In which everyone is dying to know what's up with taekook and Jungkook gets fed up with Hoseok.
~•~
"Would you guys please stop whispering? It's creepy! Taehyung groaned and Jungkook shot him an empathetic look as Namjoon and Seokjin shared hushed words.
"Sorry. It's just that Joonie and I wanted to ask you something. Come help me wash the dishes, and Joon will dry." Seokjin requested politely and Taehyung couldn't help but comply.
He was really getting sick of the constant side eyes that he and Jungkook were receiving, and he really just wanted to know what was up.
"Kookie, go help Hobi with the trash. That means that Yoongi and Jimin are on little sibling duty." Seokjin instructed everyone with their respective tasks, and they all nodded begrudgingly because the elder really wasn't one to argue with.
So, Jungkook started to gather all of the trash into one bag and Hoseok did the recycle, and Taehyung trudged into the kitchen behind his Hyungs.
At first, everything seemed relatively normal. Taehyung scraped off food and handed Seokjin the plates, then Namjoon dried them off and put them away. The normalcy was short lived however, because the question Taehyung had been anticipating was finally asked.
"Are you and Jungkook dating ?" Seokjin questioned while keeping his eyes trained on the younger.
"What?" Taehyung replied.
"He means like, are y'all a couple." Namjoon added incase his brother hadn't understood.
"I know what he means, and the answer is no. Jungkook is not my boyfriend." Taehyung said with a sigh.
"But Jimin said you two were in bed, and you weren't wearing clothes." Seokjin emphasized with raised brows as if he were explaining sex to a five year old.
"Sleeping together doesn't make anybody an instant couple." Taehyung countered with an eye roll, because he wished he had more to report.
"The kids said you even kissed and held hands." Namjoon chimed in.
Those two were hellbent that they were actually dating and Taehyung couldn't help but wonder where his brother's change of heart came from.
"And even if we did, that still doesn't mean we are dating. We fucked and had a morning after. That's because it was new and exciting. That's it. There's no fairytale date or happily ever after. A month and a half ago you were mad to find him sleeping over, but now you're team TaeKook. This is ridiculous. I'm a grown man." Taehyung snapped, obviously miffed by the elder's persistence and saddened by the reality of it all.
No, he was not Jungkook's boyfriend, and no amount of wishing he was would change that.
The brunette stalked off to get some air with a frown etched onto his face and Seokjin finally piped up.
"What's gotten into him?"
"I dunno. They probably had a fight. Maybe we shouldn't have asked." Namjoon replied while looking worriedly at his little brother's retreating figure.
The man in question huffed and zipped up his hoodie as he stepped onto the back porch into the cold night air.
Around the front of the house Jungkook and Hoseok were talking and the exchange sounded heated so he moved to leave, but heard his name.
"Are you and Taehyung really sleeping together?" Hoseok asked with an almost territorial snarl to his voice that his ex instantly recognized as jealously.
"Even if we are, how is that your business?" Jungkook replied, his grip on the trash bag tightening.
"Anything related to Taehyung is my business." Hoseok challenged.
"Last time I checked, nobody asked for your advice." Jungkook snipped rather angrily.
"I know that you're obviously playing him, because if you weren't, you would've told him how you felt already!" Hoseok accused with a bony waggle of his finger.
"I am not playing him. The only reason I haven't told Taehyung how I feel is because whatever you and the last asshole that he dated did, fucked him up so badly that he feels guilty for even being happy! As if the most beautiful person I have ever met doesn't deserve happiness. That's your fault, and don't think that I don't want to punch you every time he cries to me about it. Because I do. For some god damn reason, that man still cares about you and for that I have tried to be civil. He doesn't have to love me or even want me. That's entirely up to him. But if you think that you're going to fuck with his heart.. think again. I will not let you, or hell, anyone else hurt him. So I'm saying this once. And one time only. Back. The. Hell. Off. You don't have the right to control who he gets to have in his life." Jungkook said threateningly.
How could he let someone like Taehyung go and still have the nerve to be that possessive?
"I have more right than you do. I know every thing about him." Hoseok argued, his face reddening slightly.
"You know everything about him. But you didn't know that last night he was moaning my name. Interesting. You two sound very close." Jungkook spat sarcastically.
Hoseok's nostrils flared with anger and before Taehyung could react, his knuckles made contact with the actor's jaw.
Jungkook scoffed and returned a crushing blow to the elder's nose.
"What the hell is your problem?" Hoseok said through clenched teeth before holding his throbbing nose.
"What the hell is YOUR problem?! You're the one running around staring daggers into my skull anytime I make Taehyung smile. Because GOD FORBID, anybody but you make him happy! What was the point in breaking up with him to still act like an insecure ass boyfriend!?"' Jungkook shouted.
Taehyung knew he should've intervened, but he'd never seen Jungkook so angry and he couldn't help but feel turned on by it. Plus, the prospect of hearing how Jungkook really felt about him was too intriguing to pass up.
"I love him! And I can't stand the thought of you hurting him and using him like all those other guys." Hoseok said with a trembling voice that was begging to spill with emotion.
"If you loved him so much, then why did you break up with him?!" Jungkook questioned accusatorially.
"Because I'm not gay!" Hoseok screamed, the veins in his neck pulsing and underneath the taut skin.
"What?!" Jungkook asked dumbfounded.
"I'm not gay. Okay maybe I am.. but not for Tae. He was in such a bad place Jungkook. You don't even understand. He was thinking about killing himself after Minho! I just wanted to see him happy and when he kissed me I let him. That's all it was at first. Just kissing and I could handle that. Then one day it turned into something more, and I was willing to do it if it meant Tae would stop sleeping with random men and drinking himself to death. I didn't think he'd fall for me! It was just supposed to be a way for him to cope, and for me to destress. We were already roommates, so it worked for us. Everything was fine until he said he loved me and then I knew it had to stop. I couldn't keep it up knowing that I wouldn't love him the way he wanted." Hoseok confessed with tears streaming down his cheeks, the cold air dried them quickly.
"Hoseok..." Jungkook spoke after several beats and the elder cut him off.
"I know.. I'm a piece of shit. I feel like one. I didn't think that it would get this out of hand. And now I feel so jealous of you because you are giving him what I couldn't. It's like he doesn't need me anymore, and I know it's irrational to think like this." Hoseok said through sniffles and Jungkook wrapped him in a warm hug.
"I do love him Jungkook, I do. Just not that way." Hoseok finally broke then and tortured sobs wrecked his body.
"It's alright. I know you do. Don't cry. You did a good thing. A very stupid thing, but good nonetheless. You saved him from one of the worst parts of his life and I don't think that makes you a piece of shit. We all do crazy things for people we love." Jungkook said as he patted the crying man's back.
"I'm sorry for being such a dick. You seem
like you really care about him and I know he feels the same way. Don't let my bullshit stop you." Hoseok encouraged through tears.
"Hah, thanks. You're not so bad either and I'm glad this night took a good turn, but you have to tell Tae." Jungkook replied as the two men pulled away.
"I know, I know. I guess I'll tell him tomorrow. I should at least get a good night's rest before he becomes my ex best friend." Hoseok agreed with a sigh.
"He wouldn't do that. I can't guarantee that he won't be mad, but I know he will understand where you were coming from. Just be completely honest with him. No more secrets." Jungkook said with a reassuring clap on the man's shoulder.
"If I've gotta tell him my secret, then you've gotta tell him yours." Hoseok finally threw the large trash bag he had abandoned mid argument, into the garbage.
"Deal, but I'll wait till things with you two blow over. He doesn't need all this drama at once." Jungkook replied with a lighthearted laugh as he riddled himself of his own bag.
"Thanks again man." Hoseok bid the younger a goodnight and then entered the house before him.
Taehyung watched as Jungkook rubbed his aching jaw before going inside. To say that the elder was shocked would be an understatement, but the new information connected a lot of dots.
Hoseok was never adverse to skinship and kissing, but anytime they were intimate it felt painfully detached. There were no sweet words exchanged, or open mouthed kisses that felt romantic and dizzying. Everything with them was sloppy and rushed, purely for the purpose of getting off. Taehyung hadn't minded because it was just nice to have someone want him, but looking back, on it the whole arrangement was weird. They never really established that they were dating, but Taehyung figured they were and Hoseok never corrected him. The relationship ended as quickly as it had started because Taehyung had fallen 'in love' with his friend. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't fallen in love, he just got attached. He depended on the elder and had become scared at the idea of losing him, but he didn't need him. He didn't need any man, but he knew who he wanted.
So, the brunette opened the freezer, grabbed a pack of peas, and retired to his room. The bruised young actor was already in bed, but his costar knew he was awake. Taehyung slipped into bed next to him and pressed a gentle kiss onto his cheek before replacing the sting with the chilled veggies. Jungkook's eyes widened in surprise and then fluttered closed with relief.
"H-How did you know?" The younger asked as he snaked his arms around the elder's waist and turned into the cold package gratefully.
"I was on the back porch." Taehyung said with a smile and carded his fingers through his costar's soft brown locks.
"Tae, listen I-" Jungkook started to sit up and winced at the painful contact the bag made with his jaw.
"Shh, we can talk about it later. Right now, you need to lie down and ice your face before it leaves a mark." Taehyung pressed another sweet kiss onto Jungkook's forehead and the younger swore he was completely fucked.
"Thank you." Jungkook mumbled as the two of them settled back onto their pillows.
"Yeah, I know. I'm awesome." Taehyung said with a smirk and Jungkook chuckled rather painfully before pulling the elder closer.
"You're that and then some." The younger said with a relaxed sigh.
Neither one of them were quite sure what would become of their relationship, but for that night
they were contented with not knowing.