the stray (part 1/2)
Title: The Stray
Pairing: J-Hope/V
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 12,484
Summary: Hoseok decides to adopt a pet, and Taehyung needs a place to stay. This isn't what Hoseok had in mind.
Warnings: owner/pet relationship
Notes: Kimi wa Petto (You Are My Pet) AU. I've been itching to write this for months, but exchange season bogged me down for a while. I think I got a little carried away with the story, but I had a great time and have no regrets. I have a couple ideas for possible side stories, especially for Yoongi, but for now I hope y'all enjoy and thanks for much for reading!
Crossposted to AO3.
Not once has Hoseok ever struggled to find a seat in the cafeteria in his office building. A number of different companies fill the suites in the seven story building, and workers from all of comapies are welcome to use the cafeteria together. There are five different food stations that offer varying kinds of cuisine, a juice bar, a small shop selling prepackaged meals for employees-on-the-go. In order to handle the constant flow of customers, there are over three dozen tables scattered in the open space.
With so much space, Hoseok fails to understand why the hell his ex is sitting in the seat directly opposite, munching his fries and chatting away as if last night he hadn't left a gaping wound in Hoseok's chest where his heart used to be.
A fry dangles from Yoongi's lips and Hoseok watches it bounce, sipping his soda as loudly as possible. "So I told Namjoon that I'm not his little copy boy--"
"Yoongi--"
"-- and that I don't care if he's too afraid to walk past Seokjin's office--"
"Yoon--"
"--because Seokjin isn't even scary, okay--"
"--gi--"
"--and end of the year reports are around the corner and I just don't have time--"
"Yoongi!" Hoseok slams his drink down onto the table and the plastic surface wobbles. The fry finally falls from Yoongi's mouth, which gapes open in an offended expression.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Hoseok takes a deep breath, smooths the napkin on the table for no real reason. "This is weird." Yoongi looks around the cafeteria for the source of the "weird," and Hoseok sighs so loudly a few women at a nearby table cast them nervous glances. "No, this." He gestures between them. "Why the hell are we eating lunch together?"
"Why the hell wouldn't we?" Yoongi pouts, and Hoseok wishes he could slap it off without someone calling security on him. He wouldn't be the first to crack and get violent in this cafeteria.
"You dumped me," Hoseok hisses.
His best-friend-slash-ex-boyfriend huffs, "Is that all?" He throws a fry across the table and grins as it bounces off Hoseok's cheek. "With that scary look on your face, I thought someone had died or something."
There's not a hint of guilt in Yoongi's eyes. Hoseok doesn't know why he'd expected any different. "Well excuse me for feeling not so great about it." He chews the end of his straw and contemplates the plastic table top.
"Hey," Yoongi says, gentler this time. Hoseok glances up and Yoongi shifts nervously, glancing to the side and rolling his shoulders. "Come on, I don't see why this would, you know, change things."
Things have already changed, though. Yoongi wasn't in Hoseok's bed this morning, ready to mooch breakfast and use all the hot water in the shower before work. Hoseok can't remember the last Monday morning he'd come to work on his own. Yoongi doesn't like spending Sunday nights alone, says it's a sign of a truly depressing life. Hoseok wonders what Yoongi did last night, afterwards.
The look on his face must be bad, because Yoongi actually mumbles, "I'm sorry," and reaches over to give Hoseok's hand an awkward pat. Apologies from Min Yoongi are few and far between. Unfortunately this one just solidifies the fact that this is happening, that it's really over. "Can't we just go back to being friends?" Yoongi's voice sounds pained and Hoseok hates himself for letting Yoongi make him feel guilty for having perfectly understandable emotions. "We dated for four months, but we've been friends for five years, man."
In a way, Hoseok agrees. He can't imagine not having Yoongi around, and not just at work. Yoongi's always been there-- in college, at graduation, living together and finding their first jobs together- and that's exactly why Hoseok had thought it'd been a good idea for them to take it to the next level.
He still thinks it hadn't been a bad idea, even if he feels like complete shit now.
"I know," he finally admits. "But try not to be so... normal." He runs a hand through his hair and slouches in his chair. "Give me a little time to cool off, okay?"
Yoongi frowns as he nods. "I get that." He finishes his drink and shrugs. "I didn't like breaking up with you, you know."
"Could have fooled me," Hoseok mutters, but finds himself smiling the tiniest bit.
"It was time, man." Yoongi gives him a meaningful look, like Hoseok will understand everything from those four little words.
Hoseok understands nothing. Obviously everything makes sense now to Yoongi, but Hoseok knows he'll need more than a little time to find that old normalcy again. He almost wants to ask Yoongi, pry a little more even though it'll hurt, but one look at the clock and Hoseok curses.
Less than five minutes later he's back in his cubicle. Yoongi is in the one to the left. A thin partition separates them, but Hoseok listens to Yoongi humming and typing away and feels like they're worlds apart.
-
Hoseok stays late that night, and not just because he has a mountain of invoices to process. After arguing all afternoon with Yoongi over email Hoseok doesn't feel like continuing the conversation on the way out. Yoongi thinks Hoseok needs to go out, let loose, and of course is all for being Hoseok's wing man. No matter how many times Hoseok explains that volunteering to be your ex boyfriend's wing man is overstepping not a few boundaries, Yoongi counters that being your best friend's wingman is completely normal.
At least one of them is adjusting well, if not annoyingly quickly.
On his way home Hoseok stops by the convenience store for a pathetic attempt at dinner and ends up with a six pack instead. Close enough, he decides, and trudges down the damp streets toward home. Usually Hoseok loves living within walking distance of work, but today he hates how soon he finds himself on his street, how he's immediately aware of the dark windows of his apartment. From the street he can just barely see the tiny pot of flowers on his balcony. Yoongi brought those to the apartment a few weeks ago after Hoseok claimed Yoongi did nothing but mess the place up.
First things first: Hoseok needs to get Yoongi's things out of the apartment.
The trash is piled high in and around the neighborhood dumpster. Not a bad place to put Yoongi's things, actually. Hoseok pauses to consider it before shaking his head. Hoseok is a lot of things, angry being one of them, but he isn't vindictive. No, he has a few spare boxes in the closet which will fit everything. He can pack it up and bring it in to work tomorrow.
Just as he's stepping away from the dumpster, going over the list of Yoongi's things scattered around his apartment, the trash springs to life and latches onto his leg. Or at least that's what it looks like, and Hoseok gives a terrified yelp as plastic bags and candy wrappers cling to his pant leg. He tries to shake it off, but the garbage holds fast. He tries to brush it off and finds fingers under those layers of trash, attached to an arm which disappear under a few large bags. Hoseok kicks one aside and sure enough, finds a body and a face to match.
"Uh, hello?" Maybe he should be more apprehensive about greeting a body in a trash pile, but the guy is breathing and his fingers won't detach from Hoseok's pants, so he's not sure what else can he do. "You okay, man?"
The trash guy (Hoseok's not really sure what to call him) grumbles a little. Hoseok tentatively prods his chest and he grunts. His head lolls to the side slightly but his eyes don't open.
Great, to top off the shittiest day ever Hoseok has to remove a passed out drunk from his pants. If Yoongi were here, he'd be hysterical.
"Excuse me," he mutters and tries in vain to pry off the fingers on his pants cuff. The fingers are warm, a little too warm, and Hoseok frowns. Something about this feels creepy, but he reaches out and feels trash guy's forehead. Sure enough, he's burning up. Hoseok curses and hangs his head.
Now what?
Hoseok looks around but his street is deserted. Any time now someone from his building or one of the surrounding complexes will walk by and this might not look so good. Hoseok slaps trash guy's cheek lightly and mumbles, "Hey, if you're going to wake up, now'd be the time."
Bit by bit Hoseok removes the trash from trash guy's clothes before dragging him out of the pile. Judging by his clothes-- jeans, a slightly faded sweater, canvas sneakers, a fake leather backpack that hangs off of one arm-- and his smooth, round face, Hoseok gauges him as younger, though not by much. He isn't terribly heavy and he somewhat comes to when Hoseok tries to hoist him into a standing position. His eyes roll open and he squints at Hoseok momentarily before his head falls to the side again. As he half-carries the guy inside the building and into the elevator, Hoseok can feel the warmth radiating through his clothes. Definitely not a good sign.
Hoseok dumps the limp body onto his couch and panics.
"Okay, okay," he breathes. His palms feel sweaty and he wipes them on his slacks. "I brought a stranger home."
He starts to pace, starting in the living room and moving around into the small kitchen and dining area.
"But he's sick, maybe really sick. I couldn't just leave him."
His pacing changes direction to the bathroom, where he finds aspirin and a cooling pad. He returns to the living room and kneels by the couch. Now that he's inside the smell of garbage is even worse.
"What the fuck have I done?" he groans and sinks to the floor. Trash guy's breathing is ragged and he mumbles in his sleep. Sleeping, he looks like a baby. A baby with ears that stick out just a little and a wide mouth that hangs open. Hoseok grabs the backpack from where he left it on the floor and fiddles with the zippers. Maybe he can find the name of a friend, a girlfriend, a family member or someone else who can take him home, but going through a stranger's things feels wrong. Hoseok sets the bag back down near the end of the couch.
For what feels like the millionth time today, Hoseok heaves a sigh. He grabs his almost forgotten six pack and puts it in the fridge. While he's in the kitchen he pours a glass of water and leaves it and a few aspirin on the coffee table near the couch. Something still feels wrong and he grabs a spare blanket from the hall closet and tosses it over his unexpected guest.
That feels better, so Hoseok grabs a beer and a bag of chips and disappears into his room. At the last second he turns and flips the lock on his door.
-
When Hoseok emerges from his room the next morning, he finds the blanket neatly folded on the couch, the glass washed and drying by the sink and his entire loaf of bread missing. There's a note on the fridge held in place by a magnet Hoseok received from a pizza place around the corner:
thanks for not killing me
i owe you bread
-
"You let him sleep in your house?" Today Yoongi's fries remain untouched on his tray. Hoseok's tempted to steal one but the look in Yoongi's eyes is deadly.
Hoseok shrugs and picks at his sandwich. "He was sick and passed out, what else could I do?"
"Call an ambulance, call your landlord, or, I don't know, call me?" Yoongi's eyes narrow at the last option and Hoseok keeps his eyes on his food. The fact that it hadn't even occurred to him to call Yoongi is strange in itself, but he's smart enough to know better than to bring it up.
"I didn't want to bother you," he lies and wishes he'd waited until the end of lunch to tell Yoongi this. Then again, with their cubicles separated by only a very thin wall he doesn't stand a chance of escaping no matter what. "Besides I locked my door before going to bed. He didn't even touch anything and locked the door on his way out, so he couldn't have been a bad guy, right?"
Hoseok knows he shouldn't be so defensive. Part of him can't believe he actually did it himself. He's not much of a risk-taker and he's never been particularly charitable, though he tries to help his friends when they need it. He's spent all morning trying to figure out what exactly had been different last night and all he's come up with is that the guy didn't look good and Hoseok couldn't bring himself not to do anything about it. Nothing bad happened and Hoseok couldn't say he wouldn't do it again. It was kind of nice to help someone out.
He also can't help but feel that Yoongi is being a little too harsh, all things considered.
Yoongi rolls his eyes. "Yeah, him locking the front door totally rationalizes you being an idiot and letting him stay over."
"Let it go, okay?" Hoseok frowns and starts cleaning up his lunch despite not having touched it. His mind is a frustrated mess and he knows Yoongi isn't going to let this go. "It's done and over and none of your fucking business anyway." He hears Yoongi start to reply but Hoseok is already carrying his tray to the trash.
-
Yoongi doesn't say goodbye before he leaves that night. Hoseok hides in his cubicle and hunches down behind a stack of paperwork as Yoongi passes by. The silence hurts worse than Yoongi's lectures ever could, but Hoseok doesn't want to break it, either. Even if the reasons behind it are different the silence feels more appropriate than carrying on like they'd never been anything more than friends. Hoseok finds it easier to think without Yoongi's endless emails and chatter. Once he's sure Yoongi is gone, Hoseok packs up and heads home.
As he passes by the dumpster, he pauses. He scans the bags for signs of life and tenses as he steps away as if expecting something to grab him. Of course, nothing does. No one is snoring among the garbage, and no one will be sleeping on his couch and stinking up his apartment tonight.
For some reason, he's disappointed.
The first thing Hoseok does is flip on all of the lights in the living room and kitchen. The place looks more welcoming but the silence is still a problem, so he turns on his stereo to a random music station and lets that fill the void. After changing into sweats and a t-shirt Hoseok takes out his wok and gathers the ingredients for chicken fried rice. Not too hard to make, won't take long, and it's the one thing Yoongi never wanted to eat.
When he's finished, Hoseok stares into the giant plate of fried rice-- more than enough for two people, let alone one-- and sighs. He fixes himself a plate and settles down at the table with a beer. As soon as he lifts a bite to his mouth the radio plays a song Hoseok knows all too well. He curses and drops his utensil to grab the stereo remote and switch to a classical music station. He might not enjoy the music, but he won't be reminded of an annoying know-it-all ex who's probably stuffing his face with take out and watching music programs on his couch.
Hoseok crashes onto the couch and grabs his cell from the coffee table. Texting your ex when you're lonely isn't healthy, but texting your best friend is, right? If Yoongi can use to loopholes, so can Hoseok.
i think i'm going to get a pet
It isn't an apology, but it's better than nothing. He's still angry, but he doesn't want Yoongi to keep ignoring him.
Yoongi's reply comes half a second later. At least Hoseok isn't the only one with nothing to do.
hahaha, replacing me? i'm cuter.
Hoseok clicks his tongue in annoyance but feels himself smiling. He's about to reply something like, "but it'll smell better," when there's a knock at the door. He blinks and looks at his phone.
No, Yoongi wouldn't come here. Even Yoongi isn't dense enough to think that would be okay.
Hoseok looks through the peephole and finds a complete stranger standing on his doorstep. Something about the stranger seems familiar, though. It takes Hoseok a minute to realize that he doesn't recognize the guy because he's never seen him alert and, well, independently vertical.
Trash guy stares at Hoseok blankly when he opens the door. "Uh," he says awkwardly, shuffling his feet. "Are you the one who helped me?"
"Yeah," Hoseok replies. The guy's discomfort is apparent and contagious. Hoseok drums his fingers on the side of the door. "Are you feeling better?"
He nods. "Thanks for that, I guess. I brought you some bread." He holds a plastic bag out for Hoseok to take.
Hoseok takes the bag with obvious hesitation. "You didn't have to," he murmurs.
"I thought it'd be rude." Trash guy scratches his head and Hoseok finds his embarrassment oddly endearing. "You know, slept on your couch, covered in garbage, then I ate all of your bread." His cheeks redden slightly and he looks away.
"Not a big deal." Hoseok can hardly hide his amusement. To think that Yoongi thought this guy could be a threat.
"Well, I'll be going now," trash guy mumbles, but as he turns he wobbles on his feet. Hoseok catches him by the arm and instinctively puts a hand on his forehead.
"Jesus, you've still got a fever."
"Is that why it's so hot?" he whines. He doesn't try to pull out of Hoseok's hold, but leans against him slightly. He's surprisingly light and just as warm as he'd been the night before.
Hoseok chews on his lip a moment before making a decision. "Here, come inside. I can give you more medicine."
Trash guy looks inside the apartment nervously. "I'd feel bad--"
"Just come on," Hoseok chuckles and pulls him inside. Trash guy looks surprised and Hoseok is, too, though he doesn't show it. He directs his guest to the couch before disappearing into the bathroom. "How did you not notice you were running a fever like that?"
"Dunno, just thought the weather was weird today."
Hoseok returns and hands him two aspirin, then fetches a glass of water from the kitchen. He doesn't realize how intently he's watching until trash guy glances at him and blushes.
"Thanks again," he says.
"You're welcome, um...?"
"Taehyung."
Hoseok smiles a little. Taehyung sounds so much better than trash guy. "Do you mind if I ask why you were sleeping in the garbage?"
Taehyung blinks and thinks for a minute. "I don't really remember. I was starving so I was going to a friend's house, but it was really hot. I just remember waking up here this morning. I was still hungry so I ate your bread."
"You must have been scared."
Taehyung looks Hoseok in the eye and shrugs. "Not really. I've woken up in weirder places." Hoseok raises an eyebrow, but Taehyung doesn't notice. He's too busy looking around the living room. His eyes are wide as a child's and his smile is goofy. "This is such a nice place."
"Uh, thanks--"
"It's so much cleaner than Jimin's place." At Hoseok's clueless stare Taehyung laughs, a surprisingly pleasant sound. His eyes crinkle at the corners and his mouth opens wide when he laughs. "Sorry, Jimin is my friend. Usually I sleep at his place, but he was mad at me yesterday so I was heading to another friend's."
"Don't you have your own place?"
Taehyung shakes his head absentmindedly and rises to wander around the room. He stops at the stereo and runs his fingers over the buttons. "Do you like this stuff?"
It takes Hoseok a moment to figure out he's talking about the music. "It helps me think sometimes, but--"
Taehyung hums and continues his exploration of the room. For someone who was so shy at the door, Taehyung seems pretty comfortable now. He gets to the kitchen and something gurgles.
"Hungry?" Hoseok offers, and Taehyung nods enthusiastically, the tip of his tongue sticking out over his bottom lip. "Eat. I made too much." Dishes clang together as Taehyung makes himself a plate. How Taehyung ended up eating all of Hoseok's bread is becoming more and more clear. Obviously he has no qualms about making himself at home. Hoseok joins Taehyung at the table and digs into his own cold plate. With someone else at the table Hoseok finds his appetite returning. He watches Taehyung tear into the rice and smiles quietly to himself. "So where are you staying tonight?"
Taehyung pauses to think. Rice is stuck to the side of his mouth and his brow furrows. "Come to think of it, I have no idea." He looks at Hoseok with a pained expression. "Jimin's still ignoring me."
In the back of his mind Hoseok can hear Yoongi screaming to back the fuck away and let this go, but Hoseok finds himself saying, "You can stay here again, if you want."
Taehyung looks at Hoseok like he's Christmas incarnate.
"A-Are you sure?" Suddenly Taehyung is sitting closer and there's still rice stuck to his mouth. Without thinking, Hoseok reaches out and wipes it away. The eager innocence in Taehyung's expression makes Hoseok's anxiety melt and he nods.
"Of course. Wouldn't want you sleeping by the dumpster again."
Taehyung cheers and takes off to do a victory lap around the living room. Hoseok picks up their plates and heads to the kitchen to wash them. The routine is familiar and comfortable, the sounds of Taehyung crashing onto the couch and turning on the TV better than any classical music.
One night can't hurt, Hoseok tells himself. He grabs a beer before joining Taehyung in the living room. Taehyung will be gone in the morning and, at the very least, Hoseok's avoided another lonely night.
-
Hoseok wakes to the gentle clattering of cereal being poured into a ceramic bowl, and then on the table, and then on the floor. He blinks and his alarm clock reads ten minutes before he's supposed to be up. His first thought is, Yoongi...? and then he realizes that's impossible. Yoongi doesn't sleep over anymore, and even when he did Yoongi never made breakfast.
What he finds when he steps out of his room is chaos.
"Morning!" Taehyung calls from the kitchen. On the dining table are two bowls of cereal with milk. There's also cereal on the table itself, on the counters, and a bit sprinkled on the floor, like a trail leading from the dining room to the kitchen. The milk is sitting abandoned on the counter and there are splashes around the bowls from where Taehyung missed when pouring.
"Morning?" Hoseok replies and takes a seat. The blanket is neatly folded on the couch, just like the first time Taehyung stayed over. With the exception of the kitchen and dining room, everything in the apartment is perfectly untouched. "I didn't think--"
--you'd still be here. Hoseok stops himself because Taehyung sits himself down in front of the second bowl of cereal and beams like he's never been happier in his life.
After several large spoonfuls Taehyung stops and regards Hoseok seriously. "I have a proposition for you."
"Excuse me?" Hoseok coughs around his cereal.
Taehyung doesn't waver. "Let me live with you."
Hoseok picks up his half-eaten bowl of cereal and moves to the kitchen. "Absolutely not."
"But why?" Taehyung whines and follows after, but Hoseok grabs a dishcloth and starts wiping up the spilled milk and pretends not to hear. "I could be your roommate!"
"The term 'roommate' implies that there is a second room for the second person, which as you can see I don't have." Hoseok puts away the milk and grabs a broom. "Roommates also pay rent, which I doubt you'll be able to do considering you're always staying with friends."
"You let me stay here for free before." Taehyung is pouting and Hoseok refuses to look. He busies himself with sweeping up the cereal. "It'd only be for a while. I have one year of school left and I do have a job. It's just that tuition is so expensive I can't afford anything else."
"I get it," he sighs and abandons the broom to sit back down at the table. His head is spinning; it's way too early for this shit and he has to leave in thirty minutes. "But I can't."
Taehyung sits back down, looking like a beaten puppy. "Why not?"
"I just got out of a relationship and living with someone would be weird."
"It'll just be two guys hanging out and having fun," he insists with a grin. "That's the best way to get over a girl!"
Hoseok buries his face in his hands. "Taehyung, I'm gay."
Silence. Hoseok almost wants to laugh. Then he looks up and Taehyung is staring back blankly. "So?" he asks.
"That doesn't... bother you?"
"Why would it?" He shrugs and picks at the pieces of cereal still littering the table. "I mean, since I can't pay you with money I could always pay with with--"
Hoseok deadpans, "Don't finish that sentence." Taehyung bursts out laughing and Hoseok chuckles, too, though he can feel the sweat beading on the back of his neck. Taehyung is nice, Taehyung is funny, last night Hoseok had laughed more than he had in a long time, but this isn't what Hoseok needs right now. "Look, I'm sorry that I can't help you, but I... can't do this. My life is messy enough."
"Then how about a pet?" Hoseok squints but Taehyung looks utterly serious, tiny creases forming between his brows. "Last night you said you were going to get one."
Hoseok doesn't follow. "Yeah, I was thinking of going to the shelter today, but--"
Taehyung springs to his feet. "I'll be your pet!"
There's nothing but excitement and innocence in Taehyung's eyes. He smiles so wide Hoseok wants to smile, too, but his mind is to busy trying to process the words that he can't form much more than a guttural, "Uh?" He rises and turns towards the bedroom.
"Is that a 'yes'?"
"I do not have time for this," he croaks. His mouth is dry and his throat hoarse. He steps into the bedroom and closes the door behind him.
"We'll talk about it after work, okay?" Taehyung calls through the door. Hoseok waits until he hears the front door shut before taking a long, deep breath. He looks at the clock and curses, running to the bathroom.
-
"You don't look so good."
Hoseok looks up from his computer and finds Yoongi standing in the doorway of his cubicle. He tries to smile but it hurts his mouth. A blank form sits on his computer screen, as incomplete as it was two hours ago when Hoseok opened it. "Thanks, I feel fantastic."
A fresh stack of forms lands on Hoseok's desk and he groans. "I sure hope so because Namjoon is really riding my ass about getting these done. I've filled them out already. All you need to do it enter them into the system."
Hoseok gingerly rests his head on the stack and sighs.
"Alright, spill." Yoongi moves to rest his hip against the edge of Hoseok's desk. His sharp eyes stare down at Hoseok and Hoseok whines. "Why didn't you text me back?"
With a hollow ache Hoseok remembers how much he likes Yoongi's eyes. "I'm sorry," he replies forlornly.
Yoongi rolls his eyes and gives Hoseok's shoulder a gentle shove. "Relax, man." He smiles a little and it makes Hoseok feel better. At least Yoongi's still talking to him. One tiny aspect of his life isn't going completely wrong. "So are you seriously getting a pet?"
Hoseok sits straight up in his chair. A few forms go flying and Yoongi grabs them. "Absolutely not."
"What? But last night--"
Hoseok shivers. "No pets. Not ever." A high-pitched whine escapes his throat and he's back to lying on his pile of forms.
From down the hall they hear Namjoon shouting Yoongi's name. Yoongi glances nervously around the corner and bites his lip. "Call me later, okay? I don't know what's wrong but--" He pauses and frowns. "Just call me."
Yoongi dashes down the hall in the opposite direction of Namjoon's voice.
-
Yoongi and Hoseok part ways that evening only after Hoseok promises a dozen more times to call. After spending all day glued to his desk, Hoseok would usually want nothing more than to get home and crash into bed, but tonight he wanders around the neighboor near his complex before heading towards the building. He stops in the convenience store and buys nothing. There are bags of pet food lined up on a shelf but Hoseok sees Taehyung's face where a dog's should be.
Eventually he finds himself in front of his apartment building. There's no one waiting for him outside and no one waiting for him by the elevator. He almost has his hopes up when he steps into the hallway to find Taehyung sitting on the floor beside his front door.
As soon as he sees Hoseok Taehyung bounces to his feet. "Welcome home!" Hoseok can't help but notice that Taehyung's backpack is bulging to the point of almost bursting and slung over Taehyung's arm is a sizable second bag.
Taehyung notices Hoseok's stare and grins. "Jimin finally let me in so I could get my stuff."
"And you brought it here," Hoseok replies with a resigned sigh. Taehyung doesn't appear to notice and follows Hoseok inside the apartment eagerly. Hoseok tosses his bag onto the couch and sinks down beside it, covering his face with his hands. Something touches his knee and he flinches.
Taehyung kneels on the floor in front of the couch, his head resting on Hoseok's knee. "This isn't so bad, right?"
"Holy shit," Hoseok chokes and practically leaps off the couch, knocking Taehyung over in the process. "Do not do that."
"I'm trying to show you that it isn't as weird as you think." Taehyung sits back on his heels and frowns. "Why are you freaking out when I have no problem with it?"
"Because this is really fucking weird," Hoseok hisses. He sits back down on the couch but gives Taehyung a lethal glare when he tries to move closer. "This isn't something I want, you know. Are you really that desperate for a place to live?"
Taehyung's face falls. "I am. Jimin isn't going to let me stay with him anymore. My other friends can only let me stay one night at a time. This place is close to school and where I work. It's perfect." The look in his eyes is painfully earnest. "You said you don't want a relationship and I can't afford to be your roommate, and that's okay. If I'm your pet, there will be strict rules about what I can or can't do. You call the shots." He reaches out as if to grab Hoseok's hand and then hesitates. "I know it sounds crazy but it could work!"
This is where Hoseok should turn Taehyung down immediately, but the words catch in his throat. As strange as it is, there is some underlying logic to Taehyung's proposal. Obviously Taehyung is in a bind. Moving from place to place is inconvenient and, as their first meeting proved, dangerous. Hoseok's place is small but still spacious for one person.
And above all else, Hoseok is really fucking lonely. Taehyung's unorthodox visits have been the only thing keeping Hoseok from dwelling and getting depressed. Keeping the guy around couldn't hurt, in that respect.
Hoseok looks at Taehyung's eager, desperate face and wonders when the hell he became so messed up. "You only need to stay until you graduate, right?"
Taehyung swallows and nods. "I have one more semester."
"And we'll set ground rules first?"
Another nod.
"And you'll absolutely, completely obey them?"
Taehyung whines, "I know I'm being pushy now but I can listen, I swear."
There are so many things wrong with this situation Hoseok can't begin to comprehend them. He wonders what Yoongi would think about even having this conversation. Nothing good, that's for sure. Then again, if there's one thing Hoseok knows now it is that he and Yoongi have never been on the same wavelength.
What Taehyung wants is unusual, but who's to say it won't work?
"Fine," Hoseok relents quietly. "Until you graduate and move out, you are my pet."
-
Hoseok knows Yoongi is watching him. Both of their meals sit untouched on the table today and Hoseok can't meet his friend's eyes.
"You never called," Yoongi mutters.
"I was, ah, busy?"
"Doing what, exactly?"
Hoseok drums his fingers on the table. "Remember how I said I wanted a pet?"
Yoongi's brows furrow. "Yeah, so wh--"
"I got one."
That's apparently not what Yoongi is expecting, and his eyebrows shoot up to disappear under his bangs. "You have a pet?" Hoseok nods nervously. "What kind?"
For a second Hoseok stutters, and then he pictures Taehyung's eyes, wide and eager, his chin resting on Hoseok's knee. "A... dog."
"A dog."
"Y-Yeah."
"You bought a dog?"
Hoseok remembers Taehyung that first night, feverish and snoring in a pile of trash. "Found him, actually."
Yoongi clicks his tongue, but his arms finally relax and he picks up his sandwich. "You have to be careful with strays, you know."
"This one is harmless," Hoseok replies with a nervous laugh and pops a fry into his mouth.
"What's his name?"
Hoseok blinks. "Taehyung."
"Weird name for a dog," Yoongi mutters, but he's already focused on his food.
-
As it turns out, keeping a human pet is surprisingly simple.
The first and most important rule-- the Golden Rule-- is that Taehyung is a pet the second he steps into the apartment. Absolutely no pet-like behavior can occur beyond the front door. The opposite is also true; when inside the apartment Taehyung has to obey Hoseok and his rules. The two worlds are to be absolutely separate and never bleed into one another.
The second rule is that all touching has to be platonic and pet-like in nature. This becomes necessary when Taehyung insists on sitting right up against Hoseok on the couch, leaning on him or resting his head on Hoseok's leg. Hoseok would prefer to ban touching entirely, except that Taehyung mentions that owners are supposed to give their pets affection, and it's usually through touch. Hoseok relents, because as usual Taehyung is much better at arguing, but insists on a clearly defined line of what's appropriate and what's not.
The third rule is that Hoseok has to buy and provide food for all of Taehyung's meals. Pets never pay for their food, after all. Hoseok counters that unlike a real pet Taehyung has a job and an income which could contribute to household costs, which in turn leads Taehyung to cite the Golden Rule and Hoseok has no choice but to agree.
Countless less significant rules occur to Hoseok as they adjust to each other but he ends up forgetting them or they become unnecessary a day later. For the most part, living with Taehyung is easy. Taehyung arrives every evening a little after Hoseok gets home from work. Hoseok makes dinner, and the two of them watch TV or go their separate ways. During that first week Hoseok learns that Taehyung loves cartoons, fried food and sleeping on his stomach. Hoseok learns that he doesn't really mind it when Taehyung sprawls across the couch and uses Hoseok's thigh as a pillow. Taehyung is happy, eager to please and apparently starved for attention, much like a real dog. On most nights Taehyung falls asleep beside Hoseok on the couch and Hoseok ends up throwing the blanket over him on his way to bed.
One night Taehyung spends the entire evening on his computer and won't let Hoseok see what he's doing, but that's okay, too. What happens in Taehyung's life beyond the apartment is none of Hoseok's business. In the same vein Taehyung never asks Hoseok about his life beyond casual conversation about childhood and university. They build a tiny, private world that suits them and shuts everything else out for the dozen or so hours they're both at home.
It's nothing that Hoseok has ever experienced before, but it doesn't feel wrong.
-
Hoseok sets the box down on Yoongi's desk and Yoongi eyes it suspiciously. "You got me a present?"
"Not exactly," he laughs and opens the flaps. Inside is a mix of odds and ends: cologne, shower gel in a scent Hoseok doesn't like anymore, a few hats, a stray sock, and placed carefully among that and a few other things the small potted plant from Hoseok's balcony. "Thought I should return your stuff."
Yoongi rifles through the box. "I was wondering where I put this!" he cheers and pulls out the ugliest skull ring Hoseok has ever seen. For the past week it's been sitting on his nightstand, and until last night Hoseok hadn't been sure he'd ever give it back. Now, seeing Yoongi's smile as he puts the ring on, Hoseok's glad it's back where it belongs. Yoongi pulls out the potted plant with a frown. "This is yours, though, for the balcony."
"I'd rather you have it," he insists and Yoongi looks troubled, but complies.
"I figured I'd pick this shit up the next time I came over."
The thought makes Hoseok wince-- not because he hates the thought of Yoongi coming over, which in itself is surprising, but because he's not sure Yoongi would ever understand Taehyung. "This was easier. Taehyung is still adjusting and I was worried he'd ruin something."
In truth, Hoseok had caught Taehyung marching around the apartment in Yoongi's hat, smelling like Yoongi because Hoseok had left the abandoned products in the bathroom, and that had been one step too far in the weird direction. Hoseok had yet to even mention Yoongi's name around Taehyung, but luckily Taehyung hadn't asked why Hoseok had insisted on boxing up all the old stuff right away.
"I gotta admit I'm surprised," Yoongi says as he moves the box under his desk. "You seemed pretty upset, but you've been literally dancing around the office these past few days and now this." He shakes his head and smiles. "I'm glad."
Hoseok laughs awkwardly and shrugs. "Can't be sad forever, right?"
"Exactly! Especially since there's something I need to tell you--"
"Min Yoongi!" a deep voice booms down the hall. Before Yoongi can make a break for it, Namjoon is in the doorway to his cubicle sizing up Yoongi and Hoseok both like he can't decide whom to murder first. His eyes settle on Yoongi and Hoseok breathes a silent sight of relief. "A little birdie told me that you haven't touched the data from last month's sales."
Yoongi looks up at Hoseok in a desperate plea for help and Hoseok groans. It's going to be a long afternoon.
-
The clock on Hoseok's computer reads half past four and the stack of forms to be processed hasn't grown any smaller. Yoongi peeks over the partition between their cubicles and sighs, "Looks like we're in for a late night."
Hoseok whines and and lets his head fall onto the keyboard.
Four hours later, and their stacks appear to be dwindling. Hoseok's stomach rumbles every three minutes-- he's started timing it, because there's nothing else to keep his mind entertained-- and Yoongi's cranked up his favorite music station in his cubicle. The rest of their suite is long deserted, and Hoseok stares at the elevator longingly.
"Almost done!" Yoongi cheers. Hoseok wishes he could feel more enthusiastic about it, too, but all he can think about are the leftovers sitting in his fridge and his warm bed, waiting for him.
He places the last form in front of him when his phone rings. The number isn't one he recognizes, but he answers with a hesitant, "Hello?"
"Uh, hi, it's me."
"Tae--," Hoseok gasps, then stops. He covers his phone with his hand to muffle his voice. "How did you get this number?" He doesn't mean for his voice to sound so harsh, but Yoongi's sitting a little too close by for comfort and contact outside of the apartment isn't allowed.
"I got it from your phone when you were in the bathroom. Sorry." His voice is quiet and Hoseok instantly feels guilty.
"No, it's okay. Probably good for emergencies. What's up?"
"I, uh, was just wondering when you're coming home."
"A little later," he whispers, because Yoongi's turned down the music and is peeking over the partition. "Why?"
"Okay, cool. It's just... kind of cold."
A lead weight drops into the pity of Hoseok's empty stomach. "Are you waiting outside?"
"Yeah, I wasn't sure what to do. The door's locked."
"Fuck." Hoseok shoves the last form aside and frantically searches for the shut down command on his desktop. "Shit, shit! I am so sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can." He hangs up and finds Yoongi watching him. "I need to go. It's Tae-- my dog. I need to let him... out. And, shit, feed him." He's scrambling for his things and knocking his stack of post-its over and can't seem to remember what all he needs to take home.
"Just ask your neighbor to do it."
Hoseok eyes Yoongi's frown with clear anxiety. "That was my neighbor. She couldn't get home in time, either." Since when is Hoseok so quick with his lies?
"Ah, that's cool." Yoongi sinks back down behind the wall. "I can finish up here, you go on ahead."
There's something off about Yoongi's voice which gives Hoseok pause. "You sure?"
Yoongi steps out of his cubicle with a blinding smile. "Yeah, man. Your dog needs you. I'll walk you to the elevator."
Hoseok presses the elevator button and they wait in awkward silence. Yoongi's hands fidget in his pockets and he licks his lips. "Look, I just want you to know that you can still tell me anything."
Hoseok blinks. "Okay?"
"Like, if you're seeing anyone, that's totally fine."
"I'm not seeing anyone."
"Okay," Yoongi says, voice strained, "but if you were, you could tell me and I wouldn't freak out. And I hope you'd do the same for me--"
The door slides open but Hoseok stands, frozen.
"--because I kind of met someone."
A hard lump forms in Hoseok's throat and he can't speak. Not that he has any idea what he should say. Yoongi fishes something out of his pocket and presses it into Hoseok's hand-- a key, the spare key to Hoseok's apartment.
"Since you're returning my stuff, I should return yours, right?" Yoongi laughs awkwardly. "I guess it wouldn't be normal for your ex to keep your key, best friend or not."
The door starts to close again and Yoongi catches it. Hoseok steps inside, eyes still fixed on the key. "Thanks," he mumbles. His voice doesn't sound right.
"Hey, how about tomorrow we go get your little doggy a present?" Yoongi offers and Hoseok looks up blankly. Behind Yoongi's smile Hoseok sees concern, and just a hint of pity. His stomach hurts.
"Yeah," he manages to reply as the doors slide closed between them.
-
Taehyung is sitting in the hall when Hoseok steps out of the elevator, legs stretched out and head leaned back against the wall. When he sees Hoseok he beams and bounces to his feet. Hoseok mumbles apologies and struggles with his keys in front of the lock.
Warm arms wrap around him from behind. On any other day this would earn Taehyung a lecture on how to behave outside the apartment, but tonight Hoseok doesn't care. "It's okay," Taehyung chuckles. He rests his head on Hoseok's shoulder. "But I'm starving."
Hoseok opens the door and half-waddles inside, Taehyung still clinging to his back. "You're always starving," he says with small smile. He unwraps Taehyung's arms and playfully pushes him towards the kitchen. "There are leftovers in the fridge. I don't feel like cooking tonight."
Taehyung doesn't need to be told twice. Hoseok collapses onto the couch and listens to the chaotic sounds of Taehyung in the kitchen. Pots and pans bang together-- why the hell is he even using those, Hoseok wonders, but he doesn't bother asking-- as Taehyung hums to himself. Usually being at home is enough to relax Hoseok after a hard day at work, but tonight Hoseok can't seem to release the tension in his shoulders. He groans and stretches out on the couch, leaning back against an armrest. The couch no longer smells of garbage, thank goodness, but of Taehyung. It's a warm, clean smell that's surprisingly comforting.
Something bumps against the couch and Hoseok opens his eyes to find Taehyung sitting on the floor with a bowl of what looks like all of the leftovers in Hoseok's refrigerator mixed together. It's instinct that makes Hoseok reach out and pat Taehyung's head. His fingers thread through soft, messy hair and Taehyung leans into the touch.
"Bad day?" The food in his mouth muffles the words.
Hoseok grunts. He tries to remember the confidence from this morning, when he gave Yoongi the box and felt like everything was going to be okay. Just when he's starting to get on his feet, a single conversation sends him crashing to the floor.
Taehyung sets the now empty bowl to the side and stretches. The couch shifts under the additional weight as Taehyung crawls up. Hoseok starts to move over, but Taehyun crawls right over him until he's lying across Hoseok completely. He wraps his arms around Hoseok's middle and rests his face against Hoseok's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he mumbles against Hoseok's shirt.
"It's not your fault," he replies nervously. His hands hover awkwardly in the air a moment before he returns the hug, holding Taehyung close and finally letting out a long, tired sigh he didn't know he'd been holding back. He pulls Taehyung a little closer and buries his face in his neck. Tears sting his eyes and stain Taehyung's t-shirt, but neither of them pull away. "You're a good boy, Taehyung."
The apartment is completely silent and, for the first time, Hoseok lets himself feel the pain.
-
The next morning Hoseok wakes up with stiff shoulders and terrible hunger pains. Taehyung is still fast asleep on top of him, snoring quietly into Hoseok's ear. The couch creaks as Hoseok carefully maneuvers himself out from under him. He smiles and runs his fingers through Taehyung's hair one more time. Taehyung's eyelids twitch and he drools a little on the pillow Hoseok shoves under his face.
After a quick breakfast of what little Taehyung's left in the fridge, Hoseok showers and changes into a fresh suit. His eyes are red and swollen, but he feels lighter somehow. He finds the spare key in yesterday's pants and looking at it does nothing. He rolls the tiny piece of metal in his hand anda smile spreads across his face
Hoseok quietly picks up his bag from in front of the couch and leaves the key sitting on the coffee table beside a note:
sorry for being so late. hope this makes up for it a little.
thank you.
-
Tiny, fuzz-covered puppies topple over one another in the cage behind the glass. One puppy lies on his back in the corner, mouth hanging open in a deep sleep.
"Remind you of anyone?" Yoongi grins and taps on the glass. A few puppies untangle themselves from the pile and come running towards them. Their little paws press against the glass and Yoongi chuckles.
Hoseok watches the sleeping puppy stretch, his tiny toes flexing in the air. "Yeah," he replies with a smile.
The pet shop is empty except for a mother and her toddler son who stare into tanks of small lizards. Yoongi roams through the aisles and examines a shelf of toys. "Think he'd like these?" Hoseok looks at the rows of rubber bones and rope chews. The only object he's seen Taehyung interact with on a regular basis is his computer, and he's not even sure what Taehyung does with it.
"Not sure."
Yoongi raises an eyebrow. "You don't know what toys he likes?"
Hoseok raises the collar on his wool coat and shrugs. "Most of the time he lies around and watches TV." He catches Yoongi's incredulous look and adds quickly, "He's not actually watching, of course. He's pretty lazy."
Yoongi moves on down the aisle. "Have you gotten him a collar yet?"
"Collar?" Hoseok joins Yoongi at the display-- so many sizes and colors and designs it makes Hoseok's head spin.
"He has to have a collar for his tags or they'll arrest you."
Hoseok blinks in alarm and runs his fingers over one that catches his eye.
"He's that small?" Yoongi eyes the collar. "It's not very manly, either. Please don't tell me you have one of those tiny dogs girls carry around in their purses."
"No," he chuckles. "He's huge."
Before Yoongi can question it, Hoseok grabs the collar and sweeps out of the aisle to the checkout line. Just before stepping outside, a machine along the window gives Hoseok an idea.
"Hold up. I need one more thing."
-
Sure enough, when Hoseok arrives home that evening he can hear the TV playing before he even steps through the door. Taehyung has his laptop balanced on his knees where he sits in front of the couch. There are several dirty dishes stacked around him and massive books Hoseok's never seen before spread across the couch.
As soon as he sees Hoseok Taehyung springs to life. "Sorry! I was going to clean up before you got home." He picks up the dishes and sprints to the kitchen. Hoseok's tempted to tell him to stop but doesn't bother. He's grown kind of fond of listening to Taehyung mess up his kitchen. He settles into the only free spot in the living room and glances at the books. The words are technical and Hoseok gently tips one over to read the cover, Mastering the Art of Animation. He picks up a piece of paper lying beside Taehyung's computer and nearly chokes when he reads the heading.
"Where did you say you go to school again?"
Taehyung says the name of the most famous and prestigious art school in Seoul like he's deciding what he wants for dinner.
Hoseok runs a hand over his face and tries not to laugh. He has so many questions, but technically he's already broken the Golden Rule by asking the name of the school. Taehyung doesn't seem to mind; he returns to the living room and settles back down among his things. His movements are a little stiff though, and he angles his screen away from Hoseok.
Fair enough. Hoseok knows he shouldn't pry.
"I got you something," he says and Taehyung's face brightens. A strange wave of nerves makes Hoseok's stomach turn as he reaches into his pocket and fingers the collar. "It's kind of weird, but it made me think of you." Normal people don't get each other pet collars, he tells himself, but then again Taehyung seems perfectly fine with the not normal. He holds it in his palm and refuses to look at Taehyung's face.
Now that Taehyung's looking at it, Hoseok thinks the stupid thing looks kind of cheap with its light pink nylon and glittering rhinestones. It's not what Hoseok would ever get for a pet, but in the store he'd seen Taehyung's face the second he laid eyes on it.
"Obviously it's too small to wear. I don't know why I got it." He face feels hot and Hoseok wants to hide it, throw the stupid thing away, but Taehyung takes the collar from him and studies it closely.
"It's not too small." He unclasps the plastic buckle and fastens it to his wrist. He doesn't even have to tighten it; it's a perfect fit. When he looks up at Hoseok, Taehyung's beaming. "It's pretty."
That's all the encouragement Hoseok needs. He leans in closer and touches the small metal tag hanging from the collar's loop. "They had a machine to make these."
Taehyung twists his wrist around to read the tiny lettering, "My name is Taehyung. If lost, contact Jung Hoseok." He snorts. "It even has your phone number."
Hoseok blushes all over again. "It's the default template, but I figured it could come in handy if you ever pass out in someone's trash again. I know it's dumb--"
"I love it." Taehyung grins and lunges forward, wrapping his arms around Hoseok where he sits in the chair. "Thank you. Thanks for the key, too." His presses against Hoseok's stomach, where it feels like an army of butterflies is fighting to escape.
Hoseok plays with Taehyung's hair and smiles. "I figured I should try to be a better owner." He laughs dryly and shakes his head. "I can't believe I'm actually okay with saying that."
Loosening his grip, Taehyung gives him a worried look. "Does it bother you?"
Cupping Taehyung's face in his hands, Hoseok sighs. "Not really."
There's a guy living in Hoseok's house who isn't related, isn't his boyfriend, and is barely even his friend. There's a pink collar around Taehyung's wrist that makes Hoseok happier than anything else in his life. Nothing's gotten any less weird, but Hoseok's used to it now.
All Hoseok wants is to continue on exactly like this for as long as possible.
Of course, that's impossible.
-
"Earth to Hoseok, come in Hoseok."
Yoongi's hovering above Hoseok's desk and flourishing a fresh stack of papers. "Go away."
"Need I remind you that your end of the year report is due by the end of the week?"
Hoseok curses under his breath but raises his head from where it had been resting on his desk. "You're not my supervisor." He sticks his tongue out and ignores the death threat in Yoongi's narrowed eyes. The end of the year report has consumed Hoseok's life, leaving him stressed all day every day, not even able to escape when he's home. The bags under his eyes have only gotten worse over time.
Though, to be honest, Hoseok doesn't really believe it's the report he's losing sleep over. It's Taehyung.
Taehyung is gone before the sun rises and home long after Hoseok's gone to bed. On the rare occasions Hoseok runs into him in the living room, Taehyung is absorbed in his laptop and not in a mood to talk. He doesn't even get excited about dinner anymore. Hoseok leaves leftovers in plastic wrap in the fridge that go uneaten. Hoseok finds himself lying awake at night waiting to hear the key in the door, wondering who Taehyung is with, who's feeding him if it's not Hoseok.
Asking isn't an option. They're never in the same room long enough for a decent conversation and, more importantly, there's the Golden Rule. Hoseok hates himself for finding it so frustrating considering it was his rule in the first place, but there's so much he doesn't know about Taehyung which he suddenly wants to know. He wants to visit Taehyung at work, see him in class, know his friends, as if those things would give him a clue about the indecipherable inner workings of Taehyung's mind. As far as Hoseok can tell, Taehyung is perfectly happy with the Golden Rule. He never asks Hoseok about himself, never offers any information beyond the necessary. The rule is working. The worlds outside and inside the apartment couldn't be more separate.
That doesn't stop Hoseok from being curious and, worse, worried.
Yoongi bops Hoseok with the papers and doesn't back down when Hoseok glares at him. "Don't be so pissy," he hisses. "Focus and get it done."
"Yeah, yeah," Hoseok grumbles.
"And come out with the rest of us tonight." Yoongi crosses his arms and, for a split second, his expression softens. "Seokjin is treating the department to drinks and karaoke."
Hoseok frowns. "I don't know--"
"Oh, come on," Yoongi growls. "You haven't gone out with us since we broke up. You've holed yourself up in your apartment with your perfect little dog and it's sad, Hoseok." He drops the papers on Hoseok's desk and turns to go. "Get your neighbor to feed it and let loose a little. I'm not letting you say no."
A few minutes later Namjoon sends Hoseok an email written in all capital letters and Hoseok knows he has no choice.
part two
Pairing: J-Hope/V
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 12,484
Summary: Hoseok decides to adopt a pet, and Taehyung needs a place to stay. This isn't what Hoseok had in mind.
Warnings: owner/pet relationship
Notes: Kimi wa Petto (You Are My Pet) AU. I've been itching to write this for months, but exchange season bogged me down for a while. I think I got a little carried away with the story, but I had a great time and have no regrets. I have a couple ideas for possible side stories, especially for Yoongi, but for now I hope y'all enjoy and thanks for much for reading!
Crossposted to AO3.
Not once has Hoseok ever struggled to find a seat in the cafeteria in his office building. A number of different companies fill the suites in the seven story building, and workers from all of comapies are welcome to use the cafeteria together. There are five different food stations that offer varying kinds of cuisine, a juice bar, a small shop selling prepackaged meals for employees-on-the-go. In order to handle the constant flow of customers, there are over three dozen tables scattered in the open space.
With so much space, Hoseok fails to understand why the hell his ex is sitting in the seat directly opposite, munching his fries and chatting away as if last night he hadn't left a gaping wound in Hoseok's chest where his heart used to be.
A fry dangles from Yoongi's lips and Hoseok watches it bounce, sipping his soda as loudly as possible. "So I told Namjoon that I'm not his little copy boy--"
"Yoongi--"
"-- and that I don't care if he's too afraid to walk past Seokjin's office--"
"Yoon--"
"--because Seokjin isn't even scary, okay--"
"--gi--"
"--and end of the year reports are around the corner and I just don't have time--"
"Yoongi!" Hoseok slams his drink down onto the table and the plastic surface wobbles. The fry finally falls from Yoongi's mouth, which gapes open in an offended expression.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Hoseok takes a deep breath, smooths the napkin on the table for no real reason. "This is weird." Yoongi looks around the cafeteria for the source of the "weird," and Hoseok sighs so loudly a few women at a nearby table cast them nervous glances. "No, this." He gestures between them. "Why the hell are we eating lunch together?"
"Why the hell wouldn't we?" Yoongi pouts, and Hoseok wishes he could slap it off without someone calling security on him. He wouldn't be the first to crack and get violent in this cafeteria.
"You dumped me," Hoseok hisses.
His best-friend-slash-ex-boyfriend huffs, "Is that all?" He throws a fry across the table and grins as it bounces off Hoseok's cheek. "With that scary look on your face, I thought someone had died or something."
There's not a hint of guilt in Yoongi's eyes. Hoseok doesn't know why he'd expected any different. "Well excuse me for feeling not so great about it." He chews the end of his straw and contemplates the plastic table top.
"Hey," Yoongi says, gentler this time. Hoseok glances up and Yoongi shifts nervously, glancing to the side and rolling his shoulders. "Come on, I don't see why this would, you know, change things."
Things have already changed, though. Yoongi wasn't in Hoseok's bed this morning, ready to mooch breakfast and use all the hot water in the shower before work. Hoseok can't remember the last Monday morning he'd come to work on his own. Yoongi doesn't like spending Sunday nights alone, says it's a sign of a truly depressing life. Hoseok wonders what Yoongi did last night, afterwards.
The look on his face must be bad, because Yoongi actually mumbles, "I'm sorry," and reaches over to give Hoseok's hand an awkward pat. Apologies from Min Yoongi are few and far between. Unfortunately this one just solidifies the fact that this is happening, that it's really over. "Can't we just go back to being friends?" Yoongi's voice sounds pained and Hoseok hates himself for letting Yoongi make him feel guilty for having perfectly understandable emotions. "We dated for four months, but we've been friends for five years, man."
In a way, Hoseok agrees. He can't imagine not having Yoongi around, and not just at work. Yoongi's always been there-- in college, at graduation, living together and finding their first jobs together- and that's exactly why Hoseok had thought it'd been a good idea for them to take it to the next level.
He still thinks it hadn't been a bad idea, even if he feels like complete shit now.
"I know," he finally admits. "But try not to be so... normal." He runs a hand through his hair and slouches in his chair. "Give me a little time to cool off, okay?"
Yoongi frowns as he nods. "I get that." He finishes his drink and shrugs. "I didn't like breaking up with you, you know."
"Could have fooled me," Hoseok mutters, but finds himself smiling the tiniest bit.
"It was time, man." Yoongi gives him a meaningful look, like Hoseok will understand everything from those four little words.
Hoseok understands nothing. Obviously everything makes sense now to Yoongi, but Hoseok knows he'll need more than a little time to find that old normalcy again. He almost wants to ask Yoongi, pry a little more even though it'll hurt, but one look at the clock and Hoseok curses.
Less than five minutes later he's back in his cubicle. Yoongi is in the one to the left. A thin partition separates them, but Hoseok listens to Yoongi humming and typing away and feels like they're worlds apart.
-
Hoseok stays late that night, and not just because he has a mountain of invoices to process. After arguing all afternoon with Yoongi over email Hoseok doesn't feel like continuing the conversation on the way out. Yoongi thinks Hoseok needs to go out, let loose, and of course is all for being Hoseok's wing man. No matter how many times Hoseok explains that volunteering to be your ex boyfriend's wing man is overstepping not a few boundaries, Yoongi counters that being your best friend's wingman is completely normal.
At least one of them is adjusting well, if not annoyingly quickly.
On his way home Hoseok stops by the convenience store for a pathetic attempt at dinner and ends up with a six pack instead. Close enough, he decides, and trudges down the damp streets toward home. Usually Hoseok loves living within walking distance of work, but today he hates how soon he finds himself on his street, how he's immediately aware of the dark windows of his apartment. From the street he can just barely see the tiny pot of flowers on his balcony. Yoongi brought those to the apartment a few weeks ago after Hoseok claimed Yoongi did nothing but mess the place up.
First things first: Hoseok needs to get Yoongi's things out of the apartment.
The trash is piled high in and around the neighborhood dumpster. Not a bad place to put Yoongi's things, actually. Hoseok pauses to consider it before shaking his head. Hoseok is a lot of things, angry being one of them, but he isn't vindictive. No, he has a few spare boxes in the closet which will fit everything. He can pack it up and bring it in to work tomorrow.
Just as he's stepping away from the dumpster, going over the list of Yoongi's things scattered around his apartment, the trash springs to life and latches onto his leg. Or at least that's what it looks like, and Hoseok gives a terrified yelp as plastic bags and candy wrappers cling to his pant leg. He tries to shake it off, but the garbage holds fast. He tries to brush it off and finds fingers under those layers of trash, attached to an arm which disappear under a few large bags. Hoseok kicks one aside and sure enough, finds a body and a face to match.
"Uh, hello?" Maybe he should be more apprehensive about greeting a body in a trash pile, but the guy is breathing and his fingers won't detach from Hoseok's pants, so he's not sure what else can he do. "You okay, man?"
The trash guy (Hoseok's not really sure what to call him) grumbles a little. Hoseok tentatively prods his chest and he grunts. His head lolls to the side slightly but his eyes don't open.
Great, to top off the shittiest day ever Hoseok has to remove a passed out drunk from his pants. If Yoongi were here, he'd be hysterical.
"Excuse me," he mutters and tries in vain to pry off the fingers on his pants cuff. The fingers are warm, a little too warm, and Hoseok frowns. Something about this feels creepy, but he reaches out and feels trash guy's forehead. Sure enough, he's burning up. Hoseok curses and hangs his head.
Now what?
Hoseok looks around but his street is deserted. Any time now someone from his building or one of the surrounding complexes will walk by and this might not look so good. Hoseok slaps trash guy's cheek lightly and mumbles, "Hey, if you're going to wake up, now'd be the time."
Bit by bit Hoseok removes the trash from trash guy's clothes before dragging him out of the pile. Judging by his clothes-- jeans, a slightly faded sweater, canvas sneakers, a fake leather backpack that hangs off of one arm-- and his smooth, round face, Hoseok gauges him as younger, though not by much. He isn't terribly heavy and he somewhat comes to when Hoseok tries to hoist him into a standing position. His eyes roll open and he squints at Hoseok momentarily before his head falls to the side again. As he half-carries the guy inside the building and into the elevator, Hoseok can feel the warmth radiating through his clothes. Definitely not a good sign.
Hoseok dumps the limp body onto his couch and panics.
"Okay, okay," he breathes. His palms feel sweaty and he wipes them on his slacks. "I brought a stranger home."
He starts to pace, starting in the living room and moving around into the small kitchen and dining area.
"But he's sick, maybe really sick. I couldn't just leave him."
His pacing changes direction to the bathroom, where he finds aspirin and a cooling pad. He returns to the living room and kneels by the couch. Now that he's inside the smell of garbage is even worse.
"What the fuck have I done?" he groans and sinks to the floor. Trash guy's breathing is ragged and he mumbles in his sleep. Sleeping, he looks like a baby. A baby with ears that stick out just a little and a wide mouth that hangs open. Hoseok grabs the backpack from where he left it on the floor and fiddles with the zippers. Maybe he can find the name of a friend, a girlfriend, a family member or someone else who can take him home, but going through a stranger's things feels wrong. Hoseok sets the bag back down near the end of the couch.
For what feels like the millionth time today, Hoseok heaves a sigh. He grabs his almost forgotten six pack and puts it in the fridge. While he's in the kitchen he pours a glass of water and leaves it and a few aspirin on the coffee table near the couch. Something still feels wrong and he grabs a spare blanket from the hall closet and tosses it over his unexpected guest.
That feels better, so Hoseok grabs a beer and a bag of chips and disappears into his room. At the last second he turns and flips the lock on his door.
-
When Hoseok emerges from his room the next morning, he finds the blanket neatly folded on the couch, the glass washed and drying by the sink and his entire loaf of bread missing. There's a note on the fridge held in place by a magnet Hoseok received from a pizza place around the corner:
thanks for not killing me
i owe you bread
-
"You let him sleep in your house?" Today Yoongi's fries remain untouched on his tray. Hoseok's tempted to steal one but the look in Yoongi's eyes is deadly.
Hoseok shrugs and picks at his sandwich. "He was sick and passed out, what else could I do?"
"Call an ambulance, call your landlord, or, I don't know, call me?" Yoongi's eyes narrow at the last option and Hoseok keeps his eyes on his food. The fact that it hadn't even occurred to him to call Yoongi is strange in itself, but he's smart enough to know better than to bring it up.
"I didn't want to bother you," he lies and wishes he'd waited until the end of lunch to tell Yoongi this. Then again, with their cubicles separated by only a very thin wall he doesn't stand a chance of escaping no matter what. "Besides I locked my door before going to bed. He didn't even touch anything and locked the door on his way out, so he couldn't have been a bad guy, right?"
Hoseok knows he shouldn't be so defensive. Part of him can't believe he actually did it himself. He's not much of a risk-taker and he's never been particularly charitable, though he tries to help his friends when they need it. He's spent all morning trying to figure out what exactly had been different last night and all he's come up with is that the guy didn't look good and Hoseok couldn't bring himself not to do anything about it. Nothing bad happened and Hoseok couldn't say he wouldn't do it again. It was kind of nice to help someone out.
He also can't help but feel that Yoongi is being a little too harsh, all things considered.
Yoongi rolls his eyes. "Yeah, him locking the front door totally rationalizes you being an idiot and letting him stay over."
"Let it go, okay?" Hoseok frowns and starts cleaning up his lunch despite not having touched it. His mind is a frustrated mess and he knows Yoongi isn't going to let this go. "It's done and over and none of your fucking business anyway." He hears Yoongi start to reply but Hoseok is already carrying his tray to the trash.
-
Yoongi doesn't say goodbye before he leaves that night. Hoseok hides in his cubicle and hunches down behind a stack of paperwork as Yoongi passes by. The silence hurts worse than Yoongi's lectures ever could, but Hoseok doesn't want to break it, either. Even if the reasons behind it are different the silence feels more appropriate than carrying on like they'd never been anything more than friends. Hoseok finds it easier to think without Yoongi's endless emails and chatter. Once he's sure Yoongi is gone, Hoseok packs up and heads home.
As he passes by the dumpster, he pauses. He scans the bags for signs of life and tenses as he steps away as if expecting something to grab him. Of course, nothing does. No one is snoring among the garbage, and no one will be sleeping on his couch and stinking up his apartment tonight.
For some reason, he's disappointed.
The first thing Hoseok does is flip on all of the lights in the living room and kitchen. The place looks more welcoming but the silence is still a problem, so he turns on his stereo to a random music station and lets that fill the void. After changing into sweats and a t-shirt Hoseok takes out his wok and gathers the ingredients for chicken fried rice. Not too hard to make, won't take long, and it's the one thing Yoongi never wanted to eat.
When he's finished, Hoseok stares into the giant plate of fried rice-- more than enough for two people, let alone one-- and sighs. He fixes himself a plate and settles down at the table with a beer. As soon as he lifts a bite to his mouth the radio plays a song Hoseok knows all too well. He curses and drops his utensil to grab the stereo remote and switch to a classical music station. He might not enjoy the music, but he won't be reminded of an annoying know-it-all ex who's probably stuffing his face with take out and watching music programs on his couch.
Hoseok crashes onto the couch and grabs his cell from the coffee table. Texting your ex when you're lonely isn't healthy, but texting your best friend is, right? If Yoongi can use to loopholes, so can Hoseok.
i think i'm going to get a pet
It isn't an apology, but it's better than nothing. He's still angry, but he doesn't want Yoongi to keep ignoring him.
Yoongi's reply comes half a second later. At least Hoseok isn't the only one with nothing to do.
hahaha, replacing me? i'm cuter.
Hoseok clicks his tongue in annoyance but feels himself smiling. He's about to reply something like, "but it'll smell better," when there's a knock at the door. He blinks and looks at his phone.
No, Yoongi wouldn't come here. Even Yoongi isn't dense enough to think that would be okay.
Hoseok looks through the peephole and finds a complete stranger standing on his doorstep. Something about the stranger seems familiar, though. It takes Hoseok a minute to realize that he doesn't recognize the guy because he's never seen him alert and, well, independently vertical.
Trash guy stares at Hoseok blankly when he opens the door. "Uh," he says awkwardly, shuffling his feet. "Are you the one who helped me?"
"Yeah," Hoseok replies. The guy's discomfort is apparent and contagious. Hoseok drums his fingers on the side of the door. "Are you feeling better?"
He nods. "Thanks for that, I guess. I brought you some bread." He holds a plastic bag out for Hoseok to take.
Hoseok takes the bag with obvious hesitation. "You didn't have to," he murmurs.
"I thought it'd be rude." Trash guy scratches his head and Hoseok finds his embarrassment oddly endearing. "You know, slept on your couch, covered in garbage, then I ate all of your bread." His cheeks redden slightly and he looks away.
"Not a big deal." Hoseok can hardly hide his amusement. To think that Yoongi thought this guy could be a threat.
"Well, I'll be going now," trash guy mumbles, but as he turns he wobbles on his feet. Hoseok catches him by the arm and instinctively puts a hand on his forehead.
"Jesus, you've still got a fever."
"Is that why it's so hot?" he whines. He doesn't try to pull out of Hoseok's hold, but leans against him slightly. He's surprisingly light and just as warm as he'd been the night before.
Hoseok chews on his lip a moment before making a decision. "Here, come inside. I can give you more medicine."
Trash guy looks inside the apartment nervously. "I'd feel bad--"
"Just come on," Hoseok chuckles and pulls him inside. Trash guy looks surprised and Hoseok is, too, though he doesn't show it. He directs his guest to the couch before disappearing into the bathroom. "How did you not notice you were running a fever like that?"
"Dunno, just thought the weather was weird today."
Hoseok returns and hands him two aspirin, then fetches a glass of water from the kitchen. He doesn't realize how intently he's watching until trash guy glances at him and blushes.
"Thanks again," he says.
"You're welcome, um...?"
"Taehyung."
Hoseok smiles a little. Taehyung sounds so much better than trash guy. "Do you mind if I ask why you were sleeping in the garbage?"
Taehyung blinks and thinks for a minute. "I don't really remember. I was starving so I was going to a friend's house, but it was really hot. I just remember waking up here this morning. I was still hungry so I ate your bread."
"You must have been scared."
Taehyung looks Hoseok in the eye and shrugs. "Not really. I've woken up in weirder places." Hoseok raises an eyebrow, but Taehyung doesn't notice. He's too busy looking around the living room. His eyes are wide as a child's and his smile is goofy. "This is such a nice place."
"Uh, thanks--"
"It's so much cleaner than Jimin's place." At Hoseok's clueless stare Taehyung laughs, a surprisingly pleasant sound. His eyes crinkle at the corners and his mouth opens wide when he laughs. "Sorry, Jimin is my friend. Usually I sleep at his place, but he was mad at me yesterday so I was heading to another friend's."
"Don't you have your own place?"
Taehyung shakes his head absentmindedly and rises to wander around the room. He stops at the stereo and runs his fingers over the buttons. "Do you like this stuff?"
It takes Hoseok a moment to figure out he's talking about the music. "It helps me think sometimes, but--"
Taehyung hums and continues his exploration of the room. For someone who was so shy at the door, Taehyung seems pretty comfortable now. He gets to the kitchen and something gurgles.
"Hungry?" Hoseok offers, and Taehyung nods enthusiastically, the tip of his tongue sticking out over his bottom lip. "Eat. I made too much." Dishes clang together as Taehyung makes himself a plate. How Taehyung ended up eating all of Hoseok's bread is becoming more and more clear. Obviously he has no qualms about making himself at home. Hoseok joins Taehyung at the table and digs into his own cold plate. With someone else at the table Hoseok finds his appetite returning. He watches Taehyung tear into the rice and smiles quietly to himself. "So where are you staying tonight?"
Taehyung pauses to think. Rice is stuck to the side of his mouth and his brow furrows. "Come to think of it, I have no idea." He looks at Hoseok with a pained expression. "Jimin's still ignoring me."
In the back of his mind Hoseok can hear Yoongi screaming to back the fuck away and let this go, but Hoseok finds himself saying, "You can stay here again, if you want."
Taehyung looks at Hoseok like he's Christmas incarnate.
"A-Are you sure?" Suddenly Taehyung is sitting closer and there's still rice stuck to his mouth. Without thinking, Hoseok reaches out and wipes it away. The eager innocence in Taehyung's expression makes Hoseok's anxiety melt and he nods.
"Of course. Wouldn't want you sleeping by the dumpster again."
Taehyung cheers and takes off to do a victory lap around the living room. Hoseok picks up their plates and heads to the kitchen to wash them. The routine is familiar and comfortable, the sounds of Taehyung crashing onto the couch and turning on the TV better than any classical music.
One night can't hurt, Hoseok tells himself. He grabs a beer before joining Taehyung in the living room. Taehyung will be gone in the morning and, at the very least, Hoseok's avoided another lonely night.
-
Hoseok wakes to the gentle clattering of cereal being poured into a ceramic bowl, and then on the table, and then on the floor. He blinks and his alarm clock reads ten minutes before he's supposed to be up. His first thought is, Yoongi...? and then he realizes that's impossible. Yoongi doesn't sleep over anymore, and even when he did Yoongi never made breakfast.
What he finds when he steps out of his room is chaos.
"Morning!" Taehyung calls from the kitchen. On the dining table are two bowls of cereal with milk. There's also cereal on the table itself, on the counters, and a bit sprinkled on the floor, like a trail leading from the dining room to the kitchen. The milk is sitting abandoned on the counter and there are splashes around the bowls from where Taehyung missed when pouring.
"Morning?" Hoseok replies and takes a seat. The blanket is neatly folded on the couch, just like the first time Taehyung stayed over. With the exception of the kitchen and dining room, everything in the apartment is perfectly untouched. "I didn't think--"
--you'd still be here. Hoseok stops himself because Taehyung sits himself down in front of the second bowl of cereal and beams like he's never been happier in his life.
After several large spoonfuls Taehyung stops and regards Hoseok seriously. "I have a proposition for you."
"Excuse me?" Hoseok coughs around his cereal.
Taehyung doesn't waver. "Let me live with you."
Hoseok picks up his half-eaten bowl of cereal and moves to the kitchen. "Absolutely not."
"But why?" Taehyung whines and follows after, but Hoseok grabs a dishcloth and starts wiping up the spilled milk and pretends not to hear. "I could be your roommate!"
"The term 'roommate' implies that there is a second room for the second person, which as you can see I don't have." Hoseok puts away the milk and grabs a broom. "Roommates also pay rent, which I doubt you'll be able to do considering you're always staying with friends."
"You let me stay here for free before." Taehyung is pouting and Hoseok refuses to look. He busies himself with sweeping up the cereal. "It'd only be for a while. I have one year of school left and I do have a job. It's just that tuition is so expensive I can't afford anything else."
"I get it," he sighs and abandons the broom to sit back down at the table. His head is spinning; it's way too early for this shit and he has to leave in thirty minutes. "But I can't."
Taehyung sits back down, looking like a beaten puppy. "Why not?"
"I just got out of a relationship and living with someone would be weird."
"It'll just be two guys hanging out and having fun," he insists with a grin. "That's the best way to get over a girl!"
Hoseok buries his face in his hands. "Taehyung, I'm gay."
Silence. Hoseok almost wants to laugh. Then he looks up and Taehyung is staring back blankly. "So?" he asks.
"That doesn't... bother you?"
"Why would it?" He shrugs and picks at the pieces of cereal still littering the table. "I mean, since I can't pay you with money I could always pay with with--"
Hoseok deadpans, "Don't finish that sentence." Taehyung bursts out laughing and Hoseok chuckles, too, though he can feel the sweat beading on the back of his neck. Taehyung is nice, Taehyung is funny, last night Hoseok had laughed more than he had in a long time, but this isn't what Hoseok needs right now. "Look, I'm sorry that I can't help you, but I... can't do this. My life is messy enough."
"Then how about a pet?" Hoseok squints but Taehyung looks utterly serious, tiny creases forming between his brows. "Last night you said you were going to get one."
Hoseok doesn't follow. "Yeah, I was thinking of going to the shelter today, but--"
Taehyung springs to his feet. "I'll be your pet!"
There's nothing but excitement and innocence in Taehyung's eyes. He smiles so wide Hoseok wants to smile, too, but his mind is to busy trying to process the words that he can't form much more than a guttural, "Uh?" He rises and turns towards the bedroom.
"Is that a 'yes'?"
"I do not have time for this," he croaks. His mouth is dry and his throat hoarse. He steps into the bedroom and closes the door behind him.
"We'll talk about it after work, okay?" Taehyung calls through the door. Hoseok waits until he hears the front door shut before taking a long, deep breath. He looks at the clock and curses, running to the bathroom.
-
"You don't look so good."
Hoseok looks up from his computer and finds Yoongi standing in the doorway of his cubicle. He tries to smile but it hurts his mouth. A blank form sits on his computer screen, as incomplete as it was two hours ago when Hoseok opened it. "Thanks, I feel fantastic."
A fresh stack of forms lands on Hoseok's desk and he groans. "I sure hope so because Namjoon is really riding my ass about getting these done. I've filled them out already. All you need to do it enter them into the system."
Hoseok gingerly rests his head on the stack and sighs.
"Alright, spill." Yoongi moves to rest his hip against the edge of Hoseok's desk. His sharp eyes stare down at Hoseok and Hoseok whines. "Why didn't you text me back?"
With a hollow ache Hoseok remembers how much he likes Yoongi's eyes. "I'm sorry," he replies forlornly.
Yoongi rolls his eyes and gives Hoseok's shoulder a gentle shove. "Relax, man." He smiles a little and it makes Hoseok feel better. At least Yoongi's still talking to him. One tiny aspect of his life isn't going completely wrong. "So are you seriously getting a pet?"
Hoseok sits straight up in his chair. A few forms go flying and Yoongi grabs them. "Absolutely not."
"What? But last night--"
Hoseok shivers. "No pets. Not ever." A high-pitched whine escapes his throat and he's back to lying on his pile of forms.
From down the hall they hear Namjoon shouting Yoongi's name. Yoongi glances nervously around the corner and bites his lip. "Call me later, okay? I don't know what's wrong but--" He pauses and frowns. "Just call me."
Yoongi dashes down the hall in the opposite direction of Namjoon's voice.
-
Yoongi and Hoseok part ways that evening only after Hoseok promises a dozen more times to call. After spending all day glued to his desk, Hoseok would usually want nothing more than to get home and crash into bed, but tonight he wanders around the neighboor near his complex before heading towards the building. He stops in the convenience store and buys nothing. There are bags of pet food lined up on a shelf but Hoseok sees Taehyung's face where a dog's should be.
Eventually he finds himself in front of his apartment building. There's no one waiting for him outside and no one waiting for him by the elevator. He almost has his hopes up when he steps into the hallway to find Taehyung sitting on the floor beside his front door.
As soon as he sees Hoseok Taehyung bounces to his feet. "Welcome home!" Hoseok can't help but notice that Taehyung's backpack is bulging to the point of almost bursting and slung over Taehyung's arm is a sizable second bag.
Taehyung notices Hoseok's stare and grins. "Jimin finally let me in so I could get my stuff."
"And you brought it here," Hoseok replies with a resigned sigh. Taehyung doesn't appear to notice and follows Hoseok inside the apartment eagerly. Hoseok tosses his bag onto the couch and sinks down beside it, covering his face with his hands. Something touches his knee and he flinches.
Taehyung kneels on the floor in front of the couch, his head resting on Hoseok's knee. "This isn't so bad, right?"
"Holy shit," Hoseok chokes and practically leaps off the couch, knocking Taehyung over in the process. "Do not do that."
"I'm trying to show you that it isn't as weird as you think." Taehyung sits back on his heels and frowns. "Why are you freaking out when I have no problem with it?"
"Because this is really fucking weird," Hoseok hisses. He sits back down on the couch but gives Taehyung a lethal glare when he tries to move closer. "This isn't something I want, you know. Are you really that desperate for a place to live?"
Taehyung's face falls. "I am. Jimin isn't going to let me stay with him anymore. My other friends can only let me stay one night at a time. This place is close to school and where I work. It's perfect." The look in his eyes is painfully earnest. "You said you don't want a relationship and I can't afford to be your roommate, and that's okay. If I'm your pet, there will be strict rules about what I can or can't do. You call the shots." He reaches out as if to grab Hoseok's hand and then hesitates. "I know it sounds crazy but it could work!"
This is where Hoseok should turn Taehyung down immediately, but the words catch in his throat. As strange as it is, there is some underlying logic to Taehyung's proposal. Obviously Taehyung is in a bind. Moving from place to place is inconvenient and, as their first meeting proved, dangerous. Hoseok's place is small but still spacious for one person.
And above all else, Hoseok is really fucking lonely. Taehyung's unorthodox visits have been the only thing keeping Hoseok from dwelling and getting depressed. Keeping the guy around couldn't hurt, in that respect.
Hoseok looks at Taehyung's eager, desperate face and wonders when the hell he became so messed up. "You only need to stay until you graduate, right?"
Taehyung swallows and nods. "I have one more semester."
"And we'll set ground rules first?"
Another nod.
"And you'll absolutely, completely obey them?"
Taehyung whines, "I know I'm being pushy now but I can listen, I swear."
There are so many things wrong with this situation Hoseok can't begin to comprehend them. He wonders what Yoongi would think about even having this conversation. Nothing good, that's for sure. Then again, if there's one thing Hoseok knows now it is that he and Yoongi have never been on the same wavelength.
What Taehyung wants is unusual, but who's to say it won't work?
"Fine," Hoseok relents quietly. "Until you graduate and move out, you are my pet."
-
Hoseok knows Yoongi is watching him. Both of their meals sit untouched on the table today and Hoseok can't meet his friend's eyes.
"You never called," Yoongi mutters.
"I was, ah, busy?"
"Doing what, exactly?"
Hoseok drums his fingers on the table. "Remember how I said I wanted a pet?"
Yoongi's brows furrow. "Yeah, so wh--"
"I got one."
That's apparently not what Yoongi is expecting, and his eyebrows shoot up to disappear under his bangs. "You have a pet?" Hoseok nods nervously. "What kind?"
For a second Hoseok stutters, and then he pictures Taehyung's eyes, wide and eager, his chin resting on Hoseok's knee. "A... dog."
"A dog."
"Y-Yeah."
"You bought a dog?"
Hoseok remembers Taehyung that first night, feverish and snoring in a pile of trash. "Found him, actually."
Yoongi clicks his tongue, but his arms finally relax and he picks up his sandwich. "You have to be careful with strays, you know."
"This one is harmless," Hoseok replies with a nervous laugh and pops a fry into his mouth.
"What's his name?"
Hoseok blinks. "Taehyung."
"Weird name for a dog," Yoongi mutters, but he's already focused on his food.
-
As it turns out, keeping a human pet is surprisingly simple.
The first and most important rule-- the Golden Rule-- is that Taehyung is a pet the second he steps into the apartment. Absolutely no pet-like behavior can occur beyond the front door. The opposite is also true; when inside the apartment Taehyung has to obey Hoseok and his rules. The two worlds are to be absolutely separate and never bleed into one another.
The second rule is that all touching has to be platonic and pet-like in nature. This becomes necessary when Taehyung insists on sitting right up against Hoseok on the couch, leaning on him or resting his head on Hoseok's leg. Hoseok would prefer to ban touching entirely, except that Taehyung mentions that owners are supposed to give their pets affection, and it's usually through touch. Hoseok relents, because as usual Taehyung is much better at arguing, but insists on a clearly defined line of what's appropriate and what's not.
The third rule is that Hoseok has to buy and provide food for all of Taehyung's meals. Pets never pay for their food, after all. Hoseok counters that unlike a real pet Taehyung has a job and an income which could contribute to household costs, which in turn leads Taehyung to cite the Golden Rule and Hoseok has no choice but to agree.
Countless less significant rules occur to Hoseok as they adjust to each other but he ends up forgetting them or they become unnecessary a day later. For the most part, living with Taehyung is easy. Taehyung arrives every evening a little after Hoseok gets home from work. Hoseok makes dinner, and the two of them watch TV or go their separate ways. During that first week Hoseok learns that Taehyung loves cartoons, fried food and sleeping on his stomach. Hoseok learns that he doesn't really mind it when Taehyung sprawls across the couch and uses Hoseok's thigh as a pillow. Taehyung is happy, eager to please and apparently starved for attention, much like a real dog. On most nights Taehyung falls asleep beside Hoseok on the couch and Hoseok ends up throwing the blanket over him on his way to bed.
One night Taehyung spends the entire evening on his computer and won't let Hoseok see what he's doing, but that's okay, too. What happens in Taehyung's life beyond the apartment is none of Hoseok's business. In the same vein Taehyung never asks Hoseok about his life beyond casual conversation about childhood and university. They build a tiny, private world that suits them and shuts everything else out for the dozen or so hours they're both at home.
It's nothing that Hoseok has ever experienced before, but it doesn't feel wrong.
-
Hoseok sets the box down on Yoongi's desk and Yoongi eyes it suspiciously. "You got me a present?"
"Not exactly," he laughs and opens the flaps. Inside is a mix of odds and ends: cologne, shower gel in a scent Hoseok doesn't like anymore, a few hats, a stray sock, and placed carefully among that and a few other things the small potted plant from Hoseok's balcony. "Thought I should return your stuff."
Yoongi rifles through the box. "I was wondering where I put this!" he cheers and pulls out the ugliest skull ring Hoseok has ever seen. For the past week it's been sitting on his nightstand, and until last night Hoseok hadn't been sure he'd ever give it back. Now, seeing Yoongi's smile as he puts the ring on, Hoseok's glad it's back where it belongs. Yoongi pulls out the potted plant with a frown. "This is yours, though, for the balcony."
"I'd rather you have it," he insists and Yoongi looks troubled, but complies.
"I figured I'd pick this shit up the next time I came over."
The thought makes Hoseok wince-- not because he hates the thought of Yoongi coming over, which in itself is surprising, but because he's not sure Yoongi would ever understand Taehyung. "This was easier. Taehyung is still adjusting and I was worried he'd ruin something."
In truth, Hoseok had caught Taehyung marching around the apartment in Yoongi's hat, smelling like Yoongi because Hoseok had left the abandoned products in the bathroom, and that had been one step too far in the weird direction. Hoseok had yet to even mention Yoongi's name around Taehyung, but luckily Taehyung hadn't asked why Hoseok had insisted on boxing up all the old stuff right away.
"I gotta admit I'm surprised," Yoongi says as he moves the box under his desk. "You seemed pretty upset, but you've been literally dancing around the office these past few days and now this." He shakes his head and smiles. "I'm glad."
Hoseok laughs awkwardly and shrugs. "Can't be sad forever, right?"
"Exactly! Especially since there's something I need to tell you--"
"Min Yoongi!" a deep voice booms down the hall. Before Yoongi can make a break for it, Namjoon is in the doorway to his cubicle sizing up Yoongi and Hoseok both like he can't decide whom to murder first. His eyes settle on Yoongi and Hoseok breathes a silent sight of relief. "A little birdie told me that you haven't touched the data from last month's sales."
Yoongi looks up at Hoseok in a desperate plea for help and Hoseok groans. It's going to be a long afternoon.
-
The clock on Hoseok's computer reads half past four and the stack of forms to be processed hasn't grown any smaller. Yoongi peeks over the partition between their cubicles and sighs, "Looks like we're in for a late night."
Hoseok whines and and lets his head fall onto the keyboard.
Four hours later, and their stacks appear to be dwindling. Hoseok's stomach rumbles every three minutes-- he's started timing it, because there's nothing else to keep his mind entertained-- and Yoongi's cranked up his favorite music station in his cubicle. The rest of their suite is long deserted, and Hoseok stares at the elevator longingly.
"Almost done!" Yoongi cheers. Hoseok wishes he could feel more enthusiastic about it, too, but all he can think about are the leftovers sitting in his fridge and his warm bed, waiting for him.
He places the last form in front of him when his phone rings. The number isn't one he recognizes, but he answers with a hesitant, "Hello?"
"Uh, hi, it's me."
"Tae--," Hoseok gasps, then stops. He covers his phone with his hand to muffle his voice. "How did you get this number?" He doesn't mean for his voice to sound so harsh, but Yoongi's sitting a little too close by for comfort and contact outside of the apartment isn't allowed.
"I got it from your phone when you were in the bathroom. Sorry." His voice is quiet and Hoseok instantly feels guilty.
"No, it's okay. Probably good for emergencies. What's up?"
"I, uh, was just wondering when you're coming home."
"A little later," he whispers, because Yoongi's turned down the music and is peeking over the partition. "Why?"
"Okay, cool. It's just... kind of cold."
A lead weight drops into the pity of Hoseok's empty stomach. "Are you waiting outside?"
"Yeah, I wasn't sure what to do. The door's locked."
"Fuck." Hoseok shoves the last form aside and frantically searches for the shut down command on his desktop. "Shit, shit! I am so sorry. I'll be there as soon as I can." He hangs up and finds Yoongi watching him. "I need to go. It's Tae-- my dog. I need to let him... out. And, shit, feed him." He's scrambling for his things and knocking his stack of post-its over and can't seem to remember what all he needs to take home.
"Just ask your neighbor to do it."
Hoseok eyes Yoongi's frown with clear anxiety. "That was my neighbor. She couldn't get home in time, either." Since when is Hoseok so quick with his lies?
"Ah, that's cool." Yoongi sinks back down behind the wall. "I can finish up here, you go on ahead."
There's something off about Yoongi's voice which gives Hoseok pause. "You sure?"
Yoongi steps out of his cubicle with a blinding smile. "Yeah, man. Your dog needs you. I'll walk you to the elevator."
Hoseok presses the elevator button and they wait in awkward silence. Yoongi's hands fidget in his pockets and he licks his lips. "Look, I just want you to know that you can still tell me anything."
Hoseok blinks. "Okay?"
"Like, if you're seeing anyone, that's totally fine."
"I'm not seeing anyone."
"Okay," Yoongi says, voice strained, "but if you were, you could tell me and I wouldn't freak out. And I hope you'd do the same for me--"
The door slides open but Hoseok stands, frozen.
"--because I kind of met someone."
A hard lump forms in Hoseok's throat and he can't speak. Not that he has any idea what he should say. Yoongi fishes something out of his pocket and presses it into Hoseok's hand-- a key, the spare key to Hoseok's apartment.
"Since you're returning my stuff, I should return yours, right?" Yoongi laughs awkwardly. "I guess it wouldn't be normal for your ex to keep your key, best friend or not."
The door starts to close again and Yoongi catches it. Hoseok steps inside, eyes still fixed on the key. "Thanks," he mumbles. His voice doesn't sound right.
"Hey, how about tomorrow we go get your little doggy a present?" Yoongi offers and Hoseok looks up blankly. Behind Yoongi's smile Hoseok sees concern, and just a hint of pity. His stomach hurts.
"Yeah," he manages to reply as the doors slide closed between them.
-
Taehyung is sitting in the hall when Hoseok steps out of the elevator, legs stretched out and head leaned back against the wall. When he sees Hoseok he beams and bounces to his feet. Hoseok mumbles apologies and struggles with his keys in front of the lock.
Warm arms wrap around him from behind. On any other day this would earn Taehyung a lecture on how to behave outside the apartment, but tonight Hoseok doesn't care. "It's okay," Taehyung chuckles. He rests his head on Hoseok's shoulder. "But I'm starving."
Hoseok opens the door and half-waddles inside, Taehyung still clinging to his back. "You're always starving," he says with small smile. He unwraps Taehyung's arms and playfully pushes him towards the kitchen. "There are leftovers in the fridge. I don't feel like cooking tonight."
Taehyung doesn't need to be told twice. Hoseok collapses onto the couch and listens to the chaotic sounds of Taehyung in the kitchen. Pots and pans bang together-- why the hell is he even using those, Hoseok wonders, but he doesn't bother asking-- as Taehyung hums to himself. Usually being at home is enough to relax Hoseok after a hard day at work, but tonight Hoseok can't seem to release the tension in his shoulders. He groans and stretches out on the couch, leaning back against an armrest. The couch no longer smells of garbage, thank goodness, but of Taehyung. It's a warm, clean smell that's surprisingly comforting.
Something bumps against the couch and Hoseok opens his eyes to find Taehyung sitting on the floor with a bowl of what looks like all of the leftovers in Hoseok's refrigerator mixed together. It's instinct that makes Hoseok reach out and pat Taehyung's head. His fingers thread through soft, messy hair and Taehyung leans into the touch.
"Bad day?" The food in his mouth muffles the words.
Hoseok grunts. He tries to remember the confidence from this morning, when he gave Yoongi the box and felt like everything was going to be okay. Just when he's starting to get on his feet, a single conversation sends him crashing to the floor.
Taehyung sets the now empty bowl to the side and stretches. The couch shifts under the additional weight as Taehyung crawls up. Hoseok starts to move over, but Taehyun crawls right over him until he's lying across Hoseok completely. He wraps his arms around Hoseok's middle and rests his face against Hoseok's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he mumbles against Hoseok's shirt.
"It's not your fault," he replies nervously. His hands hover awkwardly in the air a moment before he returns the hug, holding Taehyung close and finally letting out a long, tired sigh he didn't know he'd been holding back. He pulls Taehyung a little closer and buries his face in his neck. Tears sting his eyes and stain Taehyung's t-shirt, but neither of them pull away. "You're a good boy, Taehyung."
The apartment is completely silent and, for the first time, Hoseok lets himself feel the pain.
-
The next morning Hoseok wakes up with stiff shoulders and terrible hunger pains. Taehyung is still fast asleep on top of him, snoring quietly into Hoseok's ear. The couch creaks as Hoseok carefully maneuvers himself out from under him. He smiles and runs his fingers through Taehyung's hair one more time. Taehyung's eyelids twitch and he drools a little on the pillow Hoseok shoves under his face.
After a quick breakfast of what little Taehyung's left in the fridge, Hoseok showers and changes into a fresh suit. His eyes are red and swollen, but he feels lighter somehow. He finds the spare key in yesterday's pants and looking at it does nothing. He rolls the tiny piece of metal in his hand anda smile spreads across his face
Hoseok quietly picks up his bag from in front of the couch and leaves the key sitting on the coffee table beside a note:
sorry for being so late. hope this makes up for it a little.
thank you.
-
Tiny, fuzz-covered puppies topple over one another in the cage behind the glass. One puppy lies on his back in the corner, mouth hanging open in a deep sleep.
"Remind you of anyone?" Yoongi grins and taps on the glass. A few puppies untangle themselves from the pile and come running towards them. Their little paws press against the glass and Yoongi chuckles.
Hoseok watches the sleeping puppy stretch, his tiny toes flexing in the air. "Yeah," he replies with a smile.
The pet shop is empty except for a mother and her toddler son who stare into tanks of small lizards. Yoongi roams through the aisles and examines a shelf of toys. "Think he'd like these?" Hoseok looks at the rows of rubber bones and rope chews. The only object he's seen Taehyung interact with on a regular basis is his computer, and he's not even sure what Taehyung does with it.
"Not sure."
Yoongi raises an eyebrow. "You don't know what toys he likes?"
Hoseok raises the collar on his wool coat and shrugs. "Most of the time he lies around and watches TV." He catches Yoongi's incredulous look and adds quickly, "He's not actually watching, of course. He's pretty lazy."
Yoongi moves on down the aisle. "Have you gotten him a collar yet?"
"Collar?" Hoseok joins Yoongi at the display-- so many sizes and colors and designs it makes Hoseok's head spin.
"He has to have a collar for his tags or they'll arrest you."
Hoseok blinks in alarm and runs his fingers over one that catches his eye.
"He's that small?" Yoongi eyes the collar. "It's not very manly, either. Please don't tell me you have one of those tiny dogs girls carry around in their purses."
"No," he chuckles. "He's huge."
Before Yoongi can question it, Hoseok grabs the collar and sweeps out of the aisle to the checkout line. Just before stepping outside, a machine along the window gives Hoseok an idea.
"Hold up. I need one more thing."
-
Sure enough, when Hoseok arrives home that evening he can hear the TV playing before he even steps through the door. Taehyung has his laptop balanced on his knees where he sits in front of the couch. There are several dirty dishes stacked around him and massive books Hoseok's never seen before spread across the couch.
As soon as he sees Hoseok Taehyung springs to life. "Sorry! I was going to clean up before you got home." He picks up the dishes and sprints to the kitchen. Hoseok's tempted to tell him to stop but doesn't bother. He's grown kind of fond of listening to Taehyung mess up his kitchen. He settles into the only free spot in the living room and glances at the books. The words are technical and Hoseok gently tips one over to read the cover, Mastering the Art of Animation. He picks up a piece of paper lying beside Taehyung's computer and nearly chokes when he reads the heading.
"Where did you say you go to school again?"
Taehyung says the name of the most famous and prestigious art school in Seoul like he's deciding what he wants for dinner.
Hoseok runs a hand over his face and tries not to laugh. He has so many questions, but technically he's already broken the Golden Rule by asking the name of the school. Taehyung doesn't seem to mind; he returns to the living room and settles back down among his things. His movements are a little stiff though, and he angles his screen away from Hoseok.
Fair enough. Hoseok knows he shouldn't pry.
"I got you something," he says and Taehyung's face brightens. A strange wave of nerves makes Hoseok's stomach turn as he reaches into his pocket and fingers the collar. "It's kind of weird, but it made me think of you." Normal people don't get each other pet collars, he tells himself, but then again Taehyung seems perfectly fine with the not normal. He holds it in his palm and refuses to look at Taehyung's face.
Now that Taehyung's looking at it, Hoseok thinks the stupid thing looks kind of cheap with its light pink nylon and glittering rhinestones. It's not what Hoseok would ever get for a pet, but in the store he'd seen Taehyung's face the second he laid eyes on it.
"Obviously it's too small to wear. I don't know why I got it." He face feels hot and Hoseok wants to hide it, throw the stupid thing away, but Taehyung takes the collar from him and studies it closely.
"It's not too small." He unclasps the plastic buckle and fastens it to his wrist. He doesn't even have to tighten it; it's a perfect fit. When he looks up at Hoseok, Taehyung's beaming. "It's pretty."
That's all the encouragement Hoseok needs. He leans in closer and touches the small metal tag hanging from the collar's loop. "They had a machine to make these."
Taehyung twists his wrist around to read the tiny lettering, "My name is Taehyung. If lost, contact Jung Hoseok." He snorts. "It even has your phone number."
Hoseok blushes all over again. "It's the default template, but I figured it could come in handy if you ever pass out in someone's trash again. I know it's dumb--"
"I love it." Taehyung grins and lunges forward, wrapping his arms around Hoseok where he sits in the chair. "Thank you. Thanks for the key, too." His presses against Hoseok's stomach, where it feels like an army of butterflies is fighting to escape.
Hoseok plays with Taehyung's hair and smiles. "I figured I should try to be a better owner." He laughs dryly and shakes his head. "I can't believe I'm actually okay with saying that."
Loosening his grip, Taehyung gives him a worried look. "Does it bother you?"
Cupping Taehyung's face in his hands, Hoseok sighs. "Not really."
There's a guy living in Hoseok's house who isn't related, isn't his boyfriend, and is barely even his friend. There's a pink collar around Taehyung's wrist that makes Hoseok happier than anything else in his life. Nothing's gotten any less weird, but Hoseok's used to it now.
All Hoseok wants is to continue on exactly like this for as long as possible.
Of course, that's impossible.
-
"Earth to Hoseok, come in Hoseok."
Yoongi's hovering above Hoseok's desk and flourishing a fresh stack of papers. "Go away."
"Need I remind you that your end of the year report is due by the end of the week?"
Hoseok curses under his breath but raises his head from where it had been resting on his desk. "You're not my supervisor." He sticks his tongue out and ignores the death threat in Yoongi's narrowed eyes. The end of the year report has consumed Hoseok's life, leaving him stressed all day every day, not even able to escape when he's home. The bags under his eyes have only gotten worse over time.
Though, to be honest, Hoseok doesn't really believe it's the report he's losing sleep over. It's Taehyung.
Taehyung is gone before the sun rises and home long after Hoseok's gone to bed. On the rare occasions Hoseok runs into him in the living room, Taehyung is absorbed in his laptop and not in a mood to talk. He doesn't even get excited about dinner anymore. Hoseok leaves leftovers in plastic wrap in the fridge that go uneaten. Hoseok finds himself lying awake at night waiting to hear the key in the door, wondering who Taehyung is with, who's feeding him if it's not Hoseok.
Asking isn't an option. They're never in the same room long enough for a decent conversation and, more importantly, there's the Golden Rule. Hoseok hates himself for finding it so frustrating considering it was his rule in the first place, but there's so much he doesn't know about Taehyung which he suddenly wants to know. He wants to visit Taehyung at work, see him in class, know his friends, as if those things would give him a clue about the indecipherable inner workings of Taehyung's mind. As far as Hoseok can tell, Taehyung is perfectly happy with the Golden Rule. He never asks Hoseok about himself, never offers any information beyond the necessary. The rule is working. The worlds outside and inside the apartment couldn't be more separate.
That doesn't stop Hoseok from being curious and, worse, worried.
Yoongi bops Hoseok with the papers and doesn't back down when Hoseok glares at him. "Don't be so pissy," he hisses. "Focus and get it done."
"Yeah, yeah," Hoseok grumbles.
"And come out with the rest of us tonight." Yoongi crosses his arms and, for a split second, his expression softens. "Seokjin is treating the department to drinks and karaoke."
Hoseok frowns. "I don't know--"
"Oh, come on," Yoongi growls. "You haven't gone out with us since we broke up. You've holed yourself up in your apartment with your perfect little dog and it's sad, Hoseok." He drops the papers on Hoseok's desk and turns to go. "Get your neighbor to feed it and let loose a little. I'm not letting you say no."
A few minutes later Namjoon sends Hoseok an email written in all capital letters and Hoseok knows he has no choice.
part two