DYING TO KNOW | TAEKOOK

14. Light Up

*Brief content warning for strong language, mature themes, references to drugs, nudity, sex / sexuality*
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Jungkook put his arm around Taehyung's shoulders and brought him home. They got stoned into the wee hours of the morning, sitting in the adirondack chairs in the yard for hours.

They didn't talk about much, the silence punctuated only by Jungkook coming in and out of the house every so often with drinks and snacks.

Around two in the morning, he stood and stretched, exposing a bit of pale tummy.

In his haze of weed and wine, he walked the fifty feet over to the oversized hot tub and stripped, dropping his shorts and boxers, peeling off his shirt.

"Come on, Tae," he called, turning and hopping in.

He wanted to entice Taehyung to say something. Anything.

Taehyung was gaping wordlessly, and he finally got up and followed suit, peeling off his shirt, then dropping his pants.

Only after a moment of hesitation did he step out of his boxers. Jungkook averted his eyes. Somewhat.

He puffed on the joint once and handed it to Jungkook, who sucked on it a bit, holding in the musky smoke. Taehyung looked at Jungkook, red eyed and bleary.

"Can I ask you a question?" Jungkook inquired blandly, trying to seem insouciant.

Taehyung nodded silently, eyes full of warning.

 "Why aren't you out as gay?" Jungkook asked, genuinely curious, despite his growing nausea.

Taehyung nodded.  "Yeah, I mean, I'm out, sort of. But not publicly. I've never commented on who I date or the gender of people I'm attracted to."

He considered the ramifications of his comments with a bit of trepidation.

"People make their own assumptions based on the company I keep or where I go out, but I don't really talk about it with the media," he finished with a shrug.  

"How come?" Jungkook studied Taehyung, who was breathtaking with half-wet hair framing his face.

"It's not really anyone's fucking business that I'm gay," Taehyung sounded pissed.

Jungkook raised his eyebrows. But you told me.

"I get typecast enough as it is, I don't really need to be shoved any further into the gay roles only box," Taehyung sneered, cheeks burning.

He was finished explaining himself now, and Jungkook didn't push it.  He knew better.

"Cool," he replied simply, saying nothing else. Questions circling like harpies overhead.

Taehyung bit his lip, "Could I ask you a question?" He returned the favor with incredible precision.

Jungkook nodded once, nausea crawling into his throat.

"Were you upset that I kissed you the other day?" Taehyung asked. He was about as blunt as a hammer.

Jungkook raised his eyebrows and shook his head without even thinking.

He gazed at Taehyung without any hesitation, "No, I suppose not. Why?" he replied with clear-eyed candor.

"I don't know. You seemed so shocked and sad when I thought you were gay that I guess I worried that I might have frightened you off," Taehyung drawled, exhaling white smoke with every word.

Jungkook blinked a few times, "I guess I was surprised. Don't get me wrong, I'm not homophobic or anything. My best friend is about as gay as they come," he spoke candidly, smiling so hard it hurt when he thought of Jimin.