No one's POV:
As soon as Taehyung stepped out of the bustling, noisy restaurant and into the barren parking lot, he sucked in a deep breath.
The cold night air was chilling and Taehyung felt goosebumps rise on his arms, biting at his skin. A shiver ran down his spine causing the brunet's teeth to chatter and his legs to shake.
However, he had a mission, and that was to find his husband. Taehyung squinted his eyes to make out any figures that were hidden by the cloak of darkness.
It wasn't difficult though, Jeongguk was leaning against a pillar a few meters away, smoking a cigarette.
The military uniform gleamed under the moonlight and Taehyung gulped as Jeongguk took a long drag of the cigarette.
Jeongguk's muscles bulged under the tight fitting uniform and that material contrasted beautifully against the Marine's tan complexion. Each time the ravenet pulled the cigarette up to his mouth, his biceps visibly tensed and then relaxed as he lowered his arm.
Taehyung slowly approached the slightly threatening man and whispered a small "Hi," that was barely conceivable.
"Hey,"
Perhaps it was the cigarette and uniform that was off-putting to Taehyung, who is never easily intimidated. More likely however, it was the recent argument and an angry Jeongguk scaring the shit out of Taehyung.
The ravenet is always so calm and patient so seeing the stark contrast was unnerving.
The brunet just looked down sadly at the blunt reply and rolled his tongue on the inside of his cheek.
This was going to be difficult.
"I'm sorry," Taehyung spoke up again.
Admitting he is wrong is something Taehyung has always struggled with- he is normally a bit too headstrong.
Although he stood by what he had said, the brunet had completely forgotten Jeongguk's feelings in the matter.
To be put between your husband and one of your friends must have been difficult. To top it off it was the night before deployment, Jeongguk was stressed enough.
"It's okay. It's good to stand up for yourself Taehyung but you have to understand that it's just Jaesung's bullshit bravado. He acts all tough but really he is scared. What he said wasn't okay but I promise you, you can address his awful behaviour once we get back," Jeongguk stated.
The Marine really didn't like Jaesung, but they worked together and even though he would trust the man with his life, Jaesung's opinions about most things are horribly insensitive.
"Yeah I get it," Taehyung replied. He really did understand and it didn't shock Taehyung to learn that Jeongguk doesn't like Jaesung. Taehyung has seen the eye rolls and disappointed faces that his husband pulls when he is around that sad excuse of a man.
"Everything is just a lot to handle right now and-" Jeongguk started but his words got caught in his throat, his deep voice trailing off as the thick emotion caught up to him.
"Yeah I get it," Taehyung replied as he watched Jeongguk take another drag of his cigarette. The brunet's eyes traced the delicate movements of his husband, swiping his tongue across his bottom lip when the glowing stick made contact with the marine's crimson lips.
"You shouldn't use those," Taehyung stated as he gestured to Jeongguk's cigarette.
"Yeah I know. I only have them when I'm stressed," Jeongguk justified as he chuckled slightly, letting the smoke escape his mouth and float into the chilling air of the night and up towards the blackness.
"You should come up with a replacement for cigarettes so whenever you get stressed you use that instead," Taehyung informed, knowing all too well the potential dangers of smoking for the mind and body.
"How do you know so much about this?" Jeongguk inquired as he walked over to the bin and stumped out the embers that still lingered on the cigarette.
The light soon dissipated until all that was left was a mildly hot cigarette butt.
"My mum used to smoke a long time ago and she got over it by hugging me whenever she got too anxious. She also had some nicotine patches and gum. She's not smoked in over ten years now," Taehyung explained as Jeongguk strode back to where he was before and placed his back against the marble pillar.
After a long time of seeing his mother smoke, Taehyung eventually confronted her about the gripping addiction. Now, things are much better, but Soo-Yun had been on a long and treacherous journey before quitting for good.
"Maybe I should give that a try," The ravenet said coyly as a smirk stretched across his face.
"Yeah, the patches worked better so I would probably recomme-" Taehyung began but he was quickly interrupted by the Marine.
"I was talking about the remedy before that my dear husband."
"Wha- oh! Well um you know I- uh? I suppose I wouldn't mind if you were to hug me," Taehyung replied, slightly confused but fully blushing by the end.
"Hmm well you do seem a bit cold. Maybe it would be good to heat you up a bit," Jeongguk stated, a coy smile played at his lips yet again as the Marine observed Taehyung's state.
Slight shivers spread around the body of the man in front of him. His lips had grown into a deeper vermilion and Taehyung's plump cheeks had a baby pink some to them.
"Real smooth commando," Taehyung said as he tried not to let a lovesick smile appear on his face.
"All I'm hearing is yes Jeongguk, I would love to be wrapped up in your arms all-"
"Stopppp!" Taehyung whined as he slapped Jeongguk's bicep.
The blushing only increased when Jeongguk stood face-to-face with Taehyung and brought his body closer, wrapping his arms around the boy tightly.
Taehyung quickly relaxed into the hug and breathed in Jeongguk's calming scent. Surprisingly, yet also not so, surprising at the same time, Jeongguk brought a weird sense of comfort and calmness.
Sage and sandalwood filled the air as Taehyung let himself sink into the hug. The brunet had only just appreciated how good Jeongguk smelled because he had finally gotten close for more than five seconds.
Warmth surged through Taehyung's body and he couldn't help but curl into Jeongguk's embrace. Pushing his face into his husband's neck, Taehyung found a strange comfort in the Marine.
They had barely known each other for a month but Taehyung already felt calm being so close to Jeongguk.
"Warm?"
"Very,"
Jeongguk chuckled at the short exchange and was about to pull away however, Taehyung quickly reacted and pulled Jeongguk even closer than he was before.
"Unfortunately, I do have to go back to my friends before Christmas," The ravenet joked, rubbing Taehyung's back slightly.
"You could stand here and hug me for another two months, I don't think they'll mind," Taehyung replied as Jeongguk pulled away from the embrace.
"I certainly wouldn't mind,"
Taehyung blushed at that but he didn't want Jeongguk to find out that he had such an effect on him. It would be embarrassing considering Taehyung's usual demeanor around his husband.
At first the brunet couldn't stand Jeongguk. Their first meeting was anything but a fairytale and it was clear that the pair got off on the wrong foot.
However, after Jeongguk agreed to the marriage, a new side of the Marine emerged. Jeongguk was much more vulnerable and his intricate façade crumbled away.
No longer was Jeongguk a stoic Marine that had a poor choice in friends. No, now Jeongguk is a proud man who is willing to confront those who he didn't agree with.
So as Taehyung looked at the ravenet now, he saw something entirely different. Jeongguk us just as human as any other, with valid feelings and emotions.
Taehyung could tell Jeongguk was petrified of his next deployment. Everything about the man screamed worry, from his body language to how agitated Jeongguk became tonight when things were a bit too much for him.
But now wasn't the right time to bring all this up, so Taehyung cleared his mind before finally saying. . .
"Let's just go back inside," he replied quickly as he turned away from Jeongguk, still reeling from his sudden realisation of the fact that he no longer detested his husband.
"Sure thing lover boy,"