When Taehyung entered into the gym room in the middle of the night, surely he can do one more push-up, he wasn't expecting to see Jungkook there too.

Jungkook's arms were an exact forty-five degree angle away from his body, his core was engaged, his abs were tight and flat, and the planes of his back flexed with each push. The sweat was trailing along the well-defined muscles and Taehyung was sure if a textbook needed a drawing of the right way to do a push-up, this would be it. Taehyung would know because Jin had been correcting him for the whole week and Jungkook is currently shirtless.

"Like what you see?" Jungkook asked with a smirk as he finished the last set.

"I was just looking!" Taehyung protested.

"Looking for a long time is called staring." Jungkook corrected.

Taehyung huffed as he could not conjure a comeback on the spot. I will get back to this later, he promised himself.

Why does Jungkook always make him flustered? Tonight is not the night. Tonight, Taehyung would show Jungkook that he will not always be on the receiving end.

Taehyung felt brave as he walked over to Jungkook's side. He racked his brain for the best insult he could think of and said, "you... you ain't it!"

Eh? That didn't sound un-nice enough. The gym room was silent for a moment. It had sounded much cooler in Taehyung's mind and Jungkook was supposed to be shocked at his sharp words.

Jungkook was shocked all right, although it was five percent taken by surprise, ninety-five percent befuddlement, and a hundred percent amusement.

Jungkook lets out a strangled sound which had Taehyung panicking. Does his words have some hidden power that he doesn't know about? Is Jungkook choking on the chicken they had for dinner but that had been hours ago...

And then Jungkook lets out another similar noise before a "sorry I didn't mean to."

Taehyung widened his eyes with realisation. That was Jungkook's laugh. Jungkook was laughing at him. Taehyung was embarrassed and horrified and he took a step back, and another step back.

He fled the room and made a mad dash for the kitchen on the first floor. A glass of cold water to wash away the shame would be helpful right now.

"Oof!" Of course, Taehyung had to trip in his haste.

"Ow..." the marble step did quite a number on him. A bruise instantly forms on his knee.

Taehyung was on his hands and knees when a pair of strong arms circled around his waist. His back came into contact with a warm and broad chest before he was hoisted to a sitting position.

Taehyung stared at the long black hair and muscular back as Jungkook grabbed an ice pack from the freezer for his bruise.

Jungkook sat beside Taehyung on the staircase and placed the ice pack on Taehyung's knee.

Taehyung broke the silence by mumbling, "Thank you, Kookie."

"Yeah," Jungkook replied.

It was silent again and Taehyung blurted out the question that had been floating around in his head for so long, poking at him at moments like this, "do you hate me?"

Ah. Jungkook understands why Taehyung would ask him that question. Jungkook isn't like Wrath who has been encouraging and finding any reason to stick to Taehyung, or like Gluttony who makes sure Taehyung eats well, or like Greed who buys Taehyung the most souvenirs and who swore to dress Taehyung up like an idol as part of the Hottie plan, or like Lust who spoils him like a little brother, or like Sloth who fights to be awake to console him, or even Envy who didn't do much but didn't upset him either.

Jungkook knows he hasn't been the nicest sin. While he doesn't see any wrong in his messages, he would admit the way he said some words comes off as a tad mean.

He also hasn't been responsive to or showed his appreciation to Taehyung's efforts, and he did intentionally distance himself from the mortal when he reached sixteen...

Anyway, he doesn't hate Taehyung and he doesn't know how to express himself. He never had to for millenniums.

So when Taehyung felt an unmoving hand on his hair, he quizzically looked at Jungkook. Was his hair poking out in different directions again?

Jungkook missed this. The soft texture of Taehyung's hair and how it slips between his fingers when he ruffled them when Taehyung was younger.

Jungkook sighed, "I don't hate you."

Jungkook felt he was looking at a megawatt Christmas tree at the way Taehyung's face lights up and a beam showing all of the boy's teeth stretches across his face.

His hand was still on Taehyung's head when Taehyung lunged forward and enveloped him in a bear hug. Jungkook forgot about how Taehyung largely expresses himself through his body language and he awkwardly patted his back. He is that happy, huh?

Jungkook doesn't think anyone can hate this boy. He allows a small smile which froze on his lips as he made eye contact with Gluttony who was leaning on the counter and looking at them.

"Holy shit!" Jungkook cursed in surprise as he instinctively stood up and grabbed Taehyung towards him since his arms were already around the boy.

Taehyung felt the air in his lungs get knocked out the same time he felt every muscle on Jungkook align with his body. Wow, Jungkook is really toned while he himself is just soft all over. Wait, the thing below, is that...? Now Taehyung is flustered for a different reason.

"Don't mind me, carry on please." Jin said as he opened a bag of chips. He personally prefers chips over popcorn when watching shows.

"Jin hyung? What are you doing here?" Taehyung asked.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gluttony of the seven sins." Jin said and winked.

Taehyung huffed. There's no need to be sarcastic.

"I woke up, I wanted to eat and prepare food for my next video live session, then I saw you guys and thought the food preparation could wait." Jin said. Obviously the eating couldn't.

"Hmmmm so I was thinking," Jin said. Taehyung shivered at the way Jin looked at him like a piece of meat.

"Why don't you be a guest on my video live?"

- a/n -

Please vote or comment thank you!

- rsv (resha)