV in the background. So cruel! I hate u hyung, Jeongguk usually texted back and Yoongi could practically hear his pout as he read those words, grinning goofily. You can do it, Jeongguk-ah, he wrote back the nights before Jeongguk’s exams.
But finally, Jeongguk was free again. Only a few days afterwards, they met in another restaurant together with their friends, this time for a dinner thrown in honor of Jimin and Taehyung’s graduation. They had a room for themselves to fit their group of eighteen around a large, round table, laden with dishes and bottles of soju. This time, Yoongi ended up squeezed in between Jaebum and, very much to his satisfaction, Jeongguk.
“Hey Yoongi-hyung,” Jeongguk greeted him, looking shyly pleased.
“Jeongguk-ah.” The name felt strangely intimate on his tongue. “Done with your exams?” he asked, even though he knew the answer already.
Jeongguk still nodded happily, a little wan in the face but smiling nonetheless. “We’re on break now.”
“Good, good. Are you going home to see your parents?”
“Ah, no. I’ll stay and pick up another part-time job to earn some money.”
A weird sense of relief settled in Yoongi’s gut. Trying to ignore that, he tilted his head questioningly. “Didn’t you say something about a scholarship?”
Jeongguk shrugged awkwardly. “I applied, but I haven’t gotten an answer yet.”
“Ah. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine. You’re doing very well so far,” Yoongi said. Even as he reached out to briefly brush Jeongguk’s shoulder, he wondered how comforting words suddenly came so easily to him. They just bubbled up in his chest in a surge of tenderness that left him raw and helpless.
Jeongguk fairly glowed under his touch and Yoongi was sure his own face must show some of the giddy swirl of emotions inside of him, but around them, the party flowed on without hitch and no one seemed to even spare them a glance. It was warm and very noisy with so many loud people in one place. There was a lot of delighted yelling over the silly party hats Jackson had brought along for Jimin and Taehyung and some more when Seokjin produced a pretty cake decorated with fruit, chocolate letters, and sparklers.
Yoongi noticed Jeongguk sat so close to him that he could feel their arms brushing when they clapped or ate or gestured in their conversation. The contact was a minor distraction for the first two or so hours of the night, until Jeongguk moved his leg so that it pressed against Yoongi’s; then it turned major. Yoongi almost coughed up his bite of food, quickly putting down his chopsticks so he could reach for his water instead. Jeongguk’s thigh was warm and firm against his own. It felt like the touch would burn a hole through his pants. When he shot a look at Jeongguk’s face, though, he seemed immersed in his conversation with Yeonhwa, one of Taehyung’s classmates.
Even a drink of water didn’t quench the heat radiating up Yoongi’s body from their point of contact. It was a strangely heady feeling, to be touching Jeongguk like that in a room full of people, to be pressed against him and feel his muscles shift when he moved in his seat. But Jeongguk didn’t pull his leg away and neither did Yoongi. It was an innocent contact, only that it didn’t feel innocent in the least. It felt like every passing second slowly transformed his blood into lava, crawling hotly through his veins.
Thankfully, Jaebum distracted him from his steady climb towards internal combustion by asking after a common friend. They’d known each other since college days, so their conversation flowed easily from topic to topic, going to restaurants they’d recommend, complaints about inconsiderate neighbors, and travel plans; and before long Yoongi had relaxed into the warm, solid presence of Jeongguk’s leg against his. He was so wrapped up in his talk and the warm, boisterous atmosphere that he didn’t think much about reaching out an arm and slinging it over the back of Jeongguk’s chair. It wasn’t until his fingers brushed the soft material of Jeongguk’s sweater that his brain caught up.
When he glanced over, Jeongguk was looking back, his eyes dark and unreadable. It felt like hours passed as their eyes stayed locked, before Yoongi lifted his hand and dragged it down Jeongguk’s back again, this time deliberately. The way Jeongguk’s lids fluttered made heat bloom in his belly. So he did it again and again, and finally rested his hand on Jeongguk’s warm, broad back. His fingers curled into the soft sweater, feeling for the shift of muscles underneath. With a small hitch of his lips, Jeongguk put a hand on Yoongi’s thigh.
Yeonhwa must have asked something, inaudible to Yoongi over the blood rushing in his ears, because Jeongguk turned back to her. Yet his fingers stayed pressed into the seam of Yoongi’s jeans, flexing absentmindedly.
The unspoken, fragile thing between them seemed to hum in the stuffy air around them. Yoongi gladly turned back to Jaebum to ask after his family, feeling like he could breathe easier when he wasn’t looking at Jeongguk and the way he smiled and frowned and laughed and tilted his head. Yoongi’s whole being was straining towards their points of contact and splitting his focus felt like the only way to deal with it.
Fortunately, it only took another half hour for the party to break up and before long, everyone was standing outside in the cold, saying their goodbyes.
“I’ll drive you,” Yoongi blurted when Jeongguk looked like he was about to tell him good night.
Jeongguk looked surprised before his expression changed to one of bashful happiness. “Alright,” he said quietly. “Thank you, hyung.”
Yoongi waved him off, too jittery for words. Jeongguk didn’t seem to mind his reticence; he just stuck to his side, giving shy goodbye hugs to whoever came over. Stuffing his hands into his coat pockets, Yoongi nodded at vague acquaintances who left in one direction, and gestured Jackson over with a tilt of his chin.
“Did you have fun, hyung?” Jackson asked as soon as he was within speaking distance, latching onto Yoongi like an eager puppy.
“Sure,” Yoongi replied evenly, if just to see Jackson pout at his lacking enthusiasm. “The hats were a nice touch.”
Jackson perked up, grinning happily. “They totally were, right? Joonie said party hats are for kids, but what does he know? All those dusty books must be affecting his big brain.”
“Yeah, it’ll probably shrink to nonexistence soon,” Yoongi replied gravely, which sent Jackson into peals of laughter. He caught Jeongguk’s grin over Jackson’s shaking form and smirked back before addressing his friend again. “Hey, Jackson, do you and Mark want a ride home?”
“Whoa! Really, hyung? But wouldn’t that be a detour for you?”
Yoongi shrugged. “It’s not that much. Jaebum said the bus lines from here are inconvenient for you.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jackson reassured him quickly with an earnest face. “We can just take a cab.”
“Brat. I’m offering to drive you and you talk about cabs.”
He should’ve known Jackson would use the occasion to grab him in a bear hug. “Aw, thank you, hyung! You’re awesome! I’ll tell Mark-be right back!” With that, he scurried away excitedly.
Jeongguk sidled closer until he was a warm presence at Yoongi’s shoulder. “That was really nice of you, Yoongi-hyung.”
Yoongi shot him a disgruntled look. Why did people feel the need to point out his every act of friendliness? “Don’t even start.”
Instead of being offended, Jeongguk just let out an amused snort, bumping their shoulders together.
Yoongi felt warm to the tips of his toes as he stood there, side by side with Jeongguk, watching as the last few stragglers of their group exchanged tipsy goodbyes. Taehyung and Jackson were locked in an embrace, vowing loudly to meet up for drinks often and text every day, while Mark and Jimin’s girlfriend Yoojin looked on in a mix of exasperation and fondness; the latter almost buckling with the way Jimin leaned his drunken weight on her.
“Why did you drink so much?” she asked breathlessly to no one in particular, shifting to grab him more firmly around the waist when he smushed his face in her hair.
“Wanna go home,” Jimin whined, trying to curl into her even more. “’M so tired.”
“Right, you’re tired,” Yoojin muttered sarcastically, but the way she stroked his hair was gentle. When Mark reached out to steady Jimin on his other side, she smiled gratefully.
“We should probably find them a cab,” Jeongguk said sheepishly as Taehyung and Jackson started stumbling around in some sort of botched attempt at a waltz.
Yoongi smiled wryly. “Probably.”
But he did hunt them down a cab eventually, and with some effort, they managed to pile Taehyung, Jimin, and Yoojin inside. After that, it was only a short, two-minute walk to Yoongi’s car which was filled with Jackson’s happy chatter about all the new things people had told him that night. Yoongi and Jeongguk were content to walk in silence, buried into their winter clothes and with their arms brushing. When behind them Jackson switched to rapid English in an effort to draw a verbal response from Mark, they exchanged an amused glance, but didn’t comment.
Their night drive through Seoul was a noisy affair this time. Jackson kept pulling up song after song on his cell phone, apparently determined to entertain Yoongi every second of their ride in a slightly misguided, but adorable attempt to repay his favor. His song selection even managed to entice the quiet Mark out of his shell, and sometimes Jeongguk started singing along lowly from next to Yoongi on the passenger seat.
And although it was loud in the car, Yoongi felt like he was floating in giddiness. He couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as they drove through the mostly empty streets, Jackson yelling along enthusiastically to his song selection and Jeongguk shaking in nearly silent huffs of laughter at Yoongi’s side. His heart was close to bursting with happiness and he instinctively reached out to give Jeongguk’s thigh a squeeze. When Jeongguk’s warm hand immediately curled around his fingers, Yoongi’s grin grew till it threatened to split his face in half.
Jackson and Mark’s apartment building seemed to appear out of nowhere with how quickly the ride passed by. They climbed out of the car with endless exclamations of thanks, all of which Yoongi waved off, and then it was only him and Jeongguk left in the sudden silence of the car. Jeongguk’s apartment was another half-hour drive away; Yoongi’s roughly ten minutes.
Yoongi smoothed his fingers over the gear stick in a moment of nerves. “Jeongguk.” His voice sounded rough and gravelly even to his own ears. He saw Jeongguk glance over from the corner of his eyes. “Do you need a place to stay for the night?”
The moment of silence seemed to drag on forever; the only sound Jeongguk’s surprised hitch of breath. Then shy fingers slid over his hand still picking at the gear stick, wrapping securely around his own. “Yes.” It was so quiet it was almost a whisper.
Too full with emotions to speak, Yoongi just wordlessly brought his car back into traffic and drove them to his apartment building. Jeongguk only let go of his hand once the car was safely in a parking spot and Yoongi had killed the engine. The biting air outside greeted them familiarly, but Yoongi ignored the cold in favor of tangling his fingers with Jeongguk’s as soon as he’d stepped around the car, lightly tugging him in the direction of his home.
“It’s nice here,” Jeongguk commented, eyeing the tiny park on the other side of the street.
“Yeah, it’s not bad,” Yoongi agreed absently, more focused on pulling out his keys. His building didn’t yet have key pad locks, so he had to fish for the right fit for the outside door. “Come on, it’s fucking cold.”
In response, Jeongguk crowded into his back as he fumbled with the lock, obviously trying to provide extra warmth. It worked perfectly, making a burst of heat bloom in Yoongi’s gut, but he managed to steady his hands enough to finally let them in. Yoongi’s apartment was on the third floor, so they climbed the stairs and with a strange mixture of relief and apprehension, Yoongi opened the door for them to step inside.
It was warm inside and still smelled faintly of the coffee Yoongi had made in the afternoon, probably from the filter still sitting in the coffee maker. Jeongguk was already peering around curiously, even as he pulled off his outside clothes and shoes. Yoongi tried not to think about the coffee table strewn with paper and music albums or his cluttered desk or the dishes in the kitchen sink. Instead, he kicked off his shoes as well and trudged inside. “Come on in. Do you want anything to drink?”
“Ah, no, I’m good,” Jeongguk replied, sounding jittery himself.
When Yoongi turned to face him, he was standing in the middle of his living room space, right next to the worn couch, fidgeting with the hem of his fuzzy sweater. All his curiosity seemed to have evaporated in a fit of nerves and he looked like a skittish animal, shrinking into himself.
Yoongi felt like melting with fondness. “Hey,” he said quietly, taking the few steps back to Jeongguk. He didn’t know how to put into words what he wanted to say, so he just reached up to cradle Jeongguk’s neck like he had done in the noraebang and at that party. It felt familiar already, comforting and electrifying at the same time. It must have had a similar effect on Jeongguk, because he relaxed visibly under Yoongi’s touch and hooked a shy finger into the front pocket of his pants.
“Yoongi-hyung,” he murmured and it sounded like a question.
Yoongi felt just as vulnerable as Jeongguk looked, with the uncertain tilt to his head and bitten lips. Somehow, being alone together in the confines of his apartment made him more nervous than touching Jeongguk in public. Here there were no distractions and no excuses; just Jeongguk and Yoongi’s racing heart. Hesitantly, he stroked a thumb over the short hairs at the back of Jeongguk’s neck and watched Jeongguk shiver almost imperceptibly. It was absolutely beautiful and Yoongi was helpless.
“Jeongguk,” he said again, this time welcoming the way his tongue curled around the name. “I have no idea what we’re doing or what this is, but I want to find out.”
It was out there now, hanging in the air between them.
But Jeongguk, eyes dark and intense, just nodded like it was the easiest decision he’d ever made, his lips quirking upwards into a melting smile and before Yoongi could do more than process the wild relief cursing through him, Jeongguk leaned down and kissed him. It was a glad, urgent, and quick push of lips, just a short burst of happiness expressed in touch. He pulled back again just as fast, but then leaned in once more, slowly and deliberately this time, pressing their lips together softly.
Yoongi responded in the same, gentle, unhurried manner, allowing their lips to slide over each other languidly. After Jeongguk’s display of uncertainty, it was instinctual to let him set the pace for now, let him reassure himself that Yoongi’s decision had been made. Yoongi just reveled in the way Jeongguk’s hands cradled his hips and pulled him close, how much warmth he radiated, how he sighed against Yoongi’s mouth. They kissed slowly right there in the living room, for what seemed like hours, until their lips were wet and swollen and their hearts were racing and everything felt like it was about to go up in flames.
When Jeongguk pulled away, it was with a goofy, stunned smile that Yoongi just knew was plastered onto his own face as well. For a long moment, they smiled dumbly at each other, then Jeongguk suddenly jerked away, his face panicked. “Oh shit, I need to text my cousin that I’m not coming home or he’ll probably call my parents and tell them I’m missing.”
Frazzled Jeongguk was such a funny sight that all the happiness inside of Yoongi burst out of him in an inelegant, snorting chortle.
Through his frantic typing Jeongguk shot him a glare, but it was only half-hearted at best and as soon as he’d hit the send button, he was grinning again. He waved the phone in his hand. “Do you think Jimin-hyung will have a fit if we send him a selca of us?”
Yoongi weighed the amusement he’d get out of that against the hassle of having Jimin on his case this soon. There was no way Jimin wouldn’t keep a close eye on them to make sure he was treating ‘Jeonggukie’ right. Finally, it was Jeongguk’s use of ‘us’ that made his decision. Shaking his head at how he was already turning into a helpless sap, he let Jeongguk snap a picture of them, Jeongguk curled contentedly into his shoulder, the tip of his nose pressed into the line of Yoongi’s jaw.
Jeongguk sent it to Jimin with an accompanying message and a gleeful face. Watching him, Yoongi made a mental note to turn his phone off for the night. But when Jeongguk looked up and grinned at him, looking entirely happy and content with life, he couldn’t bring himself to regret his decision. So he just leaned down and pressed another kiss to Jeongguk’s smiling mouth.
-
March
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jeongguk asked for the millionth time when they were settling into Yoongi’s car, putting on their seatbelts.
“I’m sure,” Yoongi replied patiently for the millionth time.
Unsurprisingly, Jeongguk still didn’t look convinced. “But you could do anything for your birthday!”
“Jeongguk.” He reached over and squeezed Jeongguk’s knee before he went on to release the handbrake. “I want to take you to the studio for my birthday. It’s my gift to myself, okay? Now stop asking or I’ll start to think you’re afraid of singing for me.”
The grimace on Jeongguk’s face told him that he was pretty close to the truth with his last words, although he still couldn’t figure out why Jeongguk was so apprehensive about it. He’d sung in front of Yoongi so often by now that it should be an everyday thing for him. But no matter how unfathomable Jeongguk’s reaction was to him, Yoongi reached over for his leg again as soon as they were safely in traffic, resting his hand there as a warm weight.
The studio was hidden in a non-descript building, a private one owned by one of Yoongi’s friends that could be rented by the hour. Jeongguk looked so downtrodden at the sight of the equipment and the glass wall to the recording room that Yoongi dropped his bag into the available chair and grabbed his fingers. “Hey, if you really don’t want to do this, it’s fine.”
Jeongguk sighed, head drooping until his forehead rested on Yoongi’s shoulder. “No, it’s okay. I just don’t get why you want this so badly. You hear me sing all the time.”
“I want to know what you can really do with your voice,” Yoongi replied and it came out as a mutter because he was embarrassed to admit it; how much in awe he was of Jeongguk’s talent and how excited his music-loving side got at the idea of running him through different styles and ranges and teasing out all the emotions inside of him. “You’re really good, Jeongguk. I just want to know how good exactly, and I want you to know, too.”
Jeongguk groaned into his shoulder, squirming a little. “Why are you so greasy? How am I supposed to say no to that?”
With a huff of laughter, Yoongi flicked the side of Jeongguk’s forehead. “Oh, a little bit of grease and you cave? That’s good to know, hm.”
Resurfacing with a disgruntled face, Jeongguk gave him a look. “I don’t even understand how you can stay so serious when you say stuff like that.”
Yoongi gave him his sweetest grin. “I only tell the truth, baby.”
Jeongguk shuddered in horror. “Oh God, I’ll do it, just don’t ever call me that again.”
“I promise. Just let me record that one song you sang last week when we did the dishes and we’re set. And the one you sang at Hoseokie’s party.” Yoongi paused in pulling out his flashdrive and shot Jeongguk, who was watching him knowingly already, a slightly remorseful look. “And possible the ones you sang when you called me on the phone that first time?”
Jeongguk did the thing where he tilted his head the tiniest bit and gave him a flat look. “Finished now?”
“Well,” Yoongi hedged, “and that one you sang in the car when I gave you a ride that night. The English one.”
“Wow.” Jeongguk looked caught between disbelief and exasperation. “You really like my singing.”
“Yep,” Yoongi replied without a hint of embarrassment because it was true after all. “And you know what?”
Jeongguk’s expression said he didn’t even want to know.
“I also really like you.”
“Oh my God,” Jeongguk whined, covering his face in deep mortification, but he was laughing so Yoongi counted it as a victory.