#taekookau where Taehyung decides to break things off with his fwb, because he fell too deep and he can’t only be friends with benefits with Jungkook when he’s half in love with him.

And Jungkook…had thought they were boyfriends.

→ photography major Taehyung
→ dance major Jungkook
→ two idiots
→ but make it love

1.

Here’s the thing, about falling into a friends with benefits relationship with a boy who makes your heart race (not with desire, but something softer, something sweeter and far more elusively delicate): it’s the stupidest thing you can do, as Taehyung can attest to.

But here’s the other thing.

Sometimes, when you want something with your whole heart, so much it aches, you tell yourself: just a taste is better than nothing at all.

Sometimes, what you tell yourself, is dumb.

Because just a taste leaves you craving more, and more, of that wonderful, beautiful, precious thing you’ll never truly have, until you’re standing in an exquisite heartbreak of your own making, like a sweetly masochistic maestro of your own downfall.

This is a story of Taehyung’s downfall, and his orchestration of it.

Like a sweetly masochistic maestro, guiding along the faultlines of his own heartbreak. (And idiocy.)

(Mostly idiocy.)

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. he was sad

7.

8. Jimin has priorities

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10.

— ok quick break while i go eat then I come back and finish

Interactions make me happy in the meantime

11.

Jungkook can't help the happy little hum under his breath and sway in his step as he flits around his room, trying haphazardly to clean it up as best as possible before Taehyung arrives.

He figures it doesn't really matter; Taehyung's seen it messy all the time.

There's a smile tugging at his lips at the mere thought of Taehyung, the way such thoughts have always pulled from him; the way that the idea of /Taehyung/, to Jungkook, has become synonymous with warmth and happiness and all the light things in the world.

Jungkook had never expected Taehyung to return his affections - not when Taehyung is so overwhelmingly charming, a social butterfly whose attentions are always sought by tons of people.

So to have his feelings /reciprocated/, is a joy Jungkook had never anticipated.

It's silly, but Jungkook thinks he knows what all those sappy, sickening love songs were weeping about, when they talked about this kind of affection. The kind of affection where he misses Taehyung, all the time; where he wants to see him, wants to hold him, wants to-

When Jungkook's phone pings with a message, he practically dives for it exultantly.

Surely, it's Taehyung, asking to be buzzed in from the lobby.

With an exuberant grin, Jungkook hurries to unlock his phone-

-only to stare, uncomprehending, at the words blinking back at him.

And then, as Taehyung's messages come in, one by one, the smile drops from his lips, leaving his expression withdrawn and bereft and, a little lost.

Dimmed.

As though someone had swept by and extinguished those stars which had blinked so brightly in his eyes just a moment ago.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17. Jimin, Taehyung

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20.

"I'm just," Jungkook coughs wetly, hands raised to cover his flushed face, cheeks damp with tears. "I'm so- stupid, I thought- I'm-"

Hoseok wraps him tighter in a hug, as though he could physically ward off all the hurt if he only hugged him tightly enough.

"No," he coos. "You're not, that guy was just a dick-"

"Stop it," Jungkook huffs, frowning even through his tears. (Even at his worst, he doesn't want anyone to talk badly of Taehyung - and this, too, makes him ache, for how stupidly gone he is on the guy.) "He isn't."

Hoseok begs to differ. But Jungkook scowls at him, so Hoseok relents with a little sigh, curling his arm around Jungkook's shoulder with a reassuring shake.

"Taehyung's- he's, he's really nice," Jungkook mopes. "It's not his fault I just assumed-"

"It's entirely his fault!" Hoseok protests. "Who the hell takes a fuckbuddy on a romantic pinterest date?!"

"I know," Jungkook wails, fresh tears springing to his eyes anew, and Hoseok blanches.

"Shit," he says, mopping up Jungkook's cheeks. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Why doesn't he like me?" Jungkook says piteously, nose scrunched up and heart twisting. "I'm- I thought he did, he was- he was so-"

Taehyung had smiled at Jungkook so breathtakingly, that Jungkook had thought it meant he felt fireworks in his chest, too, the way Jungkook did.

That's when there's a sudden and unmitigated /pounding/ at Jungkook's door.

The both of them freeze, eyes wide, as a fist bangs on the other side of Jungkook's dorm, where he's currently huddled on the floor with Hoseok draped around him.

"-kook," they hear, and Jungkook's breath catches.

"Jungkook? Jungkook, are you in there? Please, can we- Jungkook, can we talk? Please?" Taehyung's voice bellows through the closed door, loud enough that they can hear it as though he were inside.

"Oh, jesus," Hoseok mutters angrily. He stands up, wrathful like an avenging god, but not without wrapping a fuzzy blanket securely around Jungkook's shoulders.

"Stay here," he instructs, right before marching over to the door and yanking it open.

21.

Taehyung nearly punches Jung Hoseok in the face with how suddenly the door is yanked open.

And then, Taehyung's gaping, a little dumbly, at the terrifying sight that is Hoseok, staring him down with mutiny blazing in his eyes.

"Kim," Hoseok grits.

Taehyung would fear more, if it weren't for the pressing, desperate need to speak to Jungkook, coursing through his veins and making his hands shake. "Is Jungkook here?" he blurts, eyes wide and frantic.

Hoseok blinks as he takes in Taehyung's disheveled appearance.

Taehyung's eyes are panicked and rimmed red, not unlike Jungkook's own had been.

Hoseok's lips press together.

"Why?" he drawls, crossing his arms. "You gonna lead him on and break his heart another time, or-"

"Hyung," Jungkook's voice, soft and exhausted, interrupts.

Taehyung looks like someone's jolted him with electricity, with the way he straightens and tries to look past Hoseok's broad shoulders in the door frame. "Jungkook?" he shouts, unnecessarily. "Jungkook, is that you? It's Taehyung, can we-"

"Oh, for the love of," Hoseok sighs.

Jungkook nudges at Hoseok, who, with a roll of his eyes, acquiesces. And then, it's Jungkook, clutching at the blanket still wrapped around his shoulders, looking at Taehyung with still-damp cheeks that makes Taehyung want to fall to his knees and beg forgiveness.

"What," Jungkook mutters, with as much dignity as he can muster.

Taehyung stares at him for a bit, chest heaving, eyes wildly roving every inch of that precious face. It only makes Jungkook scowl, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself.

"If you don't have anything to say, then-"

"Wait!" Taehyung clamps a hand desperately in the door frame, as if afraid Jungkook might slam it in his face (and disappear forever).

Jungkook frowns. "What-"

"Um." Taehyung shifts. "I- um. That- The, you know. The."

"Taehyung," Jungkook says wearily. He's tired. He's tired and heartbroken and exhausted, and frankly, mortified. He'd much prefer to avoid Taehyung for the rest of his days, and pretend this whole thing never happened.

He says as much, and the frown Taehyung gives him is sad.

"But I want to be your boyfriend," Taehyung says.

"What."

There's a vague choking sound from the inside, no doubt from Hoseok.

Taehyung frowns sadly at Jungkook, looking hilariously close to a pout. "You said you thought of me as your boyfriend," he says. "I want that."

Jungkook stares. "What?"

Taehyung straightens up, red-rimmed eyes narrowing into something focused and determined with a singleminded intensity that makes Jungkook's heart skip a beat. "I, am going to be your boyfriend."

Jungkook continues to stare. His hand comes loose from gripping the blanket in his stupor. "Uh."

Taehyung nods decisively. "And you're my boyfriend."

"Um."

"Because we're dating."

Jungkook's cheeks slowly begin to pinken. "I- what?"

"Because I'm in love with you!" Taehyung finally half-shouts, right in Jungkook's face.

Jungkook squeaks.

The blanket drops to the floor.

"Oh my god," Hoseok mutters faintly.

It's Taehyung's turn to turn bright, tomato red, but there isn't an ounce of shame in his expression.

"Oh," Jungkook finally says, eyes wide, but glowing bright, like the stars have begun to come alight in their depths once more.

Taehyung bites his lip.

"You love me?" Jungkook whispers.

"Um," Taehyung says. "Well. Yeah."

"Oh."

And then, there's something wicked starting to flicker in Jungkook's expression, bright and vivacious and utterly irresistible, to Taehyung. "But I just said I thought we were dating," he says. "I never said I love you."

Taehyung's face falls into something /devastated/.

Jungkook drops the facade quicker than he'd intended, stepping forward to shyly brush their hands together. "I do, though," he says, and watches Taehyung's smile bloom, luminescent and bright.

"Yeah?" Taehyung breathes.

"Oh, god, I'm gonna be sick," Hoseok mutters.

"So then," Taehyung says, unsure and determined, all at once. "So we're boyfriends, then."

Jungkook's smile borders on giddy. "Yeah?"

"Yes," Taehyung nods. Presses a kiss to Jungkook's lips, stealing the breathless laugh from his lungs. "You're my boyfriend."

Jungkook squeals when Taehyung proceeds to plant a kiss on every inch of his face, his nose and his eyes and even the mole under his lips, but glowing under his adoration, nonetheless. "Gonna take you on all the dumb pinterest dates," Taehyung swears.

"They're not dumb!"

"But we're boyfriends, is the main part," Taehyung says again, giddy with it.

Jungkook is his /boyfriend/.

Jungkook beams.

"Not just friends with benefits."

"Well," Jungkook amends, smiling slyly. "Maybe the benefits can stay."

"Ugh," Hoseok says.

Taehyung's eyes are speculative and dark, where they take Jungkook in. "Yeah?"

Jungkook shrugs, and Taehyung is entirely enchanted by his boyfriend.

"So," Taehyung says, smirking. "Boyfriends. With benefits."

"I hate it here," Hoseok announces, to no one in particular.

Jungkook kisses Taehyung in lieu of an answer.

And, well.

That was that.