GUARDED REGRETS |YOONKOOK|

nectarous

the faint sound of the television awoke him from his slumber, but not quite.
it made him stir, the sound was comforting.
that mixed with a distant sizzling, then the scent of bacon hit his nose and a variety of other smells he couldn't make out, but all were good.

it was a feeling he could only describe as steady. it was quiet. it was gentle.
it wasn't his bed.

yoongi forced his eyes open, everything gradually piecing together.
he sits up, the blanket that covered him spilled onto the couch. he rubbed his eyes and ruffled his hair, he looks around the room, his head was still foggy, no doubt. once he stood up, he almost fell back down, his body felt heavy.
surprising enough, he didn't feel any nausea because he didn't eat much of anything the night before, maybe two bites of the ice cream jeongguk gave to him.

"oh, fuck."
it was near noon, he had work today and he was late. he reached between the couch cushions, and as expected, he grabbed his phone. it always tended to fall from his pockets. he rung up a good friend of his, also a good co-worker.

"joon-ah."

"yeah, i know. where've you been?"

"sorry, i drank a little and lost track of time."

namjoon and yoongi worked together, yoongi would stay there after noon, and namjoon would be the one to close up shop at the end of the day.

"hyung, this is the easiest job in the world, and you still manage to slack off."
namjoon chides, yoongi groans, rolling his eyes. he's preaching this to him as though he hadn't drilled it into his head multiple times already. and multiple times, its went in one ear and out the other.

"just tell jin-hyung i'm sorry."
yoongi pleads, a pout in his voice.
"pleaseee, joonie? I'll take your shift today if you want? i can make it up to you?"

there's a brief silence, then a sigh on the other line. namjoon, as firm as he was, had a soft spot for yoongi. although he was a sweetheart to anyone at all, it was different when it came to yoongi. he used that to his advantage, not in a bad way, though. for little things like this.

"no, it's fine. i don't have anything to do later on anyway. I'll tell jin-hyung you called in sick, okay?"

yoongi smiles.
"thank you, joonie."
he knew namjoon was smiling too. he felt it.

"i better see you tomorrow."
namjoon says, then ended the call.

namjoon, jin, and yoongi, they were all friends. namjoon met jin, and jin got a job as a manager, gave namjoon a position, yoongi was looking for a job, namjoon suggested they'd be partners, namjoon introduced him to jin, and he was offered a position, too. he took it, they bonded, and they all work together.

so, unlike many other jobs out there, he was given a lot more leeway from his manager. but nonetheless, he still had a business to run, and whenever he got onto him it was for good reason, and he'd never dare to protest. but luckily, he didn't need to do that too often. what could he do wrong in a bookstore?

"good morning, hyungie."

a plate is set on the table in front of him with a clatter, eggs bacon and waffles topped with sliced peaches. it looked really, really good. his stomach growled at the sight of it. it was a bit extra, either that or more than he expected.

"good morning, gguk.. why don't you look half-dead?"
he asked, he was certain the boy would have a massive hangover, considering last night, it was his first time drinking vodka.

"oh, i got it all out of my system earlier. threw up a whopping four times."
jeongguk said sarcastically, with faux enthusiasm, sitting beside yoongi and taking a bite of his food.
"i didnt know what you liked for breakfast, so i made what everyone likes!"

yoongi cuts into his eggs with his fork and eats it.
"i like waffles a lot more than pancakes. good eye, ggukie."

jeongguk smiles, a bit proud of himself, but it's just what he had left. still, he was proud.
"thannnk you."

"wait, yesterday.."
yoongi begins, his memory flooding back to him.
"hoseok, what happened with him? he left early.. or something.."

"oh.. oh yeah."
jeongguk says dully, recalling the words that were said.
he felt his stomach tighten.
he paused, a little longer than he intended to.

"gguk?"

"sorry,"
jeongguk shakes his head, as though it would clear his thoughts.
it didn't. he felt horrible.

yoongi looked at him, concern written on his face as he picked off the peaches, and ate them first.

"he confessed to me. and i didn't know he liked me, and i rejected him."
jeongguk's voice noticably got quieter, sounding desolate.
"he seemed really hurt. i've never seen him act like that."
he frowns, picking at his food now.
"or heard him talk to me like that."
his voice wavered this time, he was fighting back tears again. he wasn't letting them fall this time, though.

"I'm happy you expressed that to him. he probably lashed out a little from the drinks?"
yoongi suggests as to ease his worries, but it didn't seem to do too much, wiping his tears.

jeongguk still had something to tell him. it was a burden he wasn't going to carry for long. his emotions would eventually get the best of him.

yoongi puts a slice of a peach from his plate onto jeongguk's, and scoots closer to him.
jeongguk couldn't help but smile, leaning into him, yoongi didn't shift away even then, and he was mostly sober.
picking the peach off of his plate, he popped it into his mouth.

"you're gonna be okay. you're really sweet, you know?"
yoongi wraps an arm around jeongguk, pulling him in even closer.
as much as he didn't like contact, jeongguk needed it right now. he cares about him a lot more than he'd like to admit, and he wouldn't ever admit.

"you did nothing but express your true feelings. you meant no harm. you shouldn't feel guilt, but you do. you're a sweetheart."
yoongi pauses as he thinks, clicking his tongue.
"honeypot. that's what you are."

jeongguk was smiling ear to ear, and yoongi avoided his gaze because he knew he was. he didn't like his emotions.

"i love you, yoongi."

the words resonate with him for a moment. he chews on his lip nervously, feeling his face flush in embarrassment, he hated his display of his emotions, or anyones emotions, actually.
"ew."
he huffed, inching away from him, but jeongguk just giggled and moved even closer.

"i love you, too, kookoo."