Archive of Our Own ^beta

The wrought iron gates in front of the grey, square building were high and already open to allow streams of people to pass through and run up the wide steps leading to the main school building.

Standing in front of his new high school, despite already being 17 years old and as such, with many years of schooling behind him, JungKook felt the same nerves he had felt on the very first day of school, so many years ago.

His nerves hadn’t been helped by the fact that during his not-so-long a walk to school, JungKook had been feeling incredibly awkward and conscious about his new school uniform which meant that by the time he arrived at school, his nerves were already frazzled.

JungKook couldn’t imagine there existed a person who did not feel awkward wearing the uniform.

It had a bright yellow jacket -bright enough to be seen in the dark from at least five miles away- with a design that was more suitable for an adventurous naval officer than a high school student.

The double breasted, canary yellow jacket was accessorised with navy blue buttons, fake pockets, all around dark seams, double stripes on the wrists and let’s not forget the most useful part of the uniform: the dark blue shoulder straps. Because every high school student needs those, obviously.

JungKook was most grateful that at least the trousers were a reasonable dark blue because he would flat out refuse to come to school -no matter how much he loved it- if he had to dress all in yellow. Even he was fashion conscious enough to rather die than do that.

If all that wasn’t bad enough, the whole ensemble was worn on top of a white shirt with a navy collar plus a delightful navy tie speckled with golden stars and pink circles. JungKook could not fathom how someone could have been paid to design the damn thing.

JungKook was early -which was just as well because he had never been a day late in his whole life. He prided himself in being punctual, organised and efficient.

He had his clothes laid out and lunch all made up the night before. He didn’t pack his bag until the morning but that was only because he usually read some school books in bed before sleeping, not least because he wanted to double (triple) check he had done all the work and but also that he had done it all correctly and to the highest possible standard.

JungKook always woke up at the same time, even on the weekends, always ate the same breakfast and always, always, combed his hair in the same direction.

The whole of JungKook seemed the absolute opposite of Taehyung, the boy who lived next door.

It wasn’t unusual for JungKook to see him tiptoe outside in his pyjamas and furry slippers to put out the garbage -while rubbing sleep out of his eyes with his bed hair standing on end- when JungKook was already heading out to school in his pressed trousers, shiny shoes and slick combed locks, not a hair out of place.

Perhaps this was why, more or less without fail, Taehyung was always late for school.

He usually arrived dishevelled and eating something like a lollipop for his breakfast and usually missing half of the things he was supposed to bring into school with him that day -bizarrely the thing he forgot most often was his homework.

But rather than be fazed by the telling off by the teachers, he just smiled widely -the brightest smile JungKook had ever seen, all teeth and squinty eyes- and promised that next time he would definitely remember.

But somehow he always got away with it. If JungKook forgot his homework -which he never did, obviously- he’d probably get detention the first time it ever happened.

JungKook had concluded that it was this complete juxtaposition of their personalities that had to be the reason why he happened to find Taehyung so incredibly attractive -his suspicions were verified by a reputable source (the Cosmopolitan) when they said with “absolute authority in all things relationship” that opposites always attract -and that was certainly what him and Taehyung were.

“Hi! I’m sorry I’m late!” Blinding smile. “Bus was late.” He lied, without shame.

“You walk to school Taehyung, I live right next door to you.” JungKook stated.

“Oh.” He didn’t even look sorry for lying.

JungKook couldn’t understand how he found even that endearing. And the way the hem of his shirt always managed to hang out of the back of his pants or when he noticed a small food stain amongst the stars and circles of his tie. They squeezed his insides and made it hard to breathe.

“So… biology, huh!?” Taehyung wrinkled his nose in the most adorable way.

Science wasn’t one of his strong suits, he was more of an arts kind of guy. Needless to say, JungKook was at the top of the class in all subjects -except art and history –for which he never forgave himself. Inexplicably, without lifting a finger, Taehyung managed to do really well in those two subjects, which JungKook, of course, found most infuriating.

“Yup, dissection of a frog. Can’t wait!” JungKook said with enthusiasm most people would reserve for events such as going to a cinema premier of a long-awaited film.

“Yuk.” The way Taehyung stuck his tongue out in disgust made JungKook’s insides flip and cheeks heat.

“Hey, you OK?” Taehyung slid the back of his hand on the smooth curve of JungKook’s cheek and feeling the sudden heat there, his brow furrowed with worry. “Feeling a bit warm.” He pouted and JungKook nearly died.

Without a word and in absolute shock over the sudden touching and pouting, JungKook hiccupped before he ran into the classroom, hugging his backpack tightly against his body.

Taehyung could never understand JungKook’s fascination or excitement over school work.

The light that sparkled in JungKook’s eyes was the brightest when he was studying.

Every time they sat together to share a project, all Taehyung could look at was the sparkling eyes shining next to him -and be jealous. Whoever was the lucky person who made JungKook’s eyes sparkle like that outside science lessons would be the luckiest person in the world.

He thought this because he knew there was no other person as honest, diligent and as caring as JungKook. He was yet to meet a kinder person.

Taehyung knew JungKook had even rescued some puppies off the street one time when he was passing a dark alley and had heard the little whelps. It was exactly the sort of thing JungKook would do.

He had made sure the little furballs were safe, fed, cleaned and dried while he waited for the rescue people to arrive to pick them up.

He even called for Taehyung to come and see them and together they had laughed and cuddled and avoided being peed on. That was one of Taehyung’s memories he was the fondest of.

But out of all the things he knew about JungKook, what touched Taehyung the most, however, was the fact that JungKook was never annoyed with him, no matter how many times he’d go and get the spare key for locking himself out of his house or losing his keys over and over again.

Taehyung never told JungKook that sometimes he just said he didn’t have his key (even though he did) because he didn’t know how to tell him that he just wanted to spend some time with someone kind and non-judgemental. So he lied to be with JungKook, even if it was just for a little while and under false pretences.

JungKook was always happy to help, even if it meant quite a lot of inconvenience for him. If Taehyung had problems understanding his homework or he had forgotten something -like actually doing his homework- JungKook never said no to Taehyung.

He always smiled at Taehyung.

He was always happy to see Taehyung.

Sometimes Taehyung just needed someone who was happy to see him.

That’s how it went.

JungKook’s heart beating a hundred miles a minute and Taehyung being completely oblivious to it.

It’s not that JungKook hadn’t tried telling Taehyung… in his own way.

He was way too shy to ever say it in words but he often brought Taehyung lunch or a lollipop or other little gifts, a little bit ashamed of behaving like a magpie bringing gifts for attention or a puppy perhaps -anything for a pat on the head.

That’s exactly what Taehyung did. He would give JungKook a great big smile and he’d pat him on the head like JungKook was his favourite little brother -not realising that every time it hurt just as much, turning his heart into mulch.

Things got even worse when all of sudden, in the second year of high school, Taehyung started dating. A lot.

As if overnight, Taehyung had turned from the cutest pixie with a pouty mouth to a sex-god with a pouty mouth twice as luscious -one that JungKook just could not tear his eyes away from to the point that he just had to look away when he was talking to him to avoid Taehyung seeing his wanton stares caressing at his succulent lips.

With his charming personality and stellar looks, it was hardly surprising that Taehyung never had any problems finding a boyfriend. What was most surprising however, was that he had great difficulties in keeping one.

JungKook could never understand why. How could someone not want Taehyung - a person that was so… perfect in every way?

Despite his popularity, Taehyung was never cocky, nor mean, he was always kind and gracious and ready to help out a friend -which was probably why he had so many of them.

Some things never changed because JungKook still remained the opposite of Taehyung.

Mostly friendless.

Quiet, reserved, shy.

JungKook often felt that these qualities that he most disliked about himself were infinitely magnified when he was in the presence of Taehyung.

He was the reason why JungKook felt the most intense shyness -to such a degree that he wondered how he was even able to utter a single word in Taehyung’s presence.

The main cause for the panic was, of course, JungKook’s fear that should Taehyung find out about his true feelings for him, he would be left even more friendless and alone, forever. JungKook wasn’t ready to live without Taehyung in his life so he did his utmost to maintain the façade of the perfect friend, as painful as it was.

JungKook did often wonder if Taehyung was even aware of the fact that his good friend and neighbour was gay. Not everyone could be as loud and proud about their sexuality as Taehyung was -something that JungKook greatly admired him for. He had never dared to even dream about thinking about coming out.

JungKook wasn’t a stalker. Honestly. It was just easy to notice a lot of things when living next door to each other, that’s all.

JungKook’s bedroom faced the front of the house so when he was sitting at his desk studying, he often caught glimpses of Taehyung coming and going. Every time, JungKook wished to be with him, wherever he went or whatever he did.

He had it bad.

Curiosity got the better of him one night when he heard a car outside in the pouring rain.

JungKook had just gotten into his pyjamas and was about to go to bed, but instead of doing that, he switched the bedside light off and cracked the window open -the seasoned stalker that he pretended not to be.

“Fuck you, you fucking asshole!!” Taehyung’s angry shout was followed by a loud slam of the car door, followed by a loud splash of his ass in a puddle when the force of his own actions pushed him over. A nasty mock was thrown at his wet form when the car sped off, leaving him huddled against his own knees, shoulders shaking.

Without a moment’s hesitation, JungKook grabbed a towel and rushed out to Taehyung.

He embraced him with the towel, holding him tight and tried to get him to calm down.

“Heyheyhey…” JungKook spoke like to a scared animal. “Come on, let’s get you inside, you’ll catch your death out here, sitting in a puddle..” he rubbed his hands over Taehyung’s arms but when he didn’t move, he pulled him up and dragged him towards the door that was almost completely obscured by the pouring rain.

Taehyung didn’t answer JungKook’s question about keys because he was too upset to speak so powered by litres of adrenaline, JungKook braved it and dug out the keys from Taehyung’s pocket while he sniffled and leaned against his shoulder.

They staggered into the dark house, JungKook’s hand sliding along the wall, feeling around for a light switch. When he found one, he took Taehyung into the kitchen but allowed the half-darkness for Taehyung’s sake. JungKook imagined Taehyung was probably feeling humiliated and ashamed. Neither a feeling one wishes to shed a light on.

“Here, come on.” JungKook helped Taehyung onto a stool and sitting on his haunches right by him, he wiped the side of Taehyung’s face and neck with the towel that, by now, wasn’t much drier than they were.

He checked Taehyung’s precious face, pushing a few strands of limp hair out of the way with shaking fingers and concluded that he was still undeniably beautiful in spite of his red eyes, sullen mood and clattering teeth, perhaps even more so.

“You can tell me… if you want to…. What happened?” JungKook’s voice was soothing, Taehyung felt himself calm in the presence of it.

Feeling incredibly vulnerable, he leaned down against JungKook’s shoulder, hanging onto the front of his pyjamas like a drowning man.

“He’s an asshole. That’s what happened…” his voice was quiet, like a whisper, and so blue it made JungKook’s eyes sting.

All of a sudden, JungKook had real trouble focusing because Taehyung was so close… his wet hair brushed against JungKook’s jaw and when he shifted a little, a slender hand flattened on the front of his wet pyjamas before grabbing the collar, pulling him even closer. JungKook could hardly breathe for the speed his heart was beating at.

His apprehension wasn’t helped at all by the fact that Taehyung nuzzled into his neck, nesting his face right into the sensitive flesh. JungKook flushed bright red and nearly freaked out when he realised that those beautiful, luscious, pink lips that he had spent hours and hours admiring from a distance, were currently against his rapidly pulsing jugular, warming the cool, damp skin.

“You’re not an asshole, are you JungKook?” Taehyung asked with a husky voice, his soft mouth moving and breathing against the sticky flesh.

Having lost all ability to function, JungKook just shook his head.

Alarm bells started ringing when the long fingers started climbing up towards his throat and the humming lips climbed higher toward an ear.

“You would never treat me badly, would you…?” JungKook felt a twitch in his pants at the steamy breath right at his ear, especially when the long fingers pushed into the wet hair at the back of his head.

JungKook was pretty sure he was going to die very shortly because his erratic heart was about to go into cardiac arrest. He licked his lips repeatedly in his nervousness.

A cold, smooth hand cupped JungKook’s cheek when the lush, soft cushions of Taehyung’s mouth ghosted his lips, mumbling quietly:

“Can I kiss you, JungKook?”

JungKook squeezed his eyes shut tight and nodded slightly to give his permission, knowing he would regret it the second the permission was given. This was because somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, he knew that this wasn’t for real, Taehyung didn’t really want to kiss him, he wanted to kiss someone else.

JungKook had never thought his first kiss would be in a dimly-lit kitchen between two soaking wet people but he had hoped, dreamed even, that it would be with Taehyung. His stomach was doing somersaults and he was feeling quite nauseous from all the tumult inside him.

The warm, smooth, soft flesh landed on JungKook’s mouth slowly, damp breath misting his lips. A small hum escaped, its origins somewhat unclear.

Of their own accord, JungKook’s lips cracked open and immediately, Taehyung sucked his bottom lip into his mouth gently.

“Ohh… shit!”

JungKook fell off his feet and onto his ass, his back slamming against the cupboards from the shock of it all. There had been a lightning bolt straight into his spine and Taehyung was the one who’d shot it through him.

Taehyung was over him in a second, straddling him and pressing lips against lips.

Unable to resist, JungKook kissed back, tasting the sweetness, no longer questioning it yet at the same time somehow aware that this was probably the only chance he would ever have to kiss Taehyung. So, he shut away the doubts and dove in.

He kissed this moment so deep into his memories that he would never have to let it go.

Automatically, in a gentle slide, his arm wrapped loosely around Taehyung’s waist and he surprised himself by weaving his fingers into the damp hair, gently holding him in place while their wet tongues slid against each other. He wanted more, he wanted deeper. He wanted Taehyung like he was the only remedy to his malaise.

JungKook could feel himself harden against Taehyung’s grinding ass. His soft body felt so good, smelled so good, tasted so good. JungKook was sinking into the depths of Taehyung and he already knew that he could never have enough of him. Ever.

“Ohhh….. so good, JungKookie, touch me…” Taehyung said, peeling off his wet jacket, revealing a naked shoulder poking out of a wet t-shirt that clung to his every curve.

Immediately, JungKook’s fingers rushed to caress the revealed softness, gently tugging the fabric further down for his lips to run over the curve of the silky, plush flesh.

The dim light could not hide the shameless face on Taehyung when he reached to rip apart the fabric covering JungKook’s chest.

“Ohmygod JungKookie, when did you grow up like this….?” His voice was full of awe when he slid his hands over the firm contours of the naked flesh, his face lit up like Christmas morning.

It was only then that JungKook sobered up enough from his Taehyung high to realise that there was something really wrong with what was happening.

Taehyung carried on devouring JungKook kiss by kiss despite his attempts at speaking:

“I think we should stop Taehyung, you’re upset…” Kiss.  “…you never do sensible things when you’re upset.” Kiss. “…don’t want you to add this to the list of things…” Kiss.  “…you’ll regret…” Kiss. JungKook mumbled against Taehyung’s lips quietly, gently caressing the side of his face, wanting nothing more than to continue but feeling it in his gut that this was not how it should happen.

He tried to catch the dark, hooded eyes with his own but without much success, while his face was being peppered with wet kisses, Taehyung holding on to JungKook’s cheeks like his life depended on it.

Taehyung carried on, even more frantic than before. Clawing at the crumpled fabric on JungKook’s front, he licked his neck, sucking the flesh, nibbling his jawline all the while grinding himself eagerly against JungKook’s cock, quietly moaning with need.

“Ohhh….” JungKook’s eyes were rolling and he had to fight with everything he had to make it stop.

He grabbed Taehyung’s wrist and said:

“Tae, stop. Please stop. Stop!” he pushed Taehyung back gently when he nipped at his lips and at that, Taehyung cried out with a broken voice.

“Why!?!? Why do we have to stop, you want me, I can feel it!!” He sobbed.

JungKook just looked at him with affection. He didn’t know what to say, he just knew they had to stop.

“WHY?” Taehyung whacked JungKook’s shoulder and chest with his free hand until JungKook wrapped his fingers around that one too and watched as the tears streamed down Taehyung’s cheeks.

“You don’t want me either… nobody wants me!” he bawled and JungKook understood why he had been so upset earlier. Being rejected yet again only made it worse.

Taehyung struggled to get away but JungKook wouldn’t let him. Instead, he yanked him against him and held him tight, ignoring the fact that he was fighting and struggling and screaming.

Finally, after he wore himself out and calmed down, he nuzzled back into JungKook’s throat and spoke with a little voice.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok.” JungKook said through a tumult of emotions, still fighting a war inside him.

Even though JungKook wanted to kiss Taehyung and be kissed by him more than he wanted anything else in the world, he knew that it wouldn’t mean anything if Taehyung was only doing it because he was upset or if he actually wanted to kiss someone else.

JungKook wanted Taehyung to kiss him because he wanted to kiss him and not someone else.

JungKook changed into a borrowed set of pyjamas while he waited for Taehyung to get changed in the bathroom. He then helped dry Taehyung’s hair with a hairdryer. JungKook enjoyed the feel of the soft locks between his fingers, loving the smell of Taehyung’s warm hair.

It felt so intimate, doing this with him -JungKook couldn’t help but to wonder if anyone else, any of the other men he had been with, had ever dried his hair.

He hoped more than anything that the answer to that was no because he wanted to have this thing, this moment all to himself, to be the only person ever to have run their fingers through the gentle little, dark tufts of hair that curled behind Taehyung’s adorably jutting-out ears.

As much as he tried to focus on the meditative strokes of his fingers through the silkiness, he could not stop himself thinking about what would have happened had he not stopped Taehyung. Would they have “done it”?

The thought alone was almost too much to handle.

He carried on with his chaotic, internal dialogue until he reminded himself that this was the right thing to do. Despite regretting stopping more than he had ever regretted anything, he knew the meaning was lost if it happened for all the wrong reasons.

Despite knowing this, his heart ached when he thought he might never have another chance again.

Once Taehyung was tucked up in bed, JungKook pulled the covers up to his ears and gently kissed his forehead.

“I’m gonna head home now, you OK?” He whispered, still hovering over Taehyung, wishing so hard he could just kiss him again.

Taehyung’s eyes were so dark and so big it kicked JungKook in the stomach.

He looked so vulnerable that JungKook just wanted to wrap himself around his slim frame and protect him from all the evils of the world and never let go. His heart bled because he couldn’t.

“C-c-can you stay until I fall asleep?” His voice was so much smaller than his every day voice, how could JungKook possibly say no?

“OK.” He went to sit on the armchair on the opposite wall.

“No. Here.” Taehyung whispered and patted the covers on the bed next to him.

JungKook could feel his eyes widen at the prospect of being in the same bed with Taehyung -even though they were both dressed and there was a cover between them. Even with those things, he felt his blood coursing in his ears and heat rise up his cheeks.

Without another word, he climbed into the bed next to Taehyung and as soon as he lay down, Taehyung grabbed his arm and pulled it over his waist, shuffling closer.

Turning onto his back in the embrace, he looked at JungKook, his eyes welling a little. He said:

“Thank you, really. I mean it.” There was a gentle squeeze around JungKook’s fingers.

Then, slowly, Taehyung’s eyes blurred, blinks getting longer until his breathing settled into a steady rhythm while JungKook watched him fall asleep, taking in the fluttering eyelashes, the smooth skin, the lush lips, the gentle dark waves of hair caressing the dark eyebrows.

He stayed for a long time, he had no idea how long but definitely a lot longer than he needed to, just taking in the smell and warmth of Taehyung, fully knowing he could never have it again.

Nothing had ever been as hard as it was to leave him.

The skies had finally cleared after the rain and the moon shone brightly in the black sky like a torch lighting JungKook’s very short journey home.

When he was walking past the puddle Taehyung had been sitting in, he noticed something on the ground and leaned over to look more closely.

A beautiful, thin, string bracelet with small gemstones sparsely weaved into it like a miniature turquoise necklace. It was Taehyung’s, JungKook recognised it immediately.

He picked it up off the ground and held it in his palm gently, as if it were Taehyung himself, holding it up in the moonlight, letting the light touch the gems.

He closed his fingers around it -a magpie’s newly found treasure.

He told himself he would give it to Taehyung the following day. He would definitely do that. Absolutely.

JungKook wasn’t sure what he had been expecting but the next day, when he saw Taehyung at school, he smiled and waved at JungKook and walked straight past him just like he always did, as if nothing had ever happened. As if they hadn’t had their tongues deep down each other’s throats, as if he hadn’t been begging JungKook to fuck him.

As if JungKook hadn’t been in the same bed with him, holding him close, letting him fall asleep in his arms… watching him sleep…

To be honest, it was the holding part that got to JungKook, because it was the bit that was tender, it was the bit where Taehyung had wanted him close and not someone else, just him.

For once in his life, JungKook hated being right -he really hated that he was always right.

He hated that he had known this was going to happen. He hated that he was back to being the non-entity in Taehyung’s life.

There was nothing worse than ending back in the shadows after a brief spell of the brightest sun.

And so, JungKook’s heart broke again.

But this time, he felt it was irrevocable.

TEN YEARS LATER

For days, JungKook had been having intense arguments with himself over whether to go or not.

When he was in high school, he had hardly any friends so going to a high school reunion seemed a bit… unnecessary, ridiculous even.

He wouldn’t normally even consider going but there was a particular person who had been running around his head in endless circles since the day he had found out the date of the reunion. This particular person was, in all likelihood, going to be there.

JungKook reminded himself that he didn’t think about Taehyung anymore because he was totally over everything that happened ten years ago… After all, why an earth would he ever think about the person he was so utterly besotted with for years and who was the first person he ever kissed? …Who JungKook had wanted to be the last person he ever kissed…?

What reason could he possibly have for thinking about Taehyung? No reason. None. Whatsoever.

Yet the thought of seeing him again tempted and frightened JungKook in equal measure because he still couldn’t help but to think what could have happened if Taehyung had seen him as something other than a friend or a little brother. The whatifs and shoulda, woulda, couldas, gnawed at his insides.

Those kisses in the dimness of the kitchen haunted him.

Ever since then, every time JungKook had kissed someone, the image of Taehyung would appear in his face as if to taunt him. The thought of Taehyung was like a poison seeping through his sanity, forever catching him off guard right when he thought he finally had himself under complete control again.

So, despite telling himself he was still trying to make up his mind, he already knew he would never be able to resist the temptation to see Taehyung.

He had no intention of finding out in person -because that would actually involve speaking to Taehyung- but JungKook couldn’t help but to wonder what Taehyung had been up to for the last ten years.

He wondered if Taehyung was perhaps married… or with children, and the sudden wave of nausea at the thought of someone else having that with Taehyung twisted his stomach so horrifically he thought he might be sick thinking about it.

He wondered if Taehyung ever thought about him.

JungKook felt like he hadn’t really grown up, physically or mentally, until after high school and when he did, he grew a good few inches taller, probably twice as wide and suddenly he felt much more comfortable and secure within himself.

He was no longer desperately shy, quite the opposite.

Well, JungKook would never be a social butterfly like Taehyung, but he no longer shied away from social situations and could even be considered quite confident and smooth with people.

Doing his military service early had helped JungKook come out of his shell and perhaps unsurprisingly, a big part of that had been because of the changes in his body during this time.

He became strong yet lithe, broad shoulders, narrow hips and since he had finished in the military he had let his hair grow which was wavy and now almost down to his chin -the undercut looked a bit mean but it went with the tattoos.

Also the fact that there was not a man on the planet who would call him unattractive certainly helped with the confidence.

Now JungKook never had any difficulties in finding a man… what he had difficulties with was wanting to keep any of them. Because none of them were ever the right one.

He didn’t want to acknowledge it but not one of the men he had been with had come even close to comparing with how he had felt about Taehyung.

JungKook wondered if they were still the opposites of each other.

Ten years ago, when JungKook had found out about Taehyung leaving, he had barricaded himself in his room for two days.

His parents had wondered if he had finally had that nervous breakdown that was so obviously heading his way if he carried on trying to control everything in the world and finding that he couldn’t, at which point he would either crack or have to let it go.

JungKook was still not sure whether he had cracked or let go of it. Either way, without JungKook having any control over it whatsoever, Taehyung was gone.

Routine had always been very important for JungKook, even more so when he was younger. Now, he had learned to let go of some of the need to control everything although he still woke up at the same time every day and he still had the same breakfast every day, but he had learned to comb his hair in different ways -heck, sometimes, when he was living the wild life -like today- he hadn’t combed it at all.

Because the high school building that had the hall was under renovations, it had been decided that the reunion party would be held at a club not too far from the school. It had been frequented by many of the students so the idea took hold almost as soon as it had been suggested.

The name might have changed since, but the venue still felt familiar. Bar, some booths, dance floor, roof terrace. It was all more old-fashioned than it had been but it wasn’t any worse for it.

By the time JungKook arrived, it was already quite busy.

He smiled and nodded to a few familiar faces on his way through the crowd in but he didn’t think anyone recognised him any more than he recognised them.

JungKook parked himself at the far end of the bar, half in the shadows. From there, he had the best view of the whole place: he could see the door, the rest of the bar area as well as the dance floor.

Realising his choice of positioning, he chuckled under his breath and reminded himself that he was no longer in the military and therefore didn’t need to choose where he went strategically. Nonetheless, JungKook quite enjoyed the anonymity of the shadows where he was, so he stayed and ordered a drink, leaning on his elbows while he stood around and scanned the room.

Neither JungKook nor the rest of the club could have missed Taehyung’s entry.

The crowd practically parted for him, all smiling and nodding like he was some celebrity -maybe he was, JungKook didn’t know.

His hair was no longer natural dark brown, instead it framed his delightful face like a silvery halo that matched his silver, sparkling top. JungKook could quite easily believe he could be famous, he had that presence that only a few people possessed.

For JungKook, his sudden appearance was like a kick in the guts. Suddenly that nervousness and shyness he had managed to grow out of started clawing its way back out from the depths of him and he felt his mouth dry and throat tighten.

He had always loved Taehyung’s smile, it was like the sun, bright and warm, but JungKook hadn’t realised how much its image had faded throughout the years in his memories.

Now, being hit by the real thing after all that time, JungKook felt utterly blinded by it. He felt breathless, like he was falling into himself and when he sobered up from his mental dizziness, he had to laugh at the white knuckles from gripping onto the edge of the bar too hard. This was such a bad idea.

He tried not to stare at Taehyung, yet his wayward eyes glimpsed at him and noted the illegally open neckline of the sparkly top under his sophisticated black blazer. It showed off his gorgeous long neck and hinted at the tempting collarbones before tucking into illegally-tight-fitting-in-all-the-right-places but loose in the leg black slacks that emphasised his narrow waist and lush hips.

JungKook nearly spat his drink out. He didn’t think it was possible for Taehyung to be any more beautiful than he had been at high school, yet he was -much more so. He was practically glowing with it.

JungKook panicked, suddenly realising this was the last place he should be at. Trying to keep his cool, he breathed deeply while he scanning for exits and, most importantly, pretended not to see Taehyung.

When Taehyung saw the hunk of a man standing at the bar in his illegally tight black jeans showing off his illegally tight ass and thick thighs and with his lithe, broad-shouldered body filling his clothes to the brim, he thought maybe coming to the reunion wasn’t going to be a complete waste of his time after all.

From where Taehyung was standing, talking to people with half of his attention at the bar, he assessed the dark figure with supposedly subtle glances.

His gaze travelled over the contours of the man and he could just about make out the strong neck rising from the black, tightly fitting shirt which showcased the sexiest forearms Taehyung had ever seen protruding out of the rolled-up sleeves.

The tattoo on one of them was cut off by the sleeve and Taehyung wondered how far up it went and what was at the other end of it. Subconsciously, he licked his lips.

When the man lifted his bottle to his shiny, pink and surprisingly soft-looking lips, his bicep bulged against the tight fabric. When Taehyung saw the throat muscles undulating when he swallowed, suddenly, Taehyung had real trouble breathing for the tightness in his chest. This guy looked like every man’s wet dream.

Taehyung’s hungry eyes took in the almost predatory, sharp jawline which was only emphasised by the smooth, clear skin and the overhanging dark, slightly wavy hair that surrounded him in air of mystery.

Taehyung was practically dying to go and charm his ass off but he decided to wait and see how things would pan out. Usually all it took was for him to make eye contact and they came running.

But when the man’s dark eyes partially hiding behind the curtain of curls scanned the room, they scanned right through Taehyung as if he weren’t even there.

It was the first time that had ever happened.

Let’s just say Taehyung was quite accustomed to getting plenty of… attention. One thing that Taehyung loved more than anything was attention. The thing he disliked the most, was being ignored.

However, Taehyung wasn’t easily discouraged. If anything, this made the man even more attractive because his apparent disinterest only added to the excitement of the chase and the reward at the end would be ever the sweeter.

Taehyung had never been one to back out from a challenge.

He walked to the bar, to the complete opposite end from the man and ordered a drink. A soft drink. He wasn’t going to ruin this by getting drunk.

He gave the barman his most dazzling smile. The stranger didn’t bat an eyelid despite catching it but Taehyung thought he saw a hint of a smile playing in the corner of his lips at the stuttering Taehyung’s smile caused in the young bartender.

When he was turning to leave, Taehyung made the poor young man’s stutters even worse by sending him a kiss and a little finger-wriggling wave with his eyelashes fluttering. To add the final nail to his coffin, Taehyung winked and bit his lip slightly. He noted with pleasure how the poor man blushed from head to toe, only nodding due to his apparent inability to speak.

Taehyung giggled a little when the young man went to hide fanning his face with his hand. Just when he was about to walk past the stranger, he heard a soft voice speak:

“That was a bit cruel, don’t you think?” He spoke with his deliciously broad back to Taehyung.

There was a smile in the voice, a tease, and it made Taehyung’s stomach somersault.

“What was?” Taehyung feigned innocence -something he was particularly good at, having spent his whole life practicing.

“I’m not fooled by that pretend innocence… I can see how others might be though, considering how good you are at it…” Another smile.

Taehyung felt so drawn to the man that he couldn’t help but to stall and step to the bar next to him despite all the promises he had made to himself that he would not go chasing after him. He might tempt the man to get him to chase him, but Taehyung was not the chasing kind.

Yet he heard himself say:

“So… I guess you used to go to school here since you’re at the re-union.” He kicked himself mentally at that. “I don’t remember you.” And at that. “I’m pretty sure I’d remember someone like you.” Eyelash flutter.

Still leaning over and staring at his fingers clasping the bottled drink in his hand, JungKook chuckled quietly, oozing with silence and Taehyung tried not to feel like a petulant child when his less than mediocre chat up lines didn’t work. Admittedly, he never had to chat anyone up so his lack of skill was understandable.

Finally, after a long silence, Taehyung heard him answer:

“Guys like you never remember guys like me.” JungKook said, going for a joke but it came out all serious, serious enough for Taehyung to raise his eyebrows with surprise before they furrowed in suspicion.

“So you do remember me…” Taehyung practically squealed, smiling much wider than he intended to because he felt unexpectedly happy about being remembered by this intriguing man.

Taehyung could just about make out the crinkles his smile made in the corners of his eyes. There was something about the smile, about the man, that felt so familiar to him but Taehyung couldn’t place it.

“I’m Taehyung, aren’t you going to tell me your name?” Taehyung took a half step closer and tilted his head to the side -he had been told it was cute when he did that. Why he felt the need to bring out the big guns already this early in the conversation escaped him.

“You can call me JK.” The soft, slightly breathless voice spoke. Taehyung wished he could see the dark eyes flicking up to his properly but the dark curls only gave him hints of his gaze.

Suddenly the music turned up when the DJ clearly decided that the party was really going to start right now.

Taehyung could feel the music in his bones and he couldn’t help but to move to the rhythm a little.

Reality always softened and nearly disappeared when Taehyung danced and right now he wanted it to disappear, he wanted it to disappear with the exception of this man in front of him.

“I’m going to go and dance, wanna come?” Taehyung leaned closer and shouted over the loud, pulsing music, confident that the man would say yes. He removed his jacket, revealing those tempting collarbones and showing off his shapely, naked arms.

“Nah, I’m good.” When Taehyung leaned in to hear what he was saying, his familiar scent hit JungKook so hard, he felt his stomach somersault repeatedly. Unable to speak for the intimacy of it and the blossoming memories emerging from the heat of it, JungKook just shook his head when he realised he’d spoken too quietly for Taehyung to hear him.

Clearly disappointed with his answer, he hung his jacket over the back of a barstool and asked: “You staying for a bit?” his face lit up with hope.

It took a lot of effort for JungKook to look away from all the deliciousness of the revealed flesh, but he did.

Helpless, JungKook nodded because that was all he could do. He was unable to speak, unable to move like a rabbit in headlights, clearly bewitched by this ethereal being in front of him.

“Okey dokey, I’ll see you in a bit.” His winked and grazed his lip and all JungKook could do was stare at the curve of his neck and the lushness of his ass when he walked away. He really should go back before this escalated.

He really should.

JungKook wasn’t sure what to think about the fact that there still existed such a strong pull between them -automatically they had found each other, gravitated toward each other and into the familiarity of each other, without Taehyung even knowing who he was.

JungKook took a few steps closer to the dance floor because he was getting a bit uncomfortable standing next to so many bodies at the bar. That’s what he told himself was the reason. He told himself that getting a better view of Taehyung on the dancefloor had nothing to do with his decision to move.

He leaned against the wall at the edge of the dance floor, in the shadows, and tried to look like he wasn’t gawking at Taehyung.

Taehyung’s moving shape looked like it was floating on a layer of smoke and as if by magic, his silver hair changed colours every time a bright coloured light hit him.

JungKook wondered if Taehyung was aware of how incredibly sexy he looked completely lost in the music, his lips cracked open, eyes shut, face tilted to the skies, hips moving.

The slope of his long neck made him look so graceful, too graceful for a sweaty dancefloor and JungKook had real trouble remembering who he was when he saw not only the collarbones but the newly revealed soft shoulder peeking out of the sliding top.

He remembered how smooth and soft Taehyung’s skin had felt against his lips and as soon as he remembered that it was all he could think about.

He remembered how he tasted, how his body had felt against his, so soft and pliable, he remembered the heat he had felt in the pit of his stomach over Taehyung’s grinding form.

He remembered the wanton gasps and moans, the breathy pleads… and suddenly, he was a complete mess over recalling just one tiny kiss ten years ago -one he remembered like it like was yesterday. One that he had thought about over and over and over since then -and pretended like he hadn’t.

He was still reeling when Taehyung appeared in front of him, cheeks deliciously flushed, his eyes sparkling.

Right this second, JungKook had to be somewhere else before he would just grab Taehyung and slam him against the wall and shove his tongue deep down his throat. JungKook’s overwhelming need for Taehyung was shredding his insides.

This was so much worse than in high school. It was as if for every year that had passed since, his need had multiplied until ten years later, it was ten times as bad.

JungKook felt like he was going to have a panic attack.

He breathed deeply through his nose and turned to leave just when Taehyung was just about to say something.

“Hey, where you going?” Tae asked like a child whose favourite toy had just been taken away from him, pouting.

“Just need to go to the little boys’ room.” He nodded his head and turned to go around the dancefloor, trying to breathe, his world spinning like he was drunk -without having touched a drop of alcohol.

He didn’t get far and someone dancing a bit too energetically bumped into him and he lost his balance, hitting the wall.

Taehyung noticed he dropped his wallet in the scuffle but JungKook just carried on ahead when he didn’t hear Taehyung calling after him over the music.

Being the good citizen that he was, Taehyung rushed to rescue the wallet -flatly denying any possible ulterior motives behind his actions.

The wallet was open flat on the floor and Taehyung bent over between bodies to pick it up.

He tried not to look, tried to be the decent-privacy-respecting person he wanted to be but colossally failing, he scanned the dark leather, looking for any clues of the mystery man’s identity.

There was nothing there unless he’d put his fingers in the pockets, and that was one was step too far for Taehyung. Disappointed over the lack of information, he was about to close the wallet when he noticed something hanging on the inside, tucked into the groove.

He walked back toward the bar to see better under the brighter lights and saw that the something dangling on the inside of the wallet was a worn bit of string. A necklace. No, a bracelet.

A turquoise string bracelet with… gems.

Suddenly Taehyung’s heart was beating almost as loudly as the bass of the music surrounding him.

He recognised the bracelet. It looked very much like a bracelet he used to have before he moved away in high school. He had spent days trying to find it because it had been most precious to him and he’d been so upset when he hadn’t been able to find it.

His mind whirling like a spinning top, Taehyung considered the likelihood of the bracelet being someone else’s. It was highly unlikely, since he had gotten it as a birthday present from his aunt who had brought it back from Paris.

Someone having an identical one in South Korea was pretty much impossible.

This could only mean one thing. This could only mean that this person was someone who had known Taehyung very well and was concealing it. Why?

Could it be…? Taehyung thought about the man who called himself JK and mentally compared him with JungKook.

There was something about the man’s quiet demeanour that felt extremely familiar to Taehyung, including the way he never seemed to, to Taehyung’s annoyance, look him in the eye. Thinking about it, Taehyung realised JungKook hadn’t really done that in high school either, which he had always found extremely infuriating -especially considering he only ever seemed to do it with him and no one else. JungKook had tried to be subtle about it but Taehyung had noticed and had always wondered why…

There wasn’t that much in common physically speaking but there was something in the quiet smiles and the warmth of him. This… familiarity Taehyung had been feeling.

Was he JungKook? The JungKook? Something warm ignited inside Taehyung.

Was he the same JungKook that Taehyung had spent years thinking about?

The one who his heart had always gone back to at every stupid, painful break-up, remembering that one night when JungKook had, instead of taking advantage of his momentary fragility, tucked him into bed and stayed with him?

He had treated Taehyung with more love than any of the shitting scum he had ever been with. After he’d gone away, Taehyung had missed his kindness, he had missed his smile, so, so much.

Since they moved away so suddenly, shortly after that night, Taehyung never had the chance to rectify the fact that he had been a complete dick by pretending to forget everything just to save his own stupid, selfish ego.

The way Taehyung had begged and pleaded and cried had embarrassed him to distraction and the only way he had been able to deal with it was to pretend it never happened -even if it meant he had to see JungKook’s sad eyes.

And he never wanted to see JungKook’s sad eyes. Ever. Because they were the saddest thing in the world.

To have him here, now, was a gift Taehyung had never thought he’d be given.

It was a gift that Taehyung would make the most of.

This time, if given the chance, he would make the most of it and not ruin it.

He didn’t think to wonder why JungKook would have kept his bracelet in his wallet, where he could see it every day, so close to his important possessions. With all his other treasures.

Taehyung did wonder though, if JungKook had realised who he was -it didn’t feel like he had. He was polite and joked, even flirted a little, but there was none of the sweet, shy JungKook that Taehyung remembered.

When JungKook came back, Taehyung handed the wallet back to him, pretending to be none the wiser.

The widening of eyes and a quick look to check Taehyung’s face were subtle but now that Taehyung had his eye in, he saw it. He was definitely JungKook.

“You dropped this.” His smile was the brightest of the bright, it blinded JungKook and suddenly that feeling of breathlessness was back, as if he were back in high school, that shy boy in love with the boy next door.

He shook his head slightly in an attempt to make the memories flicker away -the ones he had hidden so deep inside him that he could never let them go- but suddenly they were burning brighter and more obvious by the second, the longer and closer he was to Taehyung. He could hardly breathe for the intensity of them.

Lucky for JungKook, Taehyung said nothing, he just happily swayed to the music, clearly tempted to join the moving mass of people on the dancefloor in front of them but choosing to stay close to JungKook. The thought of Taehyung wanting to stay close to him warmed JungKook’s insides more than he cared to admit.

It was busy. Really busy.

Taehyung had turned to look at the dance floor again, a small smile playing on his lips, nodding to people he recognised. JungKook was grateful to have his blinding attention directed at something other than him. This gave him a chance to look at Taehyung without really being noticed.

Taehyung was standing in front of him, so close that JungKook could feel his body heat, smell his sweet scent, even amongst all these people. They were not touching but they might as have been for the effect the closeness had on JungKook.

The dancefloor and all of the people in the whole club faded away, JungKook had no interest in them, as far as he was concerned, they didn’t even exist.

All he could see was the gentle slope of Taehyung’s neck, where it met the shoulder, and he wondered what it would be like to kiss it, to lick it.

He imagined how Taehyung would moan, how his body would rub against his, how he would open his neck for more…how he would beg for more.

He felt a twitch in his pants and his breath hitched. This was getting serious.

Suddenly, a group of people pushed through and Taehyung faltered in their wake, trying to stay out of their way. Purely by reflex, JungKook grabbed his hips and pulled him to until Taehyung’s lush ass was right against his crotch. Helpless, JungKook groaned out loud, wishing more than anything that the lewd sound had been drowned out by the pulsing music.

Taehyung felt his insides melt the second he was pulled against JungKook’s hard contours. The powerful arm wrapping around his midriff was firm and uncompromising in its hold and it made Taehyung think about strong hands on his wrists, on his throat, in his hair, and he felt a sudden tightening in his belly.

His mind drifted back to that night on the kitchen floor, the memories that were still so clear in his mind even after all this time, and he remembered the soft lips, the tentative fingers, the somehow naïve eagerness.

Would JungKook’s fingers still be tentative?

Somehow Taehyung doubted it.

JungKook fingers locked over Taehyung’s soft flesh and he was unable to push him away, instead he moved to speak directly into Taehyung’s ear, his breath puffing on the wisps of hair behind the lobe, so close to him that his chin caressed over the curve of sweet-smelling neck in front of him.

“Are you OK?”

Taehyung’s eyes rolled with the combination of the hot breath at his ear, the slightly rough chin scratching the tender flesh of his neck and the firm grip at his hips. That was all it had taken to set all of Taehyung’s skin ablaze.

“Y-yes, thank you. I’m sorry.” He forced himself to move before he would start grinding his ass against JungKook’s cock -again. He wasn’t going to embarrass himself this time.

Taehyung turned around and felt his stomach stumble when his eyes locked with JungKook’s under the flashing lights. Even through the thin strands of hair covering his eyes, in the chaotic dance of light and darkness, Taehyung could see the dark fire burning in JungKook’s gaze and suddenly, he could feel his cock stir inside his tight trousers. Shit.

“I think… I think, I need a drink…” He asked JungKook come with him by nodding toward the bar and lifting an eyebrow.

Agreeing silently, JungKook followed behind the lush ass swinging through the crowd.

When Taehyung’s eyes scanned over past JungKook’s shoulder and his sunny face turned sour and frosty, JungKook didn’t need to be told that someone who was not in Taehyung’s good books was standing somewhere behind him.

Taehyung’s normally lush mouth turned into a thin line and his back went rigid -if JungKook didn’t know better, he would have said that he also turned spiky like a porcupine because the vibes oozing off Taehyung were, at best, hostile.

“Hm… dare I ask?” JungKook leaned over and spoke close to Taehyung’s ear over the noise, question in his eyes directed at the enraged Taehyung.

He jumped, suddenly blinking, trying to hide his screamingly obvious reaction behind a fake smile.

“I’m sorry?”

“Dare I ask who the person you are trying to kill with your eyes is?” he tried a tease but it didn’t really work. The seriousness was still stuck on him.

“No one. Absolutely no one. A waste of space.” The energetic way he shook his head jingled his earrings and made the silver locks over his forehead dance. He put on a bright smile. It was brighter and more genuine than the one before but JungKook noticed it didn’t quite reach his eyes yet -they were still hurt.

JungKook congratulated himself on managing to keep his composure and resisting his urge to look -for a whole of two minutes. He shuffled under the pretence of grabbing his drink from the side and looked discreetly, under his lashes and saw the man.

He should have guessed.

The duchebag who had been responsible for Taehyung sitting in a puddle crying his eyes out in the pouring rain. It might have been a decade but the upset in Taehyung’s eyes was like it happened yesterday and it made JungKook’s heart ache.

JungKook had heard the rumours at the time, even though he had tried his best to avoid them, saying the guy had used Taehyung pretty spectacularly and then dumped him the first chance he got -and added insult to injury by doing it in public in front of his group of friends. A real nasty piece of work. After, the guy had spread stories of Taehyung that weren’t even true.

Suddenly, Taehyung grabbed his jacket off the back of the stool in a harsh yank and struggled to put it on over his hot arms in sharp angry moves. His jaw was tense and his brow knitted -it really wasn’t a good look, even for Taehyung.

Once dressed, he grabbed JungKook by the arm and dragged him out of the club through the crowd of hot, sweaty bodies without a word until the cool air hit their faces and they could breathe again.

Taehyung stomped around the corner from the club entrance into an alleyway, pulling JungKook and JungKook blindly following until he figured out what was happening.

He stopped.

“Come.” Taehyung kept pulling JungKook’s arm but he resisted.

“What are you doing, Taehyung?” his voice was quiet. Reserved.

Taehyung turned to JungKook with an exaggerated, seductive smile plastered on his face and he fluttered his eyelashes at JungKook’s suspicious face. The smile, the seduction, it all looked fake and forced, a little desperate even, mainly because JungKook could see his eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

When JungKook didn’t respond the way Taehyung had hoped, his long fingers slid under the collar of JungKook’s shirt, sliding against the smooth, hot skin while tugging him closer.

JungKook gasped at the contact, all of his attention suddenly shifting to the tiny bit of Taehyung’s skin that slid smoothly against his own and he found himself licking his lips in the very same old nervous habit he’d had in high school that he’d grown out of years ago.

As if realising his confusion, Taehyung took advantage of it and shoved him against the nearest wall. The contact made the air in JungKook’s lungs puff out with a little whimper that made heat rise to his cheeks.

He didn’t recognise himself, this JungKook hadn’t existed for years, for so long in fact that JungKook had forgotten all about him.

JungKook could still hear the bassline of the music playing in the club and it was beating just like his heart, loud and fast.

Though only a few metres away from the main street, the alley was quiet and darkly lit, eerily calm after the bright lights, noise and busyness of people in the club.

It made Taehyung’s shiny presence in his face scream so loudly that all else faded.

JungKook could no longer look away, Taehyung was so mesmerising in his beauty… although soft, his eyes were also fierce, much fiercer and stronger than JungKook ever remembered seeing them and he couldn’t help but to wonder if Taehyung had changed -how different was he now from when JungKook knew him just as the boy next door?

Completely oblivious to what was about to happen, JungKook sunk into the deep, dark, softness that was Taehyung’s chocolate eyes when he felt warm, gentle fingers sliding around the back of his neck. Then suddenly, there were damp, lush lips at his mouth.

Taehyung caught the gasp that escaped JungKook’s mouth with his own and pushed his tongue in between the surprised lips.

Unable to resist, not even trying to resist, JungKook responded, his arms immediately wrapping tightly around Taehyung, pulling him against him like he was never going to let go.

Taehyung melted and moulded into him, quietly moaning into the depths of the kiss, pushing JungKook harder against the wall, slender arms wrapping around his neck.

JungKook’s fingers followed the path they had already taken once, ten years ago, and wrapped into the familiar silky smoothness of Taehyung’s hair. He tugged a fistful to open Taehyung’s mouth even wider and the resulting obscene moan hit JungKook straight in his cock which sprang to life without his permission.

Needy, JungKook ground his desperate hardness against Taehyung while he sloppily ate his way down the long, gracious neck he had been admiring the whole evening, tasting the honeyed saltiness.

The way Taehyung opened up to him was even more beautiful than he could have imagined. His response was like a sweet-smelling lily opening its petals, his body supple and pliant.

“Oh… you feel so good JungKookie…” JungKook stiffened. Taehyung had called him by the nickname he had given to JungKook. Taehyung was the only person ever to call him that.

How long had Taehyung known? When had Taehyung recognised him?

All the familiar but long-forgotten insecurities that JungKook had always felt around Taehyung were suddenly back, screaming loud like a siren. Is that why they were out here, tongues down each other’s throats? Did Taehyung think he could do whatever he wanted just because it was JungKook and he would follow suit like the little lamb he was a decade ago?

He grabbed Taehyung’s shoulders and pushed him away harsher than he intended to, his lips fighting the urge to follow.

JungKook wished he hadn’t looked at Taehyung’s face right then because it was a picture of seduction with its kissed-out eyes and soft, shiny, parted, tempting lips - lips that JungKook still struggled to look at because he was worried that if he started, he’d never stop. He dropped his gaze.

Even though he felt like they should be able to talk about this like the adults that they were, he found the words sticking in his throat, making him tongue-tied -just the way he used to be around Taehyung.

Some things never changed.

The sudden silence drew his eyes back up and he saw that behind all that pretend coolness and show-off sexiness, there was such heartbreak and sadness in Taehyung’s eyes that he felt a lump form in his already tight throat.

Was he really any better than that duchebag that had rejected Taehyung? He couldn’t tell.

Either way, only one truth emerged out of his confusion, despite his desires to the contrary.

The truth was that Taehyung might be heartbroken but JungKook had a heart too -and he had spent a whole decade barricading it from the very man standing in front of him. So he wasn’t going to tear down these walls only to have to start all over again when there was nothing but shreds left of his heart.

He had to respect himself enough to stop being used again.

Taehyung, however, wasn’t put off by this turn of events and being as tenacious as ever, he tried to grab JungKook to force a kiss on him. JungKook knew that Taehyung was never one to back down from a fight so it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he would try again, yet it caught him off guard.

Surprised at his own ability to resist the obstinate advances, JungKook grabbed Taehyung by the shoulders, turned around and shoved him against the wall roughly, certain that this would make him snap out of his craziness.

“Ohh….” When Taehyung’s eyes sparkled darkly and he bit at his lip, clearly enjoying the harsh handling, JungKook realised his plan had backfired.

As if to prove a point, Taehyung went for it again only to be automatically stopped by JungKook’s strong grip yanking the offending hands away, slamming them against the wall high above Taehyung’s head… just to pin him down, to finally make him stop.

“Please stop, Taehyung. Please.” JungKook whispered quietly, hovering perilously close to Taehyung’s face, staring into his sparkling eyes, pleading -what for, he really wasn’t sure anymore.

He tried so hard to remember the reasons why he wasn’t going to kiss him anymore because right now, he was so desperately tempted just to let himself sink into Taehyung and never look back.

JungKook’s body was already on fire when Taehyung’s hips pushed against him, teasing, squirming, rubbing against the hardening mound in JungKook’s tight jeans, causing a helpless mewl until JungKook was barely hanging on to the dregs of his self-restraint.

“Please… kiss me.” Taehyung whispered, breathless.

He was the epitome of temptation with his mouth open, breath ghosting JungKook’s mouth, lips glistening, hips rolling.

His need -that exactly matched JungKook’s- was burning bright in his dark eyes and JungKook felt it with every bone in his body, his insides twisting with want.

JungKook was wound up tight like a spring, so close to losing it that he could feel his breath shuddering, yet with the last of his willpower, he held Taehyung’s wrists and pushed his hips away at the same time, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh.

It was JungKook who was left panting, his body so hot he could feel the groove of his back steam up.

No matter how hard JungKook tried, the longer he stayed close to Taehyung, the less his body could resist the enticing being in front of him. He kept telling himself just to let go and walk away, over and over, yet not his mind, nor his body were listening, too mesmerized by Taehyung.

Holding Taehyung away from direct body contact, JungKook found himself staring at the dark eyes lit with desire, feeling like there was not enough oxygen in the air around them.

It was only a moment after he’d gathered all his strength to push him away when his body was already saying one thing, his mind another, control crumbling in front of his biggest temptation.

Giving himself permission to feel Taehyung against him, just this once -he told himself over and over, the lie, the mantra of a whisper making the losing game somehow acceptable to his soon-to-be-non-existent self-respect. Just a little bit more… just one more time…  

Still firmly gripping Taehyung’s slim wrists above his head, JungKook found the hand that had been pushing the lush hips away was suddenly crawling around them.

Promising to himself he was only going to touch him one more time, JungKook yanked Taehyung harshly, bending his slender body to his ruthlessly until their mouths breathed against each other, not quite kissing, groins sliding together slowly.

The tempting whimpers leaking from Taehyung’s delectable lips against his own were enough to make JungKook want to crush him under him, to own him, to devour him.

Finally having lost all control of his limbs, JungKook’s wayward hand slid down to grab a lush buttock, fingers spreading firmly over it, kneading it, lifting it until the tender flesh spilled out of his hand.  

JungKook breathed Taehyung in like he was oxygen and felt himself slowly sinking into the softness and sweetness of him, losing whatever control he thought he still had, whatever grip on reality.

If the car horn hadn’t shaken JungKook out of his abandon, he probably would have defiled Taehyung right where they stood.

It took everything in him but JungKook managed to let go, leaving Taehyung pining after him, his face filled with disappointment when his suddenly free arms slid down the wall.

JungKook stepped away, avoiding Taehyung’s gravity that was bound to pull him back in if he stayed too close. His eyes made JungKook’s heart hurt.

Pushing fingers through his hair in desperation, JungKook kicked himself for letting go of control so carelessly. He chanted loudly in his mind, reminding himself of the reasons why he had to stop, and why he shouldn’t start again, but that didn’t help his hands feeling cold and empty without Taehyung filling them.

JungKook realised that this was the moment he needed to come clean.

He had regretted not saying anything a decade ago, he wasn’t going to repeat his mistake -he’d rather be sad than not know.

He gripped Taehyung’s chin between his fingers until the soft, hazy gaze found his.

Despite the fear he was feeling in the pit of his stomach, JungKook spoke from his heart.

“I don’t want to be just anyone to you Taehyung. If you can pick up any guy and go home with him, then go do that. Don’t ask me to go with you just because you want to forget that idiot. I’m not doing that again.” Finally, he had admitted it. That they both knew. That he remembered.

Taehyung’s stare was unblinking and for a moment JungKook felt his stomach lurch, regret blooming inside him.

“You’re not asking me to marry you, are you?” Taehyung’s lips twisted into a sarcastic smile but he stalled when he saw how serious JungKook was being.

“No.”

When Taehyung saw the small shake of the hanging head and the whisper of a smile on JungKook’s face, he felt relieved that his teasing hadn’t caused upset.

The sarcasm, the jokes, they came out as an instantaneous defence mechanism when anything even potentially meaningful was being discussed, and it was something that Taehyung had little power over. Taehyung never was very good with serious, it scared him.

But for JungKook he was willing to try.

“What then?” Taehyung’s voice was quiet, no longer a trace of jest in it because all of a sudden, he felt vulnerable.

There were too many revelations and too many emotions in this one conversation already. Too much history. Taehyung wasn’t comfortable with any of those.

JungKook’s voice was quiet but steady.

“I want you to want me for me and not as a replacement for something or someone or as a filler for your emptiness, or to stop you from feeling what you’re most afraid of…”

Taehyung’s eyes looked so large and vulnerable that they reminded JungKook of times past. This was the first moment he had seen the Taehyung he had known ten years ago and not all the defences, façades and barricades that he had built against the world.

“What’s that…?” He asked with a small voice, despite feeling almost too scared to do so. His voice was quiet and tight and he gulped, visibly.

“…lonely. You’re most afraid of feeling lonely.”

A single word that meant so much to Taehyung, hearing it from JungKook. From him, it held too much meaning, too much understanding, just too much of immeasurable kindness.

It hit Taehyung like a tsunami. He was not accustomed to feeling vulnerable, his well-built defences of charm and humour never failed until this man stepped in his way.

He felt his eyes welling, tears clouding his vision because he realised that, already a long time ago, there had been someone who he could be himself with… for everyone else, he had to fake and pretend… everyone except for JungKook. He was the only person who let Taehyung be… Taehyung. There were no agendas, no expectations, no demands. Just JungKook. Just Taehyung. Understanding. Kindness. Gentleness.

Taehyung lifted his hand without knowing what he was going to do with it.

He blinked until his eyes cleared and for once didn’t care about the tears running down his cheeks because he knew he didn’t need to hide them -this person had already seen him at his worst, he had already seen his tears…and he was the one who had dried them.

Taehyung cupped his long fingers around Jungkook’s face and stared at him, lip wobbling, silent.

“There you are…” JungKook said and smiled with affection and such warm recognition that it squeezed Taehyung’s heart so hard he thought he’d die.

JungKook traced the outline of Taehyung’s cheek with a finger before wrapping himself around him like a warm blanket.

Taehyung hiccupped into JungKook’s neck while he clung onto the strong frame in front of him like a koala.

Every time JungKook thought about moving, Taehyung squeezed harder, not yet ready to let go, worried he wouldn’t get to hold him again if he did. JungKook felt like a very safe place and it was where Taehyung wanted to stay.

Hesitant, Taehyung said: “I’m staying at a hotel not that far from here. Will you come with me? We can just… you don’t… I just want to…” he stuttered when his glimmering eyes found JungKook’s.

It seemed impossible to feel such happiness in such a situation but JungKook could honestly say he had never been this happy.  Because he was able to hold Taehyung in his arms. Because it felt like this was the first time that Taehyung actually really saw him as a man, not just the kid next door.

“It’s ok. Let’s go.” JungKook spoke quietly and caressed Taehyung’s cheek, wiping a few more stray tears from the corner of his eye. He kissed the side of his mouth and nuzzled in to smell the little naked strip of skin behind his ear.

They walked to the hotel in comfortable silence, their hands naturally finding each other, fingers intertwining.

The brief walk took them through the public gardens which were gently lit with fairy lights. It was all very romantic and it made JungKook feel a little wistful and sentimental.

This was exactly what he had wanted to do ten years ago, just to be with Taehyung, to hold his hand, to kiss him, just to be with him in whichever way possible.

He wondered if Taehyung was also thinking back in time.

“Do you miss it?” He asked Taehyung quietly.

“Miss what?” the smile was small, but it was there.

“Being young and innocent, high school, you know….” JungKook wasn’t sure why he had asked and now felt silly having done so.

“I don’t think I was that innocent in high school…” Taehyung giggled with a cheeky glint in his eye and JungKook couldn’t help but to laugh and agree.

“True…”

Suddenly there was a gentle tug on JungKook’s hand when Taehyung stopped them under a large tree.

“I…erm…I actually wanted to say something… I’ve wanted to say this to you for such a long time and I can’t believe I still don’t know how to say it...” his fingers wrangled in front of him, slight red tinting his cheeks.

Taehyung felt vulnerable saying private things in general, let alone out in public but the darkness and the silence of the night seemed to embrace them tight enough that he braved his confession.

“I’m sorry.” He blurted it out at such a speed that JungKook almost missed it.

He turned fully to Taehyung and lifted his eyebrows, not wanting to make any assumptions with regards to what he might be apologising for.

“I’m sorry for being such an ass.” Now JungKook was even more surprised. The Kim Taehyung admitting that he could behave like an ass, highly unexpected -unheard of, even.

“In high school. For… forcing myself on you like that. That was so out of order…” he huffed and muttered under his breath, “…and now I’m doing it all over again….” He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck, suddenly finding his shoes very interesting.

“No you didn’t, Taehyung, I would never have…” JungKook started but Taehyung’s slender fingers suddenly pressing on his lips in a gentle caress said that he hadn’t finished yet.

“The thing I’m most sorry for is pretending… that we… didn’t kiss. And for not thanking you for looking after me, especially when it meant so much... I can’t tell you how much I needed it and I’m so glad it was you who was with me… You have no idea how many times I’ve thought about that and… about you… over the years.”

His already small voice cracked when he felt everything was suddenly too much -the vulnerability that came from admitting having been in a situation where he needed looking after… and the fear of being rejected all over again… made him turn away, not wanting to see the emotions on JungKook’s face. Instead, he hugged his waist and expected the worst.

The only thing that came was JungKook’s strong arms around him, a warm face snuggling into the side of his neck from behind, a chin hooking over his shoulder.

He let out a long, shaky breath over the silence between them.

There was a gentle kiss at the back of his neck and it felt like absolution. A weight lifted off Taehyung and it was replaced by something bright and soft in the corners of his eyes.

“I was too embarrassed.. I didn’t know what to do… I was such a brat and then by the time I realised how much of a brat I’d really been, well, we’d moved away… I felt so awful and I didn’t know how to fix it.”

JungKook turned him around and once Taehyung had gathered enough courage to look JungKook in the eye, he could see nothing but warmth and… something else… that was not far off… love.

Taehyung felt the light inside him burn brighter, in pure, brilliant white.

JungKook had never been very good with his words so he hoped his kiss told Taehyung everything he needed to know. He put all his love into it -the love that had never really gone away- holding Taehyung gently in his arms, his thumb caressing the softness of his cheek and the soft curve of his waist.

Gently, Taehyung pushed back and smiled with hearts in his eyes.

“Come.” He wrapped his slender fingers around JungKook’s, pulling him along.

JungKook felt a flutter of excitement in the pit of his stomach.

The hotel was close and by the time they walked through the doors into the brightly lit, sumptuous lobby, all JungKook could think about was the fact that Taehyung was taking him somewhere that had privacy behind a locking door and a bed. That was enough to ignite a flame within him, even when he tried not to make any assumptions about what was going to happen, if anything.

The visions JungKook had while they were ascending in the lift of gold and mirrors were not pure.

These debauched daydreams involving tongues and flesh pushed against the mirrored surfaces were not helped by the rosy cheeks and filthy look on Taehyung’s face when he stood on the opposite side of the lift leaning onto the golden handrail, tempting JungKook with his dark eyes.

By now JungKook was sure that Taehyung had been put on this Earth solely to drive him crazy with need.

With his eyes like shiny, black marbles, Taehyung stared at him from across the lift, leaning back onto the golden railing.

His hips jutted out to one side, long fingers spread over the angle of it, his arm pulling the black jacket over to reveal more of the silver sparkles of his top.

JungKook hadn’t noticed until the overhead lights in the lift cascaded down his front that the top Taehyung was wearing was made of very thin material that clearly revealed the shape of his slightly protruding nipple under it. JungKook groaned under his breath, feeling the tightness of his trousers.

The slightly arrogant look on Taehyung’s face told JungKook that he was completely aware of the effect he had on him and it drove JungKook even crazier.

All he wanted to do was to wipe that smug look off Taehyung’s face and replace it with one that was tinted with condensed ruin from overindulgent sex yet desperate, begging for more.

He wanted Taehyung to fall apart completely in his hands so that he could work on putting him back together, piece by delicious piece.

Taehyung stared at JungKook through hooded eyes and slowly licked his teeth between his luscious lips. A slender finger pushed under the generous neckline of the top and gently tugged it down, running along it, eyes clearly tempting JungKook.

JungKook took the two aggressive steps needed to reach Taehyung, stopping to breathe heavily within an inch of the side of his face, eliciting a gasp of quiet pleasure from Taehyung. It pleased JungKook immeasurably when he turned his face away somewhat coyly, his cheeks dusting with pink.

“Stop teasing me Taehyung. If you know what’s good for you, I swear… stop teasing before I’m going to tear you to shreds.” JungKook’s voice was shaking, not far from a growl, from the effort it took him to hold back.

Taehyung brought the primal animal out in him and JungKook wanted to let him loose.

Taehyung panted a little in response to the quiet threat, his eyes rolling when his head lolled back, his long fingers sliding up to spread over his suddenly blushing throat in a caress.

“I don’t think that’s much of an incentive to stop, JungKook…” he whispered to the mirrored surfaces, all deep, sexy breath and dark, flaming eyes meeting JungKook’s in the maze of mirrors surrounding them.

JungKook was just about to lean over to grab and devour Taehyung when the ting of the lift doors shook them out of their intense moment.

With urgency, Taehyung pulled JungKook along the corridor, almost running, until he found the door to his room. He fumbled with his pockets to try and find the keycard and ended up dropping it from his shaking fingers. Swearing and breathless, he leaned onto the wall and smiled when JungKook bent over to pick up the card.

“You OK?” a quiet, gentle voice asked close to Taehyung’s cheek.

With the sound of unlocking, Taehyung opened his eyes and shoved JungKook.

“Get in.”

Even before the door had clicked shut, JungKook had already slammed Taehyung against the wall with all of his weight on him, his fingers sliding over his throat, around his jaw, into his hair holding him tight while assaulting his lips, his jaw, his throat, his collarbones with his mouth while they kicked their shoes off in a jumble, their mouths clashing.

Fumbling to undo JungKook’s jeans and failing, Taehyung moved onto his own, only getting as far as unbuttoning and unzipping when eager hands at his shoulders yanked his jacket down, not removing it all the way, but using it to tether his arms to his sides at the elbows with the fabric sticking to his skin.

JungKook’s eager, wet mouth found the newly revealed shoulder with zero hesitation in his touch, quite unlike ten years prior.

As if getting ready to consume Taehyung for his next meal, JungKook stretched the neck in front of him open with a firm press of his flat hand on the side of Taehyung’s face, pushing it away from the shoulder. Taehyung complied with a moan.

The small movement created a beautiful slope on Taehyung’s neck and with it came an intense need for JungKook to devour Taehyung until there was nothing left.

“Hmmm…. You look so delicious, Taehyung… I want to eat you… all of you.” he purred.

JungKook attacked with purpose, leaving a trail of wet, sucking kisses and nips from behind Taehyung’s ear, down the neck, all the way along to the curve of his shoulder while Taehyung took it, completely tethered, trembling and quietly whimpering with pleasure.

“I want to touch you, JungKookie…” Taehyung whined, wriggling his stuck arms.

“Later…” JungKook mumbled, his soft lips speaking against skin, engrossed in touching every single inch on Taehyung’s body.

Running out of naked skin to devour, JungKook’s eager fingers slid underneath the neckline of the shiny top at the shoulder and he pulled it down for more flesh, ripping the thin fabric a little.

“Oh shit! I’m sorry.”

JungKook panicked but Taehyung just said with a breathless, raspy voice.

“Ohgod… S’OK. Do it. All the way... Please.” He breathed over the words and stared at JungKook with lewd temptation.

When he sucked in a tattooed finger off his face into his wet mouth, covering it with a thick moan, it made it very difficult for JungKook to say no -to anything Taehyung asked.

He grabbed the ripped edge of the flimsy fabric and yanked, hard.

With a loud rip, the thin fabric shredded down Taehyung’s chest, revealing more of his delicious, honeyed skin sliding over his heaving chest.

Taehyung’s reaction hit JungKook the hardest.

The second the rip echoed around the room, JungKook saw his eyes roll and his head hit the wall, releasing the finger he had been sucking in his mouth. It hung, damp and shiny and pink, out of his gaping, glistening mouth. If that hadn’t been enough to make JungKook nearly come in his pants, the sound that broke out of Taehyung’s throat at the ripping off the fabric certainly was.

The depraved moan that rose from his wide-open mouth hit JungKook like a shockwave and he felt his fully hard cock leak in his pants.

“Shit….” JungKook whispered under his breath when his wet finger smeared dampness across Taehyung’s plump lips.

Taehyung felt drunk despite not having had a drop of alcohol all evening.

His body was on fire and the pyromaniac who had lit all these irresponsible fires all along his skin was the man right in front of him, staring into his soul with those large, black eyes so intense that Taehyung felt completely naked even though he wasn’t.

JungKook had always seen who he really was, now was no exception. Taehyung could never hide from him. He only just realised, or perhaps he was only just now willing to admit to himself, that he had never been truly honest with anyone other than JungKook.

With him, there were no masks, no degrees of lies to take away from the honesty of it.

Perhaps this was why being with JungKook felt so different from being other people. It was raw. Unadulterated. Real. And Taehyung didn’t know if he’d ever be able to live without it again.

He told his heart to shut up and let his body sink into its lust without worrying about the consequences. Because this was something he wanted more than anything -and despite what JungKook seemed to think, this was something that he had always wanted… as long as he could remember.

“Ohmygod, Taehyung, do you know beautiful you are? How long I’ve wanted to do this….?” JungKook spoke against Taehyung’s collarbone, his firm fingers caressing the skin revealed by the torn fabric.

“Your skin is so soft….” JungKook whispered, nuzzling into the softness, smelling the slope of the skin from shoulder to nipple, “and you smell so… delectable…” the skin almost absorbed his smile when he slid along the silkiness.

JungKook leaned further down and curled, rolled and flicked his tongue on the tiny perfection that was Taehyung’s nipple and he moaned, deep and rough, his head falling against the wall behind him, helpless.

When JungKook’s teeth grazed the tightening nub and fingers tweaked the other, the moan turned into a whine, Taehyung’s hips undulating against JungKook.

“Please…” Taehyung pleaded.

JungKook lowered down to his knees as if about to worship at Taehyung’s feet (well, he was going to do that too), and pulled the jacket down Taehyung’s arms until it fell on the floor, gazing up at Taehyung’s face adoringly.

Immediately upon being freed, Taehyung’s fingers found the face looking up at him and cupped it, thumbs sliding over the soft cheeks. The soft eyes gazed at his eyes, so full of emotions that JungKook didn’t know what to do with them. They made him feel too much.

JungKook was getting whiplash from wanting to treat Taehyung like some precious, fragile thing while at the same time wanting to forcefully overpower him, devour him and fuck the living daylights out of him until he cried tears of happiness.

The battle raged inside him, no end in sight when Taehyung’s impatience demanded action.

“Touch me already… You don’t have to be careful… I’m not some precious Ming vase…” he spoke, weaving his long fingers into JungKook’s long hair and tugging gently.

“Yeah, you’re something way more valuable.” JungKook whispered, wrapping his fingers around the slim waist, mouthing the tender flesh on the belly, placing small kisses around the bellybutton while running his hands to the back of Taehyung’s clad thighs, flirting with the lush curve of his ass.

Taehyung giggled at what JungKook had said before he saw, again, how serious he was being.

“Oh c’mon, I’m not some sacred artifact, with me you’ve got to get your hands dirty!” His wink was filthy. Taehyung was relieved when his distraction tactic from serious things worked. He didn’t want to think about what all this meant, he just wanted to feel it.

“How dirty?” JungKook asked breathlessly, taking the bait, attempting at a tease but again, falling short because his heart was suddenly beating so much louder at the word dirty and the images immediately conjured up in his eager mind upon hearing it.

“Really dirty. Dirtier the better…” Taehyung bit his lip, teasing, and JungKook grinned, believing him.

Taehyung leaned over and whispered into JungKook’s ear: “I want rough hands on me… your hands. Firm. Hard.” He made noise somewhere in between a hum and a moan and it made JungKook want to squeeze every part of him with hard hands until more of those noises oozed out of him.

Suddenly unable to wait a moment longer, JungKook’s fingers slid over the half-undone waistband of Taehyung’s trousers. Hovering over it, through the gap already there, he admired the lack of underwear and the pink flesh peeping through.

JungKook felt butterflies at the thought of this finally happening. The thing he had always wanted the most.

JungKook’s driving force was his need to please Taehyung. He wanted to give him pleasure the likes of which he had never experienced before. He wanted Taehyung to remember this forever the way he was going to remember it, whether this led to anything else or not.

He still had oodles of space for memories labelled with Taehyung at the back of his mind, at the depths of his heart. He doubted the ones already there would ever go away. So what was one more? Even if it ended up being just one time, it would still be the most precious thing to JungKook and he would forever cherish it.

Holding his breath, JungKook pulled the fabric of Taehyung’s trousers down until the lush, heavy cock sprung out fully.

Automatically, his fingers wrapped around the girth of it, fingers sliding up and down the length of it, admiring the veins, the silky texture. The bead of nectar at the tip was begging to be collected so JungKook did so with the tip of his tongue, pushing into the slit to make sure he got every last drop of it.

“Ohffkkk, JungKook….” His eager hips pushed against JungKook’s face and encouraged, he slid his mouth over the stiffness and sucked it as far in as he could. It filled his mouth and the filling made his cock twitch, damp smudging at the front of his partially open jeans.

Frustrated with all the bits of clothing getting in his way, JungKook yanked the shredded top and the trousers off Taehyung.

Once he was free to roam, JungKook’s fingers slid down Taehyung’s chest, over his slim waist, over the curve of his hips, the soft thighs, all the while his mouth was busy enjoying the juicy cock.

JungKook ran his lips over the length of the bobbing member, licked along the helmet, focusing on the bit that made Taehyung moan the loudest, while wetting the whole shaft, spreading the moisture along it until it shone with his spit.

Hardly able to stand straight, Taehyung murmured:

“Hmmm…. Please. Need more.” Taehyung rolled his hips with need.

JungKook pulled away only to ask: “Lube?”

Taehyung moved and turned away from JungKook, reaching for his suitcase near the wardrobe.

Still kneeling on the floor, JungKook admired the perfect peach of an ass when Taehyung got on his knees and bent over to dig around his case. His fingers were itching to grab it, hold it… take it. Visions of bright pink lobes filled his mind and dried his mouth. Taehyung was so much more beautiful than he had even been able to image.

Unable to resist, he crawled over to Taehyung still digging around in his bag and caressed from the bottom of his spine all the way to the very top, fingers automatically testing their fit over the slim neck.

JungKook’s lips made contact at the bottom of the beaded necklace of a spine, between the two little dents on either side of it. His lips followed the path his hand had taken, running wet kisses all the way up Taehyung’s back, hands sliding along the sides of him, fingers spreading over the shoulder blades.

Taehyung quivered at the touch, straightening, neck instinctively inviting the touch by opening up when he sat back onto his feet to lean against the hard chest that had appeared behind him.

Taehyung felt his body bloom at the gentle caresses JungKook was showering all over him.

JungKook shuffled even closer until his thighs ran along the outside of Taehyung’s and his clothed crotch nudged against the lush curve of the ass tempting him.

Sliding his arm around the slim waist, JungKook’s lips landed on the slope of his neck, tickling Taehyung when he spoke:

“I want you so bad Taehyung, it aches inside.”

Taehyung twisted his neck and reached for JungKook’s wet lips. Frustrated with the lack of depth, Taehyung shuffled around and pushed JungKook down and squeezing between his legs and leaning over, Taehyung found his mouth and lay down on top of him.

The kiss was hot and deep but there were other things laced in it, undertones of more feelings than Taehyung was willing to admit to. He wondered if JungKook could feel them too and what it meant if he did.

JungKook’s hands found the lush lobes of Taehyung’s ass and he sighed with what could only be described as happiness when the plump lobes filled his hands. The skin was so smooth and soft, he couldn’t help but to lift his hand and slap it a little, just to feel the jiggle under the impact.

Simultaneous gasps filled the air and immediately, Taehyung lifted his head with burning eyes.

“More.” He demanded, “Harder.”

Barely able to breathe, JungKook lifted his hand and smacked down hard enough for the sound to echo around the room.

Taehyung’s eyes rolled closed, his jaw hung slack and the lewd sound coming from the depths of him made JungKook’s cock drip and twitch in his pants.

“Fuck…. So good.” Taehyung pushed his hardness against JungKook’s clothed one and made him moan.

Smacking down harder, JungKook hit both sides quite a few times until Taehyung was a quivering, panting mess on top of him. Taehyung’s cheeks were bright red -and not just on his face.

“Fuck you are delicious Taehyung, just delicious.” He brought a hand up to caress Taehyung’s cheek with the back of it. The red cheek leaned against the cool fingers when his hooded eyes opened enough to give him a debauched look.

“I really can’t wait anymore, please JungKookie, I need you in me…”

Holding on to the slim figure above him, JungKook rolled over on the floor until Taehyung was under him.

He shuffled a little between Taehyungs soft, spread thighs and reached for the lube.

Squeezing way more than he could ever need onto his fingers, he slid between the lush cheeks and rubbed over Taehyung’s pulsing hole.

“Ohgodyes…”

Immediately, Taehyung’s waist started lifting off the floor, his wanton body undulating without him having any control over it.

JungKook pushed in a finger, then two, all the while gazing at Taehyung’s face, admiring the red cheeks, the intermittently peeking sparkling eyes. Suddenly all he wanted was to have this forever. All he needed was Taehyung under him and that would be enough, he needed nothing else.

He soaked up the moans rising from Taehyung’s lush mouth with his flitting lips.

Taehyung licked the air between them, his tongue curling, trying to catch JungKook’s lips. When he succeeded after a few tries, he licked the gap between the pink cushions eagerly, messily.

Right when he finally pushed his tongue deep into JungKook’s mouth, an extra finger pushed into his tight ass and a loud moan sunk into the depths of JungKook.

It pleased JungKook beyond measure to see Taehyung whining and panting, writhing under him, seeing the red of his cheeks now also tinting the smooth skin of his chest. JungKook could taste his need.

The three fingers squelching in Taehyung’s ass were moving fast and hard, his moans synchronising with every deep thrust. His cock was creating a puddle on his silky stomach and every one of those things was driving JungKook positively crazy and all he could think about was his full-top-bursting cock and how good it was going to feel with Taehyung’s tight, wet ass around it.

“Ohgod Taehyung, I really can’t wait anymore…” JungKook panted.

“Please…” was all that Taehyung uttered, tugging at JungKook’s arm.

Trying to undo the buttons of his shirt with shaking fingers, JungKook was going to get undressed.

“No. Please keep them on…” Taehyung pleaded to JungKook’s questioning face.

JungKook wasn’t prepared for the lusty face Taehyung made when he spoke:

“Fucking with clothes on is so hot… just pop your cock out and shove it in me like you were so desperate to fuck me that… like… when you ran in, you didn’t even have time to get undressed because you wanted my ass so badly…” he breathed, eyes shining, hardly making sense to himself with the heated mess that his body was.

All JungKook could do is smile because he realised that for him, that wasn’t some fantasy scenario, it absolutely reflected the truth of right now. At this moment in time, JungKook couldn’t give a shit about his clothes because the static in his ears was going to turn into a scream shortly if he didn’t get to push his cock into Taehyung’s tight hole.

He could feel himself positively throb when Taehyung just spread his legs under him, offering himself, biting his bottom lip, being the biggest temptation JungKook had ever seen in his whole life.

So, JungKook did as he was told -because he was rather good at that- and popped his cock out of his trousers, sighing at the relief, and shuffled his pants down a bit for better access.

He pushed Taehyung’s arms loosely above his head, letting them lie there without holding them down, admiring how vulnerable it made him look and then without waiting another moment, he aligned himself with the pulsing hole and tested the tension on it.

Immediately Taehyung whined, nudging his hips enough to almost suck JungKook in.

“Please, JungKookie.” His voice was urgent, echoing the need JungKook felt with every breath.

JungKook pushed in, gently and slowly, sinking into the dark eyes melting under him.

The love he felt inside was just waiting to burst out, so close to the surface it made JungKook feel vulnerable because it had to be so easily seen for his inability to hide it.

The intensity of the pleasure, the stretch, the tightness, tried to push their eyes shut but they both fought it because their need for connection other than purely physical was strong within them.

JungKook thought he could see tears gathering in the corners of Taehyung’s soft eyes, so he kissed them away, tasting the saltiness on his lips.

When Taehyung stared into his eyes, his long fingers reaching up to cup his face with such tenderness, JungKook couldn’t avoid the words anymore, he didn’t want to. He didn’t care anymore if Taehyung felt the same, he just needed to get the words out before his heart was going explode from trying to keep them in for so long.

“I love you, Taehyung. I’ve always loved you.”

JungKook breathed in quickly, trying to control the jumble of emotions inside him, the worry, the need to be told that he was also loved yet not sure if he ever would be. Unable to stop the worry over what Taehyung might say, he closed his eyes and moved to hide the turmoil inside.

JungKook had shut his eyes so he missed the glow in Taehyung’s eyes, he missed the shy desire to repeat the words back at him.

JungKook moved over Taehyung’s pliant form, pulling almost all the way out then pushing all the way in, over and over, in long, strong strokes, until Taehyung was incoherent with the pleasure he was feeling, entirely taken over by desire.

He was entirely open and vulnerable, both physically and emotionally, his need for JungKook the only focusing factor in his pleasurably dissolving existence.

When JungKook finally opened his eyes again and gazed down, Taehyung’s eyes said more than his words could. He wrapped his slender arms around JungKook’s neck, pulling him down to lie on top of him so that he could wrap himself around him to hold him close, to kiss away the doubts he could still see so loud in his eyes.

Taehyung could feel the words at the tip of his tongue, floating over his lips but he wasn’t as brave as JungKook was. He didn’t know how to speak the words.

Taehyung’s hands travelled over JungKook’s clad body sneaking under the fabric over his back. Sighing, he felt the hard contours as far as he could go until frustration made him fumble and unbutton the shirt to allow for more skin.

“Holy shit, JungKookie…” he whispered when he saw JungKook’s naked torso above him and caressed all over it, up and down, side to side, cupping over the curved muscle decorated with a perfect, tight, little brown button that Taehyung wanted to lick right this second.

“If I’d realised, I would have not asked you to keep your clothes on…” Eyes twinkling, he breathed through his teeth, biting his lip in deep appreciation of the discovered treasure that was JungKook’s body.

JungKook grinned. He loved that Taehyung loved his body.

“Off!” Taehyung ushered, pushing JungKook’s chest, confusing him.

JungKook clambered up, with only his cock hanging out of his pants, a sliver of chest and abdomen revealed between the black sides of his open shirt.

As soon as Taehyung was up, he gripped JungKook’s shirt and yanked it down his arms aggressively, revealing acres of milky skin over hard, sculpted muscle and he nearly choked on his own spit.

“Fuck.”

Not waiting for a second longer, Taehyung did a wide, fat, wet lick over JungKook’s nipple while sneaking an arm around his slim waist and cupping a tightly clad buttock. He placed wet kisses over the contours of his muscles along his stomach and tugged his fingers under the waistband, pulling it down with some difficulty.

“Bloody hell, how’d you even get these on!?” Taehyung giggled when he fell over trying to yank the jeans off JungKook.

Once all the physical beauty had been revealed and JungKook was standing in front of him like the statue of David (with a hard-on), Taehyung grabbed the lube and squeezed a generous dollop on JungKook rock-solid cock, spreading it until his hands squelched obscenely over it.

Once he stood up, he pulled JungKook into a deep, sloppy kiss while he brought their cocks together between them, sliding the rods smoothly against each other, all shiny with the lube and juices leaking out of them.

While Taehyung’s hands were busy between them, JungKook reached around and cupped a buttock in each hand, massaging them breathlessly, tempted by the juicy wetness in between.

“Fuck you feel so good…” Taehyung whispered, his breath hot against JungKook’s lips when he leaned against his forehead, rubbing both of their cocks up and down and against each other with his long, slippery fingers.

Urgency was burning inside Taehyung.

He pushed JungKook to sit down on the bed and immediately grabbed his shoulder to stop him from moving further into it.

He placed a quick, chaste kiss on his swollen, surprised lips and turned around, wriggling his bottom in JungKook’s face.

“I wanna sit on you, baby.”

When Taehyung turned at the lack of response, all he could see were JungKook’s black eyes staring at his ass, his delectable lips cracked open.

“D’you want it or not?” he teased, wriggling again.

Perhaps not the most useful question to ask, Taehyung thought in hindsight when, as if in a dream, JungKook reached for him, a hand on each pink buttock, he spread the cheeks, sliding his thumbs in the wetness on either side of his entrance.

“Shit!” Taehyung moaned, his back instantly arching.

JungKook hummed somewhere so deep in his chest it sounded like a growl.

He pushed in two fingers, watching closely as they sunk into Taehyung’s tightness, listening to the moans rippling out of him.

Angling his fingers, it didn’t take long for JungKook to find the bundle of nerves he was looking for.

“Holymotherof…” Taehyung nearly collapsed, bending over to support himself on his knees, arching his back further to open himself up for JungKook who couldn’t have enjoyed the view any more even if he tried.

JungKook added a finger and pushed in deeper, grinding firmly over the joy spot and instantly, Taehyung’s rapid moans turned into high pitch whines matching the pace of the finger thrusts in his ass to perfection.

“Ohmygod please… I’m gonna come, please… stop…” The noises he was making and the words he spoke bore no resemblance and for a moment, JungKook was tempted to carry on, just to hear the noises Taehyung made when he’d unravel all over his fingers.

Instead, he slowed down and kissed the luscious cheeks in front of him before gently removing his fingers, leaving Taehyung to mope over the feeling of emptiness.

Without another word, Taehyung turned around and with his back to JungKook, he sat on his cock, impaling himself as deep as he could go.

“FUCK!” Their loud moans harmonised.

Taehyung was feeling a fever within him and he was desperately running out of patience. He picked up the pace and sunk onto JungKook’s cock at such a force over and over again that he felt his vision blur. His thighs were burning from the effort.

When he felt JungKook’s hard fingers pressing ruthlessly on his hips -there would probably be bruises tomorrow- and help him move up and slam down, he realised so suddenly that he was going to come and that there was nothing he could do about it.

“Jung…argh! FUCK!”

He screamed, clamping hard on JungKook’s cock, back arching almost violently when his creamy come flew in a wide arc half way across the room. Had JungKook not had his fingers on his hips like a vice, he’d now be on the floor.

“Whatinthename just happened?” Taehyung panted, leaning back against JungKook’s shoulder, his thighs shaking uncontrollably.

JungKook slid his knees together, lifting Taehyung’s legs on top of his thighs to give them a break. He stayed still, so as to not set off any oversensitivity in Taehyung but he seemed so spent he was oblivious. JungKook wondered how long it would take for him to realise he still had a hard cock deep in his tight ass…

Unable to keep a straight face, he giggled into the back of Taehyung’s silvery hair.

“What is it?” Taehyung asked, his voice warm and relaxed.

Gently and slowly, JungKook rolled his hips and immediately, Taehyung’s back shot up straight.

“Ohh…. That….” He was breathless. JungKook could see a rosy tint to his cheek when he peeked around to check if he was ok.

“Shall I stop?” JungKook asked quietly, nudging his nose behind Taehyung’s ear, breathing in his scent. JungKook was perfectly happy to do so, he was just waiting for Taehyung to move so he could pull out.

“No. Please. I just need to lie down. I can’t feel my legs…” he giggled.

Taehyung went to move but before he could, JungKook wrapped a strong arm around him and pulled him to, suddenly lying down and rolling over, all the while still balls deep inside Taehyung.

Once they found their bearings, they lay down spooning, the whole of JungKook against the whole of Taehyung.

Despite feeling insurmountable need to fuck Taehyung into oblivion, JungKook calmed himself, waiting patiently. He didn’t move a muscle and neither did Taehyung.

The moment was beautiful in its stillness.

JungKook would never had thought that lying still whilst inside someone could be so beautiful, so erotic. The stillness made everything sensual because the moment extended, highlighting and magnifying every tiny detail… like the gentle curl of the hair at the nape of Taehyung’s neck, the way his collarbone travelled from the bottom of his throat to the front of his shoulder. The way his beautiful, lush hip rose from the narrow waist like the soft curve of a cloud in the sunset.

Taehyung sighed. It was a happy sigh, a contented sigh, it was the kind of sigh that JungKook wanted to hear over and over again -especially if he was the cause of it.

Taehyung’s long fingers found JungKook’s and tangled with them, lifting them to his mouth where he placed small kisses over the tattooed knuckles.

Although the silence was comfortable, Taehyung was too scared to say anything in case it was the wrong thing to say. So he stayed quiet, perfectly aware of the openness down below, the hardness inside him. He enjoyed it, not just for the feel of it but because it made him feel vulnerable and he liked feeling vulnerable in front of JungKook more than he had ever liked feeling it.

Tentatively, he rolled his hips and JungKook groaned into his hair.

“Please…” finally a word he knew would be happily received.

JungKook ran his fingers along Taehyung’s side before they settled at their favourite spot, over the curve of the hip.

“More. Faster. Harder.” They seemed like Taehyung’s favourite words -more words that JungKook would be happy to hear.

“I can only go harder and faster if we move. Which way do you want me to go baby?”

Taehyung wrapped his hand over JungKook’s hip behind him and went to turn onto his stomach, tugging at JungKook to follow.

Again, still tethered, they rolled over until JungKook was entirely on top Taehyung whose legs were spread apart under him.

Leaning onto his arms JungKook didn’t waste any more time but started moving, faster, harder, just like Taehyung wanted him to.

The faster and harder he went, the louder the noises flying out of Taehyung became.

Finally, after having tried to hide his feelings, to keep them in, Taehyung was so full of them that he was crumbling, melting, his love like a brightness shining inside him, threatening to burst out at every touch, every caress, every push inside him. Each and every move JungKook made was threatening to burst the dams stopping Taehyung from admitting what he felt for him.

Taehyung never wanted this embrace to end, he wanted to exist in this plane of perfection and stay here forever with JungKook and forget the rest of the world. Yet the tightening coil, the burning fire inside him would not let him.

JungKook grabbed Taehyung’s slim wrists and put his weight on them, shackling him underneath while his cock spread his tight hole, slamming into it hard, ramming into him, claiming him, until he could feel the tightness inside, the heaviness in his loins heating.

“Tae, Imma, imma can’t hold…”

Right at the last moment, JungKook felt Taehyung shift, spreading his legs even further, tilting his ass even higher until JungKook could not get any deeper, it wasn’t humanly possible. Right at that moment, all went still and quiet before the explosion inside JungKook hit and he shot his load deep inside Taehyung’s ass, screaming silently.

He was so engrossed in his own orgasm that he missed the muffled screams of Taehyung who was still rolling his hips against the bed, post-orgasmic shudders travelling his limbs when JungKook came to.

JungKook regretted pulling out because the air outside Taehyung felt cold and uninviting. Yet the vision of the milky fluid cascading out of his puffy pink hole was worth the discomfort.

He went to fetch a towel but Taehyung reached out with an insistent hum and mumbled into the covers “Here. Now.”

JungKook lay down next to Taehyung and feeling the coolness of the aircon on his naked, damp skin, he pulled the edge of the bedcover over him, rolling into it.

He didn’t stop rolling, he climbed over Taehyung and rolled him into it too until they were laying on the bed like a giant JungKook-Taehyung burrito, giggling furiously, naked limbs flying from either end.

In the warm darkness of their cocoon, where they were sheltered from all things outside, JungKook felt arms crawl around him, a face hugging his chest and a small voice whisper:

“I love you too.” He wondered if he had just imagined it. He could hardly hear for the beating of his heart.

He tried to find a way out for his face, fighting with the thick fabric, gasping for air.

When he finally found a way out, he breathed the air like he had just been holding his breath forever -maybe he had been.

He glanced down and could see Taehyung looking up at him, all wrapped up in covers and his face lit up with the widest, brightest, most beautiful smile JungKook had ever seen.

“Did you just say you love me?” JungKook teased, surprisingly confident.

“Nope. It was in the dark so it doesn’t count!” he giggled and started fighting his way out of the bundle, trying to escape the playful interrogation.

He wasn’t quick enough because JungKook found his sides and tickled, ruthlessly.

“NO!! I’m ticklish, STOP it!” he squealed, kicking and shoving at JungKook.

“I know you are!” JungKook shouted with glee and carried on until they fell off the bed, laughing so hard.

Rather than repeat it or admit it, Taehyung stood up, catching his breath, and reached for JungKook’s hand, pulling him toward the bathroom.

“Wanna wash my back?” He turned back, winking.