Tsuki

He’d still been sensitive enough to notice the change, and the very next day you came into the classroom to find a brand new grape-scented gel pen and a notepad with strawberry prints. Not to mention the brand new deskmate in the form of a bowl-cut teenager Tae. 

He’d been handsome and charming even then, but nothing compared to the thirty year old version of him which now sat next to you inside his car. 

“We don't have to stay long, I swear.” you told him from the passenger’s seat, more than a little guilty for making you both miss the movie tonight. “I really forgot I promised May I'd come tonight.”

“Babe, it's fine.” Taehyung chuckled under his breath, following the GPS and taking a smooth right turn. “I didn’t complain once about this.” 

“I know. You never complain.” which somehow made you feel worse. 

“As long as we get to hang out, I don't care.” he shrugged, carefree and gentle as always. 

“Okay.”

“Just relax.” he laughed again, placing his warm palm on your thigh, which did the opposite of relaxing you. “Is this the house?”

You pointed to the next house over through the windshield. “It's the next one, but we can park here and walk up.” 

You could already see a few cars that you knew belonged to your friends and their friends, in front of May’s newly acquired home. Taehyung saw the same parking spot you had noticed and used one hand to parallel park in a way that shouldn’t be as attractive as it was. 

You even had to distract yourself by checking the road, trying to keep busy and useful, with little hints of ‘a little more to the right’ and ‘now two inches ahead’, which he absolutely did not need. But you needed it, because focusing on how his biceps bulged every time he maneuvered and noticing the veins of his forearm would do very little for your mental health right now. 

“Can you reach the flowers in the back?” Taehyung asked as he turned off the engine of the car. 

“I think so.” you unbuckled your seatbelt. 

As you reached through the space between your seat and the driver’s, carefully reaching for the pretty flowers you bought to bring tonight, Taehyung got out of the car and ran to your side to open the door for you. And you knew him long enough to know he’d planned for this.

“And they say chivalry is dead.” you mused, letting him help you hop off with a familiar hand at your waist.  

“‘They’ sound dumb.” Taehyung grinned, proud of himself. 

You let him take the flowers from you, just so you could fix your dress that had moved up during the ride and the hop; it was still a nice dress that didn’t uncover much of your skin if you were standing. Definitely not ‘movies appropriate’, but perfect for a housewarming party such as this one. 

May had promised you that it wouldn’t be a party at all, but a get together so she could show off her new place to her closest friends. Which definitely included you, but maybe not your plus one. 

Even if the man himself looked sinful in simple blue jeans, a white shirt and red jacket with fun patches you knew he’d ironed in during a moment of fashion boredom. It also didn’t help your case that he’d styled his hair tonight in messy little waves that sat away from his forehead, when you told him once this week that you liked that look on him. 

The walk from the car to the right house was a short one, not enough for your feet to hurt in your heels, and much less for you to get lost, but Taehyung still stood next to you like you were about to get too far away from him. 

“Do you think we need to knock?” you asked once you reached the front door, hearing laughs and music from the inside. 

“It's your friend's housewarming, you tell me.” he said, handing you the flowers so you could be the one to deliver them. 

“I think we're good.” you decided. 

You turned the doorknob, finding it unlocked, and let yourself and Taehyung in. The small mountain of shoes at the entrance told you this was a no-shoes new house, and you were thankful for taking off your heels before your feet started to hurt too much. Taehyung was taking off his red sneakers when you heard a squeal. 

“There she is!” May showed up at the entrance of the living room, looking gorgeous with a pink dress that looked like a cloud. 

“Was ‘cotton candy’ the theme for tonight?” you laughed, rushing to meet her and offer her a hug.  

“The theme is ‘this is my new house and I’ll wear whatever the fuck I want’.” she shrugged, taking the flowers with the biggest smile. “You brought me flowers!”

“Your real gift is being delivered later this week.” you told her, as if flowers weren’t an appropriate gift for an achievement like this. 

May was about to wave you off, to tell you not to worry, but then she saw something over your shoulder, which made her jaw drop. At least she had the common sense to whisper her next question: “You brought Taehyung?” 

“Is that okay?” you asked, even if you already knew the answer. 

“Just don't drool on my new carpet.” she teased, pushing past you to hug your friend. “Hey, Taetae, long time, huh? Feel right at home!” 

“Thanks, May-ssi.” Taehyung hugged her back, but his hands still looked for the spaces on her body that were covered by her dress. “I like what you did with the place.” 

“You should see upstairs.” she winked, walking ahead and leading the two of you to where the others were hanging out.  

“Seriously, the spare room is going to see me more often than my boyfriend's couch.” Jimin was sitting on the arm of a chair he was sharing with Seokjin; both men were your friends you met in college.  

“If it has a bed, then it definitely should.” you snorted, wondering which ‘boyfriend’ Jimin meant this time. You hoped it was Hoseok, but the couch mentioned made you guess it was probably Jungkook. “Did we miss the tour?”

“Just the first round, I'll take you around later.” May explained, grabbing you by the wrist and waving Jimin to follow. “We're about to make margaritas in my new blender.” 

“Oh, nice.”

You didn’t feel like separating from Taehyung right now, especially when you knew he’d be the odd man out; even if he’d already been introduced to everyone in the house at least once before and he was the social butterfly out of the two of you. You only let May and Jimin lead you away because Namjoon was already getting up to greet Taehyung in that little half-hug, half-pat on the back that boys do when they are pretending to be more familiar than they actually are. 

The kitchen was definitely a feature area in the house, just a little ahead from the living room, but still close enough that you could see everything. It was much bigger than May’s old one, and everything looked brand new. It made you really proud of the girl, when you knew she had been saving for years after living in a shoe-box apartment so she could splurge like this. 

“Wow, you even have a kitchen island!” you gushed, knowing it had been one of the deal makers for her to get this place. 

“I knoooow, she’s my baby!” May caressed the island with light hands, as if a harsher touch could actually scratch the marble. 

“She’s very pretty.” you entered the kitchen to help out making the drinks. 

May immediately claimed the spot in front of the blender like a mother hen, peeling the plastic off one last button you hadn’t even noticed still had a corner lifting, while Jimin laughed and reached for the bag of ice on the counter. 

You grabbed the limes and started cutting them in halves with the help of a cutting board, the clean citrus smell mixing with the sharp bite of tequila the second May twisted the cap open.

“So you brought Tae, huh?” Jimin didn’t take long enough to bring it up. 

“He's my best friend, it's not weird.” you justified, watching Jimin steal one of the lime wedges only to wince when the juice hit his tongue straight.

“I'm your best friend.” May corrected, spreading salt on a small plate and the ice was dumped into the pitcher.

You rolled your eyes. “He's my boy best friend.”

“Press her once more and she'll use the right word.” Jimin told May with a wiggle of his eyebrows. 

“Stop, it's not like that.” you grumbled, looking out to the living room to make sure no one outside the kitchen was listening. 

“You want it to be.” May said, and you had no arguments for her when she knew too much. “I'm just saying bringing him here tonight is a couplely move.”

“There are plenty of single people here.” you wiped your fingers on a paper towel, passed May the last lime half, and stepped closer when she started adding everything in, all three of you crowding around the blender.

“Looking to hook up with other single people.” May was not only the owner of a new house, but of very good points as well, it seemed. “Just ask Alyssa.”

You wish the mention of the girl’s name didn’t hit you square in the chest like it did. It’s not like you had anything against her, not really… She had been nothing but nice to you ever since you met, the kind of girl that lights up rooms and people write songs about. But she’d also had her eyes on Taehyung every time you brought him around. 

“Alyssa is here?” you asked again, because you hadn’t seen her when you first came in. 

“Worried?” Jimin asked, already knowing the answer when your shoulders dropped. 

You turned around before you could stop yourself, eyes crossing the open space of the living room until they found Taehyung near the wall, one shoulder tipped back against it like he had settled there for only a second and somehow gotten stuck. 

Alyssa stood close enough that it made something in your stomach pull tight, her hand brushing his arm when she laughed, head tilted just a little too prettily, the whole thing carrying that soft, easy kind of flirting girls like her never had to force. Taehyung laughed too, looking down at her with that warm attention that always did dangerous things to your insides, and even from the kitchen you could see how comfortable he looked standing there with her, how natural it seemed, and the sight hit in one clean, ugly wave that sat hot and heavy under your ribs.

May slid the blender pitcher closer to the line of cups and announced that the margaritas were done, Jimin already reaching to help pass glasses around just as Seokjin and Namjoon drifted into the kitchen like they had followed the sound of people having a better time somewhere else. 

There was no big call for everyone to move, no moment made out of it, just the easy shuffle of people grabbing their drinks and heading toward the patio together, talking over one another on the way out. 

You turned on instinct, your own drink already in your hand, ready to ask Taehyung if he wanted to come with you, but stopped when you caught Alyssa handing Taehyung's phone back to him, as if he’d just typed something on it. The thought landed quietly, not sharp enough to make you angry, only enough to make you step back from calling to your best friend. 

Because if something was happening there, if they wanted to keep talking, then you were not about to get in the middle of it.

The backyard looked just as new as the rest of the house, a clean stone patio stretched out from the back doors, stepping down into a small square of trimmed grass bordered by dark rocks and carefully placed shrubs. 

Off to one side, May had already set up a couple of outdoor couches with cream cushions that still looked too untouched, like nobody had fully broken them in yet, while a few lawn chairs were scattered around in a loose circle as if people had started claiming spots before the party even properly settled. There were tall planters near the fence, soft garden lights fixed low along the edges.

You ended up dropping into the space between Jimin and Seokjin on one of the couches, tucking one leg under yourself as you brought the margarita to your mouth for another careful sip. It had way too much tequila for your taste, the kind that burned first and tasted like lime second, so you took it slow and let the cold glass rest against your thigh between sips.

“Too strong?” Jimin asked, one look at your face giving you away.

“May still makes drinks like she was trying to disinfect us from the inside out.” you swallowed and gave the drink a suspicious look.

“That means it’s a good drink.” Seokjin let out a laugh into his own cup. 

“No, it meant she lost count halfway through pouring.” you corrected with a little grimace.

“Same thing.” Jin said with a shrug. 

Jimin leaned forward, whispering conspiratorily: “Give it ten minutes and Namjoon is going to start talking about real estate like he personally helped build the house.”

“I heard that–” Namjoon huffed from one of the lawn chairs where he was lounging.

“I wasn’t hiding it from you.” Jimin shot back.

You smiled into your glass, shoulders loosening a little as Seokjin bumped his knee lightly against yours.

“Remember her old apartment?” Seokjin asked.

“I still have nightmares about that bathroom.” Jimin made a face immediately. “You could brush your teeth while sitting on the toilet.”

“That was an efficient design!” you said, a little defensive even despite your laughs. That bathroom had seen a lot of your hungover mornings and it never told your secrets. 

“That was poverty!” May yelled from across the patio, making all three of you laugh.

“And yet,” Seokjin went on, looking around with exaggerated seriousness, “we all still came over every weekend like we were living the free life.”

“We were twenty-two and stupid.” Jimin said with a raise of his glass.

“We were twenty-two and jobless.” you raised your own glass just to feel young again.

Jimin turned to you with fake offense all over his pretty face: “I had a job.”

“You worked at your uncle’s café two afternoons a week.” Namjoon rebutted with a scoff. 

“It was still employment!” Jimin whined. 

Seokjin nodded. “Part-time nepo baby.”

Jimin gasped, hand to chest, and you finally laughed around the next sip, wincing right after when the tequila hit again:

“To May’s new house.”

“To May’s new house.” you echoed, touching your glass lightly to theirs as the conversation rolled on like it always had, easy and warm and worn in from years of knowing exactly how to pull laughter out of each other.

And then you noticed him almost right away, even with the patio full enough to split your attention. Through the glass doors, Taehyung paused on the other side of the porch light, eyes moving over the backyard like he was searching for someone specific, and your heart gave one small, stupid jump the second his face changed when he found you. 

It was immediate, easy to read even from where you sat. Something in him lit up, softening his whole face before he even stepped outside, and you hated what that one look did to you after everything you had just told yourself in the kitchen.

Jimin noticed too, because of course he did. He cleared his throat beside you and nudged your arm with his elbow in a way that was far too knowing to be innocent, then pushed himself up with his drink and casually abandoned his spot, moving to annoy Namjoon’s personal space. 

By the time you looked back up, Taehyung was already there, catching the open space like it had always been meant to be his. He sat down beside you without hesitation, pulling off his red jacket before you could ask what he was doing, and draped it over your legs in one easy movement, covering your bare thighs and the side of your dress the night air had started getting to. The gesture was so natural it almost felt practiced.

Your eyes lifted on instinct, scanning past his shoulder, almost expecting Alyssa to appear behind him or step out onto the patio a second later, but the glass doors only showed the warm blur of people still inside, moving through the kitchen and living room with drinks of their own. 

“I got this for you.” Taehyung held up a small mandarin between his fingers, and it looked almost ridiculous in his hand, bright and glossy and so much smaller than his palm that it made you smile before you could keep yourself in check. 

Even from that close, you could spot the tiny hot-stamped Jeju sticker pressed onto the peel, the kind that made it obvious this was not just any fruit someone grabbed from a corner store, but from somewhere expensive.

“Where did you find that?” you chuckled, already feeling the rest of the patio blur at the edges as your attention settled fully on him.

“May’s fridge.” he shrugged, like snooping through someone’s kitchen was the most normal thing in the world.

“When she said feel at home, I don’t think that’s what she meant–” 

Taehyung only shrugged, like of course he had stolen fruit out of someone else’s fridge for you, like that did not need any further explanation. Then he lowered his eyes to the mandarin and started peeling it with a care that made your chest feel strangely tight. His thumb pressed into the skin just enough to break it, the peel lifting back in soft strips under his fingers, and each little squeeze released that fresh, sweet citrus scent into the cold air between you. 

You watched his hands more than you meant to, the steady way he worked, unhurried and precise, and it did something unfair to your heart when it should have been the simplest thing in the world. But it was coming from him, which made it feel like more.

With was always more with Taehyung. 

Once the fruit was bare in his palm, he split off one piece and started pulling away the thin white strings clinging to it, taking his time with the same quiet focus. You knew exactly why he was doing it. He had seen you pick at them before, complaining about the texture until only the clean pulp was left.

“Damn, let the girl eat some fibers.” Seokjin said from your other side, amusement easy in his voice.

Taehyung did not even look up. “I like enabling her.”

“You’re the only one.” Seokjin shot back, the kind of teasing that had always belonged to the two of you.

Taehyung’s mouth twitched, but there was something a little firmer under it when he answered: 

“She only needs one, so.” he kept going, stripping the last stubborn bit of white from the piece between his fingers like Seokjin had not said a thing.

One of the girls sitting near May let out a dramatic sound. 

“That’s actually sick. My boyfriend won’t even bring me water, and you’re out here peeling the strings off too?”

Another voice laughed with her, but it all blurred a little at the edges for you. You almost waited for Taehyung to correct it, to say it was not like that, that he was just being nice. He never did. He only looked at you, the peeled piece of fruit held up near your mouth, his eyes steady enough to make your pulse trip over itself. 

When you leaned in and took it with your lips, his gaze stayed there the whole time, fixed on your mouth in a way that made the sweet burst of juice feel secondary to the heat climbing up your neck.

“I’m not always on board with stealing, but this is actually really good.” you said after swallowing, still tasting the burst of sweet juice on your tongue.

Taehyung smiled under his breath like that had been the point all along, already working on the next piece before the first one had barely gone down. The orange peel, the thin white strings, even two small seeds he had picked out rested carelessly on the knees of his jeans, and he did not seem bothered by any of it. 

His hands kept moving with the same quiet patience, making a mess of himself so you would not have to deal with any of it. 

“Alyssa brought them for May.” he said, glancing down at the fruit as he cleaned another segment for you. “As a house gift, I think. She said they came from some farmer’s market near her place that gets them from Jeju Island.”

“Oh.”

“I asked for the guy’s number. If you want more, I can get them for you.” he gave one small shrug, like this had all been obvious. 

Your stomach fluttered again at the mention of Alyssa, but this time it turned on itself almost right away, the ugly little knot loosening as fast as it had formed. You looked at him for a second, then at the fruit in his hand, and the alcohol warming your chest made your mouth move before your pride could stop it: “I thought she gave you her number.”

“Why would I need her number?” Taehyung finally looked up, eyebrows pulling together like the idea had not crossed his mind once. 

“Have you looked at her?” you let out a soft scoff, trying to play it off even as your face felt warmer than it should have. 

He held the next piece up to your mouth before answering, waiting until you leaned in and took it from his fingers. 

“She’s not my type.” he said simply.

Jimin, who had absolutely been listening from his seat this whole time, made a delighted sound like he had just been handed gossip and dessert at the same time. 

“What’s your type, Taehyung-ssi?” the man wanted to know immediately. 

Taehyung did not even hesitate. He kept his eyes on the mandarin in his hands as he peeled away another stubborn string, but the corner of his mouth lifted. 

“Someone who still uses gel pens to write notes and refuses to eat fiber unless it comes from popcorn.”

The reactions that followed stayed soft everywhere but under your own skin. One of the girls let out an immediate, breathy ‘aw’, another groaned like she had just witnessed something unfair, and Jimin’s mouth curved into that deeply satisfied little smile of someone who had seen this coming from ten miles away. 

Beside you, Seokjin lifted his hand toward Taehyung for a high five over the boldness of the words, only to be completely ignored as Taehyung kept working on the fruit like nothing had happened. 

Seokjin looked at his own hand for a second, then slapped it against his other palm himself, and that was what earned the quiet burst of laughter from the group.

“Is there something you didn’t tell us?” May asked from across the patio, narrowing her eyes at the two of you with instant suspicion. “You would tell me if you’re dating, right?”

“We’re not.” Taehyung glanced up at that, then back down to the mandarin in his hands. Something in your chest dipped before he added, just as simply: “I was hoping we would be, after tonight.”

You turned to look at him so fast your shoulder brushed his. “What?”

“Our movie date got cut short.” only then did he lift his eyes to yours, and there was nothing dramatic in his face, nothing played up for the people around you. He just looked at you openly, like this was the easiest truth in the world to say. “Now all I have left is peeling mandarins and hoping you understand what I’m doing.”

For a second, you could only stare at him.

The patio did not go silent. People were still talking around you, May was still laughing somewhere to your left, a chair scraped lightly over stone, and somebody inside the house opened one of the sliding doors just enough for a swell of music to spill out before it shut again. 

But all of it felt farther away now, softened at the edges, like the whole night had folded in around the small space the two of you occupied on the patio couch.

Taehyung, meanwhile, stayed exactly where he was, knee pressed lightly to yours under the weight of his jacket still draped over your legs. He picked a seed from the next segment and dropped it onto his jeans with the rest of the mess, not caring in the slightest what he looked like.

“So,” he said, quieter now, only for you. “Did it get the point across?”

You looked at the fruit in his hand, at the white strings gathered over the blue denim on his knees, at the bright peel curled near his leg, then back at his face. He was watching you with that same open steadiness, like he was not nervous at all, like saying what he meant had never once felt unnatural to him.

Your stomach fluttered so hard it almost hurt.

“Maybe a little.” you murmured.

“A little?” his eyebrows lifted.

“You might have to keep going.” your heart was fluttering like crazy in your chest. 

The grin that spread over his face came slow and warm, lighting him up in a way that made your chest squeeze all over again. 

“That’s fine.” he said, already lifting the next perfect piece to your mouth. “I bought myself at least another five minutes with this one.”

You were full on expecting things to become awkward between you and Taehyung, after the small and blunt, but very honest confession that passed between the two of you, in front of all of your other friends, no less. Instead, even when it was just the two of you inside his car, his fingers smelling of mandarin juice and you smelling of the perfume that clung to his jacket you were now wearing, the mood was light. 

Well, as light as it could be, now that you knew tonight was supposed to be your first date with your best friend. It was all so surreal to you, that you couldn’t find the right words to say, or even any wrong ones, just to break the silence. And Taehyung clearly noticed it, too, when he started driving away from May’s new neighborhood and said: 

“Was I out of line?” his tone was low and calm, so much so that you almost missed the question.  

“Huh?” you looked at him, noticing how both hands on the steering wheel now. You shook your head right away. “No, you were… You. Which, for the record, is how I like you.”

“Careful with that word now, babe.” his shoulders seemed to relax, but just a smidge. “I might think you mean it.” 

“You peeled me an expensive mandarin, of course I mean it.” you chuckled, taking your own leap of faith and resting your hand on his thigh, just like he had done to you so many times before.  

“That’s what did it, huh?” his right hand rested on top of yours, and as much as you’d held hands before, it never felt quite like this.  

“Actually, what did it was you bribing my desk-mate to exchange places with you so you could sit by my side in school.” you told him with a new laugh, feeling the small clench of his fingers around yours. “The mandarin only reminded me you’ve always been like this with me.”

Taehyung let your words sink in, the fact that you had a crush on him for decades now. You watched his small pout disappear just as fast as it appeared, like he wondered, just for a moment, how much time you lost by being young and not knowing any better. But then he took your hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing your knuckles, like he decided no time would be wasted from now on. 

“So am I dropping you off?” Taehyung asked you, and there was a lot more behind those words than you might have been expecting. “Or do I get a little more time tonight?” 

“Can you peel this one for breakfast tomorrow?” you pulled the second mandarin from the jacket’s pocket, making Taehyung laugh so hard it filled the car. 

“I definitely can.” 

The conversation kept flowing as he drove, easy and unforced, moving from one thought to the next with the kind of rhythm that only came from knowing someone for years. 

It was light, familiar, full of the little things that would have sounded meaningless to anyone else, but with him it never felt like filling silence. Your hand stayed in his over the center console, his thumb brushing yours every now and then as the city passed outside in quiet stretches of yellow light.

Nothing about it felt staged or fragile, nothing about it made you nervous in the way new things usually did for you. If anything, it felt like stepping into something that had been waiting for you both for a very long time, and now that you were finally here, there was no awkwardness to it at all. 

The walk from the car to the elevator of his building was quiet, your heels clicking softly beside his sneakers. His red jacket still hung over your shoulders, carrying his warmth and that faint cologne you’d known for years. Taehyung kept one hand lightly at the small of your back, guiding you without any real pressure, like he just needed the contact.

Inside the elevator, the doors slid shut and the soft hum filled the small space. You leaned against the mirrored wall, watching him press the button for his floor. When he turned back to you, the air felt thicker. He stepped closer, not quite crowding you, but close enough that you could see the tiny flecks of gold in his eyes and smell the faint citrus still clinging to his fingers.

“Hi.” he murmured, almost silly after everything tonight.

“Hi.” you whispered back, biting down on a smile.

The elevator dinged far too soon. Taehyung took your hand again as you stepped out into the quiet hallway, his thumb brushing your knuckles the whole way to his door.

He unlocked it with one hand, pushing the door open and letting you step inside first. The familiar scent of his apartment wrapped around you, clean laundry, a hint of sandalwood, and something that was just undeniably him. You kicked off your heels by the door out of habit, toes sinking into the soft rug. Taehyung followed, toeing off his red sneakers and setting them neatly beside yours like they belonged there.

The click of the door closing behind him sounded louder than it should have.

For a second you both just stood there in the entryway, the weight of the night settling around you. Then Taehyung moved.

One hand came up to rest on the door beside your head, the other gently cupped the side of your face, thumb brushing your cheekbone. He stepped in until his body was only a breath away from yours, caging you in without trapping you; tall, warm, and so close you could feel the heat radiating off his chest through his white shirt.

His eyes searched yours, dark and steady, a tiny furrow between his brows like he was holding his breath.

“I’ve wanted to do this for so long.” he said quietly, voice barely above a whisper. “But if it feels wrong… if it’s awkward… we stop. We go back to mandarins and movie nights and I’ll still be the happiest guy in the world just being your best friend. Okay?”

Your heart was hammering so loudly you were sure he could hear it. You nodded, swallowing past the flutter in your throat.

“Okay.”

Taehyung leaned in slowly, giving you every chance to pull away. His nose brushed yours first, soft and tentative. Then his lips touched yours, gentle and warm, testing. The first press was feather-light, almost careful, like he was afraid the years between you might shatter if he pushed too hard.

For one heartbeat it felt like the world held its breath with you.

Then something clicked.

His lips moved against yours with quiet certainty, tilting his head just enough to fit better, and the kiss deepened naturally, sweetly, like breathing. There was no awkwardness, no clash of noses or hesitation in rhythm. Just warmth, the faint taste of mandarin and the way his hand slid from your cheek to the back of your neck, fingers threading gently into your hair.

A soft sound escaped you, half sigh, half relief, and Taehyung answered it with a tiny, involuntary hum against your mouth, like the tension he’d been carrying for years finally unraveled.

When he pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against yours, both of you breathing a little faster, his eyes were shining.

“Fuck.” he whispered, a soft laugh coloring the word. “That didn’t feel like breaking anything.”

“No… it felt like finally starting.” you let out a shaky laugh too, your hands having found their way to his chest at some point, fingers curled into his shirt. 

His thumb brushed your bottom lip, eyes following the motion with open wonder.

“Yeah,” he murmured, voice warm and a little rough. “Yeah.”

He kissed you again, slower this time, deeper, but still unhurried, like he wanted to memorize every second of it. One hand stayed at the back of your neck, the other sliding down to your waist, pulling you gently closer until your bodies pressed together. The kiss stayed sweet, but there was a quiet thrill underneath it now, a spark that made your stomach flip and your fingers tighten in his shirt.

When you finally parted, Taehyung didn’t step back. He stayed right there, caged around you against the door, smiling that small, private smile you’d only ever seen aimed at you.

You let out a soft, breathless laugh: “We just kissed.”

“We did.” he whispered back, eyes crinkling with quiet joy. His thumb brushed your cheek again, like he couldn’t quite believe he was allowed to do that now. “And it was… good. Really good.”

“Really good.” you echoed, feeling giddy and warm all over.

Taehyung pressed one last gentle kiss to the corner of your mouth before finally stepping back just enough to let you breathe. He took your hand, lacing your fingers together, and tugged you gently away from the door.

“Come here.” he said, voice soft and a little shy as he led you down the short hallway into the living room. 

The space was familiar just like the rest of the apartment, the big comfortable couch you’d both fallen asleep on during countless movie nights, the low lamp casting a warm glow that never seemed to be turned off, no matter how much you pointed out his energy bill.

You both dropped onto the couch, knees bumping, and suddenly the giggles hit. Soft, unstoppable little laughs that came from pure relief and disbelief.

“I can’t believe you’re finally my girl.” Taehyung laughed under his breath, and if it was anyone else saying those words, you would have cringed. But it was Tae, so the words landed so sweetly that your chest fluttered hard. 

“Your girl?” you repeated, teasing but unable to hide how much you liked hearing it.

“Yeah.” he sounded almost shy now, the confident Taehyung from the patio giving way to the boy who once bought you a grape gel pen just to make up for embarrassing you. “If you want to be.”

The moment stretched tender and sweet between you until Taehyung’s expression shifted into something more careful, more concerned.

“Hey… you’re not drunk, right?” he asked, brows furrowing slightly. “May’s margaritas are no joke. You said they were strong.”

“I’m fine, Tae. I barely drank half of it.” you shook your head quickly, smiling at how thoughtful he was even now. “The tequila hit hard at first, but I’m perfectly sober, I promise.”

“Okay. But just in case… wait here.” he studied your face for a second longer, then nodded, still looking a little protective. 

Before you could protest, he stood up and headed toward the kitchen, his socked feet quiet on the floor. 

While he was gone, you shrugged off his red jacket, folding it neatly and laying it over the arm of the couch. The cool air of the apartment brushed against your skin now that you were no longer covered by the heavy fabric. Your dress suddenly felt a little shorter, a little more revealing than it had all night, the neckline sitting lower, the hem riding up just enough on your thighs as you sat with your legs tucked under you.

You were suddenly very aware of how much you were showing, and even more aware that Taehyung would notice the second he came back.

The thought sent another flutter through your stomach, nervous, but the good kind.

You heard the fridge door close, the soft clink of a glass bottle, and then his footsteps returning. When Taehyung stepped back into the living room with the cold bottle of water in hand, his eyes did exactly what you expected: they flicked down to your bare shoulders, the curve of your collarbones, the way the dress now clung a little differently without the jacket hiding you.

He paused for half a second, throat working as he swallowed. Then he cleared it softly and continued toward you, handing you the water with a small, warm smile that didn’t quite hide the new heat in his gaze.

“Here.” he said, voice a touch lower than before. “Drink some.”

You took the cold bottle from him, your fingers brushing his in a way that felt more intentional now. The first sip of water was refreshing against the lingering warmth of the margarita and the heat still blooming under your skin from his kisses. Taehyung watched you the whole time, eyes soft but noticeably darker as they traced the line of your throat and then dropped lower.

“You look really pretty like this.” he cleared his throat quietly, a small, shy smile tugging at his lips. 

“Like what?” you asked, teasing even though your cheeks warmed.

“Without my jacket hiding you.” his gaze flicked down again, then back to your face, almost apologetic. “I don’t know where to put my hands now.”

The honest admission made you laugh softly, the sound light and affectionate. You set the water on the coffee table and shifted closer on the couch until your knees pressed together. 

“You can put them on me, Tae.” you told him easily. “We’re not exactly strangers.”

He let out a breath that sounded half-relieved, half-nervous, and reached for you. One warm palm settled carefully on your bare thigh, just below the hem of your dress, while the other came up to cup the side of your neck. His thumb stroked your skin in slow, soothing circles. The touch was gentle, still testing, like he was giving you every chance to guide him or slow him down.

For a moment you just sat there like that, sitting close, breathing each other in, the quiet hum of the apartment wrapping around you. Then Taehyung’s eyes drifted to the side, landing on the second mandarin you’d pulled from his jacket pocket earlier and left on the coffee table.

A small, fond smile crossed his face. 

“I know you said you wanted that for breakfast, but you can have it now, if you’re hungry. We didn’t eat much tonight.” he murmured, voice low and a little rough. “You want me to peel it?”

You nodded, biting your lip to hide how much the simple offer affected you. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.”

He picked up the fruit with the hand that had been on your neck, but his fingers were noticeably less steady than they’d been on the patio, a faint tremble as he started working the peel. The citrus scent bloomed between you again, sharp and sweet, mixing with the warm sandalwood of his apartment. 

You watched his hands, the way his long fingers pressed into the skin, peeling it back in careful strips. Juice glistened on his fingertips, and every now and then his eyes would flick up to yours, checking, wanting.

When he finally split off a clean segment and began pulling away the thin white strings with the same patient focus as before, you felt the familiar flutter low in your stomach, only stronger now, heavier with everything that had already changed tonight.

Taehyung held the piece up between you, offering it like he had on the patio. But this time, instead of simply taking it with your lips, you leaned forward and closed your mouth around it… and around the tips of his fingers.

The juice burst sweet across your tongue. You let your lips linger for a second longer than necessary, tongue brushing softly against his skin to catch the sticky citrus that clung there. Your eyes stayed locked on his the whole time, wide, warm, and a little daring.

Taehyung’s breath hitched sharply. His whole body went still except for the faint tremor that ran through the hand still resting on your thigh. His pupils blew wide, dark and stunned, as he watched you slowly pull back, lips sliding off his fingers with one last gentle swipe of your tongue.

“You can’t do this to me…” he whispered, voice hoarse and wrecked in the softest way. The words came out almost like a plea, but his eyes were shining with pure want. “Not after waiting this long. Not when you look at me like that.”

The air between you felt heavier now, thicker with the citrus scent still clinging to his fingers and the quiet sound of your breathing. You smiled, a little shy, a little bold, and licked your lips once more just to watch the way his gaze followed the motion.

Before you could say anything, Taehyung’s voice dropped even lower, warm and curious. 

“Let me have a taste too.” he murmured, eyes flicking from your mouth back to the half-peeled mandarin in his hand. “See what all the fuss is about.”

He didn’t wait for an answer. Instead, he broke off another small segment, but this time he didn’t offer it to you. He popped it into his own mouth first, chewing slowly, juice glistening on his lower lip. Then he leaned in, one hand still resting high on your thigh.

The kiss started soft again, like you were learning he liked, just the press of his lips against yours, but the moment his tongue traced the seam of your mouth, it deepened into something far more sensual. 

He tasted like sweet mandarin and warmth, and he explored you unhurriedly, like he wanted to learn every detail. Taehyung’s teeth caught your bottom lip in a gentle nibble, tugging lightly before soothing it with his tongue. You sighed into him, and he answered by sucking softly on your tongue, slow and drawing another quiet sound from your throat.

Your hands moved on instinct, sliding up into his messy waves, fingers threading through the soft strands and tugging just enough to make him hum against your mouth. The vibration sent a shiver down your spine. Taehyung’s free hand didn’t stay still either, it slipped beneath the hem of your dress, palm gliding slowly up the bare skin of your thigh, stopping just short of where the fabric ended higher up. His thumb stroked lazy circles there, teasing the edge of your underwear without pushing further, like he was still giving you every chance to set the pace.

Tae pulled back just enough to breathe, lips brushing yours with every word: 

“God, you taste even better like this.” he whispered, voice rough and shaky with want. His fingers flexed gently on your thigh, the other hand still tangled in your hair. “Tell me if I’m going too fast, okay? I just… I’ve thought about kissing you for so long. Touching you.”

You answered by pulling him back in, your own hands tightening in his hair as the kiss picked up again, deeper, slower, more exploratory. His palm slid a little higher under your dress, the heat of his touch making your stomach tighten with anticipation, while your fingers scratched lightly at his scalp, earning you another low, pleased sound from deep in his chest.

Everything stayed tender, but the spark from the mandarin moment had ignited into a slow-burning flame that was quickly becoming impossible to ignore.

You pulled back just enough to catch your breath, chest rising and falling quickly. Taehyung’s eyes were dark, lips slightly swollen, hair deliciously messed up from your fingers. His hand was still warm under the hem of your dress, resting high on your thigh, but you wanted it closer.

“Stand up for me?” he asked softly, voice husky but gentle, like he was still checking if this was okay.

You nodded, heart hammering. He helped you to your feet, both of you rising from the couch in one fluid motion. Once you were standing, Taehyung stayed seated for a second longer, looking up at you with open wonder. Then he rose too, tall frame unfolding until he towered over you, broad shoulders and warm presence making the space between you feel smaller in the best way.

His hands found your waist first, steady and warm. 

“Can I…?” he murmured, fingers brushing the zipper at the side of your dress.

“Yes.” you whispered.

He pulled the zipper down slowly, the soft sound loud in the quiet room. The fabric loosened, and with careful hands he eased the dress off your shoulders. It slid down your body and pooled at your feet, leaving you in nothing but your panties. No bra, the cool air kissing your skin, but it was nothing compared to the heat of his gaze.

Taehyung’s breath caught audibly. His eyes dropped to your bare breasts, dark and appreciative, lingering. 

“Fuck… you’re beautiful.” he said, almost under his breath, like the words slipped out before he could stop them. One large hand came up, hesitating just a moment before his palm gently cupped the underside of one breast, thumb brushing over the soft curve. “I didn’t know… God, I didn’t know you were this perfect.”

The size difference hit you then, him standing so close, so much taller, his broad frame making you feel small and cherished all at once. You swallowed, warmth flooding your cheeks and lower belly.

Taehyung seemed to notice the effect too. A small, almost shy smile touched his lips as he looked down at you, one hand still on your breast, the other resting at your waist. “Look at you.” he murmured, voice low, like he knew exactly what to say to undo you. “So small next to me… and still driving me crazy.”

“You’re not exactly small yourself, Tae.” you couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped, even as your pulse raced. 

His grin widened for a second, warm and affectionate, before he stepped back just enough to reach behind his neck and tug his white shirt off in one smooth motion. The fabric hit the floor beside your dress. Your eyes drank him in; the smooth, tanned planes of his chest, the subtle definition of his stomach, the way his shoulders looked even broader without anything covering them. You had seen him shirtless before, but never like this. Never with permission to stare. Never with the knowledge that you could touch.

For a long moment you simply stood there, staring at each other in the soft lamplight. The tension was thick, palpable, crackling in the silence. His eyes traced every inch of your bare skin; yours did the same to him, the faint trail of hair disappearing into his jeans, the way his chest rose and fell a little faster now, the obvious bulge pressing against the front of his pants.

Taehyung was the first to move. He took your hand and guided you back toward the couch, his touch gentle despite the heat in his gaze. “Come here, my girl.”

He eased you down onto your back, following you so he settled between your parted legs. The couch was wide enough that he could brace himself on one forearm without crushing you, his body covering yours in warm, delicious weight. The moment he lowered himself, you felt the hard line of his cock press against your core through the thin layers of fabric still separating you, denim against lace, hot and insistent.

A soft gasp left your lips at the contact.

Taehyung groaned quietly, forehead dropping to your collarbones. 

“Sorry… you just feel so good already.” he rolled his hips once, slow and lazy, letting you feel him fully. Then he captured your mouth again in a heated, unhurried kiss.

This kiss was lazier than the ones before, deeper and more indulgent. His tongue slid against yours in slow strokes, occasionally pulling back to nibble at your bottom lip or suck gently on your tongue the way you were quickly learning he loved. Your hands roamed freely now, one threading back into his messy waves, the other sliding down the warm, bare skin of his back, feeling the muscles shift under your palms as he moved.

Tae’s own hands weren’t idle. One stayed at your breast, thumb circling your nipple until it tightened under his touch. The other slipped between your bodies, palm gliding up your inner thigh until his fingers brushed the edge of your panties, teasing without rushing. All the while he kept that slow, grinding rhythm against you, his cock pressing and rubbing right where you needed him most through the fabric.

Every roll of his hips sent sparks through you. Every sigh and quiet moan he drew from your mouth seemed to make him hungrier, yet he never hurried, like he wanted to savor every second of finally having you like this.

“Been dreaming about this… having you under me. Feeling you like this.” his voice was low and rough against your lips, every word punctuated by another slow roll of his hips that pressed his cock harder against your clothed pussy. 

You whimpered softly, fingers tightening in his hair, and that seemed to be all the encouragement he needed.

Taehyung kissed you once more, deep and lingering, before he began to trail his mouth downward. He took his time, lips brushing along your jaw, then the sensitive spot just below your ear. When he reached your neck he sucked lightly, then harder, leaving a faint mark that made your breath hitch. Lower still, his mouth found your collarbone, then the swell of your breast.

He groaned the moment his lips closed around your nipple, warm and wet. He sucked gently at first, tongue swirling around the peaked bud, then with more intention in slow, rhythmic pulls that had your back arching off the couch. 

A soft cry escaped you when he grazed his teeth over the sensitive flesh, followed immediately by soothing licks. He switched to the other breast, giving it the same devoted attention, sucking and biting until the skin flushed and bore faint red marks that would bloom later. His free hand kneaded the breast he wasn’t attending to, thumb flicking over the wet nipple he’d just released.

Every pull of his mouth sent sparks straight between your legs. You writhed beneath him, one hand still tangled in his messy waves, the other gripping his shoulder as your hips rolled up instinctively, seeking more friction.

Taehyung hummed in satisfaction against your skin, the vibration traveling through you. He kissed a slow, wet path down the center of your stomach, pausing to dip his tongue into your navel, making you giggle breathlessly before the sound melted into another moan. When he reached the waistband of your panties, he looked up at you through dark lashes, eyes gleaming with heat and quiet awe.

His hand slipped beneath the lace without warning, two long fingers gliding through your folds. The moment he felt how slick you were, a low, pleased sound rumbled in his chest.

“Fuck, you’re so wet already.” he murmured, voice thick with wonder. His fingers teased your entrance, circling slowly, spreading the wetness up to your clit without quite giving you the pressure you craved. “All this for me? Been thinking about me like this too?”

You nodded frantically, hips twitching under his touch. The ache between your legs was almost unbearable now.

He pressed a soft, open-mouthed kiss just above the waistband of your panties, then looked up again, lips curved in a small, teasing smile: “I wonder if you taste even better than those Jeju mandarins.”

The words sent a fresh wave of heat through you. 

“Tae… please. Find out.” you whined, high and needy, fingers tightening in his hair. 

That was all he needed.

You lifted your hips eagerly, helping him as he hooked his fingers into the sides of your panties and slid them down your legs. He tossed the lace aside, leaving you completely bare beneath him. For a moment he just looked, eyes dark, chest rising faster, taking in every inch of you spread out on his couch.

Then he settled lower between your thighs, broad shoulders pushing your legs wider apart. He pressed a trail of wet kisses along your inner thigh, alternating sides, getting closer and closer until you felt his warm breath against your pussy.

The first touch of his tongue was gentle, a slow, flat lick from your entrance up to your clit that had your back arching sharply off the cushions. Taehyung moaned loudly against you, the sound raw and unrestrained, like the taste of you was better than anything he’d ever had.

“God… you taste so fucking good.” he groaned, voice muffled against your folds. He dove back in with the same patient, exploratory focus he’d shown with every kiss and every peeled mandarin. His tongue circled your clit in slow, deliberate strokes, then flattened again to lap at you broadly, savoring every drop. He alternated between long, luxurious licks and gentle suction, humming and moaning like he couldn’t get enough.

When two of his long fingers slipped inside you, curling slowly to find that perfect spot, your moan broke into a shaky cry. He pumped them lazily at first, matching the rhythm of his tongue, then faster as your hips started to rock against his face. His free hand stayed on your stomach, holding you gently in place while he devoured you, wet, obscene sounds filling the living room along with your gasps and whimpers.

Taehyung was lost in it. Every time you clenched around his fingers or tugged harder at his hair, he groaned louder, hips subtly grinding against the couch for his own relief. He sucked your clit between his lips, tongue flicking rapidly, then soothed with broad licks again, completely focused on pulling more of those sounds from you.

You were trembling, thighs tightening around his head, the coil in your belly winding tighter and tighter with every stroke of his tongue and curl of his fingers.

He pulled back just enough to murmur against your slick skin, voice hoarse and dripping with need. 

“That’s it, my girl… let me hear you.” he teased, and then the next words almost did you right then and there: “Want to feel you cum on my tongue.”

Taehyung’s voice was barely more than a growl against your soaked pussy before he dove back in with renewed hunger. His mouth turned starved, tongue flicking rapidly over your swollen clit, then sucking it between his lips with firm, insistent pulls that made your thighs shake. 

He groaned loudly into you, the vibrations shooting straight through your cunt as two long fingers pumped deeper inside you, stretching you open with every thrust.

He was relentless now, lost in the taste of you. His tongue worked faster, alternating between quick, desperate licks and hard suction, while his fingers curled and scissored, always  aiming for that spot that made your back bow off the couch. Wet, filthy sounds filled the living room, the slick slide of his fingers, the obscene noises of his mouth devouring your pussy, your own broken moans growing louder and more desperate.

Your hips rocked frantically against his face, chasing the pleasure as it built unbearably fast. One hand fisted tight in his messy waves, the other gripping the couch cushion like it was the only thing keeping you grounded.

“Tae– oh god, Tae–” you gasped, voice cracking.

He moaned in response, the sound vibrating against your clit as he sucked harder, fingers thrusting faster, stretching your tight cunt around them. The coil in your belly snapped without warning.

Your orgasm crashed over you hard, a sharp cry tearing from your throat as your pussy clenched rhythmically around his fingers. Taehyung didn’t slow down, he kept licking and sucking through every wave, groaning like he was the one coming undone, milking every last tremor from your body until you were trembling and gasping beneath him.

Only when your hips started twitching from oversensitivity did he finally ease up. He gentled his tongue into slow, soothing licks, then carefully withdrew his fingers, replacing them with one last soft kiss to your pulsing clit.

Taehyung climbed up your body slowly, kissing a wet trail up your stomach and between your breasts before burying his face into the crook of your neck. His fingers slid back between your legs, gently pumping into your soaked cunt again, slow, lazy strokes to ease you through the aftershocks. Like now that he had a feel of you, his fingers couldn’t stay away. 

And despite the oversensitivity, you couldn’t get enough of it either.

You wrapped your arms around him tightly, pulling him closer to your chest, one hand stroking through his hair while the other rubbed soothing circles over his bare back. Both of you were breathing hard, skin warm and slightly damp with sweat.

“Fuck, Tae…” you whispered, voice still shaky with pleasure. “Your tongue felt so good. I didn’t know you were that good at it. I’m… honestly surprised.”

He let out a soft, muffled laugh against your neck, but you felt the way his body tensed at the praise, his hips twitching hard against your thigh through his jeans. The reaction was immediate and unmistakable; your words seemed to make him even hornier.

You smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of his head: “I’ve been dying to see you. I know you’re big.”

Taehyung lifted his head just enough to look at you, cheeks flushed, eyes dark but sparkling with shy amusement. 

“Can you tell?” he chuckled, the sound abashed and boyish.

“I’ve seen your morning woods before.” You giggled with the admittance, the sound light despite how wrecked you still felt. His eyes widened in genuine surprise, a dramatic gasp escaping him. “Come on, how many sleepovers did we have?!”

“I still didn’t know you noticed it!” he laughed, that sweet  laugh you’d loved for years in silence, the one that made his eyes crinkle at the corners even now. “At least I guess you know what to expect.”

“Am I going to be able to walk tomorrow?” you teased, sliding one hand between your bodies until your palm cupped the hard, heavy outline of his cock through his jeans.

Taehyung groaned deeply, hips rolling forward to press his bulge firmer into your hand. 

“Why?” he rasped, voice thick with need. “Are you going anywhere?”

You laughed breathlessly, still cupping his hard length through the denim, giving him one slow squeeze that made his hips jerk forward again.

Taehyung groaned low in his throat, then suddenly pulled back just enough to look down at you with dark, hooded eyes. 

“I need you on my bed now.” he rasped, voice rough with want.

He pushed himself up from the couch in one smooth motion, towering over you again. Strong hands slid under your arms and helped you stand on slightly shaky legs. The second you were upright, he turned you gently so your back pressed flush against his front. His arms wrapped around your waist, pulling you tight as he started walking you both toward his bedroom.

The familiar short hallway felt longer than usual when Taehyung couldn’t keep his hands or mouth off you. One palm stayed splayed possessively over your stomach while the other roamed higher, cupping and kneading your breast. His cock, still trapped in his jeans, pressed hot and insistent against the curve of your ass with every step. He leaned down repeatedly to mouth at your neck, open, wet kisses mixed with gentle sucks and the occasional scrape of teeth that made your knees weak.

“Tae… we’re never going to make it if you keep doing that.” you stumbled a little, giggling softly when his arm tightened to steady you. 

“Don’t care.” he murmured against your skin, hips rolling once so you could feel exactly how hard he was. “Been waiting too long to rush now.”

By the time you reached his bedroom doorway, your skin was flushed and tingling everywhere he’d touched. The warm glow of the bedside lamp was already on, casting soft golden light over the big bed and the familiar scattered details of his room.

“Do you always keep that light on, or were you planning on seducing me like this tonight?” you glanced at the lamp, then back at him with a teasing smile as he finally loosened his hold so you could step forward. 

“It’s not the first time I left that on.” he admitted quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can you blame me for hoping?”

The honest confession made something warm bloom in your chest, like it had been happening all night. You laughed softly, the sound light and affectionate, and walked the few steps to his bed. You sat on the edge of the mattress, completely bare, and let your eyes roam over him, eating him up with your gaze.

“Let’s see it, then.” you said, voice sweet but dripping with teasing challenge. You tilted your head, smiling up at him. “Show me what I’ve been missing.”

Taehyung’s expression shifted. The shy, second-guessing boy from earlier melted away, replaced by quiet cockiness and pure confidence. He stepped closer until he stood right in front of you, close enough that you had to tilt your head back to keep looking at his face.

Without breaking eye contact, he reached down and popped the button of his jeans. The zipper came down slowly. He shoved the denim down his long legs and kicked it aside, leaving him in just the black boxers that did very little to hide how hard he was.

Then those came off too.

Your mouth went dry.

He was big alright, longer and thicker than the morning woods or the grinding against you on the couch had ever prepared you for. His cock stood flushed and heavy against his stomach, the head a deep, angry red and already leaking steadily, a glossy bead of precum sliding down the shaft. The sheer size of him made your thighs press together instinctively, a fresh wave of heat pooling low in your belly.

Taehyung watched your reaction with dark, satisfied eyes, one hand casually wrapping around the base of his cock and giving himself one slow stroke. 

“Still think you’ll be able to walk tomorrow?” he asked, voice low and teasing, but the way his cock twitched in his grip told you he was just as affected.

You licked your lips, unable to look away. “I… might need to call in sick.”

He let out a soft, husky laugh and stepped even closer, his free hand coming down to gently cup your chin, tilting your face up toward him.

Taehyung’s thumb brushed gently over your bottom lip, his voice dropping into something raw and needy. 

“Touch me.” he murmured, almost begging. “Please, baby…”

The plea hit you straight in the chest; and lower. Your heart fluttered hard at how desperate he sounded, and a fresh pulse of heat throbbed between your legs, your cunt clenching around nothing at the sound of his voice like that.

You felt a little shy suddenly, despite everything you’d already done tonight. You looked up at him through your lashes, biting your lip as you reached for him. Your fingers wrapped around the thick base of his cock, and the moment you felt the scorching heat and velvet-soft skin, both of you let out a quiet sound.

Your hand looked so small and delicate against him, pretty fingers barely able to close fully around his impressive girth. Taehyung’s cock twitched visibly in your grip, another bead of precum welling at the flushed tip and sliding down slowly.

“Fuck…” he breathed, eyes fixed on the sight. “Look at that. Your pretty little hand looks so tiny on me.”

The awe in his voice made you bolder. You used it against him, voice soft and sweet as you started stroking him slowly from base to tip: “You like that? Like seeing how small I am compared to you?”

“Yes– shit, yes. Love it.” Taehyung groaned, hips jerking forward into your fist.

You spread the leaking precum down his shaft with your thumb, making the slide smoother as you learned every inch of him, the thick vein running along the underside, the way he pulsed hot and heavy in your palm, how he seemed to grow even harder under your touch. Your strokes stayed slow and exploratory at first, twisting gently at the head on every upstroke.

His moans became constant now, low and broken, like he could barely hold himself together. Every sound went straight to your core, making you wetter as you watched his abs tense and his chest rise faster with each pump of your hand.

You kept your eyes locked on his the whole time, refusing to look away even when you leaned forward. Your tongue darted out first, giving the leaking tip a slow lick that tasted salty-sweet. Taehyung’s breath hitched sharply, one hand coming down to gently thread through your hair without pushing.

Then you opened your mouth wider, stretching your jaw to take him in. Your lips wrapped around the flushed head, the sheer size of him forcing your mouth open as you sank down slowly, tongue swirling around the sensitive underside.

Taehyung let out a deep, guttural moan, fingers tightening just slightly in your hair. “That’s it… fuck, your mouth feels so good already. My pretty girl…”

You sank down further, taking more of his thick cock into your mouth until the head nudged the back of your throat. Your lips stretched wide around him, saliva already beginning to coat his shaft as you bobbed your head slowly at first, then with more confidence. The sounds were messy, wet, obscene slurps mixed with your soft hums and his constant, broken moans. Drool slipped from the corners of your mouth, dripping down your chin and onto his balls as you worked him deeper, tongue pressing firmly along the thick vein underneath.

“Fuck… your mouth is so warm, so wet, shit, baby…” Taehyung’s hand stayed gentle in your hair, not forcing, just holding as his hips twitched forward involuntarily. 

You hollowed your cheeks and sucked harder, taking him as deep as you could until your nose nearly brushed his pelvis. Your free hand stroked what you couldn’t fit, twisting slickly with all the spit. Then your other hand slipped between his legs to cup his heavy balls, rolling them gently in your palm.

Taehyung’s entire body jerked. A deep, guttural groan tore from his chest and his cock throbbed hard against your tongue. For a second he looked like he was about to lose it right there, hips stuttering as he fought for control.

You pulled off just enough to giggle around the head of his cock, eyes sparkling up at him with pure mischief.

“Little brat.” he cursed breathlessly, voice strained and fond at the same time. “You knew exactly what you were doing.”

Still smiling, you gave his balls one last gentle squeeze before releasing them. Taehyung let out a shaky exhale, then gently tugged you off his cock with a wet pop. His chest was heaving, eyes dark with lust as he looked down at your swollen, shiny lips and the mess of spit on your chin.

“On the bed.” he instructed, voice rough but gentle. “Hands and knees. I need to see that pretty ass.”

You obeyed instantly, heat flooding your body at the command. Turning around, you crawled up the mattress toward the headboard, swaying your hips with every movement. You lowered your shoulders to the sheets, arching your back deeply so your ass was high in the air, knees spread wide, presenting yourself perfectly for him.

Behind you, Taehyung let out a low, strained hum that sounded more like a growl: “You shouldn’t be so good at that.”

“Neither of us are virgins, Tae.” you pointed out softly, cheek pressed to the cool sheet as you glanced back at him. “You met all of my boyfriends–”

The sharp smack of his palm against your ass cut you off, not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to sting deliciously and make you gasp. The possessive edge in the gesture sent a fresh rush of arousal straight to your cunt.

“I’m the only boyfriend you’ll have from now on.” he said, voice low and serious, one big hand rubbing soothingly over the spot he’d just smacked. “The only one who gets to see you like this. Got it?”

“Yes… I only ever wanted you, Tae. Only you.” you moaned at the words, your pussy clenching visibly with how much his possessiveness turned you on. 

“Good girl,” he praised, the words warm and rough at the same time.

He climbed onto the bed behind you, the mattress dipping under his weight. You heard the slick sound of him pumping his cock a few times, then felt the blunt, leaking head press against your dripping entrance. He nudged it up and down your folds, coating himself in your wetness, but he didn’t push inside. Just rested there, hot and heavy, teasing.

You whined impatiently, pushing back against him, but he stayed perfectly still. When you looked over your shoulder, you found him already staring at you, eyes dark, jaw tight, drinking in the sight of you presented so openly for him.

“Show me what you can do, then.” he murmured, voice thick with challenge and barely contained need.

It was your turn not to hesitate.

With a slow, deliberate roll of your hips, you pushed back onto him. The thick head of his cock parted your slick folds and began to sink inside your tight cunt, stretching you open inch by inch. You clenched around him on purpose, sucking him deeper with every backward movement, your walls fluttering and gripping as you took more of his impressive length.

“Fuck… that’s it. Taking me so well already.” Taehyung groaned low and long behind you, hands flexing on your hips. 

You kept going, slow and confident, until your ass finally met his pelvis and he was buried to the hilt inside you. The stretch was intense, he felt impossibly big, filling and stuffing your pussy completely. You stayed perfectly still once he was fully seated, cockwarming him while your walls fluttered and adjusted around his throbbing girth. Both of you breathed heavily in the quiet room, savoring the moment.

Taehyung’s hands roamed patiently over your body even as his cock twitched deep inside you. He spread your cheeks wider with both palms, groaning softly at the sight of where you were connected, your pussy stretched tight around his thick shaft. His hands then slid up your sides, tracing every curve, before gliding down the length of your spine in long, soothing strokes.

“So pretty like this.” he whispered, voice rough with restraint. “So fucking tight and warm around me… Take your time, baby. I’ve got you.”

You stayed like that for a long moment, letting your body get used to the deep, full feeling of him. When your breathing finally evened out and the initial burn melted into pure pleasure, Taehyung’s hand slid up your back and gathered your hair into a loose fist. He gave it a firm, gentle pull, arching your back deeper and making you moan loudly as the new angle pushed him even further inside you.

“Gonna show me what this perfect ass can do or nah?” he teased, voice low and husky, the words laced with that cocky confidence he wore so well now.

You answered by starting to move.

You rocked your hips slowly at first, then began to really fuck him, swaying and swiveling in smooth, deliberate circles, rolling your ass back onto his cock with practiced rhythm. You cocked your hips on every downward stroke, taking him deep and grinding so your pussy clenched and fluttered around every inch of him.

Taehyung’s curses and moans spilled out under his breath, growing louder and more broken the faster you moved. “Shit– fuck, baby…”

His free hand stayed on your hip, gripping tight, while the other kept that gentle pull on your hair, guiding you as you rode him in deep, filthy strokes. He touched you everywhere he could reach, palm sliding up your spine, squeezing your ass, reaching underneath to cup and knead your breast.

“You’re so deep, Tae… God, you’re stuffing my pussy so full. I can feel every inch of you.” you moaned loudly with every thrust, voice breathy and wrecked.

The praise hit him hard. You felt his cock twitch violently inside you, his hips jerking up to meet your movements as another low groan tore from his throat.

“Yeah?” he rasped, voice strained with pleasure. “You like how I fill you up? Like being stretched around my cock?”

“Love it… You’re so big, and you feel so perfect.”  you nodded frantically, pushing back harder onto him, the wet sounds of skin meeting skin filling the room. “Been waiting so long for this– for you to fuck me like this.”

Taehyung’s grip on your hair tightened just enough to make you gasp, his other hand sliding down to rub firm circles over your clit as you continued to ride him with steady, sinful rolls of your hips. His moans were constant now, raw and needy, every praise you gave him making him lose himself a little more.

Suddenly he pulled out with a wet sound, leaving you empty and clenching around nothing. Before you could whine at the loss, his strong hands grabbed your hips and flipped you onto your back in one smooth motion.

You squealed in surprise, the sound turning into a breathless laugh as you bounced lightly on the mattress. Taehyung was already moving, towering over you as he pushed your thighs wide apart. His eyes were dark and hungry, chest heaving.

He didn’t give you time to catch your breath.

With one powerful thrust he shoved his thick cock back into your soaked pussy, burying himself to the hilt in a single stroke. The stretch was sudden and overwhelming, punching a loud moan out of you as your back arched off the bed.

Taehyung caged you in immediately, forearms braced on either side of your head, his broad body covering yours completely. He started fucking you harder, faster, deeper strokes that made the bed creak beneath you. Skin slapped loudly against skin with every thrust, wet and filthy.

“Fuck– yes.” he groaned, voice rough and low. “This is what I needed. Want to see your face while I fuck you.”

He leaned down and latched onto your chest, sucking and biting at the soft skin of your breasts, leaving little marks that made you cry out. Your nails raked down his back, leaving long scratches that only seemed to spur him on. He hissed in pleasure, hips snapping harder into you.

Every thrust was deep and good, the head of his cock dragging against that perfect spot inside your cunt over and over. Your legs wrapped around his waist, heels digging into his lower back as you pulled him even deeper.

“Tae– oh my god, you’re so deep.” you moaned, voice breaking. “Feels so good… don’t stop.”

“Not stopping.” he growled against your skin, biting down on the side of your breast before soothing it with his tongue. “Gonna fuck this pretty pussy until you can’t walk tomorrow. You’re mine now, baby. Only mine.”

Dirty, open-mouthed kisses followed, messy and desperate, tongues sliding together as he kept pounding into you. The wet slap of skin on skin mixed with your shared moans and gasps, filling the warm bedroom. His hips rolled with every thrust, grinding against your clit on the downstroke and making sparks explode behind your eyes.

You were both getting lost in each other, years of quiet longing finally pouring out in every desperate movement. Your hands roamed his back, nails digging in harder whenever he hit that perfect angle. His mouth moved from your breasts to your neck, sucking marks into your skin, then back to your lips for another sloppy, heated kiss.

“Feel how deep I am?” he panted against your mouth, one hand sliding down to grip your thigh and push it higher, opening you up even more for him. “This cunt was made for me. So tight, so wet– fuck, you’re squeezing me so good.”

You whimpered, clenching around his thick cock as another wave of pleasure built fast and hot in your belly. “Tae… I’m close–”

He groaned loudly, pace turning punishing as he fucked you harder, deeper, chasing both your pleasure and his own. 

“That’s it, my girl. Come on my cock. Want to feel you fall apart around me.”

The coil in your stomach tightened unbearably, every brutal thrust pushing you closer to the edge. Taehyung’s forehead pressed to yours, eyes locked as you both spiraled together, moans and gasps mingling in the small space between you.

Taehyung’s thrusts stayed deep and punishing, hips snapping against yours with every stroke. His hand slid between your bodies, two fingers finding your swollen clit and rolling it fast, tight circles in perfect sync with the rhythm of his cock driving into your cunt.

The added stimulation was too much. Pleasure coiled unbearably tight in your belly, then snapped.

You came hard with a broken cry, back arching sharply off the bed as your pussy clenched violently around him. Your orgasm hit in messy, gushing waves, warm slick flooding around his thick cock, soaking his shaft, his balls, and the sheets beneath you. Your walls fluttered and pulsed, milking him relentlessly as you trembled and gasped beneath him.

“Fuck– fuck, baby–” Taehyung cursed loudly, eyes squeezing shut at the feeling of you gushing around him. The wet, obscene sounds grew louder as he kept thrusting through your climax, chasing his own release.

He only lasted a few more strokes.

With a deep, guttural groan he buried himself to the hilt and came hard, thick ropes of cum spilling deep inside your pulsing cunt. He filled you up completely, hot and heavy, his cock twitching with every pulse as he emptied himself. His hips jerked erratically, grinding against you as he rode out the intense waves.

Both of you were left twitching and trembling in the aftermath. Taehyung’s arms gave out and he toppled forward, collapsing on top of you with his full weight, face buried in the crook of your neck. His chest heaved against yours, both of you slick with sweat and breathing hard.

After a long moment of heavy, shared breathing, he mumbled against your skin, voice hoarse and a little sheepish:

“I meant to pull out.”

You let out a soft, breathless laugh, arms wrapping tighter around his back. 

“I’m safe.” you assured him gently, one hand stroking through his damp hair. “And I trust you.”

The tension melted from his shoulders instantly. He exhaled shakily, pressing a lazy kiss to your neck. “God, I love you.”

The words landed warm and certain against your skin. If this had been anyone else, you might have brushed it off as post-sex haze. But this was Taehyung, your Tae, and you knew he meant every syllable.

“I kinda knew that when you peeled that first mandarin.” you smiled, hugging him harder to your chest. He let out a tired, rumbling laugh, the sound vibrating through both of you. You continued softly: “I’ll say it back when you do it again.”

Taehyung pulled back just enough to look at you, eyes sparkling with affection and amusement even through the exhaustion. His messy hair fell over his forehead as he grinned down at you.

“No need for words or mandarins.” he murmured, voice still rough from moaning. “You don’t fuck someone like that when you don’t love them back.”

You laughed softly, reaching up to cup his face. He leaned into your palm, eyes fluttering closed for a second before he dipped down to kiss you, slow, lazy, and full of everything you’d both waited years to say out loud.

You should have gone to bed almost an hour ago.

The rational part of your brain knew that.

Tomorrow was a workday. A real one. Not the kind where you answered emails from bed or spent the afternoon catching up on paperwork. Actual patients. Actual sessions. Actual responsibilities. The kind of day that required you to be awake enough to pretend you had your life together while helping other people sort through theirs.

Instead, you were curled into the far corner of Jeongguk's sectional couch wearing one of his oversized black hoodies, your laptop balanced on your thighs while you finished writing progress notes from the week. The television murmured quietly in the background, some reality show neither of you were actually paying attention to, while rain tapped softly against the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Seoul.

Curled against your side was the reason you hadn't moved in nearly forty minutes.

The cat was asleep.

Completely asleep.

One paw stretched over your stomach. Tiny pink nose buried into the blanket covering your legs. Dead weight in the most inconvenient way possible.

The little traitor hadn't left your side since dinner. Which was ironic considering Jeongguk had spent the first three months after the adoption acting like the cat was personally responsible for every inconvenience in his life.

"Bam was here first."

"She's staring at me weird."

"Why is she always in my spot?"

"I don't think she likes me."

Now? Now the same man called twice a day asking for cat updates. You had received three separate requests for photos since breakfast. The latest one had arrived thirty minutes ago.

How's my daughter?

Not Bam. The cat.

Your phone buzzed, the familiar ringtone immediately pulling your attention away from the half-finished sentence on your laptop screen.

A video call from Jeongguk lit up your screen.

A smile tugged at your mouth before you could stop it. You didn't even hesitate before accepting, already knowing exactly why he was calling. He always called after shows when he could, especially on nights when the adrenaline was still running through him and sleep felt impossible.

The moment the camera connected, however, you immediately regretted answering.

"Jesus Christ."

Jeongguk's face filled the entire screen, far too close to the camera and somehow managing to look both exhausted and wildly energized at the same time. His hair was a complete mess, falling into his eyes in uneven waves. His cheeks were noticeably flushed, and there was a familiar glassiness to his gaze that told you everything you needed to know before he even opened his mouth.

He had been drinking.

A lot.

The unmistakable expression of a man who had spent the evening celebrating with six other singers and the tour staff after the final show in the city.

The noise behind him only confirmed it. You could hear shouting somewhere off-camera, followed by a burst of laughter loud enough to distort through the speaker. Someone yelled something in Korean that you couldn't quite make out, and a second later what sounded suspiciously like Taehyung attempting to sing drifted through the chaos.

It sounded terrible.

Which meant it was probably Taehyung.

"Oh, fuck you," Jeongguk replied immediately, a grin stretching across his face so wide it nearly pushed his eyes shut. Even through the screen you could tell he'd been drinking. His cheeks were flushed, his hair was a complete mess, and there was a looseness to him that only appeared when he was exhausted, happy, and at least a little bit intoxicated. "That's the first thing you say?"

"It is."

"It shouldn't be, I missed you."

"You are hammered, Gguk."

"I'm not hammered."

"You look like you just got discharged from the military again."

His laugh exploded through the speaker, loud and sudden enough that the cat sleeping against your side twitched in protest. One tiny ear flicked before settling again.

"Baby," he whined dramatically, dragging the word out. "That's so mean. I miss you." He said it once again.

For a moment neither of you said anything as you simply looked at him through the screen while he looked back at you smiling softly, there were voices overlapping and someone shouting across the room but his attention remained fixed entirely on you.

You watched his eyes drift lower, taking in the familiar sight of his living room behind you. The couch. The blanket. The corner lamp. The television playing quietly in the background. It wasn't anything special. Just home.

Then his gaze landed on the cat sleeping against your side.

Immediately, his entire face softened.

"Oh my God. Baby."

A laugh escaped your nose.

"She's sleeping." You told him.

"I know." His smile somehow widened.

The camera shifted slightly as he settled deeper into his chair, resting his cheek against one fist while staring at the screen. The expression on his face was ridiculous. Completely gone. Absolutely smitten.

With the cat.

The same cat he'd spent months pretending to dislike.

"She looks so small."

"She is small."

"Mm." Jeongguk nodded immediately, still staring at the screen with the kind of concentration people usually reserved for life-changing revelations. "So tiny. Look at her."

You angled the phone downward slightly despite the fact that he could already see her perfectly fine.

The sight made Jeongguk audibly gasp.

"Aigo."

You rolled your eyes.

"Aigooooo—"

The sound came out softer this time, stretched into a drunken coo that made absolutely no sense to anyone except him. His entire face had transformed.

The idol who had spent the evening performing in front of thousands of screaming fans was gone. In his place sat a slightly drunk twenty-something man in a hotel room making baby noises at a sleeping cat through FaceTime.

"Aigoo, uri agi."

"She's not even listening to you."

"She is."

"She's unconscious."

"No, she's hearing me."

The confidence in his voice almost made you laugh. "Aigoo, look at that face." He tilted his own head as if trying to get a better angle. "Ya. Ya. Why is she sleeping like that? She's melting."

You glanced down. Unfortunately, he wasn't wrong. At some point the cat had somehow managed to flatten herself into an impossible shape, all limbs loose and heavy against the blanket.

Jeongguk let out another distressed noise. You pressed your lips together.

The cat had somehow migrated upward during the call. At some point while the two of you had been talking, she'd abandoned your stomach entirely and stretched herself across your chest instead, her tiny body draped over you like she paid rent. One paw was tucked beneath her chin, the other dangling lazily against the front of the hoodie. Completely boneless. Completely comfortable. Completely asleep.

The movement only seemed to worsen Jeongguk's condition. His eyes widened.

"No." He suddenly said.

"What?"

"No way."

"What now?"

"Look where she is."

You looked down, then immediately regretted it. The cat was, in fact, sprawled directly across your chest. "She's comfortable." You giggled at seeing the feline's face.

"That's my spot." The words came out so fast you almost choked, a laugh escaped before you could stop it.

Across the screen, Jeongguk looked deeply offended.

"No, seriously." For several seconds he simply stared at the screen with the most betrayed expression imaginable before letting his head fall backward against the hotel headboard.

The movement exposed the column of his throat. His hair fell away from his forehead, the flush in his cheeks had deepened.

Drunk.

Definitely drunk.

His attention had drifted back to you, not the cat this time.

Actually you.

His gaze lingered for a moment before softening. "I really miss you." The teasing disappeared so naturally you almost missed it.

You smiled. "I miss you too."

"No, like..." He rubbed one hand over his face before laughing quietly at himself. "I really miss you."

You watched him shift higher against the pillows, adjusting his phone. The hotel room lighting cast everything in a warm amber glow. His shirt collar hung loose. His eyes looked heavy now.

"I miss being home." His voice had dropped lower. Softer. "I miss the couch."

"You miss your couch?"

"I miss my couch with you on it." You rolled your eyes affectionately, watching him gaze at his phone screen like he was staring into your soul.

For a moment, you simply looked at him. Really looked at him. Past the flushed cheeks and the alcohol-softened smile. Past the messy hair falling into his eyes and the ridiculous complaints about the cat stealing his spot. There was something different about him tonight. Lighter. Happier. The kind of happiness that settled deep beneath the skin and made someone glow from the inside out.

Your smile softened.

"You know..." You adjusted the blanket slightly beneath the sleeping cat, watching his attention immediately return to you. "You're doing such a good job."

Jeongguk blinked, the reaction was instant. Almost shy. "What?"

"You are." Your voice came quieter now, sincere enough that he stopped smiling for a second just to listen. "I've been watching everything."

His eyes visibly brightened. "You have?"

"Of course I have."

A small laugh escaped him. You continued before he could interrupt.

"I can tell how happy you are up there." Your gaze drifted over his face. "And I know you've missed this."

The words landed exactly where you intended them to, you watched it happen. The way his expression softened. The way his shoulders relaxed. The way something almost boyish appeared behind his eyes.

His grin slowly spread across his face. "You think so?" The question came out embarrassingly hopeful, like a little kid asking whether you'd liked the drawing they worked on all afternoon.

Your chest immediately melted. "I know so."

His eyes practically sparkled, a quiet giggle escaped him before he ducked his head for a second, suddenly unable to hide how pleased he looked.

Jeongguk rubbed the back of his neck, that shy, boyish expression lingering as he shifted against the pillows. “You really watched the videos?” he asked softly, his voice dropping with a vulnerable edge that made your heart twist. There was no bravado in it, just pure, hopeful curiosity from a man who poured every ounce of himself into his performances.

You nodded, smiling gently while adjusting the blanket over the sleeping cat. “Of course I did, Gguk. Every single one I could find. You were incredible out there."

His cheeks flushed deeper, but not just from the alcohol this time. He looked down for a moment, biting his lip as a soft, pleased laugh slipped out. The compliment seemed to melt him completely, turning your confident idol boyfriend into someone sweetly bashful.

Jeongguk rubbed at his cheek with the back of his hand, glancing back up at the screen with that shy little smile still playing on his lips. “You always know what to say to me,” he murmured, his voice low and warm, the kind of tone he only used when the rest of the world felt far away. He shifted on the hotel bed, propping the phone against a pillow so he could see both you and the cat better. “Look at her… she’s so peaceful on your chest. My two favorite girls.”

You glanced down at the sleeping cat, its tiny body rising and falling steadily against the oversized hoodie. “She’s been glued to me all night. I think she misses you too, even if she won’t admit it.” A soft chuckle escaped you as you gently stroked her back. “She keeps taking your spot, though. Like she knows you’re not here to claim it.”

He let out a quiet, fond groan, eyes softening even more as he watched the two of you. “I miss that spot. I miss your boobs."

"Freak," you murmured before he laughed out loud.

The laugh that came out of him was immediate. Loud. Completely unashamed. His head tipped back against the headboard and for a second he looked exactly his age instead of the global superstar millions of people saw on stage every night. Just Jeongguk. Drunk. Sleepy. Missing home, missing you.

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he watched you reach down to scratch beneath the cat's chin. The little traitor immediately pushed her face into your hand without even opening her eyes. The movement made something soften visibly in his expression.

For a few moments, neither of you said much. There wasn't really anything left to say. The conversation had already drifted through a dozen different subjects, from the concert to the cat to his very serious concerns regarding the theft of his designated spot on your chest. Now the call had settled into something quieter. More comfortable.

Jeongguk rested his cheek against the pillow behind him, looking at the screen with heavy eyes. The alcohol had finally started losing the fight against exhaustion. The excitement was still there—you could see it every time he smiled—but it sat lower now, softened around the edges by a long day and an even longer night.

"You should sleep," you murmured eventually, watching him struggle through a yawn he clearly hadn't intended to let you see.

Immediately, he shook his head. The denial would've been more convincing if his eyes hadn't watered from the effort.

"You're literally falling asleep."

"'M not. I'm talking to you."

"You can talk to me tomorrow."

Jeongguk frowned at the suggestion, his gaze drifting back toward the cat before returning to your face. The expression lasted only a second before something small and fond replaced it. The kind of look that always appeared when he was tired enough to stop pretending he wasn't sentimental.

For a while, neither of you said anything. There was no need to. The television continued playing quietly somewhere behind you, the rain tapping steadily against the windows while the cat slept through the entire conversation without moving so much as a whisker. On the screen, Jeongguk simply watched. Not in the distracted way people usually watched each other during calls, multitasking and half-listening, but with a sort of quiet attentiveness that always surfaced when he was away for too long. His eyes drifted from your face to the cat, then toward the familiar living room behind you before eventually returning to you again, as if he was mentally cataloguing every detail he was missing.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Not enough to be called a grin. Just enough to soften his features. The alcohol had taken the sharp edges off him hours ago, leaving behind something gentler. Something boyish. He looked comfortable for the first time all evening, settled into the hotel pillows with his hair falling into his eyes and his cheeks still pink from too many celebratory drinks. It struck you suddenly that this was probably the calmest moment he'd had all day.

Your gaze lingered on him for a second longer. The warm lighting of the hotel room. The rumpled sheets. The exhaustion settling deeper into his features every minute. Thousands of miles away and somehow still occupying the entire couch with his presence alone.

Slowly, almost absentmindedly, his eyes began to close.

You bit back a smile.

There was something oddly comforting about seeing him like this. Not performing. Not rehearsing. Not running between schedules. Just tired, happy and safe. The version of Jeongguk that only really existed behind closed doors, when there was nobody around expecting anything from him.

Eventually his gaze found you again, heavy-lidded and warm, and for a moment he simply looked content. The kind of contentment that came from ending a good day and finding home waiting on the other side of a phone screen. Outside, the rain continued falling. Inside, the cat slept peacefully against your chest. And somewhere between the quiet apartment in Seoul and a hotel room halfway across the world, the distance didn't feel quite so large anymore.

author's note — he just texted me saying he missed me guys #trust this is canon.

he’s still looking when he finally pulls into a spot just outside your place, slow and careful as to avoid the wheels making that loud nails-to-chalkboard noise they always do when he brakes just a little too fast. the hum of the engine running is quicker to cut out than he would’ve liked, after that, when he turns the key. it makes him cringe before he lets himself look back at you.

you shift a little when the car settles, leaning off the door, still half-asleep in that soft way that makes everything feel slower than it is. you’re rubbing at your right eye with the same hand you’d been resting on, other hand coming up to rub at the left as you straighten up, stretching out the curve of your spine as you do so. it cracks once, twice, thrice, before you slouch again.

he’s getting out of the car without so much as a word as you’re blinking your eyes open.

the passenger door opens before you’ve even fully registered him getting out and moving around the front, cold air slipping in as he leans into your space, close enough that the scarf around your neck shifts with his movement. the one end of it slung over your shoulder slips off, cotton fabric pooling in your lap as your boyfriend’s cologne overpowers the smell of takeout.

“hey,” he says, quieter than he needs to, reaching around you to get to something you haven’t quite identified yet. it doesn’t startle you in the least, his hand finding the buckle like he’s done it a hundred times already, even with the bulky fabric of your coat scrunched up on top of it. he’s so careful with it, careful with you, like both of those things matter in the same way.

you don’t really give him space to finish properly.

your arms are already around his neck before he’s fully pulled back, still half in your seat, half in his space, as the buckle snags around your right shoulder and sort of traps you there. you’re not that out of it, anymore, the light above the rearview a little too uncomfortably bright for your eyes now that the door is open. not to mention the quiet alarm signalling the open passenger.

it’s clear izuku can see that, given he stills, gives into the whim just like that. 

when he leans in, it’s not by any means rushed. 

it starts slow, almost tentative in a way that doesn’t really match how carefully he’s been acting all night, like he’s making sure you’re really awake enough for this, really there. his palm settles on your thigh just beside the console, in a way that’s grounding not for you but for him, above all else—he fumbles for the buckle with his other hand, but misses badly enough he tries to cover it up by cupping the curve of your jaw, and realizes, suddenly, that you’re smiling against his lips.

he falters when he feels it, his brain short-circuiting between continuing what he’s doing and acknowledging that you’re very much awake now and very much aware of him, but he doesn’t stop. his approach just changes a bit, back to something a little more familiar—he’s much more certain, now, less careful, the hesitation finally giving out.

when he finally pulls back, it’s slow in the same way everything else has been.

“you’re awake.” he says, hand still at your jaw. he sounds so fond, so content, it makes your heart twist. you hum something under your breath in response, not even sure it actually comes out as anything more than a muted mmmh, but it seems to be enough for him.

his hand drops from your jaw as your arms unwind from around him, the hand he’d had on your thigh coming up to move the belt at the same time his other hand moves your arm, freeing you from the restraint as the buckle clinks against the the edge of the door just beside your head.

“c’mon,” he murmurs, already shifting back out of your space. “let’s get you out.”

he steps to the side, just in front of the back door, giving you room as he opens yours wider. the cold hits him like a bucket of icewater after the intense proximity, and it hits you similarly as it comes around you full-force, your body no longer blanketed by his. his cheeks are turning red, from the cold more than anything—he’s not that bashful, easy-to-embarrass teenager anymore.

once you’re both outside, he shuts the door behind you with another click, and moves a little further back to open the back door. he ducks behind it, momentarily, his windows so tinted you almost can’t see him, then comes out—smacking the back of his head on the edge of the door with a murmured yowch—again holding the takeout you’d driven almost a half-hour out to get.

you reach over the open door to cradle his head, tangling gentle fingers through his hair even as you’re smiling at him, a tease on the tip of your tongue as his free hand comes up to clasp over yours. nothing ends up coming out as he steps out of your reach, letting your hand fall and slip into the pocket of your coat as he shuts the car door. 

there’s no hesitation in it, this time, when he steps in. his arm comes around your waist, palm to the small of your back as he kisses you again—shorter this time, but surer than it has been all night. it’s only a little open-mouthed, no ulterior motive evident as he presses his chest to yours and smiles against your lips this time, instead. 

when he pulls back, he doesn’t go too far. only enough to look at you properly.

“okay,” he says, like that settles everything. “now we’re going inside.”