INKED ;; TAEKOOK

sWALLOWTAILS

"You're back already?"

Taehyung cleared his throat, trying to hide his grin in his jacket collar because, well, it wasn't like he was hoping that Jungkook would be here, it's just — okay so he was kind of hoping that he would.

He meant he wasn't going to be disappointed if Jungkook happened to not be — Taehyung didn't know him long enough to be sad about him not showing up

It's just — Jungkook was there and Taehyung was a bit giddy over it is all, okay.

"I'm actually not back for another tattoo. It's only been four days and I haven't worked up the courage yet."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want you crying again, or anything," Jungkook added, ducking his chin a bit before scratching the back of his neck, shooting off this little grin that shouldn't have been so adorable — because he shouldn't be adorable; not with the leather jackets and the pack of smokes in his pocket, and not with the lighter he was fiddling with, flicking it on and off — but it was.

The ravenette came out from behind the counter, running his hands along his scruff, scruff that wasn't there the last time, but the other didn't actually mind.

"So, then, why are you here, if you're not here for a tattoo, then?"

"I, um, I found some words that kind of rhyme with your name." And God, Taehyung sounded so stupid, and he was really about to just turn around and walk out because what was he thinking?

He couldn't just waltz into this guy's work, and honestly, Jungkook probably didn't even remember saying anything about rhyming his name, and — Taehyung was an idiot.

"Oh really?" Jungkook stopped flicking his lighter for a minute, clearing his throat. "I actually got bored a few days ago and, like, looked up the name of my fears. Like, you know, aquaphobia, and —"

"You're afraid of water?" And okay, Taehyung didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but his brain short-circuited after he said that he had researched his fears, because Jungkook looked as sheepish as he felt and maybe he did remember after all, and maybe he thought about it while tattooing a bird on some girl's ankle or a skull on some man's hip.

"I can't swim." Jungkook was back to flicking his lighter again — it was a nervous habit, and he bit his lip.

"Loads of people can't swim, s' alright."

Jungkook shrugged a bit, leaning back on the counter, still staring at the flickering flame. "And then there's nyctophobia, which is also called achluophobia — that's the fear of the dark, and there's also acrophobia, which is the fear of heights. And then there's chorophobia, which is actually a real thing. Guess what it is."

Taehyung cleared his throat, sticking his hands in the pockets of his jeans, "I think we both know I'm not exactly the best at guessing games."

Jungkook cracked a small smile at that one. "Yeah, we'd be here all day, wouldn't we?"

And Taehyung started to tell him that that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing but the better half of his brain stopped him.

And thank God, because he was developing a schoolboy crush on a tattoo artist that he barely knew.

And that was a problem. Like, majorly.

Reason one: Taehyung didn't know him.

Reason two: Jungkook witnessed him turn into a blubbering mess over needles.

Reason three: There was no way that Jungkook was single. Not with those looks and that smile and — no.

"Probably. So what is it?"

"It's the, um. The fear of dancing." Jungkook ducked his head after he said it.

A boy with tattoos and a lighter in his hand shouldn't be so endearing, but he was.

And for some reason Taehyung found himself smiling, and before he could even think about it, he was opening his mouth and running it. "That's actually really cute."

Jungkook's head snapped up but by then Taehyung was shaking his head, clearing his throat and wow, when did the ceiling become so intricate and interesting? "Those words that rhyme with Jungkook. I could only think of three. Un-hook, fine-cook, just-shook." 

He snorted, "Well you definitely got me shook here."

Taehyung shrugged, biting his lip, still looking at the ceiling because it was a lot better than having to look him in the eyes. "Yeah, I'm sorry. What was I thinking, these are so bad."

Jungkook smiled, eyes crinkling. "I think that's actually really cute."

And Jungkook seemed to have a thing for throwing Taehyung's words back at him, but the latter was pretty sure it wasn't it supposed to make him feel like this.

Definitely not.

Taehyung swallowed whatever words he was about to say, ignoring the swallowtail butterflies erupting in his stomach and his liver and his kidneys and the way they started filling his lungs.

"Oh."

"Yeah, um," Jungkook paused for a second, looking over his shoulder and back where Hoseok was tattooing some muscled guy. "I should probably get back to work, like —"

"Right, yeah, of course." Taehyung cleared his throat, offering him a little wave. "Bye, Jungkook."

"Good bye, Tae," Jungkook offered softly, and then the other male was backing out of the tattoo parlor, eyes wide and what was he thinking?

Taehyung wasn't, obviously, but now?

Now all he could think was "I think that's actually really cute" and smiles with tongue behind teeth and whatever this little crush was had to stop because it was seriously affecting his sanity.