Hello, Hello (Tell Me What You Want Right Now)

Jeongguk IV

It's a rare night where they were all home at a decent hour, so Jin had made them an amazing dinner that they'd shared together, all crammed into the too small dining table. They'd then all gathered in the main room to watch movies. It was Jimin's turn to pick so they were watching some silly rom-com. During a slow part, Jeongguk had gotten up and headed to the kitchen to grab snacks.

He's on his way back when the soft sounds of conversation make him pause.

"I can't believe he hasn't presented yet." Taehyung is saying and Jeongguk's heart drops. They're talking about him. "It's crazy. I've never known anyone to present this late."

Hoseok scoffs, always ready to defend Jeongguk on this matter. "It's perfectly normal, Tae. The latest on record is like, twenty-five."

"Aish," Jimin says. Jeongguk leans against the doorway of the kitchen, bowl of chips still in his hands. He shouldn't eavesdrop, should let them know he's there, but he's too damn curious. "That sucks. Bad genes, right?"

"Has there ever been someone that never presented?" Taehyung asks. "What if Ggukie's like that?"

"Shut the fuck up." Yoongi says followed by a thump that means he probably threw a pillow at Tae.

Tae continues like it doesn't even faze him. "I just hope he does it soon. It would make our lives so much easier." The words make tears gather in Jeongguk's eyes, but he wills them away. Is he really that much of a burden? "I mean, it's all interviewers ever want to talk about. Our videos are swarmed with ARMYs making fan theories. If he'd just present, we could get past all that."

"He can't fucking control it." Hoseok spits. "He can't control his body like that. You don't think he would if he could? You're a fucking lunatic if you think that this is harder on you than it is on him."

"I'm just saying!" Taehyung whines. "Of course it's hard on him. I love my little Ggukie, I want it for his own good too."

"Doesn't sound like it." Yoongi mutters.

"I have to agree, though." Jimin says. "It's tiring, right? Making sure he's included without being able to do the normal class stuff. Not that we all stick to status standards, but. I wish we could scent with him and stuff and it be more than me shoving my face in his neck to keep up appearances, you know?"

The words are suddenly too much for him, heart breaking at the trouble he's put his hyungs through. God, why can't he just be normal? The bowl falls from his hands, shattering on the kitchen floor and sending ceramic and chips skittering across it. He doesn't notice it, or the noises of alarm coming from the living room. He rushes from the room, stepping through the living room and ignoring the looks from the others. Tears are tracking down his cheeks and a sob hiccups in his chest before he can hide it. He runs to his room, slamming the door behind him to shut the others out. He wishes it had a lock. It's dark so he makes his way to his bed on muscle memory, throwing himself down and pulling the covers over himself, burying his head under them too. It's almost too hot, suffocating, but anything is better than the horrid feeling crawling up his throat.

He cries, and cries, because it's all that he can do. He hates that he's this way. That his body can't make up its mind, that the others have had so much time to settle in their statuses and he's still fumbling around like a fucking kid. He must be wired wrong, there must be something missing. He wants it all to be over so he won't have to worry and his hyungs wouldn't have to put up with him anymore.

There's noises outside the door and he panics. He doesn't want to face any of them, not now. He can't handle it, he can't.

"Don't you fucking dare go in there." Hoseok is growling, the Beta unusually angry.