Enjoy!
Not proofread
•
Taehyung, surprisingly, agrees to go on what he calls a triple date, since Jimin and Hoseok are coming too, mentioning that Jeongguk's other friend is 7th wheeling, which is actually true. He mentions that he might be late so Jeongguk decides to pick him up from his apartment complex. He hasn't actually visited Taehyung yet, mostly spending their time in his apartment, so the other sends him the address and tells him to wait downstairs, which is okay for Jeongguk.
Later that night he finds himself driving them both towards a restaurant, not the one Taehyung works at since he doesn't want the other to feel awkward, but another one, situated in the center of the town. Namjoon's already made a reservation for them all so, when they arrive, the waiter walks them towards the loudest table, something Jeongguk's already used to.
The thing is, none of his friends, except Namjoon, know that he's bringing a date so, when he walks close enough for Jimin to notice, Jeongguk is already prepared for the explosion that follows.
"Jeongguk, you midget!"
And, seriously, he shouldn't feel entranced by the way Taehyung laughs at that, all cute and smiley as Jimin introduces himself with heart eyes and the most charming face before turning towards him and totally changing his demeanor. "You're dead, you shithead. You started dating the pretty boy and you didn't even tell me? Wow, such close friendship we have."
Jeongguk merely chuckles at that because he knows that Jimin is only messing around, introducing the others and kindly asking them to behave in front of Taehyung, earning himself a slap on the back from his boyfriend and a stern stare from his cousin. Everything is slowly turning into chaos but Jeongguk finds it endearing for a while. Taehyung seems to get along well with Jimin, just like he thought they would, and also, surprisingly, with Yoongi, his brother nodding vigorously to anything Taehyung is saying.
"So you're an astrophysics major? That's so impressive. Scientists, especially physicists, have to work really hard to earn their degrees, unlike some people here who only had to read books about some high dude's statements— fuck you, Namjoon, you idiot, that hurt!"
Jeongguk laughs at that, watching as his brother and fiancé drown into another argument about their mindsets, something that makes Taehyung laugh out loud next to him. The other turns around, touching his chin with his fingers to gain his attention, something he does a lot, a gesture of affection that's as unique as him.
"Are they always like that?" He quietly asks, leaning his head on his palm to stare at Jeongguk since the others are in their own worlds.
Jeongguk merely smiles, not containing himself from bringing Taehyung's hands up, towards his lips, kissing his fingers softly. He doesn't know why he enjoys that but the look on Taehyung's face makes him think that his boyfriend loves that gesture just as much.
"Mhm, they're even worse. Yoongi is a mathematician and Namjoon is a university professor specialized in philosophy so I don't really understand how their relationship works but it does. They have a lot of arguments though, as you can see."
"They probably care for each other a lot if they step over their mindsets and compromise that much." Taehyung says, turning to watch the other two, Yoongi smiling teasingly as Namjoon presses kisses on his cheeks.
When he notices them staring he just raises a brow. "What? I have him wrapped around my finger, learn from me, Taehyung."
And they start laughing again but Jeongguk is aware that Taehyung doesn't need to learn anything else because he already feels like he's wrapped around his little finger, like everything he can offer already belongs to the other.
"So, you said you had something to tell us all?" Seokjin asks after a few more minutes, after their main dishes are placed on the table.
Jeongguk's attention perks at that, his eyes instantly going to his brother, watching as him and Namjoon gaze at each other for a few seconds, smiling widely before they turn towards them all. Namjoon, with his eccentric persona, moves his glasses before he raises his glass and Jeongguk feels his stomach drop, searching for Taehyung's hand under the table and squeezing it. His boyfriend chuckles besides him, squeezing back as he starts caressing his palm with his finger in a soothing motion, calming him down.
"We've decided." Namjoon finally speaks and Jeongguk almost chokes when Yoongi rolls his eyes at that. "We're going to become parents."
Jimin is the first one that reacts to that, literally choking on his wine as Hoseok starts patting his back pretty harsh.
"What?" Jeongguk finally asks, frowning towards Yoongi, knowing that the other isn't ready to adopt yet since they've talked about it before.
His brother rolls his eyes again, slapping Namjoon in the back before he sighs. "We're adopting a dog because Namjoon here thinks that a dog is what everyone needs in order to reach maturity, like we're not almost fucking thirty or something."
They all end up laughing at them for making such a ruckus out of the adoption of a dog but Jeongguk can actually see the happiness inside Yoongi's eyes as they tell them that they want a small and unique one.
In the end, Jeongguk has to thank Hoseok, again, because he is the only slightly normal friend he seems to have. Jimin, with his alcoholic nature from college, gets wasted by the time their dessert comes, and starts saying things none of them want to hear before Hoseok kindly stops him by stuffing his mouth with cherry cake while sweetly telling him to shut up. Seokjin has to leave early so they bid their goodbyes, Jeongguk even hugging him, his cousin mumbling something about killing him later in his ear as he smiles.
At some point, while they're still eating their desserts, chocolate cakes for both him and Taehyung, the other catches his hand under the table. Jeongguk doesn't understand it at first but he squeezes back, turning to gaze at his boyfriend, the other not even looking at him as he sips from a glass of wine. He knows it must be difficult for him, meeting new people, relying on a relationship when his trust is damaged, but Jeongguk is trying his best to show Taehyung that he won't get bored, that he won't become indifferent or egocentric.
"Do you want us to leave?" He asks after a few more minutes, when Taehyung finishes his cake and his, maybe fifth, glass of wine.
Jeongguk curses Jimin and his charisma in his mind for making Taehyung drink because, everytime the other gets a little tipsy, he gets sadder, like his thoughts go all over the place, like a storm starts fogging his mind. Jeongguk is aware that storms can't be controlled, that they appear, ruin things, and disappear just like that, but he knows that, apart from destruction, storms also bring beauty, just like Taehyung's told him weeks prior. They bring truth and untold feelings so he's not especially sad about Taehyung getting tipsy if that's what it takes for him to open up again.
The other turns around, eyes a little dazed, and Jeongguk caresses his cheek, watching as he nods.
"Mhm, I'm tired."
And he understands, he understands that, maybe, tiredness isn't always based on a lack of sleep, that maybe Taehyung doesn't want to lay in bed and close his eyes. He's been tired too, for a long time, tired of waking up alone and feeling the coldness of his apartment.
They bid the others their goodbyes, Jimin hugging Taehyung so hard that the other starts coughing, doing the same with Jeongguk right after. He pretends he doesn't hear the "I'm so happy for you, Jeongguk." his friend mumbles softly, simply smiling towards Jimin before he turns towards his brother.
"I'll call you soon. You'd better get a dog as good as Gureum or I'll take back your brother card."
As he drives them towards Taehyung's apartment to drop the other off, Jeongguk notices the change in his boyfriend's personality, the way he stares out of the window as he plays with Jeongguk's fingers. When they reach a traffic light he takes the other's hand and, for the milionth time, he kisses his knuckles softly, making Taehyung turn towards him. He still looks sad.
"Jeongguk, why do you always kiss my fingers?" He asks softly, not in a teasing or mean way, but genuinely curious.
The light turns green and he keeps driving, thinking about the question himself since he's not entirely sure why he does it, why he's started doing it.
"I think I noticed you fidget one day, like you were nervous, and I did it to soothe it off. Guess it stuck with me since then. Your eyes lit up whenever I do it too. Do you want me to stop?"
He looks at Taehyung from the corner of his eyes, watching as he shakes his head softly. The boy takes a deep breath, Jeongguk turning back towards the road as he takes a turn towards his apartment complex. They finally reach it and he parks, getting out to open Taehyung's door as he lets his boyfriend step out, the cold air of the night ruffling their hair and making Taehyung shiver softly.
"Thank you for tonight. Your friends were amazingly nice and funny, especially Jimin. I'd like to meet him more."
Jeongguk puts his arms around Taehyung's waist, bringing him closer in order to warm him up, the other smiling, sadly, as he looks up.
"I'm sure he'd love to hang out with you and tell you embarrassing stories about how nerdy I used to be in college."
Taehyung actually laughs at that, shaking his head before he leans towards him and pressed his lips on his. "I'd like the nerdy Jeongguk too." He mumbles against his lips, both of them ending up smiling.
He turns away then, walking towards the entrance, and Jeongguk watches him leave, just like he's done on their first date. He's followed him then, running until they were walking side by side but now he can't find himself to do the same so he simply turns around and prepares to get inside his car.
The echo of someone's shallow breath and fast steps makes him stop and, as he turns around, he notices Taehyung already walking towards him.
He's crying, it's the first thing Jeongguk notices, but he doesn't care about that, doesn't care about the pants the other lets out when their bodies finally collide in a hug and their lips merge into a deep kiss. He hears the sigh Taehyung lets out when he cups his cheeks and touches their foreheads together, he feels the shortness of his breath on his lips and the rapid pace of his heartbeat pressed to his cheeks, but he still doesn't fully see him, doesn't fully feel him, because the other isn't allowing him to.
"Stay. I don't want to run from feelings anymore, I don't want to be scared any longer." The other finally mumbles, his deep voice merging with the silence in that enchanting way he adores.
Namjoon's words echo in his mind in that moment, as Taehyung holds onto him with shaking hands and tears in his eyes.
"Gguk, don't run away. We, sometimes, have to grip things and hold on to them in order to survive. We sometimes have to find our anchors to get past the storm."
And Jeongguk realizes, as Taehyung grips his shirt even harder, that the other doesn't resemble the painting, Saudade, anymore. A yearning for happiness that has passed or that hasn't even existed.
He realizes that, maybe, they don't have to get past the storms. They just have to learn to embrace them, understand them as they are, for, even if they bring destruction, sadness, they also bring beauty and greatness.
Neither of them is a storm but, as they keep holding each other, Jeongguk thinks they might push themselves into becoming one someday.
Not destruction, not lonely waves crashing alone in red hues, but greatness, rebirth, exploding emotions of warmth and happiness.