So? (TaeJin)

4 - E

Another week jolts by and Seokjin finds himself at the door of Taehyung's apartment.

But it is early – at around 5 AM on a Saturday morning. He is dressed in his velvety purple pajamas.

It takes a good 5 mins for Taehyung to come open the door and he is ready to yell at the untimely visitor, but his face softens as soon as he sees Jin's pink cheeks, puffy eyes and snotty nose.

They speak nothing at all as Jin walks to Taehyung's room and slides under the blanket. They speak nothing at all when Taehyung joins him and wraps him in his arms.

After 30 mins of staying like that, Jin asks softly, "Does my food taste bland?"

Taehyung pecks him on his crown. He then takes Jin's palm and pushes it onto his tummy. He says, "This lump of fat that you feel is because I keep hogging your food like a starved monkey."

Jin's fingers rubs the said tummy. He mutters, "It feels like a well kneaded, flattened lump of bread flour."

Taehyung isn't sure if that is a compliment or an insult. He begins to hum Jin's favorite lullaby as they both drift into a dreamless sleep.

....

Seokjin wakes up to an empty bed. He drags himself to Taehyung's bathroom and spends at least 30 mins there, freshening up and trying to get rid of his weariness.

When he steps out, he finds the dark curtains drawn close and the lights off.

"Tae-ah!", he groans as he drags himself through the gray darkness. "Isn't it too early for a horror movie?"

He sees Taehyung in the kitchen, with his tongue between his teeth, carefully trying to balance something out of a pan.

"Did you burn anything?", Seokjin asks as he walks closer, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Taehyung shushes him and says, "Sit on the couch."

"But did – "

"Shh."

Seokjin pouts but walks back to the couch and lies down there. He tries to not think about the fight with Namjoon. He is mentally exhausted trying to handle their relationship. He wants a break from everything and everyone. He closes his eyes, searching for a piece of peace.

He opens his eyes when he feels a click of a lighter. He sits up in fright because he is worried that Taehyung set something on fire.

Which he did but it makes Jin's eyes go wide and teary.

"Good morning.", Taehyung sings softly.

There is a fancy plate with freshly made scrambled eggs, bread toast and neatly done strips of bacon. Next to it is a wine glass filled with orange juice. Next to which is a three-piece candle set, the only source of light, lit and swaying in the soft morning air.

"So, you can suddenly cook?", Jin asks and Taehyung grins. He replies, "I learnt this dish this week. It went bad 4 to 45 times but last night I succeeded."

"So, I am the first person you are experimenting this with?", Jin questions but he is already scooping a large spoonful of scrambled eggs.

Taehyung frowns, "I put a special ingredient for you."

Seokjin stops chewing, "Please tell me it is not poison."

"If my love's poison, then yes.", Taehyung says with a straight face, and it is followed by dead silence.

Seokjin gets up from his place, puts the spoon down and places his hand on Taehyung's forehead. He softly asks, "Are you sick? Is it because you've been living alone? Should I take you to the doctor?"

Taehyung groans and swats his hand away.

Seokjin chases him, "Taehyung-ah. I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Go away. I woke up early just to cook all that for you!", he yells at Jin, while running away from him.

"And, that is exactly what is worrying me.", Seokjin says but he is laughing and trying to pull Taehyung back to the couch.

Taehyung gives in and is carried to the couch on Jin's back, with his legs wrapped around his waist.

"It tastes amazing, doesn't it?", Taehyung appreciates his own food while he eats from Jin's plate.

Seokjin pushes him, "Go get your own."

"This is all that I cooked.", Taehyung says with a little frown. "I didn't know how much to make."

Seokjin smiles at him and shoves a good quantity into Taehyung's mouth, who swallows it like a frog.

"Did you talk to Jimin?", Jin asks.

"Jimin, who?", Taehyung mutters.

Seokjin feeds him a piece of bacon and says, "Your best friend, your soulmate."

"I don't know anybody like that. I am a lonely soul, I've no friends.", Taehyung replies as he eats from Seokjin's hands.

"Excuse me? What am I?", Seokjin says and pretends to be offended.

Taehyung pauses as he thinks, actually puts thought into it and says, "Roommates? Apartment-sharers."

"I don't live here anymore, dumb-dumb.", Seokjin points out.

Taehyung shrugs, "Ex-roommates? We broke up?"

"I am not your friend?", Seokjin questions, actually surprised at Taehyung's answers.

Taehyung shakes his head, "You don't feel like a friend. You don't feel like my soulmate. You are something weird."

"Weirdmates.", Seokjin says as he sips the juice.

Taehyung nods, "We're in a weirdship."

Seokjin silently continues to sip on the juice, his eyes unfocussed.

"Are you okay?", Taehyung asks nibbling on the bread.

Seokjin shakes his head, "I don't know."

"What worse things can Joon-hyung say?", Taehyung questions.

Seokjin sighs, "He said he doesn't like my food – wait no, he said my food's bland and it needs to improve."

Taehyung snorted, "I will cook for him until he is on his knees appreciating the skill of your hand."

"My hand is skilled.", Jin grins.

"It is.", Taehyung agrees and then adds, "In the kitchen. I doubt your hands' bedroom skills."

Jin smacks him away and takes away the plate. Taehyung switches on the TV and they both get distracted by the promotional ads for vacuum cleaners, extendable ladders and magic varnishes. Before he knows it, Seokjin forgets about the aching pain in his heart and Taehyung is happier than he has been the whole week.

....

"You can stay back, you know?", Taehyung says as he watches Jin change back into his pajamas. "Call and tell your boyfriend that you hate him, and he deserves to starve while re-runs of Masterchef Australia plays on a loop."

Seokjin chuckles, "I'll talk to him. I really want things to work out."

Taehyung taps him under his chin, and says, "I'll be right here."

"I know.", Seokjin says. He knows. He knows he can always come home to Taehyung and that makes him feel safe.

....

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I love the way TaeJin have this habit of touching/tapping each other's chin. Such cuties.

Love.

❤