INKED ;; TAEKOOK

sMOKES

Taehyung went back to the tattoo parlor the next day, because he got off of work early and had no life.

Actually, part of it was Jimin begging him to go back with him because apparently he and Hoseok got on really well and — "it'd make more sense if you were there too and at least you'd get to see Jungkook so stop frowning".

And Taehyung really shouldn't have listened to jimin, because here he was— freakish human giraffe with a head of dark hair next to him — pushing into the parlor just as the door swung back and —oh. Oh.

Jungkook was just about to walk out with some bloke with a slouchy beanie and an arm decorated with tattoos by his side.

The guy was smaller than Jungkook, and his eyes were really blue, animated almost as he relayed something, arms flailing for dramatic effect.

Jungkook noticed them before the other boy did, stopping in his tracks while his friend actually rebounded off of Taehyung, because he was too dumbstruck to move out of the way.

Taehyung's brain always seemed to move two breaths too slow when he was around Jungkook and that wasn't actually a good thing.

"Whoa, hey," The guy called out, Jungkook grabbing his elbow before he toppled over.

Taehyung kind of took that moment to catch his breath because a) the guy had run into him and knocked the wind out of him and b) Jungkook was looking especially good today.

"Taehyung, hey, you alright?" Jungkook asked him then, voice smooth and silky and damn it, why couldn't he be as affected by Taehyung as he was of him?

Taehyung opened his mouth to tell him that he was fine but his friend beat him to it, whipping his head toward him with a wolfish grin and wide eyes.

"Oh, so you're Tae? Stay gold tattoo Tae? Oh so smart Tae that knows really big words and has a boyfriend that's actually really nice and has dimples and green eyes and also has a matching forever gold tattoo Tae? Nice to meet you, I'm Min Yoongi, best friend of Jeon Jungkook — who happens to be this charming bloke to his left, though you know that very well by now, don't you?"

Taehyung blinked.

He didn't know what to say.

This guy — Min Yoongi — had just charged at him like a fireball and he was speechless because what was he to say?

Jungkook seemed to be thinking the same thing because he was gaping at Yoongi with an open mouth and equally red cheeks, socking him in the arm.

And Taehyung was still thinking of something to say when Jimin let out a deep chuckle beside him, slow and languid and everything Jimin before, "I'm not his boyfriend, actually."

And — oh.

Taehyung hadn't even —the word boyfriend — hadn't even registered in his brain through Yoongi's long speech because he still wasn't over the fact that Yoongi knew of him, which meant that Jungkook talked about him more than he had thought.

Not that that couldn't mean that he talked about all of his costumers.

Telling your best friend — Yoongi — was a lot different that telling your coworker — Hoseok — and Taehyung liked to think that he was special.

Maybe. Not saying that he was.

Taehyung knew he wasn't, but he liked to think that a guy as attractive and sweet and genuinely nice as Jungkook actually talk about him.

"You held his hand like three times didn't you, what was it, Chinon?" Yoongi paused for a second, giving Jimin a questioning look before, "No, wait, it was Park Jimin, yeah."

Jungkook cleared his throat then, not only glaring at Yoongi but also giving Taehyung a sheepish smile and that's when he finally stepped out of their way because yeah, they were about to leave, weren't they?

"Sorry, we've been holding you up and I didn't even realize."

"We were just going to lunch," Yoongi interjected before Jungkook even had a chance to, "But we could probably go pick it up and all just eat here. Hobi would probably like that too, don't you think, Kook?"

Jungkook nodded then, giving Yoongi a look that Taehyung couldn't read before shrugging. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd love salty Chinese takeaway."

Yoongi shot him a face at that, but Jungkook just gave a soft snort before shrugging again. "You can do what you want but I'm not paying for it, hyung."

Yoongi rolled his eyes in a very overdramatic fashion, letting out a loud, audible sigh.

"Of course you're not paying for it. You didn't pay for my gas when I drove all the way here just to see my friend on his lunch break; of course you wouldn't pay for Hoseok's lunch. You're such a cheapskate, Jeon, Christ. Why am I even friends with you?"

Jimin let out a snort at that while Jungkook just scowled, shoving Yoongi before completely ignoring his outburst. "Well if you're going to go pick up the food then I might as well just wait here."

"Yeah, you can keep Taehyung company because Park Jimin is coming with me."

Jimin didn't even protest, sending Taehyung a little finger wave before trotting off behind Yoongi, and then there were two.

Jungkook leaned against the brick wall of the tattoo parlor, running his thumb over it before pulling out a pack of smokes from one pocket and a lighter in the other.

When he lit up Taehyung immediately turned his face away which, of course, he noticed.

"Sorry. This bother you?"

Taehyung shrugged. "I've just got asthma, is all. Don't want to like, choke on the ground or anything."

And a) Jungkook made it hard enough to breathe as it was, and b) thinking about it, Taehyung wouldn't exactly mind him having to give him mouth to mouth.

Jungkook took another long drag before stubbing it out with the toe of his shoe, and when Taehyung sent him a questioning look all he said was — "It's a nasty habit anyway."

Which kind of meant a lot more to Taehyung than it should've.

And later when Yoongi came back with Jimin and a lot more food than needed to feed five people, Yoongi handed Jungkook a few crumpled bills. "You paid for it, and I also took the liberty of filling up my tank, mind you."

All Jungkook did was roll his eyes in response, fond smile threatening to break his lips and Taehyung found it all very endearing.

There was a lot about this boy that Taehyung found to be endearing and it was all a bit overwhelming.

It was a tidal wave of emotion and he wasn't really prepared for that; for hot blushes and embarrassed smiles and fluttering hearts.

It was all a bit much but honestly, if Taehyung could go back in time he wouldn't change a thing.

Taehyung was falling for a stupid boy with stupidly long lashes and a stupidly cute smile that had a stupid nasty habit, and oddly, he was okay with that.