𝐔𝐍𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐘 || Vhope

C.13

CHAPTER 13 : HONESTY

"Selfish little thing," Hoseok said, but his voice was filled with so much affection that Taehyung felt warm to his toes.

"Say it," he demanded, burying a hand in Hoseok's hair. It had grown longer than Hoseok normally wore it.

"I love you," Hoseok said hoarsely, nuzzling into his cheek. "Love you."

Taehyung smiled, feeling more than a little giddy. "See, you're mine," he whispered. "Not his."

Hoseok went rigid. Then he swore under his breath, stepped away from him, and glared. "What is this all about, Tae? You're like a goddamn dog in the manger! I'm not your possession. I have Johnny now—"

"You said you love me. You just said it!"

Hoseok's jaw worked. He shook his head. "It changes nothing—"

"Why?" Taehyung growled. "You don't need him! You love me, and I love you—"

"Stop saying that," Hoseok snapped. "You don't love me."

Taehyung laughed. "Thanks for informing me. Maybe you can tell me why I feel so shitty without you, then."

Sighing, Hoseok ran a hand through his hair and turned away. "I don't know what you're doing here. There's no fucking point. You have your life, your family, your son. There's no place for me in your life—actually, there never was—"

"There is."

"Not the one I want," Hoseok said quietly. He sounded tired. "You can't give me what I want."

"And he can?"

"Yes, he can." Hoseok looked at him. "I don't love you like a brother or a friend. I want things."

Taehyung's cheeks turned warm. "I know," he said, a bit awkwardly. "I'm not an idiot. I get it."

"No, you don't seem to get it," Hoseok bit out. "I want to kiss you. I want to kiss you everywhere. I want to leave hickeys all over you. I want to push you under me, spread your legs, and put my cock in you—"

"Stop that!" Taehyung said, flushing.

Hoseok laughed, a bitter, harsh sound that cut right through him. "Yeah, that's exactly what I meant." And before Taehyung could say anything, he left. 

 Taehyung followed soon after his face still flushed.

With both of them back at the dinner party. It felt like the dinner dragged on forever.

Hoseok was half-tempted to leave early, but he didn't want it to seem like he was fleeing from Taehyung—that was how it would be interpreted by his cousin and Yoongi. Not to mention that would arouse Johnny's suspicions.

 It was bad enough already that Johnny was bewildered by Taehyung's presence and wouldn't stop talking about him: Johnny was a little star struck. It would have been funny if it weren't Taehyung.

Hoseok looked at the other end of the table. Taehyung was looking down at his plate with a deeply contemplative expression on his face. What was he up to?

Realizing he was staring, Hoseok forced himself to turn away.

He found Jimin studying him intently, a small frown between his brows. Yoongi whispered something in his ear and Jimin's frown disappeared. Jimin smiled wryly at his boyfriend and shook his head, touching Yoongi's neck with his fingers. Yoongi grinned at him.

Hoseok averted his eyes. Sometimes watching Jimin and his boyfriend was more than a little uncomfortable. He was happy for his cousin—he was the one who had told Jimin to go for it—and yet...

Hoseok's gaze fell on another couple, seated opposite him: a stern-faced dark-haired man and a startlingly handsome blond guy. He didn't know them all that well, only their names: Jisung and Minho.

"Don't be such a party pooper," Jisung told the other man, rolling his eyes. "It wouldn't hurt you to put on a smile once in a while." He smiled widely at his stern-faced partner. "See? It's not that hard."

Minho gave the blond an unimpressed look, but the way his dark eyes lingered on Jisung's smiling face betrayed him. The couple seemed odd and mismatched, but at the same time, perfect for each other—just right.

Against his will, Hoseok's eyes were drawn to Taehyung again.

This time he found Taehyung looking at him already.

Taehyung gave him a significant stare and inclined his head toward the door.

Pressing his lips together, Hoseok shook his head. He'd already said everything there was to say. There was nothing to talk about anymore. And if Hoseok was entirely honest, he didn't trust himself to be alone with Taehyung and keep saying no. 

His resolve was non-existent when Taehyung looked at him with his big green eyes and whispered his name. Hoseok had thought—hoped—Johnny's entrance into his life had changed it, but he was wrong.

 The moment he'd seen Taehyung in the kitchen, Hoseok's first urge was too push Johnny away, as though he'd been caught cheating, which was ridiculous. Taehyung was nothing to him, never had been and never would be. Hoseok had a boyfriend now, and his boyfriend's name wasn't Taehyung. His boyfriend's name was Johnny.

Hoseok looked at the young man seated next him. Johnny smiled. Hoseok managed an answering smile. When he'd met Johnny two months ago, it was supposed to be just a one-night stand, one of many.

Hoseok grimaced at the thought. At the time, he'd been willing to fuck every good-looking guy who came on to him. He'd wanted to prove to himself he could still get it up. 

He'd wanted to prove to himself he could move on. He'd wanted to prove he wasn't the dull-eyed man he saw in the mirror.

But one night had turned into two, then three, then a week, and on and on, and Hoseok found he liked Johnny.

 He was handsome, but he was also nice and down-to-earth. Compared to Taehyung's temper and demanding attitude, Johnny was a saint. Johnny was kind and uncomplicated. Johnny was everything Taehyung wasn't. Johnny was everything Hoseok wanted in a boyfriend. And Johnny wanted him.

"...Hoseok? Hoseok!"

Hoseok flinched. Right. Johnny. "What?"

Johnny gray eyes were full of confusion. "What's up with you? You weren't listening."

"I was," Hoseok said. "I..."

Taehyung wasn't in his seat anymore. He was by the door that led to the bedrooms. He caught Hoseok's gaze before disappearing out of sight.

Hoseok hesitated, torn between common sense and the desire to go after him.

Goddammit. It was a lost battle.

He muttered some excuse and followed Taehyung out of the room, feeling Jimin's disapproving look on his back.

Taehyung was waiting for him in one of the guest rooms, his arms crossed over his chest. There was an odd expression on his face: a mix of determination and something else.

Taehyung was waiting for him in one of the guest rooms, his arms crossed over his chest. There was an odd expression on his face: a mix of determination and something else.

"You said you have no place in my life because I can't give you what you want," Taehyung said without preamble. "What if I can?"

"What?"