"I'm thinking pink," Taehyung says, wiggling his toes as he contemplates. "What do you think about pink?"

Ms. Park considers for a moment in the chair beside him, peeking down at his bare feet. "I think pink would be nice."

The other chairs in the nail salon are sparsely populated this time of day, and the receptionist at the front leans dully over a magazine.

"Everything has to be perfect tonight," Taehyung says, pointing out a baby-pink color to the nail technician. "I need Jimin to see what a consistently stylish and totally not embarrassing partner I am."

Jin scoffs and takes a sip of his sparkling water. "Don't worry. Even if you chose a normal color for once, I have every faith that you will find a multitude of other ways to embarrass him."

Taehyung flicks a cucumber at him, and it lands on Jin's arm with a dull splat. "I am a fashion risk taker, thank you."

"And Jimin loves that about you, dear," Ms. Park assures him with a gently pat to his arm. "Just... maybe not Pea Green again. It looked like a fungal infection."

"Oh, that's lovely," Taehyung's mom pipes up from his other side, peeking down at his toes, one of which is now pink. "I'll do pink, too."

Taehyung startles a bit when a familiar snippet of "Take You Down" rings out through the otherwise quiet salon.

Jin groans. "You still use that for your Jimin ringtone?"

Taehyung shoots him a superior look as he digs in his pocket for his phone. "The magic never dies, baby." He taps the accept button on the screen. "Hey." A pause. "Yeah. Jin's here." He tilts the phone away from his mouth and says loudly to Jin, "Yoongi told Jimin to tell me to tell you you're a butt and that he thought you were dead."

"Why would he think I was dead?"

"He woke up and you were gone, then they found the body of some guy who choked on a whole hotdog. Oh and Yoongi told Jimin to tell me to tell you don't even pretend that's not how you would die."

Jin rolls his eyes. "Tell Jimin to tell him I left them a note on the fucking fridge detailing my exact schedule for the next three hours as well as a task list for him for tonight. Also tell Jimin to tell Yoongi to tell Hope that the they need to pick up those things by 5."

"Jin says there's a note on the fridge and he said some other stuff too."

"Tell my scoundrel of a son to text me back!" Ms. Park insists, wiggling her toes as they soak in the tub at her feet.

"Your beautiful, neglected mother humbly requests that you text her back." Taehyung relays to Jimin, shooting Ms. Park a cheesy grin. "Oh and baby can you pick up some Dawn on the way home?" A pause. "No not for me, for the dish- Babe. Babe I just like the seal on the bott- no babe I promise not to use it for my fa-... Yes, yes I pinky swear on My Princess Di Beanie Baby...... Okay. Yep. Love you. Bye."

"What was that all about?" Taehyung's mom asks him curiously.

Taehyung sighs. "He won't let us have Dawn in the house ever since he caught me washing my face with it again. Makes us use fucking Ponds to wash our dishes."

"Don't sound so bitter," Jin says, settling back into his seat and tilting his head back on the headrest. "You look approximately 60% more humanlike since you two started dating."

"Your place looks better too," Taehyung's mom adds.

"But I moved out of my place. My place is Jimin's place now."

"Exactly."

"You know, he has gotten a lot of great things out of dating me, too!" Taehyung retorts, glaring at his mother and Jin. "Did you know his computer was still running on Windows 98 when he first met me? That should not have been possible. He also had like 3 dead bugs that had been trapped under cups for months. Guess who took care of that for him. Not to mention that DAILY I eat his a-...." He freezes mid word when remembers his audience. "-.......aaaaaass. Shit, I'm really sorry. I couldn't think of anything else that started with 'A.'"

"Apple. Artichoke. Aioli. Anchovy. Almond," Jin lists calmly as Ms. Park stifles a laugh into her hand. "Agave. Arugula,-"

"Anus," Taehyung provides helpfully.

Jin purses his lips and turns to Taehyung's mother who is mid-eye roll. "How did you do it? For 18 years?"

"The vodka, darling," Taehyung's mom says, reaching into her bag and pulling out a small metal flask. She uncaps it and pours a little into Jin's sparkling water.

"Ah yes."

"Anyway Jimin and I are the perfect couple, and I will prove it tonight by orchestrating the perfect date, on our momentous two-year assiversary."

Jin eyes him strangely. "Are you drunk right now? Your anniversary was a week ago," Jin reminds him, cringing at the sharp taste of the vodka as he lowers his glass from his lips. "You forced us to throw you a surprise anniversary party and everything."

Taehyung eyes him strangely. "That was totally unrelated. This is celebrating the most important day of my life. I have this day marked on my calendar every year for the next 200 years just in case, as I fully expect, Jimin and I live to be the first couple to live forever."

"Then what the fuck was last week?" Jin demands, looking frazzled. "You made Jungkook dress like Cupid and follow Jimin around pegging him with a nerf gun all day."

"Shh shh, sweetie, you've got to pick your battles," Taehyung's mom hushes Jin, tipping the glass back towards his mouth. "Just drink up. I already scheduled us an Uber."

As the nail technician works away, Taehyung can't help but check his phone every few seconds, a small wave of anxiety washing over him each time he does. There are a lot of things that have to come together tonight and a lot of places for everything to go terribly wrong. It's torturous to just sit still for half an hour more when there's so much to be done.

"Jin, you and your better halves will be there for setup at 6pm, right?" Taehyung asks, as he finally takes a look at his finished toes, swinging his legs to the side of the chair to place them on the ground.

"Yep," Jin says, closing his eyes. His eyelids flutter open after just a moment. "Wait. Two halves equals 100%."

Taehyung considers the math for a moment. "Yes."

"Are you saying that I am a 0% contributor to my own relationship?"

Taehyung bites his lip in careful thought. "I'll give you 15% for waffles. So that leaves.... 79% for the other two. 39.5 % each."

"Wow you nailed that division but you really think that 100 minus 15 is 79?"

"Shut up, I've always been bad at reverse math."

"You mean subtraction."

"Stop cyber-bullying me," Taehyung huffs as he pulls back on his shoes. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go prepare to sweep my boyfriend off his fucking feet. I'm already behind schedule."

"What schedule? Yoongi and Hope and I are setting everything up. You don't have to do shit."

"Excuse the hell out of you. Not only do we have the pre-date portion of the date, but I also have to ready my body for a magnificent night of f-" His eyes widen as he remembers his audience once more. " .......ffffffffffffffucking. Shit. Sorry."

"Frolicking. French toast. Frog catching. Fencing. Flower picking," Jin recites resignedly, counting the words off on his fingers.

"It's okay, sweetie," Ms. Park assures Taehyung, reaching for the flask in Taehyung's mom's outstretched hand, "It just means your love manifests in physical ways. A beautiful thing."

"Thank you," Taehyung says smugly as he shoots Jin a smug look. He yanks the laces on his shoes tight and stands up to peck Ms. Park's cheek briefly before swooping down to peck his own mother's cheek.

When he straightens up, Jin clears his throat and tilts his cheek up towards Taehyung expectantly. Taehyung rolls his eyes before pressing a reluctant kiss to Jin's cheek.

"Hey so are you good?" Jin asks quietly with a significant look.

"Perfect," Taehyung assures him, though he's been in a near-constant state of nausea all day. He lowers his voice so that his mom and Ms. Park can't hear. "Joon, Kookie, and Ms. Park still have no clue, right? The more people who know the more likely Jimin is to find out."

"Nobody except me, Hope, and Yoongi. Are you sure you've got everything you need?"

"Yes, of course. I've been planning this since the night we met."

As he goes to leave, Jin grabs his arm. "Everything?"

"Yes, mother number 3! I've got the flowers, I've got the champagne, I've got the mariachi band, I've got the two-person sweater, I've got the jasmine-scented candles, I've got the chinchilla-"

"The ring, Tae. Do you have the ring?" Jin hisses.

"The! Hah. The- ..." A visceral wave of panic smacks him in the face as his knees go weak. "The ring."

"Kim Taehyung, what is that look?"

"No look. I definitely... thought about the ring. Definitely did not focus on the other aspects of the proposal so much that I forgot about the ring. Arguably the most important part of the proposal process. Hah! Who on this whole entire planet would forget about the ring?"

"You're already breaking out into stress hives, you clearly forgot the ring," Jin says.

"Jin I did not forget the ring," Taehyung chuckles, scratching almost violently at his neck. "I clearly didn't forget the ring. And I most certainly didn't forget the ring."

"Repeatedly saying that you didn't forget the ring will not magically make it true."

"That is true, because God is dead. God is dead and I forgot the ring and I'm passing out Jin, please catch me."

"Wha..... what happened?" Taehyung mumbles blearily as he blinks his eyes open, shielding his face from the blinding light.

"You pretended to pass out and faked unconsciousness for 32 minutes," Jin says unamusedly as he crouches above him.

"Why didn't you call 9-11?" Taehyung asks in mock outrage. "I could have been dead!"

"I told them to leave you," Taehyung's mom says peeking over Jin's shoulder. "You used to do this all the time as a child, whenever you had a problem you didn't want to deal with. Waiting you out was the only way I could get you to stop. You once laid on the floor of a Toys-R-Us so long that they closed the store with you inside."

"Ughhhhh," Taehyung groans, pushing himself to his feet. "Where's Ms. Park?"

"We told her to head on home. She had some things to take care of for Jimin. Now come on," his mom says, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I already heard Jin tell you the whole story when I was pretending to be dead," Taehyung pouts. "I fucked up. I'm not destined to marry the most wonderful man in the whole world."

"Tae. Honey," his mom says, pulling him close and holding him tight. "What was the first thing you told me about Park Jimin?"

"That he had the most angelic and pure butt that I had ever seen?"

"That's still... a very confusing statement, sweetie. But no, the other first thing."

"That he had tiny, delicate, beautiful hands?"

His mom smiles knowingly at him, reaching into her purse and pulling out a tiny box. "That he had tiny, delicate, beautiful hands." She opens the box. "Maybe a ring size 7?"

Taehyung's throat constricts abruptly and painfully as he looks down at the small, brilliant diamond. "Is that grandma's ring?"

"She would want you to have it."

Taehyung swallows hard and swipes at his eyes. "I don't think... I don't think Jimin's who she expected to wear that ring, mom. Maybe you should save this for one of the cousins."

"Baby. You were always her favorite. Nobody loved her like you did," his mom assures him, rubbing soothing circles on his back. "And she would have adored Jimin."

Taehyung sniffs and tentatively takes the box. "He is the perfect human being."

His mom leans over and gives him a kiss. "He's pretty great. And you're going to be pretty great together. I don't think I've seen two people more in love since grandma and grandpa themselves."

"Thanks, mom." He twists around to hug her properly, squeezing her tight. He tilts his head then, pulling back abruptly to look her square in the eye. "Wait how did you just happen to have this with you? Were you and Jin anticipating my fuck-up?"

His mother fixes him with a pitying stare. "You were fake unconscious for half an hour, sweetie. I Ubered home, grabbed her ring, stopped by the dry-cleaner, and made it back in time to see Jin slap you the hell awake."

"HEY BABE!" Taehyung shouts as he strolls through their front door. "Are you ready to commence pre-date phase one? You'll never believe what I got at the store! Bacon flavored lube! Now I can literally eat your ass for lunch- and you're recording a video, hello millions of people."

"Don't worry it's not live," Jimin assures him turning his partially made-up face to greet Taehyung. "Unlike last time. If you're lucky and if Kook is feeling kind, he'll edit that out."

"I'll bribe him with one of our blurry sex tapes."

"The one from the carwash?" Jimin asks casually.

"I was actually thinking that live newscast during the tropical storm."

"Okay, that one was an accident, and I can't believe they still aired it."

"How much longer do you have until you're finished?" Taehyung asks, slinging his bag onto the couch.

Jimin grimaces guiltily. "Probably a while. Sorry, I was having camera issues and I lost track of time. We might have to cut down on pre-date a little bit."

"That's fine, baby, make that money," Taehyung says, strolling over and bending down to where Jimin is seated so that their faces are inches apart. "Can I kiss you on the mouth or will I fuck something up?"

"You may kiss me on the mouth," Jimin replies with an eye-crinkling grin, "And thank you for asking."

With a brief smile, Taehyung leans forward and presses his lips to Jimin's in a sweet peck, sighing contentedly as he does. He goes to pull away after just a moment, but Jimin threads his fingers through Taehyung's hair, locking him in place and licking into his mouth hotly. Taehyung stumbles forward a bit, bent at an awkward angle but eager to continue. He brings his hand up to cup Jimin's cheek, but Jimin slaps him away abruptly.

"Sweetie, I love you but this fucking contour took me 20 minutes," Jimin mumbles against his lips. "Unless you want to spend 20 minutes on your knees making it up to me, you'd better keep that grubby little hand to yourself."

Taehyung stares at him, contemplating for a few moments.

"I see you thinking about it, you brat," Jimin says with a laugh, shoving him away. "Go... do some work or something."

Taehyung groans. "But I just wanna do you. My beautiful boyfriend." He perks up when he remembers something. "OH! Tell your viewers about the 'boyfriend does my makeup' video that we did! When are you posting that one?"

Taehyung sees Jimin's eyes widen in the camera's digital screen. "Oh um. It's the strangest thing. That video got deleted somehow."

"What?? We worked so hard on that!"

"Yeah. Jeeze. I dunno, Jungkook must have fucked up."

"What???" Taehyung repeats, unable to hide the outrage in his face. "Well shit. I guess we'll just have to ... do it again."

Jimin blanches. "No! Uh... I mean... Nahh, we don't have to. Wouldn't want to waste your time."

"What are you talking about. It was totally fun. Remember how I accidentally glued your eyelids open with lash glue? Life Hack. Instant facelift. Accidental genius. You looked amazing. We can do it again tomorrow."

Jimin breathes a deep and bracing breath. "Kay babe." There are a few seconds during which Jimin seems to be typing frantically on his computer. "OH shit look, I found the video! Right here on my desktop, silly me."

"Phew. Thank god. I used up all your blue eyeshadow last time. I don't know if I could recreate that look. I did pretty great."

"You did amazing, sweetie," Jimin assures him, turning back to the camera with a stiff grin.

"Thanks," Taehyung grins proudly. "You still good with drinks at The Queen at 7?"

"Of course," Jimin assures him. "No better place to spend our big day."

"Can you believe it's already been two years since the day you took my ass virginity?" Taehyung sighs fondly.

Jimin shakes his head with what seems to be a nervous laugh. "I really can't."

"Our assiversary."

"Babe that's very lame."

Taehyung pouts. "Jungkook liked it. Jin was very confused," he explains as he grabs an apple from the bowl in the kitchen. "2 hours!" he shouts then retreats to his office where he pretends that he's going to work, but what he really ends up doing is staring in awe at the beautiful diamond ring and agonizing over his impending monologue for the better part of two hours.

He's about halfway through the ode to Jimin's ass when he hears a muffled "Taetae?" from the next room.

Taehyung almost tumbles off the bed in shock, guilty like's a kid who's been caught doing something naughty. He snaps the ring box shut with a sharp snap and tries to physically calm himself, tucking the box into his jacket pocket.

"Yes?" He calls as he wrenches open the door and steps into their main room.

"I'm all done. Will you come take some pictures for my Instagram real quick?" Jimin asks, primping in the camera screen.

"Yeah of course," Taehyung says, grabbing the camera from a side table. "Where do you want them?"

"On the couch?" Jimin suggests, turning around to face him, and Taehyung's mouth feels abruptly dry.

Two years have done remarkably little to lessen he effect that Park Jimin has on him. Especially when Park Jimin is wearing a luxe peach corset, deadly-looking white heels, and nothing else.

"The video was pastel pin-up," he says with a twirl. "What do you think?"

"Wh... why aren't you wearing pants?"

Jimin shrugs. "They'll only see me from the waist up in the video."

"And the photos?" he asks, dreading the answer.

"Strategic leg placement." Jimin replies with a smirk, pushing Taehyung back on the couch and swinging up one leg to pin him there with a white, daggered heel to his chest. "See?" he asks, twisting his body so that all that can be seen in the bare outside of his raised, which obscures the more scandalous bits. Jimin's heel digs in hard to the flesh of his chest, and Taehyung's cock twitches in interest. "Be sure to get the shoes, baby. They're Louboutins."

Taehyung snaps his mouth closed long enough to snap a tilted, out-of focus photo of Jimin's leg. "We're gonna be late."

"Not if you do this right," Jimin teases, looking inordinately pleased. "You might even get a treat after."

Taehyung licks his dry lips and nods wordlessly, bringing the camera back up to his face as Jimin's heel presses a bit more pointedly into his chest. He swallows a groan, but he does manage to pull himself together long enough to get a couple of admittedly great pictures. The angle does wonders for Jimin's smooth, toned leg, and the side-ass? Unprecedented in the human world.

"Do you like this?" Jimin asks coquettishly, pressing the heel just slightly harder into Taehyung's chest.

"Huh?" Taehyung asks blankly as he breaths come deep but irregular, the pointed heel digging into his chest when his lungs expand on every inhale.

"The look."

Taehyung gulps, feeling his gut stir. "You look unreal." He smiles fondly then. "You always do."

Jimin looks a little embarrassed, and his only acknowledgement is a sheepish but pleased look. "Get a few more photos for safety?"

Taehyung nods and looks back into the viewfinder, which is now centered on Jimin's face. It's a strange feeling, seeing him through the lens like that, seeing him how everyone else sees him. It reminds him of the first time Taehyung saw him, years ago. How he, too, had been knocked on his ass.

And it dawns on him then, really for the first time despite how much they've talked about it, that he's going to be marrying this man. This man who still manages to give him butterflies, who still stays up talking to him about nothing and everything late into the night, who still looks at him like it's the first time, even after all this time. And the gravity of it hits him that, god-willing, this will be his every day for the rest of forever.

"Tae?" Jimin's expression suddenly morphs into one of worry through the viewfinder. Taehyung realizes then that his eyes feel a little wet and that he's biting his lip in an attempt to keep it together. Jimin withdraws his foot immediately and falls to his knees next to the couch. "Shit, did I actually hurt you?"

Taehyung gives a watery little laugh as Jimin tugs up his shirt to inspect the heel mark there. "You didn't hurt me."

Jimin rolls his eyes as his hands smooth frantically over the indent in Taehyung's skin. "You're fucking crying! What have I said about this? You have to tell me when something is actually hurting you."

"Jimin, chill. I'm not crying because I'm hurt," Taehyung smiles, gently grabbing Jimin's hands in his own to rest them on his chest. "I'm just really happy to have you. That's all."

"You..." Jimin starts, hands going limp in Taehyung's. "Fucking dork. Going all tender in the middle of what was supposed to be the start of some very kinky sex."

Taehyung laughs again, releasing Jimin's hands only to reach up and reverantly drag his fingers across Jimin's silky cheek, just barely skimming the surface so as not to ruin his makeup.

"You're so lovely," Taehyung tells him fondly, swiping his thumb lightly over Jimin's cheekbone.

Jimin smiles, slyly climbing up on the couch so that he's fully on top of Taehyung, their bodies pressed together. "Is that the only reason you love me? I'm lovely?"

Taehyung shakes his head with a hint of a fond smile as he looks up at him. "It's just a perk."

Jimin's makeup covers most of his blush, but the tips of his ears glow bright pink. "I love you."

He leans down then to press a sweet kiss to Taehyung's lips, and Taehyung stiffens, pulling away as much as he is able when he's reclined in the couch. "Shit, you're gonna ruin your lipstick!"

Jimin just slots their legs together as he laughs, and tinkling bells ring somewhere in heaven. He grabs Taehyung's hand and guides it to his face so that his thumb presses against Jimin's cherry-red bottom lip, and he drags it down so that Jimin's skin smears with bright red. "Then ruin it."

There's something in ruining a perfect thing, in taking the meticulous coat of red and smudging it messily onto a methodically made up face and making it flawed. But he's always liked Jimin best imperfect, has always loved the asymmetry of his eyes, the slightly crooked front tooth, the brattish pout of his lip when he feels like people aren't listening to him. It reminds him that Jimin's real, and he's here, and he's Taehyung's.

He watches in wonder as the garish red bleeds into the honeyed tan of Jimin's and becomes pink, watches Jimin's bottom lip hang open only just, watches his hooded eyes become hooded and Taehyung more firmly grips his chin.

Then he's pulling him forward and pressing their lips together, feeling the slide of the lipstick and the warmth of Jimin's mouth on his, and he can't imagine the mess they're making but he honestly can't be bothered to care.

It happens from time to time, the two of them getting so absolutely wrapped up in each other that time, space, and social obligations cease to exist, and Taehyung loves nothing more than the feeling of just disappearing into them. He'll never tire of swallowing down Jimin's moans as their lips slide together, never tire of the feeling of his small hands pressed up against Taehyung's chest, never tire of the way that Jimin always smells slightly sweeter when he's in drag, when he's made up and sprayed and primped but he can still detect that essential scent that is Jimin lingering beneath.

It's one of those times when Jimin is very warm and very pliant, when he dissolves into Taehyung a little more with every kiss and whines very softly when Taehyung so much as hints at pulling away. When they're eager and fond and sloppy, when they just want to touch and hold and feel and they don't much care how they do it.

It's how they end up desperately jerking each other off, Jimin straddling Taehyung's lap and bracing his forehead against Taehyung's shoulder as he whimpers between rough breaths. He looks wrecked, mouth stained a blurred red, the harsh lines of his eyeliner smudged soft with sweat, and as he sinks his teeth into Taehyung's shoulder to muffle a broken cry as he cums hard over his fist.

His own hand stills on Taehyung's still-hard cock momentarily as he recovers, looking fucked out and a little disoriented, but then he's sliding off the couch to his knees, grabbing Taehyung's legs to pivot them so that Jimin can kneel between his legs. Without hesitation, he leans forward and sinks his mouth down on Taehyung's cock, taking as much as he can, mouth so full that it stretches the corners of his lips taut.

Taehyung threads his fingers through Jimin's hair, comforting, not demanding, and sits very still as Jimin works over Taehyung's cock with his mouth and his hands.

"Fuck," Taehyung moans when Jimin does something remarkable with his tongue. "C-coming."

Jimin pulls off, opening his red-stained mouth as he continues to jerk Taehyung off with his soft hands. It's an utterly debauched image, and Taehyung cums hard, some of his release landing on Jimin's tongue and the rest of it painting his face and adding to the mess.

Taehyung's chest heaves as he drags Jimin back up onto the couch, pulling him into his side so that their sweaty limbs tangle together.

They lay there for a few minutes, until Taehyung leans down to kiss his face. Jimin turns his face away even as he wriggles even closer into the side of Taehyung's body. "Don't look at me, I'm a mess."

Taehyung looks at him fondly, swiping a bit of cum on his cheek and wiping it on his own shirt. "Still fucking lovely."

"Sap," Jimin teases him, pecking his lips. "Shit, I bet we're really late," he laments, wiping a bit more cum off us face as he moves to get up, but Taehyung pulls him on top of him and wraps his limbs around him like a monkey.

"We have so much time."

"It's 6:53pm," Jimin informs him, looking at the wall clock.

"Shit!" Taehyung says, releasing his death grip and pushing Jimin off of him. "We're really late!"

"Go get the shower started," Jimin tells him, patting Taehyung's chest and getting to his feet. "I just need to send the video footage to Kook."

"Aye Aye Cap'n," Taehyung agrees, reluctantly sitting up.

"Oops," Jimin says as he sits down in front of his computer setup. He looks back impishly at Taehyung. "I left the camera recording."

Taehyung pauses, looking over his shoulder and quirking an eyebrow. "Something tells me you're going to send it anyway."

Jimin dramatically clicks the mouse. "Correct." A loud buzzing from the corner table catches their attention then. "Jesus, will you pick up your phone? It's been buzzing off the hook for the last 20 minutes."

Taehyung's stomach drops as he lunges for his phone.

23 missed calls.

"Holy mother fucker, Jin's gonna kill me," he groans.

Jimin blanches as his own phone starts buzzing, and he picks it up with a look of mild dread. "You think you're dead? Jeon Jungkook is going to have my ass for dinner."

"First of all, why? Second of all, that sounds like a delicious meal."

"Pick up your damn phone, Tae!"

"Right." He taps accept with a mild sense of dread. "Heyyyy brother."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jimin apologizes immediately into his phone upon answering.

"Why the fuck haven't you been answering your goddamn phone?" Jin demands, and he sounds harried.

"I'm sorry, I know we're late, but I am currently as we speak, tucking my dick back into my pants." He slides on his jacket, making sure that the ring box is still in position.

"It's not that." Jin says, and he hears shouting and music in the background. "We have company."

"Um. What?" Taehyung asks, glancing at Jimin, whose brows are similarly furrowed as he murmurs into the phone.

"Namjoon and Jungkook, Tae. Namjoon and Jungkook are here."

"Who?" Jimin hisses into the phone, turning his body away from Taehyung.

Taehyung swallows hard. "They're... what?"

"Here. At The Queen. On the roof. With a mariachi band and every flower known to man."

Taehyung laughs skeptically. "You mean the things we brought to The Queen."

"No, Tae." Jin says significantly. "They brought their own."

"What do you mean they aren't ours?" Jimin asks, plopping down weakly onto the couch.

"Kim Taehyung, I need you to tell me that you and Park Jimin did not plan to propose to each other in the exact same way on the exact same day," Jin pleads into the phone.

"I..." Taehyung starts, eyes settling on Jimin, who is running his fingers through his hair in the way that he does when he's nervous.

"Much LESS," Jin continues, "On the day that Jungkook is referring to as your assiversary which I had legitimately hoped and prayed was a drunken slur on your part." There's a pause. "Shit, Tae, are you with him?? Jungkook is on the phone with him like right now."

Taehyung doesn't realize his eyes are watering until he looks up at Jimin and feels the damp coolness at his eyes.

"He's..." Jimin mumbles numbly, eyes finding Taehyung's across the room, and the connection thrums through him like a gentle electric current.

"Um," Taehyung utters, throat tight for the second time today.

"Oh," Jimin says, small rectangular eyebrows raised in shock.

"I have to go," Taehyung tells Jin carefully, his tongue feeling very heavy and dry in his mouth.

"No, Tae! What do we do with two fucking mariachi bands? Tae? Tae!"

The call disconnects with a quiet beep, Taehyung's hand falling limply to his side as he tries to blink away the wetness in his eyes. Taehyung shifts his weight, subtly reaching into his jacket pocket, fingers fumbling around the velvet box.

Jimin's mouth is still parted in mild shock as he continues to listen to Jungkook, but his eyes never leave Taehyung's.

"Ok," Jimin mutters into the phone, and Taehyung can hear several people shouting on the other side. Jimin doesn't blink as he lowers the phone from his ear and hangs up on Jungkook. He sniffs gently as he fidgets with it.

Silence is an uncommon state in their home. For two years, the rooms have echoed with the sound of chatting or music or cooking or shouting or typing. And there's never been an occasion when they don't have something to say. They bicker, they tease, they chat, they love, that's just the way they are. And so Taehyung doesn't really know what to do with silence, not when Jimin is staring at him with an unreadable expression, letting the room steep in a thick, tangible quiet. And there's so much to say, everything to say, but there doesn't seem to be a way to say it, doesn't seem to be a place to even start.

Taehyung nearly startles when Jimin finally looks down, breaking their eye contact as he slowly reaches into the end-table drawer and pulls out a small box. He clears his throat before pushing himself to his feet and taking several steps towards Taehyung, fingers visibly trembling around the box in his grasp.

When Jimin's eyes flit upwards and lock with his again, they're sparkling and swimming with a thousand unsaid things, all of those questions and answers that are buried in the opaque silence, and the world dangles on a gossamer thread.

He smiles.