It didn't leave him alone.

The memory of Jimin's visit, the close proximity between their faces, the dancer's lips tickling the very edge of Yoongi's own - that feeling didn't leave him alone, either. From the moment it occurred till the moment Yoongi finally managed to fall asleep, there was a lingering sensation, a fuzziness that made his mind spin in circles.

He didn't feel disgusted. That was the problem. If he did, he could just as easily avoid another encounter with Jimin as he could initiate one. But he wasn't disgusted, only disappointed with himself for being so vulnerable and falling for the dancer's charms.

Now Yoongi was beginning to lean even more towards the suspicion he was being played with. Jimin was a smooth-talker and aware of it, more so aware of Yoongi's vulnerability now that he had reduced him to a blushing mess more than once, not to mention their first encounter in which Jimin's invitation to dance hadn't been declined, nor even attempted to be declined.

A performer. That's all he is.

For his own safety Yoongi tried to believe it. And again, he was learning to accept it more and more, but that small, troublesome part of him still clung to the hopeful possibility that it wasn't an act, that he wasn't being led on, only to be left in the dust when he least expected it.

It seemed unlikely, though. From the start Yoongi had his assumptions about Jimin that only lent themselves to plausibility. Yoongi considered himself the fool for going after him, anyway.

Yoongi was a lost cause, he realized. A sucker for the things that should be left alone.

So he told himself now that if he suffered because of it, it would be his own fault.

Tragically, but not to his own surprise, Yoongi met Jimin again in his dreams that night. And they danced, much like that first night at Cat's Eye, but this time Yoongi somehow had better knowledge of the steps to take, and it felt more like he was actually dancing with Jimin. After the dance was over, Yoongi's hand was taken again and a kiss was planted on his fingertips - but it didn't stop there. Jimin's lips hovered over the other's arm, moving up towards Yoongi's face to close in on his lips. Centimeters away.

Then the dream ended. And Yoongi felt like bashing his head into a wall.

He scarcely resisted, instead dragging himself out of bed and trudging to the kitchen, where he found Jeongguk sitting at the table having already helped himself to a bowl of cereal.

"You're still here," Yoongi mumbled.

"What, did you think I was leaving first thing in the morning?"

"No, but I kinda wanted to flip the kitchen table and you're in the way."

"Can I finish my cereal first?"

Exhaling deeply, Yoongi gave a lazy nod and patted his friend on the head, then went to get himself a bowl and spoon. "You didn't finish the cereal, did you?"

"Nope. Just opened it."

"Wow, thanks for asking before helping yourself to my unopened food."

"You were sleeping!"

"Excuses."

He honestly didn't care. Being grumpy in the morning was just part of the routine.

He soon joined Jeongguk at the table, now with his own bowl full of cereal and milk, and took out his phone to distract himself from the lasting memories of both last night and last night's dream. The news never interested him, though, neither did social media, but he did have it for his friends' sake - Hoseok especially would express his "heartbreak" if Yoongi didn't like his post within twenty-four hours of the time it was uploaded. Dramatic, but that was Hoseok. Jeongguk didn't get on Yoongi's case about it as seriously but rather playfully mocked their friend and would text crying emojis along with I knew it, you hate me, don't you, hyung???

As it turned out, Hoseok had posted a picture yesterday. Twenty-three hours ago. Yoongi double-tapped his screen in a hurry to avoid a potential disaster.

"Oh, I almost forgot, hyung, did you like Hoseok's recent post? It's almost been a full day-"

"Just did. Thanks."

Jeongguk chuckled and Yoongi cracked a smile. The younger had just finished eating so he stood up from his seat and carried his dishes over to the sink to wash them. He had just turned the water on when there was a slight interruption.

"Someone's knocking."

It took a moment to reach Yoongi's brain. He lifted his head abruptly, finding Jeongguk already on his way towards the front door to answer it. Yoongi's heart hammered against his chest.

"Who is it?"

"My guess is Hoseok, unless you're expecting someone," Jeongguk teased, just before pulling open the door.

Faintly, Yoongi heard a muffled voice.

"Uhm, is...Yoongi here?"

It sounded like Taehyung. But it couldn't be.

Well, it could. Jimin had Yoongi's address, so the boy could potentially have gotten it from his friend.

"Uhm...y-...yeah, hold on. Yoongi?"

Jeongguk craned his neck to look back at the blond with somewhat alarmed eyes. Yoongi hurried over to the door without a moment's hesitation.

Surely enough, Taehyung had been the one to knock this time. He stood in the hallway, hands buried in the pockets of his baby blue jacket, shy expression in his eyes, while his mouth and nose were covered by a cotton mask. And yet somehow Yoongi could tell he was smiling.

"Yoongi! Hello." The boy pulled one hand out to wave. Yoongi waved back, though still a bit shocked, and stepped aside and gestured for Taehyung to come inside.

Not a second after the door was closed again Jeongguk aggressively tapped his friend's shoulder to get his attention. He proceeded to throw glances at Taehyung in a way that silently demanded an explanation, but Yoongi scolded the boy's lack of manners in front of his guest.

The blond rushed over to the kitchen table to retrieve his phone. After returning the living room again, he typed out a quick message - Just make yourself comfortable on the couch - and showed it to Taehyung, who gratefully obliged.

Needless to say, Jeongguk was even more puzzled now.

"Hyung, what-?"

"He's deaf, Guk," Yoongi said harshly. "No, sorry, nearly deaf."

"O-oh."

Slowly, and with a frown of sympathy, Jeongguk turned to look in the visitor's direction. He pursed his lips.

"He's...really cute."

"He's Jimin's friend."

"Who?"

"The neon dancer."

"For real?!"

"Jeongguk, keep your voice down!"

"But you said he was nearly deaf!"

"Doesn't mean I am." Yoongi gave the younger's shoulder a light, reprimanding slap. "Behave yourself, I could kick you out of here at any time."

"You're so cruel sometimes, hyung..."

Jeongguk whined, but listened. And Yoongi chose now to return his attention to Taehyung, taking a seat beside the boy who seemed delighted to just be here.

"Your apartment is nice," he said, pulling his mask down a bit so his mouth was uncovered. Yoongi nodded. He typed out another message.

—

Was there a reason you came here?

—

"I wanted to thank you," Taehyung replied straightaway. His broad smile was in full view now. "I tried...some of the snacks, and the hot chocolate was really good. You're very kind."

—

You guys are a lot less fortunate than I am. It's the
least I could do. But I'm glad you liked them.

—

"Mhm! Jimin did, too. Even though I had to fight with him to get him to try the snacks, but he did after a while. Also, he-..."

Something dawned on Taehyung's expression in that moment. His gaze dropped, some conflicted emotion sparking in his eyes that caused Yoongi to worry something was wrong. He waited patiently for the boy to speak again.

"The coat you gave him. It's a really nice coat. Was it expensive?"

—

Not really. Twenty-five dollars, I think. It's a cheap price for a winter coat.

—

"Oh, okay."

The boy smiled again, but in a much softer, delicate way that concerned Yoongi. Something was definitely wrong. But Yoongi didn't know how to, or even if he should ask, because it was likely a personal matter, maybe one that Taehyung didn't want to elaborate on. So again, he simply waited.

"Jimin cried...because of it."

Yoongi's eyes widened a bit.

"After he came back inside, I found him staring at the coat, and before I knew it he burst into tears and wouldn't stop...crying."

Yoongi couldn't bring himself to pick up his phone to write out another message. He only watched Taehyung's expression, wanting every piece of information the boy had for him.

"I guess he was overwhelmed," Taehyung continued. His gaze drifted once again, this time towards his interlocked fingers. "But...I didn't know what to do. Jiminie...Jiminie never cries these days. He works all the time to take care of me, maybe it's...been wearing on him, or something. But I just wanted to tell you, 'cus it means...so much..."

All the time? I thought it was just weekends...?

In the midst of his pondering Yoongi was caught off guard by the sensation of two arms wrapping around him.

Taehyung hugged him. Without warning, a tender, heartfelt gesture Yoongi couldn't possibly reject without suffering guilt strong enough to kill him. So he endured it, expecting the boy to let go after a few seconds.

But he didn't.

"Uh..." Yoongi awkwardly patted Taehyung's back as he could feel Jeongguk staring intensely at them now. The blond had to quite literally peel the boy away from him.

"Sorry..." Taehyung's shoulders drooped. "I just...wanted to express gratitude. Jimin can be stubborn but...he...I know it meant something to him. He wouldn't have cried in front of me if it didn't."

Yoongi didn't know what to say, how to react. The idea of that smooth-talking tease crying over a simple Christmas gift didn't settle easily in his mind. But Yoongi believed Taehyung. And that only made his head spin more and his heart beat an extra decibel louder. Maybe a few.

He picked up his phone.

—

Did you eat breakfast already? You're welcome to have something here. Also I have leftovers from last night you can take home for you and Jimin.

—

A second time, without warning, Taehyung initiated a hug Yoongi was not at all prepared to accept.

From behind him he heard his friend muttering.

"Playboy. Yoongi hyung, you're dating two boys, aren't you?"

"Jeongguk, if you don't shut your mouth right now..."

—

end of chapter ten.