Metal Heart [ Jikook ]

Chapter 13

"I would like to punch you for all of your stupid nicknames." Taehyung said, to which Hoseok stuck out his tongue and Taehyung would have leaned in to bite down on it softly if only they weren't in public. Taehyung almost didn't want to be holding hands, but why not? Hoseok's hand was warm, and neither of them had gloves.

"Will you surprise me, hyung?" Taehyung asked. Hoseok made a gesture to the coffee stand in the corner, "If you go and surprise me, too."

So Taehyung came back with Hoseok's favorite, of course, and Hoseok had picked out Taehyung's favorite, as well. Hoseok paid for both, thanking the woman at the counter. He took Taehyung's hand again-- and they held their warm little foods as they walked through cold winds, heading home. Taehyung had a brief idea of asking to stop by Seokjin's place so he could check up on Jungkook, maybe Jimin, but he thought it was best that he left the two of them alone. Seokjin was a hell of a lot better at bringing Jungkook up than Taehyung was-- especially in this situation. (For all Taehyung knew, Jimin was already okay.)

"You're over-thinking again pumpkin." Hoseok said, nuzzling his nose against Taehyung's temple to get his attention. Taehyung hummed his acknowledgment; of course he was over-thinking. This was his best friend-- in so much pain because he lost someone of so much importance. He was so worried. It was making him feel sick. He thought about Jungkook in pain and, suddenly, he didn't even want the pastry in his palm.

"Will you take a bite of this for me? I-I don't want to eat anymore, but I think seeing you eat it will make me want to again." Taehyung said. Hoseok didn't even ask questions; he leaned forward and took a little bite out of Taehyung's sweet. Somehow it did calm Taehyung's stomach-- made him laugh when Hoseok asked, through a mouthful of cream-- "Feel better now, sweetie?"

"Yes." Taehyung chuckled. He took a little nibble himself, smiling halfway through the bite when Hoseok's sticky lips landed on his temple. Taehyung had the sweetest boyfriend in the world, sticky words spilling from the older's mouth into Taehyung's ear, "You're so beautiful, baby boy."

"Baby boy." Taehyung muttered, smiled, "I like that one. You should keep it."

"I have to throw away pumpkin?" Hoseok pouted. Taehyung chuckled, "You have to throw away pumpkin."

Taehyung just smiled again. Hoseok stared at him for a moment more-- which was dangerous, for he wasn't looking at the ground, looking to see if there was any ice painting the sidewalk. Taehyung watched for him for a few moments-- and then Hoseok's voice was distracting him, worry melting into his words, "Tae. I know you're still worried about Jungkook.... Do you want to go see him, maybe? He's with Seokjin-- hyung is just around the corner."

"I thought about it." Taehyung said. "I think we should leave them alone. I feel like... Jungkook's better off with Seokjin, you know? Like-- I'm not that great at comforting him. I'm actually kind of useless when it comes to that--"

"Taehyung." Hoseok said, stopping-- and, with Taehyung's hand wrapped up in Hoseok's, Taehyung was forced to stop too. Their eyes met for a serious few moments, "Don't tell me you're getting insecure about Jungkook's friendship again."

Taehyung broke their eye contact with a shrug and, yes, a voice of insecurity, "I don't know. I-- yeah, I feel like a shitty friend. Seokjin-hyung is better at being a friend than I am. Jimin is better at being a friend than I am. I don't feel like a shitty person or anything, but I think Jungkook's better made for other people, you know?"

"Taehyung. Babe-- look at me, listen to me." Hoseok said. Taehyung looked; he listened, "Jimin died, right? He stopped working."

"Yes," Taehyung answered, though he didn't think it was much of a question. Hoseok nodded, "And Jungkook called Seokjin, right? To come get Jimin? To fix him?"

"Yes," Taehyung answered again. Hoseok continued, "And after Jimin was gone, off with Seokjin to get fixed-- who do you think he wanted? He was all alone, dead boyfriend, brother trying to fix him. Who do you think he wanted? Lonely Jungkook with one best friend in the whole world. Who do you think he wanted?"

"Me?" Taehyung answered after a beat of silence. Hoseok smiled, "Exactly. Baby, I've told you before. Jungkook needs you in his life. You're his best friend, one of his only friends. Jimin is his boyfriend-- we all know it; it's so obvious. Seokjin, sure, might be a 'better friend' or whatever, but I guarantee Jungkook doesn't think like that. You two are just as close as him and Seokjin. It just so happens that Seokjin has more answers and better cooking."

Taehyung chuckled; Hoseok chuckled too. He took Taehyung's hand a littler firmer, steered him off in a different direction-- in Seokjin's direction, "So let's go see him. I'm sure he wants you a lot right now."

And Hoseok began walking, tugging Taehyung along, but the younger stopped him before they could get very far. "Wait--"

"Baby boy," Hoseok said, and he acted out on a random action that he always took when Taehyung was too insecure; he took the boy's face in his hands and smashed their lips together. Taehyung almost dropped his pastry, and Hoseok almost dropped his coffee, but Taehyung's pastry ended up bumping Hoseok's side and Hoseok's coffee ended up bumping Taehyung's cheek. It was funny, Taehyung thought, that Hoseok's palm against his cheek was as warm as the coffee against his other cheek.

"We're in public." Hoseok whispered after they broke apart. They were in public, and there was an oddly large crowd of people roaming around-- considering it was cold, it was winter, and school had let out long enough ago that most of them could have made it home. But-- hey, Taehyung thought, they were still out there, so.

"Do you care?" Taehyung asked, whispered. Hoseok gave a small tug of a smile before he let another kiss answer what might have been spoken as "Not really."

/

A/N: I HAVE NO WAY TO APOLOGIZE FOR HOW LONG YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS. I'M AN AUTHOR I SHOULD BE BETTER AT WORDING THINGS BUT I CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS HOW SORRY I AM. omf-- so many people thought I was giving up on this story but I wILL NOT GIVE UP I have a really good plan for this story and I will power through everything I will I will. phew. okay. anyway; this is a really lame update, especially because it's focused in on vhope and it's so short?? I suck so much omg