[collarbones, lowkey a kink and that lil mole under his nose. an aesthetic king ♔]

[ CHAPTER 16 ]
debts

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

WHAT taehyung feels for a certain brown-haired, down-right gorgeous male is rather confusing. sure, hyungsik successfully had him melting in a pile of stammering, cherry cheeks but he doesn't feel wholeheartedly ecstatic when the man offers a following meet up later on, instead smiling politely and scribbling down his number.

but he's given little time to mull over his love life for the moment he steps into the tiled floor of his apartment, his phone blares loudly, thumping against his thigh.

"hello?" he mutters, stashing his keys into his pocket all the while greeting an elated yeontan who kicks and yips, teeth tugging at the hem of his pants.

"hi, is this a good time to talk or.." an unknown man asks, words trailing to a stuttering halt.

"huh-yeah, yeah. go ahead." taehyung insists, setting his belongings down on the coffee table before him.

"right." the man continues, the distant sound of stacked paper audible, "i'm calling from 9 lives - kim's rescue foundation, you dropped misun, a golden labrador retriever here a few weeks ago, yes?"

"yeah." taehyung says, unconsciously nodding as he straightens up, tense, "is there anything wrong? she okay?"

"she's fine, peppy as ever. but it's been over a month now and no one's been interested. our positions are running out so we may have to consider other options.."

"you want to get rid of her?" he snarls, fingers clenching into tight fists at his sides, "your job is to give these animals a place to live, i don't care if you don't have the space, find it."

"look sir i understand where your coming from-"

"no, you don't. that dog, went through hell and back. her home was a fucking garbage bin, she was skin and bones and got the end of someone's shitty life and still she continued to be the happy dog she is, don't tell me that you understand, you don't."

"of course, we'll add two weeks to her stay but-"

"someone will take her in." he snaps hotly, "if you can't do your job right, i will."

and before the man is given the opportunity to slip in a final apology or offer, he stamps a thumb against the crimson icon, phone stuffed into the pocket of his jeans.

─── ·𖥸· ───

when taehyung had said that he would find a home for the adorable labrador, he truly meant each and every single word, for the very next morning which conveniently happened to be a weekend, he shrugs on a fawn coat, slinging a cream scarf across his neck before stalking out of his apartment, phone pressed to his ear.

"pick up, pick up." he murmurs, slotting his keys into the lips of his car, slinging a leg into the leather of the seat.

although he isn't entirely surprised that the call zips to voicemail, the monotone voice of the man he slightly despised echoing across the interior of the vehicle, taehyung purses his lips, fingers tightening against the steering wheel.

"i'll be there in about half an hour until then enjoy a clean floor."

and dismissing the confused what? that dulls the music thumping at the speakers, he steps on the peddle, speeding into the knit of tightly nestled skyscrapers.

─── ·𖥸· ───

"move."

abiding, despite the blurry scowl at his lips, jeongguk shuffles back as he runs a languid hand through his hair.

"care to explain why the hell you decided to drop by at the crack of dawn?" he mutters irritatedly as he watches the elder stalk into his house, dropping his laden coat at a nearby coffee table.

turning on his heel, his cheeks light with the familiar burn he had experienced when he had first set eyes on the man who had opened the door for him, he scowls as he cups a palm at his eyes, "oh my God, put on some clothes will you?"

jeongguk stands a few steps away from him, the only piece of clothing hindering his birthday suit was a pair of flimsy sweatpants that hangs loosely at his hips, snippets of a very prominent v-line visible to taehyung's flushed cheeks. his torso, unsurprisingly etches a visible outline of abs that would have many drawling, pressed tight against the gold of his skin.

snickering at his discomfort, jeongguk pays no heed to taehyung's insistent whines, inching closer for the spite of it, an amused smirk at his lips.

"ew, no. back the heck up."

desperately trying to ignore the heat that creeps at his cheeks, eyes meek as they flicker away from the younger's God-like torso, slim yet muscled that has the roots of taehyung's hair flush a light rose.

"m'dunno." he slurs, eyes hooded as he slips an arm behind the elder's waist, drawing them close as taehyung squeaks at the sensation of his hips pressed against another's, "kinda like it right now."

"w-well." taehyung stammers, twisting his fingers against the other's bicep and writhing away unsuccessfully, retorting lamely, "i don't. unhand me you parasite!"

jeongguk merely hums, palms tightening against his waist as he peers curiously into the ashen-haired male's eyes, their faces barely millimeters from one another as taehyung squirms, cheeks rose at the burning stare upon him.

"you're blushing." jeongguk states plainly, a smirk at his lips as he eyes the blanket of darkening crimson propped upon the elder's nose.

sneering, taehyung attempts to shove him from his frame, attempt unbelievably futile as the younger male stands unfazed, "no shit sherlock, lemme go-"

"it's cute."

his limbs slacken at jeongguk's words, struck with the gooey slick of gold that sparks a dark hue against his skin, stiff in his arms as he gapes up at the raven-haired man, "w-what?"

"you heard me." jeongguk smirks, pulling the elder impossibly close, their chests pressed tight against one another, "you're darn adorable blushing."

scowling, taehyung shoves the man away with all his might, face surely as bright as the skin of a cherry, he snarls, "how many girls have you used that on?"

"huh?"

"you heard me." he jeers sarcastically, "i'm not any easy hook-up, go fuck with someone else."

"woah," jeongguk grins, "calm down silver, you're the only one."

"you aren't gay." taehyung seethes, "you told me that yourself."

"preferences change." he shrugs, lips thinning into a tight line as his palms slip into the pockets of his pants, "besides, you barely know me."

"whatever." taehyung scoffs, "i didn't come to your 'coming out of the closet' party, i got a call and i think you might be interested."

"what call?" jeongguk asks suspiciously.

"don't stare at me like i signed you up for a strip tease." he says, rolling his eyes, "you said you never had a pet right?"

"yeah." he approves slowly.

"great." taehyung says, lips breaking out into a wide beam, "then you're good to adopt misun right?"

comprehension dawning upon his expression, his lips turn, arms tightening against his chest, "no."

lips jutting into a full pout, taehyung whines, stamping his foot, "what, why?!"

"a dog isn't easy to look after."

"but you're 'loaded'!"

"it wouldn't be fair to her." jeongguk frowns, "i'm barely home, who'd keep her entertained?"

rolling his eyes as if what the younger had proposed was pure idiocy, "i'll drop yeontan off to keep her company, he needs a friend too."

"who said they're having a play date here? i can't have one of them pissing on any of rugs-"

"they're like a billion each, i know." he drawls sarcastically.

"no, that's just impractical, only like a couple of thousands."

"same difference."

huffing, jeongguk frowns, "i don't know, a pet is a huge responsibility. it's not the money i'm worried about, it's the time i've got for her."

taehyung smiles gently at this, propping a palm against the man's bare shoulder, "that's what i said at first but trust me, you won't regret it. it's like another sibling in the house."

"and that's a good thing?"

grin and any trace of patience slipping from his expression, taehyung's features darken as he scowls heavily at the younger male.

"look, you said it yourself you owe misun something after beating the living daylights out of her and hey, the door's open and i suggest you bloody well fling it open before i ring up the local news agency."

raising his eyebrows, a strange look passes over jeongguk's coal eyes, something alike to approval as the tips of his thin lips quirk up in a smirk.

"well then, i'll have a think 'bout it."

~

[a/n]

sorry for the long wait, assessments and all. :((
kook doesn't like getting licked on the face lmao, can't relate, it's cute.

life hack of the century: keep your phone in another room when you're studying otherwise you won't get shit done.