#taekook canon compliant | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

borahae-777 · 2 years ago

Text

The Truth Untold -- Chapter 25: I Wanted To Become Your Comfort And Move Your Heart

Pairing: Taehyung x Jungkook, Yoongi x Jimin

Word Count: Fic in progress, 230k so far. 3k-5k per chapter

Chapter Summary:

Yoongi is lying on the floor of his studio staring at the ceiling. He hasn’t been able to sit still all day, he knows Namjoon had his meeting with Bang this morning. He came right to the building when he woke up, leaving Jimin asleep in his bed. He’d felt the younger man crawl in with him in the middle of the night and tuck his face against his neck, leaving wet tear tracks against his skin. He should have told him that he was awake, but he couldn’t find the words and simply stayed still until they both drifted off.

Warnings: Eventual Smut, BDSM, 18+, MxM

Namjoon is back in a BigHit conference room with Bang, Dae-Hyun, and Bon-Hwa. Now that everything has come to a head, they all have a lot to discuss. The public response has been completely different than expected. The backlash has been worse than he imagined it would be, but there is a huge wave of support and love from ARMY. Comment sections are full of fights between those who have turned against the group and those who have rallied around them.

“Alright everyone, thank you for coming into the office to talk. Dae-Hyun and I met yesterday and we now know what company has come after the band. The CEO and his executives over at SM cooked up this plan to try and push us out of the way so that their artists could shine. Luckily, judging by the success of Fake Love, this new album is going to explode right in their faces. Namjoon, how are you feeling?”

“I’m not sure, to be honest. There’s a mix of emotions that seem to fight for purchase. I’m relieved that we have answers and that the plan was a success. I’m hurt at the response to the story and worried about how many people we may have alienated. I’m touched at the response from a lot of international ARMYs and some of the ones close to home. Bon-Hwa, are you okay?”

“More than okay, Namjoon-ah. Don’t worry about me. This whole thing has given me a sense of purpose I wasn’t expecting.”

“Glad to hear it. I suppose it’s time to release the debunking evidence, PD-nim?”

“Not quite yet, but soon. I want Dae-Hyun in their good graces for a little longer while I secure everything we need to sue Dispatch and hopefully put the executives over at SM behind bars for blackmail. Are you willing to hold out a little longer, Dae-Hyun?”

“As long as you all need me to. I’m grateful for the chance to fix my mistakes and for the help you’ve provided for my mother. She’s responding well to treatment and I’ll never be able to express how thankful I am.”

“Good. The company holds no ill will against you, you’ve more than paid your dues. Your job here is secure and you have a clean slate. Namjoon, how are the guys doing?”

“They’re mostly worried about me and having trouble keeping themselves out of the comment sections. I think they’re putting themselves in my shoes and imagining how people would react if it was them who went public.”

“Try and reassure them. We will protect Taehyung and Jungkook in every possible way. Keep working hard and keep your head down for now. I need a week or so to get everything together and then we’ll make a statement to the press and clear your name. Not everyone will believe your innocence, are you prepared for that?”

“I’d rather not think of it as innocence, sir. There’s nothing inherently guilty about the scandal. My family knows that it isn’t true, so does Bon-Hwa’s. They’re supporting each other through it. That’s all that matters.”

“Alright gentlemen. Dismissed.”

The three men stand up and bow to the CEO before exiting the room. Namjoon hugs Bon-Hwa and promises to give him a call when he has any news, sending his friend home. Dae-Hyun hangs back and awkwardly looks at Namjoon, trying to say something but failing. Namjoon gives him a warm smile and tries to reassure him.

“Dae-Hyun, if there’s something you want to talk about you can. Don’t worry, I won’t bite.”

“I guess I was wondering if you think that the guys would talk with me again. I’ve been wanting to reach out to the maknaes in particular to try and see if we can renew the bonds we were making, but I know I don’t deserve another chance. I won’t forgive myself if I don’t at least try.”

“I wouldn’t say you don’t deserve it. You made a very grave error, a bigger one than some people can forgive, but we are a more forgiving group of people than you think. You didn’t just show remorse, you worked hard and put your life on the line to make it up to us. Let me talk to everyone and I’ll give you a call. Is there anything specific you want me to say?”

“No, I trust you to present it well. Maybe just ask Jimin if he’d be comfortable reaching out individually? I owe him more apologies than anyone, but only if Yoongi-hyung is comfortable with us speaking. I respect him too much to bypass him.”

“I’ll talk to everyone tonight. Go be with your mother, she needs you right now. I hope she knows what an amazing son she has and what he has risked for her.”

Dae-Hyun’s eyes grow misty and he launches himself at Namjoon before pulling away and hurrying down the hallway with his head down. Namjoon can’t help but smile at his retreating back, he expected to feel cold towards the man, but he finds himself thinking that he still is a good person at heart. Everyone makes mistakes and he deserves a second chance. He pulls out his phone to send a group text about a family meeting and turns in the opposite direction to go to his studio. He needs to be alone to process what’s going to happen next.

********

Since he got here this morning, he’d tried to mix songs and failed. He’d tried to nap and failed. He’d tried to read, tried to write, tried to play games. That’s how he found himself on his back on the floor, lost in his thoughts. His goal for today is to not return to any of the comment sections about Namjoon and Bon-Hwa. Once he starts reading he finds himself lost down the rabbit hole for hours. It’s not all bad, there are countless ARMYs standing up for the couple.

On the other hand, there are comments from ARMYs who claim to have been fans from the start who are now leaving them behind. The media is slandering Namjoon left and right and by extension, the rest of them. People are questioning whether the popular ships are real, whether Namjin was ever true and if Namjoon has left Jin behind. Whether Yoonmin is more than just speculation. Most of the questions are about Taekook, Yoongi has watched some of their ship videos and even he has to admit that the two are the least subtle. He worries for them, and considers telling him to back off for a while until the heat around Namjoon dies down. He has no idea how long the company is going to wait to take legal action and debunk the story.

He is about to sit up and see if he can choke down some food when he hears a soft knock on his door. His stomach drops a little, thinking it might be Jimin coming to confront him about their relationship. He feels guilty, knows what he’s doing isn’t right, but he just can’t handle that kind of emotional labor right now. He ignores the knock and it grows stronger as he hears a voice that isn’t Jimin’s calling his name through the door.

“Yoongi-hyung, I know you’re in there. Please open the door.”

He stands up and hurries to the door, feeling bad that he ignored it in the first place. His shaking hands fumble with the lock, proof that he needs to eat something before his body gives out on him. He opens the door to Jungkook looking nervous and ushers him in.

“Hey Kook-ah. Is everything okay? You look unsettled.”

“I was hoping I could talk to you about something, but now that I’m here I’m a little bit hesitant.”

“You can talk to me about anything, Jungkookie. I know it’s been awhile since we’ve done this, but our lives have been kind of crazy, hm?”

“I guess I was worried that our bond wouldn’t be as strong anymore or that you’d be upset with me for kind of leaning towards Jimin when everything went bad. Taehyung came to you and Jimin needed someone.”

“I would never hold that against you. It’s not taking sides. Jimin needed help and I’m glad you took care of him when I couldn’t. I promise I did the same for Taehyung in your absence.”

“I know, hyung. I’ve heard a lot about the connection you built with each other and it makes me happy. Thank you for helping him.”

“No need to thank me. Now what’s up? Come sit with me on the couch, don’t be nervous.”

He grabs Jungkook by the hand and can tell the maknae is shocked at the physical contact. He’s not one to be touchy, but he wants to put him at ease and could kind of use the grounding touch himself. He walks them over to the couch where they sit facing each other, Jungkook hesitantly lacing their fingers together and leaving them together. It feels nice and for once Yoongi doesn’t feel the urge to pull away.

“Hyung…please tell me what’s going on with you. We can all tell you’re not okay. You might think you’re being subtle, but you’re not.”

“W-what? Are you all sitting around talking about me?”

“No, no. It’s not like we’ve had some sort of meeting behind your back, but sometimes you’ll say something or a look will cross your face and everyone’s eyes will meet. We acknowledge it. Tae has told me that he’s worried though and he’s a little hurt that you haven’t gone to him. Jimin hasn’t talked to either of us, but we can see the life draining out of him. He’s becoming a ghost and we assume you had a big fight.”

“We didn’t have a fight.”

“That’s all you can say to me right now? You can’t rot away in this studio by yourself. You don’t have to tell everyone, but talk to someone. Talk to me.”

“Aish, Kook. I’m your hyung and you’re the maknae, I’m not supposed to lean on you.”

“Screw age ranks and honorifics. I’m your friend and brother first.”

“I don’t know how to explain. Something in me is wrong. I don’t feel anything anymore. I’m dead inside and out. I’ve gone through something similar before, before we debuted. It was before most of the group was even cast. It was just me, Joon, and Hobi. I handled it alone then and I can handle it alone now. It just takes time.”

“The difference between then and now is that now you don’t have to do it alone. We’re your family, back then all you had was strangers in a strange city. What do you mean you don’t feel anything?”

“Everything is muted. Colors aren’t as bright, the sun isn’t as warm. I’m not hungry, I’m not motivated, I can’t bring myself to be affectionate with Jimin, I don’t even feel excited about the album release.”

“I’ll be honest with you because you’ve been honest with me, that scares me a bit. If your emotions were just on hiatus for a while, I could wrap my head around that, but you’re not even able to care about your music? You’ve worked harder on the Love Yourself albums than anyone.”

“I know. I love the songs, I do. Somewhere deep down I know I’m excited to see the world respond to what we’ve created, especially The Truth Untold and Serendipity. I just can’t bring it to the surface.”

Jungkook doesn’t say anything for a long while, staring at their joined hands and stroking the back of Yoongi’s softly. His brow is furrowed, thinking hard. Yoongi has to admit he does feel a little bit lighter having gotten some of it off his chest. He knows he can’t confide in Jungkook about the commenter and the backlash against Namjoon, he doesn’t want to turn the younger’s attention to that hatred.

“Hyung, would you consider talking to us about all of this at the family meeting tonight? You don’t have to and I won’t say a word to anyone if that’s what you want. I just think it would help you and everyone else to have it out in the open. No one will force anything on you, they just want to know what’s in your head.”

“You’re welcome to talk to Taehyung about this if you’d like to, tell him my door is open and I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings with my silence. I just need to know neither of you will go to Jimin. I know it’ll be hard, but I’m not ready to talk to him yet.”

“Alright, hyung. We won’t. What about the meeting?”

“I’ll think about it, Jungkook. I’m tired. I think the meeting is going to be about much more important things.”

********

“He wants me to do what?!”

“Hear him out, Jimin-ah. I think you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

Jimin is staring at Namjoon agape. The leader had come back at lunchtime and knocked on Jimin’s door, asking to talk. He explained that the meeting tonight was going to be about the scandal and about Dae-Hyun, but wanted to discuss it with Jimin first. That’s when he dropped the bombshell of the jerk wanting to talk to him directly as well.

“Namjoon-hyung, how can he think I’d want to talk to him?”

“Jimin, he was a desperate man backed into a corner. He’s done far more than he needed to in order to fix this for us. You have no idea the sacrifices he’s made. By coming clean to us he risked his mother’s cancer treatment! You cared about him once and I know that a part of you still does. You’re the kindest and most forgiving person I’ve ever met. Think about it.”

“Aish, how am I supposed to say no when you compliment me like that?”

Namjoon chuckles and wraps an arm around his shoulders, winking before walking out the door. Jimin sits on his bed and thinks about his hyung’s words. He makes some good points and he can’t pretend he doesn’t understand to an extent. What would he have done if he was in Dae-Hyun’s shoes? He’d like to think he wouldn’t have made the same choices, but he can’t say that for sure. He thinks about his mother and feels such a rush of love that he finds himself picking up his phone. He unblocks the contact and hits the call button, listening to the ring.

“Jimin-ssi?”

“Hi.”

“I wasn’t expecting to hear from you. I assume Namjoon somehow already made it to you?”

“He did. Is there something you wanted to say to me?”

“I don’t know where to begin. I’m deeply sorry for everything I’ve done. Not just to the group, but to you specifically. I should have never kissed you without your consent, I disrespected you and I disrespected Yoongi-hyung. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me for that or for my role in what happened to Taehyung and Jungkook. I just wanted the chance to say that to you directly.”

“I’m not sure if I can ever forgive you, but I think at the meeting tonight the group will agree to hear you out. What Namjoon is doing for us has inspired everyone to be a little more selfless like him. If everyone else is willing to give you a second chance, I think I could too. It’ll depend on how the conversation goes. Namjoon hasn’t told us the extent of what your role in his plan was, but I have a feeling it runs deeper than we think.”

“I understand completely. Thank you for listening, Jimin-ssi. I should have never taken your friendship for granted.”

“No, you shouldn’t have. Have a good rest of your day, Dae-Hyun.”

Jimin hangs up the phone and flops backwards onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. He does miss their friendship, he hadn’t connected with someone outside of the group like that in a long time. His nature makes him want to put it all behind them, but he needs to be sure first. Trust isn’t rebuilt overnight. He knows he should get up and go find Hobi in the studio to practice, but curls himself under his covers instead. He skips lunch and dinner, laying in the dark until it’s time for the meeting.

********

Taehyung is the first to arrive in the living room, sitting on the couch and fidgeting while he waits. These meetings have become a source of anxiety for him, nothing good has come out of them in almost a year. It really hits him that they’re closing in on a year since Jungkook first kissed him at Home Party. He wishes that they could celebrate it together like an anniversary, but it brought nothing but chaos to everyone. He can’t even remember the date that he and Jungkook came back together, everything has been lost in the shuffle.

He’s worried about Jimin more than anything. He poked his head into his room earlier to offer him meals, but both times he was unresponsive. He’d walked over to the bed and wrapped his arms around the sleeping man, placing a kiss on his temple. Nothing is okay with Jimin. Not their soulmate bond, not his relationship with Yoongi, not his eating habits. Taehyung doesn’t want a repeat of debut-era Jimin where his mental health collapsed and he refused food altogether.

On the flip side, he’s worried about Yoongi too. He’s not sure who is feeding off of who, but it’s clear that something to do with each other is part of the problem. They barely even sit together anymore, let alone show any affection. He finds Jimin in his own bed almost every night and he wonders if they’re even speaking. He knows that Yoongi’s brain works a lot like his own and wishes that he could comfort his hyung, but he doesn’t want to pry unless he approaches him directly.

He hears a noise and snaps out of his train of thought, watching Namjoon and Yoongi walk in the front door. They’re not talking to each other, both looking lost in their thoughts when they look up and flash small smiles at Taehyung. Yoongi comes over and sits directly next to him while Namjoon heads down the hall and starts knocking on doors.

“Hey Tae.”

“Hi hyung.”

Yoongi reaches out and laces their fingers together, giving his hand a soft squeeze and looking at him with hopeful eyes. He smiles and squeezes back, looking down at their joined hands in relief. It feels like a small thread of hope. They don’t say anything, they don’t have to. A throat clears behind Taehyung and he sees Jimin standing there, staring at their hands and looking forlorn before sitting in an armchair. He starts to pull away from Yoongi and opens his mouth to say something when he’s interrupted by the rest of the crowd entering the room. He decides he’ll seek Jimin out after and keeps his hand in Yoongi’s. Jungkook sits on his other side, smiling at their display of affection and squeezing the back of his neck.

“Okay, now that we’re all here I want to start by checking in on everyone. How are you all doing with the story breaking? Thoughts? Feelings?”

He looks around the room, meeting all of their eyes one by one. No one seems to want to speak first, seemingly hesitating when addressing the elephant in the room. The silence drags on until Namjoon gets frustrated and speaks again.

“Come on, guys. I know you all have a take on the situation. I’ll start, maybe hearing something from me will help us start. I’m okay, really I am. Some of the responses have been hurtful and scary, I won’t pretend they haven’t. However, I’m impressed and touched by the ARMYs that have stuck by us and started to fight back in our stead. I’ve also heard a little buzz about this boosting us even further in America, you know they have endless LGBT icons there.”

Jimin speaks up softly, as if he’s afraid of the response.

“I’m worried about the attention on us leading to the rest of us being outed somehow.”

“That’s a completely valid fear, Jiminie. We’re going to be under scrutiny for a while, there’s no doubt about that. Even once the story is debunked, there are bound to be people who believe it’s true. We have to be careful about what we show on camera for a little while.”

“No! Hyung, please, we can’t go through that again.”

“Deep breaths, Kook. I don’t mean a separation like before, just a little caution. Tear drops in a few weeks and Answer won’t be far behind. We have an extremely busy comeback season this year. The Billboard Awards, appearances on American talk shows, concerts in several countries, constant promotions. We’re going to be watched closely.”

“Sorry, hyung. I’m just tired of the fear.”

“We all are, but this will all be worth it when we come out the other side. I promise you that. We can get through anything.”

Something is stuck in Taehyung’s head and decides to speak up.

“You said you wanted to start by checking in, Namjoon-hyung. Does that mean that this wasn’t the reason for the meeting?”

“Yes, Tae, I called you here for something else. I was at the office this morning with Bang, Bon-Hwa, and Dae-Hyun. The company is putting the finishing touches on our plans so they can take official legal action against Dispatch and the blackmailers.”

“Does that mean we know who it is that’s behind all of this?”

“We do. It’s SM.”

The room erupts in chatter, Taehyung has a hard time picking out any particular voices, but from what he gathers no one is all that surprised. They’ve all had idol friends who are signed under SM and heard about their shady practices. They bury their internal scandals better than any other company and keep their idols from speaking out about the cruel way they’re treated. He wants more information, though.

“So what happens next?”

“Bang said he needs about a week to get everything in order and then he’ll go to the press with the evidence to debunk the story. Dae-Hyun is going to stay ‘undercover’ just that little while longer to make sure that he can prove that it is indeed SM beyond a shadow of a doubt. Which brings me to the main reason for talking to you as a group instead of talking to you individually, Dae-Hyun was hoping he could sit and talk to you all again. I fully support him and would like you to consider agreeing. Before anyone says anything, can we do a preliminary vote to gauge where we’re all at? Can everyone willing to hear him out please raise a hand?”

Three hands go up: Namjoon, Jin, and Hobi. Taehyung looks at Jungkook, Yoongi, and Jimin next. He knows that they’d be the ones more likely to be hard on the man. Jimin’s eyes are darting back and forth between his hyungs before he nods to himself and also raises his hand. Taehyung’s eyes widen in shock, he didn’t expect Jimin to ever agree to this. If Jimin can be the bigger person here, so can he. He raises his hand as well. He feels Jungkook and Yoongi’s stares, but looks straight ahead at their leader.

“Okay, thank you. I’m glad to see that the majority of us are together on this. Who’d like to make their argument first? Jungkook?”

“Age before beauty, hyung!”

“Aish, you brat. Okay, I have no problem speaking first. I think this is bullshit. What would ever make any of you think this man deserves a chance to speak to us? He could have ruined our lives and in more extreme cases gotten some of us physically hurt. If there’s anyone in the world who doesn't deserve a second chance, it’s Dae-Hyun. Are you forgetting he kissed Jimin?”

“Yoongi-hyung, I understand all of that. No one has forgotten what he’s done to us, but Jimin and Taehyung have found it within themselves to hear him out. Can’t you do the same? Arguably they’ve both been more hurt by him than you have.”

“He’s right, Yoongi-hyung. If Tae and Chim are okay with this, I guess I am too. I’ll vote in favor.”

“Really, Kook-ah? You’re okay with sitting in front of that man and listening to him justify almost blackmailing you?”

“Namjoon-hyung isn’t asking us to forgive him, just to listen. We can do that. You can do that.”

A look passes between Jungkook and Yoongi that seems to have more weight behind it than it should and it leaves Taehyung confused. He makes a mental note to talk to Jungkook after the meeting and see what’s going on. He watches as messages pass between their eyes and Yoongi’s shoulders slump in defeat.

“Fine. If everyone else is sure, then fine. Expect me to rub it in your faces when I’m proven right.”

Namjoon rolls his eyes and starts suggesting dates for Dae-Hyun to come by the dorm. Everyone still seems hesitant and the leader starts to discuss what the other man’s role in the situation has been since he first came clean. Slowly, Taehyung starts to feel more open to the idea that he can forgive. None of them really understood the scope of the situation on the inside, Namjoon has kept a lot of the details close to his chest. He feels a squeeze from Yoongi and looks over to see him leaning into his ear.

“Can we take a walk and chat after?”

Taehyung’s face breaks into a blinding smile and he feels part of his stress lift away. He’s leaned on Yoongi far too much and hasn’t been able to get a word out of the other about his own struggles. Maybe he’s finally coming around. He nods and squeezes back, but catches Jimin staring at them out of the corner of his eye. He frowns to himself and leans over to Jungkook.

“Kookie, Yoongi-hyung wants to talk to me after the meeting, but I’m worried about Jiminie. Can you take him back to your room and check on him? Tell him I’ll be there as soon as I can and the three of us can spend the night together.”

Jungkook smiles at him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips and running a hand along his cheek. He knows Jimin will be in good hands.

********

“Hyung, let’s go back to my room and snuggle.”

“I don’t know, Kookie. I just want to go to sleep.”

“You’ve been sleeping all day, come on!”

Jungkook doesn’t give Jimin a choice, dragging him by the wrist down the hall. He’ll pick him up and carry him if he has to. He knows how low he’s getting and he’s determined to help whether Jimin accepts it or not. They get to his room and he closes the door behind him, nudging the other man onto his bed and tossing a banana at him.

“Eat something. I’m serious. Taehyung is going to be here soon and we’re going to spend the night together, all three of us like old times.”

Jimin begrudgingly tears open the fruit, nibbling a small bite and then placing it in his lap. He does seem to perk up a bit at the idea of a maknae sleepover. Jungkook sits down, his back against the headboard and reaches out a hand.

“Come on, Jiminie. Eat your banana and lay with me. Talk to me.”

“I don’t know what to do, Jungkook. I’m losing him.”

“What’s going on with you two? You’re both barely floating through the day.”

“I have no idea. He just slowly started to drift and now he’s so far away that I can’t even catch a glimpse of him on the horizon. We barely spend any time together. I sneak into his room sometimes when he’s already asleep and curl up there, but he’s always gone when I wake up.”

“You know how Yoongi-hyung is. He’s not the most expressive person and he tends to retreat into himself.”

“I know, but he’s not supposed to be that way with me. I love him more than he can even imagine, I just want to be his safe space. I thought that’s what was happening, he was starting to be vulnerable around me and wear his heart on his sleeve. Then it seemed to become the opposite overnight. I feel like I’ve tried everything to get through to him.”

“Hmm, what if I said I had a plan that could help you get past his walls? It’s not a guarantee, but I think it would reach him at least a little bit.”

“I guess it depends on what it is. I can barely function right now.”

“I know, Jimin-ah, but maybe this will breathe life into you as well. Actually, now that I think about it, I think Dae-Hyun would be the perfect person to help us with this. The timing on this could be absolutely perfect.”

“Dae-Hyun?!”

“Yes, after hearing Namjoon talk about him tonight, I’m more than willing to meet with him, but if he still feels like he owes us a little…this could be the last boost he needs to reach forgiveness. Keep an open mind, okay?”

Jimin sits up and stares at him, waiting. Jungkook launches into the details of his idea and watches understanding dawn on the other man’s face. It’s a bit half-baked, but he’s hoping Jimin will want to fill in the blanks with him. It only just occurred to him when the meeting came to a close, but he thinks it will work. Jimin starts to make small suggestions and Jungkook feels an overwhelming sense of relief.

They need to get started first thing tomorrow morning.

15 notes · View notes

borahae-777 · 2 years ago

Text

The Truth Untold -- Chapter 21: A Sound Of Something Breaking

Pairing: Taehyung x Jungkook, Yoongi x Jimin

Word Count: Fic in progress, 200k so far. 3k-5k per chapter

Chapter Summary:

Jungkook feels like there is an elephant sitting on his chest. He hears Taehyung come into the room and close the door, but he can’t bring himself to look up. If last night’s gesture didn’t work, nothing is going to. Tae might be leaving him after all. He doesn’t know how to look him in the eye and watch him shatter his heart. He spent all night picturing every single way it could happen.

Warnings: Eventual Smut, BDSM, 18+, MxM

The next day Jimin wakes up and tries to stretch when he realizes his arms are pinned down. He turns his head and smiles when he sees Taehyung’s floppy hair covering his face. He’s missed waking up with his soulmate, he makes a note to do it more often. He just wishes this occasion had been for better reasons. He’d heard Jungkook singing outside of Tae’s door and had gone down the hall to investigate while he waited for Yoongi to return. The maknae had been in tears and Tae’s door never opened.

He’d hugged Kookie and walked him back to his room to tuck him into bed as he cried. He was getting ready for bed with him when Jungkook had told him to go to Tae instead, caring more about his well-being. He’d been reluctant to leave, but Jungkook had said he wanted Yoongi instead. Jimin had sent a text telling Yoongi to head there as soon as he could and then walked back down the hall to Tae’s room. He knocked and made sure he knew he was alone and was granted entry.

Taehyung was sitting on the floor directly in front of the door, clearly sitting listening to Jungkook, but he was clutching a piece of paper in his hand. Jimin softly pried it from his fingers and read it, stomach clenching for Jungkook. Taehyung hadn’t wanted to talk about it and asked Jimin to take him to bed. They should have talked, but he respected his friend’s wishes and tucked them into bed together and let Tae cry himself to sleep. Now that it’s morning, he needs to make sure they discuss everything. He pries the arm from around his chest and turns on his side, softly stroking Taehyung’s hair.

“Taetae. Wake up, lovey. It’s morning.”

“Mmph.”

“Tae, come on. You can do it. Open those pretty eyes.”

“Jiminieeeee, let me sleep.”

“No, I’m sorry, but we need to talk. I know it’s hard. I know you don’t want to. It’s important.”

“Urgh. Fine. What?”

“What do you mean what?! Jungkookie serenaded you last night and slipped a love note under your door and you left him out in the hall! Is that the first time he told you he loves you?”

“Yes and no. He said it once a little while ago, but it was coupled with an orgasm and that just happens sometimes so I decided to let it go until he was ready to say it for real.”

“Well. He said it for real! What are you going to do about it? I know you love him, you’ve loved him for as long as I’ve loved Yoongi, if not longer. You have no idea how incredible it was to finally hear it back, I never thought he’d even look at me as more let alone fall in love with me. Haven’t you always dreamed of this?”

“Of course I have, Minnie. I just didn’t expect to be terrified when it finally happened. It came on the heels of Dae-Hyun pulling the sky down around us, what if it was just panic? It came on the heels of our first real fight where I asked him for space, what if it was just a tactic for forgiveness? I want him to tell me he loves me just because he wants to, just because he can’t hold it in anymore.”

“Tae, I’m going to give you one of Yoongi’s favorite pieces of advice: Fairytales aren’t real. You guys have gone through so much in such a short period of time. You still love each other at the end of it. Isn’t that just another version of a fairytale? All of this would’ve broken most couples.”

“I guess. He lied to me, Jimin. He hid that note from me and decided for me whether I could handle it. I feel betrayed and coddled.”

“I understand that for sure, you both need to discuss that and set boundaries for communication. Kook has never been in a relationship that is so serious, cut him some slack. He’s still learning.”

“Did you see him last night? Is he okay?”

“I won’t lie to you, he’s not doing great. I tucked him into bed and he asked for Yoongi so I know he was well taken care of.”

“I’ll go talk to him. Then I think we all need to get together and talk again. Maybe everyone has processed last night by now and we can come up with a plan.”

“Okay, up! I’ll come with you so I can extricate Yoongi.”

“You think he slept with Kookie?! Yoongi-hyung never wants to snuggle with us.”

“He’s softening and he has a warm spot for both of you. I have a feeling he stayed there overnight.”

The two roll themselves out of Taehyung’s bed, only now remembering to check for Namjoon and not being surprised when they see that his bed wasn’t slept in. He must have bunked with someone else so that they could have time together. Their leader always seems to know what everyone needs, but really should put himself first more often.

As they get dressed, Jimin starts to feel anxious about seeing Yoongi. He’s nervous about what happened after he dragged Dae-Hyun out of the dorm. He didn’t want to talk about it in texts while they were trying to help the maknaes, but it had kept him up most of the night. He hopes that his boyfriend didn’t do anything stupid.

They hold hands as they walk down the hall, Taehyung stopping every so often to take a deep breath. Jimin tugs him forward, knowing that he just needs to rip the bandaid off. He reaches up and knocks on Jungkook’s door and there’s no answer. He knocks louder and hears a scrambling like it woke someone up. The door opens a crack and he can’t help but smile when he sees Yoongi’s sleepy and grumpy face.

“Good morning, hyung. Can we come in?”

“I don’t know, Minnie. Jungkook is in rough shape. He barely slept.”

“We’re here to fix that, Tae wants to talk to him.”

“Hold on.”

Yoongi closes the door on them and Taehyung hangs his head.

“He’s hurting because of me.”

“No fairytales, remember?”

The door opens again to Yoongi carrying his shoes and sweatshirt, stepping back to clear the doorway. Jimin can see Jungkook sitting up on the edge of his bed, staring at his hands in his lap. He feels a pang in his heart for his best friend, but he knows everything is going to turn out okay.

“Tae, go on in. He wants to talk alone. Jimin and I will leave you guys to it.”

“Hyung, I’m scared.”

“I know you are, kid. It’ll be alright. Love is worth the struggle.”

Taehyung walks into Jungkook’s room, closing the door behind him. Jimin smiles at Yoongi and leans in to press a soft kiss against his lips.

“Can we talk?”

“Of course, let’s go sit in the kitchen. I need coffee.”

********

Thank god for Yoongi, he was uncharacteristically snuggly, holding Jungkook as he sobbed and whispering reassurances in his ear. Being with Jimin is making his hyung a more affectionate person and he loves to see it. He even checked before letting Taehyung into the room and it made Jungkook feel good to have that support.

“Kookie? Can I sit?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you look at me, please?”

“No.”

Jungkook is already on the edge of tears. If he looks at Taehyung, he’ll lose his composure. He’s already trembling at the feel of their thighs pressed against each other and is so scared.

“Jungkook. I’m so sorry about last night. I should have let you in. I was sitting right on the other side of the door, pressed up against it listening to your voice. It hurt in the best way. I think I just panicked after everything with Dae-Hyun and it was all too much for one day. I shouldn’t have shut you out.”

“No, Tae, I’m sorry. I never should have kept the note hidden from you, I was so afraid of your worst fears coming true. I couldn’t lose you. It’s not an excuse, I do understand that I need to always be honest with you. We’re a team. I’m sorry about the paper I slid under your door last night, I know it’s too soon for that and it probably only added more pressure.”

“I forgive you for keeping Taiwan from me. I understand why you did it and I trust that you won’t do it again, but please don’t apologize for the note. I know you were probably panicked and thought it would be a good last resort to help me forgive you. You have to understand though, I don’t want you to ever say that for any reason other than meaning it wholeheartedly. It’s not fair otherwise.”

“You-you think I didn’t mean it?”

“It’s okay, Kook-ah. I’m not upset. Just wait until you mean it, okay?”

“Tae, you idiot.”

Jungkook surges forwards and captures Tae’s lips, trying to push all of his feelings into the kiss. He never wants him to doubt what he feels. Loving Taehyung has come as naturally to him as breathing, he lives in his veins. He doesn’t care if he’s the only one who feels it right now, all he cares about is making sure he’s taken seriously. He licks the seams of Taehyung’s lips, expecting to be let inside, but instead the kiss breaks.

“Jungkook, what-”

“I love you. I think I’ve always loved you. I’m sorry it took me so long. I love you. I told you I wanted everything and I meant it. You are everything to me. I don’t expect you to say it back, wait until you’re ready.”

Taehyung is looking at him with awe glittering in his eyes, as if he wants to say everything and nothing at the same time. He searches Jungkook’s eyes and opens his mouth, but instead of speaking he bursts into laughter. As much as he loves that sound, it stings a little after an admission like that.

“Jungkook! I’ve been in love with you since the very start. I’ve been pining away for years. Wait until I’m ready? I’m way past due. I love you more than I love music, more than I love fashion, more than I love movie nights and tours and adventures. You’re my adventure.”

Jungkook feels tears spill from his eyes, not realizing they were even building to begin with. He reaches up and cups Taehyung’s face, searching his eyes and watching as they also well with tears. Their faces break into silly grins at the same time and their lips come together again. Jungkook tangles his fingers in Tae’s hair and tugs, eliciting a gasp from him that leaves his mouth open for the taking. Their tongues clash and wrestle, the kiss heating up in what seems like no time at all.

Fingers scramble for buttons, reach for waistbands, and before they realize it they’re stretched out naked pressed against each other head to toe. Jungkook is positive that nothing in the world will ever feel like Tae’s skin on his. It’s every concert they’ve ever played added together, mixed with every warm memory of the seven of them together. He doesn’t know how he managed to end up with a life like this, but he’ll never risk it again.

His skin is on fire as Taehyung presses warm and wet kisses down his neck, teeth grazing his skin with a breathy growl. He trails down to his chest, taking a nipple into his mouth as his long fingers tweak the other. His back arches off the bed and he lets out a long groan. He starts to lift his hips towards Tae’s body, needing any sort of friction. Instead he gets a firm hand pushing him back down onto the bed with a chuckle.

“Patience, Kookie. Trust me.”

Taehyung runs his lips along each of Jungkook’s hip bones and he starts to shiver. His cock is starting to leak and he’s never needed to be touched more in his life. He whines under his breath and lifts his head up onto the pillows, watching Taehyung’s sultry face smirking up at him from between his legs. He lifts up to position his mouth, but stops in mid-air.

“I love you.”

The sweetness of the words is immediately followed by Taehyung taking him all the way to the back of his throat in one swoop and Jungkook screams, not caring who might hear him. He’s throbbing in the wet heat of Taehyung’s mouth and feels a sinful tongue slip up and around his foreskin, dipping into the slit at the tip of his cock. He has no idea how he’ll ever last. His breath starts to stutter and he feels cold air hit where everything was just warm.

“Jungkook, would you like to fuck me this time?”

His mouth goes dry at the question and he can’t properly form words. He’s thought of this so many times, but never wanted to push. Taehyung always tops and he assumed if he wanted to bottom he would say something. Does he really want this?

“Are you sure? I thought you only topped.”

“I usually do, but the way I see it, this is something very intimate for me that I would only ever trust you with. For you, I want to switch. I want to know how you feel inside me, Kook. I want to know what it feels like to be filled by the man I love. What do you say?”

“Y-yes. Fuck yes. Now.”

“Do you know how to prep by now?”

Jungkook feels his face start to split into a grin and he sits up, capturing Tae’s lips and grabbing him by the shoulders. He moves him backwards and grabs one of the pillows from the head of the bed to place towards the bottom. He turns him around and lays him back, hips lifted by the pillows. He scrambles in his drawer for the bottle of lube and is about to squeeze some onto his fingers when he stops in his tracks.

He can’t help but be awestruck by the sight in front of him. Taehyung looks like the perfect mix of salvation and damnation. His beautiful golden skin is smooth from head to toe, his lips softly meeting the color. His body is soft and lean, contrasted by the beautiful hardness of his cock that’s twitching under Jungkook’s gaze. Their eyes meet and there’s a look of desperation that spurs him into action.

Jungkook squeezes lube onto his fingers and leans down to take Tae’s cock into his mouth. There’s a strangled sound from above him and he starts to bob up and down while he reaches behind to softly press his finger against Taehyung’s tight hole. He slowly pushes his way in and feels his body tense up. He picks up his head for just a moment.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you baby.”

He waits until Tae unclenches before continuing and eventually is able to slide his finger in and out as he continues to swirl his tongue. He moves slowly, knowing that he can be overeager sometimes and this is very delicate. He opens his eyes and looks up with a question in his eyes and once Taehyung nods he pushes a second finger in, feeling the tissue stretch.

“Fuck, Jungkook. If this is how good this feels, I’ve been wasting so much time. My fingers are so much slimmer than yours.”

Jungkook’s breath catches in his throat, imagining Taehyung masturbating with fingers buried knuckle deep inside himself. He curls his fingers up and tries to find his prostate, not knowing for sure where it is. He grazes past a new texture and Tae’s entire body bucks off the bed. He slides back and forth over it as he adds in a third finger and it’s as if the other man doesn’t even notice, he’s too lost in pleasure.

After he does his best to push open that tightness, he pulls his fingers out and lifts his head off of Tae’s cock. He sits up and starts lubing up his cock, his hands shaking. He’s so nervous, he wants to be good for Taehyung’s first time bottoming. The problem is he has no idea what he’s doing. Could it be that different from fucking a woman? He doesn’t want to hurt him.

“Hey. Kook-ah. Look at me. It’s okay. I’m ready.”

“I’m supposed to be the one reassuring you right now!”

“Well then we’ll just have to keep each other safe, won’t we?”

Jungkook smiles and climbs up Taehyung’s body to leave soft kisses on his lips and press their foreheads together for a moment before rising up onto his knees and positioning himself in front of his now fluttering asshole. He starts to push his way in and his legs nearly give out. He goes slowly, watching Tae’s face to make sure he’s okay.

“God, Tae. You’re so tight and so wet. I’ve never felt anything like it.”

“Neither have I, you’re filling me to the brim. Push further.”

Jungkook groans under his breath and pushes the rest of the way in until their bodies are flush against each other. He leans forward and puts one forearm on either side of Tae’s head to hold himself up. He doesn’t move a muscle, looking into his eyes and smiling. He wants to savor the moment.

“I love you, Taehyung.”

“I love you too, Jungkook.”

He starts to slowly push himself in and out of Taehyung’s body, their breath mingling as their lips hover. Every so often one will lean into a kiss, but they’re so caught up in soft pleasure that there’s a haze in both their eyes. Jungkook has no desire to move any faster, he wants to feel every single inch of Taehyung. He runs his hands through the elder’s hair, placing soft kisses along his cheeks and his eyelids when he blinks.

Taehyung’s cock is sliding back and forth along his stomach, the mix of precum and saliva creating a delicious slide that Jungkook loves. That silky smooth hardness slipping between his muscles is driving him towards the edge. Taehyung’s face is starting to twitch, signaling his own release is close. He speeds up his thrust ever so slightly and they both begin to breathe heavier. He captures Tae’s lips with his as he lets go, spilling inside of him until he can feel it dripping out around his cock.

He feels Tae erupt less than a minute later, covering their stomachs in sticky warmth. They both groan and whimper, overstimulated and overemotional. Neither moves or says a word for several minutes. Jungkook is panting, Taehyung is shaking. They kiss soft and slow, reveling in the intimacy for a moment longer.

“I’m going to pull out, okay? I’ll go slow and then I’ll clean you up.”

Taehyung can only nod, his head bobbing loosely on his shoulders. Jungkook slides out of his gripping hole and they both wince at the sensitivity. He leaves a kiss on the inside of each of his spread thighs before grabbing a washcloth and a water bottle. He wets the cloth and cleans up Tae’s stomach before his own. He tries to scoop the cum out of his body as gingerly as possible and when he’s gotten as much as he can, he has an urge he doesn’t think twice about, placing a soft kiss on the sensitive ring of muscles.

“Jungkook!”

“Sorry hyung, it just looked so pretty all stretched out for me, I couldn’t help it.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes before pulling him up to the head of the bed, curling around him and nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

“That was amazing. Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Tae.”

Taehyung hums into his neck and his breathing starts to even out, spent from an emotional few days. As Jungkook’s eyes get heavy he hopes that when he wakes up, this wasn’t all just a dream.

********

Yoongi appreciates that Jimin always waits patiently at the counter while he makes coffee. Everyone knows that he’s absolutely useless for conversation until he gets his first sip of caffeine. He brings two mugs over to the barstools and sits next to Jimin, mug warm in his hands as he waits for him to start.

“Hyung, how are you feeling?”

“I should be asking you that, Jimin. Last night was a lot for you.”

“What happened after you pulled Dae-Hyun out of the room? As much as it was sort of…sexy to watch you defend my honor, I really hope you didn’t hit him.”

“I didn’t hit him. I did hit the wall by his head. Probably not a smart move either, but he wasn’t hurt. He just looked so defeated and empty, Jimin. My anger kind of leached away and I told him to go home. I did make sure to leave him with a bit of a threat if any of this comes back to haunt us.”

The look of relief on Jimin’s face makes Yoongi wish they’d talked about this last night. He doesn’t like the idea of him kept up at night with anxiety. He doesn’t know if he handled Dae-Hyun correctly, but it was the best he could do at the time and there’s nothing to do about it now.

“Thank you. You found a good balance, I think. What happens now? Do you believe that he’s actually remorseful? What about this BigHit plan that we’re being totally shut out of?”

“I don’t think we can worry about things we have no control over. We trust Bang and we especially trust Joon. If he’s on board, I’m on board. We just have to watch it play out. I’m kind of surprising myself with this, but I do think Dae-Hyun is remorseful. I think he made a lot of wrong decisions. I think he felt backed into a corner, but he does seem to want to fix what he broke.”

“Is it wrong that I’m starting to feel like I may want to keep an open mind where he’s concerned?”

“I don’t think it’s wrong, per se, but I think you need to be extremely cautious, sweetheart. You have such a big heart and it's one of the things I love most about you, but he’s already burned you once and in a huge way. Keep him at arm’s length for now and if you’re going to volunteer to hang out with him for this plan, just promise me you won’t do it alone.”

“I promise. I’ll bring Hobi, he can make any awkward situation better.”

Yoongi leans forward to press a kiss on Jimin’s lips when he hears a strangled cry come from down the hall. His face scrunches up and he sees Jimin’s eyes light up.

“Is that…?”

A door slams down the hall and Jin comes storming into the kitchen grumbling about disrespectful maknaes and not being able to have a relaxing morning without his ears being assaulted. More cries echo from down the hall and Jimin breaks into a peal of laughter that brings glares from both hyungs. Yoongi shakes his head and takes a sip of coffee to hide the smile growing on his own face.

********

Later that night, Taehyung and Jungkook are in the living room waiting for everyone else to arrive for their follow-up meeting about Dae-Hyun. ‘Nothing Like Us’ is playing through the speakers of Jungkook’s phone, balanced on Taehyung’s knee as he sits on his lap. They’re lost in their own blissful little world and don’t notice Namjoon enter.

“Thank god. You two figured it out.”

Taehyung smiles up at their leader and winks as the other members file in, Jin shooting them a dirty look.

“Yah, can you brats please be more considerate of who else might be in the dorm when you engage in…activities?!”

Taehyung can feel all the blood leave his face, he’d had no idea anyone had heard them and he’s mortified. Everyone took the day to decompress in their rooms and no one had said anything. Jungkook is shaking in laughter beneath him and Taehyung swats him before sitting up and crossing the room to cuddle into Jimin’s side and hide his face. Hobi bursts into laughter.

“Oh come on, Tae. Don’t be bashful now! We know too much!”

“Oh god. Jiminie, just bury me right here.”

“Sorry, Taetae. I can’t help you here.”

“You all suck.”

“Mmm, pretty sure it’s you two who suck.”

Hobi barely gets the joke out, rolling on the floor cackling. Taehyung wants to disappear into the fabric of the couch and shoots Namjoon a pleading look. The leader has turned red and looks incredibly embarrassed, maybe at the very least he wasn’t home to hear it. He clears his throat and tries to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay, okay. Leave the boys alone. They’ve been through enough. This is a serious meeting, we’re nowhere near being out of the woods yet.”

Namjoon’s words are sobering and a hush falls over the room. They were hoping to cling to any scrap of happiness while they could. Taehyung feels his palms grow clammy, thinking about all the horrifying possibilities of their predicament.

“I think I speak for all of you when I say that we’re going to rally behind the two couples. I don’t care who goes up against us or what their opinions are, we are the first line of defense. I went to the offices this morning and Bang is putting extra security detail on us. He also wants us to consider bringing some staff we trust into the fold. He thinks we could use help making sure nothing is too obvious on camera or when we travel.”

“How do we know who we can trust anymore? One more wrong judgment and our ship is sunk.”

“Agreed, Jin-hyung. That’s why it’s not required, but if we do want to open up to someone, it only happens with a unanimous vote. We have to all agree that that person can be trusted. I want everyone to make a list of three people they’d consider and we can talk about it again in a week or two.”

Silent nods are given across the room and everyone looks lost in thought. Taehyung meets Jungkook’s eyes and they trade small smiles. It’s a bizarre juxtaposition to be so happy and so upset at the same time. It feels like all the worst possible outcomes are coming true. Forced outing, scandal, disbandment. His head is spinning.

“Tae, are you okay? You look so pale.”

He barely registers Jimin’s voice, eyes locked on Jungkook. He feels like his head is underwater, everyone’s voices are muffled and his eyesight is blurry. He faintly feels hands on his and turns his head, seeing a blurry outline of Yoongi. He can’t make out a single word his hyung is saying. His face is getting warmer and warmer and his mouth is filling with saliva. Images of scandalous headlines, paparazzi photos, the note he left Jungkook, Dae-Hyun speaking on TV, everything catastrophic all running through his head.

He tries to stand up and the room spins, but he pushes on and past the hands reaching for him. He stumbles through the kitchen trying to reach the balcony for some fresh air when the ground comes up to meet him and he feels his head hit something as he blacks out.

4 notes · View notes