taehyung's bed was piled high with pants, shirts, shoes, and namjoon, who was desperate to just get his speech about quarterly numbers out.
despite the demands of tae to leave work at the office, namjoon knew it was easier said than done. after all, taehyung hadn't shown his face in almost a week!
"did you review the file i sent you? did it make sense?" the hum of his laptop echoed against the walls as he clicked through pages upon pages.
"joon, if you saw me in this, what would you think?" taehyung emerged from the depths of his walk-in, adorned in black jeans and a button up. it was a more fitted look than he usually went with, often opting for oversized anything, but he was desperate for jungkook to see that beneath it all... well.... a body did exist.
"answer my question first!" the older was stern with his tone, firm in his reasoning; he shoved the laptop towards his brother, "tell me if you think that's a good projection to pass onto the sales team?"
"when i tell you that i could care less, do you think i'm exaggerating?" he slammed the computer shut, tossing it back into the discarded mound of his things, "now, pants are too try-hard or just enough?"
"you're frustrating!"
"you get frustrated easily."
namjoon huffed- that was probably accurate but he would never admit it, "how can you act like you don't care about all of this when it has literally given us our lifestyle?"
taehyung hummed, "that's like saying just because i was born to a great singer, i should also be a great singer! or just because our dad is a sociopathic, work-a-holic and you clearly got that gene, i apparently should have as well. unfortunately, genetics don't quite work that way." his hand trailed over a stack of magazines, "you have to admit that i'm a great model and neither you nor dad could do that!"
"you're a great model because you got mom's face. but you got dad's brains! you can be my right hand man. i need you to be tae!"
"i have no interest." he was getting shorter with his response, a bit irritated with his brother for showing up, "you know what i've always wanted to do and it isn't just run some insurance company to scam people out of millions each year on the premise of fear!"
"that's insulting. we help people!"
"by over charging them and profit sharing with pharmaceutical companies. look me in the eye and tell me the whole system isn't corrupt!"
"look me in the eye and tell me you don't appreciate the trust fund that was built for you!" namjoon met his brother eye to eye, daggers shooting through as they argued over something that would never be resolved, "if it weren't for the money that has been gifted to you, you wouldn't be able to do your little modeling gigs on the side, or write your little travel blogs, or wear your leather pants and waltz around to who knows where."
tae felt his blood boil at the insinuation that everything he had created for himself- his follower count, his aspirations- they were only made plausible by the fact he was an heir to a fortune, "you are just mad because all the creativity funneled down to me and you're mad that you didn't get anything of mom's! you have always resented me because her and i were closer! just admit it."
namjoon felt his hand clench to a fist at those words. his brother could be a brat, beyond spoiled, but rarely did he hit so below the belt when it came to their little fights.
both knew the other had sensitive spots-
taehyung was sensitive to his own goals, thinking that he worked hard to get to his socialite status and failing to recognize that funds helped him climb.
namjoon was sensitive to the fact their mom died without proper closure, the fact he had disregarded her in place of his father more often than not.
if he could turn back the clock he would; but that just wasn't feasible.
and namjoon had an analytic brain, one that was wired on hard facts and numbers, that extended into a dimension beyond feelings, "read the fucking graph taehyung."
"i don't want to read the graph namjoon!"
"read it."
"no!"
jimin poked his head in, the signs of clenched teeth and tension thick, "everything okay in here?"
"he is impossible!" namjoon pointed to his brother who was distracted with the out of place hair strands.
"he is a jackass." taehyung stuck his tongue out, a childish act; he knew it.
"well he is ignorant and selfish." the oldest of the bunch was clearly frazzled, overwhelmed by the fight and angry at himself for being a part of it.
jimin interjected, "apologize and hug each other!"
"i would rather jump out of the window." taehyung clipped an earring in, a final touch.
"and i would also rather he jump out of a window."
"you don't mean that!" jimin scolded them both, grabbing each by the hand tugging them to the center of the bed.
the mattress dipped once they all sat, surrounded by warmth and mixed colognes, "what are you doing?" tae was snappy.
"apologize to one another." jimin's voice was stern, "taehyung, acknowledge that what you said was cruel and unreasonable and namjoon can you just give tae's ego a boost for two seconds."
both seemed hesitant to start, folded arms and stoic faces. taehyung caved first, he was younger and namjoon did deserve the respect. he was a good brother- most of the time, "joon, i'm sorry i have no interest in your stupid fucking graph."
"alright and that's my cue to go!" namjoon rose from the bed in a huff, "you know what? i hope your life of running around and taking pictures can afford you this lifestyle cause once i take over, i'll be sure your salary matches how much work you actually put in."
"you are so bitter; it's unbelievable! get out of my apartment! and take your stupid laptop, with the stupid graphs, and leave me alone!" tae chucked the computer into his arms, no care in the world for the fact that it held important files or was an expensive piece of equipment, "you are such a miserable person!"
namjoon knew tae wouldn't stop. he was in the midst of a tantrum, something that occurred occasionally. they both were guilty of it. he nodded apologetically at jimin before heading out the front door and far away from the scene that had just unfolded.
the blonde turned to the angry male who stood in front of the mirror trying to fix his appearance which was now adorned with rage, "want to elaborate on what that was about?"
taehyung felt his fists grip the edge of his dresser, "he's just so annoying! coming in here, acting like he owns me and my time and that i'm incapable of doing anything on my own."
"i really don't think that's what he meant."
"well, it's what he implied!"
"but you weren't exactly nice to him either?" jimin hated to be devil's advocate.
"what do you mean nice to him? he's older!" tae stomped his feet in defeat, "i love him so much that i just can't stand him sometimes! i don't want to disappoint him. maybe that's why it's easier just to avoid the whole... work situation."
"well then, you should tell him that! it would probably mean a lot of hear it from you."
"okay but can i do it tomorrow?"
"why wait?"
"because i have plans to get way too drunk and fuck the tattoo artist."
"you mean jungkook?"
"well i certainly won't be attempting to steal yoongi from you, now will i?"
jimin blushed at the comment, shades of pink on his porcelain cheeks as he thought of the older male, getting ready for some art installation. he'd probably use poetic words to describe pieces that were way out of jimin's depth and he'd adore every minute of it.
"let's go before i change my mind and opt for wallowing instead." tae urged the blonde out to the front, sliding into shoes and grabbing a coat in case a chill decided to creep in.
he felt a little anxious at the thought of seeing the stranger that seemed to show up everywhere. undeniably nervous that he'd make a fool of himself.
he wasn't exactly versed in fine art and he didn't share the same unforgettable charm that jimin possessed. it wouldn't be his intention to come off arrogant or brash...
unless of course jungkook liked it like that.