Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 1. In the Hour of Doom, a Golden Light Appears

Taehyung was seated in class frantically searching through his backpack for an assignment that was due to be handed in in less than 10 minutes.

His Art History professor, Professor Jung Seohyun, was known to be a hard ass who didn’t take any excuse when it came to work, he’d given out.

You could have broken your ankle, had an acute case of diarrhea or gotten amnesia, but if you hadn’t given him prior notice, you might as well count that as a failed grade. Taehyung’s case didn’t fall in any of these scenarios.

Rather it fell under, one of the most hated by Professors, categories. He had forgotten to bring it. To anyone who had the misfortune of being a teacher, this was an overused, abused and reused excuse that simply translated to ‘not doing the assignment’.

Taehyung could feel himself breaking into a sweat as the prospect of failing this task, which accounted for 30% of his final grade, loomed ahead of him like the certainty of death. He’d spent the better part of the past 2 months working on this project just to forget to put it in his bag the day before he was meant to submit it.

He didn’t know which god he’d angered for him to make such a stupid mistake. They hit him right where it hurt, like a punch right in the gut. He couldn’t afford to fail this, or any other unit for that matter, since he was a scholarship student. He needed to maintain a constant GPA of above 3.8 or risk losing his scholarship. And then he wouldn’t be able to pay the tuition fees on his own, which meant he would have to drop out of school and find a job at a convenience store, working the dead shift while fending off drunkards and creeps, eating expired kimbap and yoghurt, because his salary was too little to afford a proper meal and the only way he could continue to make his art was through artistically arranging the shelves.

He felt like he was about to collapse in a puddle of tears and snot as this bleak future flashed across his mind. He couldn’t let that happen!

Just as he was considering making a run for it and retrieving the booklet from his room, all the way across the campus, the door to the lecture hall was pushed open and his own personal grim reaper made his way in.

The chatter from his classmates immediately died down as everyone sat up in their seats and faced the podium, where Professor Jung stood. The first words out of his mouth were the proverbial nails to Taehyung’s coffin. “Good morning, I am sure that everyone completed the project assignment I gave you. Bring them down one row at a time and sign against your name on this sheet of paper to confirm your submission,” he said as he placed a couple of sheets on the table next to the podium.

Taehyung could feel all fight leave his body as he accepted his fate. Unshed tears burned his eyes as all the effort he’d put in this assignment seemed to go down the drain. The sleepless nights, gallons of coffee and energy drinks consumed, missed dates and hangouts so that he could work on it, the mental and physical exhaustion, all for nothing.

He shrank down in his seat as he watched people descend to the front and hand out their own assignments, that they had remembered to carry, unlike him who had signed his own fate of working a dead-end job for the rest of his life. Too tragic.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, the last row finished handing in their papers. He sunk lower in his seat wishing the ground would swallow him whole and spit out his shriveled carcass at Professor Jung’s feet, maybe then he would be shown a little mercy. But alas that was not meant to be because in the next second Prof. Jung was calling out his name. Taehyung could feel his anxiety rising as all eyes turned towards him. Some were pitying, others mocking, and others held amusement.

“Kim Taehyung, I’m seeing a blank space where your signature should be. I’m going to assume you missed it while handing in your paper and not anything else”. Taehyung’s heart was beating a mile a second. “Ah so this is how it feels to have a heart-attack” was the first thought that came to mind. He stared at the professor with wide unblinking eyes that radiated fear and anxiety. Prof. Jung pushed the glasses on his nose lower so that he could glare at his student with the most intimidating teacher-like look. “Where is your assignment Mr. Kim?” he asked in a stern note. Taehyung gulped as he opened his mouth to answer, “I forgot to bring it.”

The words were said in a barely whisper. Prof. Jung’s eyes sharpened as he looked at his form that was half-hidden under the desk with how low he sat. Just as the professor was about to start hailing curses upon his head, Taehyung was saved by a knock on the door. “Come in,” Prof. Jung called out.

The door opened and in stepped a figure that had everyone’s eyes widening and hearts racing. In a contradictory move to everyone else, Taehyung’s heart automatically calmed down at the sight of this person.

Jeon Jungkook had to be the most popular student on the campus. He was a tall imposing figure that was seemingly always dressed in black. He had long fluffy hair that curled against his ear, tattoos on his arms, neck and torso, piercings on his ears, right eye and the right corner of his mouth. He was muscular and looked the picture of intimidation whenever he walked around with his face a blank mask.

Despite that, he was well-loved by both faculty and students. Hailed as a genius computer science student, musical prodigy, athletics champion an artistic genius, and he was also involved in social and community welfare. He was the “golden” campus god.

He was also Kim Taehyung’s boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Taehyung watched as his boyfriend made his way towards the professor, a familiar folder in his hands that made the weight lodged in his throat disappear. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed with his hair tied in a half up half down ponytail, he was dressed in a pair of black sweats and an oversized white t-shirt his tattoos out on display for the whole world to see.

Despite having seen those muscular tatted arms millions of times, he still couldn’t help how his eyes lingered and he felt the urge to bite them.

Jimin claimed he had a muscle kink. He couldn’t even defend himself from that accusation since it was based on factual evidence. The other had caught him, on numerous occasions, “fondling”, he used that term, Jungkook’s arms, thighs and abs. He was always quick to throw shade on Taehyung for his habit of going to the gym, not to work-out, but to ogle at his boyfriend while making rather ambiguous grunting sounds.

He couldn’t help but feel that he was surrounded by traitors. He’d never been on Jimin’s case for how he was always waxing poetic about his boyfriends’ smiles. The fact he was always gushing about Yoongi’s gummy smile that could make a grown man cry or Hoseok’s sunny heart shaped smile that he swore could cure cancer was something Taehyung had to endure as his soulmate, but he didn’t go around airing his “whipped boyfriend episodes” for the whole world. Unlike Jimin, he followed the sacred commandments of “soulmateship”.

But such was life. The people closest to you are the ones you should watch out for the most. At this point he had already accepted that it was ingrained into his very soul, the need to drool over his hot as hell boyfriend and he did it with great relish. No one could blame him since this seemed to be the default setting for anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Jungkook. He was too beautiful for words to explain.

Amidst the chatter and hushed whispers, Jungkook quietly conversed with Prof. Jung, whose face was actually relaxed and not set in its perpetual scowl. It was a testament to how positive an opinion everyone had on him that even professors who usually invoked terror in the student’s hearts could have such warm expressions.

Jungkook took out a stack of papers out of the folder and handed them to the professor who then turned his gaze back to Taehyung and called for him to go to the front. Once again, all eyes in the room turned towards him this time with varying expressions of jealousy, curiosity and malice.

A shred of possessiveness and glee flashed through his heart because no matter what looks they gave him; it wouldn’t change the fact that Jungkook was HIS boyfriend not theirs.

He kept his head down as he quickly made his way to where the Professor and his boyfriend were standing. As he reached the front, he lifted his gaze and came eye to eye with Jungkook who was looking at him with mirth filled eyes despite the last vestiges of sleep that clung to the corners of them making his usually large doe-eyes droop. Not that anyone could tell from the blank expression on his face. But after knowing him for more than 7 years Taehyung had grown adept at reading all his non-verbal cues.

And in the other’s head he was probably giggling at Taehyung’s misfortune. This is why you should never date your best friend.

The terrible habits, like laughing when you fall down before helping you up, stealing your food without even batting an eyelash, sabotaging you during game nights, teasing you about the one time you had an allergic reaction and turned into a pufferfish etc., migrate into your relationship and set permanent camp.

He couldn’t help how his mouth puckered in an affronted pout as he narrowed his eyes at the traitor, he called his boyfriend. In response Jungkook raised his pierced eyebrow and a teasing smile curled on his lips. Taehyung’s eyes sharpened in response as they had an entire conversation with their eyes.

“Enough flirting, Mr. Kim sign the form and go back to your seat, Mr. Jeon thank you for your valiant expression of love, you may leave,” the professor’s voice popped the bubble they had cocooned themselves in.

Taehyung could feel the blood rushing to his face and neck as the class burst into laughter. He tore his gaze away and rushed to do as instructed. His traitorous boyfriend on the other hand seemed to enjoy his embarrassment as instead of leaving he actually moved closer to him and ruffled his hair.

Taehyung let out an embarrassing squeak as he jumped away from him. He whirled around to glare daggers at the other who just chuckled fondly as if witnessing a cute puppy trying to seem threatening.

“Ah Professor Jung, my Taehyungie Hyung is the forgetful type. He worked too hard on this assignment just to fail because he was too distracted by his boyfriend to remember to put it in his bag. I have to take responsibility. I’m sorry for my fault,” he said all this with his eyes never leaving Taehyung, whose face had turned an alarming shade of red.

His mouth opened and closed numerous times, but no words came out. It took him more than a few seconds to get his bearing after which he shot out his arm and grabbed the folder still in the other’s arms.

He then proceeded to smack him while loudly telling him to get out. At this point even Prof. Jung stood aside enjoying the show. Taehyung pushed him all the way to door accompanied by his classmates’ laughter and his boyfriend’s evil witch-like cackling. Once at the door he opened it and pushed Jungkook outside.

He was just about to slam the door in his face when the other placed his arm against it last minute and pushing it back. Taehyung knew better than to engage in a battle of strength with the other, so he just let him do as he pleased.

His boyfriend leaned towards him lowering his head to catch his gaze that was firmly fixed on the floor. “Hyung, bring me a cup of coffee when you come back,” he said in a low soft voice, “I love you and you’re going to ace this assignment. Because I, your knight in shining amour, valiantly trekked through campus to deliver it to you. I deserve a gift for sacrificing my sleep, don’t you think so?”

Taehyung sighed in fond exasperation at his boyfriend’s antics. “See you had me in the first half but then you lost me,” he said in a tone that suggested he was so done with the other.

Jungkook flashed him a blinding bunny smile that immediately extinguished the fire in his chest, but he was determined to persevere. Mama didn’t raise no weak… Before he could finish that thought Prof. Jung, who was starting to feel like a glaring lightbulb in this lover’s “quarrel”, cleared his throat loudly.

Taehyung startled in place his gaze flying behind him where all his classmates and professor were watching him and his boyfriend put on a show for them.

That’s it he was DONE. He was quitting school and moving to Antarctica to embark on his life as an Eskimo. And he was not bringing his boyfriend, sorry, ex-boyfriend with him.

As if reading his mind, Jungkook grabbed his face with both hands making his mouth pucker and proceeded to peck his lips a couple of times before making a run for it. The sound of his receding footsteps and gleeful laughter the only thing left in the wake of the utter destruction he'd committed to Taehyung sanity.

Taehyung was left frozen at the doorway the gears in his head working overtime trying to process WTF just happened. “It seems like you won’t be able to focus in this class Mr. Kim. You’re excused.” These words brought him out of his stupor, and he turned a wide-eyed look towards the professor. “Don’t worry we’ll just review the previous lesson since my lesson plan has been derailed by a soap opera scene,” his tone dripping with amusement.

For the millionth time in the span of an hour, Taehyung’s face flushed a deep red. He immediately rushed to his seat, ignoring the whispers and snickering, grabbed his bag and hightailed it out of the class. But not before bowing to Prof. Jung and saying sorry about a thousand times.

He ran after his boyfriend with the intention of breaking up with him and taking full custody of their two dogs. The other deserved no one to be the big spoon in their cuddle sessions and no furry creatures to use as supplementary heaters