The penthouse was cozily lit by the fire in the hearth, the warmth enveloping Taehyung's frame as he was sat on one of Seokjin's highly comfortable couches, his body tucked in by a heavy blanket. It was nine pm already and the two men had gotten Chinese takeout before settling in Seokjin's penthouse to drink some coffee and chat the evening away.
Jeongguk had left for Hoseok's place that afternoon to help make the house dog-proof. They were going to the local animal shelter to look for a dog the next day and so Jeongguk would also stay the night.
Taehyung didn't like the thought of going back to an empty apartment and so he decided to extend his stay at Seokjin's for as long as he could without getting actually kicked out.
"Taehyung, I'm grateful but- I'm not sure if I'm ready to get back in the dating scene." Seokjin sighed, running a hand through his hair as he glanced at the phone number Taehyung had given him. The numbers were prettily scribbled onto the paper, the name Lana curled underneath the last digit.
"Hyung, it's been ages," Taehyung whined, flopping his arms around. "You should get out there, let the ladies see that handsome face of yours, and let them fight for your penthouse luxury."
"Hey! Those are not the only two important things about me." Seokjin protested, ready to fling a pillow at the man's head. Taehyung cackled, his head the only thing visible from behind the big red blanket he had gotten.
"Those are the only ones Jungkook always brought up when he was jealous." Taehyung shrugged. "C'mon, I promised I would set her up with a handsome, polite, and smart man."
"I do indeed possess all those qualities." Seokjin nodded, already lost in thought. Taehyung snorted as the man's self-confidence suddenly jumped out. "But that does not mean it makes me want to have a girlfriend."
"Who said anything about a girlfriend?" Taehyung grinned before turning his eyes into big pleading ones. "Just go on one date please, I'll assure you it'll do you good."
He had made a promise to Lana after all, and he couldn't fail one of his most frequent gym-goers. He had made a gay oath to be the best wingman, and he was not going to break it.
"If this goes horrible I know where to find your ass," Seokjin grumbled, his threat flying right over the man's head. Taehyung snorted. "Sorry but my ass is taken already. Jeongguk wouldn't hesitate to kick your face."
Seokjin clicked his tongue. "But you just told me he thinks that's one of my perks."
"Reasons more to relieve you of it." Taehyung grinned. He scootched closer to the edge of the couch to grab onto his mug filled with sweet coffee – he had accidentally dumped too much sugar into it – and took a hesitant sip.
"I'm glad you two worked things out," Seokjin said after Taehyung set his mug back down. "You've been looking much happier lately."
"Have I?" Taehyung hummed, "Jeongguk's been making me happy for all these years, I can't help but think he has always made me this happy."
"It's different now though, isn't it? You told me he's getting better at displaying public affection." Seokjin pointed out before grabbing his own mug and snatching a chocolate-covered cookie from the tray he placed down earlier. "You're not someone he hides any longer and I think stepping out of the shadows, finally, has made you happier and consequently has made him happier as well.
"That could be." Taehyung smiled. "I just want to see Jeongguk happy, and he has been a lot happier since our break ended so I can only be happy as well."
"That's true love, right there," Seokjin said. "And I'm sure it's the same case for Jeongguk as well."
»»————- 🥊 ————-««
"I thought we were looking for poodles." Jeongguk pointed out, watching Hoseok scurry over to a big see-through cage that held a dog that was definitely not a poodle. "You said you didn't want to deal with all the fur."
"But look at her!" Hoseok cried out, hands pushed up against the glass. His right cheek was squished against the glass, the boy's big pleading eyes staring up at Jeongguk as if he was his father and needed his permission for this. "She's so pretty."
Jeongguk's eyes flitted back to the golden retriever, whose tail was wagging in excitement, Hoseok's energy matching hers well, Jeongguk realized and then he turned to the information sticker. "It says here that her name is Clover."
His eyes went back to the happy one-year-old dog, head following Hoseok's movements as he tried to connect with the dog. "Maybe she'll bring you luck."
Hoseok had given him the task of making sure Hoseok bought the right dog: a small poodle preferably. She, Clover, was not a small poodle, but for some reason, Jeongguk believed this could be the right choice.
"I'd pick her," Jeongguk said after watching the scene in front of him for some more minutes. "Golden Retrievers are energetic, loyal, cuddly, and excitable dogs. It'd do you good to have a reason to take her on walks and brush her."
"My parents will kill me if they see all the hair strewn around the house." Hoseok chuckled, eyes locked onto hers. "All the more reason to get her."
"Clover will protect you." Jeongguk smiled before he began looking for a worker so Hoseok could be allowed to pet her before actually adopting her. "I'll go find a worker. You stay here and- make sure she doesn't get adopted before you can do so."
"I'll fight anyone coming near her cage." Hoseok quickly jumped up before doing some karate moves that looked like he was having a seizure more than anything.
"They'll think you escaped from a mental hospital instead." The boy said with a roll of his eye. "Try not to scare anyone instead."
"She's so happy!" Hoseok grinned, hand gripping onto the leash as they stepped out of the building, Clover successfully adopted. "Look at her wiggly butt! She's so cute."
"You already look a lot happier as well." Jeongguk smiled an honest smile, glad his friend seemed a lot more positive now. He hoped Clover would be there for the boy at night when he was feeling down when he had to eat dinner alone when he had to watch tv without anyone nearby to say his commentary to. Clover would be there for him. Although she was a dog, she was good company and it made all the days seem a lot less lonely.
"Thank you for joining me on this adventure." Hoseok thanked his friend who gasped at the words.
"You're thanking me for coming with you to look at cute doggos? I should be thanking you!" Jeongguk said, bumping the other's elbow, "Not let's go show Clover her new home. Though I think you might need a new doggy door because she will not fit through the one we bought."
Hoseok burst out laughing. "And the tiny ass fence I bought to keep her out of the kitchen- she can jump right over it." He turned to look at the older boy, eyes slowly narrowing. "You were supposed to convince to buy a poodle."
"Well, you shouldn't have shopped for a dog before actually getting one." Jeongguk bit back, his eyes portraying amusement.
Hoseok threw one hand in the air, exasperated. "Everyone does it! What else was I supposed to do."
"Buy a poodle."
The boy dropped his hands. "Ha ha very funny Jeon." Hoseok lied, swerving so he could bump into Jeongguk. Clover glanced over her shoulder to look at the idiotic boys.
Jeongguk snorted, hands stuffed inside of his jacket. "I know I am Jung." The boy dropped his head back and took a deep inhale. "I can't believe we used to call each other that."
"I can't believe I used to think you were the biggest asshole there was," Hoseok spoke, his voice a lot softer now. "I thought you were just rude because you wanted to be."
"I technically was."
"You just wanted to protect yourself Jeongguk, that's totally different." Hoseok intervened. "You really acted like you were on top of everyone, just to come home and be the biggest bottom there is."
"Hey! I top when I want to top." Jeongguk whined though the other didn't believe a word of it. "Sure you do."
"I do." Jeongguk protested before puffing out his chest. "I even topped when we were at Taehyung's family house. Taehyung couldn't walk the next day."
"TMI dude." Hoseok shivered at the thought. "I did not need that image in my head."
Jeongguk bumped the boy's arm. "If you're imagining a naked Taehyung then I'll knock that image right out of your head. Naked Taehyung is for my mind only."
"You really think I would voluntarily want to imagine him naked?" Hoseok cried out. "And also, you really think no one in his gym has ever looked at him and went damn I wonder how he would be like in bed."
"Not until you said that! Oh, God." Jeongguk pouted. "They would never be able to imagine him the right way. His tan thighs and broad shoulders are even better than anyone's mind could even fantom."
"Again, TMI dude, but that does make me wonder," Hoseok said. "When you bring him to our graduation ceremony, will people be either shocked or jealous?"
"Disgusted is the more likely emotion." Jeongguk chuckled. "But I don't care, I want him there and I'll fight anyone who has anything to say about it. It's not like they can expel me after I graduated."
"I'm really proud of you Jeongguk." Hoseok smiled. "Bringing Taehyung to our graduation ceremony... Four months ago you would have either vomited or ran away at the thought."
"I would have gotten slam drunk and thrown myself into a ditch, most likely." Jeongguk snorted. "But let's not think about my foolishness in the past. I've accepted he's my boyfriend and now it's time the world needs to accept it."
And we're back at the chorus of the song. We're in the end sprint now :)