Book Of Tease

New

As the evening turned into night, Taehyung and Jungkook found themselves alone-well, almost. Mr. and Mrs. Jeon were home, but they had retreated to their room early, leaving the younger pair to their own in the large mansion. Taehyung lingered in the hallway, staring out at the moonlit garden with a small, vague expression. Being left with Jungkook was nerve-wracking, especially with how things had been going lately. But there was a new, unspoken warmth between them that he couldn't quite name.

Jungkook, always one to seize an opportunity, slid up behind Taehyung, draping an arm over his shoulders and leaning in close. "Missing your parents already, baby?" he teased, his voice low enough that it almost sent a shiver down Taehyung's spine. "Don't worry, I'm here to take care of you."

Taehyung turned to face him, trying to keep his expression stern despite the flutter in his chest. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much," he replied, but the sharpness in his tone was softened by the shy smile tugging at his lips.

Jungkook's smirk widened, and he reached out to ruffle Taehyung's hair, ignoring the older man's half-hearted attempt to bat his hand away. "Sure you can," he said, clearly unconvinced. "But I think you like having me around, whether you want to admit it or not."

Taehyung rolled his eyes, feeling his cheeks heat up despite himself. "You're impossible," he muttered, trying to push past Jungkook, but the younger man held his ground, blocking his path.

"I think you meant 'charming,'" Jungkook corrected, leaning in closer until their foreheads nearly touched. "And you know what? I'm thinking tonight, I'm not going to let you get away so easily. How about that, darling?"

Taehyung let out a soft, nervous laugh, trying to look anywhere but at the intense gaze Jungkook had fixed on him. "I-um-maybe we should just go to sleep. It's been a long day," he stammered, but Jungkook only chuckled, clearly not ready to end his fun just yet.

With a playful grin, Jungkook finally let Taehyung slip away from his grip, but only so he could follow him down the hallway, keeping pace as they made their way upstairs. When Taehyung hesitated outside the guest room, Jungkook took the chance to swoop in, scooping Taehyung up in his arms effortlessly.

"Jungkook!" Taehyung squeaked, arms instinctively wrapping around the younger man's neck. "Put me down! Your parents will hear us!"

Jungkook ignored his protests, grinning down at him as he carried him toward his own bedroom. "Not a chance, baby. Remember what I said earlier? You're staying with me tonight. And besides, I'm sure my parents won't mind-they did say they'd support us, right?"

Taehyung huffed, cheeks burning as he realized there was no point in struggling. "You're unbelievable," he muttered, burying his face in Jungkook's shoulder to hide his embarrassment.

Jungkook only laughed, the sound rich and warm as he nudged his bedroom door open with his foot. "You love it, admit it."

Once inside, Jungkook gently set Taehyung down on the bed, watching with amusement as the older man scrambled to get comfortable, clearly flustered by the whole ordeal. He sat on the edge of the bed, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow as Jungkook made his way around the room, casually tossing off his jacket before sliding into bed beside him.

They settled under the covers, lying side by side, and for a moment, a comfortable silence filled the room. Taehyung turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of Jungkook's face in the dim light. There was a softness there, a tenderness he hadn't seen before, and it made his heart skip a beat.

"Why do you keep calling me those names?" he asked quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Jungkook glanced at him, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Because I like seeing how you react. You're adorable when you get all flustered like that," he admitted, reaching out to gently brush a stray strand of hair from Taehyung's forehead.

Taehyung's breath hitched at the touch, his cheeks turning pink once again. "I'm not adorable," he muttered, but there was no real conviction in his words.

Jungkook chuckled, moving closer until their faces were only inches apart. "Maybe not to you. But to me, you're the cutest thing in the world."

Taehyung's heart pounded in his chest, and for once, he couldn't think of a snarky reply. He just lay there, caught between disbelief and something that felt a lot like hope, as Jungkook closed the remaining distance between them, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"Goodnight, honey," Jungkook murmured, his voice softer than usual. "Sleep tight."

Taehyung closed his eyes, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Despite the teasing, despite the chaos, there was a warmth in Jungkook's presence that he found himself leaning into more and more. Maybe, just maybe, this new chapter in their lives wouldn't be so bad after all.

With that thought lingering in his mind, Taehyung let himself drift off, nestled in the warmth of Jungkook's embrace, a small smile tugging at his lips as he slowly fell asleep-unaware that Mrs. Jeon, who had passed by earlier, had seen the whole scene through the slightly open door and was already planning what to tell the Kims about their "progress."