before i could even remember

VII

Sometimes Taehyung feels at hyung's flat like it was his own. He has his clothes there, his favourite tea is always stocked in the first cupboard on the right from the fridge, right above the kettle, extra covers always ready to be taken out from under the couch in case he decides to sleep over, his extra pair of glasses safely hidden in the small drawer of the coffee table.

It would be hard to be there and to not feel like home and right now, when he's wearing his onesie, in the middle of decorating the whole apartment, this feeling is particularly strong. With Yeontan pattering between his legs, with tiny reindeer antlers on the top of his cute little head, 'Die hard' playing in the background and the Christmas tree already halfway dressed up.

He looks over at two men sitting sprawled on the couch, both in matching pyjama sets with multiple tiny gingerbread men and sighs.

"You could help me, you know?"

"You wanted to decorate the flat, we let you." Yoongi hyung yawns. "Take it or leave it. I'm not moving from here."

"Hyuuuung..." he whines, looking over at Jeongguk hyung with the biggest pout he can muster.

"Taetae, I hung up fairy lights around all of the rooms for you. I decorated the top of the tree because you claimed you can't reach it. And I'm only a few centimetres taller than you! My hands are killing me, please give me a break. Or just come here and watch with us."

"There's no space for me on the couch with how wide you are men spreading."

At that Jeongguk hyung spreads his legs even further apart with a huge grin on his face. Pervert.

"I can go to the armchair if that means the both of you are going to shut up."

Taehyung only shows Yoongi hyung a tongue and gets back to the tree. He thinks about his own, already decorated dorm and smiles to himself. He adores living with Jimin. They never argue and Hobi is almost their third roommate with how often he comes over but lately Taehyung tries to spend the nights out to give Jimin and Jiyong some privacy. They've been dancing around each other long enough to still try to figure out how to get some privacy. Jimin made Taehyung's life happy and saved him from loneliness, he can give his best friend at least that. And with no boyfriend in sight, he rewards his hyungs with his presence.

And impeccable decorating skills.

He hangs the last bauble right when the movie finishes and both hyungs throw themselves to fight for the remote. Taehyung looks at them amused, Yeontan barking furiously between his legs. The poor animal never can distinguish real fight from playful wrestling and it stresses him out every time any of his humans mess around.

Apparently, from what Taehyung's been told, not only wrestling brings Yeontan's distress as once Jeongguk hyung had to keep him closed in his room with himself, after Yoongi and Susanna, his current girlfriend, made a bit too much noise for the dog's liking.

To be honest, Taehyung thinks it's hilarious.

After a few minutes of fighting, Jeongguk hyung holds the remote high in the air, his huge bunny smile, right above the little mole, on full display, glasses slightly tilted. Yoongi hyung groans, muttering under his breath curses on Jeongguk, Taehyung and Santa Claus.

"What are we watching?"

"'Family man'" Jeongguk hyung answers, not sparing him a glance as he focuses on typing the title in the search bar.

"Okay, I'm out. Have fun."

He leaves, throwing disapproving looks at the tree. Taehyung admits that he went a little extra but he just couldn't decide which ornaments he likes the best. So Jeongguk hyung told him to get all of them and Taehyung was taught to listen to his elders. Especially if what they are saying is making so much sense.

"Hyung hates this movie." he giggles, getting closer to the couch.

"I know. He has a lot of work tomorrow and he wouldn't go if he liked what I chose."

That warms Taehyung's heart. He was granted an angel in the form of Jiminie and his brother got his own, manifesting itself as a giant muscle bunny, covered with tattoos, piercings and with strange adoration for black clothes and white t-shirts.

"Well, I love it."

"I know that, too." hyung smiles at him and nods at the couch. "Are you staying the night?"

"Yeah, it's too late to catch a bus and I don't have money for a cab. I've spent everything on all that glitters."

Jeongguk only snorts and gets up, to prepare everything for Taehyung to sleep. "You didn't spend a single won, I paid for everything."

"Okay, that's true, but I already bought all the christmas presents so I'm truly broke."

The older hums and when he's done, he moves to sit on the armchair but stops after a few steps. He looks over at the unfolded sofa, full of fluffy pillows and warm cover (extra thick, for sake of Taehyung's feet), then again at the armchair and he has such a miserable face that Taehyung just pushes him back to the couch.

"Just lie down and don't be ridiculous. Christmas movies deserve to be watched properly. Especially if there is Nicolas Cage in the equation."

Taehyung plays it cool but he is terribly nervous. After that one time they watched the series while cuddling, it repeated only once, so initiating anything feels a bit wrong but Taehyung can't help it. He craves it and is willing to suffer through a bit of embarrassment if at the end he gets to snuggle with Jeongguk hyung once again.

The older nods and they both get under the covers. Taehyung timidly shimmies closer to him and breathes out with relief, when Jeongguk hyung wraps him up in a warm hug. He sighs contentedly, and lies his head on hyung's chest, Yeontan already curled in a small ball at their feet.

They both fall asleep not even in the middle of the movie and if Taehyung ever wonders why he can't find himself a boyfriend - that's it. This is the reason. How good it feels to be in Jeongguk hyung's arms.