aquiver

[uh-kwiv-er]

adjective

1. in a state of trepidation or vibrant agitation; trembling; quivering 

“I can't sell you shit if you don't have the money.”

“It's not that I don't have it, though.”

Jungkook sighs heavily, he leans on the wall with his back and sizes up the man in front of him.

“You said you don't have money.” he says “You know what happens when you don't have money. You don't get shit.”

Blanchard gulps hard.

Jungkook always found Blanchard incredibly pitiful. He's a middle aged guy who lives in the streets and gets by thanks to shitty pitpocketing and oxycodone. And he looks like a fucking open authopsy.

“I'm just a little short of money.” he tries “But I do have some.”

Jungkook arches an eyebrow. “How short are we talking about?”

“Thirty bucks.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes and Blanchard licks his lips nervously.

“This is the third fucking time, Blanch.”

“Help a brother out. You're a good kid, I know it.”

Right, because good kids run around selling drugs.

“Fine. I'll help you out.” Jungkook smiles “As in, you're getting thirty bucks less of oxycodone.”

Blanchard's mouth twitches and Jungkook cocks his head to the side.

“Problems?” he asks “Cuz otherwise you can either walk away with no shit or promise you'll pay me the total amount next time. But next time there's gonna be interests, of course.”

Blanchard seems to be thinking about the whole deal and Jungkook wonders if he's completely stupid. He should just take the drugs he's offering him without complaints. Hell, he should be kissing his fucking ass since he hasn't broken fingers yet.

“Fine.” Blanchard says, pulling back from his forehead locks of grey hair “I'll take the amount that I'm paying for.”

“That's a smart move.” Jungkook gets his backpack off his shoulder and opens it, taking out the paper bag with the drugs and quickly taking from it one package “Payment first.”

Blanchard quickly gets some bills from the pocket of his dirty jeans and hands it to Jungkook, the boy counts it and nods.

“A pleasure doing business.” he says as he throws the paper bag with the oxycodone pills to Blanchard “I'll see you soon, I guess.”

Blanchard gives him a military salute. “You know it, kid.”

♚


 

Jungkook has been running drugs for Yoongi for almost three years now, and he can say with absolutely no doubts that some clients are better than others.

A trophy wife in the upper side of town who wants some coke just to get out for a moment from her boring life is always better than a fratboy buying coke for a college party.

A homeless dude buying some cheap heroin is always, always, better than a filthy rich and rude business men.

Because he knows all of this, he also knows that prostitutes are the worst kind of clients. Half of the time the drugs are for their pimps, not for them, but Jungkook still has to endure a good half an hour of women cooing at him, trying to sell him their services and finally taking the fucking drugs. Then there are the other half of the times where the drugs are meant for the prostitutes against the postitute's will. Now, those are some shitty half an hours.

So when Jungkook finds out from his list that his last dispatchment is in the red lights district he groans out loud, shutting his eyes closed and wondering why God enjoys testing him so much.

Still, Jungkook knows that he's got a job to finish, so he puts his backpack back on and gets on his skateboard, heading for the address written on his list.

As he skates down the road, Jungkook realizes two things: the first one is that he really, really, doesn't want to go to the red lights district and see the dead looks hidden behind the fake smiles of the prostitutes. The second one is that he's fucking hungry and that he wants a burrito.

The sky got dark a good three hours ago, it's probably close to midnight and he almost runs right into a girl who's strolling carelessly, so he decides to slow down a little. He really doesn't need to gather attention.

He reaches the district after a few miles and he starts looking for the right address. When he finds it he groans once more. Of course it's a fucking brothel. A gay one, at that. Nice. The perfect way to end a day of work.

He gets off his board, keeping it under his arm, and gets inside. The place looks rich and expensive, probably one of the best brothels of the city, with heavy chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, walls covered with a soft red wallpaper, the floor is black parquet, no scratches.

There's a guy at the lobby, sitting behind a wooden counter, looking absolutely bored and disinterested.

“I have a delivery.” Jungkook says.

The guy looks up from his cellphone, sighs and turns his attention to the laptop.

“Yeah.” he says after a while “Room 25. Second floor.”

Jungkook nods and starts making his way there, going up the stairs two steps at a time. He reaches the second floor and he can hear unmistakable sounds muffled by the doors, he scrunches up his nose. He really doesn't want to be here.

He finally finds the room and he knocks on it twice, waiting a few seconds.

The door is then opened and Jungkook's breath gets stuck in his throat. People shouldn't be allowed to look like that. People shouldn't be allowed to have eyes with that perfect shape, they shouldn't be allowed to have such lips. They should definetely not be allowed to have skin that is tinted with gold and they shouldn't be allowed to look that good when wearing nothing but a silk white robe. People shouldn't be allowed to somehow suit dark red hair.

People just shouldn't be allowed to look that fucking beautiful.

The boy in front of him looks just slightly older than him and he seems to be sizing him up, taking a long glance at him from head to toe.

“Fuck” he says and shit, where does that voice come from? “Where the hell are your parents?”

Jungkook regains his composure and arches an eyebrow.

“I'm here for a delivery.” he says.

“Oh.” the guys's eyes light up with aknowledgment “Got it.” he turns around, opening the door completely and stepping aside “Your guy's here, darling.”

Jungkook knows better than to step inside, so he waits just outside the room as the red haired boy crosses his arms and leans on the door.

“You look young as fuck.” he says “How the fuck are you allowed to do this?”

Jungkook wants to reply that no one is actually allowed to do his job, but he closes his mouth when the actual client shows up from the bathroom, naked if it wasn't for the towel wrapped around his waist.

“You must be Min's kid.” he says and Jungkook nods “You got my stuff?”

Jungkook gets his backpack and finds the last envelope containing the plastic baggies with the coke.

“Payment first.” he says.

“Of course.” he looks no older than forty, a good looking man, he goes to take his wallet from the jacket hanging on the coat hanger. List says his name's Avery, Jungkook doesn't care. “Two hundred bucks, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Jungkook takes the eight ball and waits for the money to be handed over.

“Here.” the guy says, giving Jungkook the money “Slipped in a little extra for you.”

“Thanks.” Jungkook says as he hands the drug over “Pleasure doing business.”

“If it's as good as people say we might meet again.” the man says and Jungkook nods.

The red haired boy starts closing the door but he sends him one last smirk “See you soon, skater boy.”

When Jungkook finally reaches Yoongi's penthouse the first thing he does is falling heavily on the couch, sighing.

“Yah, get your fucking feet off my couch you brat.” Yoongi says but there's no real bite to his words.

“I'm so fucking tired.” Jungkook mumbles, words muffled by the pillow.

“Tough shit.”

“Show some pity, will you?”

“No.” Yoongi sits on the armchair in front of the couch and fishes a cigarette out of his pack, lighting it up and exhaling a lungful of smoke “You already went to Hoseok, yeah?”

“Yes, dropped him the money and everything.”

“Then what the hell are you doing here?”

Jungkook flips around, laying on his back and sending Yoongi a look “Was hoping on free food tonight?”

“Not your fucking dad, kid.”

“Please?”

Yoongi rolls his eyes. “Fine, but you're getting cheap chinese take out.”

“It's better than anything I got at home.”

“How are you even still alive?”

“Honestly, I survive just out of spite.”

At that Yoongi concedes him a quiet chuckle and Jungkook has to fight off the satisfied grin that is trying to curl up his lips. He knows that, no matter what Yoongi says, at the end of the day the druglord is absolutely soft when it comes to him.

“How was your day?” Yoongi asks and Jungkook shrugs.

“'t was okay. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Blanchard was short of money again, but that's like the norm. Just gave him less pills.”

“Good thinking.” Yoongi blows out a ring of smoke, looking relaxed in a way that is rare for the young man “Everything went fine with the new client?”

Jungkook frowns. “New client?”

“Pretty sure the drop was at a brothel.”

Jungkook clenches his jaw. A pair of almond shaped dark brown eyes comes to his mind, messy red hair, a voice so deep his chest vibrated with it.

“It was fine, yeah.” he replies.

Yoongi hums. “Good, new regulars are always welcome.” he then frowns “Shit kid, you do look tired.”

“What, you thought I was playing you?”

“Wouldn't be the first time.”

“Bite me.”

“Fuck off.” Yoongi butts the cigarette in the ashtray and stands up “I'll call the restaurant so that you eat something.”

“Can I crash here tonight?” Jungkook asks “Don't feel like skating back home, too fucking far.”

Yoongi glares at him for a few seconds, sending death threats with his eyes, but in the end he sighs “Can't fucking say no to you, you're unbelievable. Sure, sleep here, but tomorrow morning I don't wanna see you when I wake up.”

Jungkook shrugs, smiling at the man. He already knows that if he'll sleep in Yoongi won't kick him out. What he will do, however, will be making breakfast for him muttering a string of curses under his breath.

Because that's just how Yoongi is.

♚


 

Two weeks go by before Hoseok tells him he has to go back to the brothel.

“What's with that face?” the man asks him, frowning but not stopping stuffing his backpack with paper bags and envelopes full of drugs.

“It's just-” Jungkook bites his bottom lip “Can't someone else go?”

“Well, no, the brothel is in your area.” Hoseok sends him a quick glance “Why? Did someone complain 'cause you're young? Asked you for an ID or some shit?”

Jungkook shakes his head. “No, nothing like that.”

“Then what?”

“I just don't like the red district.”

Hoseok grimaces as he zips close his backpack. “No one does, kiddo, but you gotta do your job. Besides, it's just one guy. You'll be out before you even notice you were there.”

“Yeah.” Jungkook clears his voice “Yeah, you're right.”

“Of course I am. Now go.” Hoseok throws the backpack at his chest and Jungkook groans “When you'll get back I'll even buy you some kimbab, how about that?”

The promise of food is enough to make Jungkook grab his skate and start the day.

There's this particular client that Jungkook really hates. His name's Leonard, he lives in a nice flat in one of the best districts of the city, always orders the finest coke they sell. Everytime Jungkook goes there he can't help but look at his wife. Not because he's attracted, she's far too old for his liking. But the woman is always sitting down on the couch during the transaction, staring at the wall, eyes emotionless, fair skin covered in blue and purple, marks of fingers tattoo her neck. Jungkook hates Leonard and he pities incredibly his wife.

And yet, somehow, he hates the brothel even more. Which is all kinds of fucked up.

But now that he's standing in front of the entrance, backpack no longer heavy with drugs as this is his last drop, he just wants to turn around and leave. He knows he can't, of course, Yoongi cares about him but he will beat him to a pulp if he skips a drop, but fuck the tentation is real.

For a moment there's golden skin in his mind and his hands start shaking.

“Fuck it.” he mutters and then he starts walking and gets inside quickly.

The same man from the other time is sitting at the lobby, he looks up from his phone for just a second.

“Room 25, second floor.” he repeats, just like last time.

Jungkook decides, as he's climbing up the stairs, that he's gonna be fucking quick with this. He'll get there, take the money, leave the eight ball, get the hell out of that place.

All of that whilst ignoring the moans coming from the other rooms.

He stops in front of room 25, takes a deep breath, knocks twice and he waits. A few seconds go by, the door opens and fuck. Fuck.

“Hey there, skater boy.” the red haired sends him a lazy grin “Good to see you again.”

Jungkook nods, eyes travelling down the boy's exposed collarbones, the rest of the skin once again covered in that damn silk robe, although this one is red. “I have a delivery.”

“Of course you do. Your client ain't here though.”

“Where is he?”

“He should be back soon, went to buy something to drink. Wanna wait inside?”

“No.”

The other raises an eyebrow. “Okay, guess we'll wait here on the doorstep, then.”

“You don't gotta wait with me.”

“Bored. Might as well chat with you.”

Jungkook hums and he drops his skate on the floor, no longer wanting to hold it under his arm if he has to wait. The red haired leans on the wall, the smile not leaving his lips but not quite reaching his eyes.

“Fuck.” he says “Seriously, how old are you?”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “Don't know how young you think I am, but I'm nineteen.”

The red haired's eyes widen up almost comically, mouth slowly opening in the shape of an o.

“Are you shitting me?”

“No.”

“I thought you were like fifteen or something?”

Jungkook scoffs. He knows he doesn't look like he's fifteen. He trained, he's good at hand to hand combat because you must be good at this stuff if you want to work for Yoongi without getting killed, his body is strong and he's tall, his shoulders broad. So what the hell is this guy's problem?

“You must be blind or something.” Jungkook says and the other clicks his tongue.

“It's not a physical thing. You're ripped as fuck, I can see that, thank you very much.” he says and Jungkook does not blush “It's this look in your eyes that makes you seem young.”

“My eyes?”

“They're all-” he gestures a bit “Sparkly and shit. Naive. Genuine. That's why I thought you were young.”

Jungkook hums.

“I'm Taehyung, by the way.”

“Jungkook.”

“Jungkook the skater boy.”

“You keep saying that.” he mutters “Still don't know if it's a reference or something.”

“Avril Lavigne.”

“Don't know her?”

Taehyung's eyes widen again. “What? You don't know Skater Boy?” Jungkook shakes his head “Basically an anthem. One of the worst songs of our generation? He was a boy, she was a girl, can I make it anymore obvious?”

Jungkook grimaces. “Those are the lyrics? I'm glad I never heard it then.”

“Yeah, I see your point.” Taehyung's eyes travel past him “There he is.”

Jungkook turns around and he sees the man from the other time walking towards them, a bottle of what looks like champagne in his right hand.

“Am I late?”

“Yes.” Jungkook says and the man grins.

“Sorry about that. Give me a moment.” Jungkook steps aside and Avery enters the room, squeezing lightly Taehyung's hip as he walks by him, he takes his wallet out of his jacket's pocket and starts taking out bills “Same price as last time?”

“Yeah.” Jungkook says as he gets the eight ball from the backpack.

“By the way, I'm probably gonna be a regular. It's true what they say, Min got the best coke.”

“He does.”

“My name's Avery. Since, you know, we're gonna meet more often.”

“I know your name.” Jungkook replies curtly as he accepts the money Avery gives him and he hands him the drug “It's written in your order.”

Avery nods, looking curiously at Jungkook before he shrugs.

“I'll see you soon, kid.”

“Pleasure doing business.”

Avery turns back as he shrugs off his jacket, walking towards the bed and leaving Taehyung to close the door. Jungkook gets his skate back and he makes the mistake of looking back at Taehyung one last time.

The red haired is smiling at him. Not one of his lazy grins, not one of his smirks. He's just smiling, softly, one of those short, small smiles that people always enjoy. Jungkook is most definetely enjoying it. He enjoys the way Tahyung's eyes light up just a little, his features looking lighter, his skin shining with gold under the shitty red neon lights.

“See you soon, Kookie.” he says before he closes the door.

It takes Jungkook a while to realize, but as he's skating back to the base to give Hoseok the money, he notices that his hands are trembling.

♚


 

Jungkook likes saturdays. Saturdays meant no dispatchments, no running around the area selling drugs to strangers, no fucking Blanchard being short of money again, no breaking fingers because that fucking junkie tried to steal his backpack.

No, saturdays meant lazying around, or maybe taking a walk, or just skating downtown and stopping at a coffee shop, enjoying the sun on his skin. Jungkook really likes saturdays.

And this particular saturday looks absolutely beautiful, sun shining in the sky, a fresh breeze breaking perfectly on his face as he skates in the shopping area just before the hipster district. It's probably just him that calls that part of the city “the hipster district” but, really, it's the most suiting name someone could come up with.

He stops in front of a coffee shop he remembers going to once with Namjoon and, if he recalls correctly, the coffe there was actually good. He puts the skateboard under his arm and walks in, a bell ringing lightly as he opens the door, the inside of the shop is as nice as the outside, couches in every corner, wooden tables and the smell of coffee beans filling his nose.

He takes his phone out as he waits in line, wondering if maybe he should take some for Yoongi as well and maybe bring it to him. If he's in a good mood he might ask him to stay for lunch. Then again, even if he's not in a good mood Yoongi will ask him anyway.

That's when someone bumps into him and Jungkook turns around to see who it was.

“Sorry, wasn't looking. Oh.”

Oh is right.

Taehyung is there. Fucking Taehyung is standing right behind him and this time he's not wearing silk robes, just a huge cream white t-shirt, ripped jeans and a bandana on his forehead. A bandana. A fucking bandana. And, somehow, he still looks good. Because of course Taehyung can pull off a bandana without looking ridiculous.

“Shit.” Jungkook mutters and Taehyung arches an eyebrow.

“Well, hello to you too skater boy.”

“Don't call me that, I'm starting to hate it.”

Taehyung smiles. “Will do. Well, fuck, didn't expect to meet you here.”

“Yeah.” Jungkook gulps “Yeah. Me neither.”

“I don't live at the brothel, you know.”

“I do now.”

“Let's have breakfast together!”

Jungkook frowns. “It's one in the afternoon.”

At that Taehyung pouts and fuck, of course this guy can somehow get cuter than he already is. “That never stopped me from having breakfast again. Come on, I wanna chat and act cute together!”

“Why?” Jungkook asks, he notices that the line has moved and he takes two steps to the cash register.

“Because we would look cute together.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “Whatever.”

“Look at you, acting all emo and shit. Cute as fuck.”

“Right.” Jungkook clears his voice “What are you taking?”

Taehyung puts a hand over his chest, gasping. “Are you paying for me?”

“I was going to, but now I changed my mind.”

“Aww, don't be like that. I'll have a mocha latte.”

Jungkook hums and turns around, walking to the cash register. He opens his mouth to order their drinks but Taehyung speaks first.

“With extra cream.”

Jungkook tries to speak to the girl standing behind the register again.

“And a donut.”

“You feel like telling me your whole order or do we have to play twenty questions before we get out of here?” Jungkook hisses.

“Damn boy, chill. This is it.”

“Good.” Jungkook smiles apologetically to the girl “An Americano and a Mocha Latte with extra cream and a donut, to take away.”

They don't speak while they wait for their orders, but Taehyung does many other things: first of all, he keeps humming, secondly he keeps jumping on the spot like an hyper puppy, thirdly he keeps pushing his red hair back and that's actually causing physical pain to Jungkook.

The moment they're out of the coffee shop with their drinks, Taehyung speaks. “Can I use your board?”

“Do you know how to skate?” he asks, still putting the board on the floor. Taehyung raises his eyebrows at him.

“Please kid, I've been skateboarding before you even knew what a porn site is.”

“That's the weirdest fucking analogy ever.”

“I've been skating my whole life. I came out of my mother's womb on a skateboard.”

“Right.”

Jungkook sighs and drops the skateboard on the ground. Taehyung smiles wide, mouth twisting in the most endearing way and he shoves the paper bag with the donut in Jungkook's arms, then he gets on the board and starts skating.

“Oh, you weren't lying.”

“Why would I?” Taehyung asks, twisting his neck to look at Jungkook behind him “To eat shit?”

“True.”

Taehyung slows a little so that Jungkook can catch up with him and walk alongside, although his pace has to be a bit faster than normal.

“You come here often?” Jungkook asks and Taehyung hums.

“I like it here. It has a hipster feel to it.”

“I call it the hispter district.”

Taehyung chuckles, he pushes with a leg the skate forward “That's such a good name. But, really, coffee is good in that shop. Donuts too. Am I going too fast?”

Jungkook has to kind of keep up with a lazy jog if he wants to hear what Taehyung is saying, but the red haired seems to be having fun and Jungkook doesn't want to spoil it for him.

“It's fine.” he says.

“Nah, wait.” Taehyung stops the skate and waits for Jungkook to get beside him, then he gets the paper bag back from Jungkook and grips his forearm “Pull me.”

“What?”

“You walk and drag me with you. So you don't have to run a fucking marathon.”

Jungkook nods and mutters an okay, he starts walking as Taehyung stays with both of his feet on the board and Jungkook realizes that this way is better indeed.

“Fuck, you got good arms.”

“Thanks.”

“And good legs.” Taehyung pauses “Good everything, actually.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes but he knows his skin is probably flushed pink. He'll just blame it on the heat.

“See! I told you we'd look cute.” the red haired nods to himself “We look like couples goals.”

“Not a couple though.”

“Not yet.”

“Right.”

Taehyung has long fingers, Jungkook notices, and his skin is warm against his. Suddenly, he shivers. Where Taehyung touches him it burns.

“How have you been?” Taehyung asks him, breaking the silence, looking at a group of kids playing in the square across the street “How was work?”

“Busy.” Jungkook replies “Tiring. As usual.”

“You just skate all day?”

“Basically, yeah. Drop the stuff, get paid.”

“Do you kill people if they don't pay you?”

Jungkook frowns “I mean, no. Not me at least, just because I didn't need to. I know of other runners who had to, it wasn't pretty. I broke a shitload of fingers though.”

“Cold blooded man.” Taehyung chuckles and for a moment he seems to lose balance, so Jungkook flexes his muscles as he tries to support his weight “Thanks.” the red haired says as he straightens up on the board, Jungkook starts walking again, Taehyung grips his arm a little harder.

“You don't have problems talking about what I do?” Jungkook asks, there's a man several feet ahead of him kneeling on the sidewalk, drawing something on the ground with colored chalk.

“Not really.” Tahyung answers “Our jobs ain't so different. We both sell goods that aren't exactly legal.”

“You don't break fingers.”

“True. I break hearts.”

Jungkook laughs at that and Taehyung smiles at him.

“Well, how have you been?” he asks “How was your work?”

“Good.” Taehyung pulls back his hair “Busy as shit. Which is good, 'cause I made a lot of money. My ass is sore as fuck though.”

Jungkook grimaces, “Please never say that again.”

“Sorry.” Taehyung giggles and fuck it, everything he does seems to stir something in Jungkook and it's getting ridiculous. Sooner or later Taehyung will sneeze and get snot everywhere and Jungkook will still kind of melt at the sight.

“Uh! Let's sit over there!” Taehyung points at a bench not far away, right in front of a playground “I really wanna eat my donut.”

Jungkook finds out, in the hours that follow, that Taehyung could probably keep a conversation alive for an entire day if he found someone willing to listen. And Jungkook is far too willing.

He can talk about basically anything, transitioning smoothly from that shitty criminal tv-show he once watched to bunnies on the moon to aliens and, somehow, to the benefits of banana peels.

Jungkook doesn't speak much, but he listens.

“Am I talking too much?” Taehyung asked him at some point “Like, are you even listening? I can be overwhelming.”

“I'm listening. What happened to the frog after you grabbed it?”

And Taehyung started talking again.

“Do you want to know how I started working at the Brothel?”

Jungkook frowns, looking at Taehyung for a while as the boy lights up a cigarette and blows smoke in the wind.

“I mean, do you want to talk about it?”

Taehyung hums, “I feel like this would be a good moment to do it.”

“Why?”

“'Cause, like, in romcoms this is the scene where the two characters randomly open up about their past. Just like that, with no reason, just 'cause they feel they're linked. I love those scenes.”

Jungkook smiles and nods, “Tell me then.”

“Well.” Taehyung drops some ash on the ground and turns around a bit so that he can look at Jungkook “I'm basically a ruined sugar baby.”

“A... ruined sugar baby.”

“Context, it's important. My parents are a fucking mess, haven't seen them in ages. My mom is a crack addict, I've seen my dad like five times in fifteen years. So at some point I just ran away and I'm pretty, right?”

Jungkook stays quiet, waiting for Taehyung to start speaking again, but the other is looking at him expectantly.

“What, do you want me to answer you?” Jungkook asks.

“Well, when you ask a question you usually wait for an answer.”

“Oh. Well, sure, yeah, you're attractive. I guess.”

“Smooth.” Taehyung shakes his head, chuckling “Anyways, I knew I was pretty enough to make a living out of it, so I tried modeling. And it wasn't bad, but I didn't make much money, I modeled for really small unkown brands. But once, at a studio, I met this guy. He was like forty or something, not so bad looking, and so fucking rich I almost fainted. And I found myself a daddy. My very first daddy. And let me tell you Kook, I was the shit back then. I had like three different daddies at once, I was making money. Then I found myself another daddy and it was a serious thing. Dude paid for this huge ass hotel suite where I lived, I had to be loyal to him and all that, except that he was married but that's another story. But then... the great downfall: I turned legal.”

“Legal.”

“Let me tell you, it doesn't matter how pretty you are, the real daddies with real money lose interest in you once you're an adult. 'Cause they're sick fucks. So yeah, ruined sugar baby. A decayed sugar baby.” Taehyung shrugs “And at that point I was far too spoiled to live on the streets. Like, I tried, but that shit wasn't pretty. You try prostituting yourself in an alley, see how fun that is. So one day I'm walking down the red district, see the brothel, go inside. I spoke to the manager and the guy gave me one look and said ‘Strip and bend over’. I'm like, is he gonna fuck me or what? But I still did as said and he didn't touch me, just looked at me for a while and then he hired me on the spot.”

Jungkook knows he's probably staring with wide eyes, but he can't exactly help it.

“And Taehyung the prostitute is born. Clients call me Taetae, I'm the second most requested. It's the shittiest job someone could ever do, the moment I get a wrinkle I'll get kicked out, but at least I can buy myself food.”

“Well, shit.”

“Shit is right.” Taehyung smiles at him, smoke coming out of his nostrils, his hair look a shade brighter under the sun “What about you? How was Jungkook the skater boy born?”

“Nah, that's-” Jungkook shakes his head “Don't really wanna talk about it.”

“Oh.” Taehyung turns serious “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you.”

“No, you didn't, it's just- it's a long story, don't feel like sharing it right now.” Jungkook shrugs “Maybe another time.”

Taehyung nods, an easy smile making it's way on his lips but before Jungkook can say anything Taehyung frowns and takes his phone out of his pocket.

“Fuck!” he almost shouts as he sprints on his feet “I'm late as hell, I gotta be at the brothel in like an hour 'cause we get a new kid today and I have to show him around.”

“What time is it?”

“It's almost seven in the evening.”

“Woah, for real? I didn't even realizes how late it got.”

“That's because I'm a joy to be around.” Taehyung smirks and waves Jungkook a military salute “Let's do this again, Kookie, it was fun.”

Jungkook chuckles and nods “Sure, let's do it again.”

Taehyung grins at him, teeth showing and lips forming a rectangular shape and he turns around, jogging away.

Jungkook stands still staring at his back until he's gone.

There are numerous things that Jungkook dislikes: being called a child, dealing with junkies that are going through withdrawal, the red district and being called by Yoongi at the penthouse even though he doesn't start working until three in the afternoon.

Still, Jungkook makes his way to Yoongi's place, hoping that maybe Yoongi is in a good mood and just wants to make him lunch.

He waves at Mike at the lobby, receiving in return nothing but a blank look and gets in the elevator, pushing the button for the seventh floor.

He arrives at Yoongi's door and knocks twice, he waits, and the door is opened by the black haired man.

“You're here.” he says as he steps aside, Jungkook enters the house.

“Well, you called.”

Yoongi nods “Let's go upstairs.”

“You need me for something?” Jungkook asks as they walk to the stairs, just now he notices that Yoongi has the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, the collar is unbuttoned and there's a light pink coloring his otherwise pale skin.

“Do you know a runner named Julian?”

“Yeah, I do.” Jungkook replies as they reach the second floor of the penthouse “He covers the areas near the dock, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Yoongi walks towards the balcony and, just like that, Jungkook gets an idea about what is going on “I have a feeling he won't work there anymore.”

Jungkook sighs the moment his eyes spot Julian tied to a wooden chair in the middle of the large balcony, Namjoon is standing behind him, arms crossed.

“The fuck did he do?”

“You'll find out soon enough.” Yoongi replies, he steps into the balcony and clears his voice “What were we talking about?”

“Coke suddenly missing.” Namjoon replies and Yoongi hums.

“You know anything about it, Julian?”

The guy is about thirty years old, Jungkook worked with him a few times in the past. Although Julian's face usually isn't painted with dried blood or dark bruises.

“I told you!” he shouts “I don't know shit!”

“Then where did my drugs go?” Yoongi cocks his head to the side “'Cause Hoseok tells me that everytime you come back from your drops money is missing. But the drugs aren't, so where are they if you ain't selling them to our clients?”

Julian licks his lips, send a nervous look to Jungkook “Hoseok got it all wrong, sir. I swear.”

Yoongi hums “I'd believe you. But I don't. Hoseok never gets anything wrong.”

“Are you keeping some for yourself?” Namjoon asks, walking around Julian “Got addicted or some shit?”

“No!”

Julian has barely time to speak before Yoongi slaps him hard enough to tilt the chair a few centimetres from the floor.

Yoongi grabs Julian's chin hard and tugs it up “You lie to my face one more time, I swear to god I'll shove a fucking knife up your ass.”

Jungkook clenches his jaw and ignores the shivers Yoongi's low voice sends him. Fuck, sometimes he forgets that Yoongi got where he is for a reason.

“You stole my shit, Julian. I want it back.”

“I don't think he kept it for himself.” Jungkook says and Yoongi turns around to look at him, arching an eyebrow “Doesn't Muangyay's clan operate in the area around the docks?”

Yoongi's lips quirck up as he catches on.

“He probably sells the coke to them 'cause they got cheap shit.” Jungkook says and Yoongi nods, Namjoon sends him a grin.

“Is that what you've been doing, Julian?” Yoongi asks, turning to the tied man “You've been selling to Thais our coke for blown prices so you keep a little extra?”

Julian doesn't reply but he glares at Jungkook, sweat damping his clothes.

“That's the dumbest shit someone could ever do. You thought we wouldn't notice?” Namjoon asks, Julian keeps quiet. He probably knows there's not much he can do at this point.

“This bitch thinks he can act like a cheap drug dealer, I'm fucking disgusted.” Yoongi shakes his head and he takes the packet of cigarette from the back pocket of his black trousers, he lights one up and drops ash on Julian's head “You know what to do, Joons. Also, send Muangyay an ear of this asshole, or a finger, I don't care. So that they know they really shouldn't try and fuck with us.”

“Wait!” Julian shouts “Wait, please, I- I fucked up but I'm not gonna do that again! I swear, sir, I fucking swear! I-I have infos on the Thai clan, they might be useful! I can be of help, please, I-”

“Like I give a shit.” Yoongi turns around and motions for Jungkook to get back inside with him “Learn how to beg like a man, you fucking bitch.”

Jungkook follows silently Yoongi back inside the house, lips pressed in a thin line, ignoring the pleads Julian is screaming.

Jungkook knows how it works: the moment you mess something up you find yourself on Yoongi's balcony, Namjoon does whatever it is he does, he drags your body down the parking using Yoongi's private elevator and then you're dumped somewhere. Jungkook saw it happening so many times it stopped being upsetting.

“I can't fucking stand mondays.” Yoongi mutters, ruffling his black hair “How are you holding up kid?”

“I'm good.” Jungkook replies once they reach the bottom level of the house, Yoongi getures him to sit on the couch.

“Wanna stay for lunch or some shit?”

“Are you asking?”

Yoongi sighs, shaking his head and taking a drag of his cigarette “I'm really bad at this whole... conversation thing. Like, I'm trying to follow Hoseok's advices, but I'm just bad at it.” the man sits on the armchair, looking at Jungkook for a few seconds “Hobi told me you didn't want to make the drop at the brothel.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes, wondering how is it that Hoseok is Yoongi's most trusted man when he can't even stay quiet about something as silly as this.

“You never refused to do a drop.”

“I didn't refuse, I-” Jungkook worries his bottom lip. It's not that Yoongi is mad at him, he rarely ever is, but Jungkook hates this concern in Yoongi's voice “I didn't even mean it. I just don't like the red district.”

“No one likes it.”

“That's what Hoseok said.”

Yoongi hums “Any particular reason as to why you hate the place so much? Is it crude? Is the client an ass?”

The reason is just Taehyung. At this point, denying it would be stupid. Taehyung got under his skin and in his veins, colored his mind with dark red like poison and it's ridiculous.

“No.” Jungkook lies “Nah, it's just shitty. The entire district is, but the client is your average white man who got money and thinks he's not addicted.”

Yoongi seems to be studying him for a moment, eyes narrowing and his index finger tapping on the cigarette. Finally, he shrugs and nods “If you say so kid. But, like, you know that if there are issues of any kind you can tell me, right?”

Jungkook smiles, fondness taking over for a moment “Yeah, I know.”

“Okay, that's enough cheesy shit, let's go eat something. I'm talking actual restaurant, I don't like having lunch with a dead body upstairs. We're gonna have to be quick, though.”

“Why?”

“Have to meet a new possible client. Apparently he's rich as fuck, he might be good money.” Yoongi says as he stands up and goes to take his jacket from the coat hanger “His name's Wen Gao or something.”

It's been already ten minutes and Jungkook can't bring himself to step inside the brothel.

He's been gripping at his skateboard so hard that his fingers started hurting and he still can't walk in. He doesn't want to see Taehyung. Or, well, he doesn't want to see Taehyung there. And fucking shit, he really doesn't want to see Avery knowing that he can touch Taehyung the way he wants, knowing that Avery's hands don't tremble when Taehyung even spares him a look.

Jungkook realizes that he's so infatuated already, so enamoured, that this situation can only get messier and it should be up to him to stop it before it makes his job impossible.

He takes a deep breath and finally walks inside the brothel, the guy at the reception barely looks at him, Jungkook starts climbing the stairs.

Room 25. Always room 25.

A red neon light flickers and Jungkook knocks on the door, it opens after a second and Avery is there.

“Hey kid.” the man says, words slurred, breath heavy with the smell of alcohol “You're here.”

“Clearly.” Jungkook looks past Avery's shoulder and he sees Taehyung.

The red haired is laying on the bed naked, the sheets barely covering his skin, a playful smirk on his lips.

“You got my stuff?”

Jungkook nods and takes the eightball from his backpack “As usual, payment first.”

“Actually.” Avery straightens up a little “I wanna try some before.”

Jungkook arches an eyebrow “Excuse me?”

“I bought some coke two days ago from someone in a district nearby and it was cheap as shit.” the man crosses his arms “But they still made me pay for it a shitload of money.”

“That's what happens when you don't buy from Min.” Jungkook says. Avery probably got his stuff from someone that belongs to Muangyay's clan, they're the only ones who work near his area.

“Well, you can't blame me for not trusting you now.”

“If you buy coke from Thais you're just looking for it.” Jungkook cocks his head to the side “So yeah, I can blame you.”

Avery snorts, clearly amused “Look kid, I like you okay? But I ain't buying you shit if I'm not sure this is good.”

“Darling, you're drunk.” Taehyung says from the bed “You're speaking bullshit.”

“You shut up.” Avery chuckles “Just stay there and look pretty, that's why I pay you.”

Jungkook doesn't miss the way Taehyung's face darkens, he doesn't miss the way his own muscles stiffen either.

“Fine.” Jungkook shakes his head and takes a baggy out of the backpack, hands it to Avery “One stripe, then we go on, I got shit to do.”

Avery grins and takes the drug, turning around and walking towards the bed “Come on darling, on all fours.”

Jungkook frowns but Taehyung just hums and rolls over, the sheet slips off his skin as he gets on his hands and knees, Jungkook stops breathing.

Taehyung is staring at him. The dim lights of the room cast shadows across his golden skin and he's staring at him, eyes dark, lips slightly parted.

Avery kneels next to the boy and quickly arranges the coke in a stripe on Taehyung's bare back. The red haired then parts his legs more, eyes not leaving Jungkook's and he has to swallow down the wave of arousal that hits him at the sight, at the way Taehyung's back is arched, at his cock hanging between smooth tanned legs.

“You putting up a show or something?” Avery asks and slaps lightly Taehyung's ass.

Jungkook sees the way Taehyung's breath hitches, his eyes darkening more, but god he whishes he didn't.

Avery leans down, grips Taehyung's hips and, slowly, he licks away the cocaine line from Taehyung's skin.

Taehyung shivers, his cock twitches, his eyes are still on Jungkook. And fuck, Jungkook wants. He wants so bad that it stings.

Avery throws back his head, groaning, and he lick his gums “Fuck. Shit, this is the best I've ever had.”

“Of course it is.” Jungkook replies, somehow managing to train his eyes away from Taehyung “Min doesn't like it when people doubt the quality of his products.”

“Well, I won't anymore, that's for sure.”

The rest of the transaction goes smoothly: Avery gets his drugs, Jungkook gets his money.

The transaction goes also in a blur because even if he's not looking he knows, god, he can hear Taehyung rutting against the matress, eyes still on Jungkook, breath coming out faster than normal.

Avery seems to notice too as he quickly gets over with the whole deal “I'll see you soon, kid.” he says as he slams the door shut.

Jungkook stands there, almost petrified, hands shaking.

He barely registers the ride back to Hoseok's, he can only feel the strain in the muscles of his legs and the sweat clinging to his skin.

“You okay there?” Hoseok asks him as Jungkook fidgets on the spot.

“Yeah. Just tired.” he replies and silently begs Hoseok to get a fucking move so that he can get home.

“Well then go to sleep kid. You start at noon tomorrow, rest a bit.” Hoseok puts the money away and Jungkook quickly bids his goodbye.

Jungkook's pretty sure he's been standing under the shower for about an hour and he has barely washed his hair.

Under the warmth of the water, his mind travels back to the scene he witnessed back at the brothel.

Wasn't Taehyung just downright trying to seduce him? Because if he did well then, damn, it sure as hell worked. Is that how he looks on his knees for someone? Ready and willing to accept anything people would give him?

Jungkook takes a deep breath and he closes his eyes, suddenly his mind is flooded with images of Taehyung.

Of golden skin flushed red covered in a thin layer of sweat, chocolate eyes impossibly dark glistening with mirth, lips red and swollen, shiny with spit, there is purple and red blooming on his neck, his red hair sticks to his forehead.

“Fuck.” Jungkook's hand travels down his body to his dick, gripping it and stroking the length to full hardness.

He can imagine, fuck he can almost hear the kind of sounds Taehyung would make, deep moans and needy whimpers, he'd be loud and vocal because that's just how Taehyung is. And somehow, Jungkook knows that Taehyung would beg, beg for anything, beg to be touched, to be praised, beg to be filled.

Jungkook twists his wrist and he can't help the moan that leaves his chest. He rests his forehead against the tiles of the wall, breathing hard, he starts stroking himself faster, chasing his own release.

He knows Taehyung's skin would be warm and soft to the touch, he knows how fucking filthy his words would be. The way Taehyung arches his back would be sinful, hips stuttering as Jungkook stretches him open, hot and so fucking tight.

Jungkook comes with Taehyung's name grazing his lips and in his mind he can still picture Taehyung looking up at him with hooded eyes, that lazy smirk stretching his lips, hair a complete mess, body limp and Jungkook knows that he's far too gone.

♚


 

Jungkook stares at the list in his hands, lips pressed together in a tight line.

Hoseok stares at him for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. The man sits down on his chair and lights up a cigarette “Allright Kookie.” he says “Tell me what's going on.”

“Nothing.” Jungkook puts the list in his backpack “Don't worry.”

“Yeah, except that I do.” Hoseok blows out a cloud of smoke “You have that look on your face everytime you have to go to the brothel.”

Jungkook frowns “What look?”

“The look of someone who'd rather shoot himself in the balls than go to the brothel.” Hoseok's eyes soften “Come on, talk to me.”

“I-” Jungkook sighs defeated “Ok, the client, Avery, he's always with the same prostitute there. His name's Taehyung and- I mean, I guess we became friends?”

“Okay. And?”

“And I hate it.”

Hoseok nods “You hate it because you're worried for your friend?”

“I hate it because Taehyung is- fuck it, I jerked off to him last week.”

Hoseok grimaces “Bro, don't give me the details.”

“You said talk to me!”

“That doesn't mean you have to- wait, no, that's not the point.” Hoseok rubs at his neck “Okay, so you're jealous 'cause you have a crush on this Taehyung and wanna fuck him.”

“No.” Jungkook swallows hard “No, it's more than that.”

“What do you- oh.” Hoseok's eyes widen and he drops the cigarette in the ashtray “Oh, hell no Kookie. Like, absolutely fucking not, this is the first fucking rule.”

“I know.”

“You don't go around falling in love with a client's whore.”

Jungkook lets a few moments of silence go by “I mean, to be exact, he's kind of everybody's whore, he's a prostitute.”

“That doesn't change the fact that this is a bad fucking idea, kid.” Hoseok shakes his head “Have you told Yoongi?”

“What? No, are you crazy? He's gonna get pissed.”

“Please, he's soft as fuck when it comes to you. But, honestly, you should tell him. Ask him if he can change your districts, so that you don't have to go to the brothel. He'd do it for you.”

Jungkook knows that Yoongi would do it. Yoongi would do a whole lot of things for him and maybe that's exactly why he still hasn't told him.

“Yeah. Yeah, I'll think about it.” Jungkook shrugs on his backpack and grabs his skateboard “I'll see you tonight Hoseok.”

“Yeah. Yeah, sure. Be careful out there, kid.”

Jungkook is always careful on the street. He never takes hidden alleys, he never skates too fast because he must not gather attention, he doesn't walk looking at the ground trying to hide his face because that just look suspicious, he doesn't talk with people but doesn't avoid them either. He's naturally good at this, that's why Yoongi trusts him enough with the busiest area of the city. That doesn't mean he's relaxed or careless when he works. Hell, everytime he's out on the street he's always constantly on edge, eyes scanning every corner looking for police men, for runners of smaller clans that think they can get away with dealing in Yoongi's area.

In the red district he needs to be even more careful. He's young and he knows he looks even younger, so he hops off his skate and starts walking, ignoring the way some women call for him whilst standing on the doorway of whore houses and at the edge of the sidewalk.

When he enters the brothel he walks quickly to the stairs, well set on making this quick, praying that Taehyung isn't as feisty as he was last time 'cause he's not sure his sanity could take it again.

It's Avery that opens the door, this time looking far more sober than the last, wearing only a pair of jeans.

“You're kinda late.” Avery says, wallet already in his hand.

Jungkook rolls his eyes “I'm busy.”

“Shit kid, you've got the worst temper.” Avery chuckles and Jungkook kind of wants to deck him “Ah, shit, wait I don't have enough money in the wallet, let me get more.”

Jungkook looks at Avery as the man gets back inside and starts looking for his jacket and that's when his eyes land on Taehyung.

Jungkook finds out that, after all, his imagination was far too close to reality: Taehyung is laying on his side on the bed, crumpled sheets covering his body, skin covered in sweat, flushed, hair an utter mess, purple painting his neck and he looks absolutely fucked out, limbs loose and body slack. His eyes are glassy but fixed on Jungkook. They both stare at each other, Taehyung breathing slowly, Jungkook holding his breath.

“Here.” Avery reappers in his sight, holding some bills “Payment first, right?”

“Right.” Jungkook gets the money and quickly hands him the eightball, shrugging his backpack on his shoulder “Pleasure doing business.”

Before Avery closes the door Jungkook sends one last look at Taehyung. The red haired smiles at him, no grin, no smirk, just one of his careless smiles and he waves weakly at him. Then the door closes.

Jungkook sighs and starts walking back, climbing down the stairs and he heads for the exit, wanting nothing but going back home.

“Hey.”

Jungkook stops in his tracks and turns to the guy sitting at the lobby.

“What?”

“Taetae left this for you.” he says and he fishes a piece of folded paper from the pocket of his jeans, holding it to Jungkook “Told me to give it to you before you left.”

He eyes it for a second before taking it “Thanks.”

The guy nods at him and then Jungkook is out of the brothel. He opens up the folded paper and holds it under the light of a streetlamp to read the messy handwriting.

4 am. Wait for me

And Jungkook knows he will.

After leaving the money to Hoseok, Jungkook gets himself a burger, eats fast and skates back to the red district.

Once he's back in front of the brothel he looks for a clear spot where he can wait. He sees a closed sex shop with a few stairs that lead to the front door so he sits there, feet propped on the skateboard and headphones blasting music.

He waits for almost half an hour and, five minutes past four in the morning, Taehyung walks out of the brothel, immediately looking around.

Jungkook stands up and Taehyung notices him, a huge grin taking over his face as he walks over him.

“You're here!”

Jungkook takes off his headphones, leaving them hanging around his neck “You told me to wait.”

“I did. Didnt' expect you to actually do it.”

“If you told me to wait you probably had a reason, right?”

“I do.” Taehyung replies “Walk me home?”

Jungkook frowns “I- Well, yeah sure I can do that.”

“Unless you have to work tomorrow. Oh, fuck!” Taehyung's expression turns worried “It's almost dawn and you probably work tomorrow!”

Jungkook shakes his head “It's fine, I start working late tomorrow, don't worry about it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Where do you live?”

“Not so far, it's like a fifteen minutes walk. It's just that lately the streets here ain't that good.” Taehyung gestures at Jungkook to follow him “Too many junkies. And I can take care of myself, really, but you never know and I have a feeling you know how to deal with them even better than I do.”

“I do.”

“It's not the only reason, though.” Taehyung grins at him “I also kinda wanted to spend some time with you again.”

Jungkook can't help but smiling back “Yeah, that sounds good.”

The walk to Taehyung's flat isn't long, just as the red haired said, and it is true that there's a huge amount of junkies laying around in dark alleys, eyeing them as they pass by.

At some point, between Taehyung's never ending ramble about this really good manga he's been reading, they ended up holding hands. Jungkook doesn't know if Taehyung hasn't noticed how much his hand is trembling or if he decided to ignore it.

So when Taehyung asks him if he wants to come up and maybe eat something, Jungkook can only answer a helpless yes.

Taehyung's house is just like Taehyung: messy with magazines and mangas left on the floor and on every available surface, loud with the electric blue neon lamps he has on the walls, cozy with the soft huge pillows put in front of the tv on a fuzzy carpet and familiar with how much everything just smells like him.

“I like your place.” Jungkook says.

“I like it too. It's not big but it's nice.”

“Yeah.”

“You can sit wherever, I'll make something. Like, I only have instant noodles, so-”

“Let's keep the traditions alive.”

“Exactly, that was my intention.”

“Of course it was.”

Jungkook heads for the pillows and sits down on the carpet, looking around and enjoying the calmness of the house whilst Taehyung is in the kitchen. He picks up a manga that has been abandoned on the floor next to him and starts flipping through the pages, not really reading, just cheating time as he waits for Taehyung to come back.

After a few minutes, Taehyung enters the room with two steaming cups of ramen and a bottle of Ranch under his arm.

“So-” Taehyung kneels next to him and puts the ramen on the floor “I felt like making some innovative cusine. Like, a mix of cultures. I have some Ranch.”

“I can see that.”

“Let's mix them together.”

“Wait, why?”

“Everything tastes better with Ranch.”

“I'm not sure about that.”

“Ranch is the soul of America.”

“I thought paying taxes and dying was the soul of America.”

“That too.” Taehyung uncaps the bottle of Ranch “I'll do it. I bet it's gonna taste amazing.”

Jungkook wants to tell him that there's no way it's going to taste good, but Taehyung is already squeezing the bottle and letting the Ranch fall in the noodles. He takes the wooden chopsticks and starts mixing the dressing with the ramen.

“That looks-” Jungkook frowns “Good?”

Taehyung halts his movements “Honestly, it looks like someone put fucking jizz in-”

“Taehyung.”

The red haired chuckles “Let's not be deceived by looks.” he takes one of the cups and hands it to Jungkook with a pair of chopsticks.

Jungkook eyes the food for a few seconds, not really enjoying the smell that comes from it, but Taehyung is already shoving a mouthful of Ranch noodles in his mouth, so Jungkook follows his example.

They chew in complete silence for a few seconds.

“This tastes fucking disgusting.” Jungkook mutters.

“No, listen to me here.” Taehyung sends him a pointed look “In the right context, this would be the shit.”

“Context.”

“Imagine eating this at a memorial service.”

Jungkook blinks “What the actual-”

“This is the kind of food that white people would eat at a memorial service.”

“I-” Jungkook narrows his eyes “Why does it make sense?”

“Just imagine it. It's aunt Grace's funeral. They made her favorite meal, Ranch Noodles.”

“Her famous recipe.” Jungkook says and he takes another mouthful “Everytime we would ask her about it she would say that she was going to take her secret recipe with her to the grave. And she did.”

“Aunt Grace lived a long happy life.” Taehyung says, chewing.

“But they put too much make up on her.”

At that Taehyung snorts, noodles flying from his mouth and landing on the carpet and Jungkook bursts out laughing, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Fuck.” Taehyung says breathlessly, still laughing “Oh man, what's wrong with us?”

“Honestly, I blame everything on daddy issues.”

“Wow, same.” Taehyung puts his cup of noodles on the side “Let's never eat that shit again. But we should keep on experimenting, something good might come out.”

“Next time, let's just throw in barbeque sauce.”

“That sounds like a plan.”

Taehyung pats the pocket of his jeans until he finds his pack of cigarettes and he takes two, handing one to Jungkook and he lights both of them up.

“Just throw the ash in the noodles.” he says.

“It might make them better to be honest.”

“I wouldn't test that theory.”

They end up lying down on the fuzzy carpet, blowing rings of smoke, hands laying side by side, skin barely grazing, Jungkook knows he's shaking again.

“Is this one of those romcom moments where the two characters open up?” he asks and Taehyung giggles.

“I think it is.”

“Honestly, my backstory isn't even that original.” Jungkook says, voice low in the quiet of the room “My dad died when I was a baby, can't remember anything about him, and my mom remarried after a few years. Shitty step dad. Like, real shitty.”

“The drunk kind of shitty?”

“Nah, he never drank. He was just a piece of shit. He used to beat the shit out of me just 'cause he felt like it. I don't know what was wrong with him, but I lived in fear back then. I swear to God, he fucking hated me. Like, how do you hate a child without reasons? That's fucked up.”

Taehyung hums “And your mom?”

Jungkook tries to remember her face, but the image is blurred “She- I don't know, man. I think she just stopped trying at some point. With everything, I mean. After dad I guess she just kinda broke. Something broke in her and she stopped trying. My step dad never laid a finger on her, he just hated me, so when I reached a point where I couldn't take it anymore I ran away.” Jungkook inhales smoke and blows it out slowly “Which was kind of a stupid move because I was fourteen and a brat. After two weeks of basically no food and no water I just gave up and collapsed in an alley.”

“Shit.”

“Namjoon found me that night. He's a friend, works for Yoongi too. I remember he kind of just sighed, patted me on the shoulder and told me to get up, that he was going to buy me something to eat. Back then I thought that maybe he wanted to fuck me or some shit like that, but in the end he just bought me a burrito and took me at his place. Back then Yoongi wasn't the boss, he was a runner like us. They didn't let me do actual runs until I turned sixteen and I was able to take care of myself. Namjoon taught me how to use a gun, Yoongi how to get out of shitty situations, Hoseok taught me how to break fingers I guess.”

Taehyung grins at him “You speak of this stuff like it's the most normal shit.”

“I mean, it is to me. Once you realize how easy it is to break a human it stops being scary.”

“You're kind of a psycopath.”

Jungkook hums “Maybe.”

They stay silent for a while before Taehyung turns around and butts his cigarette inside the cup of cold noodles “Wanna stay here for the night? I mean, it's like six in the morning, but still.”

Taehyung's house isn't too far from the base. After all, it's still in the area he works in, and he doesn't have to go to work before two in the afternoon.

“Sure.” he replies “Why not?”

Taehyung beams at him and Jungkook falls in love just a little more “Great, 'cause I'm feeling cuddly as fuck.”

So Taehyung drapes himself all over Jungkook, propping one of the pillows under their heads and tangling their legs together, an arm over Jungkook's stomach.

Jungkook holds his breath for a few moments before he allows himself to relax, nuzzling Taehyung's hair that smells of vanilla and smoke, body warm against his.

He closes his eyes and he thinks that he's falling asleep when he hears Taehyung whispering “Why do you always tremble when I touch you?”

Jungkook closes his eyes before he can answer.

Just like all things that revolve around Taehyung, this becomes a routine.

Sometimes Jungkook will have to start working in the afternoon so he waits for Taehyung to get out of the brothel and they go back to his flat holding hands.

They would sit on the carpet and talk about their day as they try different kinds of dressings and sauces with their noodles, each time failing miserably and each time finding the right context for the meal to work.

“Imagine this at, like, a football game.”

“A football game? Seriously Taehyung?”

“A kid's football game. This is the kind of shit a soccer mom would bring, and everyone would be like ‘Oh, what is this Katherine?’ ‘Well, Debrah, these are my Caesar Noodles’”

“Fuck, why does it always make sense?”

And in the morning Taehyung would be lazy in the most endearing way, refusing to stand up from the carpet but still giving Jungkook a slurred “Have a good day, Kookie”.

Then one day, just as they're about to fall asleep curled against each other, Taehyung says it.

“Do you want to fuck me, Jungkook?”

Jungkook opens his eyes slowly, words marking themselves in his brain. He looks at Taehyung, hair falling messily over his brows, the blue neon light makes him look almost impossible.

“Do you want me to?” Jungkook asks.

“I mean-” Taehyung bites his bottom lip “I'd let you fuck me into oblivion, to be honest.”

A pause.

“But?”

“This is gonna sound weird.” Taehyung smiles sheepily “Crazily enough, I prefer cuddles over sex. Most of the times.”

Jungkook nods, closing his eyes again and holding Taehyung just a bit tighter.

“Then let's keep on cuddling. We can even make a pillow fort next time.”

“Fuck, you're so cute.” Taehyung chuckles, his breath breaking over Jungkook's neck “That doesn't mean you won't get your hands on me pretty soon.”

“Please stop talking.”

They stay quiet after that, Jungkook focuses on the rhythm of Taehyung's chest going up and down and it takes him a while to realize, but when he does he opens his eyes again, the room drowning in electric blue.

“Tae, are you crying?”

Silence.

“No.”

But Jungkook can feel wetness against his neck.

“Just-” Taehyung breaths shakily “Just touch me?”

And with trembling hands Jungkook does just that, caressing Taehyung's bare arms, his neck, his damp cheeks until the red haired falls asleep.

♚


 

Yoongi can't cook for shit. Jungkook knows this very well, but he still eats the pasta the man made for him.

“How are you holding up, kid?” Yoongi asks him, chewing lazily a mouthful of overcooked spaghettis.

“I'm good, thanks.”

Yoongi nods “If you're good then how come your body is here but your head is in a parallel fucking universe?”

Jungkook looks at Yoongi, the man staring at him with a blank expression. He's not mad, Jungkook notices, just concerned maybe.

“Is it because of the brothel?” he asks “'Cuz kid, really, if you hate it that much I'll just give the red district to someone else.”

“No, I-” Jungkook sighs and puts down the fork “I hate it there. I do. But for another reason.”

Yoongi waits for him to elaborate.

“Avery, the client, he's always with the same prostitute. His name's Taehyung.”

Yoongi closes his eyes and groans “Please don't say it.”

“It's complicated. What he and I have.” Jungkook lowers his gaze, keeping it on his lap “What Tae and I have is weird.”

“You fell for a client's whore, I can't believe you.”

Jungkook pouts “It's not like I could avoid it.”

“I don't wanna hear this bullshit.” Yoongi sighs “Okay. Okay, just don't fuck it up. I mean it.”

“Yeah, I know. I'm sorry.”

“No, don't-” Yoongi rubs the back of his neck “Don't apologize, it's not your fault. I guess. Just eat this shitty pasta, yeah?”

They sit on the couch after lunch and Yoongi, for once, sits next to him instead of choosing the armchair.

“So, this Taehyung.”

Jungkook frowns “You want me to talk about him?”

Yoongi shrugs “Jin is better at this shit, but he's not here so.”

“Well, okay.” Jungkook tries to search for words that could describe Taehyung and realizes that there are none “He's- surprising? He's a prostitute, has been for ages, but he likes to cuddle more than having sex. And he makes terrible instant ramen. He can talk about literally anything. And sometimes, when he thinks about something really hard his face goes completely blank. He has a mole on his nose, I don't know why I noticed but I did. When he smiles his lips form this weird shape that would look just plain wrong on anyone but not on him, on him it just looks right.”

“Fucking shit, kid, you're so gone.” Yoongi chuckles and Jungkook finds himself smiling too.

“I guess I am.” he pauses “He's miserable. He does a damn good job at hiding it, but he's miserable.”

“Prostitutes usually are.” Yoongi shakes his head “And you're a fucking idiot for falling in love with one.”

And maybe he is, but he can't bring himself to care when he finds himself holding on Taehyung during the early hours of the morning, when he can just look at him as he sleeps and pass his fingers in his red hair. No one could.

One night, as they're laying on the carpet, the background noise of whatever tv-show that is airing filling the air, Jungkook is talking about Yoongi and Taehyung's eyes light up with mirth.

“You and this Min guy-” he starts, grin stretching his lips “You two fuck?”

Jungkook snorts, shaking his head and then taking a drag of his cigarette.

“Nah.” he replies, nose scrunching up in distaste “He's like an older brother for me. And he basically raised me, that would be so fucking weird.”

Taehyung hums, turning on his stomach and resting his chin on the palm of his hand.

Jungkook lets a few moments of silence go by, then “Used to have the worst crush ever on him though.”

Taehyung's grin widens.

“Spill.”

Jungkook shrugs “There's not much to say.”

“Is he hot?”

“In a way he is.” the boy narrows his eyes, the blue neon lights paint the smoke of an electric celeste “He's attractive. As in he looks like a fucking porcelain doll, except that porcelain dolls can't drown you in your own piss or break every single bone of your hand whilst naming them.”

“Well shit.”

“But more than that, I guess what attracted me is the fact that he has power. When I turned sixteen he was already Min the druglord and that shit can be fascinating in the eyes of a kid. He's dangerous and powerful and I was a scrawny kid who was scared of walking by himself in a dark alley. This crush of mine disappeared pretty quickly, but back then I was kinda weak for him.”

Taehyung's smile softens, his hands find Jungkook's “Guess I'm not your type then.”

Jungkook could laugh at the irony of this “What do you mean?”

“You-” Taehyung gulps “You like dangerous and powerful men. I'm neither of those things.”

“You are.” Jungkook replies and he's surprised of how urgent his voice sounds “You just don't realize it. But you're powerful in your own way.”

Taehyung cocks his head to the side, silently guiding Jungkook's hand to his neck so that the younger boy can caress his skin “Which is?”

“I don't know. But- but I quiver when I see you. When you touch me.”

“Quiver.” Taehyung repeats.

“Yes, quiver. I quiver in front of you, you make me this way. That requires power.”

“Is that so?” Taehyung turns so that he's laying down on his side, face just shy of Jungkook's by a few centimeters “How much?”

“How much what?”

“How much power do I have over you?”

Jungkook hums, he grazes Taehyung's throat with his fingertips “Enough that if you asked me to kill someone for you I would do it.”

Something changes in Taehyung's eyes, something that is a little dark perhaps.

Taehyung then closes the distance between them and Jungkook can feel his skin itching and burning the moment Taehyung's lips are against his, moving cautiosly. Jungkook closes his eyes, lets the feeling overwhelm him for a moment before he has his hands on Taehyung's hips, kiss deepening enough to make him feel dizzy with the taste that is so utterly Taehyung, smoke and the aftertaste of that peppermint toothpaste he likes so much.

When Taehyung breaks the kiss he barely moves away, lips still touching, pupils blown wide.

“You're fucking scary, Jungkook.” he whispers, there's electric blue painting his skin “And I kind of love you for that, so what does that make me?”

“You're just as scary as I am.” Jungkook replies, lips quirking up in a satisfied smile “Maybe more than I am.”

“And yet your hands are still shaking.”

“Always.”

Like all things about Taehyung, being loved by him is loud, messy and familiar. Jungkook finds himself completely addicted to the way Taehyung holds his hands when they're watching a movie or walking back from the red district, to the sudden innocent pecks on his lips when he's in the middle of saying something, addicted to the sound of his laughter and the shape of his lips when he smiles.

Sometimes Taehyung would come out of the shower still kind of damp and naked and collapse on the bed without bothering to put on clothes and he would say “Long night at work. Hated it.” there would be a pause and then “Touch me?”

It's always a request and everytime Jungkook would comply with trembling hands sliding over Taehyung's skin in the most innocent way, tracing the lines of his collarbones, over his throat until Taehyung relaxes and falls asleep. And in his bedroom Taehyung has lilac neon lights on the ceiling so his hair take a lighter shade, something about his golden skin gets just a little bit colder and Jungkook looks at him until he forgets that their lives are fucked up.

But where Taehyung is all innocent smiles, genuine eyes and warmth he's equally dark. Because if he can love Jungkook then he has to be a little deranged like him.

Jungkook can see it the moment Taehyung comes out of the brothel that something is different, that the way the red haired looks at him is more dangerous than usual, he can feel it in the way he hold his hand hard enough to hurt.

Taehyung comes out of the shower wet, he lays down on the bed naked and looks at Jungkook for a few moments before he speaks.

“You have a gun, right?”

Jungkook nods “Why?”

“Do you have it with you?”

“Why?”

“Is that a yes?”

“Tell me why.”

Taehyung gives him one of his lazy smirks “Take it.”

Jungkook tries to read into Taehyung's words, tries to understand what he actually wants but, of course, he fails. So he stands up with a sigh and goes back to the living room where he left his backpack. He never actually used his gun on someone but Yoongi will not let him go around without it. The gun is well hidden in an intern pocket of the backpack under a thick cloth. Jungkook takes it, the weight of it still familiar in his hand and walks back to the bedroom. Taehyung hasn't moved from his position on the bed, dim lilac light painting the room.

“Come here.” he says and Jungkook kneels next to him on the matress “Touch me?”

Jungkook frowns but still moves his hand so that he can rest it on Taehyung's chest, but the boy grips his wrist and stops him “Not with your hand.”

Jungkook slowly processes the words and when he does he's pretty sure he just felt his entire body shivering “Wait, are you serious?”

“Is it loaded?”

“Yeah.”

Taehyung swallows hard “I'm serious.”

Jungkook stays unmoving for a few seconds, taking in the anticipation in Taehyung's eyes, the way his body seems to be thrumming with excitement.

“Fine.” he says, moving so that he's hovering over Taehyung “But I'm switching the safety on.”

Something in Taehyung's eyes changes and Jungkook scoffs “What the fuck, are you actually disappointed?”

“Shut up.” Taehyung reaches over and tugs at Jungkook's shirt “You might want to take your clothes off.”

Jungkook puts the gun down on the matress and quickly gets rid of his t-shirt, tossing it on the floor, and then does the same with his sweatpants until he's only wearing his boxers.

“Fuck, I love your legs.” Taehyung breathes out, teasing smile stretching his lips.

Jungkook ignores the heat on his face and takes the gun, he switches the safety on and sends a look at the boy beneath him “Are you actually sure?”

“I'll teach you one thing about me, Kook. If I say something, I always mean it.” Taehyung wets his lips “Seriously, do it.”

Jungkook takes a moment to try and calm down the damn mess that his clouding his head, he fails, and slowly lets the muzzle of the gun graze Taehyung's arm. There's a sharp breath, Taehyung shivers, his hair stick up on his arms.

“Shit.” Jungkook groans, the weight of the gun is suddenly too real “Shit, Tae.”

Jungkook moves the gun over Taehyung's chest, the barrel touching Taehyung's nipple and the red haired's breath hitches in his throat, Jungkook can feel himself getting hard in his boxers.

“You like that?” he asks, Taehyung nods weakly.

Jungkook holds the gun so that the muzzle is on Taehyung's nipple and presses down, the sound that escapes Taehyung's lips is deep and so fucking needy that Jungkook closes his eyes for a moment “Why do you like this?”

Taehyung swallows before answering “Could say the- the same about you.”

Jungkook lets his hand wander on Taehyung's thigh before he grips his waist and pulls him closer to him “Tell me why you like it. How does it feel?”

“It's-” the gun is over Taehyung's throat and the boy shuts his eyes closed “You're not the only one who's into danger. It's- it's about power.”

“Power.” Jungkook repeats as he presses the muzzle down hard enough to cut for a second Taehyung's breath, his hips stutter, his cock already hard and fuck, Jungkook barely laid a finger on him.

“It's the exchange of power. You- you have power over me but fuck.” Taehyung moans as the gun is pressed against his forehead “But I'm giving you the power to do this to me.”

“Have you ever done this with your clients?”

Taehyung shakes his head “Don't trust 'em enough.”

Jungkook feels fondness taking over him and it sounds stupid but, christ, Taehyung is trusting with something so twisted and he really shouldn't like it this much and yet...

Taehyung moves his legs so that Jungkook's thigh is between them and then lifts his hips, sighing as his cock slides against his leg “Sooner or later I ah- I will ride your thighs until I come.”

Jungkook licks his lips, the barrel of the gun sliding down Taehyung's temple “What happened to ‘I prefer cuddles over sex’?”

“I said most of the times.” Taehyung grinds against his thigh harder, moan escaping his chest “Shit. Fuck my mouth with it.”

Jungkook groans and he grips Taehyung's hips hard enough to leave bruises. Shit, he hopes it's gonna leave bruises. He eyes the marks on Taehyung's neck, left by nameless strangers and he licks his lips.

Jungkook moves the gun until the muzzle is pressed lightly against Taehyung's lips and the red haired tilts his head a little before he licks along the length of the barrel, eyes fixed on Jungkook.

“That time at the brothel, when Avery tried the coke before buying it.” Jungkook keeps his voice low but it's still too loud in the room “Why did you do that?”

“Did what?” Taehyung asks, tongue darting over the muzzle and down to the grip.

“You know what. You- fuck you look so good right now- you put up a fucking show. Why?”

The metal of the gun is shiny with spit under the lilac neon light “'Cause you were looking. I wanted you and clearly it worked.”

Another drag of Taehyung's cock on his thigh and the red haired whimpers in frustration, wanting more, he opens his mouth and looks at Jungkook, almost pleading.

Jungkook then gives in and slowly slips the muzzle of the gun in Taehyung's mouth and shit, the way Taehyung's body tenses and his cock twitches, precum leaking out, is fucking sinful.

He pushes the gun deeper, Taehyung's eyes dark and glassy, unfocused, his hips moving relentlessly against his leg, Jungkook takes Taehyung's cock in his palm, drowning in the sigh that leaves the other boy's chest, dipping the thumb in the slit and then starts pumping him lazily. He leans down, pushes the gun deeper, Taehyung's stomach tautens and finally, finally, Jungkook bites the soft skin of Taehyung's neck, where another bruise is fading, so that he can leave a new one. He sucks on the skin, pumping Taehyung's cock faster and the boy beneath him moans around the gun.

It's intoxicating, really, the way Taehyung gets riled up so easily, the way he just takes that gun like he fucking loves it.

“Are you thinking that's my cock in your mouth?” he asks, Taehyung's eyes flutter close and he whimpers “Is that how you would suck me? Shit, you should see yourself right now, you're fucking gorgeus.”

Taehyung's hips stutter, Jungkook knows he's close. He licks on the mark he just left, blooming in a pretty red on the soft skin, then stands up a little straighter.

“You wanna cum?” he asks, twists his wrist just right and Taehyung lets out another moan, eyebrows knitted together, saliva dripping out the corners of his mouth.

Jungkook stares in Taehyung's eyes as he moves his thumb over the safety grip and pushes it, a click echoes in the room. Taehyung sees it, he feels it, his eyes widen up, pupils blown wide and Jungkook pushes the gun in and out Taehyung's mouth, strokes him harder and Taehyung falls apart, body shaking as he cums over his chest and Jungkook's hand, moaning around the gun as Jungkook milks him through the orgasm until Taehyung's legs are shaking.

Jungkook slowly pulls the gun out of Tae's mouth, his body still thrumming with the aftershocks of pleasure. He looks at his hand before licking away Taehyung's cum.

“Fuck.” Taehyung murmurs “Shit, Kook, you're lucky I'm clean.”

“I'm the one who should be saying that. You came with a fucking gun in your mouth. How fucking twisted are you?”

Taehyung smirks “You have no idea. If you give me a second I'll suck you off.”

“You don't need-”

“Let me rephrase that: I really want to suck you off.”

Jungkook can feel his erection aching under the fabric of his boxers, he didn't touch himself once, so he waits for Taehyung to gather some energies back.

When he does, the red haired pulls himself up on his hands and knees and crawls over Jungkook with shaking limbs, pushing him down.

“I have a feeling I'm not gonna last long.” Jungkook admits, laying on his back.

“Good.” Taehyung mouths at his cock over the boxers, his lips red and swollen “Did you think about this? Did you?”

Jungkook nods, Taehyung pulls the boxers down, and without any warning he takes his cock in his mouth, pushing down Jungkook's hips with his hands, swallowing him down until the tip reaches the back of his throat.

Jungkook throws his head back, gripping at the sheets, letting out a string of curses.

“Fucking shit Taehyung.”

He can feel Taehyung fucking smirking around him, bobbing his head up and down, tongue flat against him and Jungkook really knows he's definetely not going to last, not when Taehyung is looking at him with eyes so dark they almost look black.

“I'm gonna- fuck, I'm gonna cum.”

Taehyung simply arches a perfect eyebrow before he swallows around him, throat constricting against his erection and Jungkook cums down his throat almost screaming his name. Taehyung flinches for a moment, eyes fluttering closed as he swallows Jungkoo's cum.

Taehyung pulls back, letting go of his cock with a wet sound, he hums and licks his lips and Jungkook forces his eyes open because Taehyung is a fucking vision like this, blissed out expression and eyes still hazy.

“You're going to be the death of me.”

Taehyung giggles and collapses next to him, fingers carding through Jungkook's hair “Who knew you had it in you to be like that? You're always so fucking cute, so this was unexpected.” His voice is deeper than usual.

Jungkook scoffs “I'm not the one who wanted his mouth fucked by a gun.”

Taehyung hums, eyes closing.

“No fucking way, Tae, you really need a shower.”

“I know.” Taehyung whines “Give me a second.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes but indulges the boy, letting him pet his hair.

“I don't-” Jungkook sighs “I don't think what we have is healthy.”

Taehyung halts his movement and opens his eyes, looking at Jungkook for a few seconds “And?”

“And what?”

“What if it's not healthy? I love you. And you love me. We're fucked up, so what? With the kind of life we have how can we not be fucked up? I wouldn't change it though.” a pause “I just want you. If this is how I get to have you then I love it.”

Jungkook doesn't fight back the stupid smile that stretches his lips “Yeah. Yeah, you're right.”

“I wanna quit.” Taehyung sighs “I really wanna quit the job at the brothel. I can't fucking stand it anymore. Besides, I think that Avery guy is falling in love with me and I really don't need that shit. Last time a client fell for me I had to move into a different flat.”

Jungkook turns on his side and snakes his arm around Taehyung's waist, kissing his forehead “Then quit.”

“And what would I do? I'm shit at normal jobs, I can't do anything.”

“That's not true. I-” Jungkook frowns “Do you want to work with me?”

“Wait, as a runner?”

“Pay is good. And you already know how to deal with junkies and shit, you know what it's like to do something illegal. You're smart, you'd do great. And you'd work with me, I wouldn't let you do drops by yourself. Runners usually work alone, but Yoongi would make an exception for me.”

Taehyung stays quiet for a long time, Jungkook can almost hear him thinking, he doesn't pressure him. He waits.

Taehyung sighs but Jungkook knows he's smiling.

“Ask him then.” he says “If he says yes, then why not? Still better than getting fucked by people that aren't you.”

“So fucking cheesy.”

“I could be even more cheesy, don't test me.”

“Absolutely fucking not.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes, looking at a very not amused Yoongi.

“Why not?”

“Because no, Jungkook.” Yoongi takes a nervous drag of his cigarette “Are you shitting me? I ain't taking a kid I don't know just 'cause you want his ass.”

“It's not like that and you know it.” Jungkook tries to soften his face, pouting sligthly “He can't work there anymore, he hates it. Shit, Yoongi, I hate it. You took me in, why can't you do the same for Taehyung?”

“He's got a point.” Seokjin says from the kitchen, fixing himself a cup of coffee.

“Stay out of it.” Yoongi mumbles and he promptly ignores the outraged gasp Jin makes “We took you in 'cause you were starving in an alley and you were basically a child. He's a grown up man, so he'll suck it up and work at that brothel or somewhere else.”

“No.”

Yoongi arches an eyebrow, something dark twists his expression “Fucking excuse me?”

Jungkook swallows hard and tries not to make himself smaller under Yoongi's glare “I said no. I want him to work with me, I want to make sure he's safe. He can take care of himself, he doesn't scare easily but he knows when to back off from something. He's smart, hell he could probably talk his way out of a murder even if he had the murder weapon still in his hands. I- I can't stand watching him as he drowns in his misery, he deserves better.”

“Oh, 'cause running drugs is so much better.”

Jin goes to sit on the armrest next to Yoongi and slaps him on the shoulder “Of course it's better, Yoons. Lots of things are better than being a prostitute in that fucking district.” Jin looks at Jungkook “Does he work at the brothel near the crossway?”

Jungkook nods and Jin's face darkens “That place is shit.”

“Brothels ain't supposed to be a walk in the park.” Yoongi reasons but Jin shushes him.

“No, Yoongi, I know about that place. They drug the shit out of their workers when they don't feel like working.”

Jungkook feels his blood run cold in his veins “Wait, are you serious?”

“Yeah, well...” Jin looks down at his mug “We used to give them the drugs.”

“Oh.” Jungkook can see as realization dawns over Yoongi “Oh, it's that one.”

“Yeah, we stopped having the manager as a client when I found out. This was when Lutz was still in charge. I think they get their stuff from the Cascones now.”

Yoongi takes a lungful of smoke, index finger tapping nervously on his knee. The man then shuts his eyes closed and groans loudly “Fuck, why am I so weak to this shit?”

Jungkook holds his breath.

“I want to meet him first.” Yoongi says, pointing a finger at him “And if I think that it's a shitty idea then-”

“Thank you.” Jungkook whispers.

“And you're going to teach him how to do everything, you got me? I'm talking weapons, drops, everything.”

“He'll run with me. I won't let him do it alone until I think he's ready.”

“Okay.” Yoongi nods “Fine. We'll see how it goes.”

Jin chuckles behind his mug “You're so sentimental, Yoons.”

“You shut up.”

“I am your fucking elder, Yoongi, learn some manners.”

“So he agreed to meet me?”

“To be honest, it's almost as if he agreed to hire you.”

Taehyung frowns, his head resting on Jungkook's lap as he reads through a magazine “That's really not what he said, judging by what you told me.”

“I know him.” Jungkook says, twisting in his fingers locks of red hair, head thrown back against the wall “He's weak to this kind of things.”

Taehyung smiles a little, flipping a page “If you say so.”

Jungkook looks outside the window, the dark sky already starting to paint with the colors of dawn, a stripe of red cutting it in half.

“Yoongi told me something.” Jungkook whispers, he feels Taehyung looking up from his magazine “He told me the brothel's owner drugs his workers.”

Jungkook looks down at Taehyung, the older boy staring at him with a blank expression. Jungkook gulps.

“Is it true?”

There's a short pause before Taehyung replies.

“It's not uncommon in brothels or whore houses.” he says “If a prostitute doesn't feel like working they have no choice but to suck it up and get to business. You either do that or you accept the consequences: having Valium shoved down your throat. Sometimes morphine if you're getting to feisty. Hell, some clients pay you a shitload of money to fuck you when you're drugged.”

Jungkook doesn't stop carding his fingers through Taehyung's hair, movements soothing and calm.

“Did you-”

“Yes.” Taehyung cuts him, jaw clenched hard “It happened sometimes in the past, yes.”

Jungkook finds Taehyung's hand and he holds it “Why didn't you tell me?”

Taehyung shrugs, eyes fixed on the wall behind Jungkook “Telling you wouldn't have changed what happened.”

“Tae-”

“After all it wasn't even that bad. I was out of it, so-”

“Taehyung, they raped you.”

And there's this moment when Taehyung's expression twists into something fucking awful that Jungkook can't name but god, it hits him right in the chest, aching hard enough to make his eyes sting.

“Can I-” Taehyung presses his lips together “Can I really call it rape when something like that happens to someone like me?”

“Someone like- Taehyung, you're human.” his hand trembles “You don't think you're entitled to be a victim because you're a prostitute? It doesn't work like that.”

“I didn't put up a fight.”

“Doesn't mean shit. Did you want it?”

Slowly, Taehyung trains his gaze on Jungkook and he shakes his head.

“That's called rape. And you are a victim and you are allowed to hate it and the people who did that to you.”

Taehyung breathes deeply, he closes his eyes, his whole body tense.

“Okay.” he murmurs “Yeah, okay.”

“Okay.”

There's a canvas of red and purple in the sky behind the window, there are electric blue neon lights painting the room and Taehyung's skin.

“You're shaking, Kook.”

Jungkook smiles “That's because I'm touching you. I lied to you, you know?”

Taehyung hums “About what?”

“I'm not nineteen.”

Tahyung opens his eyes “Wait, what?”

“I'm eighteen. I turn nineteen next september.”

“Oh my god, I'm getting fucked by a fetus.”

“God, shut up.”

Three days later, Taehyung meets Yoongi. The red haired seems completely unfazed by Yoongi's stern voice, he ignores the clear hostility the druglord radiates, just sits on the couch with a huge grin on his face.

One hour later, Yoongi is staring with wide eyes at Taehyung. He looks at Jungkook, then back to Taehyung.

“I-” he clears his voice “Kid, you could probably talk someone to death.”

Jungkook grins, althought Taehyung seems a bit confused.

“Is-” he tries “Is that a good thing, or?”

“It's a really good thing. You could confuse a policeman so bad he starts questiong whether he's actually doing the right job.” Yoongi sizes him up “And you're fucking pretty.”
“Thanks?”

“It's a good thing.” Jungkook says “Pretty people don't raise suspicion.”

Yoongi nods “I can't fucking believe I'm doing this.” he says “But I guess you have a new job.”

Jungkook hides his nose in the collar of his sweatshirt. It's getting colder, autumn slowly leaving space for winter.

Jungkook glances at his clock, it's four in the morning, so he sets his eyes on the entrance of the brothel.

This was Taehyung's last night there, the moment he walks out he's done with that place.

After a few minutes he sees the familiar mop of red hair, so he stands up from the stairs where he's been sitting and starts walking towards Taehyung. As soon as the older boy sees him he almost runs towards him, grabs his hand and drags him away, walking fast.

“Hey, everything went okay?”

“Yeah, just walk.”

“Taehyung?” Jungkook looks behind him for a second, then back to the boy in front of him “Is everything allright?”

“Just walk, everything's fine.”

Jungkook stops walking and Taehyung turns to face him.

“You need to tell me what's going on.”

“Nothing is- fuck.” Taehyung looks past Jungkook's shoulder so the boy follows his gaze. He sees someone walking towards them.

“Is that Avery?”

“Stay here, yeah?” Taehyung lets go of his hand “It's okay, just stay here, I got this.”

Before Jungkook can say anything Taehyung is already walking to Avery.

“You can't just leave like that!” the man shouts “The fuck does it mean that you're quitting?!”

“Please, you're making a scene.” Taehyung replies, voice steady “I'm done with this place, so just walk away. You'll find another hole to fuck without problems.”

Jungkook takes a few steps towards them, eyes set on the two men.

“You know that wasn't the only thing I did with you!” Avery licks his lips “Come on, you know I love you. You know, right darling?”

Taehyung steps back “Fuck, seriously, don't call me that. It made my skin crawl every time. You paid me to have sex with you and that's it, now I'm done, so it's over. I ain't seeing you again.”

Avery stares at him for a second and suddenly he looks angry “With what fucking right you're saying this shit?! You're a slut, you don't just walk away from that! Getting fucked for money is all you can do!”

Taehyung doesn't say anything, he just turns around and makes to leave, irritation clear on his face.

“I'm not fucking done!” Avery screams and grabs Taehyung's arm, yanking him back.

Jungkook is already walking to them, ready to fucking kill if necessary, but stops dead in his tracks the moment Taehyung turns around, grabs with his free hand the collar of Avery's jacket and head butts him hard enough that the noise of skull hitting skull reaches Jungkook.

Avery falls down on his back on the hard ground, Taehyung stumbles forward but he quickly regains his balance.

“Holy shit.” Jungkook runs to the red haired “Shit, are you okay?”

Taehyung blinks “My head hurts.”

“Yeah, no shit!”

“Worth it.”

Avery mumbles something, rolling on his side and trying to get back on his feet and failing, still too dizzy. Taehyung spits on the ground next to Avery's face.

“You always said ’Just stand there and look pretty, that's why I pay you‘. Well you're not paying me anymore, bitch.” Taehyung takes Jungkook's hand and tugs him along “Let's go.”

Two hours later, with the first lights of dawn, Taehyung is whining and whining with an icepack on his forehead and a huge bruise forming.

“Why does it hurt so bad Kookie?”

“It happens when you decide to head butt people.” Jungkook replies, smile on his lips and arms around Taehyung as they lay in bed “I can't believe you actually did that. You could've punched him but no, you went for a head butt.”

“It always looks so cool in movies!” Taehyung pouts “I've always wanted to do something like that and say an epic line before leaving like a badass.” the boy looks at Jungkook with sleepy eyes “Was I badass?”

Jungkook hums “Yeah, you were.”

“Besides.” Taehyung tilts his head to the side “It was either that or watching you killing him.”

Jungkook doesn't say anything. After a few minutes of silence, Taehyung starts whining again.



 

♚




 

“That's when the guy says ‘I don't have money, kid, you tell Min I'm paying next week’. And boy, was that a stupid fucking move, 'cause he said the same exact thing the week before as well so Jungkook just goes for it, you know? Grabs the guy's hand, takes his index finger and just yanks it back! The noise was fucking eerie, man, honestly, it made my skin crawl. And this dude, who's like a foot taller than Jungkookie, is just screaming his lungs out, he starts crying because Jungkook goes for his middle finger too. So yeah, it wasn't pretty.” Taehyung throws the burnt out cigarette on the ground, stomps on it with the heel of his boot.

The man who's now staring with wide eyes at Taehyung has visibly paled, Jungkook can see on his arms the yellow marks of needles, holes in his skin that are reddened.

“By the way, that's Jungkook.” Taehyung points at him, Jungkook waves with his hand and the man flinches “Anyways, what was it that you were saying about not having enough money?”

The man gulps hard and he manages a nervous smile on his chapped lips, limbs trembling “No, I- I have it.”

Taehyung arches an eyebrow “But you said you didn't have it before.”

“I was w-wrong.”

“You tried to bullshit us.”

“No, of course not.”

“You tried to convince us you didn't have money so that you could keep some more? That's-” Taehyung glances at Jungkook “That's kinda shitty.”

“It is.” Jungkook grimaces “I'm saying a pinky.”

“I'm paying you!” the man yells, suddenly searching for money in the pockets of his jeans “I'm paying you, don't- I just thought I didn't have enough, I was wrong.”

Taehyung seems to be considering it, Jungkook just enjoys the scene “Fine, whatever. Just pay us.”

The man nods furiously, takes from his pocket some dirty bills and hands them over to Taehyung with shaking hands. Taehyung gets from his backpack the heroin baggie and lets it fall in the man's awaiting hands.

“Pleasure doing business.” Jungkook says, getting on his skate and gesturing for Taehyung to follow him.

The red haired shoots a smile at the junkie before hopping on his board, pushing it forward with his leg and getting back on the open street, Jungkook skating next to him.

“Who's next?” he asks.

“Nah, we're done for today. Slow business today.”

“I'm hungry as hell.” Taehyung smoothly skates around a streetlamp “Should we try and go at Yoongi's? Maybe he'll order some food for us.”

“Yeah, sure.”

They both slow down at that and Taehyung holds out his hand so that Jungkook can grab it. He doesn't miss the satisfied smirk on Taehyung's lips when the older boy feels his fingers trembling.

After stopping at Hoseok they both make their ways to Yoongi's penthouse.

Jungkook is talking about buying a new matress, 'cause ’Really, Tae, I love our bed but there are fucking lumps everywhere, I'm too young to have a crooked spine‘ when Taehyung suddenly stops walking and Jungkook bumps into him.

“Tae?”

“Who's that fucking vision?”

Jungkook frowns and follows Taehyung's gaze. Right in front of the entrance of the building there's a car parked, black, probably american. Laying against it there's a boy and shit, Taehyung is right, he is a vision.

He's small, frame petite and slim, pouty lips with a cigarette dangling between them, tanned skin and perfectly styled pink hair.

“Oh.” Jungkook nods towards the boy “I know who he is, Hoseok told me about him. He's kind of like the sugar baby of one of Yoongi's clients.”

“And what is he doing here?”

“I think he places the orders for him?” Jungkook shrugs “Something like that. Don't remember his name, though.”

Taehyung hums. Jungkook watches as the personal driver says something to the boy, face tight and clearly impatient to leave, but the pink haired ignores him completely, taking slow and lazy drags of the cigarette, staring at nothing.

Jungkook gestures for Taehyung to move so that they can get inside and they both start walking towards the entrance.

They walk past the car and the boy before there's a voice behind them.

“You guys know Yoongi?”

Jungkook and Taehyung turn around, the boy is looking at them with a soft smile on his face.

“You work for him, yeah?” he presses “I'm Jimin. I come here every thursday for the orders.”

“Yeah, we know.” Jungkook says “And yes, we work for Yoongi.”

At that Jimin beams, eyes disappearing and cheeks coloring with pink “What are your names? We might meet again, that's why I'm asking.”

“I'm Jungkook. He's Taehyung.”

Jimin nods, smiling widely “You guys have been working for Yoongi for a long time?”

Jungkook looks at the driver, his expression getting darker and darker by the second “I've been working for him for almost five years. Taehyung for more than an year.”

“I'm the newbie, it's fucking annoying.”

Jimin giggles, he hides his mouth behind his hand when he does “And tell me, is Yoongi always so fucking grumpy?”

Jungkook grins “You have no idea.”

“Oh, so it's not because of me.”

“Nah.” Taehyung waves a hand at him “He's like that with everyone, but really he's a ball of fluff and rainbows. He just likes to keep the dangerous druglord aesthetic alive.”

There's a glint of mirth in Jimin's eyes, the slow way his full lips curl up makes Jungkook understand that the boy has full intentions on using that information “That's good to know.”

“Sir.” the driver clears his voice, Jimin throws him a bored look “We should go.”

“I'm talking, can't you see that?”.

“Sir.” the driver arches an eyebrow “It's getting late.”

Jimin frowns for a second before his eyes widen and he throws the cigarette on the ground. Jungkook looks at the change in his behavior, the relaxed person he was just talking to quickly turned into a nervous mess.

“Yeah, we should go.” Jimin manages a smile “I guess I'll see you two again.”

“Yeah, we-” Taehyung is cut off when the driver uncerimoniously grabs Jimin's arm and opens the car door for him, pushing him inside and closing it.

Jimin, from behind the glass, waves at them with a small smile before the car drives off, leaving the two alone.

“That was-”

“Fucking weird?” Jungkook finishes “Yeah, it was.”

Taehyung seems to be trying to say something but he just presses his lips tight. He looks at the cigarette on the floor, then in the direction where the car left.

“Do you know who Jimin works for?” Taehyung asks “What's the name of Yoongi's client?”

“Why do you wanna know?”

“It's-” Taehyung swallowa “I don't feel good about this.”

“The client's name is Gao, or something.”

Taehyung turns his face around sharply “Wen Gao?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Let's go home.”

“What?” Jungkook frowns “Didn't you want to go at Yoongi's?”

Taehyung shakes his head, looking down at his feet “I changed my mind, I want to go home.”

“Okay, but why?” Jungkook cock his head to the side, trying to catch Taehyung's eyes, but the other boy is staring at the ground stubbornly “Taehyung, babe, I need to know what's wrong.”

“I- I know Gao.” he replies, finally looking up “Not much, like I only met him once, but I'd rather not see him again? And I don't know if he's up there with Yoongi, he might be, you know? Or he might come later and I don't want to see him.”

Jungkook nods “Okay. Okay, let's go home then.”

The thing about their bathtub is that it's too small. That's why Taehyung insisted on buying it.

“That way we have to stay really close to fit in.”

“We'd be close even if it were larger.”

“But I want us to have no choice.”

In some way, Jungkook found it endearing enough to give in and buy it.

And truly, they barely fit inside, Jungkook has to put his legs always on the edge of the tub, but he finds out he doesn't mind it when he gets to lay against Taehyung's chest as the older boy washing his hair.

“I really don't remember how young I was when I met him, just that I was young.” Taehyung squeezes shampoo in the palm of his hand “But it was this really fucking boring party that my daddy had to attend, so he brought me with him and that's when I met Gao. He offered me an actual contract, promised to pay me with so much money I would faint at the sight. Fuck, I was even keen on accepting but that's when he says ’I'm paying you so that I have full ownership over you‘.”

“What the fuck?” Jungkook grimaces “That's creepy.”

“The fucking look in his eyes when he said it...” Taehyung shakes his head, fingers massaging Jungkook's scalp “It gave me goosebumps, honestly, it scared the shit out of me. 'Cause he meant it, you know? He believes in ownership. And judging by the way Jimin didn't want to go back but gave in when the driver urged him I'm guessing he truly owns him.” a pause “I feel sorry for him.”

Jungkook hums “Well, there's not much we can do, can we? Maybe it's not even that bad.”

“My daddy told me, that night, to never work for Gao. 'Cause anyone is better than him. He's rumored to be one of those fucking dangerous sadists, I think I even heard that one of his old toys once killed himself to get away from him.”

“Shit.”

“I don't know, it's just-” Taehyung sighs “I guess that what is upsetting me is that I could be in Jimin's place right now. If it weren't for you. Maybe I would've ended up with a guy like Gao.”

Jungkook closes his eyes and lets his head fall back against Taehyung's shoulder. Since they started living together, Jungkook's hair smells of vanilla too.

In the bathroom Taehyung has pink neon lights on the walls, they color the water of the tub in pastel.

“But you're mine, so that's not going to happen.”

Behind him, Taehyung chuckles, the sound vibrating in his ribcage.

“You said that ownership is creepy, but when it comes to you then it's fine?”

Jungkook finds Taehyung's hand under the warm water and holds it up, looking at their intertwined fingers.

“It's not only about me, it's about us. You're mine, I'm yours. That's how it works.”

“I own you?”

“You have no fucking idea.”

Jungkook sees the moment Yoongi changes. It's subtle, really. It's in the way he moves around the house, a bit more careful, his steps just a tiny bit more quiet, he barely raises his voice anymore.

At first, he doesn't understand why. Then one friday he's about to go inside the penthouse and he sees Jimin leaving the building and entering his car. It's just a few seconds, Jimin isn't even close, but Jungkook can still see fading bruises on his face, his bottom lip healing from a cut.

And he understands that Yoongi started acting that way around Jimin and now he can't stop.

He understands that Yoongi is in love with Jimin and, shit, irony can be such a bitch sometimes.

“Honestly, I guess he is.” Hoseok tells him one afternoon, counting the money Jungkook and Taehyung made during the day “I've seen them a few days ago. I got out of the elevator and Jimin was leaving but fuck's sake, I've never seen Yoongi smiling like that at someone. Or looking at someone that way, it was honestly nauseating.” Hoseok sighs “This can't be good.”

Jungkook wants to say that it is good. It's good that Yoongi finally knows what love feels like, but Taehyung speaks before he can even open his mouth.

“You're right, Hobi.” Tae says “This really can't be good at all.”

“Why did you say that?”

Taehyung frowns, looking at him with sleepy eyes and blankets covering almost half of his face.

“Say what?”

“Why did you say it can't be a good thing?”

“'Cause it's true.”

Jungkook caresses the space between Taehyung's shoulders.

“Then what about you and me? You were a prostitute too when we met.”

“It's different.”

“How?”

“When I met you I already wanted to quit. I knew I could.” Taehyung closes his eyes, already drifting into sleep “Jimin, on the other hand.”

“You think he doesn't want to quit?”

“It's not that he doesn't want to.” he murmurs “He can't quit. There's a contract around his neck, it's choking him to death.”

♚



 

Jungkook has known Blanchard for ages. That man has been one of his very first drops and for years, every week, Jungkook would have met him, discussed with him 'cause he was always short of money, and in the end gave him his oxycodone.

Jungkook knows Blanchard. Because he knows him, he feels that something is really fucking wrong when he sees him again after three weeks with no orders on his side.

“Blanch!” Taehyung exclaims as soon as he sees him, bright smile on his lips “Long time no see.”

The man gives them a small smile, it looks more like a grimace.

“Some shit came up, boys.” he says, he's got one hand in the pockets of his dirty jacket.

Jungkook frowns, looking at the constant trembling of his lips.

“Well, you're here now, so-” Taehyung gets his backpack off his shoulder and starts going through it “Got your vitamins here.”

Blanchard nods, he takes a step forward, his free hand twitches.

“You allright man?” Jungkook asks, getting closer to Taehyung “You're shaking.”

Blanchard swallows and nods “Just- It's been a while since I-”

Taehyung looks up from his backpack “Are you in withdrawal?”

Blanchard doesn't answer, Jungkook sees the moment Taehyung stops trusting the man and gets his guard up. You never trust jungkies, you sure as fuck don't trust one who's going throught withdrawal.

“It's cool, man.” Taehyung says, voice as soothing as possible “We have your stuff. Payment first, as usual.”

Blanchard takes another step forward but doesn't make any move to give them money.

“You have the money, right?” Jungkook asks.

“I- it's been-” Blanchard takes a sharp breath “It's been two shitty weeks, boys.”

“How short are we talking about?” Taehyung asks “Thirty bucks?”

Once again, no answer.

“Do you have money at all?” Jungkook looks back at Blanchard's hand hidden in his pocket. Suddenly, he feels like the air around him is too thick.

“I don't.” he finally replies.

Jungkook nods “Then we can't help you.”

“I'll pay you back!” Blanchard exclaims “Next week! I swear, even with interests!”

Taehyung shakes his head and he shrugs back on his shoulder the backpack “Not gonna happen, we both know you won't have enough money next week either.”

“You know the drill, man.” Jungkook says “You don't have money, you don't get shit. You should be kissing our asses since we ain't breaking your fingers. We'll try again next week, yeah?”

Jungkook turns around to get his board from where he left it against the wall, when he turns back to Taehyung the boy is doing the same and Blanchard is behind him. And really, he should've known, he knew something was wrong, so when he sees that Blanchard has a fucking kitchen knife in his hand the only thing he can do is screaming Taehyung's name.

It happens in a second, Taehyung turns around, sees Blanchard already launching at him and he takes two steps back, barely avoiding the knife from stabbing him in the eye. The blade still cuts him on the cheek, just below his cheekbone and blood immediately pours out.

That's all Jungkook sees before he has his hands on Blanchard.

Truly, it's almost as if it's not him who's moving, he can feel the strain in his mucles when he pushes the man on the ground and stops him from moving with a knee on his stomach, he feels his knuckles aching and his skin breaking when he punches the man, but it's not him. This isn't him acting, this is just rage. Shit, he sees red, that's all he can see, the rest is blurred, Taehyung's voice behind him is just white noise.

There's a tiny voice in his head that tells him that Taehyung is fine. Absolutely fine. The cut probably isn't even that deep, Taehyung was quick when he dodged the knife. And still, he doesn't stop.

For once in a very long time his hands aren't shaking and he knows that this time he will kill a person. Which is all kinds of fucked up considering that in the past he had far more serious situations where killing would have been far more justifiable, but this feels like the only right time if there ever was a right time for straight up murder.

He hears Taehyung speaking to someone but he's not sure who, he thinks he can hear his name, Taehyung tries to pull him back, to make him stop, but Jungkook has always been stronger. Tae used to praise him for that, he doesn't know if he'll keep doing it after today.

Blanchard has stopped struggling under him, but he's staring, breathing hard, unmoving. There's a plead in his eyes and Jungkook still can't stop.

Then there are two arms around his chest pulling him back fiercely, Jungkook struggles against it, he almost manages to free himself, but whoever it is who's holding him is strong enough to move him away from Blanchard and throw him on the ground.

“Fucking shit!” that's Hoseok, isn't it? “Fucking shit, Jungkook!”

Jungkook stands up on his feet, legs wobbling, adrenaline slowly fading away and Taehyung is in front of him, hands cupping his face.

“Stop, okay?” there's an edge in his voice that Jungkook never heard before “It's done, fucking stop! I'm okay!”

Half of Taehyung's face is drenched with blood so how is that okay? Something shifts in Tae's eyes, suddenly his voice is softer.

“Kookie, it's okay. It's not deep, yeah? It's bleeding a lot 'cause it's on my face, but really it's not that bad.”

Jungkook wants to ask him the reason as to why Taehyung looks so concerned now but then he realizes that he started crying. And it's really stupid, he's not a kid anymore, he really shouldn't cry because of a stupid cut on Taehyung's face. But by now he can't stop and his legs aren't holding him up anymore so he just kneels on the ground dragging Taehyung with him and hides his face in the crook of the red haired's neck, his body wrecked by sobs that sound so fucking childish to his ears.

Taehyung just holds him, hands caressing his hair damp with sweat.

“Shit. Fucking hell, Taehyung, you're fucking lucky I was nearby when you called me, I usually don't even have my fucking phone with me, otherwise-” he hears Hoseok saying “He's allright, yeah?”

“Don't tell Yoongi.” Taehyung whispers.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Tae, I have no choice!”

“Please?” Taehyung holds him tighter “Don't tell Yoongi.”

“Tae-”

“He'll be angry. He will, won't he? He's so protective when it comes to us, he's gonna get so pissed when he finds out, please. Don't tell him.”

There's a long silence, broken only by Hoseok's whispered curses, Jungkook closes his eyes and allows himself to try and relax, his body is still shaking but that's because he's touching Taehyung.

“I'll think of something.” Hoseok finally says “Now let's get the fuck out of here.”

Jungkook traces the line of Taehyung's cheekbone, covered by a thin white bandage.

“Told you it wasn't that deep.”

“That's not why I-”

“I know.” Taehyung smiles and goes to straddle Jungkook's lap, arms around his neck and legs around his waist “It's okay, Kookie.”

“Is it? I don't think it is.” Taehyung's nose touches his “You looked scared.”

“That's because I was.”

“I scared you, that's not okay.”

“What?” Taehyung frowns “Kookie, I wasn't scared of you. You told me, right? You'd kill for me, I know it, hell I'm prepared for it. Fuck it, I'd kill for you too. I wasn't scared of you, I was scared for you.”

“Me?”

Taehyung nods, lips grazing Jungkook's when he speaks “Wanna keep the killing to a minimum. You still have the eyes of a child, we don't wanna lose that.”

Jungkook groans “Not a child.”

“But really, I'm okay. You're okay too. I mean, your hands are fucked up, but we're fine. So let's just stop thinking about it.”

“You know Hoseok will tell him, right?”

“We don't know that.”

“Yoongi will find out eventually. I don't think he'll get mad, though.”

“I really don't wanna risk it.” Taehyung looks at him “Touch me?”

“I've been wanting to ask you-” Jungkook slides his hands under Taehyung's shirt, caressing the boy's hips “You always ask me to touch you as if I wouldn't. You should just tell me. ’Touch me‘, make it a demand, I would do it in a heartbeat, you don't need to ask.”

Taehyung's skin is warm “No one ever asked me for permission.”

Jungkook's hands stop moving.

“No one ever asked me, they didn't even demand it, they just touched. I like the taste of it.” Taehyung says “I like asking because it means I want it. So, yeah.” he tilts his head to the side “Touch me?”

Jungkook presses a kiss on Taehyung's lips and holds him closer, just a bit closer, because the fear of losing him is always there and it tastes disgusting, so he hides that flavor with Taehyung's kisses.

And kissing Taehyung is addicting, it always has been, there's something toxic in the way his tongue drags against the roof of his mouth, his teeth catching his bottom lip and his hands find the nape of his neck, pulling his hair.

Jungkook feels Taehyung shifting against him and he grabs strands of red hair, pulling only sligthly, Taehyung sighs in his mouth.

“Touch me?” but this time his voice is strained and his hips are moving against his.

Jungkook lets him go for only a few seconds to grab the lube, hands already itching to just touch again, when he does he gets rid of Taehyung's shirt and presses his lips against the column of Taehyung's throat, his breath hitches in a way that is so familiar to Jungkook.

“Wanna ride you.” Taehyung says, hips pressing against him “Wanna ride you so bad.”

Taehyung tugs the hems of his white t-shirt and Jungkook takes it off, he removes the rest of their clothes until they're naked.

Jungkook takes a moment to look at Taehyung still straddled on his lap, his skin painted with the lilac neon lights, hair a shade lighter.

“You always look so fucking good under neon lights.”

Taehyung gives him one of his lazy smirks, Jungkook learned to love those as well “Why do you think I have my house covered with those?”

“Fuck fuck fuck don't stop.”

Taehyung has an habit of grabbing his shoulders when he's high on pleasure, but Taehyung really hated cutting his nails and they were always a bit long, always digging in his skin. Jungkook learned to love that as well.

“Here?” Jungkook thrusts his fingers against the spot that made him keen and Taehyung shuts his eyes closed, making a sound deep in his throat.

“Fuck, yes. I'm ready, okay? Come on.” Taehyung whines and bites lightly on Jungkook's throat “Come on, wanna ride you.”

“Fuck.” Jungkook slowly takes his fingers out and Taehyung whimpers against his lips, moving and lining up with Jungkook's cock before sliding down slowly, eyes fluttering close and mouth opening in a silent moan. Jungkook grips his hips tight, his lips finding their way to Taehyung's neck once more, licking over the bruised skin and fuck he loves the colors of Tae's marks under that neon light.

Heat engulfs him and Jungkook groans against the warm skin, Taehyung whimpering brokenly when he bottoms out.

Jungkook starts peppering kisses against his jaw, Taehyung squirming against him.

“Hurts?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

Jungkook hums “Is it good?”

Taehyung smiles, eyes opening, lidded with pleasure, so dark against the lilac neon “Yeah.”

Taehyung lifts his hips, holds still for a moment, then sinks back down, nails digging in Jungkook's shoulders, moaning loudly.

“Neighbors are gonna fucking kill us.” Jungkook murmurs, voice breaking when Taehyung rolls his hips.

“I fucking dare them to- shit Jungkook, fuck me.”

Jungkook holds Taehyung's waist when he thrusts up and the noise Taehyung makes is enough to make him close his eyes for a moment.

“You fuck me so good.” Taehyung bites his lips, head falling back “Always so good for me.”

Taehyung starts bouncing faster, voice getting louder and moans deeper, the muscles of his thighs strained, skin flushed, strands of red hair sticking to his forehead and Jungkook pushes them aside, Taehyung locks eyes with him.

“You love me, yeah?” Taehyung asks, voice breaking “Only me, yeah?”

“Always you.” Jungkook chokes on air when Taehyung tightens around him “You own me.”

“I do, don't I?”

“Yeah. Shit, you feel so fucking good.”

Taehyung lets out a chuckle, lips twisting in a smirk, his hips rolling down on Jungkook. Before meeting Taehyung, Junkook never thought that confidence could be so attractive.

He starts stroking Taehyung's cock, wet with precum, the boy above him sinks his teeth in his shoulder, muffling his voice.

“Shit!” Taehyung's spine arches in pleasure, body working and he pulls back his head, biting red swollen lips, Jungkook just holds him tighter and he can't seem to breathe as he takes in the wrecked look on the boy's face.

“Kookie.” Taehyung sobs, moans getting longer and eyes welling with tears “'m gonna cum.”

Jungkook swallows hard, eyes still taking in hungrily every single detail of Taehyung and, slowly, he lifts his hand until the tips of his fingers graze the column of Taehyung's throat. The red haired lets out a small gasp, hips stuttering and eyes pleading, lifting his chin up and exposing more of his neck and just like that Jungkook gives in: he curls his hand around Taehyung's neck, pressing his fingers against it, he feels the Tae's blood pumping in his veins, Taehyung gasping for air as Jungkook thrusts into him over and over again until the older boy falls over the edge, mouth hanging open in a choked moan, eyes hazy with tears and Jungkook fucks him through his orgasm, chasing his own pleasure.

He loosens his grip around Taehyung's neck and drowns in the sounds that spill out of his mouth, breathing ragged and fast, usually deep moans getting higher in pitch as he fucks into him, whole body too sensitive.

“J-Jungkook.”

“I'm close.”

Taehyung's legs tighten around Jungkook's waist, the boy groans and buries his face in the crook of Tae's neck, teeth biting the skin, lips sucking new bruises.

“It's- It's too much.” Taehyung whimpers, legs shaking “Too much.”

Jungkook slams into him hard and Taehyung lets out the most desperate sound “Too much?”

Taehyung nods, head lolling backwards and Jungkook knows he's not gonna last long.

“You like it?” he asks.

Taehyung smiles, focusing his eyes on Jungkook “Fucking love it.”

He tighens around Jungkook's cock, drops his hips down to meet his thrust and Jungkook cums, nails digging in golden skin, holding Taehyung's shaking body.

“Fucking hell.” Jungkook gulps “You're gonna kill me.”

Taehyung giggles, body going slack and Jungkook barely manages to keep him up “I think I can't move.”

“Yeah?”

“Fucked my brains out.”

“You're gonna have to move, 'cause you need a bath.”

“Fuck that.”

“You've got cum dripping out your ass.”

Taehyung pouts “Don't be gross about it. Seriously, just let me sleep, I'm tired as fuck.”

Jungkook sighs “Let me grab a towel then.”

“I swear to God, you let go of me I will dump your ass.”

“Except that you won't.” Jungkook manages to move Taehyung off of him and the boy whines, falling on the matress with an annoyed expression.

“You get so fucking clingy after sex.” Jungkook says as he goes to the bathroom and gets a towel, soaking it with warm water.

“I am shocked and offended.” Taehyung replies, voice sounding weak and thick with sleep.

Jungkook kneels beside Taehyung and starts cleaning him with the towel, the other boy stays still and pliant, fingers caressing Jungkook's arm carelessly. Once he's done Jungkook throws the towel on the floor and allows himself to fall on the matress heavily. It takes Taehyung a few seconds before he's dragging himself against Jungkook, smiling against his skin as the younger boy snakes an arm around him.

“See?” he asks “We're okay, Kookie.”

“Yeah, we're okay.” Jungkook says, he tries to believe it.

“Kook?”

“Mmmh?”

“I'm so fucking hungry right now.”

“No.”

“I want ramen.”

“No.”

“Ramen with-”

“Taehyung, no.”

“Oh my God. Jungkook, instant ramen with Frank and Beans.”

“Go the fuck to sleep.”

“I'm onto something, it's gonna taste delicious.”

“Tomorrow Tae.”

Jungkook does not like the smell that those noodles have. And he mostly doesn't like the way those beans and sausage look with the noodles.

“This will be a disaster.” he mutters, but he still grabs a large mouthful of noodles and beans with his fork.

“Nah, this will be the future. The Frank and Beans noodles. The FranBeanoodles. With a name like this how can it go wrong?” Taehyung says before shoving in his mouth the food, Jungkook does the same.

They munch in silence for a few seconds.

“I feel like vomiting.” Jungkook mutters.

“In the right context-”

“No, okay, Tae, there is no right context for this.”

“Think about eating this at Christmas.”

“You and I have very different memories of Christmas.”

“It's Christmas, aunt Jane came with uncle Gerald... they brought their FranBeanoodles, the ones they like so much.”

“Okay?”

“And like, the whole family hates those goddamn noodles... but they can't say anything, because Aunt Jane gives the best presents. I'm talking Rolex watches.”

“All right, I'm listening.”

“And you have to eat them. You eat them and you even enjoy them... 'cause they taste of the promise of Rolex watches.”

Jungkook throws his fork on the table in defeat “You always find a scenario where this works, I'm so pissed.”

Jungkook doesn't see Blanchard after what happened to Taehyung. He doesn't know what happened to him, but he can imagine. He's fine with it.

And Yoongi isn't pissed, like he knew, but he is worried. And he hugs him which, really, is such a weird thing coming from someone like Yoongi, and Jungkook wants to joke saying that Jimin made him soft. Instead, he cries in Yoongi's arms.

♚



 

Jungkook loves Jimin. He thinks that loving someone like Jimin is easy, he's charming, his smile is kind, his eyes disappear when he laughs. Because he loves him, he also hates seeing how fake his smiles sometimes are, how forced his laughter is, how hard he tries to hide bruises with foundation.

He wonders if Yoongi hates it too. Maybe he doesn't, maybe he despises it so much that he stops thinking about it when he's with Jimin, drowning in misery and concern once the pink haired boy leaves. That sounds like something Yoongi would do.

“Hungry!” Taehyung whines “Kookieee.”

“Okay, saying that you're hungry will not magically cook dinner, give me a second.” Jungkook grumbles, breaking two eggs over the oiled pan.

He hears Taehyung standing up from his chair and walking to him, suddenly the boy is nuzzling against his hair.

“I'm cooking, don't distract me.”

Taehyung mumbles something under his breath that Jungkook doesn't catch, but he holds Jungkook's waist with his nose pressed against the nape of his neck. Jungkook sighs.

“But mama I'm in love with a criminal.”

“Taehyung.”

“And this type of love isn't rational, it's physical.”

“You sing Britney Spears under this roof again and I swear to god.”

“I will sing whatever I want, this is also my house.” he clears his voice “With a taste of your lips I'm-”

“That's it, I'm breaking up with you.”

Taehyung has barely time to gasp in outrage before his phone starts ringing obnoxiously “You just got saved by a phone, just so you know.”

Jungkook chuckles.

“Why the hell is Yoongi calling me?” Taehyung frowns and he picks up “Yo buttercup!”

“Oh my god.”

“Woah, calm down, what's wrong?”

Jungkook tilts his head so that he can look at Taehyung, the boy gripping his phone tight and eyes slowly widening.

“Are you serious? I- fuck, okay, yeah of course, we'll be there as soon as we can. Just- try to calm him down, yeah?” Taehyung licks his lips nervously “Okay, we're coming.”

“Tae?”

“We need to go.” Taehyung shoves his phone in the pocket of his jeans.

“What happened?” Jungkook asks, turning off the stove.

“Jimin needs me. He- shit, let's just go.”

Taehyung has never seen Yoongi upset.

At first impact, Yoongi looks completely emotionless. The more you get to know him, the more you realize that Yoongi is probably one of the most emotional people in the world, he's just very good at hiding it. Still, Taehyung has never seen Yoongi upset.

But now- god - Yoongi isn't just upset, he's fucking terrified. He stands in front of the bed where Jimin is laying down, covered with too many blankets, eyes wide and hands shaking.

“Out.” Taehyung says, waving his hands at Yoongi and Jungkook “Both of you, come on.”

“I-” Yoongi tries, but Taehyung cuts him off immediately.

“Seriously, get out guys.”

Jungkook nudges softly Yoongi and they both leave the room, closing the door behind them. Taehyung sighs and goes to sit on the bed next to Jimin.

“Have you ever tried noodles with ranch?” he asks, Jimin doesn't reply, just stares at nothing with eyes void of any emotion “It was the second thing I ate with Jungkook. Noodles and ranch, it tasted like torture.”

Taehyung sits more comfortably and starts carding his fingers through Jimin's pink hair, the boy sighs.

“It was kind of a test, you know? I wanted to see how far gone Jungkook was, 'cause it was so obvious he was in love with me. I thought 'Okay, if he eats this shit he's a keeper'. And he did.” Taehyung smiles at the memory “I never fell in love that fast before, it was pathetic. We both kind of are, I mean, Jungkook sometimes wears Iron Man boxers and that can be kind of a turn off.”

Taehyung feels Jimin shifting a little under the blankets.

“I had this client once.” Taehyung closes his eyes “His name's Lucas. He was like thirty when I met him? Looked like an okay dude, really plain. Except that as soon as he closed the door behind him he slammed me against the wall and fucked me raw.”

A short silence follows.

“Then he let go of me and I remember falling on the floor 'cause everything was hurting and my mind was a fucking mess, he threw some money at me and left. He did all of that with really steady hands, you know? Like, he was so completely at ease when he did that, he didn't care about me, probably didn't even hear me screaming at him to stop, he just kept going at it, grabbing my hair and hips with really steady hands.”

Jimin now is looking at him.

“I soon found out that all of my clients touched me with steady hands.” he says “Jungkook's hands shake even if I just smile at him.” Taehyung looks down, meeting Jimin's eyes “I think Yoongi's hands tremble too when you look at him.”

Jimin gulps hard “I-” he tries “I can't do this anymore, Tae.”

“I know.”

“I can't.”

“I know, Minnie.”

“He's going to kill me.” he whispers “Next time he won't just fuck me with a gun, he'll pull the trigger.”

Taehyung takes a deep breath before he's pulling away the blankets and snuggling under them beside Jimin.

“We'll just kill him before he does.” he says.

“Don't lie to me.”

“Even if it's not in the plan, we can kill him. If I asked Jungkook to do it for me he would. Honestly, he would kill him even if I didn't ask him.”

“I don't know if I can't wait that long.”

Taehyung clenches his jaw “You have to.”

“I didn't want to drag Yoongi into this, I swear.”

“You didn't drag him anywhere, he did it by himself.” Taehyung tries to smile “Jimin, you need to trust him, okay? He'll get you out of there, we all will.”

Jimin hums, eyes fluttering close and before he can stop himself, Taehyung speaks.

“I could be in your place right now.”

Jimin opens his eyes, looking at him in confusion.

“I met Gao before, he tried to buy me.” Taehyung swallows “It could be me going through all of this.”

Jimin breathes deeply and the smallest smile grazes his lips.

“I'm really glad that's not the case.”

Taehyung smiles too “You're too fucking kind, what the hell?”

“I'm not. I'm not kind, Tae, I'm just-” Jimin sighs “I don't even know, I'm just tired.”

“Jimin-”

“I'm jealous.” he says “Of you and Kookie.”

Taehyung nods “Why?”

“I'm so jealous of what you two have.” Jimin murmurs weakly, almost as if he's ashamed “What you have is perfect.”

Tahyung hums, fingers combing strands of pink hair “It isn't.”

Jimin lets out a tired laugh “What the hell are you-”

“What Jungkook and I have isn't perfect. Nor healthy, or-” Taehyung presses his lips together “There's something twisted that keeps us together and we find solace in it, but it's not good. It's just all we have, sometimes I wonder what would happen if I tried to change that. He almost killed a man because he tried to stab me. Before that, he almost tried to choke a client to death because he asked If I was for sale like the drugs. Also, don't tell Yoongi 'cause he doesn't know. Jungkook has the power to kill someone and the only reason he hasn't yet it's because I have the power to stop him.”

Jimin stays quiet.

“What we have is different from what you and Yoongi have.” Taehyung says “You and Yoongi- You belong to each other. But Jungkook and I own each other.”

Jimin frowns “Isn't it the same-”

“No.” Taehyung shakes his head “No, it truly isn't. Humans shouldn't own other humans, not like this, it gives us too much power.”

“Then why don't you change? Both of you?”

“I don't think we'd be able to love each other in any other way.” Taehyung shrugs “I can't breathe if I think about it. This shit's scary.”

Jimin falls silent after this, Taehyung thinks that maybe he fell asleep.

“What do I do now?” Jimin whispers, Taehyung trains his eyes back on him.

“Trust Yoongi, yeah? He's gonna help you, he's smart. And set a goal for yourself, something to-”

“To keep me alive?”

“Yeah, to keep you alive.”

“Okay.” Jimin sighs “Thank you, Tae.”

“I mean, I haven't done much.” Taehyung sits up “I'll go and call Yoongi, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Go to sleep, Jimin, you really need to rest.”

Just before Taehyung leaves the room, he hears Jimin whispering, “I want to see Detroit again.”

Jungkook didn't know exactly what he expected when Hoseok told him they were going to finally get Jimin away from Gao. He didn't know what to expect when he realized that he'll meet Gao. What he absolutely didn't expect, however, was to find out that Gao looked like the most mundane, plain man on earth.

It takes him by surprise but, somehow, it makes him want to kill the man even more. Why would someone who looks like such a plain thing have so much power over someone like Jimin? It doesn't make sense to him.

Gao sits on the armchair in front of Yoongi's desk, his hand squeezing hard Jimin's neck. Jungkook thinks he wouldn't mind cutting that hand off his arm.

Gao looks around him, he looks at Jungkook for a moment, looks at Taehyung and in his eyes something changes.

“Don't I know you?”

Taehyung arches an eyebrow, Jungkook reminds himself to breathe.

“You're a pretty little thing, hard to forget. I'm pretty sure I tried to buy you. I see you changed your job.”

“I did.” Taehyung replies, voice steady, almost bored.

“Not for sale anymore?”

Jungkook speaks before he can't stop himself “He isn't.”

The sheer amusement that paints Gao's face ticks Jungkook off.

“Look at this child, he found himself a sex doll.”

Killing him would be easy, he thinks, no one would mind, really.

Taehyung tugs at the hems of his jacket, sending him a pointed look. Jungkook rolls his eyes, but he stays still.

The plan is easy, so easy that it almost sounds stupid, but Yoongi believes in simplicity. Every man has his weakness, once you find it you use it to blackmail him. That's just how the world they live in works, so Jungkook finds himself enjoying the moment when Gao seems to realize that he's fucked as he stares at the photos of him and a small young child.

What Jungkook didn't expect was for Gao to slap Jimin hard enough to make him fall off a chair. But god, Jungkook's hand is on his gun the moment Jimin hits the floor, already aiming at him, finger pressing on the trigger. But then Namjoon gets in the way, tugging a rope around Gao's neck and Jungkook's mouth twitches in annoyance. That was a perfectly good chance he missed.

Taehyung's hand goes to his wrist and pulls his arm down, lowering his gun, then the red haired is running towards Jimin and helping him up.

“I'm signing.” Gao croaks.

“What wonderful news!” Seokjin almost sings the words and Jungkook briefly wonders as to why everyone says he's the scary one when a man like Jin exists.

Jungkook notices the way Gao's fingers twitch, eyes scanning Jin's figure, a wave of disgust hits him and he's ready to get his gun out again.

“You even think about laying a fucking finger on him, this rope is gonna be the last of your problems.” Namjoon hisses, tugging at the rope, Jungkook thinks that perhaps it would be time for Namjoon to just admit how much of a goner he is for Jin instead of acting like a tough man.

A shared look with Taehyung tells him that the red haired thinks the same thing.

The fact that a plan that stupid somehow worked makes Jungkook ask himself if maybe life isn't as complicated as it seems.

But Jimin is free now, looking at Yoongi like he's never seen the sun before in his life, Hoseok is telling them to hurry up and leave Jimin and Yoongi alone, so Taehyung plants a kiss on Jimin's cheek and holds out his hand to Jungkook.

He takes it with trembling fingers, kissing the palm.

“I really wanted to cut his cock off.” he says, Taehyung coos at him.

“Another time, babe.”

Taehyung's skin is gold and neon blue paints it dark.

“They'll be fine.” Taehyung says, voice loud in the silence of the room “I know they will. Jimin has a goal.”

“What goal?” Jungkook asks.

“He wants to see Detroit again.”

“We should go to Detroit.”

“We should.” Taehyung smiles “I'm so happy things worked out. I'm so fucking glad. They're happy and you still have the eyes of a child, we're so lucky.”

“You hate it, don't you?”

Taehyung looks at him with a frown “Hate what?”

“That I'd kill for you.”

Taehyung's smile falters “I never said that.”

“But you do.”

“I-” the boy sighs “I hate the idea that your eyes would change. I feel like if they did I wouldn't like the way you'd look at me.”

“I'd love you even after killing someone.”

“That's not the point.”

Jungkook nods “Then I won't ever kill anyone, how about that?”

“Even if they try to stab me?”

“That's-”

“It's okay, Kookie.” Taehyung shrugs “This is the only way we know of loving each other.”

“But you don't like it.”

“No, I do. That's the point, that's why I'm scared, I do like our way of being in love. Just because it's somewhat twisted it doesn't mean I hate it.”

“We can always change it.”

Taehyung smiles “Can we?”

Jungkook nods “We can try. I'd change for you.”

“Not for yourself?”

“Tae, I don't love myself as much as I love you.”

“See, that's where we have it all wrong.”

“We can still try, Taehyung. Just because we change the way we love each other it doesn't mean we'll suddenly fall out of love.” Jungkook presses a kiss on Taehyung's temple, the fuzzy blue carpet is as soft as it was the first time “We'll still own each other. That's the only thing that can't be changed.”

“Yeah, that's true.” Taehyung shakes his head “Stop speaking like an adult, you're still a kid.”

“Kiss my ass.”

“Maybe I will.”

Jungkook laughs and Taehyung's face softens “Oh my god, so cute, like a fucking bunny.”

“I will eviscerate you.”

“Such a tsundere.”

“Tae, please.”

From the kitchen Jungkook hears the timer he set up before going off “Water is ready.”

Taehyung stands up quickly, licking his lips “I'm excited for this one.”

Jungkook follows Taehyung to the kitchen and they both get the cup of istant ramen filled with boiling water. They sit in complete silence as they wait for the noodles to be ready, five minutes and they absorbed the water.

Taehyung goes to the fridge and gets the little black can out of it, he puts it on the table.

“Tae?”

“What?”

“Is it, like, the discount one?”

“Of course it is, do I look like a fucking prince to you?”

“I'm starting to have second thoughts about this.”

“Caviar Noodles, Jungkook. The future of instant meals.”

“Do I even like caviar?”

“You don't need to like caviar to eat it, no one likes caviar.” Taehyung opens the can of caviar and Jungkook scrunches up his nose.

“It smells like fish.”

“Well, it's fish eggs, so.” Taehyung, with a spoon, gets a lump of caviar out of the can and drops it in Jungkook's cup, then he does it again, this time putting the caviar in his ramen “I'm ready for this.”

Jungkook sighs, looks at Taehyung, at the same time they lift their forks and get a mouthful of noodles and caviar.

“Uh hu, no.” Jungkook shakes his head “No, this is disgusting.”

“Wait wait wait.”

“Taehyung, for fuck's sake, let me spit this shit.”

“Hear me out on this.” Taehyung points his index finger at him from across the table “Rich people eat this shit all the time at parties and stuff, but sometimes maybe they wanna meet at their houses, yeah? Like, no formality, just a dinner with their equally rich friends. But they're still rich, they have to mantain the rich traditions. You're following me?”

“Kind of.”

“That's when Laura arrives at Nora's house party and she brings the Cavianoodles.”

“Cavianoodles.”

“And everyone is like 'Oh, what is this Laura?” “Well, Arthur, these are my Cavianoodles. Poor people eat this all the time, I just added some caviar to it'. And they. Enjoy. The shit. Out of the fucking Cavianoodles 'cause Laura owns a restaurant chain so she has to know how this stuff works.”

Jungkook stays quiet for a while before whispering in awe “Oh my God, you're right.”

“And they know it tastes like shit, but they pretend to love it. Try.”

“Okay. Oh, wow, I love the black eggs.”

Taehyung blinks at him “No, okay, you say that and our whole cover is blown.”

“I love the Cavianoodles.”

“No, no, rich people don't say that they like it, they don't aknowledge it. They just say 'Loved it'” Taehyung picks a napkin and dabs it at the corner of his mouth with his pinky raised “'Enjoyed it'.”

“Oh, Laura, you're always the soul of the party.” Jungkook spits back in his cup “Now can we use this to try and poison some mice?”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Jungkook thinks Taehyung is the most beautiful when he's laying naked on the bed after a shower, red hair still damp, and he asks Jungkook to touch him just because he wants it, his skin is painted pastel because of the lilac neon lights and his hair is just a shade lighter, long lashes fanning against his cheekbones.

So Jungkook just looks at him, fingers touching Taehyung's skin, wondering for how much longer he will be allowed to have this.

“I love you a lot.” he says, Taehyung smiles without opening his eyes.

“I know.”

“I love you too much.”

“God, I know. Don't ever stop.”

“I swear.”

“Good. Then I'll swear it too.”

Jungkook chuckles, he tastes happiness on his tongue.

“Do you still quiver when I touch you?”

“Always.”