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There is a glow, a soft gold cascading across the room and creating shadows across the wall. It illuminates the blankets surrounding them, created by a small nightlight plugged in behind them.
If Jungkook were to remove the blankets, he’d be able to see the stars and galaxies it creates on the ceiling. It’s his favorite item he owns, because the stars are hard to see with the city lights.
Pillows lay around them in heaps, squished behind their backs and their on the sides, tucked beneath their legs. Taehyung’s against his back, their legs intertwined.
There is a television inside the fort Jungkook created, creating more light.
The brightest of them all is still Taehyung. He had showed up at Jungkook’s door bouncing on his toes and carrying bags of snacks and movies for tonight.
It feels like a date. Jungkook knows it’s isn’t, but he can’t help but think about it. His want for it to be one. His want for Taehyung. They do dates all of the time, and the thought is always in his mind. Bike dates, gallery dates. Picnic dates and Jungkook’s favorite spontaneous traveling wherever they can afford to.
But more than that, he likes having Taehyung spend the night. Working long and hard hours tire him out, and it’s nice when he can laze around at home after with his favorite person.
“What the hell.”
Jungkook looks away from the screen, where a woman is crying softly. He hasn’t been paying much attention because of how tired he is, head thrown back against the pillows. But the hitch in Taehyung’s voice when he speaks has Jungkook pulling away from the lull that’s calling him to sleep.
Taehyung is bright eyed always, but when Jungkook turns around to look at him as much as he can, he sees his eyes swarming with tears.
Another hitched breath and Taehyung is leaning down to rest his reddening cheeks against Jungkook’s shoulder so Jungkook can no longer see.
“You’re such a baby,” Jungkook mumbles fondly. “Why did you pick a sad movie? You always cry during them.”
He isn’t saying it cruelly, just teasing in the hopes of distracting Taehyung from whatever happened to the woman.
“Shut up,” Taehyung mumbles back as he tosses an arm around Jungkook’s middle, shifting around until he’s fully spooning him.
Jungkook laughs quietly as he cups the hand Taehyung has hanging over his belly to thread their fingers.
“Don’t cry, Tae-Tae.”
Taehyung huffs, rubbing his face against Jungkook’s shoulder like he’s wiping his tears against him.
“Don’t snot on me either,” Jungkook murmurs, giggling softly as he brings their clasped hands up to kiss Taehyung’s palm.
“I’m not crying,” Taehyung says more defensively than needed. “You’re heartless, Kook. This is a sad movie.”
It’s just playful. Jungkook smiles softly as he shifts back against Taehyung, wanting to turn to face him even though the sight of him crying always tugs too painfully at his chest. Even if it’s over things like movies.
“You know when you’re over something, but it randomly comes back?” Taehyung asks suddenly. “It’s annoying.”
Jungkook hesitates, squeezing Taehyung’s fingers. “What is it?”
“Old stuff.”
“What kind of old stuff?”
Taehyung sighs. Jungkook won’t push Taehyung to speak about it if he doesn’t want to, but he wants to listen if Taehyung wants to talk about it.
“Just, it’s dumb.”
“It isn’t dumb if it’s upsetting you.”
Taehyung doesn’t speak for a moment. They watch the movie, though Jungkook doesn’t pay any more attention.
He listens to the way Taehyung breathes, making sure he still isn’t crying. He focuses on the lengths of their bodies and how they mold together. How well they fit together.
“I’m not upset, really. I can’t explain the feeling. I was - I was just thinking about my ex,” Taehyung finally says. “About our breakup.”
It is old stuff. Months and months ago. Jungkook’s chest pangs at the mention of it. Taehyung had been really upset about it, and Jungkook’s heart had hurt for him.
“I really am over it, that’s why I’m annoyed it was bothering me,” Taehyung goes on, the eye roll loud in his tone. “But I was thinking about it because I like someone but I can’t like someone without being reminded of how often I’ve had my heart broken and it becomes ruined for me.”
Jungkook’s heart feels broken now. He’d never say it out loud. “Everyone is stupid for breaking your heart, Tae.”
Taehyung smiles against the back of his neck. “You’re biased because you’re my best friend.”
Jungkook may be biased for that reason, but also because he’s in love with him and doesn’t understand how anyone else would waste their chance to be with him.
“I’m not,” Jungkook denies anyway. “I mean it.”
“Well thanks,” Taehyung grumbles. “Does that mean I just have taste for stupid men then?”
Jungkook laughs, elbowing out gently. He only knocks it against Taehyung’s stomach. “Possibly.”
Taehyung giggles, nuzzling the sound into Jungkook’s shoulder. “Stop making me laugh.”
“I’m kidding. The break up had nothing to do with you, Tae. You’re kind of amazing you know? Funny, smart, good at whatever you do. Plus you’re warm and kind. I swear your chest is that broad just so it can fit that big heart of yours inside of it.”
Jungkook could talk about Taehyung for hours, and he would if Taehyung needs to hear it. Even if his feelings come out with every word.
“Oh quiet,” Taehyung huffs out, curling tighter against him. His lips brush over the back of Jungkook’s neck and goosebumps immediately erupt across his skin. It causes a whirlwind of butterflies inside of him, his body tending slightly when a simple brush of lips turn into a pressure that feels like a kiss.
“I won’t,” Jungkook whispers, his sudden nerves keeping him from saying it as firmly as he wants to. “If the guy you like hurts your heart, I’ll destroy him.”
Taehyung sighs, kissing him a second time. It isn’t unusual of him to do. He often kisses Jungkook’s cheeks or forehead when he pouts, even if he doesn’t know the reason Jungkook usually pouts is because he is thinking about kissing him on the lips. “I love you, Kookie.”
Jungkook sucks in his bottom lip. He says it often and it never fails to make Jungkook’s heart a mess.
“I love you too, Tae,” Jungkook says before he’s shifting around to face him.
The tears are gone and there is a soft smile on Taehyung’s lips as Taehyung reaches out to run his palm so softly down the side of Jungkook’s face he can barely feel it.
“I mean it. If he hurts you, it’s over for him,” Jungkook whispers threateningly as he cups Taehyung’s face in his hands. He leans up to smother a messy, firm kiss to Taehyung’s forehead.
He wishes to kiss lower, softer. Over his cheeks, the tip of his nose, his lips. He doesn’t know if he can so he presses one more kiss to Taehyung’s forehead before pulling back and resting his head back into the pillows.
Taehyung rolls his eyes, but the smile on his face is wider. He trails his hand down Jungkook’s side before fitting it over his hip as an anchor to move closer.
That’s how Jungkook thinks of their friendship, both of them an anchor for each other. This kind of intimacy is nothing new between them. It’s been there as long as Jungkook can remember, because the two of them have been the two of them for as long as he can remember.
He finds comfort knowing they always will be.
“I don’t think he will,” Taehyung says as he squeezes Jungkook’s hip. It’s said quietly as his wide eyes search over Jungkook’s face. Jungkook goes cross eyed as Taehyung leans in to press their foreheads together.
“Good,” Jungkook mumbles.
The movie goes forgotten, and as their conversation dissipates, Jungkook finds his sleep from earlier coming back. He tries to blink it away as Taehyung is still away, his face still close.
When Taehyung cups the side of his neck, Jungkook snuggles closer. The way he rubs a thumb over Jungkook’s pulse makes him even more tired, his eyes growing too heavy to keep open.
Taehyung says something. Jungkook focuses on the sound of his voice, grunting out a soft ‘hm?’
“I said it’s you,” Taehyung whispers. It doesn’t sound like the movie is playing any more but Jungkook doesn’t remember when it was turned off. “The guy I like.”
Jungkook warms a hand up Taehyung’s spine. He blinks an eye open, finding Taehyung’s closed.
There is a moment where it’s only quiet. Maybe if Jungkook were more awake his heart would thrash around in his chest, but right now he just feels warm like the glow around them has settled in his chest.
Jungkook tilts his chin some, feeling Taehyung’s breath against his skin before he grazes their lips.
In the morning, Taehyung wakes with the distant memory of telling Jungkook how he’s always felt about him, and he’s unsure if he dreamed it or not. The way Jungkook’s lips ghosted against his own.
He knows it isn’t a dream when Jungkook sleepily curls an arm beneath his neck and presses another kiss to his lips when he wakes.
As nervous as he had been, he knows he shouldn’t have been. It’s always this easy with Jungkook, his anchor.