No Harm List | BTS Mafia AU

New Normal

"What can I get for you, sweeties?" She asked as she dug through her apron in search of a pen.

"Coffee," you both ordered in usion, and you couldn't help the corner of your mouth from curving into a smile.

"Make hers decaf," Hoseok added, glancing at you briefly to note the way your leg was bouncing so quickly in your seat, it nearly shook the whole both. If you were on edge about something, which you clearly were, the added caffeine would only make your anxiety worse. You nodded in agreement with a slight pout.

"Two sugars, two creams for you, and one sugar for you?" Windy asked you and Hoseok, respectively.

You smiled and took comfort in the familiarity as you softly nodded in confirmation.

When you first responded to Hoseok's text about dinner, you knew meeting at your apartment felt too personal and gave you little room for a dramatic exit if you guys ended up fighting. Still, Dax's was like a second home for the two of you. You've spent countless nights in this booth sobering up, and even more, mornings recovering from hangovers together.

Windy was quick with your drinks, and you wrapped your hands around the mug in an attempt to leech some warmth from the ceramic cup.

"You dyed your hair," you said, surprised as you found yourself really looking at him for the first time.

His hair was a shock of bright red, he dyed it since the last time you'd seen him, and you smiled at the thought that the stress of your friendship might have put him through an impulsive hair crisis. Hoseok reached up to brush his locks absentmindedly.

"Oh yeah, do you like it?"

"You look like a bottle of ketchup," you forced with a laugh, trying to break the tension between you two.

A smile broke across his face as he looked at you, and you swear you had to squint a little in the brilliance of it. What you didn't pick up on was the way it didn't quite meet his eyes.

Hoseok took his cue to keep the conversation rolling, telling you about how he got Jimin to act as his hairdresser for him. The two of you quickly fell into the flow of conversation as smoothly as ever. Talking and toeing around hard times was a bit of a skill you both honed after Daewon's death.

By the time your food was ordered and brought out to you, you found yourself complaining about classes and telling him stories of your past few weeks at the bakery.

"Jimin is crazy smart, I wish I knew him back when I was taking Chemistry freshman year," you sighed and Hoseok laughed brightly as he shoved his fries in his mouth.

"You wouldn't want his help. He's our resident mad scientist. He'd have you blowing something up in your lab. I'm surprised that the bakery is still standing." Hobi laughed. 

The tension left your body slowly as you finally started to relax a bit. But Hoseok didn't miss how you kept turning to check a full view of the street in the window beside you and how your eyes lingered and followed any hooded figures passing by. He didn't miss how you barely touched your food as the two of you chatted.

Hoseok wanted to demand answers from you, but he felt like he was walking on eggshells. You would open up to him when you were ready.

So instead, he told you about his work at the shop, and his newest car he was rebuilding as a personal project. He was determined to revive a little red 1963 Porsche 356B Karmann Coupe.

You smiled and nodded, impressed as he described it to you, but like usual, you had no idea what he was saying.

It was when Windy came to take your dessert order, and you startled, literally jumped in your seat in shock, that drew the last straw for Hoseok. He couldn't keep any secrets from you, but he needed to make sure you didn't keep any from him. He watched as you gave Windy your milkshake order passively, your eyes once again glued to the window, and he finally decided to say something.