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taehyung feels someone’s body against his back.
on a regular night out he would be appalled, he’d turn around and yell at whatever nasty weirdo that might be. but this... doesn't feel wrong.
the person isn’t forceful. they're dancing close to him, close enough for their breath to warm his nape and the fragrance of their perfume to reach him–
they smell like the morning air in his auntie's jeju cottage near hallasan
–but they're not fully touching, not pressing; just enjoying their proximity. taehyung finds that he likes this; craves the warmth and the excitement settling behind his ribs. that's how jimin made him feel when they danced. he missed it.
he takes his chance when the music changes to something breathier, sultry but soft. he turns around in a swift motion and looks at them.
it feels like facing the ocean waves as they come; like diving head first into oblivion.
taehyung studies them. soft, glowy skin; hair slightly longer than his, somehow messy but neatly styled all at once; chocolate brown eyes, shining with youth, studying his expression (admiring him) with a hint of something he’d place on the outskirts of yearning. they’re slightly taller (or maybe it's the heels), clearly muscular and perhaps the most sublime entity in at least a 20 kilometer radius. he lets his eyes roam, too stunned to care about being subtle. they’re wearing a flowy blouse that compliments their built frame and the tightest black jeans he’s ever seen in his 25 years of life on planet earth. taehyung has always loved marble sculptures and to say this person's legs look artisanally crafted would be an understatement.
taehyung knows he’s staring; surely he should say something, but he physically can’t make a single sound.
however, it seems like they don’t need words to know exactly what he’s feeling. the stranger inches closer slowly, a tentative hand on his waist, gently bringing them chest to chest and now they’re face to face.
(– "taehyung, i swear i heard that in a song before–", seokjin cringes.
– "shhh, it’s my story! i get to make as many pop-culture references as i want!")
– "jungkook", the stranger whispers. for a moment, taehyung almost panics at the sound of their voice – rich and melodic, velvety and silvery all at once.
– "taehyung", he manages to mutter out, before jungkook starts swaying them ever so gently to the rhythm of the music.
taehyung is both hyper-aware of every movement of jungkook against him and absolutely lightheaded at the same time. jungkook's hands are on his waist, his breath now hits their lips (plush glossy lips tinted a soft peach) and taehyung is wondering if they feel it too. judging from the way their eyes keep straying towards his mouth…
taehyung can only hope he isn't being foolish.
despite his worries, he makes a move. he places his palms on jungkook's forearms and slowly slides them up to their shoulders. he can feel them shiver slightly at the touch, but they don’t move away even for a moment. quite the contrary – they move even closer and softly murmur in taehyung’s ear: "you’re so dazzling when you dance, i couldn’t take my eyes off of you."
flustered at their words, taehyung wants to deflect. but the moment the words start to reach the surface, jungkook gently nuzzles his neck, breathing in his perfume, and all his resolve falters. there’s nothing left to say. nothing but a faint sigh leaves his lips and he hopes the ambient lights of the club are enough to mask the color blooming on his cheeks. jungkook only chuckles and sways them side to side again.
since when does he become a blushy mess over pretty strangers?
…since their tattooed hands feel like they were made to rest on his waist and hips, apparently.
and soon enough that leads them somewhere else.
he’s not sure how to explain what happened, but they’re kissing. as in, full-on making out. on a sofa in jungkook’s hotel room.
(– " now you’re about to explain how it happened, aren’t you?" seokjin sneers once more.
– "hyung, you’re so not fun, y’know?")
~ ~ ~
after hoseok’s playlist ended and another dj took over the console, taehyung decided the music didn’t suit his taste anymore and jungkook seemed to agree. they stood for a few moments in awkward silence, until jungkook asked if they could buy him a drink. tae, being tae, immediately said yes, hoping to have a more fruitful conversation away from the speakers and the excited crowd.
taehyung doesn’t really hate alcoholic drinks, but he doesn’t love them either. however, yoongi’s shirley temple with gin is sugary and sweet-sour enough for him to enjoy it. jungkook does not hesitate before ordering a glass of french connection and taehyung actually shivers as they drink it. how strong is it? the cognac in there is already 40% alcohol without the amaretto, but their face doesn’t even scrunch up in response to that. taehyung notices yoongi’s impressed smirk from the corner of his eye. well, fuck, that’s hot, in every sense of the word.
the talking was way easier than he originally anticipated. once the initial awkwardness faded away and tipsy introductions were made (“you know my name, since i gay panicked and said it already, but i’m 23, non-binary, i use they/them pronouns and think you’re too cute to be real”), jungkook turned out to be a really nice and cool person. not that they didn't seem nice already – they approached him with way more respect than most of the "flirty" and pushy club-goers he's had the misfortune of meeting here. but he learned not to trust "kind" surface-level gestures from people who (9 times out of 10 in the last two months) expect more from him than he's willing to give.
still, tae couldn't exactly call himself level-headed around someone that aesthetically gorgeous. jungkook made him shy, so shy it was almost comical, but there was… something about him. not the "oh they're hot" kind of thing his college friends would say, where it just equals to "wow i want to have sex with this person for whatever reason". more like "oh you're hot can i sit in your lap as you play video games?".
tae doesn't mind sex, knows it's fun and nothing to be ashamed of, but he can't relate to that experience. or, rather, relates to it way less than people around him. to him, sex can be good fun, but he rarely ever feels attracted to other people. and that is fine – sexual attraction and the desire to have sex are two separate things that don't always coexist. sometimes people have sex to feel good, not because the other person makes them feel something "special". he doesn't feel sexually attracted to jungkook, he thinks, but the idea of being closer with him doesn't make him feel uncomfortable either. it's like a balance in the physical aspect of intimacy where it's intense and makes his insides warm, but not to the point where that warmth would turn into flames. not just yet, for sure, but maybe? that is a thought he can entertain another day.
they talk more, at least an hour or two. taehyung laughs more in that time than within the whole month. jungkook is funny and cute, so smart, has the prettiest doe eyes taehyung's ever seen and the way they hold his hand makes him feel like melted marshmallows deep in his soul.
– "you're the coolest person i've ever met here, right after yoongi", he tells them, honest and bright and giddy, like a moon-eyed fool.
– "and you're probably the sweetest guy i've ever hung out with, in general", they giggle back, their nose scrunching up adorably with their smile and oh no, taehyung is a goner.
– "need to change that! looks like you'll have to meet my friends now", he winks playfully and his cheeks hurt from smiling, but he just can't stop the bubbly laughter pushing past his lips.
– "i would love to meet them!" jungkook says, cheerful. then adds, in a more hushed tone that makes taehyung's pulse quicken: "though i don't think they could be any sweeter than you are... to me."
it takes a few seconds for the flirtatious intent to settle in taehyung's mind, but when it does, his face erupts in all shades of pink known to mankind. "jungkook...", he mumbles, unsure of what he wants to say himself. he fiddles with the holes of his jeans and, when he wants to pick at a loose string with his other hand, belatedly realizes that jungkook is still holding it.
he looks up at them, flustered. what he sees is jungkook's brown eyes, staring at him with so much admiration, such open fondness, that he has to look away once more. they, however, already noticed his shyness.
– "i think i like you."
the moment the words leave their lips, they freeze, as if they never meant to say them out loud. tae is slightly taken aback, but still very much hopeful. "...you do?"
jungkook clears their throat. "i mean- um... i don't want to say, like, romantically. because it's too early- too fast for that, but, uhh-", they blush a beautiful crimson and taehyung's heart soars higher into the stars with every passing second. "but... aesthetically, and just platonically, i do. and maybe... i... i don't know if i should say that, you'd- think i'm weird or something."
tae furrows his brows, confused. "you don’t have to worry, i'm not going to judge you. i would just like to clarify, i'm gray-asexual, if you mean-"
– "no!", jungkook protests, getting visibly more flustered at being misunderstood. "no, i uhhh. i'm actually demisexual, so this is, well, comforting to know", they grin at each other shyly. "and it eases my mind that you might understand. i'm... very, very sensually attracted to you. like if you asked me to sit in your lap right now, i'd do it free of charge and even pay you for the offer."
taehyung looks at them for a second and the warmth that blooms in his chest makes him laugh so loudly, he worries people in the middle of the dance floor may have heard him over the blasting music.
– "well then, that is amazing news, because- to be fair? i really want to platonically make out with you", he says, still smiley and playful, but much softer this time, the words only meant for jungkook to hear.
jungkook looks into his eyes and the smile on their face could light up entire galaxies on its own. they tug taehyung closer by the hand and whisper into his ear, "then let me kiss you, pretty boy."
~ ~ ~
now they're alone, slightly tipsy and very much all over each other, and taehyung thinks the club noise may have been a key factor that brought them where they are.
jungkook's hotel is located one floor above the club. not surprising that they chose to party. it made taehyung much less nervous when jungkook asked if he'd rather they went to their room. the boutique hotel belongs to seokjin and namjoo, he knows everyone there, including the security guard. before they leave, he asks to exchange numbers and tells jungkook to give his contact info to yoongi, so his friend knows who he's with – jungkook agrees, no questions asked and lets yoongi take a picture of the front of their id card. tae makes a mental note to ask namjoo why she didn't tell him about someone this gorgeous and lovely showing up at her reception desk.
hands move from taehyung’s waist to rest on his thighs, placed comfortably on either side of jungkook. his arms are around their neck, one of his hands gently carding through the back of their hair. their lips move softly against each other, but the kisses are deep and slow. there's no urgency in them and that's what taehyung thinks he likes the most; there's no race and no finish line, no goal to run towards. it's just them, touching each other, tasting, reveling in the closeness and intimacy with another person, without the pressure to want more.
crushes in tae's life never really felt like this. there's no expectation, no fear of what jungkook might do next, what they will ask of him – it's like they knew at first sight that they're on the same page.
the music from the dance floor is audible but muffled, almost as if they were underwater. the led lights on the ceiling of the room cast their pretty blue-ish veil on jungkook's face when they part to catch a breath. taehyung traces jungkook's soft features with a finger. their temples, eyebrows, cheekbones (they have a cute scar on the left one); full, pouty lips, now tender, pinkish and lightly swollen from kisses. taehyung pecks them again, gently. jungkook blossoms, the creases around their eyes deepen and taehyung never wants to stop admiring them, ever. jungkook's arms rest around his waist and they cradle him close.
– "please excuse my language; but you're so fucking pretty i can't stop staring at you", they say, grinning brightly, with so much life and excitement in their eyes taehyung almost melts.
– "maybe i don't want you to stop", he answers, equally cheeky. with another peck, on their nose this time, adds: "but if you said you couldn't stop cuddling me, i'd say that would be even nicer. not hinting at anything at all, of course."
jungkook laughs and tae feels the sound vibrate through them, where he's pressed close against their chest. "roger that, boss", they snicker and without warning lift him up, carrying him to the bed covered in pillows and blankets. the rest of the night is filled with laughter, giggles and eventually steady breaths, once they fall asleep after their third round of mario kart.
(– "beautiful story, tae! we loved it! but can you both please stop being mushy and gross at OUR wedding?", seokjin teases and namjoo swats his arm, giggling. he pouts, but knows he can never truly be upset with the two idiots.)