"Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words, I don't just say
And nothing else matters"
❀
- V -
Having only one shower in a house of seven was problematic to say the least. Having only one shower in a house of seven who currently needed to be ready in less than thirty minutes was simply bedlam.
Taehyung was sure his ears were going to lose all sense of hearing with the voice people were shouting in.
That's just how some mornings were. The staff members were up their asses to get shit done, and Taehyung couldn't really blame them, controlling seven teenage boys was a Herculean feat deserving of it's own award, and while they tried to patient with them, treating them with care like their own kids, Taehyung agreed if he was ever a staff to kids like them, he would've resigned a long time ago.
On this particular morning, their alarms didn't go off and they were running late for a recording and the shit had hit the fan.
He was scrambling to put everything he needed in a bag.
Charger? check
Earphones? check
Wallet? Check
"Do not forget your underwear!", Namjoon shouted.
Taehyung held the button of his pants and pulled it forward.
Underwear? Check.
Ever since Hoseok forgot to wear his underwear for a recording, Namjoon had been petrified. He made sure to call for an underwear check before they left the house for any event.
Being a leader was also difficult.
Jimin's short legs were running around everywhere, and Seokjin was hurriedly wrapping up breakfast.
And Taehyung needed to shower.
He had planned to shower the night before but he lay on the bed to rest for five minutes and woke up to the sound of Seokjin shouting in his ear on this beautiful morning.
Which bring us to the original problem.
There was only one shower.
And it was currently occupied.
And by the time Taehyung would get his turn it would be too late.
That was it.
He simply had to barge in and share it.
Desperate times called for desperate measures.
He pushed opened the door to find the maknae hurriedly covering himself with the towel.
It just had to happen. That is how low Taehyung's luck was running today, and while it was not the first time he was sharing the shower, it definitely was the first time Taehyung had to share with Jeongguk of all people.
If it was Jimin or Hoseok then Taehyung would've strode in without a thought. They had shared the shower plenty of times with their bodies turned away from each other. It was efficient and time saving.
And sometimes the only option.
But the maknae looked at him like a deer caught in headlights.
Taehyung sighed, taking a deep breath to make this as less awkward as it could possibly be.
"Uh- if you want to shower first hyung I can leave", Jeongguk said, his hands reaching for his clothes.
"You can stay!", Taehyung blurted, trying his best to remain cool as a cucumber, and handle this situation like the responsible elder brother he was supposed to be.
"Mwo?"
"I mean- I mean we can shower together-"
"Mwo?"
"Okay I don't know how to phrase it better Jeonggukie", Taehyung huffed. "Let's get in the shower and be done with it, Jin hyung is out there ready to kill us."
Taehyung surged towards the shower with as much confidence he could muster appearing to be as nonchalant as he could, while Jeongguk looked at him like he had dropped from sky right before his eyes. He turned towards the other wall, taking off his shirt and hanging it a hook. "It's fine, we won't look at each other, we'll turn our backs."
Jeongguk gingerly stepped in beside him with Taehyung hoping he was facing the other way because he finally pulled his boxers down his legs and hung them over his shirt. Both of them stood with their backs to each other, the awkwardness stretching tight.
Taehyung cleared his throat. "I'll turn the shower on now."
Jeongguk hummed in agreement.
Taehyung turned lifted the knob, the ice cold water making them flinch, which led to their bare shoulders touching which led to them violently jerking away from each.
"Ah sorry, I- I didn't mean to." Taehyung's voice reached a new high pitch.
Cool as a cucumber was slowly turning into jumpy like a spring.
With slightly trembling fingers, he turned the knob to hot.
Taehyung was pretty sure that before they got under the water both their faces were so red they resembled red hot chilli peppers and Taehyung felt like a red hot chilli pepper as well.
It was slightly ironic how all of Taehyung's bravado died once all their clothes were removed.
It felt like yesterday when he was practically stripping down to his underwear in front of the younger in an attempt to ease out the younger's insecurities.
Getting down till his underwear, any day. But this? This was too much.
If Jeongguk even slightly turned around he would be able to his full butt.
And Taehyung was not really sure how he felt about that.
What if he doesn't like my butt?
He absent-mindedly rubbed soap in his hands, applying it all over his body.
But Jiminie said my butt is beautiful.
"Hyung, could you pass me the shampoo?"
What if he thinks it's ugly?
"Hyung?"
Jiminie can be a liar sometimes.
"Hyung, the shampoo?"
Shit, what if he thinks my butt is too small?
He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and gasped, jumping up, losing his footing on the wet tile and stumbled forward, closing his eyes, bracing for impact.
The impact never came.
Instead, he felt warm hands, one circling his waist and one flat on his chest, stopping him from bashing his head into the wall.
Taehyung became hyperaware of every sensation passing his body. He could feel the warmth from the younger's hands seeping through his wet skin. The rhythmic but rapid rise and fall of Jeongguk's chest behind him.
There was a beat of deathly silence, the running water bouncing off the bodies and echoing across the tiles, before both of them burst into laughter.
The whole situation was entirely ridiculous and downright hilarious. Two lanky teenagers trying to find their way in a tiny shower, making their best not to touch each other and nearly slipping onto their butts and breaking their heads.
Taehyung laughed it off amd straightened up, trying to ignore the heat of Jeongguk's wet body against his back.
He pretends not to notice when Jeongguk realises that he hasn't let go yet and takes a step back but his hands stay put on Taehyung's waist.
He's just making sure I don't fall again.
"I'll help you", a soft voice permeates the gush of water above them, and Taehyung feels the soft fingers helping him putting shampoo on and rinsing his hair. The sweet voice claims it'll be faster this way, and who was Taehyung to deny it.
And when he finally turns around there are big eyes, young and naive, looking at him like it's the first time they see him.
Taehyung smiles, ignore the slight flutter of his heart, and turning the boy around. "I'll help you too"
He quickly massages the maknae's scalp and rinses out the shampoo.
Both of them scrubbed clean, they still face away, taking their towels and drying themselves.
Taehyung slightly turned his face to realise the maknae stood absolutely still, the towel hanging around his waist. His clothes hung next to the shower yet he made no attempt to move.
The elder realised he had pushed the maknae to his limits. There was so far he would go at once and Taehyung did not want to ruin anything between them, not even slightly. He quickly wrapped his own towel across his waist and stepped out, not glancing at the younger.
"I'll change outside Jeongguka, I forgot to bring my clothes" , he let out a sheepish laugh for his excuse before rushing outside.
Changing into his faded jeans and a black tee, he sat at the table, gulping down breakfast, fast.
This whole thing, it brought something new to his heart. It brought a sensation Taehyung never thought would come being in the vicinity of a guy. It confused him to the core.