Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The bus went immediately quiet, save for the occasional ‘tick tick’ of the signal whenever the bus driver makes a turn, and of course, Yoongi’s light snoring. Everyone has turned to his own device and is now minding his own business. On Jeongguk’s left, he sees Taehyung leaning his head on the window and gradually resting his eyes.

Jeongguk’s not feeling guilty, he’s not. He just didn’t expect Seokjin to actually agree to it, or to admit defeat so quickly without putting up a fight with him like he normally would. It has been his thing, their thing, where he would jokingly mess with his hyung and they would retaliate back and forth before all things turn to chaos and, much later, a truce after a long messy fit of laughters. That was how things were supposed to go.

Wrong.

He was wrong about the whole scenario. He was so wrong that it was going to be funny. Not to him, at least. In fact, he’s actually really sad. Sad that it feels lonely, sad that there’s no one to play with him now for the whole bus ride. Sad that.. sad that “the walk” actually happens to be a 4km walk that sure will tire out Seokjin and Jimin whereas they could have comfortably strolled to their camp site with the rest of the band.

He doesn’t think of how unsuspecting Seokjin was when Jeongguk easily sold him out. He doesn’t think of the trace of defeat in Seokjin’s slumped shoulders when he realized he was going to be the sacrifice for the greater good. He doesn’t think of how Seokjin so very calmly walked out of the bus with the softest smile plastered on his face and said the gentlest goodbye. He doesn’t think of Seokjin. He doesn’t. As he tries to focus on Yoongi’s light snoring, and with the growing silence, the guilt eats him away slowly on the inside.

Was the ice cream really worth it?

Chapter Text

The slight commotion outside the building gets his attention and his ears perk up at the (fake) crow sound. Jeongguk jumps up from doing absolutely nothing at the table; sudden enough that the jerk of his knee shakes the table they’re sitting. Suga gives him the stink eye. 

To be fair, for the last 40 or so minutes, Jeongguk had been finding excuses to circulate around the table by the window, which may or may not be facing the entryway to their town house; the entry which Jeongguk might or might not be waiting for someone to come through. After failing to disguise his long neck, Jeongguk gives up on making excuses, like ‘I think the view is much nicer by this window’ or ‘ I’ll clean and set up the table, you guys go prepare something else’, and decides to plop right down next to Suga , who looks half-bored out of his mind and half-ready to pounce on the door at any minute.  

“They’re here!” He shouts into the house, neck turned. When the two silhouettes came into clearer view, one broad and one small, Jeongguk’s body moves on autopilot towards the front door. Why is this door latch so hard to turn? 

They all line up to make a welcome entourage for Seokjin and Jimin, with Suga at the forefront. Jeongguk doesn’t even care for one bit about how desperate he may look, but as soon as Seokjin was done hi-fiving J-Hope, he flings himself into Seokjin’s unsuspecting arms and tries to convey how sorry he felt. Judging from the imaginary hole burning on the back of his head, Taehyung is impatiently waiting for his turn.

 Jeongguk makes a squeaky noise in the back of his throat as Seokjin prys himself off and continues greeting the rest of the guys. “This,” Seokjin says as he pinches Jeongguk’s left cheek, “is for selling me out.” Jeongguk finds himself smiling cheekily at Seokjin at that, and he refuses to move from Seokjin’s side as everyone begins to scatter into the house. 

He opts for slinging his arm around Seokjin’s shoulders as they slowly make their way in. I’m so sorry I exchanged you for ice-cream. I never want to not have you around to play-fight with me ever again, Jeongguk wants to say, but settled for, “glad to have you guys back.” An idiot, that’s who Jeongguk is. 

Jimin turns his head from the front and excitedly squeaks at that, “we took so many pictures!” Several polaroids in his tiny hands, extending out for everyone to see, “look at this polaroid Jin took of me. A true beauty.” It is of Jimin lying on the ground looking absolutely heartbroken, one arm resting on his forehead to shade himself from the sun. Seokjin extends his hand out for a hi-five and Jimin gladly gives him that. 

“See? Told you I was a photographer!” Seokjin’s high pitched voice perks up to rival Jimin’s and he shoots a finger gun at him. Jimin dramatically pretends he got hit in the heart and his eyes turn into little crescent moons the longer and wider he laughs.  

Jeongguk bites on his lower lip and chances a side glance at Seokjin’s face.  

Seokjin is someone who can make something wonderful out of nothing, shares only his happiness for the sake of putting others at ease. Jeongguk may be feeling guilty or overcompensating on his part that he intensely looks for any kind of discomfort Seokjin might be hiding under his happy-go-lucky facade, but right now, at this moment, Seokjin just looks content with his usual lazy smile attached to his face. Jeongguk exhales a sigh he didn’t know he was holding, and heads out to the badminton court with the rest of the members.

-

Their poor attempts at badminton and foot volleyball rewarded them with blood, sweat, and tears, and none of the snacks they originally aimed for. “That was rough,” Namjoon coughs out after taking a sip of his water. “We need to work out more,'' he continues, shy dimples coming out on either side of his cheeks.  

“That was tragic!” Jeongguk opens his mouth to disagree, but Suga continues while doubling over, trying to hold his laughter in, “Tragically hilarious because you guys called me an ace and I barely did anything!” Suga continues to laugh while simultaneously slapping his right thigh, and a second later, he is joined by Seokjin’s strings of windshield wiping laughter. 

Jeongguk sees an opening to speak from where he’s sitting on the floor meditation style. “I personally think Seokjin did really good on the field!” He offers with his arm up in the air, keeping his eyes on Seokjin expectantly, “That was a good play. Especially the back hand swings with his left hand!” Suga properly stands up from his spot, shakes his head, and tsks. 

Seokjin heaves mid-laugh and pads towards Jeongguk in lazy strides, “Aww, thanks, Jeongguk.” He wipes the corner of his eye, keeping his laughter in, “It’s because the rest of you were equally bad.” Seokjin hi-fives his raised hand, and even the insult feels like a victory to Jeongguk. 

He gives Seokjin a toothy grin when Seokjin motions to sit down next to him. Jeongguk quickly unhooks his right leg from meditation style and stretches it out behind Seokjin, encasing him. He moves closer to Seokjin and hooks his chin on Seokjin’s left shoulder. 

This close, Jeongguk notice all the flaws Seokjin doesn’t have and all the things Jeongguk files away as Things Jeongguk Adores . The short little eyelashes that fan over his cheeks, his little purple capillaries under the clear skin, the peach fuzz that’s starting to grow around the side of his jaw, and the warmth that radiates from Seokjin’s human-furnace body. Jeongguk casts his eyes down and shifts a little closer. 

Seokjin looks up from trying to decipher the game, his hands busy with tiny monkeys and the colorful sticks that come with the game. “Is it just me or are you especially clingy today?” Seokjin turns in his direction, and his eyes are slightly crossed trying to look at Jeongguk in the eye in that proximity. 

“It’s just you,” Jeongguk shrugs and lazily answers, eyes focusing on the game in Seokjin’s hands, aiming for a nonchalant look although his stomach is doing somersaults on the inside.  Jimin hiccups somewhere in the back while Taehyung and J-Hope make a beeline for the fridge.  

Seokjin stares at him a beat longer then bumps Jeongguk’s head with his, “If you say so, JK,” and goes back to his game, a teasing smirk attached to the corner of his lips. Something twinkles inside Jeongguk, seeing the knowing look Seokjin gave, and he swallows thickly. Be still, my poor heart. Across the room Suga gestures towards Seokjin with a salute and stalks off to take a nap in one of the rooms, mumbling something about idiots and heart eyes. Jeongguk straightens himself and unhooks his chin from Seokjin’s shoulder. 

“Well, I, also, am gonna take a nap,” Seokjin stands up and says from his spot, stretching his arms out, and Jeongguk’s eyes follow him. “I would love to entertain you out here but,” Jeongguk bites his bottom lip nervously, guilty, waiting for Seokjin to continue. “My old bones went through a lot of things today; a long 40 km walk,” he says with a dramatic sigh, “a koala Jimin,” Seokjin pauses, and the teasing look is back in his eyes, “and betrayal!” Seokjin finishes without actual bite in his words. 

There’s no real bite in Seokjin’s words and it was a light teasing, but Jeongguk stills nonetheless. He makes the mistake of looking up and sees something tender flashes across Seokjin’s face. Seokjin’s eyes are knowing and inviting, and Jeongguk stumbles to find words to say .   

Seokjin waits.  

Jeongguk blinks.  

Jimin sneezes, and the moment breaks. 

Seokjin sighs again, resigned , and he makes his way to the same hallway Suga disappeared into. “Come wake me up when the food’s ready, Oonggu!” Seokjin says without looking back, and Jeongguk regrets not saying anything.

-

The sun is setting, so the light from the hallway filters into the dim room when Jeongguk opened the door. 

Jeongguk tries his best not to make a sound and sneaks towards the bed. He looks at Seokjin’s sleeping figure in the bed, and sits down at the edge. Seokjin looks so peaceful, harmless his stupid brain supplys, and the soft hums when he sleeps make something jump in Jeongguk’s chest. He lifts his hand.  

“I promise,” he says, voice barely a whisper and hand fixing the fringe on Seokjin’s beautiful forehead, “that I will never be the reason you go through a punishment, from now on.” He tucks a strand behind Seokjin’s ear, “And that, if it so happens when you have to go through one, I will accompany you on those punishments.”  

Jeongguk stands up from where he’s sitting on the edge of the bed. I should get back out there. His eyes weaver and he hesitates, debating whether he should, could, do it. Even in the dark, Jeongguk’s eyes could make out Seokjin’s facial features; his smooth forehead under the frizzy bangs, high nose bridge that slopes to a pointy nose, and.. Jeongguk’s eyes land on those budding set of lips, those stupid lips.  

Jeongguk closes his eyes and sighs, let’s not be stupid, and averts his eyes from Seokjin’s peaceful sleeping figure. He shuffles out of the room, closing the door softly behind him, and scurries away before he does something idiotic. Or something that might break what they have.

-

A smile starts to bloom on his face as soon as the unmistakable click of the door is heard, and Seokjin’s thankful for the darkness that hid his undoubtedly flushed ears. “Brat,” he says without opening his eyes, listening to the quick little footsteps that fade away from his room, and Seokjin’s content to drift back to sleep.

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