bite me once, shame on you. bite me twice...

lesson nineteen: de-escalation

Yongbok could confidently say that he's never been happier than he was at this moment. He and Jisung were wandering the city, idly going past stores to window shop. It was the most fun he's had in a long time, which was a little sad if he thought about it for too long.

"So is he always that... threatening?" Jisung asked, studying a fur coat before wrinkling his nose and sliding over to a different rack.

"Who, you mean Minho-hyung?"

"Yeah. I mean I had a feeling it was bad, but he's like freakishly intense. It'd be sexy if it weren't scary." Jisung hummed. Yongbok laughed, holding up a belt and trying to imagine actually wearing it.

He took a moment to consider his answer. "Well.... Yeah, he's always been like that but he's really just protective."

"Overbearing, honey."

Yongbok couldn't argue that. He's had some suffocating times over the years.

"I'm still amazed he actually agreed to joining. Given... well, Hyunjin." Jisung shrugged, joining Yongbok's side to look over jewelry.

At the mention of Hyunjin, Yongbok's heart fluttered, feeling like it wanted to jump out of his throat. "Hyunjin's hardly a threat."

Jisung stared at the side of his head, Yongbok keeping his eyes firmly on a selection of watches. "You're kidding, right?"

Yongbok shrugged. The crazy thing was he really wasn't kidding. He knew Hyunjin wasn't a real threat to him. Yes, sure, he almost ended up a middle of the day snack but that was irrelevant. He had a pretty good feeling that as soon as Hyunjin realized what he was doing, he'd back off from drinking.

Jisung sighed and led Yongbok out of the store. "Look, I've only known Hyunjin for a few months but I think I've got a pretty good idea of what he's like. He's intense, he's dramatic, he's a lot to handle. Chan's aged seventy years in three months because of him."

"That doesn't mean he's heartless or stupid. And it doesn't mean he's a threat. I'm sure he's more aware of the things going on than you think."

"I didn't say he was unaware, I just know he'd be a little hard to deal with if he were to y'know," Jisung mimed fangs, pointing his index fingers fingertips down from his top lip.

Yongbok almost rolled his eyes. He glanced down at his phone when he felt it vibrate in his coat pocket. Minho had asked them to circle around and join him and Seungmin outside the supermarket.

"Hyung wants us back." Yongbok muttered, scowling, though he wasn't sure why.

"Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't go for it but I'm saying you should be careful. Hyunjin's still a baby, right? He could do serious damage if you don't watch out."

Yongbok wasn't really sure if he meant physically or emotionally. Either way, he wasn't sure he cared.

"You're starting to sound like Minho hyung." Yongbok flipped his hair over his shoulder, accepting the arm Jisung wrapped around his own as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Sometimes your brother makes very good points."

Yongbok didn't hide his eye roll this time. Jisung's cackle was like music to his ears.

Minho and Seungmin were still loading the groceries into the back of Chan's (very expensive) car. Well, Seungmin was putting the groceries in. Minho was looking around the parking lot like he was expecting someone to come out and attack him.

Jisung poked his head into the trunk, looking through the cloth bags. Yongbok recognized them as the ones Minho keeps stored in a cabinet in their apartment. So he must have swung by to grab them at some point.